One interesting thing about me is that I love dancing and cooking as dancing competition has been part of my life since little. And my favorite genre of dance is hip-hop and Latin fusion. Besides cooking is my passion, I feel like I like all types of food, but my favorite is Italian food. And I love going to the beach and listening to music. A little about my background history is that I was born here, but I have been raised all my life in Venezuela and then came back to the USA. So my ethnic background is that I'm half Venezuelan and Chinese. And also, I am trilingual. 

           The "Advance Search" feature was one of the tools that attracted my eye throughout the training. The quantity of knowledge available there was interesting to me. Books, articles, videos, and other resources are available to students and on the MDC library website. Students' preferences can sort the findings. And filters can limit the information that appears, allowing you to come closer to precisely what you want. When you go to a conventional website to look for information, you'll be bombarded with many different links that may include incorrect information or uninformed advice that can not be appropriate for your academic search. So with this tool, I can easily search without any problem in the future. Another item worth noting was the MDC site's citation maker, which makes crediting sources for a research paper in a specific format required by your class quite simple.

           Homelessness in Florida was the issue that I chose to explore. With 27,487 homeless people, Florida is the third-largest state, with 12,672 unsheltered people and 14,815 sheltered people. According to the Miami Herald, the city with the most significant homeless population, with 510 people living without shelter, is preparing to get many remaining people off the streets. Encampments on public property and at entryways will be prohibited under another ordinance enacted by the commissioners last week on first reading. A recent court decision gave a new law the go-light. Men, women, and children are all affected by homelessness. Homeless people are more likely to suffer from various physical and mental health problems, including poor physical health, nutritional inadequacies, sleep deprivation, mental illness, etc.

Works cited:

Writer, Erik BojnanskyMiami Times Senior, et al. City of Miami Doubles down on Homeless Sweeps. 14 Apr. 2021, www.miamitimesonline.com/news/city-of-Miami-doubles-down-on-homeless-sweeps/article_2e78aecc-9c9a-11eb-8d27-b718e6c44a45.html.

Miami Approves Plan to Reach ‘Functional Zero ... www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article257287042.html.

1. Barcus, Maria Pellerin. "House the homeless: the right combination of housing and personalized support services can be cost-effective and reduce the region's homeless population." South Florida CEO, vol. 7, no. 8, Aug. 2004, p. 6. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A121573574/ITOF?u=lincclin_mdcc&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=59829971. 

2. “The Issue.” Florida Coalition to End Homelessness, 22 Mar. 2021, http://fchonline.org/the-issue/. 

3.  Writer, Erik BojnanskyMiami Times Senior, et al. “The Politics of Homelessness in Miami.” The Miami Times, 3 Mar. 2021, www.miamitimesonline.com/news/the-politics-of-homelessness-in-miami/article_66e2bb08-7c2f-11eb-959e-ef743d6c9d46.html.

From CAS2, it changed my perspective on viewing some companies as contributors to climate change due to carbon emissions from their processing and manufacturing activities; as a result, they cannot be trusted to combat polluting material emissions properly. This is because methods for combating climate change include reducing fossil fuels and carbon emissions, which implies they must either reduce them or stop the carbon-emitting production process. They can also adopt clean energy, which is a costly process that will endanger environmental protection initiatives. For example, fast fashion and how even though I love fashion and clothing is harming our environment somehow, we should start thrifting or using second-hand clothes. With CAS2, I have become more aware of how I can make a difference with what I use in my everyday life and minimize it.

I also felt like I was learning a research tool I already knew about when I did SP2 in the first section, but I enjoyed reading about MDC learning materials. I always learned something new whenever I heard about it. The MDC Learning resource is a massive database with absolutely everything. I was eager to discover how much more you can accomplish with that database than locating papers and books. We had to choose a theme of challenges that we encountered in Miami for the second portion of SP2. I decided to live on the streets of Miami as a homeless person. While researching this subject, I learned a lot. I knew that Florida is the third-largest state, with 12,672 unsheltered persons and 14,815 sheltered people. The government and society in Miami attempt to make a positive change to assist the homeless people on the streets.

The SP3 exercise was closely tied to the SP2 activity, which added to its appeal. I learned how to create an annotated bibliography with this assignment. My SP2 topic helped me generate a series of bibliographies and figure out which fragments to use to expand on the argument. I was unsure how to make this type of reference before these activities. Nevertheless, the section we had with Mrs. Duque helped me clarify my thoughts and integrate new information into my citations and annotations in different classes. Also, I got to cite a report I had for my topic research of homeless, and the consequence is impacting acting Miamians 

Furthermore, this class has instilled in me a scientific viewpoint that I previously lacked. I had much fun creating these activities since, as I previously stated, they presented me with new information during my learning process. As a result, I gained a new perspective on biology. I genuinely believe that we should serve as role models for others and promote environmental stewardship so that others may take action and, collectively, fix the challenges that we have created.

The Story of Cosmetics delves at the widespread usage of harmful chemicals in our daily personal care items, including shampoo, cosmetics, and other necessities. The film shows how it affects the environment and the health of customers and workers. It also outlines how the business may move away from dangerous chemicals and safer alternatives. We have a plethora of other options in stores, but none of them are genuinely safe and regulated. Any corporation may label it to sell a product without regard for consumers' safety simply. Since the government and companies decide what appears on the shelves, there are no FDA regulations about the products sold. Only eight compounds have been outlawed out of over 12,000 chemicals utilized in our products, despite the fact that no legislation regulates them. However, this is changing in recent years; corporations are already beginning to adapt their chemicals, and customers are still getting what they need or desire, but without the hazardous.

2. "The Story of Change." https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-change/

In this video from Gandhi to the civil rights movement to the early environmental movement successes, the six-minute film offers an uplifting look at what effective change-making has looked like throughout history. It highlights the components that may be found anytime and whenever people get together to make a difference. It focuses on a responsible buying viewpoint and how to prevent terrible corporate policies. It is not so much that we are wrong consumers as we bring home things with a lower level of toxicity. In contrast, the film clearly emphasizes the need to join together to demand an end to these unethical business practices. The world has seen significant changes in recent years, but there has always been a willingness to work together to address problems. In the end, we are all responsible for the priority. If we truly want change, we must join in demanding practical norms beyond our legal rights as citizens. We must set goals, aim high, collaborate well, and take risks.

Reflection:

Consumption is widespread in our culture, yet we go about it as harmful. Big businesses have taken over the globe and are promoting all of their things for us to utilize as customers. These corporations are unaware of the harm they are bringing to the environment and, as a result, to the people who live in it, including customers, due to products that have high toxicity of chemicals, etc., as I take part as a citizen. We do not always have the knowledge we need to assess the environmental effects of our purchases. That's why, for me, buying is as simple as meeting a need or a want. I'm aware that this triggers a slew of economic, societal, and environmental consequences. In this regard, my job as a global citizen is behaving responsibly, which entails examining what is and is not necessary. Even when selecting things, consider their quality and pricing and whether or not they are ecologically friendly. Our culture is rapidly devolving into anarchy. Plastics, food, and even daily use objects contribute to environmental damage. We must maximize what we have as much as possible and be mindful of the negative influence we have on our society to demand a change that benefits everyone. We also need to press these massive firms to stop spending money on product promotion instead of investing more in making them sustainable.

After seeing these short videos, I'm encouraged to make changes such as purchasing more ethically and responsibly. I'm motivated to keep altering my buying habits by learning more about companies and their business methods. I want to buy items from companies concerned about consumers, workers, and the environment as makeup is an example that I am usually concerned about if they are cruelty-free and eco-friendly. Also, I will regularly look for used clothing like thrift stores rather than purchasing new goods that are both useless and destructive to the environment. Individuals must be catalysts for change. Personally, I want to adjust my product and service preferences, my consumption criteria, and how I dispose of the leftovers. To avoid harming the environment, I will also recycle frequently. This entails using fewer plastic-containing items or substituting healthier alternatives, and canceling anything that produces vast toxicity and damaging chemicals. Because slight changes may significantly impact our ecosystem and the environment in which we live, we must collaborate and educate others to help create a safer world.

 

Works Cited:

"The Story of Cosmetics." Story of Stuff, 21 July 2010, https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-cosmetics/. 

Leonard, Annie. "The Story of Change." Story of Stuff, July 2012, https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-change/. 

Up-cycling is an alternate way to prevent plastic pollution, in which organizations and do-gooders that collect beach and ocean garbage collaborate with firms and shops to create desired goods made from materials recovered from the seas.As recycling rates drop and ocean pollution worsens, many innovators are taking marine debris, a notoriously unrecyclable material, and turning it into useful items. They’re turning all types of marine plastic trash, from old fishing gear to bits of broken-down hard plastic called microplastic, into new products.Some companies involved in ocean plastic “upcycling” are reporting encouraging numbers in keeping marine debris out of landfills and the ocean.Using marine debris as a raw material has its challenges. Once it enters the ocean, a process called photodegradation breaks down the chemical bonds holding plastic together. The decomposition is also accelerated by wind and waves. And often the plastic upcyclers recover is covered with algae and barnacles.Before it can be used, ocean plastic must be sorted, cleaned and broken down into small, uniform pieces. Then it’s transformed into pellets that can be melted into various shapes.But this process is time consuming and sometimes expensive. And while experts say that upcycled products can raise awareness about marine debris, they note it is not the best way to address ocean plastic pollution.t’s easy to see the appeal of using recycled and upcycled plastics in fashion. The use of recycled plastics can help brands to meet green demands by consumers and shareholders, and reduce their carbon footprint.

Burning crops pollutes the air, and rotting crops emit methane into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Isaac Nichelson, a three-decade veteran of the sustainable fashion sector, recognized an opportunity when he learned of the scale of the trash. Banana by-products, pineapple leaves, flax and hemp stalks, and waste from sugar cane crushing can all be collected and spun into a natural fiber woven into clothing. While this notion sounds innovative, it is essentially a throwback to the 1960s, when natural fibers made up 97 percent of the yarns used in clothes and materials. It's currently at 35 percent. With his new materials business Circular Systems, Nichelson aims to set the fashion industry on a new route toward more sustainable production and sourcing, which turns natural waste fibers into valuable materials. One of these novel ideas recycles food waste such as pineapple leaves and bananas into garments that may be obtained sustainably. Another option would be to convert leftover fabric from other fabrics into usable yarn, which could create new projects. These notions, especially when converting food into wearable material, may appear strange at first, but they can make a difference. These unusual textiles would also allow for a lot of creativity without harming the environment. Startup enterprises must be acknowledged and encouraged for their innovations to inspire additional improvements like these to be adopted.

Global human pollution levels increase along with climate change, putting humanity at greater risk of environmental calamities. It's critical to find climate change measurements that allow society to respond promptly.‘Upcycling’ Trash in the Ocean As a movement to turn marine plastic waste into sports shoes, skateboards, and other items gains pace, there is discussion regarding how big of an influence 'upcycling' may have.When oil prices drop, as they have in recent years, recycling profits plummet This is an interesting theme of how to turn ocean plastic waste into something that we can wear. In addition, fashion uses a variety of plastic-derived compounds including as antioxidants, colors, and fire retardants. All of this plastic is now making its way into the environment in the form of toxins and micro-pellets – into seas, rivers, the food chain, and even our bodies. Fashion firms have begun to remove or decrease their usage of virgin plastics in order to mitigate the environmental impact of all this plastic. They achieve this in a number of ways, one of which is through the utilization of recycled and discarded plastics.

Furthermore, in the second article, fast fashion is a fascinating topic since it is something that almost every consumer has indulged in at some point. It is an issue that must be addressed and brought to the forefront to have a meaningful influence in today's society. I've learned how something as seemingly minor as fashion trends may impact the status of the environment. In addition to seeing the negative consequences of fast fashion, I am exploring other methods to update my wardrobe. Overall, repurposed clothes may contribute to this transformation by assisting individuals in making meaningful clothing choices while also appreciating the environment. Through various topics such as the environment, journalistic solutions raise climate awareness. Journalists heavily cover the climate catastrophe and ideas to cut emissions, extract carbon from the atmosphere, and increase environmental education to combat climate change. Although this is merely an article, people need to understand and learn how this may be altered.

Works Cited:

“'Upcycling' Ocean Plastic Trash Comes into Fashion.” Solutions U®, https://solutionsu.solutionsjournalism.org/stories/upcycling-ocean-plastic-trash-comes-into-fashion.

“Food Waste is Going to Take Over the Fashion Industry.” Solutions U, https://solutionsu.solutionsjournalism.org/stories/fashion-has-a-waste-problem-these-companies-want-to-fix-it.

Emissions have been growing exponentially. Dr. Alice Bows-Larkin recommends that we consume significantly less energy. She continues the conversation by recommending that affluent prosperous nations swap their wealth and level of industrialization with poorer nations. She says that it's past time for us to do things differently—indeed, a complete system change—and seriously contemplate sacrificing economic development for environmental protection. As a result of their activities, decisions, and behaviors, greenhouse gas emissions will have increased. The sea makes up the majority of our world. Because the water has larger thermal inertia than land, average temperatures on land will be higher than those on the sea. The second point is that we do not feel global average temperatures as humans. We are far more on pace for a four-degree centigrade global warming than we are for a two-degree centigrade global warming if we look at our historical emission pattern in recent years and we combine it with our understanding of the direction of travel in our global economy, making this a call of attention to make an action to fix this.

In this TED presentation, she discusses how numerous human actions (such as burning fossil fuels) contribute to climate change and threatens our survival if we do nothing. Is evidenced by this enlightening TED presentation on the initiatives made so far by the globe to fix the situation and what has to be done to make the efforts meaningful. Global warming, according to Thunberg's speech, is a human-caused phenomenon. Climate change is entirely the fault of humans as a species. Burning fossil fuels is one of the factors that contribute to environmental deterioration. Humans must adapt their attitude to decreasing emissions if they are to be stopped. Rich nations should be in the lead in reducing emissions to keep global warming below the two-degree threshold. Despite the potential threats climate change poses to civilization, the general public and governments alike neglect attempts to cut emissions. Sweden, for example, must reduce emissions within the next six to twelve years for developing nations to catch up to industrialized countries' progress.

These Ted talk videos covered a lot of ground in terms of how climate change affects different parts of the world since it reacts differently in each place. Global warming is a catastrophe brought on by emissions, and global warming will continue to worsen unless we take steps to reduce emissions. Global warming has far-reaching consequences that will affect future generations unless mankind grasps the importance of adopting clean energy and embracing sustainable energy production methods. Water shortages, poverty, disease, and political instability all worsen due to climate change, resulting in refugee issues. These challenges pose a threat to human survival, yet governments are reluctant to respond, and politicians treat the sustainability dilemma casually. People in developed nations do not believe that global warming impacts them because the brunt of the impacts is felt mostly in underdeveloped countries. Overall, I learned a lot about climate change and its various facets and how it impacts the globe now from these TEDTalks. As humans, we must recognize that global warming has direct and indirect effects on us. Even if we aren't climate experts, we can help solve the global warming catastrophe by talking about it. We must recognize that climate change is unconcerned with our ideology or political affiliations. By taking responsibility for global warming and addressing climate change, we will be able to address these concerns as a collective and stop the downward spiral.

From this video, I learned that desalination is a particular advantage alternative for freshwater sources since its reliability. Unlike other water sources such as rivers, rainfalls, or groundwater, it can provide a low-risk water supply that is not susceptible to natural disasters, drought, or depletion. In the struggle against water shortage, desalination is an essential weapon. Its dependability is becoming increasingly important. You can acquire clean water dependably if you have a desalination plant, energy, and saltwater. But it's not a panacea. Concerns have been raised concerning the quantity of energy required, the expense, and the environmental effect. Water shortage is a complicated and challenging issue to solve. Climate change is causing an increase in uncertainty. Desalination consumes a lot of energy, and some people find it challenging to support a technology that would contribute to our expanding, primarily fossil-fuel-based energy requirements. Improved brine management procedures are needed to avoid negative environmental consequences and lower disposal costs, therefore spurring the continued development of desalination facilities to protect current and future generations' water supply. Its technologies are becoming more energy-efficient, and novel methods for reducing the salty wastewater's environmental impact are emerging. And it could be used in predominantly arid parts of the world where water is desperately needed and where there are few alternatives. According to the study, the benefits of desalination extend beyond the single-use value of the water generated, which argues for more significant usage of desalination in more vulnerable and impoverished parts of the world. The technique can offer abundant water for human use, with all the benefits involved, while also assisting in the preservation and restoration of ecosystems.

“Can Desalination Solve the Global Water Crisis?” YouTube, YouTube, 14 May 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPCaM9Rzzbs&ab_channel=DWPlanetA.