Civic Action Portfolio by Aurora Gil https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio Made with big dreams en-us 2022-04-22 01:40:49 UTC 2025-10-24 22:47:02 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/267b.png auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2152938504 Hello class! My name is Aurora Gil, I am 21 years old, and this is my last semester till I graduate with my AA! I am very excited to receive my AA and progress in my degree! My major is psychology, and I will be focusing on forensic psychology from my bachelors and on. After this semester I am going to take a year off in order to save for school since I have to go to psychology focused universities in order to major in forensic psychology.

My hobbies include crocheting, building puzzles, playing board games, watching movies and shows, and playing with my cats! I am very interested in thriller and horror movies and am always listening to R&B or reggae music. For my last semester I am taking this class and a psych. class! I look forward to learning with you all! 

]]> 2022-04-22 02:00:29 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2152938504 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153000317 While attending the meeting Professor Duque demonstrated all of the online sources available to MDC students. This reminded me of the useful websites like Kanopy, which allows students to watch documentaries! I also learned of a new website called Opposing Viewpoints for extra facts and sources that appeared to be very beneficial for any topic that students are interested in. These websites also allow students to be able to learn about different things during our free time! This is a great way to build up new hobbies or new interests. As an MDC student I also have access to a tutor, which was a nice reminder.

While searching for topic to write about I stumbled upon a documentary showing how climate change has displaced Californian residents. I have always been interested in learning about climate change and all of the different impacts it has around the world and learning about solutions. So, I will be writing about climate change, but more specifically I will be discussing rising sea levels and it affects us now and how it will affect is in the future. Sea level rising is very serious side effect of climate change, and while we have taken steps to overcome flooding, they seem to be only short-term solutions. I will also discuss how this affects residents, displaced residents, our roads, and ecosystems.

]]> 2022-04-22 02:55:27 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153000317 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153004857 Marandi, A., Main, K.L. Vulnerable City, recipient city, or climate destination? Towards a typology of domestic climate migration impacts in US cities. J Environ Stud Sci 11, 465–480 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-021-00712-2

  • This journal demonstrates how communities in Florida and other areas labeled as vulnerable, recipient, and climate cities are being affected due to climate change, more specifically sea-level rising and flooding. Currently there is little guidance for governments who are facing these migration trends.  

The Nature Conservatory. Coastal Resilience. Miami Beach, 15 November 2021. Article.

  • This article shows steps some conservatories are taking to combat flooding and rising sea levels in our communities. They state how natural infrastructure like mangroves, coral and oyster reefs can protect the coastline while also providing wildlife habitat and other opportunities. It is important to start making an effort to combat flooding and rising sea levels.

Wingard, G.L., Bergstresser, S.E., Stackhouse, B.L. et al. Impacts of Hurricane Irma on Florida Bay Islands, Everglades National Park, USA. Estuaries and Coasts 43, 1070–1089 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00638-7

  • The Everglades are a vital and historical part of Florida’s ecosystem, this journal provides insight into the effects that flooding and increasing water levels has on the Everglades ecosystem. This study provides a closer look at a subject that was barely discussed before and provides a baseline for long-term examining of the Everglades and rising sea levels.
]]> 2022-04-22 02:59:48 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153004857 The Nature Conservatory auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153009929 2022-04-22 03:04:39 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153009929 Affected Areas Due to Rising Sea Levels auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153014491 2022-04-22 03:08:46 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153014491 Damage Done to the Everglades After Hurricane Irma auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153024276 2022-04-22 03:17:41 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153024276 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153032138 Before we completed CAS1 and I watched some videos from the website storyofstuff.org, I did not think clothing would pose such a great threat to our ocean life especially when they are doing mundane things like being washed and dried. After watching “The Story of Microfibers” my perspective on materials like polyester altered a bit. I knew they were harmful to the environment since they have plastic in them, but I did not know materials like that release microfibers while being washed, which act like a toxic sponge as it travels in the ocean. These microfibers soak up any pollutant it passes and can then be eaten by fish which are then eaten by larger fish or you! Learning about this I have since not bought any clothing made with polyester and will be using the rest of my acrylic yarn and keeping any items I make and will then start buying recycled yarn found in thrift shops or local business.

Watching “The Story of Microfibers” was very educational and interesting, but another interesting assignment was SP3. Before this assignment we attended a meeting where we chose a topic, and mine was rising sea levels along with all of the consequences we face due to this issue, so finding articles and journals to provide research was informational. One interesting journal I found explained how different Floridian communities are considered vulnerable to the effects of rising sea-levels, which can include displacement and even death in extreme cases. Another interesting source I found was one that talked about the different natural infrastructures Florida can implement in the coastline to combat flooding.

Until I completed this assignment, I had assumed that governments facing the consequences of high migration rates and facing the consequences of sea-level rising but after reading one of my sources for this assignment I found that to not be that case. I was infuriated to know that it is up to communities to essentially create solutions or deal with high rates of migration and the different effects of climate change. Due to this I am motivated to educate people on all the different consequences of climate change and how it can impact us, our communities, and our natural habits. I am also motivated to urge governments to implement climate change solutions as soon as possible.

Another interesting assignment we did was CAS2, which had us read articles from solutions.org. In this assignment I read a very informational article which discussed how sugar cane farms burn unwanted sugar cane leaves, a common practice here in Florida. The author of this article had previously uncovered the negligence of these farms and how they polluted low-income communities of colors, and in this article, they go to Brazil to find a better solution for getting rid of unwanted leaves. The author found that sugar cane farmers in Brazil now use some of these leaves to form a protective layer over their fields, enriching the soil as it protects it, and use the rest to generate renewable energy.

Even though there are alternatives to burning the crops, sugar cane facilities they have not taken any steps to eliminate sugar cane burning. They also have not completed necessary research in order to prove sugar cane burning is safe or harmful. When I completed this article, I was livid about how representatives of a state can be so negligent to what their community needs and is asking for. I am also shocked as to how these facilities have not been shut down nor have faced any consequences to their actions. This makes me even more motivated to join community organizations to campaign for climate solutions before it is too late for our neighbors and community members.

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  • Documentation
    1. “The Story of Solutions”
    • “The Story of Solutions”, written by Annie Leonard, describes in depth how we can move our economy and goals from “more” to “better” (Fox, 2013). The narrator of this film explains how our economy is set like a game, a game where the goal is “more money being spent, more roads being built more malls being opened, more stuff!” (Fox, 2013). But while our economists and officials focus on more economic growth, we give less attention to all the problems we are facing, including climate change, economic imbalances, health and well-being, education, etc. The narrator then gives ways that people can participate or create change themselves and gives examples of businesses that help create healthier communities.

      1. “The Story of Microfibers”
    In this short film Leonard talks about tiny plastic particles known as microfibers. Microfibers are released when you wash any synthetic fabrics, whether it is created by recycled items or not. This creates a big problem because these microfibers then make their way to the ocean and act as toxic sponges. They soak up all the pollutants around them including pesticides, motor oil, and industrial chemicals (Creative, 2015). They are then eaten by fish, who are then potentially being eaten by us or bigger fish! Scientists estimate there are now 1.4 million trillion microfibers in our oceans, and they will only continue to rise if we do not think of better solutions and stop using synthetic fabrics like polyester.

    1. Reflection
      1. Consumption is part of my role as a global citizen, the same as almost everyone in this world. It is very hard to not consume or purchase anything, especially living within the city. But I do try to make the best choices when it comes to consumption. I am weary about anything I purchase and do my best to not buy anything plastic wrapped. I also am aware of the companies I purchase from and which organizations I support and donate to. I think these are just a few small steps to becoming aware of how your choices affect the world around you and the people around you.
      2. I want to continue progressing my awareness of my choices and continue cutting plastic out of my life. I have also been inspired into volunteering more, there are local gardens here in Florida that allow the community to share veggies and fruits. I also want to speak out more and join organizations in protests about climate change, banning plastics, and animal rights. These videos are very helpful in realizing that we are all affected by one another, and that we must change in order to change our planet.
    Citations: 

    Creative, R. D. (Director). (2015). The Story of Microfibers [Motion Picture].

    Fox, L. (Director). (2013). The Story of Solutions [Motion Picture].


    ]]>     2022-04-22 03:29:51 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153036655     auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153039383 Documentation:

    The first article I read was titled “Burning Sugar Cane Pollutes Communities of Color in Florida. Brazil Shows There’s Another Way,” written by Nadia Sussman. Sussman quotes a previous article written in July of 2021 uncovering the pollution in “low-income communities of color” due to the burning of sugar cane and sets out to find a solution to this problem in Brazil (Sussman). São Paulo once had the same problem Florida now faces and took steps in order to eliminate these sugar cane burns. Now farmers from São Paulo use some of the dry sugar cane leaves to form a protective blanket over the fields which enriches the soil, and other leaves are collected to generate renewable energy (Sussman). While finding these possible solutions and reporting them back to sugar cane facilities, they have not done the necessary research or taken steps to eliminate sugar cane burning.

              The next article I read was titled “Giving Up Glyphosate,” written by Moira Donovan. In this article the author writes about a chemical used by some forestry companies called glyphosate. This herbicide is used to “suppress the growth of deciduous trees… this suppression, in turns, promotes the growth of the conifer plantations…” (Donovan). Donovan includes a quote by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer declaring that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Despite this some Canadian forestry companies continue to spray glyphosate on remote forests, even after recent research suggests that glyphosate remains in the tissue of edible and medicinal plants for at least a year after being sprayed and in some cases up to a dozen years. (Donovan). This has started a movement created by Indigenous people to completely eliminate the use of glyphosate.

    Reflection:

              While both of these articles are different in topic, they are they demonstrate some similarities. Both of these articles show the negligence of some of the companies who profit from the environment. I believe we should be banning both sugar cane burnings in Florida and any other state that hold sugar canes facilities, and glyphosate. While these is information claiming that discontinuing the burning of sugar cane will bring economic loss, there are feasible ways to make moves towards a cleaner way to remove sugar cane leaves like Brazilian farmers have shown us. Sugar cane plantations are already mechanized here in Florida, and while researchers at the Florida Department of Health have recommended health-risk assessments associated to these fires there has been no study done with no questions answered (Sussman). The banning of glyphosate would also be beneficial in the long-term for our forests and wildlife, but forestry companies nor government officials have taken necessary steps to stop the use of herbicide. Companies like the ones on these articles will publish “scientific” articles that agree with them, and neglect important research that provides a deeper look into their procedures. Both subjects were portrayed with in depth information backed by other articles. The authors for both articles also provided both sides while also displaying the faults of some of these companies and facilities due to their negligence or ignorance. In order to create change we have to advocate and yell for it, because if it is up to companies, it will not get done.


    References


    Donovan, Moira. Giving Up Glyphosate. Ontario, 25 Jan. 2022. Article.

    Sussman, Nadia. Burning Sugar Cane Pollutes Communities of Color in Florida. Brazil Shows There’s Another Way. South Florida, 29 Dec. 2021. Article.

    ]]>     2022-04-22 03:32:46 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153039383     Sugar Cane Burnings in Florida auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153041662 2022-04-22 03:35:05 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153041662 Giving Up Glyphosate auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153042905 2022-04-22 03:36:27 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153042905 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153048832 2022-04-22 03:40:38 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153048832 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153052483 Summary:

    The first video I watched is titled “The global food waste scandal”, this TED talk discusses the amount of food being wasted everyday by restaurants, grocery stores, farms, and everyday people all over the world. During the Ted talk the speaker includes a graph reflecting what is likely the level of food production we need to be able to feed everyone in that country, in this graph most countries including the United States was above that line. Stuart says this represents unnecessary surplus and is likely reflecting the levels of waste within the country. Stuart continues by then discussing where wasted food ends up and how we can continue making food at such a colossal scale. The over production of food contributes to global warming, deforestation, and biodiversity loss while wasted food is at best given to dogs or incinerated. As you can see these are not good ways to be using our resources.

    Summary:

              The second TED Talk I watched is titled “Watch what you dispose of”, which discusses how the speaker, Rani Bahaa, and her company have come up with innovative ways to reduce waste. Her company has recovered over 60 tons of waste and has created jobs for many people including physically challenged people. Her company has also worked with many other organizations who also have helped create jobs for visually impaired people. Bahaa speaks about the value you bring in reducing waste and creating recycled items by helping the environment and many people all over the world.

    Reflection:

              Watching and listening to both of these TED Talks really motivates me to decrease the amount of food waste created in my own house. I would be able to do this by buying only the necessary amount of food needed and making sure nothing is wasted in my household. Another way to also decrease food waste is by using left over food as fertilizer for any plants growing in your house. These are just simple ways people can be conscious about the amount of food wasted in their household. As I was watching the first TED Talk, I was hit with a big realization: that food is wasted everyday by so many different companies, when this food can be given to people who need it. I also realized how much land and resources are wasted unnecessarily because of greed or ignorance.  Stuart also states how some fruits and vegetables never even leave the farm because of cosmetic reasons, meaning if the food item is shaped different or is too small then they will discard them. Obviously, this is a horrible way to go about harvesting food, I think about all of the displaced people just in Florida and how much they could benefit from these fruits and vegetables if companies only cared.


    Citation: 

    Bahaa, Rania. TED. 09 2014. TED Talk. 03 03 2021.

    Stuart, Tristam. TED. May 2012. TED Talk. 03 03 2021.

    ]]>     2022-04-22 03:44:32 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153052483     auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153057665 The video I watched from DW Planet A is “The problem with fur”, which talks about the issues in the fur industry, including the effects on the environment and ourselves. The narrator in the video says how a great alternative to fur is faux fur, due to its due to its style and formation since faux fur has no limitations. But faux fur is made from oil-products like polyester, and although there are attempts to make faux fur from recycled plastics, faux fur coats are only environmentally conscious if the item is made to last. Some experts in the video also said how legislators should apply some pressure and responsibility to these companies that primarily produce fur products.

    I learned that there are ‘high-tech’ coats, some having minimal fur infused inside, that can keep people warm in even low negative temperatures. As an expert in the video said, astronauts do not wear fur when they travel to space. Faux-fur coats, when not made with oil-based products, are innovative when they are made from recycled items like plastic bottles and feathers from old pillows. While there is no need to wear fur coats in Florida, there are still fur based clothing here. Whether it is done to accentuate an item or give a special detail fur I do not think it is an ethical item to use.  

    ]]>     2022-04-22 03:50:16 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153057665     auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153059911 2022-04-22 03:52:41 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153059911 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153063487 2022-04-22 03:56:37 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153063487 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153064870 2022-04-22 03:58:14 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153064870 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153066654 2022-04-22 04:00:22 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153066654 auroragil001 https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153067628 2022-04-22 04:01:30 UTC https://padlet.com/auroragil001/CivicActionPortfolio/wish/2153067628