God's Children Reflection

This documentary "God's Children" shows people in the lowest levels of poverty fighting to survive; taking the most desperate measures. Before the landslide that killed thousands living on the garbage dump, the Smokey Mountain dump used to be a place of refuge where people can escape to once they're found out that they can't make a living in the cities. But after the typhoon loosened the ground on which the massive garbage mountains stood on and collapsed it to a heap, it ended and destroyed many people's lives. After that, the government thought it was too dangerous for people to be living there. Not able to physically force people out of their little shacks they called homes, the government issued an order to shut down the dump; garbage was not to be sent there any more.

Not only did it take away the garbage, but also the reason for people to be staying there. The government, however, didn't bother to think about where these people would go if they had to evacuate the dump. The many that remained on the garbage dump had to scavenge even harder for scrap that was lessening each day. Many large families went days without food because they had no money. When they did who says is was clean? It is very easy to fall sick with the lack of hygiene and the families have no money to afford clean and proper food, let alone medicine.

There is a scene where the refugees try to protest to the Philippine parliament to re-open the garbage dump. You see here that even though they already have nothing, they still have hope to go up to the authorities and ask what is rightly theirs. Even pregnant women traveled from the dump all the way to the city's government office to protest. They need this dump. To us, we might shield away from the very thought of living in a dump site, but these people are desperate to get it back.

The documentary features a family of 5 children, with the oldest of 12. Fighting to survive, the oldest child took on the burden of hard labour like the parents and helps support her large family. Before, they used to live in the city and she used to go to school. But once their family started loosing money, she had to give up education for hard manual labour. Education in these times was a privilege. One 50 year old man with a sick child and two other children told interviewers that the only education he got was from 1st grade of elementary school. He didn't get a math education and he's illiterate. The only thing he know how to write is his name.

I think that this documentary is very touching and it makes you realize how lucky you are. In other documentaries about animal cruelty and global warming, the directors like to show the lowest levels of these problems. In this documentary, the director didn't have to; it had been already done by him. He could have taken a simple video camera and taped a walk-through of the whole garbage dump and already it would have been disturbing for others. It's is very important to cherish what you have already because if you think that you have it bad because you're failing a class or your parents argue with you, one must always remember that someone else in this world-- maybe even at your age-- has it even worse.

Earth Day

On April 22nd, the world celebrated Earth Day, a whole day dedicated to appreciating the planet we live on. On this day, many of our classes didn't turn on the AC and even in French class, Kader didn't allow me to even charge my computer. We were very green-- just for that day though.
But being green is perhaps the only thing that is keep our future generations alive and happy. In a few more decades, many densely populated areas will be covered in water due to global warming. Our planet is dying as we speak. So how can we be more green? In school? Outside of school?

- Turning off the AC: In a classroom, the AC uses the most energy and electricity. We live in Hsinchu, the windy city, open a window or two if you feel uncomfortable in the heat.
- Don't charge your computer if you don't need it: If you're not using your computer, put it to sleep or shut the whole thing down
- Don't turn on all the lights: Our classroom's use fluorescent lights which saves more energy than normal lightbulbs, but this doesn't mean they still don't take up energy. It's summer! Open the blinds and let the natural light in!
- Carpool/Walk/Ride a Bike to school: Many of our teachers ride their bikes to school and a couple of students carpool. You don't need a personal car to get you to and from school. Why be a loner when you can call up a nearby friend to drive you?
- Don't use too many electrical devices: This may be pretty hard as most of us at least use our cellphones, mp3s, computers, etc.,
- Stop Cows & Sheep Farts: This is almost close to impossible but here are the facts: Cow and sheep farts produce more greenhouse gases then our car exhaust. This does not mean that we should nuke Wales and New Zealand...

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Current Events

Town brought to life by solar-paneled graves


Solar Panels. Image Source.
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Everybody knows about solar panels and how they are found on houses and building to uses the sun's light as power instead of electricity. Well in a town in Spain, just outside Barcelona, called Santa Coloma de Gramenet, solar panels have been built on top of mausoleums in the cemetery.
This project began three years ago and it started working on Wednesday.
The reason why they decided to put the solar panels in a cemetery, was because that the small town are so dense and they had no where to generate it.

The power these 462 solar panels produce enough power for 60 homes, goes to the local energy grid and for use of normal consumption is one of the weird ways this town fights against global warming.

Esteve Serret, a director of the company that runs the cemetery (and know also works in renewable energy) says, "[It's] the best tribute we can pay to our ancestors, whatever your religion may be, is to generate clean energy for new generations. That is our leitmotif."

Some people have disagreed with the idea of putting these solar panels on the remains of so many dead people. However, the excuse was that the panels only take up 5% of the total surface area and will keep about 62 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. I think that the dead people would have agreed too with save the world they had left.

24 Nov 2008 CNN.com

*****
Deadly flooding leaves thousands homeless in Brazil

Flood affects. Image Source
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A flood in Santa Catarina, Brazil has killed 28 people and left more than 18,000 homeless. the flood affected 1.5 million people and cut off 4 cities from the rest of the nation: Rio dos Cedros, Pomerode, Itapoá and Benedito Novo were the cities. The mayor of Blumenau, Joao Paulo Kleinubing has declared a stare of emergency on Saturday. Aid has been sent to most of the cities and towns to help the now homeless people and only 2 helicopted have been sent to Blumenau to help victims.

23 Nov 2008
CNN.com

China Recycling Wastes

This is a picture of all the radiators and generators that can give off dangerous gases. [Picture 3]

Above is an example of a three-wheeled bike. [Picture 2]

[Picture 1]


When the US or Europe wants to send China more recyclables, they usually send it by cargo ships. It is rare that they use a plane because that is more expensive.
You can see all the time in Beijing, three-wheeled bicycles carrying junk and trash [Picture 2]. Well, these people who ride them collect trash and items that can be recycled they can make a living out of it. When they collect plastic bottles, they can get a refund of 0.1 yuan (US $0.10) which isn't much. But once they've collected dozens and dozens, they've got money! Stuff like toys, ACs, TVs and computers, the riders of the three-wheeled bicycles can take them apart and sell the parts. Great, we've got all the good stuff about recycling in China. How 'bout the negative side of it?
What if there are wires and small particles of those toys, ACs, TVs and computers can't be used again or they can't find anything to do with them? Well, if they are those people who ride on those three-wheeled bikes, they just dump it at the local dump site [Picture 1]. This is a picture of a woman trying to dig out useful wires that she can use for something else. Maybe she found some parts that she can use for something. Or maybe she works there. The government takes people for jobs and put them at the dump sites to burn the items that can't be used again and can't be recycled. This creates air pollution with all the smoke. Some of the generators from the electronical items give out weird and dangerous gases [Picture 3].

Olympic Games - Beijing

"China is sparing no expense in preparing Beijing for the Olympic spotlight—including providing English classes for cab drivers and a government-sponsored etiquette campaign."[MSN]

China is doing everything they can to make their country presentable on August 8, 2008 when the torch finally reaches Beijing and the start of the Olympic Games. With all the foreigners pilling in so fast, China is begun to take in any help they can. The organizers of the Olympic games expect 550,000 visitors to comes and so, they've lined up 550,000 locals to help - "one for every guest" [MSN] With all the excitement going on, they've expected 22,000 journalist to come too. Well if journalists and reporters come, then China's going have to put on their best shoes. This may even help their community as now even the government etiquette campaigns are work to "stamp out bad manners like jumping ahead in line, spitting, littering, and reckless driving" to impress the foreigners that have already arrived ahead of time. Cab drivers are now under pressure to learn English so that they can communicate with foreigners when they want a ride. The government has even drawn up a program called "Crazy English" with 10,000 volunteers so that people can learn English and impress the world. Officials are trying to wipe out "Chinglish" which is a mix of Chinese and English on posters, billboards, menus, and storefronts.
The China streets are beginning to grow busier and busier. But now the "city's choking pollution and snarled traffic"[MSN] will finally be controlled during the Olympics; at least 1/3 of 3.3 million vehicles will be banned so that the streets are less polluted.

China has really put everything up front, making an obvious good impression in preparing for the Olympic Games. Now all we have to do and wait to see what their "final presentation" would be when the Olympics start.

To find out more click here

China - Recycling - USA - Europe

China has been getting exports from the USA and Europe. Why? And which countries?
Why? - "As China threatens to supplant Japan as the third-largest U.S. export market, local companies are finding that China's appetite for everything from old paper to chemicals to semiconductors"[CNN]
Los Angeles has been one of those countries that send paper to China.
In Florida, there is a China-Latin America Trade Center for Recyclables.
Mostly places where there are many industries in America, they sometimes send their waste products to China.

Sometimes though, China asks the companies to send their waste products to China. It seems that China is really serious about the green movement.

In Europe, countries like England and France are sending their waste products to China and China has been converting them into recycled paper. China has been saving many forest with their new improved technique, especially in India and Russia where many people get their paper.

Current Events

These women are receiving rice at a local shrine in Islamabad, Pakistan because of rising populations and strong demand from developing countries and also because of crops that need bio-fuels and sent the food prices very high.

Animal Rights Part 02

Do you want to know where your meat comes from? If you pick yes, read on. No, I suggest you to re-direct yourself from this post.

Cows = Burger King/McDonalds
Chickens = KFC
Pigs = Bacon and Pork chops

These foods taste good and we know it.But have you have wondering where they came from. You imagine those fresh, green fields and happy milkers milking the cows and smiling farmers feeding the chickens and so on and so forth. Ever wanna feel that those animals are being well threated? Yeah sure. Good food. Good people. Good Environment. The serenity....well guess what. Welcome to reality. Those farms are really rare in the world now. Those small peaceful farms have now transformed into claustrophobic jail houses for these poor animals. Some cows, chickens and pigs can't even move or turn around because they are so cramped up with all the other animals. These cramped spaces leads to diseases and fights and deaths. Because chickens fight for space and food in this little "high rised pens" the farmers have to cut off their beaks to stop them from hurting each other. Calves that have been taken from their mothers are being feed cow blood to make them grow faster and the corporate farm owners are giving them growth hormones or them to produce milk, cows and grow faster. Then eventually, they go into factories where everything is working at high speed, just to make the profit rate go higher. Then it comes to your home on your plate and down your throat. Boom. You've just eaten a factory raised meat. Do you think that this is right for us and the animals? All our cows and chickens and pigs used to "run free". Now because we've raised them for so many generations, they've lost their wildness and they become ... lame. They can't survive by themselves out there and they depend on the farmers to take care of them, even when they are going to be killed and served in KFC boxes through drive-through. These animals need to be raise and breed with care and we humans want to eat meat that is breed in an almost sanitory place, not something like this....

and imagine the stuff that comes out the rear end of these animals and how much and how fast it was accumulate with this speed and size. This creates pollution to the outside environment too.

So which will you pick: a pig that has been raised on one of these farms and treated like this, or a wild pig that had to chance to run their whole life but just got shot by a hunter. I would pick the hunted pig than the captive pig because if it hadn't crossed the hunters path, it would have not died and be serve on a plate with and apple in it's mouth.

So, do we have the rights to kill animals to eat? I'm tying this up with my previous post on animal rights. Yes, we do have the right to eat these animals. We have to. We we brought into this world to eat meat. It's part of who we are. If we are disciplined vegetarians or vegans, we would find supplements to meat but we will have to work really hard. We have to eat meat to stay healthy.

But we can change the meat that we eat. Just by checking on milk and egg cartons and meat that you buy from the market, for the word free range (which means brought up with space to run and grow) it will change the profit for those farms so they can kept their work up. Buy healthy, eat healthy. Help raise our food properly. Seriously. Do you want your food to be brought up in this environment?

Notes from Sachs

- oil prices up
- food prices up
- wear and tar practically everywhere.
- many people ignoring the crisis
- pollution a lot in many countries

After one point while listening to the podcast, some window came up and said that the rest of the podcast is unavailable and that i had to try another time. I tried a lot of times later but it still stops at the same point.