Evangelical Environmental Network

Christians in general and Evangelicals in particular have been labeled as anti-environmental and anti-science. This has changed in last years as more and more Christians have been openly fighting and working for our environment and the sense of "stewardship" is developed and embraced. This organization: "Evangelical Environmental Network" is a prime example of the strength and commitment. To visit their website click here

The future in business by Hannah Kiemele

This Class and My Future

This class is a very important class to take. We went through a lot of aspects that would help create awareness to an individual and what they can do to prevent certain environmental problems, or even help resolve them.
I am going into the business field. Business relates to almost everything in the world. Without business, the world would not be able to work. Everything is a business. For example, we watched a video on oil drilling in Alaska. The oil drilling itself is an issue, but it’s also a business issue. The business needs to make money, yet the oil drilling could potentially harm the environment. In the video they interviewed a man who was greatly affected by the oil drilling. He said that if it wasn’t for the drilling their town would have been almost like a 3rd world countries. That really struck me. You never would have thought a city in America would be that of 3rd world countries. This just proves the importance of oil drilling and the positive effects it has on individuals.
The business field is very broad. So many things involve business, and this class helped me realize I didn’t need to stay in the typical business setting such as a cubicle with no view and no enjoyment. I am able to go out and help the world with my skills.
One thing that I would enjoy doing with my business career would be marketing and working for a non-profit organization. I really enjoy the organization Habitat for Humanity. I have a passion for helping families in need, and giving them what they deserve; a life full of joy and a roof over their head. My aunt and uncle have worked for Habitat for Humanity for a few years, and I saw how God changed their lives through it. Being able to help people in need is really satisfying. This class has taught me the awareness of the need society has for a good place to live. One thing I think they are starting to do is work with recycled items for their houses. This will be good because they can be more energy efficient and not have to resort to brand new items such as nails, wood, brick, and so on. I was visiting their headquarters in Georgia and took a tour on all the houses they built around the world. It was amazing the kinds of houses they build and the lives they are touching all at the same time.
This class has defiantly taught me to be more aware of what I am doing to contribute to the environment; whether it was good or bad. I am learning to keep my lights off during the day, and only run my dishwasher at night. I have also learned to take shorter showers and not keep my water running when I brush my teeth. Being more aware as an individual can help you “pay it forward” to someone else, and teach them to be aware at what they are doing to the environment. As a businesswoman, I can help create a “greener” workplace and help my co-workers be aware of what is all going on in our world.

The Future is Here!

Some final comments shared as we finish classes in Environmental Studies PHS 100, and Environmental Science PHS 105 relate to the future of our society. Of course this topic is always tricky as the future is always there, never at reach but as a guide for things to come we can see what is going on already. The trick of a good "futurologist" is to read from events of the present, normally complicated and confused, what are the things to come.

Today I want to share a couple of reading in The Oregonian of today Sunday June 7, 2009. One by Laura Oppenheimer is about pattern changes in the employment of Oregon, using the Gorge and The Dalles as examples: You can read it here. The other by Lori Tobias is about the problem that coastal areas have with pollution of fresh waters. You can read it here.

In both cases we see how what is happening around us will make us take actions in the future either to mitigate problematic situations, or to take advantage of new trends in technology.

Links to other blogs

As I come across other blogs that are interesting and worth looking at, I will be linking them to this pages. One friend Seth Johnson has this one which I highly recommend!
http://www.fortheirrescue.blogspot.com/

From Doretta Rilea: how about some regulations?

This website is funny and gives an idea of how environmental regulations have to be well planned and information about their benefits readily available!

http://home.att.net/~hideaway_today/t133/noah.htm

Affordable Sustainability by Mistie Beaudoin

Affordable Sustainability
PHS 100 Professor David Terrell
May 12, 2009 Warner Pacific College
While growing up I am sure we all fantasized about the future and what its technological advances would bring; flying cars, robots, super computers that did just about everything for us. Though not many of these things have come true, the advancements we have made, even since the 1980’s are astronomical. However, with these advancements have also come a price we have paid, or yet, our environment has paid for what we consider everyday necessities and some luxuries. Now in the 21st century we have had to reevaluate our way of life and see how we can perhaps take a step backwards in protecting our environment. Although we cannot turn back time on what we have done, we can change our way of life just slightly to make our world and our children’s world a better one. Though our past technological advances may have put a major dent in our ecosystem, our current and future advancements seem to be making steps to be more sustainable and consciences of our environment, without causing major inconveniences to our normal daily routines. We now have homes that have electricity completely sourced from solar panels, electric and hybrid cars, and building materials made out of all recycled products. Each person in this world has new ways of contributing by buying products that will greatly reduce their impact on the world, but with all the new advancements of sustainable products, how much are they costing, and how does the average, and even below average person afford these products. It seems as though the majority of the population in the United States is middle to low income families, and with the majority of sustainable products being at a much larger cost how are the majority of us suppose to contribute more than the everyday recycling or riding mass transit?After researching the cost of solar panels, I found that it costs about $16000 to have a home and all its contents run completely off solar energy. This high price does not include the cost of a battering bank or something called an inverter, needed due to the sun not shinning 100% of the time. Though the savings on an average electrical bill was quite high after installing solar panels, on a very fixed income, it is nearly impossible to come up with an amount close to the cost of the average solar panel install. A much higher price tag seemed the case for just about all items that were “more sustainable”. Even everyday products like a washer and dryer were far more expensive with the energy star logo attached. A price difference of $200 for someone with not a lot of money to begin with, buying a new item in general is quite a stretch, but to add $200 because it is rated more efficiently is an even bigger stretch.Presently I am a single mother, I work full time, and barely scrape by, and unfortunately this seems to be the case for the majority of single mothers in the world. So how do I, or anyone in similar situations, afford to purchase the newer, more sustainable products? Currently I am working on my degree to work in the social service field with other single mothers and low-income families like myself, and it seems that it would be very beneficial, for our environment, for companies market these products to everyone and not just those who can afford them. Even though there are tax credits for those who purchase more efficient and sustainable products, this is not enough to attract a lower income bracket of people to purchase such costly products.Though the government has made some steps to provide more sustainable products to lower income families, such as providing free fluorescent light bulbs when getting electricity bill assistant, not enough is being done to help them move closer in being stewards for our planet. Perhaps greater emphasis on educating about recycling could help or making it mandatory that every low income family is provided with reusable grocery bags because for many who think that these are such small things, such inexpensive items, others these are very out of reach.While recycling and being green seem to be the “in” thing, not all are as educated in doing so. Moreover, while buying the latest sustainable products may be an easy task for those willing to go the extra mile; these items are at a very far reach for those with little income. Although, another government handout is not the answer in creating more individuals willing to sacrifice a little in order for our environment to thrive, with a little education and more affordable and sustainable products, everyone can make the steps in helping our environment.
References: Unknown (2009). How many solar cells would I need to provide all of the electricity my house needs? Retrieved on May 12, 2009 from, http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/energy- efficiency/question418.htm

Sustainable development by Violeta McKean

Development and Sustainability
Environmental Studies PHS 100
Warner Pacific College May 12, 2009
Development and Sustainability Environmental studies is a fascinating topic. I have learned so manythings on the last five weeks of school. I am happy that this subject is one of our required subjects, because if we start taking care of our planet, our children will have a better chance of enjoying all the natural wonders that God created for us.Our society needs to make many changes to confront future development and sustainability; from recycling, to changing the way we eat. In my household, my children and I are aware of the importance of recycling, but this alone is just not enough. Lately due to my high cholesterol levels, I decided to avoid all red meat and not eat dairy products as much as I did in the past. I have since switched to soy products, which a lot of people consider somewhat bland and unappetizing. I don't mind the taste, and as a matter of fact after doing some research on the benefits of not drinking cow's milk, I tend to like it even more.Soy products are thought to contain many nutrients that are beneficial in the reduction of many ailments ranging from heart disease, osteoporosis, menopause, and several other health issues, on top of that, it is also considered an excellent source of protein (Novic, 2000). Cow's milk on the other hand, has been linked to causing intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic reactions in infants and children, as well as infections such as salmonella, viral infections such as bovine leukemia or AIDS like virus, as well as concern for childhood diabetes. There is also a great risk of contamination of the milk by blood and white (pus) cells, as well as a variety of chemicals and insecticides (Kradjian, 2009).Even thought the research is still ongoing about the beneficial aspects of soy, at this point it seems to be a better choice to go with rather than cow's milk. Soy was not taken seriously until the 1920's when its nutrient value and inexpensive production became widely known. Today, three quarters of a century later, our country grows one-third of the total world supply, mostly for livestock feed and non-food commercial products. Only 2% of the soy production is destined for human consumption, in the form of tempeh, tofu, and so on (Kradjian, 2009).Scientists advice that in order to save our planet we have to make changes and one of those changes that are being suggested, is to eat less meat and fewer animal products in general (Bittman, 2009). Unfortunately, the demand for meat has multiplied in recent years. Americans eat about eight ounces of meat a day, roughly twice the global average. At about five percent of the world's population, we “process” (that is grow and kill) nearly 10 billion animals a year, more than fifteen percent of the world's total. This has created the need to build huge confined animal feeding operations. These assembly-line meat factories, consume enormous amounts of energy, pollute water supplies, generate significant greenhouse gases and require increasing amounts of corn, soy, and other grains. This has led to the destruction of vast swaths of the world's tropical rain forests to produce grain for animal feed (Bittman, 2008). Also, the agriculture in the United States—much of which serves the demand for meat—contributes nearly three-quarters of all the water-quality problems in the nation's rivers and streams, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (Bittman, 2008).The production of meat, uses so many resources; for example, according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, 30 percent of the earth's ice-free land is directly or indirectly involved in livestock production. The NFAO, also estimates that livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world's greenhouse gases—more than transportation (Bittman, 2008).It amazes me how everything is connected in someway or another. For example, the environment and us. The foods that we eat and our earth. The choices we make and the effects on our planet. So I find it only fit to include how changing the way we live or simply the way we eat, will affect the way we develop as humans. My major is Human Development, and it is easy to see the connection to how children are developing in different parts of the world, due to the circumstances they are being raised in. For example, children who are being raise in Mexico's Yaqui Valley, are suffering neurological effects due to pesticide poisoning. This is just an example of a plethora that exist. In destroying our environment, we are not only destroying the place that we live in, but the chances that a child might develop to their full potential. This in turn pushes third world countries to create a vicious cycle that will continue until we decide to make changes and take the poor into consideration.According to Mark Bittman from The New York Times, with all the grain we grow to feed cows to produce meat, we could feed the people that are starving and suffering from malnutrition due to lack of food (Bitman, 2008).Obviously, there is a lot that needs to be done to save our world, for now though, I have switched to soy milk and stayed away from red meat, I also recycle and turn my lights off when not in use. All of these are just small changes to the way I live. Some of these changes might require a little more effort than others, but in the end every bit helps. I encourage everyone out there to try not eating meat for at least a couple of day and staying in the lower trophic levels which provide more nutrition anyway. One person making a change, does not make a huge impact, but if more of us take a stand for our planet, we will be able to see the difference and our children and grandchildren might thank us some day.
References: Bittman, M. (2009). Eating Right can Save the Planet. Retrieved on May 12, 2009 from: http://www.npr.org Bittman, M. (2008). Save the Environment: Eat less meat. The New York Times, Retrieved on May 12, 2009 from: http://www.ujf.net Kradjian, R., MD (2009). How Our Food Choices can Help Save the Environment. The milk letter. Retrieved on May 12, 2009 from: http://www.earthsave.org Novick, J. (2000)/ Will Soy Save the World. Retrieved on May 12, 2009 from: http://www.jeffnovick.com Withgott, J., & Bennan, S. (2008). Environment: The Science Behind the Stories (3rd ed.). New York. Pearson Benjamin Cummings. ISBN: 13: 978-0-8053-9573-0