Where's Beef From? By Sarah

Beef2 from Sarah Foster on Vimeo.

Jen & Casey Project Link

http://prezi.com/7ofsq2cnu0n2/what-is-fair-trade/

How stupid close-minded Americans are the real Anti-Americans

"Fundamentalism is not unique to religious people, but is instead a certain approach to the world, rooted in mistaking limited knowledge for wisdom"

"Where the capacity for destruction in the hands of the most powerful state in the history of the world is exacerbated by a pathological hyper-patriotism that tends to suppress internal dissent and leave many unable to hear criticism from the outside"

I extremely agree with Jensen's bit on nationalism. American nationalism in its rooted definition is inherently contradictory. Citizens may believe that we all should support and follow this nation abstractly, as Jensen said, "when in reality it is lines on a map, not an occurring object," so that we may all connect and reinforce the strength of our home and all that it provides for us. This is a reasonable notion to positively influence our abstract love for the feet under our ground.

But if you look at the U.S. as an occurring object, you could see its occurring prevalence on what it was founded on and must survive through, which is democracy. And in a true democracy, fundamentalism would cease to exist, so it makes no sense for nationalism to be ever be based on fundamentalist ways of thinking. Democracy is for the people, by the people. Time changes and the people with it. Within a democracy, a nation must coincide with its ever changing and evolving situations. Fundamentalism fundamentally resists change, so to actually be a supporter of what America stands for more than anything, you would truly only be anti-American by being the type of  fundamentalist Jensen mentions.

Book Event Tonight!

Bob Jensen will be speaking tonight at 7 at Book People, 603 North Lamar, about his new book:

Arguing for Our Lives: Critical Thinking in Crisis Times, published by City Lights 

For more details:

http://www.bookpeople.com/event/robert-jensen-arguing-our-lives

Jensen Points Out Insanity

This article makes me ask myself, how will history remember us?

Every empire has met an end. None has yet to last forever. Each of the Chinese dynasties, the Romans, the Moguls, the Ottomans, Mali, the Greeks, the Germans, the Aztec, the Inca: all of them rolled back down the hill that they climbed up and into power. So there isn't much data to argue against the temporary nature of power centers in our human world.

So, assuming no total collapse of human tradition, knowledge, libraries, and such, there will still be literature composed in the 500 and thousand years to come. I wonder what the books will say about our time.

Because, some times, I imagine that the future will be substantially more refined than the present. Maybe we'll remember war then like we now remember slavery; hanging our heads and saying, "I can't believe people did that."

Maybe this will be one of our few photos in the pages of a middle school text book:

Maybe it won't take long to remember the great wall on our southern border like the great wall through Berlin: poor people on one side, rich people on the other, guarded ferociously by patriotic men with high-powered weapons.

What Jensen explains, I believe, is that people here are unaware of the big picture. It is as if they are trying to judge a painting, a big one of the whole world, and they've got their nose touching the canvas, frozen in fear of moving their head just a little ways back. This is the perspective that generates fundamentalism.

How will our nationalist fervor be remembered? I've asked myself the same question he does: what are we saluting anyway? What does the silly flag mean, and why am I required to pledge to it? In all honesty, I don't feel any more of a connection to the peoples of New York, Chicago, and Seattle than I do to those of Mexico City or Juarez. Panama City is about as close to me as New York.

The nationalist violence that we wage across the world is just gang violence on a larger scale. We have territories that we defend, gunning down trespassers if they try and come across without permission. We stake out claims and defend them, periodically going to war (for example with the Mexicans) to expand our own claim. We fight for money and resources, and have a hefty army of men and women wooed by charismatic leaders and nationalist symbols (like the flag) to take up arms and go to war with strangers who salute a different flag.

Maybe in the future people will realize that we're all just people on the land, and that these dumb countries were just made up by some people some years ago.

Oh Jensen...

Jensen is right in that people really need to utilize some critical thinking. For example, why do people complain so much about there being no plastic bags anymore or why do people not see sexism in marketing and even everyday language? But, even that shouldn’t take critical thinking, it’s just denial and unawareness. I mean heaven forbid people feel uncomfortable about looking at the deeper picture of what’s really going on. We need to question why we do things and why we’ve been doing things. Just because that’s the way it is doesn’t mean that’s the way it should be. The U.S. needs some change on many different levels like healthcare and maternity and paternity leave, but we are so tied up in a two-party system and an either/or mindset that we are so scared of change and no one wants the responsibility of being blamed for the bumps in the road. Americans say they want change…but don’t vote for it neither do our legislatures. (Gun control debate, same-sex marriage – why are these even being debated?) The Nordic countries are high on the scale of happiness and social equality because they question their norms all the time and actually use research to implement and structure policies.

I’ve always thought that capitalism, as an ideal market system, is a load of crap. The invisible hand is really the same hand attached to wealthy people who keep providing for themselves while the poor get poorer. Capitalism does not provided social services. For example, privatization of water in Latin America left many more people without water because companies could no longer make a profit and so they pulled out of the countries. I feel like our current finance system is one that punishes and is in favor of the rich, which is why I prefer Islamic Economics – risks are shared equally, zakat or wealthy tax and no interest on loans.

I agree that free markets do not create equality and that the government must be a part of the process for the people’s sake and not to serve the businesses. However, earlier Jensen criticized patriotism. I understand that patriotism is a major blindfold and results in unnecessary strict borders, but I would think governments need some patriotism at least…but maybe getting people involved in government is better.

I like Jensen’s point about the colossal amount of money being pumped in to the military and defense system. We already have a very advanced military with very powerful weapons that even if outdated technology would over-power another country’s military. Yet, we continue to fund and build war machines of obliteration instead of obliterating poverty and teen pregnancy and hunger and low-education attainment.

I am one of those slow adopters to technology. I thinks its great in that it has improved many lives in terms of health especially and bad in what it has done to the environment. I also do not like how it has restructured interpersonal communication. I think people have forgotten how to talk to strangers. I also think it’s a shame that kids spend more time with TV, ipads, video games rather than playing outside and appreciating nature (which is probably why there is less empathy for taking care of our planet). Sometimes, simple is better.

I feel like so many people are tired, bored and frustrated with how we live. It boils down to living a rehearsed life without true satisfaction and happiness.

At the same time, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be Jensen. Journalism makes you see the world in many negative lights to a point where its unsatisfying and depressing. I’m glad the world has people like Jensen who bring up great points, but I wonder if he is ever happy. 

Local and Global

I still feel that America and England are still major influences on other cultures primarily because of the media and transnational corporations. To me, there still seems to be this idea that individuals strive to live like the Americans and British despite the fact that the Nordic countries rate much higher on social attainment and overall wellbeing. For example, I don’t think there is a single person who doesn’t about the royal family in England whereas who knows about the royalty in other countries? I also feel there is still a major push around the world to learn English whereas the prevalence of bilingual speakers in the U.S. is not as common.

It’s great that the media is starting to globalize the local and that several segments of the economy are operating under many languages. But, I don’t think this is to bring people together and to promote other cultures, as it is a business move to bring in more revenue.

Because of globalization, I believe more and more people are becoming accepting of other cultures, however, I feel that a lot of cultures have become commercialized. For example, third world countries commercialize their culture for tourist packages to attract foreigners. In one documentary that I watched in the past, one country was selling burkas to tourists, and they would try them on “pretending” they were part of the local culture. There was no respect as if it were a mask. Globalization and consumption allow us to become "the other" or act like we are part of another culture by consuming their products and attire. 

Globalization of the Local

As I begin reading I wondered what about the other countries will the same available resources, or those that will be inevitable penetrated, for whatever reason, whom will learn through example this flattening practice and introduce their own version? He touches on this positive side throughout the reading, and I agree. The only problem is that is hasn't happened completely, yet and people can't learn how to upload their culture to the world platform in the snap of a finger. They need the resources first, prolonging the expansion of culture in many third world countries who can't afford to participate. My biggest question and concern is how and when all locals will have the chance to be a part of the global platform.

Everything posted on the flattening platform comes from someone who is cultured by what they consider local, or at least did at one time. So I agree with him that instead of global news overcoming a local community, a local community is sharing their news with the globe as well. It works both ways.

Not just about economics, but about culture. Globalization has the potential to spread new ways of communication, and innovation, a sharing of culture, which to me is the most important aspect. But it does have a lot to do with economics too, and I feel there is major potential for a dark side here as well. Internet sites become profitable through advertising. He mentions "that globalization of the local is not only happening culturally, but commercially as well." A world run by advertising, which is already happening in a big way, could lead to a lot of corruption and unfairness.

I think he says it best when he states "For all these reasons, our job is not to trash this platform but to get the best out of it and prevent the worst."To me this hits the nail on the head. He says if you think globalization is all good, you don't know enough about it. To disregard the "ability to power individuals and enrich our cultural cornucopia would miss its potentially positive effects on human freedom and diversity."But to take advantage of the platform reveals the dangers it presents as well.

Globalization, to me, is a like the entire world having the freedom of speech. Just like in America, there are people that uphold this freedom and contribute to positive changes, acknowledge what's happening domestically and internationally, and those that educate. Knowledge is power and everyone should have the opportunity to empower themselves. The more people are being held accountable to their freedom, the more the world can learn about itself and move towards truth.

Globalization of the Local

Interesting word choice and mostly accurate description of the American system: "the juggernaut of globalization as Americanization could, in just a few decades, wipe out the cultural, ecological, and zoological diversity that took millions of years of human, plan, and animal evolution to produce."

"There is no minimizing the dangers posed to the environment by the flattening of the world."

--I find this quote very interesting because a friend of mine, who is a biology major, argues that we will eventually build something that will have the ability to undo all of the damage we are causing to the environment. She believes there is no way to positively change our lifestyles enough to create lasting recovery and thinks we should all bank on the advancement of technology to build something that will clean the earth up quick and easy........her view may be far-fetched, but I believe the author and my friend have a point when it comes to the irreversible nature of the damage.

Is there really anything we humans can do to change the pollution and damage we are causing on the earth? We can talk about it. We can also talk about how not enough people are talking about it. Time isn't stopping, years are passing, and things are only getting worse.

The author has a point in his "Globalization of the Local" argument. Uploading does make nearly all things possible as so many people worldwide have the tools to create and upload their own content. Anything anyone shares now has the potential to reach people on every continent. Although Americanization via globalization is still very powerful, uploading is a force that won't be stopped. Citizens everywhere are curious and creative and exploring and surfing the web; the flow of information will only expand.

"Globalization now belongs to everyone who can figure out how to take advantage of its opportunities and minimize its dislocations."

Globalization of the local

I thought an interesting graf in this article was found on page 479:

"...But somehow, more than a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it no longer seems inevitable that everyone is going to look, speak, sing, dance, and think like an American because of globalization."

I think it's a very good thing that this hasn't happened. In the graf above this quote, the author attributes Americanization via globalization NOT happening because the forces of particularization are as strong as the forces of homogenization because the flattenization of the world has enabled many nations to "hold on to many aspects of their local culture."

It's funny how we thought that as technology progressed, the world would become more American-ized, but that's actually prevented that from happening

Globalization of the Local

• "globalization means Americanization"
• Yes, that's generally what I've been led to believe. I mean, we don't really see foreign brands over here, do we? Maybe the number is growing.
• "It is becoming clear that the flat-world platform, while it has the potential to homogenize cultures, also has, I would argue, an even greater potential to nourish diversity to a degree that the world has never seen before."
• Very interesting. But wouldn't diversifying the entire world be, in a sense, homogenizing it? 
• uploading = "globalization of the local"
• Hmm... tell me more.
• "The fact that more people can now not only survive but even thrive by staying home in their native region, in their own environment, has got to be a net plus for the forces of cultural diversity versus the forces of homogeneity."
• But if people stay in their own country/culture, how does the world get diversified??
• "Even those individuals who have had to uproot themselves from developing countries to go west... have been able to take advantage of the flattening of the world to hold on to many aspects of their local culture."
• So people do need to leave their own country for this globalization of the local to work...
•  "Globalization of the local 'is globalization in reverse. Instead of global media enveloping Asia, the region's 'local' media are going global. This... is being driven by the demand for local news and information from Asia's diasporas, notably the millions of Chinese and Indian emigres now living in all parts of the world.'"
• (Same note as above.)
• "Globalization has empowering and disempowering, homogenizing and particularizing, democratizing and authoritarian tendencies all built into it."
• Both good and bad... It's basically a contradiction in itself, or at least that's how the author is explaining it. (I develop this thought further in the last bullet point.)
• Toodou = Chinese version of YouTube
• "I am confident that this flattening phase of globalization is not going to mean more Americanization, but more globalization of local cultures."
• I'm not against globalization, honestly. I think it would be really cool to have access to other cultures' products without having to travel to each country. But the "globalization of the local" that the author describes only works for people who may have left their country of origin and want to stay connected. For instance, a Japanese newspaper only has a very narrow audience in the United States, really only people who have emigrated from Japan and possibly American students studying Japanese/Japanese culture. Native Americans (not to be confused with American Indians - I mean Americans who were born in the United States) without any Japanese background would have no use for a Japanese newspaper, and so those ideas are only spread to a very small number of people. Like Toodou - it's great that Chinese people can create their own content for all the world to see, but how much of the world besides China will actually understand what's going on? I can only fathom a functioning world with limited globalization, that is, only the globalization of products and possibly art styles. Otherwise, if every nationality in, for example, this melting pot of America is catered to in their own culture, then where does the American culture, the American language, the American opinion go? Complete globalization is homogenization. There wouldn't be a division anymore. I believe that when someone moves to another country, let's say the United States, they intend to adopt that country's culture. I wouldn't move to Nigeria unless I was willing to completely change my lifestyle, especially my language. Of course I can still have ties to my old American life, but I live in Nigeria, and if I wanted to live the American life, complete with American newspapers, films, and fast food, I should have stayed in America. I am an American, born and raised, but my mother is Brazilian, and I have such a strong connection with that culture that I've considered many times just moving there once I graduate because I feel the Brazilian in me so much more. Even if I don't, though, I will still read a Brazilian book or go to an American celebration of Brazilian Carnival every once in awhile, but I will remain an American consumer of American culture.

(This reading reminded me of a project I did my freshman year about samba and its globalization: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbZJNLt_6sc)

Project Idea

Why aren't we forced to recycle? Some country have laws, and get charged fees for putting things in the wrong bins. With the whole government on board, everyone would have to coincide. For those of us that continue to be lazy, the government would make money off of. It would obviously be better for the environment, reduce waste, and pick away at the size of landfills. With this new presence of recycling on the business side, we would need more recycling resources to complete the process. This would create jobs, helping the economy as well. What's stopping us? What would it mean for taxes? Is it probable? How do other countries make it work?

Littering. Because of my last proposal, I wonder how littering is controlled in other countries. What are the fines like? What is litter to them? Do those that have to recycle and separate their trash have less litter? But this could just be something explored within the idea above.

The other issue that has sparked my interest is the grocery store that Sylvia spoke about "Ingredients" although I'm not sure what I could make the story about...

Case Study Materials

Case Study 1: 9/11 and the Iraq War

Feb. 13 (W): Documentary "Buying the War"

http://vimeo.com/33033186

Feb. 15 (F): Watch "Fahrenheit 911"

Readings:
Framing the War on Terror by Reese & Lewis
Ignoring the lessons of 9/11 by Jensen
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/09/09-15

Feb. 20 (W): Debate on "What should the role of the press be in critical times?"

Case Study 2:  Walmart & Starbucks

Readings:
Flattener No. 7: Supply-Chaining -- from The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Introduction and p. 82-112 of China Crisis: The End of Cheap Labor -- from The Price of a Bargain by Gordon Laird

(Mon) Feb. 25: Documentary Mardi Gras: Made in China

(Wed) Feb. 27: Documentary -- China Blue

(Fri) March 1: Guest speaker on India-U.S. relations

(Mon) March 4: Discussion and guest presentation on media framing of Foxconn suicides

(Wed) March 6: Documentary -- Living with Coffee
http://youtu.be/BwYl69VstPw

Presentations:

A) How did U.S. politicians frame the job loss/outsourcing issue?
http://prezi.com/6ckpblqzybch/outsourcing/

B) Debate: Who's responsible for the inequality between workers in the third world and consumers in the first world?

Reading: Chapter 1 "Capitalism: Marvelous, Misunderstood, Maligned" from Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey & Raj Sisodia.

C) Advocacy groups and the Fair Trade movement.

Case Study 3: You Are What You Eat

(Wed) March 20: Documentary -- Soul Food Junkies

Readings: Fast Food Nation -- Introduction and Ch2 (p.42-57 on marketing to children)

Readings: Fast Food Nation -- Ch 5 (Why the Fries Taste Good), Ch 6 (p.139-144 on chicken nuggets and beef), and Afterwords: The meaning of mad cow

Presentations:

A) Is U.S. beef safe?
http://prezi.com/ksu_cdyixwny/is-american-beef-safe/

B) Food-related health issues among Americans: obesity, diabetes, heart disease
http://prezi.com/jm35tlzzfdme/fast-food-fast-profits/

C) In-depth research on a particular type of food as an extension of the readings: Soda

D) Generically modified food

E) Thoughts on Fish

Case Study 4: Sustainability (Food, Energy, & Paper Waste)

(Fri) April 5: Documentary Dive!

Readings:
1. Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill
2. Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy
3. Energy Waste Rebounds: Top 10 Energy Pigs in the Plug

(Fri) April 12: Presentations

A) The American lifestyle and our reliance on petroleum

B) Recycling in the U.S.: Are we doing a good job? (Paper, plastic, or batteries, etc.)

C) UT's energy policy and practice

Obesity in the South

People in the South are not so fat after all -- and they lie less

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/04/people_in_the_south_are_not_so.html#incart_river_default

What a Waste!

I am so glad this documentary exists. I agree 100% with everything Jeremy said. It is up to everyone to tackle this problem, although I agree institutions like grocery stores could make a huge impact. It's such a stupid, yet vastly affective problem, that could be easily changed with a little effort from everyone (considering we are all guilty). I first became interested in this issue when I was 18 years old and a waitress at Carrabba's. One day I asked the manager why we waste so much food and recyclable materials. Day after day, it was astonishing how much we threw away.

One reason they had for not doing away with all this 'waste' in an alternative way was that you must go through the government and deal with an extra tax to have these materials recycled. There is a similar process for giving away restaurant food. Because they are a private institution with original recipes, they must write off the food they give away as charity, rather than a general donation. (I would need to do further research to specifically explain how that works). Yet, they end up paying for this tax and more through the Waste Management and landfill process anyway, as Jeremy pointed out.  So in reality, as Jeremy also pointed out, this is a direct result of laziness and apathy.

I have a second thought. If so little people are bringing this food to the homeless, why not create an effort to educate the homeless, so that they may bring food to themselves? Jeremy dumpster-dives daily and eats very well. If the homeless or those in poverty with hungry families were aware of just how well off they could be following suit, and these institutions are too lazy to make any effort, why not bring their attention to where unexpired, free food is? Jeremy showed Trader Joe's refusal to move their food anywhere but to the trashcan repetitively. I wonder what would happen if he instead used all his  efforts to move the people who need it to the trashcans...

waste and energy

Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill
This paper did a great job identifying the "inefficiencies in the U.S. food system from the farm to the fork to the landfill." By doing this, it is apparent that this is a problem that must be address at every level of the food supply chain in order to gain lasting results. Although the paper did not go into much detail and research, it raised some viable and reasonable solutions that could help the problem.

"Doing so will ultimately require a suite of coordinated solutions, including changes in supply-chain operation, enhanced market incentives, increased public awareness and adjustments in consumer behavior."

Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy

"There’s a vast lack of knowledge, even in business, about how and where energy is consumed."

I think this is the biggest problem. As a country, we are disconnected and uninformed about how things actually work. From expiration dates on food to energy consummation, most people simply do not know what is happening on the base level.

As the article stated, the best thing we could do is create more readily available information and resources for our citizens. At the end of the day, it is a personal lifestyle choice. I believe if we inform citizens from a younger age they will have a better view of how our actions impact our world and earth.

Top 10 Energy Pigs in the Plug
Basically what I got from this article is that we love using energy and sometimes we aren't even aware that we are doing so. Almost every aspect of life as we know it revolves around using energy and to us it is merely plugging in a charger or device into an outlet.

Growing up, my father always unplugged the microwave and televisions between usage and taught my sisters and I to do it also. It is a habit for me now. My sister and I unplug the microwave after each use and use a surge protector for everything in the living room which is turned off/unplugged when it's not in use. While this is normal to me, I understand it isn't convenient for our fast pace lives, but I do think we could all be more mindful about our actions and roles on earth!

Tips for Final Projects

First world problems
http://first-world-problems.com/
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/first-world-problems

First world problems on Twitter
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23firstworldproblems

First world problems in graphics
http://20px.com/blog/2013/04/09/first-world-problems-part-1/#.UWT5fzemz65

First world problems read by third world people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm32ZPvGIYY



Vision of students today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

Vision of Japanese students today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPW4Lawq6d4

Your Mobile Experience Is Not Theirs from cxpartners

Waste not, want not

I like how the documentary provided historical context. Yes, we all know the history of the U.S., but we all forget that the lifestyle was very different back in the day. According to Gunder’s article, Americas waste 50 percent more than they did in the 70s, and I’m sure a much larger percent during the World Wars. So, not only are we stuffing ourselves more, but we’re wasting more. I honestly think people put less value on this likes the environment, food, the value of one dollar and other people. We have detached ourselves so much that empathy no longer moves us to take action.

Obviously, we all need to eat healthier, recycle and reuse. On the larger level, corporations need to be more socially and environmentally responsible. This is one of the reasons why I disagreed with Mackney and Sisodia earlier…They looked at the big picture instead of at the smaller responsibilities. There’s no reason why nice grocery stores shouldn’t be in low-income neighborhoods with just as good quality of food. It is appalling that grocery stores discard food so easily. If anything, they should be sold at discount, given to nonprofits or even out on a table for people to take, especially the homeless. What’s worse is that merchants and buyers buy food based on its prettiness. It should be ok that carrots are crooked.

The environment and energy consumption is a realm that needs help and support by the government. It should be affordable for people to buy environmentally friendly products. Companies and construction should inform consumers of their options and push for such products. Yes, we pay for our utilities, but is it enough money to curb our excessive usage? Should water be so cheap when people take 30 minute showers? There’s no incentive to save when it is cheap and at the flip of a switch.

I can see how we use more energy and power because we certainly have a lot more things to plug into the wall. I wasn’t surprised about most of the items on E Source’s energy-consuming and power-drawing lists, but I was surprised about the hair dryer and fish tank. These two items would not have crossed my mind. I don’t know much about power, energy and cars. But, even hybrid cars need electricity, which usually needs coal, which is a huge polluter in itself. 

Waste in America

Power plugs

I enjoyed going through the slideshow of the top 10 power-sapping plug-ins and realizing that none of these things are things we actually need to get by, even a dishwasher or a a/c unit or space heater. I counted three things I use in my apartment on a weekly basis: the dishwasher, the a/c unit and the microwave oven. But most of the other things I didn't use on a regular basis, but are things I can see the regular American household using, with the execption of the popcorn maker.

Americans wasting $130 billion

I think the point of the article was offset some by the author admitting this was all very boring and that some of the solutions weren't even necesarry to be summed up. But the most interesting point was that it costs more money to save energy. Obviously, as we stand right now, we'd rather save money than take drastic means to save electiricty.

Reducing FoodWaste

My favorite two numbers from the beginning are that half of our country's land is used for food production — that's pretty incredible. And then: 40 percent of the food that's created doesn't go eaten. That's not very good for efficiency, a waste of land, manpower, energy and resources. Of the five listed categories of things we waste, the three least-wasted are things used for cattle while the most-wasted thing is seafood, which I would think we don't have that much control over the reproduction and rearing process, and then fruits and vegetables.

Dive!

Great documentary. First, to prove that dumpster-diving isn't so disgusting (the whole class was grossed out at the beginning) and then that it could help stop hunger in isolated situations. Hopefully high-profile things like this can spur action. 

Energy Readings

How America is Losing up to 40% of its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill

·      The numbers say it all. The amount of food the world wastes is surprising but then again, not so surprising. I think it’s the reality we have come to live in. of course Americans didn’t know the ramifications of their actions when food became an international industry, nor did they intend to be responsible for waste the resources needed for this type of food production. Unfortunately, it is ultimately our responsibility to change the direction of this problem.

Top 10 Energy Pigs in the Plug

·      I had no idea that plug loads accounted for 15% of all residential electricity consumptions and 20% of all commercial consumption. I think it would be good to educate people on this issue, especially in the context of our current economy. I don’t know if this is just me, but my main problem with continually plugging and unplugging devices such as microwaves and T.V.s is that you have to reset the device's information every time. (I may just be technologically inept though!)

Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy

·      I think that though it’s great we have made some progress to lowering energy waste, a big part of the problem is just making sure people understand the consequences of their energy consumption. Like Gunther notes, it’s not as exciting as “electric cars...or solar panels”, but it's equally if not more important. I myself had a hard time understanding the units of measurement in this report, just because I am not familiar with the science behind it. I think it’s important to help people really understand their consumption and inspire people to do something. As with any issue, if enough people got upset, their lawmakers would be more inclined to appease their constituency’s desires. They key to making that happen is by getting people to care.