Reflective - 308J Blog

Throughout the different writing assignments that I have had to do for 308J I feel as if I have only improved. At the beginning of the course I tried to write a lot, but it seemed like nothing was really being said. By the end of the quarter I feel like I have a much better grasp on how to stay on topic as well as a point to the whole essay. I remember my first blog that I had to post. It was a very standard, "by the book" kind of blog. I made sure I had the appropriate amount of words and covered every aspect of what the prompt wanted me to do. But as I did that, I noticed that I was only writing "by the book" and not freely. As the quarter went on though I was about to create ideas and use them to only better my blog posts. The posts have also helped me to analyze readings and articles better than I used to. I am able to pick up on more than just the obvious subject. I have gained the ability to pick out the authors ethos, pathos, and logos as well as think about these things critically instead of just one-dimensionally. One of my favorite parts of the class though was peer critiquing. The first time I did a critique for someone else in the class, I absolutely hated it. I thought it was a huge waste of time and left me without energy to edit my own paper. But the second peer critique that was done in class was so much better. I felt that it went way smoother than the first one. I was able to really help out the person I was critiquing. I do not know if because we had already done a peer critique earlier and so I knew what to expect, or if I really did just end up liking the process for a different type of topic. Over all I believe this class has been a great success for me and has improved my writing skills, as well as more confidence in my ideas.

Group project ideas

Both of these videos express the serious impact that global warming is having on the polar bears, but show it through humorous animation. The first video is a very literal animation of an "ice cap". The polar bears are sweating from the sun beating down on them and the hat made of ice that the one polar bear is wearing is actually melting. The second video is a cute video of two polar bears ice fishing. They are discussing the reasons why the ice is melting by blaming each other. One polar bear tired to blame it on the humans, but the other bear quickly disagrees as the ice floe they are sitting on cracks and a power plant is emitting fumes off in the distance.

Ohio University Recycling - Reviewed for final grade 3/11/09

Ashlee Reynolds
ENG 308J Rouzie

Either Fix It Or Die

Sustainability is a more powerful part of saving the environment than I ever knew and I sure there are many other people out there that don’t have a clue either. I chose to focus on how Ohio University and its fellow students have been a part of helping make recycling a more “cool” thing to do. The students and employees of OU have shown a lack of awareness. But there is optimism in the eyes of Mr. Ed Newman, the head of Ohio University recycling and refuse, who said there is only so much one person can do, it has to be a effort made by everyone.

Newman has been working with Ohio University as its Recycling and Refuse coordinator since 1990. His areas that he is responsible for in include compost, source and toxicity reduction, as well as return of the compost which create a revenue, just to name a few. He showed his great emotion and concern for the future of recycling at Ohio University during our interview, as he never stopped talking and had a number of ideas to improve the recycling effort. He commented that the effort is easier at Ohio University than at other schools because the staff works so much closer together and shares the same high hopes for their effort. Not many schools have that special bond and get along well enough to happily work with one common goal of bettering the planet.

The Recycling & Refuse Department (aka Campus Recycling) coordinates many campus recycling and waste-reduction activities throughout the academic year, such as annual move-in and move-out days at the residence halls, RecycleMania, Sponsor the Trash Dance, and giving presentations to students, faculty, and staff about campus recycling services. The office also coordinates with the Office of Sustainability on other recycling projects.

Ohio University has made great efforts to help promote recycling periods and even how to do it. The new student center, The Baker Center, has become the most “green friendly” place on campus. The Baker center has separate trashcans for easy recycling. Even in the dorms, the Residential Assistants make different bulletin boards dedicated to recycling. One of the most prominent dorm recycling comes when all the students move in and out. There are special areas for the students to put their old carpets and all the cardboard boxes they throw away. So instead of just being tossed in the garbage, the students, whether or not they know it, are helping save the planet, one cardboard box and one piece of carpet at a time. The Ohio athletes have also stepped up to the plate (punt intended). During home basketball games the teams have been going around to all the fans picking up their paper and plastic trash items, separating them, and recycling them.

One big question is how are we financing all these special recycling bins and other recycling waste units? Funny, the answer is trash, recyclables to be exact. Everything that the students recycle can be taken for money. Some of the bigger recyclables include leaves, construction and demolition waste. Eventually Ohio University wants all products to be biodegradable. For example, all the products that the front room uses to serve coffee in will soon be biodegradable.

The students have been a big part of the effort of recycling. There are many students that have done their homework and know how to recycle and what a positive thing it is. Other students have no idea how to recycle. Newman said there have been a lot of issues with the sorting. The students sometimes are not paying attention to what they are throwing away in the different trashcans. That is when the custodial staff and others have to step in a sort all of the toxins out so they can properly be recycled.

The main point for the future, Newman said, was to make all products, the coffee cups and lids for example, all biodegradable. Other goals for the future include getting the support of the community and school officials, educating the uneducated about recycling, reducing our carbon output, and hoping that students start taking initiative. The only one that can change is the person. Complaining is not going to help.

It is rather simple, if we do not start recycling and doing even more to help protect the environment, global warming is bound to doom us all. Newman urges all of us to get it together. It is imperative that we all take part in recycling. We must educate the ones who do not know how to recycle. Newman said it is real simple, “Either fix it or die.”



Sources:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/

Sources for power point:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/adoptagame.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/stickers.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/move_out.htm

Photo sources:
Most were taken by me and my friend who participated in the pictures, Matt Galante, Junior Communications major.
http://www.southern.ohiou.edu/pages/campuses/images/ous-recycle.png

Interview Questions:

Ed Newman, campus Refuse and Recycling Manager

Mission?
Goals?
Who is benefiting?
To what degree is your mission working?
What are successes?
Where do you believe your mission needs work? Problems?
Future planning?
Who is financing?
Follow up questions? Allowed to e-mail?
How long have you worked for Ohio University and how long have you been part of OU recycling? What made you want to go into this line of work? What exactly are your main roles?
What are the different recycling services provided on OU campus?
How are the recycling projects funded? (All the special trashcans, advertisements, extra time spent by sorting)
Have the different projects around campus such as moving in and out of the residence halls be a success?
What different projects have you been involved with?
Where do you believe the system needs to improve and what are the flaws?
What role does the students play in the recycling effort and have they actually helped?
What are future goals that you would like to accomplish?
How are we giving back to the community?
Anything else?

Reflective Statement:

I had a good time doing this project. I learned a lot as well as confirmed
things I actually already knew about recycling. Ohio University has made great
strides in helping clean up the campus. The interview with Mr. Newman was good,
but he had a lot to say and talked about a lot of things that were hard to get
my head around. He is defiantly very passionate about his job and his influence
on Ohio University and recycling. I tried doing something different than the
other students by going around and taking pictures of different ways to recycle
on campus and adding a song. My only downfall in the paper is the lack of
length. I tried to just focus on the different projects that OU has created for
the students to get them interested in recycling and I tried to steer clear on
doing just an overview of Ohio University recycling. Another downfall would be
my lack of presentation skills. I am terrible at speaking in front of a group of
people. That is why I chose to do a sideshow and music for half of my project
to better express what recycling at OU is all about than me just stumbling all
over my words.
Overall, it was a very informative project.

Pullan

Funny we had to read this article for today. I recently just tried going without eating meat for a whole seven days. I did it, but I was definitely pumped to get a nice burger by the end of the week. I have always known that the process of making the meat and what the animals go through is disgusting and inhumane. That has never seems to bother me. I do not believe that Pollan is trying to get the reader give up meat, but to shed light onto the reality of the tortured animals that human yearn to eat. Sure hunting and the way some hunters view it as "fun" does not sounds good, but as the article says, "as if steak could be gotten any other way"(Pollen 1), is the truth. If we did not have people out there hunting for these animals, how else would people eat? I also like how Pullan compares slavery to eating meat. He says, "--like our former rpactices of keeping slaves r treating women s inferior being -- can now be seen for the barbarity it is, a relic of an ignorant past that can very soon will fill us with shame" (Pullan 1)" To some people, whom love meat, unting is barbaric and crule. But they have to think, for the hunters, it is probably a way of life for them or just the way they grew up. I believe that humans do really need to learn to appreciate what they eat though, as well think about all the other pieces of the animal that is being wasted. The Native Americans would hunt to stay alive, but would also use every part of the animal they killed because they appreciated it enough for giving them nourishment to live. Though one persons thoughts and beliefs cannot change the way a society feels about their meat, Pullan has been able to publish his ideas and spread out the truth to others whom read his work. I know I am going to eat meat still and until that causes real problems for me, I'll always be appreciative of a good bacon cheese burger sitting in front of me.

Final Draft - Polar Bears

Ashlee Reynolds
Dr. Rouzie
ENG 308J
2 Feb 2009

Who is going to drink all the Coca-Cola?

I remember when I was younger, during Christmas I would always look forward to watching all of the different holiday commercials. My favorite commercial in particular was for Coca-Cola. The commercial had a mother polar pear and the two cubs playing in the snow and drinking Coca-Cola. The little cubs would be goofing off by sliding down a hill, for example, and the mother would always be at the end of that hill ready and waiting for her cubs with a bottle of Coca-Cola. It made me feel happy watching the little white balls of fur running around together. That was such a magical scene. Too bad that was over 10 years ago, before anyone would become concerned about the extinction of the polar bears. There was a commercial that was aired in 2005 showing a polar bear and its cub gripping tightly to a cracking ice floe. The old quote that Coca Cola used to close their commercials with was, “It’s the real thing.” The broadcast ends with spin-off of that same quote by saying, “Global Warming: It’s the Real Thing” (Carlton 1). Truth is, the commercial was right.

As the earth began to get hotter and hotter, things that were cold and frozen started to melt. The Arctic coast is dwindling away, along with the chunks of ice or ice floes, the polar ice caps, and glaciers that the polar bears call home. Too many things melting can lead to terrible consequences. Consequences that we will in fact have to come to terms with soon. Not only could the water creep up onto land and flood cities and states, but what about the creatures that use these frozen objects as a home? What about the polar bears? “The chief threat to the polar bear is the loss of its sea ice habitat due to global warming“ (National Wildlife Federation 1). The polar bears inhabit arctic sea and continental coastlines. These places keep them close to fresh water, a place to raise their cubs, and also give them an ideal place to hunt.

Since 2007, as their icy homes have been melting away the polar bears have been running out of places to live. No one is taking this dire situation seriously. The government shows no apathy towards the dying polar bears. As oil and gas companies eat up the polar bear habitat, they still feel no need to cut back on production. It is as if no one notices that it is the greenhouse gas emissions that are coming from these power plants that cause global warming. Humans need to cut back on their energy use. “To save the polar bear from extinction, the U.S. must enact strong legislation that reduces the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming” (National Wildlife Federation 1).

Imagine the sheer terror that would run through your veins if you ever got a phone call that your friend has drowned, but like a bad dream, no one seems to be concerned? These poor polar bears are beginning to experience this tragedy more and more, as time passes. The bears are drowning. Since the Arctic ice shelf is melting way, the ice floes that the polar bears depend on, are becoming so few and so spread out. The polar bears are unable to swim far enough to get to the next chunk of floating ice. Scientists believe that polar bears have only adapted to swimming the distance between ice floes and not much farther. Along with drowning, the polar bears will face starvation. “Polar bears will have a difficult time finding food” (Effects of Global Warming 1). What other proof does the general public need to see that there is something going wrong? The polar bears are losing strength. “A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that far fewer polar bear cubs in the Beaufort Sea were surviving and that adult males weighed less and had smaller skulls than those captured and measured two decades previously -- trends similar to observations in Canada's western Hudson Bay before a population drop. (Joling)”

The blame for the current meltdown has been put on the oil and gas development activities that are taking place near or on their habitat. “Proposed offshore extraction poses the greatest threat to polar bears and their prey because it increases the risk of direct exposure to oil in the event of an oil spill.” (WWF – Threats to Polar Bears) Not only that, but we as humans are too blame. The use of so much energy, as well as the stress on the polar bears from all the new inhabitants has to come to a stop. The polar bears need the space that has been taken up for denning and hunting, so they can survive. But the constant occupation of the oil and gas development is stressing the polar bears greatly.

With this comes another threat, grizzly bears. As the temperature rises, the grizzly bear has started to expand its turf into the Arctic. Since the polar bears are used to dealing with less aggressive prey, they do not stand a chance against the aggressiveness of a grizzly. Though both bears have been known to eat cubs, this could be fatal to the polar bear population if the young are killed and unable to reproduce. “Hunting will be hard because the less ice floes means, there are less places for the polar bears to hunt seals, not to mention the grizzly bears that are going to start taking over and eating the food. Global warming is the cause of this Arctic meltdown, but what or who is to blame for the global warming? (Joling 1)“

With all these different components that have been proven harmful on the polar bears why has it been such a struggle to get them on the endangered species list? On May 15th, 2008 the polar bears were still only listed as threatened. “This decision is a watershed event because it has forced the Bush administration to acknowledge global warm’s brutal impacts, said Kassie Siegel, climate program director at the center for Biological Diversity and lead author of the 2005 petition.” (Science Daily 1) The road to being protected under the Endangered Species act has been a long one and is not even near over yet. It took longer than the one-year deadline to decide if the polar bears were only threatened or actually endangered. Canada has even tried to step up and make some changes in order to maybe help sway the ideas of the United States. Canada has publically said that they have special concern for the Arctic, in hopes to get the United States to see that there is a very apparent problem. Different organizations are still fighting for the protection of the polar bears.

The Bush administration did not want to believe in such a thing called global warming. They did not want to give anyone else a reason to start believing it either. It seems that Sara Palin has the same motives. “She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts.” (Joling 1) It is people like her that are part of the global warming issue; she will not help. It is obvious that the government is more concerned about polluting the earth, than saving the animals that live in it.

Different solutions that have been thought of include the obvious reducing the amount of energy used, cut back on oil and gas companies, and giving donations. Others have moved to more drastic measures by holding rallies and protests. Some protests have even landed some advocates in jails. More realistic ideas that can help slow down global warming include unplugging appliences, using more nature friendly cleaning products, maybe start riding your bike instead of driving. Though these things are small, there is hope from a higher power. President elect, Barack Obama has strong plans to help cut back on all the oil use and use more fuels that emit less carbon. He wants to make Earth Day a worldwide effort. If only this can come true will we be on the right track to a better world, but the polar bears have a better chance for survival.

In the end, global warming is a very real situation. It is the fatal future that our world has the pleasure of looking forward to unless something is done. Though it is going to take a enormous amount of time and a large amount of cutting back on harmful emissions from businesses that are very important to our everyday lives. Even us, as individuals, will have to cut back on the amount of energy we consume in a full day. If we want to see anything get better, if we want to see the polar bears get better, we will have to sacrifice. The polar bears are close to extinction. If they go, what else will soon die out? These creatures should be cherished. Richard Steiner, a marine-biology professor at the University of Alaska says it best, “For anyone who has wondered how global warming and reduced sea ice will affect polar bears, the answer is simple – they die.” (Carlton 1)

Works Cited

Carlton, Jim. "Is Global Warming Killing the Polar Bears? - WSJ.com." Business News, Finance News, World, Political & Sports News from The Wall Street Journal - WSJ.com. 13 May 2008. 9 Feb. 2009 .

Green, Kenneth. "Are Polar Bears Really an Endangered Species? The American, A Magazine of Ideas."Business, Economics, Culture, and More. The American, A Magazine of Ideas. 13 May 2008. 9 Feb. 2009 .

Joling, Dan. "State will sue over polar bear listing, Palin says." Anchorage Daily News. 22 May 2008. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"POLAR BEARS - Habitat & Distribution." SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS - HOME. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"POLAR BEARS - Habitat & Distribution." SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS - HOME. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"Polar Bears Global Warming - Effects of Global Warming." Bears: Polar, Grizzly Bear, Panda, Kodiak, Brown, Teddy and Black Bears. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"Polar Bears International - Bear Facts." Polar Bears International - Polar Bear Conservation Through Research and Education. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"Polar Bears and Global Warming - National Wildlife Federation." National Wildlife Federation. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"U.S. Protects Polar Bears Under Endangered Species Act: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. 14 May 2008. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"WWF - Polar Bear - WWF: A Leader in Polar Bear Conservation." World Wildlife Fund - Home - Endangered Species, Wildlife Conservation, Animal Habitats. 9 Feb. 2009 .

Paraphrase Activity

Ashlee Reynolds
ENG 308J
5 February 2009

My paraphrased quote:

Original Quote:

“For anyone who has wondered how global warming and reduced sea ice will affect polar bears, the answer is simple – they die.” (Carlton 1)


Original paraphrase:

The simple answer to the people who wonder about how global warming and reduced sea ice is going to affect the polar bears, the answer is they will die.


Properly paraphrased:

The polar bears are going to die if nothing is done to help stop the process of global warming. (Carlton 1)

Rough Draft - Polar Bears

Who is going to drink all the Coca-Cola?

I remember when I was younger, during Christmas I would always look forward to watching all of the different holiday commercials. My favorite commercial in particular was for Coca-Cola. The commercial had a mother polar pear and the two cubs playing in the snow and drinking Coca-Cola. The little cubs would be goofing off by sliding down a hill, for example, and the mother would always be at the end of that hill ready and waiting for her cubs with a bottle of Coca-Cola. That was such a magical scene. Too bad that was over 10 years ago, before anyone would become concerned about the extinction of the polar bears. There was a commercial that was aired in 2005 showing a polar bear and its cub gripping tightly to a cracking ice floe. The broadcast ends with spin-off of an old Coca-Cola commercial saying, “Global Warming: It’s the Real Thing”. (Carlton 1) Truth is, the commercial was right.

As the earth began to get hotter and hotter, things that were cold and frozen started to melt. Too many things melting can lead to terrible consequences. Not only could the water creep up onto land and flood cities and states, but what about the creatures that use these frozen objects as a home? What about the polar bears? “The chief threat to the polar bear is the loss of its sea ice habitat due to global warming. “ (National Wildlife Federation 1) The polar bears inhabit arctic sea and continental coastlines. These places keep them close to fresh water, a place to raise their cubs, and also give them an ideal place to hunt. Since 2007, as their icy homes have been melting away the polar bears have been running out of places to live. I believe that on one is taking the polar bears serious, which in turn makes oil and gas companies feel no need to cut back on production since it is their greenhouse gas emissions cause global warning as well as humans need to cut back on their energy use. “To save the polar bear from extinction, the U.S. must enact strong legislation that reduces the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.” (National Wildlife Federation 1)

The worst part about how the polar bears are dying is that it is not quick and painless. These poor animals are drowning to death. Since the Arctic ice shelf is melting way, the ice floes that the polar bears depend on, are becoming so few and so spread out. The polar bears are unable to swim far enough to get to the next chunk of floating ice. Scientists believe that polar bears have only adapted to swimming the distance between ice floes and not much farther. Researchers from the U.S. Minerals Management Service said they typically spotted a lone polar bear swimming in the ocean far away from ice about once every two years. Polar-bear downing’s were so rare that they have never been documented in the surveys. (Carlton 1) Along with drowning, the polar bears will face starvation. “Polar bears will have a difficult time finding food. (Effects of Global Warming 1) Global warming is the cause of this Arctic meltdown, but what or who is to blame for the global warming?

The blame for the current meltdown has been put on the oil and gas development activities that are taking place near or on their habitat. “Proposed offshore extraction poses the greatest threat to polar bears and their prey because it increases the risk of direct exposure to oil in the event of an oil spill.” (WWF – Threats to Polar Bears) Not only that, but us as humans are too blame. The use of so much energy, as well as the stress on the polar bears from all the new inhabitants has to come to a stop. The polar bears need the space that has been taken up for denning and hunting, so they can survive. But the constant occupation of the oil and gas development is stressing the polar bears greatly.

With this comes another threat, grizzly bears. As the temperature rises, the grizzly bear has started to expand its turf into the Arctic. Since the polar bears are used to dealing with less aggressive prey, they do not stand a chance against the aggressiveness of a grizzly. Though both bears have been known to eat cubs, this could be fatal to the polar bear population if the young are killed and unable to reproduce.

With all these different components that have been proven to deem harm on the polar bears why has it been such a struggle to get them on the endangered species list? On May 15th, 2008 the polar bears were still only listed as threatened. “This decision is a watershed event because it has forced the Bush administration to acknowledge global warm’s brutal impacts, said Kassie Siegel, climate program director at the center for Biological Diversity and lead author of the 2005 petition.” (Science Daily 1) The road to being protected under the Endangered Species act has been a long one and is not even near over yet. It took longer than the one-year deadline to decide if the polar bears were only threatened or actually endangered. Canada has even tried to step up and make some changes in order to maybe help sway the ideas of the United States. Canada has publically said that they have special concern for the Arctic, in hopes to get the United States to see that there is a very apparent problem. Different organizations are still fighting for the protection of the polar bears.

I believe that the Bush administration just did not want to believe in such a thing called global warming. They did not want to give anyone else a reason to start believing it either. Also, they did not want any reason to stop the building and spreading of oil and gas companies. Sure they were taking up space, but it was more important for Bush to create these companies than to save the polar bears and their habitat. Just by listing the polar bears as a threatened species, Bush thought that would get people off his back and still leave room for him to use the loop holes to keep spreading the oil and gas companies all around what is left of the polar bear habitat.

Different solutions that have been thought of include the obvious reducing the amount of energy used, cut back on oil and gas companies, and giving donations. Others have moved to more drastic measures by holding rallies and protests. Some protests have even landed some advocates in jails. (I need to add more to this paragraph. Any ideas?)

In the end, global warming is a very real situation. It is the fatal future that our world has the pleasure of looking forward to unless something is done. Though it is going to take a enormous amount of time and a large amount of cutting back on harmful emissions from businesses that are very important to our everyday lives. Even us, as individuals, will have to cut back on the amount of energy we consume in a full day. If we want to see anything get better, if we want to see the polar bears get better, we will have to sacrifice. The polar bears are close to extinction. If they go, what else will soon die out? These creatures should be cherished. Richard Steiner, a marine-biology professor at the University of Alaska says it best, “For anyone who has wondered how global warming and reduced sea ice will affect polar bears, the answer is simple – they die.” (Carlton 1)

I have all the print out of the websites I have used for information; I just need to add the proper stations to the paper.