Levester Williams
1.Social Entrepeneurship
After taking a class on social entrepreneurship, I understand that it is an enterprise that meets a social value by creating a self-sustainable model. Its goal is not to maximize profits, but to maximize its social impact. Muhammad Yumus’s enterprise represents such mission. Seeing the poverty in Bangladesh, he wondered how he could help the people in that area. Therefore, he provided people who wanted to start businesses with funding. He invented microcredit that allowed the small provision of money to be loaned to these people. It worked since the people in Bangladesh only needed a small sum of money to start a business there (Steffern 352). Being inspired by social entrepreneurs such as Yumus, I have started to work on a project that could provide transportation for the Washtenaw area by integrating a recycling system at the main bus stations in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti since some people cannot always afford the one dollar and quarter price.
2. Seeing the Big Picture
As consumers, we “dwell in the blissful ignorance of partial knowledge” (Steffen 402). This happens since we cannot fully understand how macrosystems work such as corporations and governments. Also, most of facts are concealed since we are contented with what the media and corporations provide us until we start to question our consumptions and the systems that produce these products and medial image. Steffen states that indicators are able to measure the critical information for us and provide us with a trend that can be easily read such as n a barometer. By using graphs just as smiley faces to represent the information, people will be able to through the shadowing done by corporations (Steffen 402).
3. Placing Yourself
To become a global citizen who becomes responsible for one’s action toward the global environment, one must place oneself within the context of our world. Then, we are able to become active participants who are able to ask questions that criticize our consumption and production fields. Steffen states that we are able to place ourselves through by naming places according to their attributes such as “Where Salmon Grow”). If we place ourselves, we are able to understand the historical significance of being a global citizen. We can understand our biota around us and prevent much ignorant damages to it. We can questions products that may cause us health issues in the long term. Also, the industrial field will not be a distant knowledge, yet something that we are able to have a full understanding of its effects (Steffen 476).
4. Ecosystem Services
Sometimes, since we live in this technological world, we may at once forget that “nature is working for us” (Steffen 486). Technology now seems to be capable of providing us with things that nature provides us already. We are able to clone things and artificially change the genes of organisms such as corns to match our desires. Technology provides us with lighting. However, this all come at a cost while nature does it for free (Steffen 486). According to the “Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Synthesis Report,” it would cost about at least $33 trillion a year to simulate what nature does for us. However, we don’t fully understand how much natures provide for us (Steffen 487).
5. Buying Better Food
Buying better food may cost more than its competitor; however, it may actually save you more money in the end. By eating healthier with food that is grown locally, we consumers are able to know form where the actual product comes. We are able to visit these places ourselves and understand how the food is being produced instead of it being shadowed by the distancing. But, it should start with the institution. If poor nutrition
equals poor grades, then primary schools should provide our children with a healthier choice and teach them how to be better consumer. Therefore, at an older age, we would be more cognizant of what actually are healthy for us instead of having to do research ourselves about it (Steffen 58). Also, by choosing to eat local, we invest money back into our community. Look at Urban Farming. When a speaker from Urban Farming came to speak in my social entrepreneurship class, she claimed that buying locally invest money back into the community. When you buy from super retailer like Wal-Mart, your investment does not go directly back into your local community. Therefore, buying locally support a healthy lifestyle for you and your local community.
6. Creating Business Value from Sustainability
Corporations function as to maximize their profit even at the expenses of the environment and personal rights of human. Think of the building of polluting plants next to poor neighbors since the land cost is relatively cheap. The companies are infringing on their rights. Companies also will sue individuals who try to speak against their unsustainable practices. Yet, we have companies that are trying to practice “green” while sustaining a social value. Instead of having to create technology that support us as nature do for free, we are able to save much money in the long term buy preserving our environment (Steffen 386).
7. Green Marketing
Even though some companies are not practicing sustainable methods, some large retailers are being pressured due to the growing concern of our environment. Therefore, corporations are introducing green products as a way to content those who question the production of the corporation. It now seems to be a trend to be green. You see posters, ads, and commercial that support eco-friendly products. Companies such as Philips and Toyota are utilizing green products that save much energy while it brings considerable profits back into the company (Steffen 390).
Work Cited
Steffen, Alex, ed. Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st century. New York: Abrams, 2006. Print.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Weekly Response 13
Levester Williams
Reed Esslinger-Payet, GSI
ADP III
As a child, you are taught about the food chain. One sees how animal life works at a fundamental level since they are consuming to pass on their genes to the next generation. However, if one animal is taken away from a food chain, the rest of the chain disrupts such as a gear in complex machinery disrupts the work of the machine. Learning that 12 percent to 15 percent is the estimated guess that is needed to preserve a complete system from collapsing , I now realize the importance of having a diverse biota in the world and preserving the animals. Human cannot fully realize the macrocosm of biodiversity since our knowledge of the existence of animal may be limited to as little as five percent (Trumpey). Therefore, human impact on the environment may not be fully calculated to how much humans are destroying other life forms. These animals that may become extinct support the balance of all biota: they provide us with the nutrients for our soil, the growth of forested areas, etc. Even if our impact on the environment may efface one species of a plant or animal, it may have catastrophic effects since an organism may only consume that one plant, such as the Koala bear only eats eucalyptus leaves.
Unsustainable practices, such as deforestation, deprive indigenous organisms of their habitat and food resources; thus, there is more competition for limited food source and shelters. Now, I understand fully the reason to preserve the forested area of the Amazon Rain forest since most of our biodiversity our located near the equator. Even if organisms are able to adapt to the environment over a long period of time, the constant changing that occurs in the environment due to our effort hinders the adaptive ability of all life forms since no organisms is able to evolve at such rapid pace besides single-cell organisms. Even the introduction of new species to environment can hinder biodiversity. Since foreign species may prey on indigenous species that have yet to evolve to avoid such predator, the foreign species may outcompete the native species. For example, the introduction of the fox and rabbit to Australian frontier has created a plethora of environmental concerns since the fox has no predator there and the rabbit multiplies at a exponential rate (Diamond 54). Consumerism has effects since the materials we consume without hesitance may come directly from the environment of some endangered species. We extract material from habitat while we know we are leaving much damage to that habitat. If I want to become a responsible global citizen, I must realize that my actions, whether it is consuming material or producing waste, affect the biodiversity on the earth.
Works Cited
Diamond, Jared M. Collapse How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005. Print.
Trumpey, Joe. "Biodiversity." Art & Design III: Technology and Environment. Univeristy of Michigan Ann Abor, Stamps Auditorium, Ann Arbor. 2 Dec. 2009. Lecture.
Reed Esslinger-Payet, GSI
ADP III
As a child, you are taught about the food chain. One sees how animal life works at a fundamental level since they are consuming to pass on their genes to the next generation. However, if one animal is taken away from a food chain, the rest of the chain disrupts such as a gear in complex machinery disrupts the work of the machine. Learning that 12 percent to 15 percent is the estimated guess that is needed to preserve a complete system from collapsing , I now realize the importance of having a diverse biota in the world and preserving the animals. Human cannot fully realize the macrocosm of biodiversity since our knowledge of the existence of animal may be limited to as little as five percent (Trumpey). Therefore, human impact on the environment may not be fully calculated to how much humans are destroying other life forms. These animals that may become extinct support the balance of all biota: they provide us with the nutrients for our soil, the growth of forested areas, etc. Even if our impact on the environment may efface one species of a plant or animal, it may have catastrophic effects since an organism may only consume that one plant, such as the Koala bear only eats eucalyptus leaves.
Unsustainable practices, such as deforestation, deprive indigenous organisms of their habitat and food resources; thus, there is more competition for limited food source and shelters. Now, I understand fully the reason to preserve the forested area of the Amazon Rain forest since most of our biodiversity our located near the equator. Even if organisms are able to adapt to the environment over a long period of time, the constant changing that occurs in the environment due to our effort hinders the adaptive ability of all life forms since no organisms is able to evolve at such rapid pace besides single-cell organisms. Even the introduction of new species to environment can hinder biodiversity. Since foreign species may prey on indigenous species that have yet to evolve to avoid such predator, the foreign species may outcompete the native species. For example, the introduction of the fox and rabbit to Australian frontier has created a plethora of environmental concerns since the fox has no predator there and the rabbit multiplies at a exponential rate (Diamond 54). Consumerism has effects since the materials we consume without hesitance may come directly from the environment of some endangered species. We extract material from habitat while we know we are leaving much damage to that habitat. If I want to become a responsible global citizen, I must realize that my actions, whether it is consuming material or producing waste, affect the biodiversity on the earth.
Works Cited
Diamond, Jared M. Collapse How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005. Print.
Trumpey, Joe. "Biodiversity." Art & Design III: Technology and Environment. Univeristy of Michigan Ann Abor, Stamps Auditorium, Ann Arbor. 2 Dec. 2009. Lecture.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
World Changing 1-7
1. Bright Green Computers
The fact that our computers are made of things that harm the environment is a great deal of concern to me. In this section, the amount of energy and hazardous, not recyclable materials were discussed. The fact that the only thing that needs to be done to change how our computers are so harmful to the environment is a change in materials and design makes it seem like it should already be done in a more correct manner than it is today. To make computers with renewable materials would be amazingly better for the environment. The designers and inventors need to be able to put all of their knowledge together and then can come up with new ways for making our computers.
2. Doing the Right Thing Can Be Delicious
Fast, easy, and cheap food is always there and very convenient. But the fact that when we eat these foods, they have been pumped full of chemicals, makes them so risky to our health. When food is grown on an organic farm, there are no chemicals used, and instead of the farmers using things to change the environment, they are using things to help the environment grow crops. With no chemicals used, the food is also much healthier for us. Also the process of locally grown organic food is much more of an investment mentally. You can know the farmers and you learn new ways to cook the food. Sure, it may not be a “fast” food, but it can become just like second nature, and a much healthier alternative, not just on a personal level, but also for the world.
3. Brands
Logos have taken over the world. A brand logo on anything is a walking advertisement for the company, as well as a social indicator of our personal being. The fact that the most popular companies have done horrible things to people and the environment is quite strange, but the reason they still are able to do well is because of their emotional connection to people. Sure, Nike used sweatshops and treated the people horribly, but they still make good shoes, and have a social connection to everyone. The fact that companies need to put logos on everything is starting to get backlash by some. I think that the more people realize that the logo is not important, then they will make wiser choices with the way they spend their money.
4. Art Meets Technology
New technology changes the way we live in the world. There are numerous new inventions now that can remove us from reality and put us into a different world. For instance, sounds of relaxing music while you walk around a busy, hectic city. These are all things that someone creative came up with, and change our lives completely. Sure, it may not seems like art, but the fact that there is a change in the environment makes it differ from reality. New ideas change our lifestyles, and even if it just means that someone is hearing different sounds while walking, it still is an altercation of reality.
5. Furniture and Home Décor
Most of our furniture in our houses is harmful to us. We buy them thinking that they will last a few years, until they get warn out or we want to redecorate. The fact that most of the materials we get our furniture from is not that great for the environment is not what is on our minds when we buy these items. The paint, stuffing, wood, metal, and plastic are most items have harmful materials for our health. If we can get the mindset that we need to buy things that will last and be healthy for the world, and us we could skip these problems. Using certain types of trees instead of the ones that are rare. Making sure we chose the correct items makes a huge difference in our lives.
6. Conserving Water
Living in the Great Lakes area, you do not see a shortage of water. The fact that most of the world is water makes you think that the world will never run out of water, and you can use as much of it as possible. But that idea is far from the truth. Living is a place with luxurious pluming, we waste water. There are simple new designs that allow us to use less, but still have the luxury of a nice shower or sink. The fact that they have showerheads and faucets that use less water, but use air to make it flow seems like a simple idea that everyone could switch to. Using less water is important, and along with that recycling water is also an idea. To me, I think the idea of air-powered faucets and showerheads seems like a great way to not only save water, but to employ people do make interesting new designs as well.
7. Knowing What’s Green
When we buy certain things, we assume that they are safe. The fact that companies have very low standards to live up to is very sad. Companies put harmful materials in items all too often. What also is happening is that false logos are made to seem like they are made up to a certain standard, when in fact, they just resemble the real thing. The problem that we have with the things we buy is that we just want something while it lasts, and as soon as it is old and warn out, we are ready to replace it and the old just get thrown away. Some believe that having instructions for things to be properly disposed of would make it too hard for us to do, but I think that if we really thought about how much we really do waste, we would be willing and able to properly take care of our things, and in return the world would be better off.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Week#13
Yu-Jen(Chris),Tsai
ADP3
Discussion 005
Week #13
One important fact that I got out of this course is that every single topic discussed and brought up in Trumpey’s lecture and in our discussion groups can all be put together ultimately. For example, I am interested in transportation design, product design, basically industrial design; the topics we’ve gone through made me realize that one element of completing a design has more than I thought it would have to do with our environment, that is the “material” used. Then comes the issue of environmental pollution due to all the carbon emission rate from the factories build by the corporations; despite the fact that we all notice the harm it could cause to our world, we, the consumers, are the one who have been supporting them and keeping the system running. Since I will be in the designing field in the future, I need to understand the basics; for instance, the marketing, the need of consumers and so on. However, I have no idea the process of making can cause such severe damage to our eco system. Watching the documentary Manufacture Landscape, I could immediately tell how much energy is demanded to maintain the operation based on the size of the electronics factory, which is actually originated from my country Taiwan even though is it located in China. In my final group project for this particular course made me perceive the course’s message more thoroughly. My job was to research and compare the carbon emission rate and the Internet penetration rate by country. I made a diagram out of it and realize one other connection can be made between the prosperity and the pollution situation of a country.
The entire course marks a perfect conclusion for the ADP course series since in ADP3 Trumpey goes into the inner aspect of everything from basic products and designers to large industrial corporation and companies that are having an impact on our planet. Also making me understand that it is more than just making ideate sketches, blueprints and making models in the design field; the final goal also needs to be achieved, that is always take the environment into consideration.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Weekly Response 13: consclusions
Write about a specific, broad-reaching "system" that you learned about in this class (either you had never heard of before, had heard of but never contemplated, or knew a little bit about). In whichever case, choose something that stood out and has some relevance to your personal life/interests.
1.) Choose a complicated, far reaching topic (i.e. the carbon cycle, the agro industry, consumerism, biodiversity, Haber Bosh process, evolution, CAFOs, GMOs,... really anything from the class that most profoundly affected your way of looking at the world).
2.) Explain your topic, (give it's history, definition/description, why and if it's controversial, etc.). Then explore what other systems it affects, including your relationship to it.
So if you talk about logging, you might start by talking about a general historical overview, explain what logging is (what's the process), why it's done, pros and cons, and importantly, what are the farther reaching ramifications (or indirect effects) of the logging industry? (erosion/ loss of bio diversity/ reduction in land's capacity to absorb melting ice/ the watertable lowers/ more CO2 in the atmosphere because fewer trees/ on the other hand, it provides jobs, timber, cleared land ready for agriculture or development, etc. Then you can talk about how this may affect your particular community/ family/ self.
Good luck and it's been a pleasure getting to know all of you!
Reed
1.) Choose a complicated, far reaching topic (i.e. the carbon cycle, the agro industry, consumerism, biodiversity, Haber Bosh process, evolution, CAFOs, GMOs,... really anything from the class that most profoundly affected your way of looking at the world).
2.) Explain your topic, (give it's history, definition/description, why and if it's controversial, etc.). Then explore what other systems it affects, including your relationship to it.
So if you talk about logging, you might start by talking about a general historical overview, explain what logging is (what's the process), why it's done, pros and cons, and importantly, what are the farther reaching ramifications (or indirect effects) of the logging industry? (erosion/ loss of bio diversity/ reduction in land's capacity to absorb melting ice/ the watertable lowers/ more CO2 in the atmosphere because fewer trees/ on the other hand, it provides jobs, timber, cleared land ready for agriculture or development, etc. Then you can talk about how this may affect your particular community/ family/ self.
Good luck and it's been a pleasure getting to know all of you!
Reed
Monday, December 7, 2009
Weekly Response 12
Levester Williams
Reed Esslinger-Payet, GSI
ADP 250: Technology and Environment
Ecocide
Since foreign countries have colonized other developing countries in the past, those countries may have been introduced a problem that disrupts the biota of that region: the introduction of foreign species. Introduced species may sometimes outcompete indigenous species since the native species have not encounter those species before. Those introduced species may prey on the native species, who have not evolved or adapted to avoid such predators; therefore, the predation leads to decline or the extirpation of native species. Furthermore, those introduced species may outcompete natives in food and territory resources. Current examples of this ecocide and its consequences on that society can be found in Australia and United States.
Introduced species may be implemented in an environment out of ignorance or carelessness. When British colonized Australia in the 18th century, they incorporated their lifestyle into the lives in Australia. However, both environments have significant differences since Australia has low soil productivity (Diamond 390). Even though the sheep provided the export of wool, the sheep deprived the soil of its few nutrients. Also, foxes, who have no predators in Australia, eats native species while rabbits eats vegetation of the Australia’s native species (Diamond 392). In Montana, the introduction of foreign species has decrease the commercial fishing due to the decline of native species and the infection of disease from foreign fishes. Also, chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease that can be transmitted from the nonnative elks and deers into human (Diamond 54). In addition to that, Montana has weeds that efface much vegetation. To overcome this issue, Montana must buy expensive herbicide (Diamond 55). This is an ecocide since this issue affects biodiversity: it may cause the extinction of native species. Biodiversity is healthy to our system, and without it, biota of all regions will be disrupted and will lead to a chaotic phenomena. An example of how drastic that introduced species may affect a biota is the migration of the Asian carp in the Mississippi River. The fear of this carp in Michigan’s Great Lakes has urged the government to poison two miles of the Chicago River to stop its entrance (Trumpey).
Works Cited
Diamond, Jared M. Collapse How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005. Print.
Trumpey, Joe. "Biodiversity." Art & Design III: Technology and Environment. Univeristy of Michigan Ann Abor, Stamps Auditorium, Ann Arbor. 2 Dec. 2009. Lecture.
Reed Esslinger-Payet, GSI
ADP 250: Technology and Environment
Ecocide
Since foreign countries have colonized other developing countries in the past, those countries may have been introduced a problem that disrupts the biota of that region: the introduction of foreign species. Introduced species may sometimes outcompete indigenous species since the native species have not encounter those species before. Those introduced species may prey on the native species, who have not evolved or adapted to avoid such predators; therefore, the predation leads to decline or the extirpation of native species. Furthermore, those introduced species may outcompete natives in food and territory resources. Current examples of this ecocide and its consequences on that society can be found in Australia and United States.
Introduced species may be implemented in an environment out of ignorance or carelessness. When British colonized Australia in the 18th century, they incorporated their lifestyle into the lives in Australia. However, both environments have significant differences since Australia has low soil productivity (Diamond 390). Even though the sheep provided the export of wool, the sheep deprived the soil of its few nutrients. Also, foxes, who have no predators in Australia, eats native species while rabbits eats vegetation of the Australia’s native species (Diamond 392). In Montana, the introduction of foreign species has decrease the commercial fishing due to the decline of native species and the infection of disease from foreign fishes. Also, chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease that can be transmitted from the nonnative elks and deers into human (Diamond 54). In addition to that, Montana has weeds that efface much vegetation. To overcome this issue, Montana must buy expensive herbicide (Diamond 55). This is an ecocide since this issue affects biodiversity: it may cause the extinction of native species. Biodiversity is healthy to our system, and without it, biota of all regions will be disrupted and will lead to a chaotic phenomena. An example of how drastic that introduced species may affect a biota is the migration of the Asian carp in the Mississippi River. The fear of this carp in Michigan’s Great Lakes has urged the government to poison two miles of the Chicago River to stop its entrance (Trumpey).
Works Cited
Diamond, Jared M. Collapse How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005. Print.
Trumpey, Joe. "Biodiversity." Art & Design III: Technology and Environment. Univeristy of Michigan Ann Abor, Stamps Auditorium, Ann Arbor. 2 Dec. 2009. Lecture.
Week 12
Yu-Jen(Chris),Tsai
Diamond talks a lot about the factors that are causing the collapsing societies over the times; he also made several lists to clarify his point. In the online video, Jared brought up several examples that explains particularly on the five-point frame work he came up with, which can be related to many other ecocide elements and factors in the book Collapse. For example, the soil problem and the deforestation issues are part of the first list of the five; that is the human impact on the relied resources. During the lecture, Diamond discussed some of the problems Montana has gone through and need to be prepared to solve and face, which is also one of the main theme stated in the first part of his book. Firstly, the human impact on the environment of Montana State is mainly due to the toxins due to the mine waste, causing many severe damages on the land. Irreparable economic loss then emerged. Pollutions made Montana lost billions of dollars annually in that the condition of the land is so used up by the toxins and human wastes. Forest management then came up as another serious issue that needs immense improvement. Since the climate change phenomenon in our environment, one other list of the ecocide, depends generally on the plants that recycles the atmosphere and keeping the system running, the weather in Montana has changed from cold and humid to warm and dry, which bad news to the agricultural business in the particular areas like Montana. Despite this is an example happened back a few years ago, many other areas in the world are encountering the same harsh condition of either weather or the pollution in general. For instance, China need to figure out a way to manage the resource recycling since in the future, they will no doubt be one of the biggest countries that is responsible for massive use of environmental resource.
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