Carbon Footprint Confusion

One aim of my journalism's final project is to calculate our high school's carbon footprint. I've calculated my own carbon footprint before, which didn't require much information. I assumed that I didn't need much information for the school's, but I was very wrong. I contacted the man in charge of Branford's Board of Education Facilities to see if I could get some electricity and gas consumption amounts. I forgot about all the energy measurements and units for electricity and gas, not to mention the amount of gas used to transport children to school, amount of kids who drive to school, and the amount of garbage generated in a given time.

I am beginning to get nervous about my topic. It seems like I'm going to need to contact a lot of outside sources, mainly people in charge of Facilities and Transportation in the Branford Public School District. However, I think that there are many people who are willing to help me and that the end product will be very informative. Knowing what eco-friendly actions our school's taking is very important to a large percentage of students who attend the high school. Yes, every class has a recycling bin. But we don't know if the material in the recycling bin is actually making it to the recycling stations. I must remember to be patient and kind with the people I'm in contact with. This is going to be a long, tedious process, but I think it will be worth it.

Final...y

Our final projectfor journalism is very simple. We are required to choose a topic that interests us. Then we must utitlize the internet to research it and present the information using some sort of internet or publically aplicable software to present our final product. It sounds really easy. A bit too easy for me. Without academic structure I am clueless. In classes that are mostly self-taught research classes there is no way I can fend for myself. I am very much lost. I had very little idea of what I would do for my final because the topic was so broad and a bit vague. So the first thing I did was analyze some interests of mine. The only one I feel strongly enough to pursue was environmental issues. I consulted with Mr. Miller and asked him to give me an assignment so I could focus more time on my final assignment than thinking about what my final assignment should be.

We decided that I would write a feature article for the school newspaper. The article would discuss our school's environmental do's and don't's, and the role it plays in the environmental world. It would also compare schools across the countrys' carbon footprint with our own school. This assignment would be very informative and would be accessible to many students since all students receive a copy of the school newspaper in advisory. Yay

This I Can't Believe

After writing my This I Believe essay, I recorded it using a headset and the Audacity recording program. Initially I thought if I recorded myself speaking that my message and moral would have a stronger effect on the reader. When I read a book, I am narrating the story in my head. If I'm in a bad mood, I add a negative tone to the story. This may not be the tone or attitude the author wishes the reader to have. Since I recorded the story that I wrote, the reader will have a better understanding of how I want them to interpret it. For example, when I was recording the part of my story when I had a revelation, I spoke a bit louder with a brighter, more optimistic tone. I wanted the reader to hear how delighted I was to finally get past my obsticle of selfishness and how accomplished I felt. Also, I was happy that I read my essay for grammar purposes. I didn't realize how awkwardly I had described what I saw in Venezuela until I read it outloud. Hearing myself say some of the poorly written sentences outloud helped me to edit and revise them accordingly.

Although I did enjoy recording my story, I can't believe how rediculous I sound! I sound much different when I speak than I do in a recording. After I came to the realization that I sound like that to other people, I decided that I did not like this assignment very much after all. I think that when my voice is recorded that I end up sounding unintelligent and fake, although I'm neither. That's all I have to say about that

When I was a Young Baker...

Just this past week I've found three baking blogs that I really like. I was originally looking for a holiday baking blog to see if I could find some quality Christmas treats. Instead, I found Annie's Eats, Brown Eyed Baker, and Joy the Baker. Each baker has many categories to choose from, ranging from custard desserts to beef to spice cakes. These bakers have some of the most delicious recipes I've read, seeing as I am an avid baker, especially of holiday goodies. My favorite recipes are Black Bottom Cupcakes and Carrot Cake Pancakes. Over my holiday break I will definitely be trying out one of those.

Baking is something that is very dear to me. Since I was very young, my fondest memories are those of Christmas and Thanksgiving baking. Part of family tradition, my sister and I bake sugar cookies from scratch the day before Christmas Eve. We have an array of Christmas cookie cutters and different decorating condements to give our cookies a little exta flavor. We don't live together anymore or see each other very often, so I cherish this day and anticipate it all year. Although I can make sugar cookies any day I want, I often wait until this day. Baking is truly wonderufl. It can unite people of different languages, cultures, and religions. So many meals and foods in our country are influenced by other countries that it's hard for us to not feel connected somehow.

photocredit- http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2006/12/06/488299/ChristmasCookies2.jpg

This I do Believe...truly

This I Believe is a writing assignment that my journalism class is participating in. We are to recall a personal experience we had that shaped a view or opinion we hold valuable today. We read many sample essays and accounts from other students. They were very interesting, but none of them reflected a personal experience I had. Quite honestly I couldn't think of anything to write. I've been very fortunate in that I haven't experienced terrible tragedy in my life. I've had a very wonderful and fulfilling life, but I didn't feel like I had such an event that profoundly impacted my views and beliefs.



I was looking through a bunch of pictures from a family vacation years ago. Most of the pictures were taken on a small Venezuelan Island. As I began sorting through the pictures, I began recalling my travels to that small island. We had been driving for a very long time through a breathtaking mountainous terrain along the coastline. It was natural beauty at its finest. As soon as we arrived in the center of the town, I wanted the taxi driver to turn around and bring us back to our cruise boat. The poverty was devastating. There were stray dogs running all over the streets and frail, dirty children hiding in dumpsters. Many homeless people were finding refuge in building ruins. I couldn't believe this site. More prominently, I couldn't understand why so many of the towns people were happy and friendly and jubilent when some had absolutely nothing. I wasn't mature enough to understand.



But now when I look back on this experience, I comprehend the townspeople's emotions. Instead of crying over how poor they were, the townspeople were celebrating life and all the beautiful things it had to offer them. This occurance taught me that regardless of all the things I don't have, there are many things, tangible or not, that I do have. It was so difficult to comprehend something this deep when finances have never been a struggle in one's life. But now I am grateful for everything I own and every experience that I will be priveleged with.

My New Best Friend- The Epidexipteryx

According to EcoWorldy, the fossil of the oldest known bird has been located in Laioning Province of Inner Mongolia. The fossil bird is an early avian ancestor called Epidexipteryx, a member of the peculiar dinosaur family Scansoriopterygidae, or "climbing wings". Researchers hypothesize that this avian organism crept stealthly from tree branch to tree branch using its elaborate feathers for balance. The Epidexipteryx, however, was not able to fly, for it did not obtain wings, but small, stout arms instead. It is believed that the Epidexipteryx is the species that evolved into today's modern bird and lived on Earth between 152 and 168 million years ago. This outdates the oldest known bird prior to this discovery, which is the Archaeopteryx that lived 125 million years ago.

I believe this is a truly remarkable discovery. The modern bird is a vital part of Earth's universal ecosystem and even in the human world. It is important for us to know and understand the modern bird's origen, and to be able to trace its evolution. Also, this discovery is monumental in the archeological world. The fossil records of many species are incomplete, consisting of holes and gaps that lead to uncertanty about how that specie evolved. It is possible that the discovery of the Epidexipteryx fossil can demonstrate the mutation that triggered the evolution of today's modern bird.

Photo Credit- From EcoWorldy Files

Mother Nature's Medicine

This featured blog is called Pain Management and Migrane Relief. Its sole contributer is Indie Cooper-Guzman, a nurse board certified in pain management through the American Academy of Pain Management. She gives helpful advice on how to reduce and better manage headaches and migranes. This particular blog entry is called "The Value of Change... Getting Outside". It is a common misconception that remaining sedentary at home will lessen physical pain. Cooper-Guzman shares with her audience how "the change of scenery, the feeling of fresh air, and the change of pace can change the way you think and how you feel" and often relieve pain. Enjoying scenery and beautiful weather will often lead to a positive attitude and thus, prohibiting pain from controlling our mentality. Also, surrounding oneself in fresh air and a calm, relaxing environment can reduce the need for worry and concern, which leads to a happier, more positive person.

The audience Cooper-Guzman is writing to is one that experiences physical pain regularly and is interested in unique methods of alleviation. Cooper-Guzman sounds very passionate about this method of alleviation and encourages her readers to adopt this practice. The most interesting part of this blog entry is how simple the solution is to a common and often worrysome problem. Many people rely on over-the-counter or prescription drugs even at the slightest sign of pain. Stepping outside is a more enjoyable and healthier method to this problem. I agree with Cooper-Guzman's advice. I notice that sunshine and fresh air help me feel much better when I am in pain or illness. Going outdoors in beautiful New England often makes people feel happier than being in a gloomy, dark basement den, especially when they are experiencing pain.

Photo Credit-Raymond 3

Pollution Bullying Our Crops

The name of this blog is the Healthy Recipe Doctor. The blog entries are composed by Elaine Magee, MPH RD, a food doctor who is the nutritional marketing specialist for the California Department of Health. The name of this specific blog entry is "Eating Healthy in a Polluted World". Magee advises that anyone who eats food and drinks water should be concerned about air pollution. Magee says that the Northeastern United States is most affected by air pollution because it is downwind from major industrial and urban sites which generate high quantities of pollution. Every major ecosytem in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic has been affected in some way by this air pollution, and from these major ecosystems come certain produce or foods we consume. The pollutants affect the soil and water which the produce grow in, therefore affecting its growth.

Magee expresses concern in her blog entry. She quotes a doctor from the Natural Conservatory, speaking of the affects of the major air pollutants affecting our ecosystems. The quote goes , "Mercury contamination results in fish that are unsafe to eat. Acidification kills fish and strips nutrients from soils. Excess nitrogen pollutes estuaries to the detriment of coastal fisheries. And ground-level ozone reduces plant growth, a threat to forestry and agriculture." This blog entry is unique because it addresses a very overlooked topic of pollution and connects it directly to humans. Because this problem directly affects the human race, the blog entry appeals to all different kinds of people.

Photo Credit- Weather damaged cereal crop

Counseling Cures

The name of this blog entry is What Medications Are Recommended for Adolescents Who Are Quitting Smoking? It's author is Donna M. D'Alessandro, MD and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. The focus of this blog entry is to channel focus on adolescent smokers and which method of quitting is most effective. The blog follows a 17-year-old male who is an athlete, but also is a light smoker whose parents are asking him to quit. He had only been smoking a few cigarettes a day for the past three months, and was unsure if it was affecting his athletics. After a patient evaluation, the male was diagnosed as a healthy male athlete and recent smoker. The health counsler suggested he receive help through counseling.

Of all methods used to quit smoking, counseling is most recommended by pediatricians for adolescents. Not only is counseling more effective than other methods, but it is medication-free. This leaves the patient not dependent on other medicine in place of nicotine. I believe this blog entry was intended for parents of adolescent smokers or friends of adolescent smokers. The author's tone remains calm throughout the article. She expresses that while the health of new smokers is not in immediate danger that it will be in the future if they do not receive proper treatment soon. The author also explains that "..adolescents enrolled in tobacco cessation programs are 2 times more likely to quit and remain abstinent." This blog interested me because the patient evaluation of the young male showed no dangerous signs to his health. It is clear that short term effects of smoking are small, yet the long term effects of smoking can be fatal.

Lifehacker vs. Huffington Post and dy/dan

The qualities of a well-written blog are debatable, but I think there are specifics that set apart decent blogs from good blogs. Good blogs are informative. They give information and facts prior to giving opinions and personal beliefs. The facts are not skewed or re-written in a bias manner, but rather are as they found them. The first paragraph should be the informative one, and should include a catchy first sentence to grab the blogger's attention.

Today I examined The Huffington Post, Lifehacker, and dy/dan. They are three very popular blogs, two of which are included in Time Magazine's Ranking of Top Blogs. The Huffington Post is a very political blog. Some blogs track the economy, while others are blogging about the election candidates, especially Sarah Palin. Some are questioning how qualified Sarah Palin is with certain issues, such as being informed about women's reproductive health.

dy/dan is a more personal blog, a site organized by a young high school math teacher named Dan Meyer. In his "About Me" section he specifies that he uses his blog to assist other teachers. Most of his blogs document his experiences as a teacher in his school, personal opinions, and certain activities he does during the day, including math basketball.

Lifehacker is a blog for the average Joe. It is easy to navigate and find similar topics. This blogging site gives tips and downloads for doing a variety everyday things. Some include enabling iPhone applications, cheap solutions for long lasting clothing, and how to navigate the night sky.

I believe the most useful blog is Lifehacker for my lifestyle. It is most informative and applicable to my life. Lifehacker includes a variety of topics and tips that I can use every single day of my life that will somehow enrich my knowledge. I neither hold a political position nor am a math teacher, so I don't think that these blog sites will serve as well to enrich my knowledge. However, I don't believe that one blog is better than another. I think each blog serves a valuable purpose that can inform many different audiences on important issues, which is a dominant quality in a successful blog. Also, blogs that include a variety of topics are very important in creating a blog to grab blog navigators' attention.

Experts are in Opposition of Lowering the Drinking Age

A group of researchers and safety experts are now in opposition against lowering the drinking age. This research group expressed to The Washington Post that the only change that should be made is to enforce stricter laws for those caught drinking underage. This is because they are concerned that the number of fatal accidents from underage drinking will increase dramatically, especially young drivers ages 16-20. The United States does not have much data to support this theory. Instead, they are basing their opinion off of New Zealand, who lowered the drinking age from 20 to 18, that experienced an increase in driving fatalities from underage drinking.

A coalition of colleges, called the Amethyst Initiative, proposed to reopen the debate for underage drinking, saying that allowing alcohol access to people as young as 18 could promote drinking in moderation. However, this coalition has been very much criticised by experts who claim that 900 lives are saved every year from drinking-age laws. Experts are especially trying to change societal views of college students. Because each state has a different plan or opinion on how to regard underage drinking, there are no further plans congregate state senators in reaching a mutual agreement.

This is a very controversial issue. It is hard for me to take sides on this opinion because there are positives and negatives about lowering the drinking age. However, I lean more towards lowering the drinking age than away from it. I believe that lowering the drinking age will promote moderate drinking. Teenagers need to be exposed to alcohol at an earlier age to understand the affects of alcohol. Many have a skewed perception on how fantastic alcohol is and how great it can be. Teenagers should experience how alcohol affects them, and this should hopefully teach them that alcohol should only be consumed in moderate quantities. Of course, there is a concern that driving fatalities will increase. However, I don't believe they will increase, but remain the same. There are drunk driving fatalities from people well over the drinking age and well under the drinking age. As long as alcohol is legal and accessable, there will be drunk driving fatalities, regardless of what the drinking age is.

Benefits of Using a Blog

I believe using a blog in this class can help me access information I need for other classes. For example, if one of my collegues posts a new blog pertaining to biology and I need some help for a biology homework assignment, I can access their blog and use their information to assist me in my studies. I can also use the blog to learn in this class by blogging with other users who know the program better than I. The features of a blog can be an important part of my learning in this class. If I need opinions or points-of-views on a controversial topic, such as politics, I can blog with many others to access their opinions quickly and in a centralized location that is easy to access. These are all benefits of using a blog, but there are drawbacks as well. Blogs have many features and it is difficult to utilize the features if the program is new to the user. Newer blog programs can cause denied access for some features in the program, leading to an incomplete page. Also, blog postings are available for thousands of people to see. The blog content is open to the public, so it is important that a user does not post a lot of personal opinions and beliefs on their blog if they do not want to be bothered by other user's criticism.

ACL Tears Among Young Children Are On the Rise

Doctors nationwide have been treating ACL injuries now more than ever in young children. The New York Times reports that years ago, it was believed that young children's ligaments were stronger than their bones, therefore expecting a child's Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) would be injured less than their bones. However, specialists today are treating children regulary for ACL tearing, when a decade ago, most specialists had few annual visits for such an injury.

Specialist believe that they are treating more young children for ACL injuries due to children becomming involved in competative sports earlier. Unlike 20 years ago, there are hundreds of thousands of travel and ellite sports teams that are local to many citizens' residences. Because the level of competition is higher now than ever amongst young athletes, it is easy and common for them to become injured, thus attributing to the increase in ACL tears in children.

Certain specialists are opposed to performing surgery on ACL tears in children. Because a child's leg bones are not yet fully developed, drilling screws into a child's growth plate to stabilize the ACL raises concerns. There have been a few alternative surgeries for young patients that avoid drilling into the growth plate and, instead, drilling holes in fully developed bone to thread the tendons. However, this method's long terms effects are unknown and doctors are currently researching other possible surgery alternatives for young athletes treating ACL tears.