Selection 41 - Women's Indigenous Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation

In this selection gender and diversity are linked in alot of ways.  Women being the 'second sex' in shared as the same inability to deal with the differences as it is to the displacement and extinction of the environment and things around us. Women like nature are not treated with the same respect and diginity as men most of the time and this is unfair. The marginalization of women and the destruction of diversity give off on one another.  Agricultural 'development' is continuing to work towards erasing diversity, but in the third world country they are trying to keep it going.  In most cultures women are usually the custtodians of the biodiversity, what they do is seen but never eknowledge by the public, it is invisible, or someone else may claim it for themselves.  Women farmers are the essense of farming, and want the seed always be there and to be continuous, never running out of anything, where as the man is all for the monoculture profits. Therefore, we should be aware of what the women do with farming and make sure they get as much benefit as the male farmers.  Genetic engineering is wrong, and can cause many health issues along with environmental issues, the women see that, and men are only in it for the dollar.

Selection 29 - Environmental, Energetic, and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

The new pesticides and herbicides we are using are sustainable and are not helping us grow more in the future. They are causing major health issues and environmental problems. The manure we are using is causing larger fisheries to have 'dead zones'.  Modern farming is also a problem nowadays, it can also contribute to the erosion of soil.  The estimated cost of the year for public and environmental health losses exceed $45 billion.  Integrated pest and nutrient management systems and certified organic agriculture can help reduce damage on agrochemical inputs. The organic farming  has made a change in the movement of organic farming where its doubled in a matter of 5 years. There was a Rodale institute farming systems trail. The Rodale insitute farming system created three systems of cropping: conventional, animal manure and legume-based organic and legume based organic systems. The conventional farming was done using fertilizers, herbicides and reflected the commercial convential demand for crops. Animal based crops were put as if grown for animal livesock and not for cash sale. The legume systems just didnt use herbicides were much like convectional farming.
The convectional farming has more fossil fuel burning into the the atmosphere which brings carbon dioxide up, and carbon dioxide as we all know is not good for the environment. Overall, making strong evidence that this organic process will be better for our environment is a good idea and should be kept up and made a priority.

Selection 19-The Current State of biological Diversity

In this selection Wilson explains how there are three circumstances to treat diversity more seriously as a global resource. First one is exploding human populations, second, science is discovering new uses for biological diversity that can relieve human suffering and environmental destruction, and third is alot of diversity is being lost and cannot be brought back caused by the destruction of natural habitats and so on. Are diversity is plumating downward, humans are altering the land, and our fishing availablities. We are harming the fisheries by overexploiting them and we need to stop it fast and soon.  Humans are using alot of carbon, water, nitrogen, synthetic organic chemicals, and fossil fuels. By releasing these chemicals in the ecosystem we are complicating cycles, therefore easier to mess up.  Although all these chemicals have some positive effect on our diversity, we need to modify the amount we are using, and how help to prevent future damage to our environment and the civilization on it.

Activity- Carl Safina

I watched the very touching video from Carl Safina, and I think he has alot of good points.  First he told us a story about how his friend called him and told him he had been fishing for almost his whole life and in all his life he had never seen a dolphin come up the boat before.  Dolphins scare the fish away so he was trying to get away from the dolphin, but the dolphin kept coming by the boat, and when it was by the boat is blew water and oil out of its blow whole, it was like the dolphin was coming to ask for help.  I feel this video among many have really taught me about oil spills and how they aren't really accidents more so negligance per say. I feel people could have avoided this crisis if they had maybe thought to prepare a back up plan if something did go wrong, but the government and companies did not, and it is not that surprising.  They try and make it seem like they are getting everything back to normal when everyone knows nothing will go back to normal or it will be a very long time until it does so. As Carl said, there are bird habitats in the middle of the oil spill and they are bringing the birds to clean and then bringing them back to the bad environment, just so that in a couple more months they are going to have to clean them all again. "It's like treating a person that was just in the burining building for heart and lungs problems and than sending them back into the fire". (Carl Safina) its not a very smart thing to do.  I agree 100% with all of Carl's explanations and theories and hope someday eventually all the oil will disappear from the ocean.

Reflection # 2- Zoo

Before this class I thought zoos were a good idea, and they were lots of fun for a day trip. I used to go to the zoo all the time when I was little and still do now,  but now that i have actually heard, and learnt about what happens in zoos im quickly changing my mind.  Animals should not be locked up in small cages, we as humans get locked up in small cages called prison because we have done nothing wrong, and sometimes hurtful.  The majority of these animals haven't done anything wrong but yet they are still being locked up to be shown off.  In class we discussed what has been happening in the Calgary zoo, alot of animals have been dying and have become sick, I don't agree with animals being locked up in small cages, and after actually learning about how zoos aren't a great place for animals I feel if we can't make zoos bigger for the animals we shouldn't have them.  A better idea would be having tours where there are animals, we could go into their habitat and explore where they actually live rather than having them locked up.  Animals are not supposed to be locked up in tiny cages to be shown off, they don't learn as well as they would in the wilderness with the rest of its clan or family.  Therefore i feel if we don't change the ways of zoos we shouldn't have any, or the animals will keep becoming more sick and more deaths will occur. 

Reflection #1 - Food Systems

Considering my food system, I could be eating slightly healthier, and less expensive but expensive junk food is great. My family and I just started buying organic foods, although they are more expensive, I think they taste much better than the genetically modified food.  The organic food taste alot more fresh, and I enjoy eating something knowing it has been handled carefully and right. I am not the healthiest eater out there, but I try to get all my vegetables and fruits in for my daily serving.  Chips are cookies also fall very close behind my fruits and vegetables.  Overall, food system isn't the most expensive but is not cheap either, and isn't the healthiest for me, but I try and get all the good things i need for my daily intake in, with a side of junk food.

Blog 3

Taming the Wild, and Modern Issues