"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.