"The Incinerator as Eye Candy" Response

In this article I read how a women named Elisabeth Rosenthal went to Denmark to see what all the talk was about nice looking incinerators. She explain to us that about twenty years ago they needed a way to help our pollution control. So they had the idea to build a very tall "smokestack" so that all the dirty toxins can disappear from the human reach. Nowadays we don't need these anymore, where she discovered now we use filters and scrubbers to decrease all of the toxins She explains to us that in places like Europe they are building these areas very artistic. They do this because these certain energy plants are getting heat from increasing the toxins where they are sending the heat through pipes into local schools, homes, etc. I thought this was pretty cool how they could do this. These people are trying to do one thing which is increase toxins and now they are getting heat out of it. What a great idea.

Chapter 7

This chapter of Garbology Edward Humes explains to us that he thinks that people don't know about our trash problem because they don't know about it. You see, before I started reading this book I had no idea that our trash world is so bad. But, now that I am educated with this knowledge I am changing my lifestyle to help our environment. The Waste Management Inc. was one of the first trash pick up companies to put a device on cardboards, plastic, leather, rubber, glass..etc, to see where they are going and how they are being processed. As I wonder where my trash is going in think that is such a cool and unique way to find out how our trash is being tossed.

Chapter 6

In this chapter of Garbology  was one chapter that I think was just so interesting. Learning how our plastic is literally found everywhere around ourselves. The chapter starts our by introducing a women named Miriam Goldstein and her experience with nurdles. Nurdles are tiny, tiny pieces of trash that are flowing through the ocean and are getting into fish and potentially killing them. Before reading this chapter I had no idea about these nurdles. But when I started to read about it I realized when I would look on the beach I would see these types of particles on the shore. I remember wondering what they were and now that I know where they come from I'm realizing that its trash. Goldstein also told us that their was trash the size of Texas in the ocean. Reading about this and realizing how crazy that is, is jaw dropping. Goldstein also explains to us that thousands of mammals have been killed because of our trash. How selfish of us. Its sad to think that all of this plastic is because of companies. Companies who just want money for selling these products. I think its just so selfish of them and we need to change that.

Response to: 19-year-old Develops Ocena Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7,250,000 Tons of Plastic From The Worlds Ocean

This article is about a 19-year-old kid named Boyan Slat who had an idea on how to clear out 7,250,000 tons of plastic out of the ocean. Also known as "Ocean Cleanup Array". This device is about a funnel like cylinder that will collect the particles of trash and suck it up. As I read more and more I get the understand that this kid had gotten many awards by his class paper he had to write in class. A scientist? At age 19? This just opens my mind on new things and how amazing this is. Because the kids today are our future. In about 5 years this will help our environment very greatly. and al because of a 19-year-old boy. Its nice to see that other kids just like me are interested in the amount of trash we consume.

Scripps Study Shows Plastic in Pacific Garbage Patch Has Increased 100-Fold

Reading this article got me thinking more about the ocean and how unsanitary it is. It explains to the readers that researchers at San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography that has study claims showing a large amount of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Explaining to us that all this plastic has" broken down into tiny pieces the size of a finger nail".
As they go into more detail they found out that 141 types of fish had plastic in their stomachs. Their fear is that the tsunami from Japan will carry over into the Pacific and all the debris and even more plastic will come in contact.

Chapter 5

What I thought was just amazing about this chapter was something different. We've been learning about landfills and waste management, but now we get deeper, deeper into the ocean. Finding large portions of trash in the Pacific Ocean , Mary Crowley a lover at sea explores the oceans. "Killing more than one hundred thousand marine mammals and an even larger number of seabirds"  (Humes108) She explains to the reader that all this trash wasn't here 40 years ago. Having over 50% of our water filled with trash right now is doing much damage. Image 10 years into the future, if we don't change this. There is so much plastic in the ocean that we  don't even know about. As I started to grab my attention around this sensitive subject I asked my self some questions. Do we have a ocean filter that is being used?  Does the government take this seriously? These questions I could only wonder what the answers could be.

Chapter 4

As I started reading this chapter I knew I would grow some interest to it. Learning and growing on detail about the different types of landfills there are. He gives the reader great examples on how many different ideas there were to settle this trash epidemic. Then he went into taking about Waste Management Inc. this company went big. I mean very big. What WMI represents is turning our toxic waste into something better; energy. Doesn't that sound great? Making something that is hurting our planet turn into an amazing idea to even save our planet. But, of course many people didn't like the idea and many thought it would cause even more problems. You see WMI was going to build this huge "chimney" like building in the middle of these landfills. So all the toxic waste would go so high into the air that it wouldn't come down to the citizens. People didn't want this huge chimney in the way of their view of the beautiful mountains, so by saying no we have caused an even bigger problem. A mountain high of trash, like Puente Hills.

"My Exhibit...In the Museum of Trash" My Response

After reading this article it really got my thinking. What if I did that? What if I stored all my trash in my garage? I wonder how much stuff will accumulate. Well in this article Dave Chameides saves all his stuff, I'm talking about 365 days a year. As he realized he only had his basement to store everything he starts to understand that he needs to cut down on his purchases and items that he comes in contact with. He discovered throughout the 365 days a year he came out to 28.5 pounds, not to shabby. That's actually great. In September he started to wonder where to put everything when the year was over. He stated "it seemed a shame to toss it all," His nephew told him about a museum that their focus was on trash. He got in and when he got there he was amazing. Different people who have done different and unique ways to help our environment were all there. He felt honored. People there asked if "he would donate his trash as a permeate exhibit."  He was glad to show off what he had.

The Story of Stuff... My Response

After watching this video I feel like I have just learned a bunch of new stuff in such little time. I love how Annie Leonard sets up the way she taught us. She explains to us the process: Extraction to Production to Distribution to Consumption to Disposal. All of this goes round and round. She starts to tell us that the government should be the one protecting us. From safety issue to our health problems, not increasing it. Annie spent 10 years finding out what really happens to our stuff when we dispose of it and how it is all made. Annie says that this is a "system of crisis". That we only have one world, we cant use it too its full advantage. We need to save our resources so that they can last more than a life time.

I cant get over how I really liked this video. Annie explains It so clear and gives us descriptive information about everything we go through and how much of one person can either make a change or do nothing. She is doing something. Recycling cans, paper, plastic, etc. is all doing wonders for our planet. But we need to find a new way to make it even better. Because technology is increasing I feel like we can finally say good bye to Puente Hills. And start looking at a more safe and more efficient way of living.

Article Response: Terry Gross

I’ve just recently finished reading the interview between Terry Gross and Edward Humes. Many questions were asked by Gross. But what I don’t understand is why she was asking the same questions that were answered in Garbology. I mean didn’t she read it? As I started to read I noticed that right off the bat she filled us with information. Taking about how much trash each person throws away and that we the Americans that won the “trash race”. Meaning that we have consumed so much trash that compared to other countries we’re the biggest consumers of trash. I already knew that because I started reading Garbology and right from the beginning he talks about this. They continue discussing about the Garbage Mountain and how it has accumulated so fast. She asks him many questions about what’s in the trash? What can we do to solve this? Etc. I think Gross could of came up with better questions to ask Humes. Because after reading this article I don’t really think I found something “new” all of what they talk about is in Garbology.

Chapter 3

 

Puente Hills aka “Garbage Mountian” as Humes describes to us from Big Mikes perspective. Here in Chapter 3 Big Mike explains to us his point of view. If you didn’t already know Big Mike is a heavy machine operator at Puente Hills. He is also known as “the father of Puente Hills”. He loves his job and loves going to work every day, but he feels that we need a new idea. Big Mike is concerned because Puente Hills is increasing and he doesn’t know if it can take anymore. In chapter 3 Big Mike describes to us that there’s not just trash in this pile up at Puente Hills. But what is also known as human remains. Skulls from decades ago. Isn’t that just crazy? Actual body parts in the dump? I was so interested in finding out what they do with the remains and what they do with them when they find them. I was amazing by Big Mikes calmness when telling us about this. Like it was normal for him. Things like this fascinate me and I can’t wait to see what else this book has in store for me.

Chapter 2

In this chapter, as they are dumping every trash can and filthy rubble, it is becoming a problem. Dumping manure and gallons of urine in New York. As well as sending large amounts of waste to pig farms. Now we are just looking to increase out health issues. Finally, they figured out that the waste caused swine flu and didn't realize it until the 60's. Colonel George E. Waring was a Civil War Veteran who was an engineer. He was responsible for the swamp sewage . He realized what he caused and had an idea. To RECYCLE! Making trash pretty and convenient. Finally some type of action where we have caused a better tomorrow. We need to keep working at great ideas and make an even better future.

Garbology by Edward Humes ( Chapter 1)

I'm learning so many new sites here in L.A. For example, Puente Hills. As I started to read "Garbology" I finally realized how bad it is to simply throw away trash. Before this class I didn't even care or even think twice where my trash would end up. But now I want to change that. As I keep reading and finding out that the workers at Puente Hill bury the trash makes me think, why? Why would we keep doing this? Did anyone think about the future and what could happen?  Yeah it might be okay for a couple of months but not for a life time. There are tons of smart people in this world. Why cant we figure out a way that will be better in the long run? Now that we have great technology lets put it to good use. Just a thought.

English 113

I've actually always wanted a blog. And when I heard that we had to make one I got excited and couldn't wait to start. So I guess it starts now.