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.

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

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.

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.

weekly response 12

It is very clear that humans have had many negative effects on the natural environment, and therefore have contributed to the decline of many societies in the past. Diamond discusses that many factors have become reasons as to why so many societies in the past have failed, but after reading this book, I find deforestation to be one of the biggest contributors to the problem at hand. (Diamond feels this to be one of the major problems as well.) I feel that this is the only aspect of destruction I can most understand and see the effects of most directly. When you drive through most areas these days, we are overwhelmed with the many shopping malls, and houses that seem to be popping up on every inch of land possible. It’s this aspect alone that is causing so many problems in our natural environment. Even though malls and homes are very pleasurable and even necessary, it’s the creation of them that destructs even more valuable resources.
Diamond states that just the cutting down of trees is destroying many natural habitats. Forests provide us with many valuable resources, such as timber and other raw materials, and by cutting down all the trees, we are directly hurting ourselves. Forests are also responsible for many other aspects, like protecting our watersheds, and preventing soil erosion. Forests are also a valued aspect of our environment seeing as how they help the air we breath, become filtered, removing carbon monoxide and other pollutants. Deforestation is also causing more desertification, also creating the potential for more landslides, erosion and the admission of sediments into our streams to occur. It is also responsible for crucial steps in the water cycle, as well as provides a habitat for many plant and animal species. By clearing out forests we are leaving vast areas of land infertile.
By eliminating our forests, we are destroying many other aspects of the environment as well, and may cause other plant and animal species to become extinct as well, forcing them out of their “homelands” and giving them no other alternatives. We forget how valuable our forests really are, and take for granted all the items made from timber, the main natural resource being destroyed. Another main example of how deforestation is affecting us currently is the idea of global warming, due to the fact that we are decreasing the “carbon sink”. It is clear to see that one thing leads to another in this situation, and if we continue to destroy forests like societies in the past, we are just going to hurt ourselves even more, and most likely contribute to the downfall of our own present society.

Diamond, Jared M. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005. Print.

Weekly Response 12: ECOCIDE

Of the eight forms of ECOcide that Diamond talks about across examples of past failed societies, choose one to discuss in depth. Bring up as many specific examples of it both in the book as well as contemporary examples you see happening. One paragraph is acceptable as long as you're concise and coherent.

Good luck getting everything else done!

-R

Sarah Pearson Prompt 11

Sarah Pearson

Writing prompt 11

One of the most challenging decisions I had to make was weather to transfer schools from Chicago back to Ann Arbor. This was particularly difficult because I loved the city of Chicago, but the Art school in Michigan had more to offer. If I would’ve stayed in Chicago to study art, I would not have had the opportunity to take other classes such as language courses, or science.

Diamond discusses the issues of Montanan society and how past societies were in a similar situation. One challenge specifically is the growth of population. Not only can population can affect a society, but the environment as well. In chapter 13 “Australia” it also discusses similar issues of population control which begins to touch on immigration as well. “The best estimate of a population sustainable at the present standard of living is 8 million people, less than half of the present population.” (398) Even though Australia is over populated, it is nothing compared to the United States. This is because Australia has a limited supply of water, and their food production is horrible. Also, there are many problems with forestry and fisheries as well which used to bring in a lot of money for Australia, but now is not contributing to the state of its economy. There are many similarities with Montana and Australia when it comes to natural resources. Montana has issues with loss of nutrients in its soil, overgrazing, and logging. The problem is, these issues have been going on for so long, they cannot really be reversed. There are ways to reverse the loss of nutrients in soil but it would cost a lot of money, and the outcome would not be worth the time and expenses. I feel as though the government it slightly to blame for all of the problems regarding the land, production, and mining. If issues were taken seriously from when they first started, then something could have been done to help prevent or slow down the process.