Monday, June 11, 2018
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Monday, June 4, 2018
Austin George - Stay Determined (Senior Reflection)
The contents of this video all occurred during senior year, so it counts, right?
Jacob Zollinger - Senior Reflection Video
Sorry for the mediocre editing. Windows Movie Maker doesn't exist anymore, and I found Adobe Premiere Pro Free Trial a bit daunting. My Video
How to Upload Your Video
Seniors, below are some YouTube videos that provide instruction on how to upload videos. The first video explains how to upload it to YouTube; the second from YouTube to Blogger (the class blog).
Follow these instructions exactly!
When you do upload your video, please make sure to title your post as follows:
Student first and last name (video title)
Example:
Justin Turner (Swing for the Fence)
*** IMPORTANT: Your video cannot be listed as "private" otherwise the embed will not play on this public format. ***
Here are the instructional videos:
Follow these instructions exactly!
When you do upload your video, please make sure to title your post as follows:
Student first and last name (video title)
Example:
Justin Turner (Swing for the Fence)
*** IMPORTANT: Your video cannot be listed as "private" otherwise the embed will not play on this public format. ***
Here are the instructional videos:
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
AF: Shared Inquiry Circle #1
Each Circle has three members, so read this list horizontally! The first name on the list, bold and blue, is the leader for the first meeting. That's tomorrow!!
The Into the Wild are HERE at this LINK, and slides 15-21 on Shared Inquiry Circles should answer any questions you may have.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Food Deserts in Minority Communities
My article from Jones Hopkins Research Magazine http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2014/spring/racial-food-deserts/ called "Research Shows Food Deserts More Abundant in Minority Neighborhood", by Kelly Bower talking about how food deserts are more likely to be present in a minority community then a community like Beverly Hills for example. Kelly Bower is an assistant professor at a school of nursing and she compared the neighborhoods of a majority Caucasian to a minority neighborhood and she found that there are more food deserts in the minority community. A food desert is an area that lacks access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. Bower found that it was easier to get access to fast food restaurants, liquor stores, and 7-elevens. Which is really unfortunate because with a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables come a lot of health issues. Like obesity, diabetes, hypertension in early ages of those peoples lives. Therefore people who live in those communities are stuck between a rock and a hard place on choosing to eat health and a little expensive or choice to eat cheap and unhealthy to ensure they can have a meal every single day. I personally think that it is really sad that people really have to make decisions like that. It turn eating and food in chore. I think the really question is when are things going to change? When will fresh fruits and vegetables be easier to get then a Mc.Donald's cheeseburger?
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Sources
One relatable source that I found for this essay is from Ted Talks. Ted Talks as you all know can provide great resources especially for the topic of food politics. The video that I found was called "What's wrong with are food system" presented by Birke Baer. Although he is a child, Birke presents some decent knowledge about the dark side of food and how companies try to trick kids through advertisments. Not only that, Birke also includes alternative ways to eat better. Alternative ways including shoping at farmers markets. This way consumers can have the oppourtunity to ask the producer how they make their food.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Effects of Food Production on the Environment
Landroots.org.uk: Effects of Food Production on the Environment
We can get by without numerous things however we can't get by without food, the mass production of food is evolving into a large ecological concern. The rampant growth of the human population has increased our overhaul production of food, and is deemed as the greatest ecological degradation this planet is now seeing. Due to the large production of animals and crops that grows larger and larger each day, our quality of air and water has diminished greatly. With this being said, biodiversity as well as wildlife species is being threaten due to the large demand/use of land for crop production and animal lots. The issue with feed lots is that they produce a concretion of issues for the nearby towns. They allow for a great risk of danger for contamination of water as well as the air. Climate Change in the past century as well as the current has been on the rampant rise due to human manipulation of the land. Carbon emissions have been skewed drastically due to humans mass production of said animal lots. Sadly, our arable land is being used to produce animal feed as well as set aside for grazing. Which goes hand in hand to the lack of biodiversity and the reduction of species which are being threatened with extinction. Sadly it would be difficult to solve this issue without changing our good system. Consumers would have to choose/prefer healthy alternatives rather than cheap meat they can get for the fraction of the price. However, sadly capitalism and the lowest price seems to always prevail today in the modern world.
-Bryan Tovar
We can get by without numerous things however we can't get by without food, the mass production of food is evolving into a large ecological concern. The rampant growth of the human population has increased our overhaul production of food, and is deemed as the greatest ecological degradation this planet is now seeing. Due to the large production of animals and crops that grows larger and larger each day, our quality of air and water has diminished greatly. With this being said, biodiversity as well as wildlife species is being threaten due to the large demand/use of land for crop production and animal lots. The issue with feed lots is that they produce a concretion of issues for the nearby towns. They allow for a great risk of danger for contamination of water as well as the air. Climate Change in the past century as well as the current has been on the rampant rise due to human manipulation of the land. Carbon emissions have been skewed drastically due to humans mass production of said animal lots. Sadly, our arable land is being used to produce animal feed as well as set aside for grazing. Which goes hand in hand to the lack of biodiversity and the reduction of species which are being threatened with extinction. Sadly it would be difficult to solve this issue without changing our good system. Consumers would have to choose/prefer healthy alternatives rather than cheap meat they can get for the fraction of the price. However, sadly capitalism and the lowest price seems to always prevail today in the modern world.
-Bryan Tovar
Organic Foods : (Food For Thought )
In my article "Organic Foods : What you need to know, the benefits and basics of organic food" explains to the readers that organic food production is an efficient and healthy farming system which avoids use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulations, and inhumane ways of killing livestock. These organic food products runs through an efficient humane system that does not harm our inside as though eating food from a factory farming company. These organic food farmers use natural fertilizers, pests and weed control methods such as birds, traps, etc. They give their livestock all organic hormones and along with a free feed environment while with a healthy diet. If we start to use an organic food system we are not only helping the environment but we are also benefiting ourselves by consuming organic foods that carry nutrients and different enzymes along with other substances that help our body system. I think eating organic foods will benefit us all and also the environment, but I also know that factory farming companies are big business that basically have control of the food supply industry and I know they are a main contributor to fast food places that constantly have consumers. I feel there should be a way that organic food can become main contributors to the food industry because this will benefit many people I think.
The Health Cost of Soul Food
Soul food has grown to be a popular food adapting from African American culture. Since then, many people have eaten this type of food; however, recent studies show that soul food is beginning to effect how people eat and also their health and well-being. In the article, "The Health Cost of Soul Food" by Geneva M. Edwards, the idea that soul food has contributed to many health issues having to do with those who consume this type of food. Typically soul food includes ingredients that are high in sodium and grease. With that being said, this type of food also seems to influence the issue of obesity in America. Obesity has been a long time problem typically for Americans and it is important that we take care of ourselves and eat food that is good for our bodies to digest. According to the article, African Americans are at higher risk for developing heart problems and or being diagnosed with obesity. Edwards main purpose of this article is to let people know that certain measures need to be taken in order to fix this issue that is putting African Americans at a higher risk. Another group that is at risk is Mexican Americans. As a whole, both groups are extremely into their own culture of food however the food seems to be very threatening to these racial groups' health. How do we fix this? Try to come up with more recipes that promote food that is not only tasty but also healthier.
There are many problems within the meat industry and how we treat animals. The article I read that really opened my eyes to this steadily growing problem is For How Long Can We Treat the Suffering of Animals as an Inconvenient Truth? by Michael Brooks. This article explains how there is evidence showing that animals feel distress and are smarter than we think they are. Brooks even says that chickens can feel empathy for one another. Researcher Richard Dawkins said that, “We have no general reason to think that non-human animals feel pain less acutely than we do.” This article basically says that animals can feel and we should be considerate and if we should eat them, do it humanely. Neuroscientist Christof Koch has explained his feelings towards eating the creatures. “What right do I have to kill them if theyre not just automatic but can actually sense and feel?” I believe in this all the way, I personally don’t believe that I should eat animals because I know I dont have the heart to kill one myself, so how can i consume one? This article also highlights how intensive farming that we do in America is causing fish, chicken and many other animals distress. He ended the article by asking if we should feel as uncomfortable with cloning pigs as we were with humans, or is that too much to ask? If we showed half the concern towards animals as we do with humans, then maybe we would all live life together happily.
how can we make America eat less meat
Eating a lot of meat harms our body and animals because a lot of the meat we eat goes and stores as fat so that's where obesity comes in, and it harms animals by us just chopping and cooking up animals as if they will never go extinct. We always wonder why us as a community are gaining so much weight and thinking it's either because we eat too much bread and more carbs then we are supposed to when in reality us gouging our mouth with fats and oils that we use to cook the meat in and the meat is what actually bloats our stomachs. I feel as if we have never taken a step back and have actually looked at the bigger picture of whats really going on in our world today. How could we possibly change this is what you're probably thinking. By eating veggies and other foods that aren't meat Monday - Friday with a side dish and possibly only eat meat on the weekends we can help to end a lot of the meat-eating that has been going on. I feel like it could be a challenge but it's a challenge that I would like to accept and I feel as if other people would be interested in it too.
CAFOs and Environmental Justice: The Case of North Carolina
While researching for my topic of environmental effects of industrial agriculture I was able to stumble across this article which illustrated some of the environmental problems with CAFOs. This article was published by Wendee Nicole, a author for The Scientific American and other magazines, who went to North Carolina herself and interviewed the residents who both worked and live near the feeding operations. To many people, they don't think living near a feeding operation would have had a huge impact on someone's life. However, that is not the case Nicole found out that many of the residents that lived close to a neighboring operation suffered from minor to severe lung respiration related issues due to the amount of dust and air pollution that these plants make. Besides from air pollution CAFOs can also affect both land and bodies of water. Due to the massive amount of animals most of the manure from these facilities are stored in manure lagoons and over time this massive amount of animal dung can become very toxic. Sometimes these lagoons can leak and infect the groundwater supply, kill life, and can cause algal bloom in water. The author suggests that possible ways to mitigate the effects of CAFOs is to filter the animal waste as we do human waste and practice semi sustainable farming techniques. So tell me what do you agree with these possible solutions? If not what other ways could we solve this problem?
The Expense of Being Healthy
The Expense of Being Healthy
Time Magazine : Why Organic Food Might Be Worth the Price
To start off, my main question to the food industry is why should people pay more for the foods that would make them healthy, why do organics cost more than conventional foods and could it be the leading cause of the obesity rate? This article was written by Mandy Oaklander, a health journalist at Time Magazine, who suggests why organics maybe worth your money. When comparing product prices, most people would go with the cheaper price because you know, why pay for something that might just end up being the same thing. You could say that these lowered priced products could be a leading cause of the obesity rate in the world. There is estimately 7.3 billion people in the world and among those of 7.3 billion, about 2.1 billion, nearly 30% of the population, are obese. So, if we wanted to be healthier, we could be, but at the end, it’s all about the costs and if organics are really healthy. The question to that answer is yes, “The latest study points out that of the 15 or so scientific reviews focusing on nutrition, 12 studies have found evidence that organic is more nutritious…” Other studies indicate that children who eat organic foods have lower levels of pesticide metabolites in their bodies than those who eat conventional.” Guess the cost is all we have to worry about now. Organics are grown naturally without the pesticides, giving you the full nutrients, and yet they cost about averagely $2.00 more. Why do you think that is? Do you think it’s worth the price?
Food Restrictions
The idea of the government being able to restrict what we should consume in order to be able control the rise in health problems that is rising very quickly. The idea of the government interfering with our choices is very controversial because our identity is found through food and having that taken away would result in people losing a part of themselves. Having food restrictions would also cause many states to become a nanny state where the government interferes with personal choices. Restrictions would result in being very costly in order to be able to have the people eating much better because the consumer buying the unhealthy food is what makes the corporations stronger and sadly begin to call the shots on what should be eaten by the people, instead of the government calling the shots. Frankly these days money is what makes decisions which is what the large corporations like Walmart have which is what helps them advertise what they want instead of what is healthy and beneficial for the people. The government has an easier time following what the corporations want because it costs less money instead of providing healthier alternatives and restrictions on the health of the people which is much more costly.
Global Food Waste Scandal
The source I have provided is a Ted Talk by Tristram Stuart, an advocate for eliminating food waste. He dives into the appalling data of wasted food, and calls for better use of global resources. See as a country gets richer it invests more into getting more surplus into its shops and restaurants. A country like America has 3 to 4 times the amount of food it needs to feed its population, and there still is hunger in our country and around the world. We've never had such gargantuan surpluses before. In many ways, this is a great success story of human civilization, of the agricultural surpluses that we set out to achieve many years ago. But what we have to recognize now is that we are reaching our ecological limits that our planet can bear, and when we chop down forests, as we do every day, to grow more and more food, when we extract water from depleting water reserves, when we emit fossil fuel emissions in the quest to grow more and more food, and then we throw away so much of it, we have to think about what we can start saving. We the people have the power to stop this tragic waste of resources if we regard it as socially unacceptable to waste food on a colossal scale, if we make noise about it, tell corporations about it, tell governments we want to see an end to food waste, we do have the power to bring about that change.
Are GMOs bad for your health? (https://www.precisionnutrition.com/are-gmos-bad-for-your-health)
This is an article written by a molecular biologist, Hellen Kolias, who brings a clear light at the end of the tunnel to all the arguments that people have on GMO’s. She states in the article a perfect example of a scientist who made a Vitamin A packed rice called “Golden Rice”, and yet half of the 500,000 people who are going blind from Vitamin A deficiency are not eating things like Golden Rice. Why is this? Well the answer is people are scared of GMO’s. Now Kolias, as well as myself, are understanding as to why people are scared of GMO’s. Science terms being thrown around with your food are not exactly the best thing to think about. However, Kolias states how people often get GMO’s mixed up with GEO’s. GEO’s are things that have their DNA and other aspects specifically tampered with. With GMO’s, people still believe they can cause harm to your health. Kolias shuts down this entire idea by stating that’s GMO’s are what made insulin a lot more widespread and cheaper, as well as many other medicines that people use daily just to survive. She also states how letting, for example, ears of corn grow out wildly, they are more likely to grow some kind of geometric mutation than is already put into the GMO altered corn. GMO’s allow for consistency through crop growing, instead of hoping for a good harvest every time (which is not gonna happen every time). All in all, GMO’s are a lot safer and beneficial than they really sound, and if they were removed from our society like everyone wants them to, it would drastically change our entire lifestyle for the worse.
How our food culture has changed over the years and why obesity has become very common
I have read an article about how our meals have grown larger in order to fulfill our appetite. This is beginning to become a problem because as the years have gone by the meal size has grown 4% and that's in the year 2010. We are in the year 2018 now, imagine in 2018 how much it has grown from then. An example would be in the year 1950 the average calories consumed by a person was about 2,109 calories. In the year 2010 it was averaged to be about 2,500 calories. In order for us to cut down on obesity we must be able to, as a society to become strong mentally. As one we should to begin to cut down on foods we eat. It all starts first at the fast food restaurants because they're the ones that increased the sizes in our meals. Here are some major increments that have been brought to you by them. If you went to a fast food hamburger restaurant back in the 1950s, a regular meal looked like this. A hamburger was 3.9 oz, fries were 2.4 oz and a drink was 7 oz. Not bad right? Well as of now in 2018 a meal like that wouldn't even get us full. An average meal now for a whole burger meal is 12 oz burger, 6.7 oz fries and 42 oz drink. Right now the U.S is at the number spot in obesity which horrific. This all needs to stop now and that starts with us. We are the future kids of the U.S so lets make something happen.
The Experts: What Role Should Government Play in Combating Obesity?
While researching the topic of obesity I have found ,“The Experts: What Role Should Government Play in Combating Obesity?”, by the Wall Street Journal, to be very helpful. This article shows opinions, ideas, as well as solutions for the obesity epidemic in America today. I found this article and many others on http://portal.bigchalk.com/portalweb/login.do .Various experts state what they believe the government should do to promote healthy habits. Liz Feld talks about how “awareness is key”, and the role the government can play in sharing the dangers in eating many popular foods, which I am centering my research paper around. A topic that all these experts have in common is awareness. Many people don’t stop to think about the impact junk foods have to their body. I know that I was one of these people, and still is, but now that I know this information I can start to make more conscious healthy decisions. An example that was used in this article was Oreo's. Nabisco is slowly using less and less grams of sugar to make the Oreo, but they can’t make the changes all at once. They are easing people into the taste change so that they don’t wonder why the cookie isn’t how it once was. I think this is a good start and that many companies should do the same with lowering the sugar being used in their products. It’s a small step, and there is still much more change that needs to happen in the food industry, but Nabisco is moving in the right direction.
How American Food Companies Go GMO-Free in a GMO World - NPR Morning Edition
This is the transcript from a radio interview on NPR's Morning Edition where host Steve Inskeep and Dan Charles discuss the steps farmers need to take to produce GMO-free corn and soybeans despite 90% of corn and soybeans produced in the U.S. are genetically modified. The grain has to be tested for protiens that are by-products of genetic engineering. The fields need to be hundreds of feet away from fields of genetically modified grains to prevent cross-polination. Companies that buy GMO-free grain to produce food for consumers such as the mentioned Clarkson Grain test a sample of the grain, and if the test returns positive for GMOs, the truck will leave empty. Bigger food processing firms will tend to buy genetically modified grain because there "is too much variation" in natural grain. However, Clarkson Grain managed to make deals with local farmers to plant specific strains of non-genetically enginered grain to minimize natural variation to make the grain easier to work with. This supply chain they established before GMOs gained popularity prepared Clarkson Grain to sell to Japan, where consumers were more skeptical of GMOs.
This article will be helpful to my paper on GMOs by proving that non-GMO grain is economically viable by giving a case study of a company whose business is built around non-GMO grain.
Link: https://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000359737&type=ART
This article will be helpful to my paper on GMOs by proving that non-GMO grain is economically viable by giving a case study of a company whose business is built around non-GMO grain.
Link: https://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000359737&type=ART
Reducing the amount of food waste
In the article "Food Waste start up Hazel receives over $3m funding", by news desk, Aidan Mouat, the CEO of Hazel discusses how their company has found a solution that would make the produce we consume last way longer than what we are use to. This new agricultural technology has spark interest in many of the consumers today. This product is a small package that releases anti fungal vapour which is inserted inside of it. In this little package it is fighting and preventing the fungus from growing in as quickly as before. Hazel technologies explains that, "The brand claims these can extend shelf lives of fresh produce as much as three times by preventing fungus and and decay." Produce lasting for a longer amount of time results in more people being able to consume it. With more people consuming the food, eliminates the amount of waste. Which is way better and healthier for the environment. Before, it wouldn't take long for food to spoil over, resulting it being wasted, by it being tossed away in the trash can. But now with this new invention it gives the consumers a longer chance of consuming that food before it get wasted. You can always rely on freshness with this new product. Now more investor are interested in this, funding over 3 million dollars so it will continue to grow and reduce the amount of food waste in the world. With that being said, I believe that this was great idea. I would personally purchase this if it was sold at the local grocery store because my family buys so much fruit at one time and we are never able to finish it quick enough before it goes bad. So this would give us a chance of consuming it all.
link: https://www.foodbev.com/news/food-waste-start-up-hazel-receives-3m-funding/
link: https://www.foodbev.com/news/food-waste-start-up-hazel-receives-3m-funding/
"Chelsea Flower Show 2016: Why Gardening Has Become More Political Than Ever"
This article is one of the sources I’ve decided to use was written by Kashmira Gander. She writes about how the city of Chelsea, London, host a garden show every year. She gives quotes from people who live in the city and from a local university professor about how gardening is actually quite important to people in the community. She explains that even planting flowers gives people a way to express themselves. Gander also explains the political side of gardening. People are quoted saying things along the line of this is them rebelling against corporations that add chemicals to the food they are being given. They want more organic food so they are taking it into their own hands. However she says that even though men and women can grow their own food, law they are forced to give it away. She also brings up the fact that Berkeley University once tried to open a park for this in an abandoned car park and Governor Ronald Reagan closed it down. Even the quote from the local professor talks about how even Nazis loved the land they were on. (Why relate this to Nazis I don’t know.) I'm very glad she takes the time to give examples of how this can seem political because I know have more stuff I can explore. This article was a great source to come across when trying to find info about people gardening and such.
Lobbying to Change the Dietary Guideline
The government's dietary guidelines released every five years has been influenced by the food industry through lobbying. In Markham Reid's article "Experts Say Lobbying Skewed the U.S. Dietary Guidelines" food producers have changed the dietary guidelines for Americans. The dietary guideline released by the government was greatly influenced by food manufacturers and special interest groups. Many experts who have reviewed the guideline says that there are many food decisions that has been altered to appeal to the food industry. This article shows the influence of food manufacturers towards legislation, and give a break down of the controversial dietary guideline that was passed in 2015. This source answers my research question. To summarize it my question investigates the affect of food industries lobbying in Congress to appeal to their food. The major change that have occurred in the dietary guideline shows how the lobbyists can directly influence legislation. In addition, this article provides answers from experts on the controversial food us consumers eat. It also shows the positive influence on the diet of the American people. This guideline helps people to make a healthy decision and live a better life through their food choice. The government has the responsibility to keep their citizens from starving, but what good does it do if they are influenced by the food manufacturers that do not make healthy foods for the people? This is also the question I have to answer in my research paper, and this source will provide me some of the information I need.
Link: http://time.com/4130043/lobbying-politics-dietary-guidelines/
Link: http://time.com/4130043/lobbying-politics-dietary-guidelines/
https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/
The way that factory farmed producers treat our animals we consume is for the least, i humane. We shouldn't feel bad because we eat these animals who are being mistreated, we should feel bad and want change because these are real breathing creatures, that usually never get to raise their family. people genetically modify these animals making them extra fat, for their own entertainment. Why is this being accepted, why aren't we outraged ? is it beccausse people don't know about it, if you knew about this years prior would you have done something a long time ago ? what is the cure, what can we do to change how our animals we eat are raised and cared for? Should we completely eliminate animal consumption? The bad treatment of these animals go so far from what you can imagine. These animals are often given so little space that they can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably. Egg-laying hens are kept in small cages, chickens and pigs are kept in jam-packed sheds, and cows are kept on crowded, filthy feedlots. Like i mentioned before the Antibiotics are used to make animals grow faster and to keep them alive in the unsanitary conditions. Factory farms’ widespread use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. At the slaughterhouse, those who survived the transport will have their throats slit, often while they’re still conscious. Many remain conscious when they’re plunged into the scalding hot water of the defeathering or hair removal tanks or while their bodies are being skinned or hacked apart. How badly these animals are treated is enough, it will be enough for reform, if we bring more people aware of this there can be a different upbringing for these animals.
Faith Shape
The way that factory farmed producers treat our animals we consume is for the least, i humane. We shouldn't feel bad because we eat these animals who are being mistreated, we should feel bad and want change because these are real breathing creatures, that usually never get to raise their family. people genetically modify these animals making them extra fat, for their own entertainment. Why is this being accepted, why aren't we outraged ? is it beccausse people don't know about it, if you knew about this years prior would you have done something a long time ago ? what is the cure, what can we do to change how our animals we eat are raised and cared for? Should we completely eliminate animal consumption? The bad treatment of these animals go so far from what you can imagine. These animals are often given so little space that they can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably. Egg-laying hens are kept in small cages, chickens and pigs are kept in jam-packed sheds, and cows are kept on crowded, filthy feedlots. Like i mentioned before the Antibiotics are used to make animals grow faster and to keep them alive in the unsanitary conditions. Factory farms’ widespread use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. At the slaughterhouse, those who survived the transport will have their throats slit, often while they’re still conscious. Many remain conscious when they’re plunged into the scalding hot water of the defeathering or hair removal tanks or while their bodies are being skinned or hacked apart. How badly these animals are treated is enough, it will be enough for reform, if we bring more people aware of this there can be a different upbringing for these animals.
Faith Shape
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Monsanto, on Genetically Modified Crops
My question for the research paper has to with genetically modified crops and livestock. Are genetically modified foods really necessary for the population? If so, are they more harmful than good or the other way around? Many people will argue different perspectives. For instance, scientists will lobby toward the idea that more food should be produced in mass amounts and GMO's help accomplish this. Other scientists and environmentalists argue that GMO's affect the population negatively because it increases the risks for several life threatening diseases and change the natural environment. While doing my research, I found an article in the New York Times on the side supporting genetically modified crops called "Monsanto, on Genetically Modified Crops". Obviously, because the article is written by the big corporation producing GMO crops, they argue reasons why GMO's are beneficial to the population. They illustrate that farmers invest in genetically modified foods because they deliver results. According to Monsanto, their seeds have better harvests, have more efficient and insect control, reduce erosion and improve soil health. They claim that in an effort to produce food stability for the population, GMO's are an "important and productive tool for modern and sustainable agriculture." Although these are valid points, I still see the risks outweighing the benefits. Yes, genetically modified foods are an efficient way to grow crops, yet it is not necessarily good considering it is a form of messing with nature.
Move for hunger
www.moveforhunger.org is a really useful article that I found online. It is not a very long article, but it is informative, and the information was really helpful to me. The article talks about the hunger around the world and in America, more specifically about statistics of those who starve. I did not realize how many people were actually struggling, and it is really helpful to gain some of that knowledge. On this article, there is also a link which leads to ways we as people can help those who do not have enough to eat. It also states how much food insecurity and obesity link together, which is what I am writing my research paper on. One of the most useful pieces of information that I found was that those who have less food are actually more prone to obesity. That is because when they are able to eat, they binge and eat so many things that are bad for them, that they make their body gain more weight. Also, with the little money they have, they can only afford the extremely cheap food options rather than the nutritious and healthy option that they should be putting into their body. If you are writing an article on hunger or obesity, I recommend this article, because it is helpful!
"Bad Food? Tax it, and Subsidize Vegetables"
In the article written by Mark Bittman, illustrated truth in America's society. He explains how the food industry has falsely advertised food production to the people and they are blindly falling for it. Our eating habits have lead to a rise in the obesity rate. Thus, leading to a rise in heart disease, diabetes, and cancer globally, all because of fattening, unhealthy, greasy foods. The way the industry markets their products is sickening. When the author claims that if the government taxes a penny an ounce on unhealthy beverages that the "consumption of sugar sweetened beverages should decrease, as should the incidence of disease and therefore public health costs..." which could then help subsidize vegetables. The government has a pattern of mainly caring about profiting off of the unhealthy food industry, yet claiming that they want to decline obesity. In fact, Bittman reveals how there has been proven research concerning the government insisting how much more they can save. I think it is shocking how much obesity along with health issues have risen since the pass 30 years. Portions of food, the amount of fattening ingredients that are now served to the consumer, the chemicals; it is all disgusting to even imagine. Americans really consume these types of food. The most compelling evidence is that other countries are beginning to see the negative effects on health and are actually doing something about it; they've began programs to tax foods that are very unhealthy. If other countries are putting a stop to it why aren't we doing something either? With this in mind, I am a huge advocate with Bittman's argument and I agree that bad food should be taxed and vegetables should be subsidized.
I can't talk about it
My Dear Students,
My best friend, and my daughter’s best friend --
our dog Hank -- has all kinds of medical problems that we did not know about
until last Friday afternoon. He is dying.
Maddy came home at 3:00 on Friday as usual, but he barely lifted his
head. Usually when one of us comes home,
he will grab the nearest thing he can find -- a box of kleenex, a stuffed
gorilla, a cardboard box, the laundry basket -- and trot around like a little
tease. So when he acted so dispirited, Maddy started feeling around and
looking into his mouth, and she noticed that his gums were pale -- barely pink
at all -- and cold to the touch.
I left MHS in a hurry, and met her at the vet’s
office. Dr. Bang was already sending us off to the 24-hr. ER vet on South
and Palo Verde. We got there by 4, Hank was put into an oxygen cage, and
a series of tests began. We were sucker punched by this turn of events. He was fine in the morning,
and he’s only 8 years old. He’s active,
well-exercised, well-fed -- a loved and cared for dog. But they found either cancer or blood clots
all over his lungs, and a later ultrasound revealed that he had lots of fluid
in his pericardial sack -- that little purse that holds your heart.
Because the fluid was exerting so much pressure, his heart could not pump
out mightily to distribute blood throughout his body. His body was oxygen-deprived, which made his
gums pale and cold (they’re better now, but this is the first thing we keep
checking). His heartbeat is erratic and
wildly out of rhythm.
None of this good, and none of it is hopeful.
We could embark upon the path of more and more medical intervention,
chemotherapy maybe, or a cardiologist to figure out what is the matter with his
heart. We probably could even get a heart transplant. But we asked ourselves, “what does quality of
life mean to a dog?” JK Rowling quoted
Seneca in her commencement speech -- “As is a tale, so is life: not how long it
is, but how good it is, is what matters.” We could spend all of our money
chasing down a cure, keeping Hank on operating tables and in oxygen cages, or
we could bring him home, and make him happy.
So we asked the vet to draw off the fluid that
had collected around his heart. When that was done, the vet told us it
was bloody, so he now suspects a slow leak from a tumor in Hank’s heart.
How this happened, and so suddenly, I’ll never understand. But Hank perked up quite a lot after that
fluid was gone, and we brought him home to spend his last days at home with us,
and his toys, and his neighborhood. When his time comes, we will call a
vet to the house.
Leaving the vet on Saturday night, after 30
hours in the hospital, we did not expect Hank to make it to Sunday night.
Or to Monday. And especially not
until Tuesday. But the boy is hanging in
there, and Maddy and I have to go back to work! As much as we want to, we
can’t just stay home and watch Hank sleep, and feed him little bits of chicken
and grassfed beef, and freeze-dried duck treats, and scratch his ears and tell
him how handsome he is. Every minute we’ve had with him has been a gift
-- a miracle, really. We made a nest in
the living room with blankets and a futon mattress, and we’re hanging out with
him. The doctor was not saying
encouraging things at all, but here we are. Lots of people are praying
for us, and I think we’re living in a little bubble of grace somehow. We’ve asked Carlos to come over and stay with
Hank for the hours that we must be at work, so I’ll be back to school
tomorrow.
I cannot talk about this, or I will cry. I’ve
been crying a lot already, and I don’t think I’m done. So let’s just do our
work, and be kind to one another. What do you say?
And right now, I’m going to take Hank for a
slow, slow walk around the block so he can smell on his favorite things, and
pee on stuff.
See you Wednesday.
PS. I am out again on Thursday, for a
previously scheduled professional development day. I’m just not going to
see you very much this week.,
PoF Blogging- First Course
Title: "What a Waste" (magazine)
This magazine article that I read explained how the amount of food we waste mostly comes from supermarkets and restaurants. You would think that supermarkets would waste food by throwing away what they didn't sell but how they waste food is by rejecting the produce that is given to them by the farmers that take the time to grow/harvest the fruit and vegetables. What I learned from this article was that supermarkets reject the produce because it is ugly, not the right color, or correct size. Personally, I found this sad because we expect everything to be so perfect and just because a banana isn't completely yellow or too small it gets thrown away, meanwhile there is a homeless person who hasn't eaten in two days, standing outside begging for food. It is somewhat unfair not only to homeless people but to the farmers that have taken the time,effort, and money to grow this fruit. There are many negatives to the subject of food waste and this is just a little part of it. In the article the author also mentions, why can't supermarkets or restaurants donate the food they don't use or need? One of the reasons to this is because it takes even more work and time to bag up the food. Another point made is how the global fishery will decline in the next 30 years because once again the fish that is caught is not the right size or color or because us consumers will order or cook a fish and not finish it or save it for later on. This article helped me understand the cause of food waste which leads to my question of the affects.
This magazine article that I read explained how the amount of food we waste mostly comes from supermarkets and restaurants. You would think that supermarkets would waste food by throwing away what they didn't sell but how they waste food is by rejecting the produce that is given to them by the farmers that take the time to grow/harvest the fruit and vegetables. What I learned from this article was that supermarkets reject the produce because it is ugly, not the right color, or correct size. Personally, I found this sad because we expect everything to be so perfect and just because a banana isn't completely yellow or too small it gets thrown away, meanwhile there is a homeless person who hasn't eaten in two days, standing outside begging for food. It is somewhat unfair not only to homeless people but to the farmers that have taken the time,effort, and money to grow this fruit. There are many negatives to the subject of food waste and this is just a little part of it. In the article the author also mentions, why can't supermarkets or restaurants donate the food they don't use or need? One of the reasons to this is because it takes even more work and time to bag up the food. Another point made is how the global fishery will decline in the next 30 years because once again the fish that is caught is not the right size or color or because us consumers will order or cook a fish and not finish it or save it for later on. This article helped me understand the cause of food waste which leads to my question of the affects.
"Food Doesn't Have to Wear Makeup" www.slate.com
This article that I read on slate.com talks about how the McDonald's french fries in Britain only have four ingredients, while the McDonald's french fries in America have nineteen ingredients. In Britain, they use real strawberries in their strawberry sundaes, while in America, they use a dye called Red 40. Studies have shown that several major and minor food companies in the U.S. also use artifical dyes and flavorings in their food. These dyes are supposed to make the food look better, and more appealing. These artificial dyes have been known to cause cancer, allergies, and hyperactivity in children. Consumers buy foods with these dyes because they are more aesthetically appealing. Recent studies have shown that when children who have ADHD eat these dyes, it makes their symptoms much worse. These artificial food dyes have absolutely no nutritional value, so why are we risking it by putting it in our food? Companies are risking our physical and mental health and we’ll being by putting these in our foods because it sells their products better. We have relied so long on the visuals of what food looks like rather than focusing on how natural or healthy it is. Children are the main group of people attracted to foods containing these artificial colors, and it is they that have to suffer from their harmful effects. For example, margarine was originally white, but producers gave it a yellow tint to make it more appealing. It is the FDA’s responsibility to protect us from these dangerous chemicals that most people have consumed unknowingly for several years.
Monday, March 19, 2018
"Food waste - A Tremendous Economic Waste" - HuffingtonPost.com
In this article by Marga Hoek, the author talks about the topic I'm planning to discuss in my research paper. Hoek talks about how food waste in the economy today and how it needs to change. My research topic is about that food waste in society today and how it's leading everything that goes into making the food be a big waste. People put hard work to farm and butcher and package. Animals are living in horrible conditions and dying. All this and people still carelessly waste food because they have no need for it anymore. As a result of this going on, I plan to research ways that this can hopefully come to a stop in the future so it doesn't continue being harmful to the world around us.
In her article she talks about the impact all of this is having on the world around us in order to inform those who are willing to know. She also discusses solutions from beginning to end when it comes to this particular issue. Hopefully this will get people to read into the issue and its solutions and want to try to do something about it. Overall the article is very informative on the topic and a decent source for people wanting to get into the issue in the chance that they may want to dig deeper and educate themselves on the next steps to changing things for the better.
In her article she talks about the impact all of this is having on the world around us in order to inform those who are willing to know. She also discusses solutions from beginning to end when it comes to this particular issue. Hopefully this will get people to read into the issue and its solutions and want to try to do something about it. Overall the article is very informative on the topic and a decent source for people wanting to get into the issue in the chance that they may want to dig deeper and educate themselves on the next steps to changing things for the better.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
"Can GMO's Help End World Hunger?" huffingtonpost.com
The article I have provided is written by John Robbins of the Huff Post who emphasized his point of view on GMO's and the benefits that come along with them. He begins with an example of "golden rice" which was originally written from Time magazine. Golden rice is GM rice that has different viruses and daffodil's inserted into its genetic function. This new breed of rice actually brings some benefits to the table. With the daffodil gene's in it, it helps produce beta-carotene which the body translates into Vitamin A. Why is this so important? Well, vitamin A is an important role in developing children. Nearly a million children die every year due to the lack of vitamin A and nearly another 350,000 go blind from it. Just by eating this GM rice, you can prevent millions of deaths among children. See the effect just one small grain of rice could do? However, many different anti-science activists are holding these life-changing products back from saving lives. The reason is because it is just not something you can easily grow. Food is a natural product we should grow and harvest, not combine with and humanely create in a lab. I can see why many may be against this such process, but you got to look at the effects it can have on the world. What do you guys think? Should GMO's be completely removed from food? Should they be more involved? Do you think it is right to help save lives or just stay natural with our foods?
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Forks Over Knives
Forks Over Knives is a documentary based on the studies of two doctors. These two doctors dedicated their life to studying the effects of a plant-based diet on the body. More specifically the effects on heart disease, cancers, and diabetes; all now common diseases in the United States. The two doctors ( who I really can't remember the names of) both found staggering results in the benefits of a plant based diet. One of the two doctors based his research in suburbia China. He studied the incline of liver disease in these areas. The towns people were put on vegan diets and he found that the treat of liver cancer disappeared. The other doctor based his research on heart disease. He conducted his research on 24 very ill patients. He found that a vegan diet amazingly promoted better health in hid patients. Currently the doctors have devoted their practice to helping patients with these diseases reverse the effects with a “whole food plant based diet”. I am doing my research on vegetarian and vegan diets. This documentary, even though it wasn't exactly about what I'm researching, was great. I've watched it a few times before but the content is just so interesting. It really promotes just a good diet in general. I think it is really interesting that the documentary followed two doctors. This makes the content much more effective. we put so much trust in our doctors. these two doctors have dedicated their lives to advocating vegan diets. It really resonates. I would recommend this documentary to anyone honestly. I have their cookbook and the food is amazing! The documentary is on Netflix!
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Wave 3
The myths illustrated convey to the readers about the Gethenian culture and how some of the myths repeat into some of the character's lives throughout the novel. It signified what the Gethenian people believed and what they hold sacred to them most. Two myths that portrayed Estraven's series of events was the Place Inside the Blizzard and Estraven the Traitor. The Place Inside the Blizzard related to Estraven's life the most because in the myth it revealed two brothers that swore kemmering together, however, that is against the law if they birth a child. The two brothers birthed a child so they could not stay together anymore. One of the brothers committed suicide which is looked down upon the most and the other brother was shunned. Their child was then raised by the grandfather. This myth portrayed Estraven's life significantly. It reminds me of a forbidden love known as Romeo and Juliet. Estraven the Traitor myth, also, signified Estraven's situation because he wanted to create peace between the two tribes or the Ekumen and Karhide. Of course it did not work because they were both known as a Traitor after.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Wave 3: Myths
In the novel, Left Hand of Darkness author Ursula Le Guin includes parables to depict Gethenian culture as well as stories. With these stories we are able to have a better understanding of Gethen Lore. Guin sets up several chapters dedicated to these parables allowing her to further develop the interesting culture/way life on Gethen. These parables are helpful and give insight that I've referred backed to during the reading. The very first story introduced into the novel was in Chapter 2, the story discussed two brothers on Gethan who vowed khmer to each other, however that it is illegal and eventually led to one of the brothers to commit suicide, due to him deeming life unbearable without his partner, and the story ends with the remaining brother abandoning his life and lives in exile in the harsh conditions. Committing suicide on this planet is deemed the biggest crime right front of stealing. This story foreshadows future events in the novel, such as Estraven's love for Genly Ai, Estraven just like in the story gets exiled and does whatever it takes to free Genly from prison such as stealing. The story's last parallel is traveling across the frozen glacier on the planet to get to where they are going.
-Bryan Tovar
-Bryan Tovar
Wave Three - Myth Chapters
Throughout the book, there are certain chapters that act as tales that help the readers this book understand the plots of the book and furthermore explain the Gethenian culture and morals. Chapter 2 is the first to explain the myths in the book. The tale is pretty much explains kimmer and how it works and also how Gethenians view suicide. According to the chapter, two siblings are able to go into kimmer; however, the two must separate if one becomes pregnant and conceives a child. This chapter conveys that in a Gethenian society, it is possible to go into kimmer because the Gethenians are accustomed to living in their own adrogynous society. As for the topic of suicide, it is seen as unacceptable in their world. When the brothers are forced to separate, one of the brothers commit suicide which affects the life of the brother who is still alive. This brother takes the consequence for his brother's actions which forces him to move away from his home and become exiled in a way. This chapter shows that there are hardships in this society as well and that not everything and everyone in Gethen are the same. Another tale in the book includes Estraven, the traitor. Even though this Estraven differs from today’s Estraven, it shows that even a long time ago, things were still the same. Estraven can be seen as a traitor according to the tale because all throughout the book he experiences things that shows details proving him as a traitor in his society. He seems to view Genly as different and he has a weird relationship with him. He shows his way of being a traitor by escaping Genly from jail and them traveling together to the ice. They myths in this book explain much of the plots and or the morals of the Gethenian society. It gave me a better outlook on the book because it feels good to finally understand something that is so complex and different from Earth.
Wave 3
In the novel, Left Hand of Darkness, the author tells many stories that the Gethenian culture holds. One of the stories I found the most interesting was the “The Nineteenth Day”. It was about a man who saved up to ask the foretellers about his death. He asked the question, “on what day shall I die”. The foretellers then proceeded to tell him that he will die on Odstreth, but never told him a day or month. The man then lived life in suffering. This legend told the reader to not make the same mistake as him, which is to be specific when asking the foretellers a question. This legend also served a purpose which was to educate the reader about the foretellers before Genly paid a visit to them. Genly was very specific when asking them a question and he got an answer. Another story that helped educate the reader was “The Place inside the Blizzard”. This was about two brothers who vowed kemmering to each other. However, they were forced to break their vow and one brother committed suicide which forced the other to go into exile. This educated the reader of some things that are very forbidden in Gethenian culture, which is suicide and vowing kemmer with a sibling. I also think the author included this story to foreshadow what we learn about Estraven`s past. The author uses dialogue to tell that Estraven has vowed kemmering before. Estraven also brings up his brother a lot, yet we never meet him. I think that this story is the same thing that Estraven experienced. Estraven vowed kemmering with his brother, yet it was forbidden and his brother committed suicide.
Wave 1
Genly definitely struggles to see Gethanians as themselves and not humans. There society is completely different than us by not having gender play a role in there world, meaning that everyone is treated the same. On Earth we classify ourselves and differentiate ourselves with what gender we are and we treat each other differently. In chapter 8 Genly struggles to realize that the king is pregnant. Genly classified the king as a man before the news of the king's pregnancy came out. This is one example of how on Earth we try to classify ourselves and Genly struggles to except that on Winter you can be both and be treated the same. Overall, this goes to show that it shouldn't matter weather you're a boy and a girl we should all be treated equally.
Monday, February 5, 2018
Wave 1
Genly basically continues to love on Gethen the place he called winter. He starts out having a really hard time understanding how the Gethenians do things. the Gethenians don't have any gender until their time for Kemmer comes. Since he is a human its hard for him to understand because on earth we use pronouns such as him and her. But on the planet he calls winter Genly calls them all "he" because it's easier for him to understand that way. While Genly was talking to Estraven, he was thinking about how " It was impossible to think of him as a woman, that dark, ironic, powerful presence, and yet whenever I thought of him as a man I felt a sense of falseness.'' (pg.12) Genly again seemed confused and of course, we would all know why he is confused because he does not understand why. Even though Genly is confused he still willing to learn about the Gethenian culture and why they do the certain "weird" things they do. Even though he has been on Gethen for a while he says and talks about how he still feels like a stranger. This very much makes sense since he is from the earth and the two places are significantly different from one another.
wave 2
The constant cold of Gethen added to the theme of isolation and loneliness because Genly does not fit in at gethen. The weather adds an additional degree of the coldness and overall detachment of Gethenians. In this world Genly is very lonely he has been away from his homeworld for most of his life as a representative doing missions for the Ekumen and even though we are told that he looks no more than 30 which is a lie because, in reality, he is one-hundred twenty years old. He is very tall and his looks make him outcast stand out way more. I think the author made the planet cold to show how the people of gethen don't have any emotions. On Earth, there are four different seasons, all of which Genly has already experienced. However, Genly is a foreigner so he is not used to the weather being cold all the time. The cold weather builds on the cold emotions of the Gethenians by adding the extra sense of solitude for Genly, making it twice as hard for him to achieve his mission due to the additional obstacle that he has to come through. The constant cold of Gethen also contribute the mentality of Genly as well, throughout the book, we have relied on a narrator that gave an explanation as to the normal weather patterns through the eyes of someone who is fairly used to temperature like those of Earth. Genly states that the temperature of Gethen seems to stay below even that of our subarctic regions. Because of this, Genly must act and respond different due to the extreme temperatures of Gethen, which in turn sets him apart from the residents of Gethen.
Wave 2
The cold weather on Gethen is one of the biggest parts of the lives of the Gethenians. It’s so unbearingly cold that it takes up most of their bodily energy just to withstand it. This kind of constant drain in energy is an undoubting way to have separation between people and emotions. If you don’t have a lot of energy and someone comes to talk to you at school, a lot of times people just ignore each other because they don’t have the patience or just out right lack of energy to converse. The same idea can be applied to the Gethenians. With their energy being drained into withstanding the harsh cold Winter, they could very well not have the energy to make close connections or conversations that we have here on Earth. One strong downside of this is it can make someone feel very alone and distant from others, due to the inability of spending time with one another and getting close. The only kind of “personal” affiliation Gethenians have with each other is the kemmering process, which is 9/10 times not a personal interaction, but just a natural part of the life on Gethen. All this leads to the people of Gethen feeling isolated. Not only does this idea apply to the regular Gethenians, but it also apples to Genly himself. With Genly being the only human being on a completely different planet that’s not even close to his home planet, there is no doubt about him feeling alone and isolated from his normal way of life and his idea of “normal” people.
Wave 2:Isolation and Lonliness
The never ending cold weather of Gethen contributes to the theme of lonliness and isolation because, where there is usually a cold environment there is hardly life as prosperous as when there is warm fair weather. The theme of isolation and lonliness contributes to the Gethenians because there is no attachment emotionally, there is only physical contact which occurs during Kemmer the only time in which they are no longer lonely. This can be seent hroughout the book due to the fact that when the kids are born there is no emotional attachment between the parents or the child with the parents, instead there's lonliness between what is supposed to be a family.
The theme of lonliness can also be seen through Genly Ai being the only kind of his species on Gethen. This adds to the theme because although he is able to make friends on Gethen there is no ther person to which he can turns to and express himself and be understood. Another example that contributes to lonliness and isolation is banishment. Banishment from your own people and if seen at all you must be killed. This leads to an even lonier lifestyle than they are accustomed to living already. The endless cold weather as well as humongous mountains that contain nothing living and infinite amounts of snow and gruesome blizzards. These are a few examples that I thought really contributed to isolation and lonliness.
The theme of lonliness can also be seen through Genly Ai being the only kind of his species on Gethen. This adds to the theme because although he is able to make friends on Gethen there is no ther person to which he can turns to and express himself and be understood. Another example that contributes to lonliness and isolation is banishment. Banishment from your own people and if seen at all you must be killed. This leads to an even lonier lifestyle than they are accustomed to living already. The endless cold weather as well as humongous mountains that contain nothing living and infinite amounts of snow and gruesome blizzards. These are a few examples that I thought really contributed to isolation and lonliness.
Wave Two
I think the idea of cold has multiple connotation than just the temperature. Often I associate kindness and belonging with warmth. Le Guin choosing to create this world that is always cold is interesting because it establishes this underlying feeling of loneliness throughout the story. Cold is an uncomfortable feeling and I think that creates a general uncomfortability in the novel. It almost hurts to be cold and I think that adds to the loneliness of the planet. I have never thought of cold as something friendly and that is way the book is just so lonely. Le Guin was very smart about her choices. I think she wanted the planted and the novel to be lonely. By Le Guin literally showing cold in her novel she makes the overall mood lonely Loneliness because of cold is also shown through the characters. Genly is very lonely the planet and he is obviously not a fan of the cold. “I (Genly) longed for anonymity, for sameness.” (8). This part of the book starts to show just how lonely he is on this planet. Genly talks about how he has never been warm in the planet in a few chapters. This is probably meant literally but I think that Genly is also talking about friendship. Genly has never felt welcomed or friendship on Winter. The people of Winter are in general cold people. They are not very welcoming to Genly because he is strange and different. This adds to the coldness of Winter.
Wave Two
The world of Gethen was nicknamed ‘Winter’ for an obvious reason - it is always cold. On page 133, Genly expressed just how cold the world was: “..months and months of unrelenting cold, sleet, ice, wind, rain, snow, cold, cold inside, cold outside, cold to the bone and the marrow of the bone.” This piercing coldness affects every aspect of the people’s lives. For instance, it affects how the buildings are structured as well as the people's behavior. Because weather influences all aspects of Gethenian life, the people tend to live in isolation and loneliness.
Physically, cold weather makes people secluded behind walls of buildings. On page 115, the structure of the city Mishnory was described as "..a queer-looking city, all blank stone walls with a few narrow windows set too high, wide streets that dwarfed the crowds, ....shed-roofs sticking out of housewalls eighteen feet above ground like big aimless bookshelves." This illustration portrays how buildings were built in Gethen to adjust to the cold. In a sense, the structure of the buildings contribute to the isolation of the people. The high walls, making them feel like dwarfs also literally separated them with huge barriers from others making them lonely.
On page 96, it is explained that "the dominant factor in Gethenian life is not sex or any other human thing: it is their environment, their cold world. Here man has a crueler enemy than himself." The society is centered around the unfortunate weather conditions. The people are not concerned with socializing and building strong relationships - they simply live to survive in harsh conditions. As a result, they live secluded from each other and live in isolation and loneliness.
Wave 3
The various myths in the chapters of Left Hand of Darkness show the Gethenian culture and how their society is structured and portrayed. One of the various myths explains how siblings born from the same Gethenian "mother" can not become kemmering partners and share an romantic bond with one another. In the tale two brothers end up sharing a romantic bond together resulting in them secretly becoming kemmering partners. Hiding from society, they end up relieving their secret and being exile from their community. Not able to deal with the pain of loneliness one brother commits suicide, while the other is left alone without his lover or community by his side. This myth portrays a cultural story we have known throughout our lives, Romeo and Juliet.
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