After reading the assigned pages from the Curious Researcher, I felt hopeful. I have previously done some of the suggested exercises and found them to be helpful. The cut and paste method really helps you to pare down your draft and get to bone structure. I loved how he talked about becoming attached to your draft. I find that to be so true. After having put all the time into these 8+ page drafts it is hard to cut the hard earn text out and go back and start again.
The benefits to re-research are immense. Adding some new articles here and there finding more information about your topic, all these things will be beneficial to any one revising a draft. I also liked how that tied in with the rewriting your thesis exercise. By rewriting our thesis we may discover a new alley into our central idea or as Ballenger says, you can “re-see” your draft in a new light.
I am excited to start the revision process and try to discover my drafts in a new way that will make them clearer and possibly much better. I think that revision is the most important process we can learn from English 102. A first draft is always important for without it we cannot revise but you publish first drafts. Learn to revise effectively will benefit us in all facets of life. Whether we are English majors or Engineers, we will be writing reports or books and we need to be able to revise those to make them more understandable and to be able to see where they need to be improved upon.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Response to Revision Reading in The Curious Researcher
The beginning of the chapter about revising for purpose started off talking about how someone might be reluctant to revise their writing. I actually am just the opposite, I enjoy revising to make my writing better, finding a way to enhance my readers understanding. In the Air Force we had a saying, “No pride in authorship”.
The next pages on showing how to reassemble in cut-and-paste revision and the use of the highlighters are excellent ideas and show how you should organize your ideas even if you don’t use those methods. The breakdown of the questions to ask a reader for feedback are an excellent place to start with yourself before you even begin revising your paper. Although I am not really fond of the cut-and-paste revision process as an actual act, it does point out many processes that are useful such as finding, and building up from, the core paragraph.
To me, the most useful part of this reading is the Revising for Information section that relates not only how to dig for more information, but that we should dig. This allows the author of the paper to add information that may make their point clearer or more pertinent.
The last part on how something is said and not just what is said, or the voice it is said in, is a problem I think most beginning writers might overlook. However, one point this portion made me think of that wasn’t mentioned was to read and revise for punctuation. Nothing can ruin a well written and thought out paper faster than a poorly placed period or quotation mark.
Overall, I would say this reading has been the most helpful oout of all of the readings from The Curious Researcher.
The beginning of the chapter about revising for purpose started off talking about how someone might be reluctant to revise their writing. I actually am just the opposite, I enjoy revising to make my writing better, finding a way to enhance my readers understanding. In the Air Force we had a saying, “No pride in authorship”.
The next pages on showing how to reassemble in cut-and-paste revision and the use of the highlighters are excellent ideas and show how you should organize your ideas even if you don’t use those methods. The breakdown of the questions to ask a reader for feedback are an excellent place to start with yourself before you even begin revising your paper. Although I am not really fond of the cut-and-paste revision process as an actual act, it does point out many processes that are useful such as finding, and building up from, the core paragraph.
To me, the most useful part of this reading is the Revising for Information section that relates not only how to dig for more information, but that we should dig. This allows the author of the paper to add information that may make their point clearer or more pertinent.
The last part on how something is said and not just what is said, or the voice it is said in, is a problem I think most beginning writers might overlook. However, one point this portion made me think of that wasn’t mentioned was to read and revise for punctuation. Nothing can ruin a well written and thought out paper faster than a poorly placed period or quotation mark.
Overall, I would say this reading has been the most helpful oout of all of the readings from The Curious Researcher.
Rseponse for Ballenger's Revision Reading
This reading got right to the crux of what I really had questions about regarding revision. I’ve always seen revision as just kind of “cleaning things up” instead of really trying improve my draft and refine the things I’m trying to say, so it was great to actually read about some strategies for distancing myself from my writing so that my revision can be more productive. I also really identified with the metaphor the author used relating a relationship to a writer’s relationship with the draft--I too have always been afraid of “breaking up” with my draft and it’s always hard to make changes because I’m afraid of wrecking things that are successful. Not knowing how to revise well has probably contributed to mediocre writing on my part in the past, simply because once I finished the first draft, I didn’t know where to go.
Luckily, I gained some direction from this reading about where to go now that I’m thinking about the portfolio project. Before reading this, I wasn’t really all that sure where to start with my revision or how to get going, but just by studying this reading I got kind of a better idea of where to move from here. Already I have several ideas about revisions that can be made in my ethnography and my argument paper.
I felt like this reading was also central to my goals in this class. I have never really had any problem with writing in such a way that I can be understood, the problem I have always had is in improving upon my first drafts and turning my mediocre writing into great writing. Because this was the main goal I set for this class, this reading about revision seemed to be particularly applicable to me.
Luckily, I gained some direction from this reading about where to go now that I’m thinking about the portfolio project. Before reading this, I wasn’t really all that sure where to start with my revision or how to get going, but just by studying this reading I got kind of a better idea of where to move from here. Already I have several ideas about revisions that can be made in my ethnography and my argument paper.
I felt like this reading was also central to my goals in this class. I have never really had any problem with writing in such a way that I can be understood, the problem I have always had is in improving upon my first drafts and turning my mediocre writing into great writing. Because this was the main goal I set for this class, this reading about revision seemed to be particularly applicable to me.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Final
Andrew Pharis
12 November 2009
“On the Road, Off the Phone”
Today’s society is driven by the ability to communicate instantaneously. We depend on things like email and text messaging to communicate with employers, friends, and even family. In America this year there will be over a trillion text messages sent. That is equal to about 690,000 texts a minute. That means that by the time you are done reading this article there will have been about 7 million text messages sent. We have become accustomed to getting answers now; we no longer have to wait the four days it would take to receive a letter in the mail. So accustomed in fact that we can no longer wait to get home before emailing our coworker-- Instead we grab our cell phone and text them, while driving home. This act has been dubbed texting while driving and more generally distracted driving.
Distracted Driving is a growing concern among the American public. According to US Department of Transportation, in 2008 distracted driving caused about sixteen percent of automobile related deaths in America and over a half million injuries. Those numbers have been consistently growing since 2004.
Law makers realize there is a problem and are doing what they do best, passing laws banning texting while driving. President Obama has recently passed a law prohibiting federal employs from texting while driving. That law will affect about 4.5 million people. Well what about the other 295 million of us? So far 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning texting while driving. Are the other 32 states waiting for this to become an epidemic? We have the opportunity to stem the growth of this phenomenon, let us do just that.
While laws are a good start they do not solve the issue entirely. Many people think that they would prefer to take the chance of getting caught in order to maintain the convenience of their cell phone. In a college classroom where cell phone use has been prohibited at least half of the class will be secretly texting under their desks. Why? Because they prefer the convenience over the chance of penalty.
Educational programs are the answer. In order to effectively combat the masses of distracted drivers we must get them before they have the opportunity to become distracted drivers; starting with drivers education courses.
Secretary of the US DOT Ray LaHood states before the Distracted Driving Summit, ““We’ve learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results.” The combination of law enforcement and education is the proven method of success.
Incorporating driver awareness about distracted driving into drivers education courses would be inexpensive and very effective. Kathryne a recent graduate of drivers education said “We had to watch a video about what happens when you drive while texting and it was pretty eye opening, you just don’t really think about the consequences of the action.” By making new drivers aware of the issue we cut off the flow of new driver problems and can then focus our resources to making current drivers aware of the dangers.
Programs like “On the Road Off the Phone” are doing just that. They are trying to bring the issue to people’s attention. These programs need our support if we are to ever completely rid ourselves of driving distracted.
Driving while distracted is just as dangerous as driving while under the influence. Any of you who have lost loved ones to a distracted driver know the pain and heartache involved in such situations. So next time you jump into the car just throw your phone into the glove box, or turn it off. Remember On the Road OFF the Phone! Think of the lives you could be saving.
12 November 2009
“On the Road, Off the Phone”
Today’s society is driven by the ability to communicate instantaneously. We depend on things like email and text messaging to communicate with employers, friends, and even family. In America this year there will be over a trillion text messages sent. That is equal to about 690,000 texts a minute. That means that by the time you are done reading this article there will have been about 7 million text messages sent. We have become accustomed to getting answers now; we no longer have to wait the four days it would take to receive a letter in the mail. So accustomed in fact that we can no longer wait to get home before emailing our coworker-- Instead we grab our cell phone and text them, while driving home. This act has been dubbed texting while driving and more generally distracted driving.
Distracted Driving is a growing concern among the American public. According to US Department of Transportation, in 2008 distracted driving caused about sixteen percent of automobile related deaths in America and over a half million injuries. Those numbers have been consistently growing since 2004.
Law makers realize there is a problem and are doing what they do best, passing laws banning texting while driving. President Obama has recently passed a law prohibiting federal employs from texting while driving. That law will affect about 4.5 million people. Well what about the other 295 million of us? So far 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning texting while driving. Are the other 32 states waiting for this to become an epidemic? We have the opportunity to stem the growth of this phenomenon, let us do just that.
While laws are a good start they do not solve the issue entirely. Many people think that they would prefer to take the chance of getting caught in order to maintain the convenience of their cell phone. In a college classroom where cell phone use has been prohibited at least half of the class will be secretly texting under their desks. Why? Because they prefer the convenience over the chance of penalty.
Educational programs are the answer. In order to effectively combat the masses of distracted drivers we must get them before they have the opportunity to become distracted drivers; starting with drivers education courses.
Secretary of the US DOT Ray LaHood states before the Distracted Driving Summit, ““We’ve learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results.” The combination of law enforcement and education is the proven method of success.
Incorporating driver awareness about distracted driving into drivers education courses would be inexpensive and very effective. Kathryne a recent graduate of drivers education said “We had to watch a video about what happens when you drive while texting and it was pretty eye opening, you just don’t really think about the consequences of the action.” By making new drivers aware of the issue we cut off the flow of new driver problems and can then focus our resources to making current drivers aware of the dangers.
Programs like “On the Road Off the Phone” are doing just that. They are trying to bring the issue to people’s attention. These programs need our support if we are to ever completely rid ourselves of driving distracted.
Driving while distracted is just as dangerous as driving while under the influence. Any of you who have lost loved ones to a distracted driver know the pain and heartache involved in such situations. So next time you jump into the car just throw your phone into the glove box, or turn it off. Remember On the Road OFF the Phone! Think of the lives you could be saving.
Friday, November 13, 2009
MMORPG's: All Things in Moderation, Even World of Warcraft
MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) like World of Warcraft and EverQuest enjoy huge fan bases with millions of new subscribers flocking daily into what economist Edward Castronova calls "synthetic worlds". Unfortunately, to adapt a phrase coined by Uncle Ben from the Spider-Man movie franchise, with great popularity has come great scrutiny. Numerous media reports and psychological studies have focused on the harmful effects of addiction to MMORPG's, but are these studies showing all sides of the issue?
While it's certainly true that MMORPG's can be habit-forming, recent evidence suggests that membership in the kind of online community that these games create can also be an enriching experience. A study conducted by psychiatrists Helena Cole and Mark Griffiths found that MMORPG's can be "highly socially interactive environments providing the opportunity to create strong friendships and emotional relationships." Specifically, people who have trouble making friends in the "real" world often find it easier to interact with others and overcome natural shyness in online communities. So what is the factor that causes some players to become trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and others to go on living healthy, normal lives?
The answer, according to MMORPG researcher Dr. Nicholas Yee, is the amount of time an individual spends playing, or as he puts it, "dependence is highly correlated with hours played per week." Similarly to the way in which gambling or shopping addictions form, players only open themselves to addiction and the accompanying problems when they play for excessive amounts of time. The solution to the problem of addiction, then, lies not in abolishing or stigmatizing MMORPG's, but in the old axiom, "moderation in all things".
One possible solution to the problem of MMORPG addiction would be to have the government implement technology that would limit the use of specific internet sites to a predetermined amount of time per day. Though this might work in a country like China (which indeed has already enacted these kinds of restrictions on internet use), previous experience tells us that Americans would likely resent any attempt by the government to regulate internet use in this manner.
Government regulation is also notoriously difficult to enact. Amy Jordan of the Annenberg Public Policy Center points out, "government media policymakers are in the unenviable position of walking the fine (and often moving) line between the best interests of a capitalist, speech-protected society and the best interests of the vulnerable [child]." If government cannot regulate MMORPG usage (as Jordan makes clear), then that leaves only one option--we must moderate ourselves.
The easiest means of achieving this goal is for MMORPG players and their loved ones to recognize the risks of addiction and to work together to ensure moderate use. Many MMORPG's, including World of Warcraft and EverQuest, now offer parental control features that allow parents to limit play by their children and these features are readily available and easy to use. The fact that very few parents take advantage of these features seems to show that only apathy about the risks of MMORPG overuse has prevented parents of players from ensuring safe use.
If parents and loved ones of players became more involved in moderating MMORPG use, the rates of addiction would decline and we could prevent its unpleasant effects. This would ensure that players could enjoy a healthy, fulfilling hobby without the dangerous effects resulting from MMORPG addiction.
While it's certainly true that MMORPG's can be habit-forming, recent evidence suggests that membership in the kind of online community that these games create can also be an enriching experience. A study conducted by psychiatrists Helena Cole and Mark Griffiths found that MMORPG's can be "highly socially interactive environments providing the opportunity to create strong friendships and emotional relationships." Specifically, people who have trouble making friends in the "real" world often find it easier to interact with others and overcome natural shyness in online communities. So what is the factor that causes some players to become trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and others to go on living healthy, normal lives?
The answer, according to MMORPG researcher Dr. Nicholas Yee, is the amount of time an individual spends playing, or as he puts it, "dependence is highly correlated with hours played per week." Similarly to the way in which gambling or shopping addictions form, players only open themselves to addiction and the accompanying problems when they play for excessive amounts of time. The solution to the problem of addiction, then, lies not in abolishing or stigmatizing MMORPG's, but in the old axiom, "moderation in all things".
One possible solution to the problem of MMORPG addiction would be to have the government implement technology that would limit the use of specific internet sites to a predetermined amount of time per day. Though this might work in a country like China (which indeed has already enacted these kinds of restrictions on internet use), previous experience tells us that Americans would likely resent any attempt by the government to regulate internet use in this manner.
Government regulation is also notoriously difficult to enact. Amy Jordan of the Annenberg Public Policy Center points out, "government media policymakers are in the unenviable position of walking the fine (and often moving) line between the best interests of a capitalist, speech-protected society and the best interests of the vulnerable [child]." If government cannot regulate MMORPG usage (as Jordan makes clear), then that leaves only one option--we must moderate ourselves.
The easiest means of achieving this goal is for MMORPG players and their loved ones to recognize the risks of addiction and to work together to ensure moderate use. Many MMORPG's, including World of Warcraft and EverQuest, now offer parental control features that allow parents to limit play by their children and these features are readily available and easy to use. The fact that very few parents take advantage of these features seems to show that only apathy about the risks of MMORPG overuse has prevented parents of players from ensuring safe use.
If parents and loved ones of players became more involved in moderating MMORPG use, the rates of addiction would decline and we could prevent its unpleasant effects. This would ensure that players could enjoy a healthy, fulfilling hobby without the dangerous effects resulting from MMORPG addiction.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Whenever a “new” threat comes along and affects or children and teenagers, parents tend to rise up and fight the evils that endanger our offspring. Now a new challenge is on the horizon. A challenge to our descendants that is used in the classroom to assist teachers in instructing our youth. The challenge of Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, or MMORPGs, is here.
Studies show a link between playing violent MMORPGs and increased violent thoughts and actions by children and adolescents. The reactions of people who play these games have shown an increase in violent tendencies when problem solving or faced with a difficult or stressful situation.
Other studies have shown differing effects on males and females, but both still suffer negative consequences. Two researchers at Brigham Young University, undergrad Alex Jensen and faculty member Laura Walker, published their results Jan. 23 in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and had this to say, “Statistical analyses …revealed that the more young adults play video games, the more frequent their involvement in risky behaviors like drinking and drug abuse. Young adults who played video games daily reported smoking pot almost twice as often as occasional players, and three times as often as those who never play.” (emphasis mine). This shows a clear correlation between the world of video gaming and other forms of destructive behavior and as we will see next, this includes anger.
Some studies look at the emotional effects of these MMORPGs as they almost always include extreme violence of the hacking, slashing and bloodletting kind. Iowa State University Assistant Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile, the center's associate director and recently elected president of the International Society for Research in Aggression, and Akira Sakamoto -- an associate professor of psychology at Ochanomizu University and a leading violent video games researcher in Japan –presented a new study on the correlation between violent video games and childhood aggression. Their research links a study done earlier by Iowa State University which looked at 364 American children between the ages of 9 and 12 with two studies done in Japan on over 1,200 Japanese school age children with ages ranging from 12 to 18.
According to Professor Gentile, “Basically what we found was that in all three samples [studies], a lot of violent video game play early in a school year leads to higher levels of aggression during the school year, as measured later in the school year…[and they] showed significant increases in aggression in children who played a lot of video games.” Gentile also showed how these games “…create opportunities to be vigilant for enemies, to practice aggressive ways of responding to conflict and to see aggression as acceptable. In practical terms, that means when bumped in the hallway, children see it as hostile and react more aggressively…” These games are leading to a more aggressive generation with, as quoted in previously cited studies, less social interaction abilities, a dangerous combination.
According to Gentile “Playing violent games leads to increased physiological arousal, increased aggressive thoughts, increased aggressive feelings, increased aggressive behaviors, and decreased pro-social helping.” How do you get Johnny to be kind to his little sister Susie after he has spent the past eight hours slashing, gouging, punching, kicking, and smashing his way through orcs, goblins, and monsters of all shapes and sizes? After he has spent the last five hours entrenched in a video game that uses endorses car theft, sex, drugs and foul language (not necessarily in that order), how do you get him to take out the trash?
Are we willing to raise the next generation to be video crack addicts?
Am I saying we should do away with video games all together? No. But we, especially parents, cannot afford the almost endless stream of quarters being fed to the arcade version of these games. Children grew up in years, even centuries, past without the newest X-box, Playstation or Nintendo. Examine what your kids are playing and use the age old antidote for all problems adolescent-parental involvement.
Studies show a link between playing violent MMORPGs and increased violent thoughts and actions by children and adolescents. The reactions of people who play these games have shown an increase in violent tendencies when problem solving or faced with a difficult or stressful situation.
Other studies have shown differing effects on males and females, but both still suffer negative consequences. Two researchers at Brigham Young University, undergrad Alex Jensen and faculty member Laura Walker, published their results Jan. 23 in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and had this to say, “Statistical analyses …revealed that the more young adults play video games, the more frequent their involvement in risky behaviors like drinking and drug abuse. Young adults who played video games daily reported smoking pot almost twice as often as occasional players, and three times as often as those who never play.” (emphasis mine). This shows a clear correlation between the world of video gaming and other forms of destructive behavior and as we will see next, this includes anger.
Some studies look at the emotional effects of these MMORPGs as they almost always include extreme violence of the hacking, slashing and bloodletting kind. Iowa State University Assistant Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile, the center's associate director and recently elected president of the International Society for Research in Aggression, and Akira Sakamoto -- an associate professor of psychology at Ochanomizu University and a leading violent video games researcher in Japan –presented a new study on the correlation between violent video games and childhood aggression. Their research links a study done earlier by Iowa State University which looked at 364 American children between the ages of 9 and 12 with two studies done in Japan on over 1,200 Japanese school age children with ages ranging from 12 to 18.
According to Professor Gentile, “Basically what we found was that in all three samples [studies], a lot of violent video game play early in a school year leads to higher levels of aggression during the school year, as measured later in the school year…[and they] showed significant increases in aggression in children who played a lot of video games.” Gentile also showed how these games “…create opportunities to be vigilant for enemies, to practice aggressive ways of responding to conflict and to see aggression as acceptable. In practical terms, that means when bumped in the hallway, children see it as hostile and react more aggressively…” These games are leading to a more aggressive generation with, as quoted in previously cited studies, less social interaction abilities, a dangerous combination.
According to Gentile “Playing violent games leads to increased physiological arousal, increased aggressive thoughts, increased aggressive feelings, increased aggressive behaviors, and decreased pro-social helping.” How do you get Johnny to be kind to his little sister Susie after he has spent the past eight hours slashing, gouging, punching, kicking, and smashing his way through orcs, goblins, and monsters of all shapes and sizes? After he has spent the last five hours entrenched in a video game that uses endorses car theft, sex, drugs and foul language (not necessarily in that order), how do you get him to take out the trash?
Are we willing to raise the next generation to be video crack addicts?
Am I saying we should do away with video games all together? No. But we, especially parents, cannot afford the almost endless stream of quarters being fed to the arcade version of these games. Children grew up in years, even centuries, past without the newest X-box, Playstation or Nintendo. Examine what your kids are playing and use the age old antidote for all problems adolescent-parental involvement.
On the Road Off the Phone
Today’s society is driven by the ability to communicate instantaneously. We depend on things like email and text messaging to communicate with employers, friends, and even family. In America this year there will be over a trillion text messages sent. That is equal to about 690,000 texts a minute. That means that by the time you are done reading this article there will have been about 7 million text messages sent. We have become accustomed to getting answers now; we no longer have to wait the four days it would take to receive a letter in the mail. So accustomed in fact that we can no longer wait to get home before emailing or coworker-- Instead we grab or cell phone and text them, while driving home. This act has been dubbed texting while driving and more generally distracted driving.
Distracted Driving is a growing concern among the American public. According to US Department of Transportation, in 2008 distracted driving caused about sixteen percent of automobile related deaths in America and over a half million injuries. Those numbers have been consistently growing since 2004.
Law makers realize there is a problem and are doing what they do best, passing laws banning texting while driving. President Obama has recently passed a law prohibiting federal employs from texting while driving. That law will affect about 4.5 million people. Well what about the other 295 million of us? So far 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning texting while driving. Are the other 32 states waiting for this to become an epidemic? We have the opportunity to stem the growth of this phenomenon, let us do just that.
While laws are a good start they do not solve the issue entirely. Many people think that they would prefer to take the chance of getting caught in order to maintain the convenience of their cell phone. In a college classroom where cell phone use has been prohibited at least half of the class will be secretly texting under their desks. Why, because they prefer the convenience over the chance of penalty.
Educational programs are the answer. In order to effectively combat the masses of distracted drivers we must get them before they have the opportunity to become distracted drivers; starting with drivers education courses.
Secretary of the US DOT Ray LaHood states before the Distracted Driving Summit, ““We’ve learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results.” The combination of law enforcement and education is the proven method of success.
Incorporating driver awareness about distracted driving into drivers education courses would be inexpensive and very effective. Kathryne a recent graduate of drivers education said “We had to watch a video about what happens when you drive while texting and it was pretty eye opening, you just don’t really think about the consequences of the action.” By making new drivers aware of the issue we cut off the flow of new driver problems and can then focus our resources to making current drivers aware of the dangers.
Programs like “On the Road Off the Phone” are doing just that. They are trying to bring the issue to people’s attention. These programs need our support if we are to ever completely rid ourselves of driving distracted.
So next time you jump into the car just throw your phone into the glove box, or turn it off. Remember On the Road OFF the Phone! Think of the lives you could be saving.
Pick Your Poison; CO, CO2, NOx
No matter how you slice it, dice it, chop it, mix it, or even exhaust it, it’s still poison and we release it into the atmosphere every time we fire up that gas guzzling human hauler. As time goes on we continue to destroy the most valuable resource of our very existence.
How polluting are these three gasses and what produces them?
Automobiles by far are the most producing means of these gases and account for:
• 76 percent of the carbon monoxide (CO) in our atmosphere.
• 33 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere.
• 30 percent of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) in our atmosphere.
According to USA.ORG there were roughly 247.4 Million registered vehicles in 2005 in the USA alone. Now combine that statistic with the fact that CO, CO2 and DOx account for roughly 21 pounds of pollutions for every gallon of gas burned, carbon dioxide accounts for approximately 19.6 pounds of the 21 pounds. That is approximately 7.8 billion pounds of pollution exhausted in to our atmosphere every day.
What health effects do they pose on humanity?
Carbon monoxide affects the bloods ability to carry oxygen to vital organs like the heart and brain. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide both create adverse effects to the respiratory system. These gases are not only harmful to the respiratory system they pose serious risks to those with weakened immune systems along with other diseases like diabetes, heart disease.
When should we start to worry?
The atmosphere has managed thus far but how much time do we really have before it’s too late? I’m not sure that time is the best cause for concern. We are all aware of the smog issue and most of us have probably seen it firsthand. It’s there, it’s disgusting and we have the ability to stop it but we don’t.
We don’t stop it because we are so caught up in our own fast paced lives that we just let it be. After all it is easier to let someone else deal with it. Once more, what really makes us feel better about it is our ability to justify it as, no matter what we do to clean it up there will be an adverse affect from that method and we will be no better off.
Even if we do try to clean things up what are our options?
Hybrid vehicles are cleaner and are a step in the right direction but most hybrids still average 50 miles per gallon. That is still a lot of pollution emitted in to the earth’s atmosphere.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are still fifteen to thirty years out and according to Joseph J. Romm this alternative is not cost effective nor does it pose much cleaner statistics for the atmosphere.
What about the electric car? It was tested in California for five years and according to the people that leased them they were fantastic vehicles. They were aesthetically pleasing with lots of power to get you everywhere you needed to go in a normal days travel. And the best thing about them is they have zero emissions.
How do we get these zero emissions vehicles (electric car) as an option to purchase for use?
There are many ways to possess an electric vehicle but in order for it to become viable the government has to step in and mandate some laws. Laws that force the production of zero emission vehicles. It doesn’t have to be an overnight solution but it does need to start now.
So as a citizen that cares for your environment you will need to write your congress man and plant the seed for zero emission vehicles. Only then will we start to reverse the negative effects we stated well over a century ago.
How polluting are these three gasses and what produces them?
Automobiles by far are the most producing means of these gases and account for:
• 76 percent of the carbon monoxide (CO) in our atmosphere.
• 33 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere.
• 30 percent of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) in our atmosphere.
According to USA.ORG there were roughly 247.4 Million registered vehicles in 2005 in the USA alone. Now combine that statistic with the fact that CO, CO2 and DOx account for roughly 21 pounds of pollutions for every gallon of gas burned, carbon dioxide accounts for approximately 19.6 pounds of the 21 pounds. That is approximately 7.8 billion pounds of pollution exhausted in to our atmosphere every day.
What health effects do they pose on humanity?
Carbon monoxide affects the bloods ability to carry oxygen to vital organs like the heart and brain. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide both create adverse effects to the respiratory system. These gases are not only harmful to the respiratory system they pose serious risks to those with weakened immune systems along with other diseases like diabetes, heart disease.
When should we start to worry?
The atmosphere has managed thus far but how much time do we really have before it’s too late? I’m not sure that time is the best cause for concern. We are all aware of the smog issue and most of us have probably seen it firsthand. It’s there, it’s disgusting and we have the ability to stop it but we don’t.
We don’t stop it because we are so caught up in our own fast paced lives that we just let it be. After all it is easier to let someone else deal with it. Once more, what really makes us feel better about it is our ability to justify it as, no matter what we do to clean it up there will be an adverse affect from that method and we will be no better off.
Even if we do try to clean things up what are our options?
Hybrid vehicles are cleaner and are a step in the right direction but most hybrids still average 50 miles per gallon. That is still a lot of pollution emitted in to the earth’s atmosphere.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are still fifteen to thirty years out and according to Joseph J. Romm this alternative is not cost effective nor does it pose much cleaner statistics for the atmosphere.
What about the electric car? It was tested in California for five years and according to the people that leased them they were fantastic vehicles. They were aesthetically pleasing with lots of power to get you everywhere you needed to go in a normal days travel. And the best thing about them is they have zero emissions.
How do we get these zero emissions vehicles (electric car) as an option to purchase for use?
There are many ways to possess an electric vehicle but in order for it to become viable the government has to step in and mandate some laws. Laws that force the production of zero emission vehicles. It doesn’t have to be an overnight solution but it does need to start now.
So as a citizen that cares for your environment you will need to write your congress man and plant the seed for zero emission vehicles. Only then will we start to reverse the negative effects we stated well over a century ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)