Advocacy
Saving The Kemps
I don't remember how old I was when I first saw this memorable news piece about the growing concern of our planetary health on the Music Television channel. This was a time where MTV primarily only played music videos. MTV news brought the major international and domestic headlines to a young audience. It was a genius way to get the youth thinking. I remember Kurt Loder, in between videos, giving the breaking news from across the globe. The fall of the Berlin Wall, growing poverty in America, and this piece on our planet's health. This all dates me, but that fifteen-to-thirty-minute mini-documentary is still stuck in my head. It must have been Earth Day or the response to some major oil spill in our waters; I remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill vividly. The images that are still imprinted in my head were a series of shots of dense pollution from different parts of the globe. A shot of children playing in garbage piled waters in India, a bulldozer shoving massive piles of trash in a land fill in somewhere, USA; a quick shot of wildlife entangled in trash. I remember going to school the next day or perhaps maybe a few days after, and we, as a school, planted trees that would one day provide great shade for future generations. It was a celebration, the local news came out and took pictures, some of our names got in the local paper and the very lucky few got interviewed. To a kid, that moment where you find your name in the black and white print, or maybe see yourself on the local news; it was our miniscule fifteen minutes of fame. We didn't have the social media outlets like we do today. The reporters took their pictures and asked their questions. We talked about what the importance of doing our part to "save the planet," meant to us youngsters. It felt good. Couple that with watching a couple of episodes of Captain Planet in a school time pizza party, we felt like heroes. Our hands literally planted something that the future population would appreciate. They were even talking about putting a plaque on the school grounds to commemorate this single event. A plaque that read something to the effect of, planted by the whatever class of whatever year, and have all our names on it. Immortalized. The day belonged to us, we were environmentalists for one day. Then the following day came. I had the same emotional high as before, but I felt like I was the only one. I remember going out of my way to pick up litter. A piece of paper here and a soda can there. I truly felt like I was the only one who still cared after a day of such importance. Overnight, the mood of the adults went back to; normal. No fan fair of recycling, no pizza parties for planting trees or picking up trash. I, however, felt like I needed to keep this feeling going. I was not perfect nor am I perfect right now when it comes to keeping an always mindful headspace focused on our environment. It felt like I was doing my part then, and I feel like I'm still trying to make a difference now. Why? Because every so often I can visually see the fruits of my small labor.
By Anthony Diaz5 years ago in Earth
Re-Ocean
Technology today is not subpar but it’s not where it’s potential lies. That doesn’t mean we can’t save the life blood of our planet just as efficiently with modern tech and new methods which is what my idea for innovation and this article is based on. The plastic in the ocean poses a threat to many things such as ocean life, sanitary ecosystems both in water and on land, and it just not do anything for the earth cosmetically. (Used plastic doesn’t make for a good accessory). My ideas identify a few institutional voids in a few industries, repurposing recycled plastics and combining them with new innovations such as anti microbial surfaces and self and automated cleaning tools. The potential for growth that these innovations present is unlimited and would hypothetically span far into the future. The potential for new jobs and integration of industries to make our home planet always the sanctuary it was intended to be such sanitation systems installers and supervisors etc. The main issues that people usually come across are costly recycling techniques, speed of supply as far as actually obtaining the recycled material and lack of uses. In this situation as the ol’ saying goes “Nothing goes to waste” because the imagination is infinite. So during the aftermath of the pandemic the lack of employees for all industries is evident. Meaning one of the most important elements to a recovery will be suffering the Public Sanitation Department this doesn’t have to happen and we call also help stop the spread of infectious disease with stalls and portable walls made with recycled materials and anti microbial technology. Don’t know if’ve been to a public restroom near your local city hall even is disgusting, I’ve seen things in public restrooms that I’ve never saw in my own home after Taco Tuesday. So more sanitary material will help keep down on the things that lurk (insert look emoji). These plastics can be used in the design of new toilet seats which is something we often overlook when thinking of making the bathroom cleaner than with use of the high end cleaning products. They should should be pliable and be able to be turned into useful self cleaning tools as well as self cleaning storage boxes. The potential for these products is thru the roof. With the decline of employment and increase in space travel innovations this may be the time for people to start learning how to survive in space causing again another void in the public sanitation department. Therefore using recycled materials to build auto cleaning systems would all but eliminate the need for an attendant but open up opportunity for someone to also learn engineering and expand their skill set before it’s done by computer literally. Floor wash systems, self washing walls, and retrofitted casings for a plethora of new and existing devices. All of these ideas would eliminate a major portion of the plastic that’s hurting our plant just floating away, proceeds could be used to aid the plastic extraction process as well. The potential is limitless. The application for recycled materials in planetary exploration is pivotal in wide diversity of exploration machinery and excavation technology. Expensive housing components can be replaced with recycled material. The same could be said for ocean exploration and salt water recycling plant. This process can be an entire industry countless jobs and institutional voids can be filled with right attitude and understanding for advancement of all of humanity. This is a major stepping stone in the reform of all old systems that no longer benefit advancing societies and cultures which should be allowed to flow unrestricted like the Ocean. This is the call to RE-OCEAN
By Ned Guilford5 years ago in Earth
The Earth Needs YOU!
By, Janelle Medina 05/16/21 Growing up in Colorado I have been blessed to be apart of a community that experiences the beauty that comes with all 4 seasonal changes each calendar year. It would be no surprise to step outside on a hot sunny day, then within minutes it could be raining or snowing and bitter cold. There have been many episodes where you could whiteness these weather changes in just one single day. Natives of Colorado like myself are wise to include a water bottle, a warm jacket, a blanket, an umbrella, and a snow scraper in our cars “for emergency” kit. But, Whether it is because of global warming or the fuel emissions cause and effects or Mother Earths own choosing, these past few years have not been the same in my own personal opinion. Because of this…
By Janelle M Medina5 years ago in Earth
I Want to Watch the World Burn
Every night the sun lights the sky on fire. A glowing ball of fire sinking slowly behind the horizon, lighting up the sky and everything it touches. All of the world turns bloody in the crimson glow of the setting sun. It burns so bright that people stop what they are doing to take notice. They stare, they take pictures, they tell all their family and friends to go and look at the sunset. It burns so bright so fast that it leaves everything in darkness. It is as if though universe is so stunned by the beauty that it needs time to contemplate and revel in the fire. The darkness is there to preserve the beauty that the sun created.
By Adaline Archer5 years ago in Earth
I Was A Vegan Until I Ate An Egg
Who would have thought a video about an egg would go viral on social media? To be fair, a picture of an egg did go viral a few years back and became the most liked photo on Instagram, but this scenario was a bit different. Let me explain.
By Farmer Nick5 years ago in Earth
Reusing is the Goal
I’m not going to beat around the bush here... Little changes just aren’t going to cut it anymore. We no longer have the luxury of time, which means I am no longer interested in little steps toward change. What we need is an entirely new lifestyle, and to connect to the Earth in a way that is foreign to many.
By Maeple Fourest5 years ago in Earth
On A Planet With So Much Water Why Would We Ruin Something We Depend On To Live? Three Simple Ways To Protect Our Environment And Our Futures.
That'll end up in the sea, all it takes is one storm, one high tide coming in, and it's gone. Plastics can take from as little as 20 years and to as long as 500 years to decompose, depending on the materials and structure. Sunlight exposure helps to degrade or break down plastics. Like our skin, plastics absorb ultraviolet radiation from sunlight which breaks down molecules. Photodegradation is the name of the process and it's why landfills often expose plastic waste to the sun to quicken the process.
By Jason Ray Morton 5 years ago in Earth
A Whisper to a Scream
I have always been one who loved the Earth through all things huge and tiny. I was never in shoes as a child and would be in, under or around trees most of the time; or I would be at the beach. I grew up to the sound of waves, the sting of sand and salt whipped up by wind or the lulling calm of the rhythmic crashing. I grew accustomed to it; a blessing and a curse. Being so close to the immensity that is the ocean and having it become home, meant that I forgot that not all is as it seems. I became complacent and never fully considered the darker truth behind the huge breaks and pretty shells.
By Obsidian Words5 years ago in Earth
