# data[].attributes.body
Elijah Golly

Topic: Flock behavioral and surveillance monitoring.

1. How do Flock Safety cameras affect community privacy and data security?

2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of using automated surveillance systems for crime prevention?

3. How are local governments and police departments regulating or justifying their use?

4. What alternatives exist for ensuring public safety without compromising civil liberties?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Proponents: Argue that Flock cameras help solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles, and improve neighborhood safety through real-time data.

Opponents: Raise concerns about privacy violations, mass surveillance, data misuse, and the lack of transparency or consent in their deployment.

My Stakeholders

Residents in surveilled neighborhoods, local policymakers, law enforcement agencies, privacy advocates, and civil rights organizations.

Questions for Peers

Does my focus on Flock cameras seem too narrow, or is it clear enough to support a full research project?

Should I expand the topic to include other surveillance technologies?

What types of sources (academic, legal, or community-based) would best strengthen my argument?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Flock’s Aggressive Expansions Go Far Beyond Simple Driver Surveillance | ACLU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Build it (an authoritarian tracking infrastructure) and they (expanded uses) will come

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Elle Taylor

Topic: Fungal decomposition of plastics in reference to landfill pollution

Research Questions: What species of fungi have proven results of decomposing plastic?

What is the economic costs relating growing and maintaining mushrooms in landfills?

How would the landfill staff, nearby residents and other stakeholders be benefitted from the cultivation of spores within landfills

How could successfully developed fungi assist with trash within landfills and help in climate issues.

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Pollution is affecting the environment everywhere. With single use plastics being the largest leading cause. On top of that landfills pile and pollute areas around them, too dark and compressed to decompose.

On the other hand, fungal research is limited with many unknown species. The economic and success rate also may not produce a beneficial yield to make the work worth it.

Questions for Peers:

Are my research questions developed strongly enough?

Does this sound like an enriching, interesting topic?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2024, 26(2): 154-158.

Mycelial growth, yield and decomposition capability of white oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus florida) grown in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic and lignocellulosic wastes

Leilidyn Y. Zurbano*,Lea Marie S. Castañeda, Russel M. Dorado, Kristine Mae D. Heresano, Harry Lloyd S, Olviga, Mae Dhanica T. Pante

Department of Agribusiness, Polytechnic University of the Philippines Lopez Branch, Philippines. Corresponding e-mail: lyzurbano@pup.edu.ph

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2024.v26i02.29

Key words: Decomposition, ligno-cellulosic waste, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic, mycelial ramification, Pleurotus florida

Abstract:

White Oyster Mushroom ( Pleurotus florida) is one of the domesticated mushrooms in the Philippines and known to grow in various biodegradable wastes. Low Density Polyethelene (LDPE) plastic is one of the most common non-biodegradable wastes in the environment which causes pollution. At present, biodegradation process is one of the ways to degrade plastics because of its non-polluting mechanism and cost-effectiveness. Thus, this study aimed to determine if P. florida could grow in LDPE plastic and facilitate its decomposition. Fourteen treatments were used in the study, laid out in Complete Randomized Design, and replicated thrice. The first four (4) treatments were composed of substrates with no LDPE plastics (rice straw, sawdust and cocopeat) while the rests were substrates with certain percentage of LDPE plastics. Observation was done for eight (8) weeks in the PUP Lopez Mushroom Laboratory and the data obtained was analyzed using ANOVA. Result shows that slight decomposition happened in LDPE plastic mixed with lingo-cellulosic wastes. Small spots or dark holes appear in the surface of LDPE plastics observed under microscope which is a sign of decomposition. In terms of mycelial ramification, fruiting bags with LDPE plastics were first to occupy the fruiting bag. There was also a decreased weight of the fruiting bags after 8 weeks. In terms of yield, substrates without LDPE plastics grew mushrooms with the highest weight. However, yield in sawdust and cocopeat substrates were not significantly different with the yield of mushrooms grown in substrates with LDPE plastics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
pleurotus florida

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mycelial growth, yield and decomposition capability of white oyster mushroom (

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
White Oyster Mushroom ( Pleurotus florida ) is one of the domesticated mushrooms in the Philippines and known to grow in various biodegradable wastes. Low Density Polyethelene (LDPE) plastic is one of the most common non-biodegradable wastes in the environment which causes pollution.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Leonardo Lopez

Topic: I am going to do research on GMO, virtual farming, and lab grown meat.

Research Question:

1) can technology driven food systems truly coexist with traditionally natural agriculture practices?

2) Is it ethical to rely on genetic engineering and lab grown products to solve world hunger?

3) Should society embrace lab grown meat as a solution to environmental problems?

4) Should consumers have the right to know if their food was grown in a lab or genetically modified?

Pros: environmental benefits, food safety, efficient, and has future potential.

Cons: High cost, high energy use, and economic impact on farmers.

Audience: everyone who eats food is affected by this issue.

Link:https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Food+Systems+%26+GMOs+%e2%80%93+lab-grown+meat%2c+vertical+farming+good+or+bad&&view=detail&mid=E23CC6FA3B1CAA894BCEE23CC6FA3B1CAA894BCE&FORM=VRDGAR

Questions for peers:

1) what role do you think consumers play in shaping the future of food technology?

2) If GMO or lab grown mean were cheaper that traditional foods, would you change how you feel about it?

# data[].attributes.body
Noah Hodson

-I’m writing about AI’s impact on society and how it could be a big issue in the future in terms of AI becoming smarter than humans

Questions

-Can humans still control AI once it becomes smarter than us

-How might advanced AI affect education and learning

-What rules/laws should be made to help keep powerful AI safe

-Will we try to limit how smart AI can get?

Arguments for:

- Smarter AI could help fix major problems such as disease and climate change

It can make many every day tasks easier

It could help make humans learn faster

Arguments against:

Super intelligent AI could potentially replace many human jobs and cause unemployment

- It could also get smart enough to blackmail or lie to humans if threatened

Audience/stakeholders:

-Students/teachers     -Workers and business owners     -Scientists    -Everyone else                                                                        Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/12/10/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-humans/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Questions for peers: - What do you think would happen if AI became smarter than humans?

Should scientists try to stop AI from becoming too intelligent?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Risks of Overreliance on AI in Decision Making - Quanta Intelligence

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping decision-making processes across various sectors, enabling businesses to leverage complex algorithms for quicker and

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Chloe Mackenzie

Topic: Censorship of Press

Research Questions:

How do perceptions of press censorship influence public trust in media and government?
How does the U.S. approach to press freedom compare to other developed nations, and what impact does this have on international relations?
How can the government address disinformation without infringing on constitutional protections for the press?
What historical and current examples illustrate the tension between national security, public safety, and press freedom?

Key Issues on Both Sides: It's said the government is censoring press out of safety for them and citizens. While common people and journalists argue there is a constitutional right to know the information being censored.

Questions for Peers:

What does "freedom of the press" mean to you?

Can censorship ever protect society, or does it always harm it?

How does misinformation or fake news complicate the debate about press freedom?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reporters sans frontières assure la promotion et la défense de la liberté d’informer et d’être informé partout dans le monde. L’organisation, basée à Paris, compte des bureaux à l’international (Berlin, Bruxelles, Genève, Madrid, Stockholm, Tripoli, Tunis, Vienne et Washington DC) et plus de 150 cor…

# data[].attributes.body
Oliver Maynard

Topic: Renewable energy in the US versus fossil fuels

I want to explore how renewable energy compares to fossil fuel energy in efficiency, environmental impact, and job opportunities.

Research questions:

How does the efficiency of renewable sources compare to that of non-renewable ones?

How large is the environmental impact of producing renewable power components?

How will renewable energy affect job availability in power production?

How does renewable energy land usage affect communities and ecosystems?

Key Issues:

Pros:

Sustainable

environmental benefits

low operating costs.

cons:

Higher initial cost than other forms

Land usage

Impact from mining and production.

Audience:

The audience is everyone because the effects of greenhouse gas emissions will apply to everyone. A more specific audience could be lawmakers who can make laws to incentivise renewable power.

Peer question:

Is my topic too broad should I focus it on a more specific part?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As analysts and observers of the transition to a lower-carbon and workable energy economy, we don't normally write about films. But we're venturing into the realm of cultural commentary in light of the recent release of Planet of the Humans, produced by Michael Moore. Throughout Moore's career, he has used documentary films to illuminate social and economic issues in many domains. Sadly, his newest film includes so many misconceptions and so much dated information that we feel compelled to clarify the facts about renewable energy.

We understand the ultimate message of the film: that societies around the world need to make fundamental changes in their consumption patterns. But in a misguided approach to making that point, the filmmakers discredit the value of clean energy technologies and the people that seek to advance their deployment.

Over the last decade, the clean energy industry has changed tremendously. Costs have fallen dramatically, technologies have become more efficient and solutions for integrating renewables into electric grids have advanced. Here are the facts:

1. Renewables replace fossil fuel energy on the grid.

In the U.S. and in virtually every region, when electricity supplied by wind or solar energy is available, it displaces energy produced by natural gas or coal-fired generators. The type of energy displaced by renewables depends on the hour of the day and the mix of generation on the grid at that time. Countless studies have found that because output from wind and solar replaces fossil generation, renewables also reduce CO2 emissions. For example, an NREL study found that generating 35% of electricity using wind and solar in the western U.S. would reduce CO2 emissions by 25-45%.

Solar and wind farms have dominated new power plant builds in the U.S. in recent years, while fossil fuel plants-particularly coal-fired plants-continue to be retired at record pace. In 2019, wind (9.1GW) and solar (5.3GW) represented 62% of all new generating capacity, compared to 8.3GW of natural gas, while 14GW of coal-fired capacity was retired. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has also projected that most new electric generation added in the U.S. in 2020 could come from wind and solar, with new natural gas plants projected to represent less than a quarter of new generating capacity. Certainly, some of these installations may be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While natural gas builds exceeded those of renewables in 2018, reversing the earlier trend of renewables leading, there were 12.9GW of coal-fired capacity and 4.6GW of gas-fired capacity retired in that same year, according to EIA.
Source data: EIA, Tables 4.2.A and 4.2.B, Existing Net Summer Capacity by Energy Source and Producer Type (https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/html/epa_04_02_a.html, https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/html/epa_04_02_b.html)
2. Clean energy has created millions of jobs - and can create more.

At the start of 2020, the clean energy sector employed about 3.4 million workers in the U.S., with much of the workforce concentrated in the energy efficiency industry. In 2019, clean energy jobs outnumbered jobs in the fossil fuel sector 3 to 1; across 42 states and the District of Columbia, the clean energy workforce was larger than that of the fossil fuel industry. The quality of these jobs is also important. According to research by the Brookings Institute, clean energy workers earn higher and more equitable wages when compared to workers nationally, with mean hourly wages exceeding the national average by 8 to 19%.

Clean energy jobs are only expected to continue growing - notwithstanding the hit to the sector as a result of COVID-19. Through 2028, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the two fastest-growing jobs in the United States will be solar installers (projected to grow by 105%) and wind technicians (projected to grow by 96%). Under the International Renewable Energy Agency's "Transforming Energy Scenario," the number of renewable energy jobs worldwide could more than triple, reaching 42 million jobs by 2050, while energy-efficiency jobs would grow six-fold, employing over 21 million more people. By contrast, the fossil fuel industry is expected to lose over 6 million jobs over the same time period, even without the impact of the virus.

3. Wind and solar plants can be built with minimal environmental impacts, and often with co-benefits.

All power plants, including renewables, result in some environmental impacts during siting, development and operation. Over the past two decades, siting practices for U.S. wind projects have become more sophisticated and effective at minimizing impacts. As a result, wind projects have fewer impacts than other types of projects, falling near the bottom on lists of developments that can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. What's more, these projects often provide co-benefits. Wind farms sited in rural areas benefit farmers and ranchers by providing annual revenues from $4,000 and $8,000 per turbine, while allowing landowners to continue to use the sites for agriculture or grazing. Additionally, wind farm owners pay county property taxes that support schools, recreation centers and other county activities.

Solar siting practices require environmental investigations to identify and minimize negative impacts. Plans can be developed that provide additional benefits such as protecting wildlife, improving soil health and water retention, nurturing native vegetation, or incorporating pollinator-friendly plants. Additional benefits can include lease income to farmers and county or city tax revenues. Payments to landowners vary widely across the U.S. and can range from $300-1,000 per acre.

And operating these plants, of course, requires no fuel-delivery infrastructure like gas pipelines, propane trucks, coal barges and railroads, all of which produce their own negative environmental impacts.

4. Solar and wind now provide the cheapest power for 67% of the world.

The costs associated with solar and wind have fallen dramatically in recent years. According to BNEF, the cost of energy globally for onshore wind and utility-scale solar is now $44 and $50/MWh (on a levelized basis), compared to $100 and $300/MWh only a decade ago. In the U.S., the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) associated with onshore wind ($24-46/MWh) and utility-scale solar ($31-111/MWh) is now less than that of almost all gas-fired power production. Battery storage, which is crucial to address the variability of wind and solar power, has seen the swiftest global price drop among all technologies, from nearly $600/MWh in 2015 to about $150/MWh in the first half of 2020.

This precipitous drop in the cost of utility-scale solar and onshore wind has made them the cheapest sources of power in two-thirds of the world. Today, solar projects in Chile, the Middle East and China, or wind projects in Brazil, the U.S. and India, are approaching figures lower than $30/MWh, lower than the costs of building and producing power from plants that use coal or even the cheapest gas. By 2030, upcoming innovations are likely to reduce costs even further.

5. Although wind and solar cannot produce energy every hour of the day, the energy they generate can be managed on the grid.

Wind farms produce electricity when it's windy and solar farms produce power when there's sun, leading to variability in the supply of energy. However, this can be - and is being - managed by utilities and grid operators through operational practices, forecasting, responsive loads and infrastructure such as storage and transmission. Electricity grids are designed to address variability in customers' electricity demand, maintain continuous balance between generation and demand and maintain reserves for any type of outage on the system (e.g., power plant failure), so they are already designed to manage variability. However, grids need to be modified to be more flexible over time, to integrate larger amounts of wind and solar and address the additional variability that comes with heavier reliance on renewables. Increased investments in storage and transmission, as well as market reforms, can help.

Around the world, grid operators are managing larger amounts of wind and solar every year. In 2018, operators in California, the Southwest, and Texas used wind and solar for nearly 20% or more of their energy on an annual average basis, and in excess of 50-60% on an hourly basis. In Europe, several countries have managed even higher hourly penetrations of wind and solar, including Denmark (139%), Germany (89%) and Ireland (88%).

6. Battery storage is economically viable to address the variability of wind and solar and can help reduce emissions.

While most energy storage currently comes from pumped hydro storage facilities, the use of battery energy storage is growing rapidly, because of its increasingly cost competitiveness. Lithium-ion energy storage systems have seen dramatic price declines - as much as 85% between 2010 and 2018. Batteries are efficient carriers of energy, with round-trip efficiencies of 85-90%. If they are charged by renewable energy sources, they have no added GHG emissions.

Batteries can provide a variety of services to the grid, including smoothing the variability of wind and solar. Storage can provide the necessary back-up or standby power that the film implies must come from standby gas or coal-fired generators. Using batteries to replace fossil fuel backup will mean higher levels of wind and solar on the grid, less need for gas and coal and fewer emissions.

Batteries with four-hour discharges can't solve all power-system requirements, of course. More work is needed - and is underway - on long-duration storage options as part of the suite of tools needed for a reliable, affordable, low-carbon power system.

7. Wind and solar projects can operate for decades and can be developed more rapidly than other generation sources.

All power plants and their components have a "useful life" before they need replacement or repair. The useful lifespan of renewable facilities can exceed two decades. Wind turbines, for example, are estimated to last for about 20 years, and photovoltaic systems often remain operational from 25 to 40 years. In some instances, as large wind turbines become more efficient and economic, equipment turnover has been accelerated. In these cases, smaller turbines have been replaced earlier than they might otherwise have been by larger, more efficient turbines, to substantially increase electricity production at existing sites.

Furthermore, renewable energy facilities can typically be deployed more rapidly than fossil fuel plants. While solar and onshore wind farms normally take less than two years to build, gas-fired power plants usually take as many as four years to become operational, and can also require construction of gas pipeline infrastructure.

8. Renewables generate more energy than is used in their production, and produce fewer emissions than other power sources over their lifetime.

While all sources of electricity result in some GHG emissions over their lifetime, renewable energy sources have substantially fewer emissions than fossil fuel-fired power plants. One study estimates that renewable energy sources typically emit about 50g or less of CO2 emissions per kWh over their lifetime, compared to about 1000 g CO2/kWh for coal and 475 g CO2/kWh for natural gas. Most of the lifecycle emissions from fossil generators occur from fuel combustion, but also come from raw materials extraction, construction, fuel processing, plant operation and decommissioning of facilities.

While the manufacture of solar panels requires substantial amounts of energy, studies have found that they offset the energy consumed in production within about two years of operation, depending on the module type. Both crystalline silicon and thin-film solar panels contain toxic materials such as lead, silver and cadmium; therefore, efforts need to be accelerated to address proper disposal practices and module recycling, such as is done in Europe and by First Solar in the U.S., to appropriately capture and reuse these materials.

9. Electric vehicles reduce emissions substantially.

Electrification of passenger vehicles has quickened in recent years, with more than 1 million electric vehicles (EVs) now operating in the United States. Several studies suggest that number could grow to 20 million EVs by 2030, with over 4 million EVs in California alone.

EVs offer substantial emissions benefits - and associated health benefits - because they are two to three times more efficient than conventional internal combustion vehicles and have no tailpipe emissions. However, they do release GHG emissions during the fuel production, vehicle manufacturing and vehicle use stage. Studies find that approximately 50% of all EV battery lifecycle emissions come from the electricity used in the battery manufacturing and assembly facilities. Further, an EV's net carbon footprint depends on the electricity used to charge it.

Across the country, many cities and corporations are converting their vehicle fleets to EVs and have made commitments to use 100% renewable electricity to meet the electricity demand. But, as we point out in a recent WRI report, new solutions are still needed to enable customers to charge their EVs with renewables more easily. Potential reductions in an EV's overall lifecycle emissions could also be achieved by manufacturing EV batteries in facilities powered by renewable energy.

10. Private sector investment in clean energy is critical to lowering GHG emissions.

Aligning financial risk and reward with low-carbon energy investments is critical for shifting the economy in the direction of lower GHG emissions. Without substantial private sector investment in clean energy, it will be more difficult, more costly and more time-consuming to address climate change. Unlike in many other countries where energy providers, including in the electric sector, are publicly owned enterprises, most ownership and investment of electric infrastructure in the United States comes from the private sector. Shifting private investment toward renewables and other zero-carbon energy resources makes good sense and can be a safer investment.

Renewable energy is not perfect. No form of energy is. But people the world over need electricity, and pursuing clean energy sources is far better than continuing down the path of polluting fossil fuels. Renewable energy is an essential, although not exclusive, part of what is needed to address the urgent and important global challenge of climate change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Setting the Record Straight About Renewable Energy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over the last decade, the clean energy industry has changed tremendously: Costs have fallen dramatically, technologies have become more efficient and solutions for integrating renewables into electric grids have advanced.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Jackson Robinson

Topic:

I want to research the topic of if schools should focus more on career skills or academic theory. I'm interested in this topic because it has been a ongoing debate every since A.I became a thing. Should schools prepare students with practical career skills that make them job ready or should schools focus on academic theory to develop critical thinking skills. This debate raises important questions about how to best equip young people for success.

Research questions:

How can schools most effectively blend career skills and academic theory?

How is focusing on career skills most likely to impact students' career futures compared to focusing on theory?

What are the drawbacks of focusing on career skills to the detriment of academic study?

How does academic theory prepare students for success in the workplace?

Key issues on both sides:

For schools focusing on career skills: Prepares students directly for job market, Helps reduce youth unemployment by matching education with employer needs.

For schools focusing on academic theory: builds critical thinking creativity and problem solving skills, provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning and adaptability

Audience/Stakeholders:

Students, Teachers, Employers

Question for peers?

Do you think schools should focus on career skills or academic theory and why?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why schools should teach for the real world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As automation eliminates structured jobs and careers, schools should focus on training students to be bold, creative and entrepreneurial. Instead, argues education advocate Ted Dintersmith, the core purpose of education has been lost in a wave of testing, data and increasingly irrelevant metrics. In this talk, he underscores the need to educate for innovative and creative strengths, and trust our schools and teachers to prepare our kids for life, instead of standardized tests.

# data[].attributes.body
Lakin Oropeza

My Topic- This semester I am deciding to explore the new generation of self- driving vehicles and how this will impact cities. I will also be exploring how this will take a toll on unemployment rates and how many people will be displaced from jobs because of this. I am looking to identify how this will affect road safety, and how they will overall compete with the taxi community.

My Research Questions

How will self driving vehicles impact day to day life in cities for not only civilians but also taxi, lift, and uber drivers?

Are self driving vehicles going to  displace a large amount of people from    their jobs and overall change civilian driving patterns?

What new hazards will be introduced to drivers on all types of road ways and pedestrians because of the modernization of self driving vehicles?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Driverless vehicles could create more roadway hazards and could even cause fatal incidents.

Lots of people all over the US who rely on driving passengers for income , mostly in major cities will face the downside effects of driverless vehicles eliminating a lot of job opportunities.

Pedestrians could be put in more danger because of vehicle and system malfunctions.

Pedestrians may be safer to travel by foot due to less human errors near roadways.

Driverless vehicles may create a safer roadway system and change how everyday people view transportation.

My intended Audience/Stakeholders:

The intended audience would be lawmakers and engineers who are producing these vehicles, along with day to day drivers, and people who rely on passenger transportation for income.

Some people who are able to make a change would be city governors, congress officials, and may even require community voting and input.

One Source for Context: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-autonomous-vehicles-could-change-cities/.

Questions for Peers:

How do you think self driving vehicles may impact city riding?

Do you think this issue needs to be taken into consideration?

Do you think this will make roadways safer or more dangerous?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How autonomous vehicles could change cities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Darrell West explores how autonomous vehicles could reshape city design, making urban environments faster, safer, and cleaner.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Keagan Lowery

Topic: Immigration and the United States border control.

Description:
I want to explore how border crossing and treatment works for permanent residents as well as non-permanent residents in the United States. Especially how Mexican-American residents, particularly in Southern California, feel about this topic. I want to understand the deeper causes of these laws and regulations to understand exactly why legal immigration takes so long.

Research Questions:

1. Should immigrants be required to take the United States Citizenship test?

2. What happened when immigrants were deported in the past / what happened when they were let in in the past?

3. What do predominantly Mexican-American people think about border control?

4. How are visitors treated differently than permanent residents?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Side 1 (Immigration and Trade should be fast and easy): Allowing easy immigration is the right thing to do, as immigrants face a lot to get to the U.S. Another factor is legitimate businesses that need to sell products across country borders.

Side 2 (Careful immigration is needed to maintain security): Others argue that careful immigration is needed for the prevention of illicit activities, such as drug trafficking.

Audience/Stakeholders:
Federal employees, taxpayers, business owners, business employees, immigrants, cartels, and drug mules.

Questions for Peers:

Other than they committed a crime, why do you think illegal immigrants are deported?

What reasons are there for why our neighbors are tariffed?

What do states do about this?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
International Examples of Undocumented Immigration and the Affordable Care Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Aug 1.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Jet Morales

Topic: AI/technology is taking over the workforce.

Description:

I want to explore the rapid advancement of technology and how it's taking over the workforce. I'm curious about the reasons behind major corporations, like Amazon and others, choosing to replace human labor with AI and robots. My interest in this topic comes from a genuine concern that we might witness a significant portion of jobs being filled with robots, leading to a future where this replacement is normalized.

Research Question:

1. Why do big companies want more money even though they're making enough?

2. How can humans become better than robots that have no limits?

3. How efficient is it going to be in the long run?

4. What is AI without humans?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

1. Robot can cost alot to replace

Robots in general can malfunction and can cost a lot of money, which is why humans can be better because they can opt in or out.

2. Robots are more efficient than humans.

Robots don't need rest, unlike humans, who need rest to stay functional, and we also work in different places, but on the other hand, robots are working at an efficient place no rest means their more profitable.

Audience/stakeholder:

- People who work in any of the affected workforce or people who work for money in general

One Source of Context:

https://www.newsweek.com/ai-robotics-jobs-adam-dorr-2039026

" AI will assist workers, improving efficiency and productivity. But as it improves, it will eliminate the need for human involvement altogether."

*Question for Peers

1. Are my question clear to understand if no what can improve one?

2. Do you think ai would take over many workforce.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For most people, artificial intelligence is still associated with chatbots like ChatGPT -a helpful, if imperfect, tool for answering questions and generating conversational responses. But that perception may vastly undersell the scale of change that AI is about to bring.

For those clinging to the belief that automation and robots are still decades away from significantly impacting the workforce, Adam Dorr, director of research at the think tank RethinkX, has a stark warning: this change is going to be fundamental, and it's coming faster than nearly anyone thinks.

"What we're seeing with AI today follows the same historical pattern we've seen with every major technological shift," Dorr, an environmental scientist and technology theorist who wrote a recent essay on the topic, said in an exclusive interview with Newsweek. "It doesn't take 50 or 100 years for industries to change. It takes 15 to 20 years, sometimes even less."

The future of AI isn't a distant possibility-it's already here, Dorr says, reshaping industries at a breakneck pace. AI is no longer just a tool for streamlining tedious tasks; it is advancing so quickly that entire professions are at risk of disappearing whole cloth.

AI will not remain confined to a computer, Dorr said, arguing that one of the big watershed events on the horizon will be the marriage of advanced AI with robotics. He predicts that the first major sign of this revolution will be self-driving cars, which are already operating in a handful of American cities and which he believes will take over the country's roads within the next two years.

"When people start seeing fully autonomous cars on the streets-no driver, no steering wheel-that's when the public will finally understand how fast this is moving," he said. "And once AI is in vehicles, it won't stop there. It will quickly move into other robotic forms, including humanoid robots."

That timeline doesn't leave much room for complacency. A recent poll by data research firm Prolific found about two-thirds of respondents believe AI will lead to significant job losses in the next decade. And according to Dorr, they are not wrong. Humanity is standing at the precipice of a transformation that will not only automate entire sectors of the labor market faster than expected but also fundamentally alter the economy, resource distribution and even society itself.

"There's no long-term escape from this," Dorr said. "By the 2040s, there will be almost nothing a robot can't do better and cheaper than a human."

Will the technology create jobs? Yes, but then it will take those jobs, too.

Which Jobs Are at Risk?

Most jobs aren't singular activities; they are a collection of tasks, Dorr argues, and AI will gradually chip away at them. At first, AI will assist workers, improving efficiency and productivity. But as it improves, it will eliminate the need for human involvement altogether.

"That shift will have profound consequences for employment," he said. "AI will not replace workers overnight. Instead, it will erode jobs one task at a time."

The cost advantage is undeniable. A survey by ResumeBuilder found that 37 percent of companies using AI have already replaced human workers, with 44 percent planning layoffs in 2024 due to AI automation.

However, despite the mounting evidence of AI-driven job loss, some insist that fears of a workforce apocalypse are overblown. The idea that AI will replace the labor force entirely is dismissed by many in the tech world, who claim that automation will instead enhance human capabilities rather than eliminate them.

Dr. Cain Elliott, Chief Legal Futurist at Filevine, shares this cautious optimism-particularly in the legal industry, where AI has begun reshaping workflows.

"AI is a tool, not a replacement for legal judgment," Elliott told Newsweek. "When that tool malfunctions, or worse, is misused-the responsibility still falls squarely on the human operator."

Dorr, however, warns that the assumption that AI will only affect low-skill, repetitive jobs is dangerously outdated. While factory workers and truck drivers may be among the first to feel the impact of automation, white-collar professions are just as - if not more - vulnerable.

Paralegals, financial analysts, customer service representatives, and even journalists are already seeing their roles altered by AI. AI-driven software can analyze contracts faster than human lawyers, trade stocks more accurately than some of the best financial quants and even write entire articles and scripts-tasks once thought to require human intuition.

"We need to stop thinking about AI replacing entire jobs all at once," Dorr said. "Instead, we should be looking at how it takes over tasks-slowly at first, and then all at once."

Some industries are already seeing this dynamic play out in real time. Users are replacing costly human nutritionists with AI assistants that generate highly personalized diet plans based on just a single human input. In fields like design and marketing, AI is delivering work faster and at a lower cost than human professionals. According to McKinsey, sales and marketing personnel are leading the way, with 14 percent regularly using generative AI at work.

A Brief Window to Adapt

Despite the growing alarm, there is still time to prepare. But that window is closing quickly.

Dorr stresses that societies must act now to navigate this transition in a way that ensures economic and social stability. Governments and businesses should be investing in research and experimentation to determine policies that will help workers adapt to a rapidly evolving job market.

Ideas such as universal basic income (UBI) are being discussed as possible solutions to the displacement of human labor. Other proposals involve restructuring education, rethinking economic models, and even redefining the very concept of work itself.

Dorr acknowledges that no single solution to such mass disruption exists, but waiting until millions of people are unemployed is not an option.

He estimates that the cost of robotic labor will eventually fall to near zero. A humanoid robot, he explains, could soon cost as little as $10,000, with a lifetime operational cost of just 25 cents per hour.

Once the robots can then build other robots, that cost falls further, to essentially nothing.

Who Controls AI?

As AI accelerates, another concern is growing about who has dominion over the technology.

Some fear that wealthy nations and corporations will monopolize AI, widening economic inequality. Countries that rely on manual labor industries-such as agriculture, textile production, or manufacturing-may find themselves struggling to compete in a world where automation dominates.

In January 2025, President Donald Trump announced the launch of "Stargate," a joint venture involving OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle and MGX, aiming to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States by 2029. But the recent Prolific poll found that 38 percent of Americans do not believe such an investment will benefit workers or small businesses.

Another challenge is AI's energy consumption. Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity to run advanced AI models, raising concerns about the environmental impact if that energy comes from "dirty" power sources like coal. Scientists have estimated that the power requirements of data centers in North America increased from 2,688 megawatts at the end of 2022 to 5,341 megawatts at the end of 2023, partly driven by the demands of generative AI.

This is an area where Dorr exhibits some level of optimism, particularly about AI's potential for decentralization. He believes that open-source AI models like China's DeepSeek could allow smaller nations and communities to develop their own AI-driven economies.

"The goal should be to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity, not just a handful of powerful players," he said.

A World Without Scarcity

If these big questions are handled thoughtfully - a big if - Dorr sees a potential that many utopian futurists have long predicted: an end of scarcity itself. A world where labor is made optional and human beings can pursue meaningful lives free from economic hardship.

"Imagine a world where AI-powered robots farm, build, manufacture, and provide services at such low cost that essential goods become as abundant as the air we breathe," he said. "This is the opportunity AI presents."

For most of history, economies have been built around the principle of limited resources-food, energy, labor. The assumption has always been that not everyone can have everything they want all the time. But if AI and robotics can dramatically reduce the cost of production, Dorr argues, societies could enter an era where goods and services are produced at near-zero cost.

Not everyone shares this optimism. Carter Price, a senior mathematician at the RAND Corporation think tank, cautions that while AI may reduce the need for certain tasks, it could also create demand for more workers in other areas.

"When thinking about the implications for specific jobs, these tools are more likely to replace tasks than jobs, which may mean that you need fewer people to do the work or it could mean that more people are needed because the productivity is much higher with all the low value work is being done by machines," Price said.

Achieving Dorr's best-case outcome will require careful planning and adaptation, he said. Without intervention, Dorr predicts wealth concentration and inequality will intensify-with the benefits of AI controlled by a small number of corporations and nations.

"The robots are coming," Dorr said. "They're coming for everyone's jobs. "The question isn't whether we can achieve this future of abundance. The question is whether we can transition to it smoothly, without chaos."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The robots are coming for your job sooner than you think: AI researcher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AI expert Adam Dorr warns the technology is advancing so quickly it no longer just streamlines tasks but puts entire professions at risk of disappearing.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Mateus Kaywood

Topic: AI in the workforce

Description: People are losing certain jobs to AI because it's more efficient and cheaper than humans.

Research questions:

1. How has AI changed the workforce across the world?

2. What specific jobs are being taken what new ones will be created?

3. What will employers and employees do with the shift in AI

4. What is the comparison between local businesses to big corporate businesses

Key issues on both sides:

Side 1 (Pros): Most big companies are switching to AI because it's more efficient and cheaper on the tech side of things. AI will only get better and become more efficient. Better communication

Side 2 (Cons): People are losing their jobs or are at risk of losing their jobs. You need to think about the future, as AI could affect your career. Lack of human creativity and ethical concern.

Audience/Stakeholders: Employers and Employees are involved in different ways. Also, the customers with their experience

A source: https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce

Questions for Peers:

Do you think AI is overall good or bad in the workforce?

Are my research questions good? Should they be changed for better research?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AI-related innovation may cause near-term job displacement while also ultimately creating new opportunities elsewhere.

# data[].attributes.body
- Liam White

- Topic: The misconception of wildfires and how they are often perceived as bad, but are actually beneficial.

- Research Questions:

- What is home life like in the mountains, specifically with wildfire and can we prevent homes from burning down by preparing them?

- Are people with respiratory issues affected by smoke, even if they're not living near the mountains?

- Key Issues:

- Wildfires continue to be put out because many homes burn down. Smoke from the fire can also cause respiratory issues for people.

- Wildfire is naturally known to be a good way to clean forests. With wildfires being let loose. They actually cause fewer fires in the future.

- Stakeholders:

Mountain residents

Those with respitory issues

People who enjoy the mountians

Question For Peers: Do you think its ok to let natural forestfires burn, if you knew that homes and people would be safe?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fireforest: When Forest Fire Met Forest Restoration

# data[].attributes.body
Part 1: Your Post as a “Poster”

On our class Padlet, create a post that includes:

Your Name Maxwell Shubert

Your Topic – I will research why ski resorts and skiers hold a bias against snowboarders in conflict situations and generally.

Your Research Questions – What cultural or historical explanations contributed to early resistance to snowboarding in resorts?

Are statistical safety records supportive of resort restrictions on snowboarders?

How do resort and business decisions impact opinions about snowboarders?

How are opinions about snowboarders evolving with changing generations?

Key Issues on Both Sides: Briefly outline the main arguments or concerns.

Your Audience/Stakeholders: Ski resort operators and managers, skiers and snowboarders, local business owners dependent on winter tourism, sports culture researchers, policymakers overseeing public land use, and winter sports enthusiasts.

One Source for Context: https://deadspin.com/the-last-holdouts-where-the-war-between-skiers-and-snow-1835405082/

Questions for Peers:

Are these refined questions clear and specific enough to guide focused research?

Do you think I have covered the major perspectives needed to understand the conflict and evolving opinions?

Can you suggest additional stakeholder groups or sources I might include?

How might I combine or prioritize these questions for a more impactful research focus?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Snowboarding! | Where did union come from and why is everyone obsessed with them | Facebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where did union come from and why is everyone obsessed with them? Honest question

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Dylan Jaynes

Topic:  Vehicle emissions impact

Description: Government officials have been enforcing stricter vehicle emission standards to reduce climate change and help prevent bad air pollution. The main issues with this are cars struggling to pass and how electric vehicles can skip past these fines.

Research Questions:

1. How do vehicle emissions affect our health and our environment's health?

2. Can stricter emissions laws really fix the problems of air pollution and climate change?

3. How have emission laws and technology changed the car industry over time?

4. Are electric vehicles truly zero-emission, or do they just move pollution to other parts of the production process?

Key Issues-

Pros: Slowing climate change, cleaner air, helps encourage cleaner technology in cars.

Cons: Higher pricing to both buy and produce cars, not everyone can afford clean or electric cars, old cars can struggle.

Audience/Stakeholders: Government regulators, automakers, and consumers or the public.

Questions for Peers:

Do you think emission testing should be enforced on all cars including older vehicles?

Should electric vehicles have to pay a fine because they don't have to pay to take the emission test?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gas Emissions Requirements | Department of Revenue - Motor Vehicle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2025 Gas Emissions RequirementsModel YearGas or HybridFrequency of TestTesting Fee2025Exemptn/a

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Max Riley

Topic: Is U.S. student loan forgiveness equitable, feasible, or taxpayer-burden

Your Research Questions –

How does forgiveness burden low-income tax payers vs high earning graduates?

What long-term effects does forgiveness have on inflation, borrowing, and affordability?

What debt solutions exist beyond forgiveness, like tuition reform or accountability?

Key Issues on Both Sides: Pro forgiveness provides life changing assistance to people struggling with paying bills every month due to extreme student debt.

Anti forgiveness argues that it is unjust to those who paid off their loans and sets a bad precedent.

Audience/Stakeholders: Taxpayers who self funded college degrees or went without one, Policymakers, lawmakers, and Department of Education officials, and people planning on signing loans for future education.

Questions for Peers: Would it be fair to everyone to forgive these debts?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Student Loans Are a Scam. So Is Debt “Forgiveness.”

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Porter

My topic is using hydrogen as fuel, either as a substitute for gasoline or in fuel cell technology

My research questions:

1. What are the complications of converting gasoline cars to run on hydrogen?

2. How does hydrogen combustion efficiency compare to hydrogen fuel cell efficiency?

3. Would hydrogen fuel be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than gasoline?

4. What are the infrastructure requirements of implementing widespread hydrogen use?

Key issues on both sides:

Side 1: environmentalist

Insfrastructure

Public perception

Cost of introduction

Side 2: oil guy

Cost

Environment concerns

Global trade

Who is most affected? Almost everyone! Nearly everybody uses cars, and if there's a way to get more miles from your car for cheaper or in a more environmentally friendly way, that would be beneficial

Article to source form The Equation: https://blog.ucs.org/dave-cooke/hydrogen-combustion-is-a-dead-end-technology-for-heavy-duty-trucks/

Would you use hydrogen in your car? If you have any existing knowledge on this topic, what is it?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hydrogen Combustion Is a Dead-End Technology for Heavy-Duty Trucks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hydrogen combustion isn’t just a “bridge to nowhere”—it’s driving in the wrong direction

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Alex Rivera- 1022 online

Topic: How SNAP and Local Food Programs Are Affected by Government Shutdowns

Description:
I want to explore how the recent federal government shutdown is impacting SNAP benefits and local food assistance programs in Larimer and Weld counties. Many families rely on these programs to buy groceries, and the shutdown has caused delays and uncertainty. I want to understand the real-life effects on people and what local organizations are doing to help.

Research Questions:

1. How has the government shutdown affected SNAP recipients in Larimer and Weld counties?

2. What strategies are local food banks and community organizations using to help families during this time?

3. How could future policies prevent disruptions in food assistance programs?

4. Who suffers the most when SNAP benefits are delayed or unavailable?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Side 1 (Support for Immediate Action): Advocates argue that uninterrupted food assistance is essential for families’ survival, and local programs should receive emergency support.

Side 2 (Challenges/Concerns): Some policymakers worry about the cost of emergency measures and how to distribute funds fairly during a shutdown.

Audience/Stakeholders:
Families who depend on SNAP, local food banks, community organizations, policymakers, and residents concerned with food security.

Questions for Peers:

Do you think emergency funding is the best way to help families when SNAP is delayed?

Are there other local strategies that could reduce the impact of a shutdown?

How could I find personal stories or interviews to show the human impact of this issue?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Colorado joins Democratic states in suing Trump administration over suspended SNAP benefits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Democratic officials contend the administration is legally required to keep benefits going as long as it has funding.

# data[].attributes.body
Name: Jordan Reynolds

Topic:
I want to research the effects of raising the minimum wage in Colorado. I’m interested in this topic because there has been ongoing debate about whether increasing the minimum wage helps or hurts workers, businesses, and the overall economy. With Colorado’s recent increases and discussions about further raises, I want to explore the real impacts in our state.

Research Questions:

1. How has raising the minimum wage affected workers’ quality of life in Colorado?

2. What impact has the minimum wage increase had on small businesses and employment rates?

3. How do the perspectives of workers, business owners, and policymakers differ regarding minimum wage changes?

4. What are the arguments for and against further increasing the minimum wage in Colorado?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

For Raising Minimum Wage: Increases workers’ earnings, reduces poverty, may boost the local economy, helps close wage gaps.

Against Raising Minimum Wage: Increases costs for small businesses, may lead to job losses or reduced hours, could raise prices for consumers.

Audience/Stakeholders:
Workers, small business owners, policymakers, local government officials, economists, consumers, and advocacy groups.

One Source for Context:

“Colorado’s Minimum Wage Increased Again. Here’s What That Means for Workers and Employers” (The Denver Post): https://www.denverpost.com/2023/01/02/colorado-minimum-wage-increase-2023/

Questions for Peers:

Are there particular cities or industries in Colorado where the effects have been most noticeable?

What additional data or viewpoints should I consider to make my research more well-rounded?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Residents weigh in on Boulder County's possible change to minimum wage

# data[].attributes.body
✍️ Example Padlet Post (Poster)

Name: Taylor Nguyen

Topic: The Effects of a U.S. Government Shutdown on Workers and the Economy

Description:
I want to explore how a government shutdown affects people’s daily lives, especially federal employees, small businesses, and communities that depend on government programs. Each time Congress fails to pass a budget, many services stop, and workers go without pay. I want to understand the deeper causes of these shutdowns and what can be done to prevent them.

Research Questions:

1. What are the main reasons government shutdowns happen in the U.S.?

2. How do shutdowns impact federal workers, local economies, and public trust in government?

3. What solutions have been proposed to reduce the chances of future shutdowns?

4. How do political parties use shutdowns as a negotiation strategy?

Key Issues on Both Sides:

Side 1 (Shutdowns as Necessary Pressure): Some lawmakers argue that a shutdown is a way to stand firm on principles, control government spending, and force important budget debates.

Side 2 (Shutdowns as Harmful): Others argue shutdowns are irresponsible, harm workers and citizens, and cost the economy billions without solving the real issues.

Audience/Stakeholders:
Federal employees, taxpayers, small business owners, government contractors, and voters.

Questions for Peers:

Do you think a government shutdown is ever justified?

Who do you think suffers the most when the government shuts down?

What kinds of solutions (like automatic funding extensions) might prevent this from happening again?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
🔴 LIVE: Government Shutdown 2025 Day 28 | Update