Holy carp Batman! I did not know that we where so close to being wiped out by an asteroid. Because of the movie industry, asteroids destroying the planet is something that feels more fictional then fact. When seeing that typed into a text book, I actually got scared. When I heard that bombs would do nothing, I got really scared. Then I calmed down when I heard that we could make something that would push asteroids away from the Earth. For some reason I figured we could use lasers to cut the asteroids but then I was told that it would be like pointing a laser pointer at the moon. Right after that I was told that the Earth’s magnetic polars where soon going to change and we would then be blasted with radiation. Good thing we are investing in space research or else we wouldn't know about this stuff and how to prepare ourselves for major disasters. (we just pulled a bunch of money out of space research.)
I heard about this before as a child but at that time I didn’t believe it. There is an actual idea about building an elevator that goes from the ocean floor to the orbit. The idea is to have another way to bring satellites out into orbit. What I would rather see if the elevator being used to also bring unused satellites back down before they cause harm to working satellites. Then again, we could go with the idea of putting in an expiration date code in the satellite that will make the satellite launch itself back into atmosphere and burn up when its use is no longer needed. I actually had that idea sometime ago before reading this and after seeing it commented in the book, I feel a lot better knowing it wasn’t such a stupid idea after all.
Because technology is so prevalent and relevant in the world today, it makes perfect sense that it would be a major topic for artists. The very invention of new technologies is itself an art form, and from there the possibilities are endless; technology enables art that would otherwise be impossible, makes way for societal commentary, and even opens the door to taking things too far and misuse of resources. This subject is really fascinating to me because my medium of choice is traditional film photography, which is about as far from modern technology as you can get. Only recently I have taken baby steps into the world of digital and alternative developing processes but this incredibly minor relative to the advancements in technology and the creations that could result from them. The coolest part of this new phenomenon is that many pieces made play off of reality to give the viewer/user a new way approaching it or to turn it into something fantastical. For example, there is “Sonic City,” an invention of the Swedish Viktoria Institute and RE: FORM Studio, which using sensors contained in a wearable jacket connected to headphones, picks up the urban noises around and processes them in combination with the user’s physical movements and the surrounding activity to create a “personal soundscape” (98). This music can be heard almost instantly and provides a new and incredible experience of simply walking about the street. Another incredible construction is the “Hug Shirt,” developed by Cute Circuits. It enables the wearer to feel the sensation of being hugged. It works utilizing “embedded sensors and electronics in the shirt [that] are able to pick up signals such as a heartbeat and body temperature from a loved one at the other end of a mobile phone. When the sensors process the signal, embedded mechanisms in the shirt re-create the physical pressure and warmth of a real hug” (97). The “carbon-sniffing robot” by Sabrina Raaf is a perfect example of how technology and art can combine, and in this case provide a very useful and safety-ensuring function as well. The robot wanders about a room, stopping every few inches to read the carbon dioxide levels and, armed with a green crayon, marks them on the walls for a grass-like final product.
"Place making" page 259 in world changing.Discusses communites and how peopleneed to work together to make communities. through collaboration and working together is how it is done. people can just live together but, to actually "life" together there is some interaction that needs to be done. People cannot just ignore eachother they need to work together and plan events together and share common activities. There are many ways people can make their own communities- a very community thing is to share public transportation. traveling together can be seen as a bonding experiance, traveling together is very close to almost like living together. People who share common experiances maybe if not even at the same time have more in common and the more you have in common with someone the closer you are brought together to them and one another. In our world today it is not as easy to live together cause through our advancement in electronics there are so many things that we can do that do not involve any interaction with any others. But, that should not be the case- living together should not be any old fashioned idea- it is very much so in the now. -brynn kurlan
Living Well in Compact Spaces. I never thought about the fact that it is good for the environment to live in small spaces, even if they are in big cities. In this chapter it showed different ways in which we could change the way we live so we can live in smaller spaces. They started by talking about the futon, and the beds that come out of the wall in some houses. One way of making more of les was with the Abioto system. This system made use of small areas by stacking as well as compacting what we had. Another way was using organizational boxes and shelves that could be stowed away under beds. A-Z Living units were boxes that could hold full apartment appliances, that way no one would ever have to see your blender, toaster, or any of the other clutter we used to cook everyday. My apartment is super small; I only have enough room for a twin bed, dresser (I don’t have a closet), and a desk. Anything else and I wouldn’t be able to walk into my room. I never really considered using any of these techniques to make my living space better, nor did I think about the fact that this way of living is somewhat eco friendly. One other way that they saved space in this chapter was with a stove that turned into an armchair. Since one doesn’t usually cook and sit at the same time, they said it was a good idea. It sounds like a good way to save space, just like a futon, but at the same time it sounds a bit dangerous for there to be a cushion that hides under your stove while you are cooking your meals.
For this weeks posting I chose to write about the article called "Educating Girls and Empowering Women." This article talks about how people want many things in the world,that they have certain goals and that they want to do anything and everything they could to help this world become a better place. It says that in 2000, the United Nations helped established what is called the Millennium Development Goal. It shows that most of these goals had to do with the human rights of women. It says that we must shift the structure of development to include women, empower them and secure their human rights. The first step in doing this is to educate young girls. The more and earlier a girl is educated, the more likely they are able to hold a better job, and perhaps start her own business. In my opinion, this is the same for everyone, male or female. The more you educate anyone, of course they will be much more likely to succeed as appose to someone who hasn't been educated. I think that women nowadays do have as much rights as men do, they can do anything men are able to do however, they are a little more underestimated than men are. For example, think about the odds of a woman becoming the next president of the United States. Never has a woman ever became president in our history. Why do we think this is?Would you ever vote for a woman? I don't think it's because we feel that woman are uneducated, I think that because it's tradition for a man to be president and that people are afraid of changes.
Last week I read up on "Consuming Responsibly", and so this week I decided to read about "Producer Responsibility"! I feel as though I've held a grudge against producers in general for all that consumerism has come to embody in our society. They ruin our lives! They trick us into buying their shit! They just want our money! Maybe it's this whole eco-friendly trend that's pressuring producers to care more about where their products end up after they've reached their usable limit, and maybe producers only care as long as it saves them money and hikes up profit, but it certainly seems like some companies out there are making an effort. The key to increasing recyclability seems to be easy disassembly. The easier a product is to disassemble, the easier it is to recycle. This is where designers come in! Better design for disassembly, using recyclable material, would help reach the ultimate goal of "the closed loop, in which objects are continuously remade, spiraling upward in quality and harmlessness" (p.119). For example, Hewlett-Packard (HP) has been making hardware that is easily disassembled. But not just that- they also come to your door to pick up old printers and include return mailing packets with their ink cartridges. Doesn't get much easier than that! And the positive effects show: "at last count, the company was flooded with 140 million pounds of cold cartridges and electronics a year." It may not have fixed all the world's problems regarding recycling and waste management, but it's a start. If more companies can learn from models such as HP and provide options for eco-conscious consumers, we can begin to become a society that thrives on reused material instead of a rotting on our own pile of thrown-away trash.
This article opens up with how we as consumers associate ourselves with a company’s brand connotations. A company’s brand has a thoughtfully selected set of signals that tells is what kind of values and style you and the company share. The article also talks about how we as consumers pick products that we often have had a chance to try out, which means that the most attractive brand wins the most customers. It was interesting to me that there are brands such as Mujirushi Ryohin, which means “No brand, good product” in Japanese, and Blackspot, a product creating by antibadnging advocates at Adbusters magazine. They are both still a brand that sells products without the ‘eye candy’ and tries to make it fair, sufficient, and good quality. Blackspot sells plain black canvas shoes with a whitespot where the logo of most shoes would go to. This idea brought up an interesting point. In the world of luxury items versus the world of Walmart branded clothes and products, what is the real big difference? Further throughout the article, it discusses about how costumers prefer more well known or branded products versus a generic one. I know personally if I had to choose a type of clothing between a Walmart branded one versus a Nordstrom branded ones, I would go with the bigger ‘brand.’ To be honest, the reason why I would chose the more well-known brand is because of its guarantee or security. In my reasoning, the reason why the brand got ‘bigger’ was because of its products. People will not continue to buy its products if its level of quality decline, especially because people do not like to waste money or take the risk of trying a less known products. I am not sure if that is the case with things such as food, electricity, or other essentials, but when I see other product brands such as At&t whose slogan says that they ‘cover 95% of all Americans’ they are selling the fact that a lot of other people trust At&t and so they are saying to these people who do not have At&t’s to switch. If this was the case for all brands in all aspect of goods, it must be hard to even start a new brand without proper advertising, but sometimes I wonder, because big products are generally mass produced, will the quality decline eventually?
This week I chose to read “Chinese Cities of the Future” as I was interested in the take they would have on Chinese policies after learning about the huge growth occurring in China currently. In addition, the movie we watched in class that observed a Chinese factory that pumps out manufactured goods by an underpaid staff and people rummaging through broken computers looking for valuable materials gave me a new look at goods in general as well as goods coming from China and recycled goods we send there. Therefore I wanted to see the progressive side of China, and my knowledge of what happens behinds the scenes there will give me a hardened view when reading about new Chinese cities. This chapter starts by telling me the statistics: China is growing rapidly, and if they continue to build for the future population with current methods, they will run out of supplies, resulting in a need for sustainable growth. This is what I believe drives most green building. When looking at our own campus, we have two Leed certified buildings. This is nice, but all new buildings should have this distinction, and this has not been the case over the last few years. The problem is cost. We look at the immediate expense of building sustainably and ignore long-term effects. Luckily, China has looked at future growth with an eye on resource use, and this has lead them to innovative designs, even if much of their economy now is based on unsustainable practices, like massive amounts of coal burning. This inefficient use of energy is planned to change, though. New buildings have very stringent standards, such as saving 65% more energy than previous building codes, and cities had to reduce their total building energy by 50% before this year, and 65% by 2020. It makes me wonder why a country that has been so negligent of its environment for many years can suddenly turn to green building, while our nation that has had environmental activism of several decades continues to simple hope corporations will do the right thing when it comes to harvesting natural resources and energy use. I would like to think that such changes abroad will eventually reach home and turn our consumer society into a sustainable one.
For my World Changing article this week I read an article about education and literacy. The author describes how education leads to sustainability. In order for a country to succeed the people living in the country have to be educated and literate. I was happy to find out how much action is being taken to improve the world’s education. For example there is a One Laptop per Child Plan. In this plan laptops are created for less than a hundred dollars and are being distributed to schools all around the world. Students having laptops enable them to learn more. This is because not only will they get an education from textbooks, but they can read the textbooks on their computer, search the web, and use education programs on their computers. I find it reassuring that educated people are working so hard to make sure people who are not as fortunate as them can have a good education. The most incredible part to me was the fact that these computers would be distributed for free. By giving these computers to countries for free it shows how truly important it is for both adults and children to have an education. Another program created was MIT’s Open Course Ware Website. MIT has created a website where they put over 1,250 courses online. This includes the syllabus, readings, assignments, test, lecture notes, and lecture recordings. Not only is the school posting this all on the web, but also they are posting it for free. This enables people all around the world who cannot afford an education, to take initiative and get one. I really respect this school for doing this because it shows that they are not around to simply make money and educated their students, but they truly care about educating people. However, I feel like there can be negative effects to this website. I think that the negative effect may be the students being upset that they are paying so much money to receive their education, and other people can receive the same education for free.
World Changing for November 1, 2010 Response to “Brands” pg 393-497 I read this section of World Changing to correspond with the themes presenting in Culture Jam for this week’s assigned reading. I was intrigued by Muji and Blackspot especially because they got me thinking about why I might not trust a non-branded item. My mother has never instilled brand loyalty in me or my brother. The only thing she says that she has brand loyalty to is Heinz Ketchup because it has the consistency and taste she prefers most and Playtex Tampons for reasons of personal comfort. Growing up my family generally could not afford brand name foods. Hamburger Helper and home-name brands were something I saw on TV and wanted because I was told that I did but received the cheaper version at my own family dining table. I wonder though, if I would have even noticed that it might not have tasted like the actual Hamburger Helper had I not been told that it was an mimicking brand. There are certain products that I have brand loyalty to because they work. Mostly concealer and foundation make-up brands because I have found what is most likely to cover up the acne marks I am so self-conscious about. When it came to monthly prescriptions I was weary at first of generic brands until I tried them and felt no difference what so ever. I prefer Vans to Converse but that’s mostly an aesthetic appeal, and if I could find the same design in a knock off version of my Vans branded shoes I would have no problem buying the cheaper brand. Brands didn’t become a matter of self-identification for me until middle and high school when American Eagle, Hollister, and Abercrombie and Fitch became so popular. Those brands were out of my price range, much like the upgraded versions, which I consider to be North Face and Blackberry, which most likely had a huge impact on how I viewed them. I detested those who would rather wear a shirt that screamed American Eagle across their chests, convinced that it was merely a way to flaunt their family’s wealth. It was at this same time though, that I realized the power in being someone who didn’t wear these brands, I became aware that people considered my way of dressing to be “different” but “in a charming way” they would clarify. Without meaning to, and with necessity I became unique and it was something I eagerly embraced. I don’t think that brands are always a bad thing though. TOMS Shoes has worked up a wonderful reputation with their line of work. Something that I don’t think would be as possible without the brand name and the attention that is paid to it because their name means something. I’m sure there are other brands as well that are linked with charity to certain organizations that I cannot quite name at this moment, but in those cases I believe that brands to a wonderful thing by allowing the consumer to know they will be contributing to a good cause when purchasing a specific product.
For my World Changing case study I read Tools for Talking, which discussed the avenues available for talking about politics and finding solutions for problems in our world. This is a valuable article because although there is a lot of diversity of opinions at the University of Michigan it primarily comes from one age group. I was interested to find a place where opinions from people from different walks of life and different ages would be present. The article listed successful programs such as the World Café, which holds meetings a range of meetings and after splitting people into smaller groups and then mixing them up after the conversations has gotten interesting. This promotes ideas being cultivated in a controlled environment that can be a platform for problem solving. I have always been curious where one can go to have a successful and meaningful conversation where instead of talking over one another and arguing opinions can be presented in a system where each person has there turn to talk and then each person has a chance to respond to other’s ideas. It is unfortunate that the environment where these interactions are held has to be so orderly, because every time I have tried to have a political conversation it turns into something difficult and strained. Even on television and the news, conversations quickly become argumentative such as on Hardball with Chris Matthews. I would like to see a mature and informative environment for discussing where one can get their ideas out into the world in a positive way.
I chose to read the section on global culture (pg 368) after I was asked today if I was going to study abroad and where would I go? Without even thinking about it I declared Japan. It’s strange that I have grown so attached to a country I have never been to. But that’s the way it is for myself and a few of my friends. I think we have been living up to this idea of broadening our perspectives for a long time. I grew up watching star wars you see. If one remembers the visual look and the iconic Jedi, you realize film that was for the most part samurai in space. As a little Jedi in training with a dad who loved good movies, it wasn’t long before I was watching Akira Kurosawa’s seven samurai. That film is still one of my favorite films of all time. Still during my youthful childhood, my father discovered that the nearby video store had a vhs copy of Wizards. I think that that American movie was the first non-Disney animation that I saw. The effect was important for my upbringing I think. “Wizards” is not really a kids story. It deals with Nazi propaganda and the world after nuclear war. It gave my father some way he could teach me about serious concepts. I quickly fell in love with animations after it. This lead to me discovering Japanese anime (though I didn’t know it at the time) Like Hayao Miyazaki’s “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” But it also opened the flood gates to both more mature works as well. I for the longest time saw no difference between something being from Japan and something from America. And truthfully I still don’t. Good films come from both countries and themes are universal. I think that this is why in the end I am choosing to study in japan. It was the first country that made me a global person and I have never dismissed a film because of where it came from because of that.
For this week's World Changing, I decided to write about the article "Neobiological Industry," (109). I completely agree with the statement made on page 110 that "recycling as we know it will never solve our massive waste problem." 100% recycling is a near-impossible goal, and so more and more materials must be mined and processed to fit our growing needs (and wants). I was also intrigued by the idea of 'closed-loop' manufacturing, where products are designed to be used numerous times over, or no 'waste' is generated. However, I feel that this is something big companies will not favor. Business rely on the mortality and planned obselescence of their products to drive a continuing product. If they design something that can be used 100 times over before needing to purchase another, they lose their consumer base, losing money. I also liked the idea of hydrogen-producing algae. I think that hydrogen fuel is something that will have to be implemented on a large scale in the not-so-distant future, and this seems like a very viable option. We are hard-pressed to find ways to create clean energy, without the use of fossil fuels throughout the process.
This week I wrote about the World Changing article “Place-making”. The article dealt with how to develop specifically an urban setting to best create a universal sense of place. This type of thinking comes into play when developing cities. Where do you put green space, how do you layout the housing? These types of decisions determine what we think of a city. My hometown for example is a six by six mile block of subdivisions. We do not have a dowtown and the parks are mainly unincorporated into the town as a whole. I have always felt I don’t have a sense of real connections with the town or even the people in it. I think this is why I have always found small towns so enticing and big cities so enthralling; in these places there is character and different personalities to the places. Another aspect this reading delt with was finding issues that promote change and bond people. We feel closest to people when we know we are fighting for the same thing. For instance, the article talks about how the Straphangers Campaign united New Yorkers riding the city subway system to get a better subway system. New Yorkers with their busy lives don’t feel the need to stop and get to know strangers, but with a common interest they feel united with the strangers around them and therefore a sense of community evolves. “A well-designed neighborhood keeps us from wanting to retreat to the safety of our isolated homes.”
Charting the Deep Oceans: The most interesting fact that stuck out to me in this World Changing section was that phytoplankton produces roughly half of the atmosphere’s oxygen. The other shocking – more frightening than shocking – is that phytoplankton do not feed and breed as well in heat. Global warming is demonstrating this as it heats up the ocean. If phytoplankton starts losing this game of survival, so will the rest of us. Not only is phytoplankton at the very bottom of the food chain in the ocean, but it also produces a large portion of oxygen for the rest of us land animals. Another way oceanographers are discovering the direct effects of global warming is through coral reefs. Coral reefs become bleached and are quickly killed off if introduced to warmer temperatures than it is used to. Increased carbon dioxide from pollutants in the ocean can also make a coral reef brittle and clearly more acidic. Both of these reactions by coral reefs are showing up in our oceans. Apparently coral reefs can somewhat easily be restored and scientists are attempting to come up with other ways besides dropping oil platforms into the ocean. However, it was warned in this section that if the way pollutants are being dropped into the ocean continues as is, coral reefs will become extinct by the middle of this century. Anther fact that caught my attention is that it has been determined that “one quarter of all fish stocks are nearing extinction.” In other words, we are in the middle of a very serious problem and if pollutants do not stop being tossed off into our oceans, we may as well soon not have any ocean life left.
On the article discussing sustainable meat and fish, I am torn between both sides of the argument. I understand that free- range animals tend to be less fatty, and are typically in better health than those, which are kept in cages for their entire lives, and hardly have room to turn around. On the other side, I also understand that with the huge demand for meat and fish, food producers and distributers have added stress on their operations, and therefore must utilize such poor conditions in order to make sure that they still make a profit on their product. I believe that the solutions to this problem, is that the number of people and organizations that raise animals and fish must increase, so that the conditions in which the animals are held can improve. By reducing the stress on the existing producers and distributers, conditions would be able to be improved greatly. In the event that the living conditions for animals and fish were to improve, then they would most likely be in better health, and get sick less frequently. This would mean that farmers could reduce the amount of antibiotics that are fed to the animals, which would benefit both the animals, and the people consuming the animals. While I believe that organic is a good idea, I fail to understand how someone can completely cast away the idea of using antibiotics, which have prolonged life, along with the quality of life. I my opinion, the amount of antibiotics that are fed to animals should be reduced to the point that they are only used when an animal is sick. By increasing the number of people that raise the animals, and distribute the meat, antibiotic use can decrease and the conditions in which the animals live can improve.
When thinking of the Bangladesh children that were assembling oil in the Landscape movie Joe showed us last week, I was inspired to read about other culture for this week's assignment. I read about the Nigerians and what they call "Nollywood" a mergence of their home-grown film industry that has outpace many global film industries world-wide, states the author. Nigerians are using this industry to portray a certain identity, while also saving money and resources. These films are made under the amount of fifteen thousand dollars to the expense of being made within three weeks, says the author. In comparison to the average film in America, in some cases, accumulates to nearly a million dollars. This is a great way to save money and use what is provided to you. I think this shows that the Nigerians, as well as other people who are content with their lifestyles, are very appreciative of things, which cuts out a need for mass production and limits the amount of consumption. Whereas Americans, being very greedy and dissatisfied, have grown to be seduced by the media’s wiles and forcing them to purchase things that are seen in Ads. Regardless of our cultural differences, film helps us to understand each other and see a glimpse of a life that may be so differently impacted. Filming has this amazing functionality to it that it allows so much freedom and can be very life changing depending on the context of what is being filmed.
The Solar System: Greens in Space p529
ReplyDeleteHoly carp Batman! I did not know that we where so close to being wiped out by an asteroid. Because of the movie industry, asteroids destroying the planet is something that feels more fictional then fact. When seeing that typed into a text book, I actually got scared. When I heard that bombs would do nothing, I got really scared. Then I calmed down when I heard that we could make something that would push asteroids away from the Earth. For some reason I figured we could use lasers to cut the asteroids but then I was told that it would be like pointing a laser pointer at the moon. Right after that I was told that the Earth’s magnetic polars where soon going to change and we would then be blasted with radiation. Good thing we are investing in space research or else we wouldn't know about this stuff and how to prepare ourselves for major disasters. (we just pulled a bunch of money out of space research.)
I heard about this before as a child but at that time I didn’t believe it. There is an actual idea about building an elevator that goes from the ocean floor to the orbit. The idea is to have another way to bring satellites out into orbit. What I would rather see if the elevator being used to also bring unused satellites back down before they cause harm to working satellites. Then again, we could go with the idea of putting in an expiration date code in the satellite that will make the satellite launch itself back into atmosphere and burn up when its use is no longer needed. I actually had that idea sometime ago before reading this and after seeing it commented in the book, I feel a lot better knowing it wasn’t such a stupid idea after all.
Art Meets Technology, page 96-99
ReplyDeleteBecause technology is so prevalent and relevant in the world today, it makes perfect sense that it would be a major topic for artists. The very invention of new technologies is itself an art form, and from there the possibilities are endless; technology enables art that would otherwise be impossible, makes way for societal commentary, and even opens the door to taking things too far and misuse of resources. This subject is really fascinating to me because my medium of choice is traditional film photography, which is about as far from modern technology as you can get. Only recently I have taken baby steps into the world of digital and alternative developing processes but this incredibly minor relative to the advancements in technology and the creations that could result from them.
The coolest part of this new phenomenon is that many pieces made play off of reality to give the viewer/user a new way approaching it or to turn it into something fantastical. For example, there is “Sonic City,” an invention of the Swedish Viktoria Institute and RE: FORM Studio, which using sensors contained in a wearable jacket connected to headphones, picks up the urban noises around and processes them in combination with the user’s physical movements and the surrounding activity to create a “personal soundscape” (98). This music can be heard almost instantly and provides a new and incredible experience of simply walking about the street. Another incredible construction is the “Hug Shirt,” developed by Cute Circuits. It enables the wearer to feel the sensation of being hugged. It works utilizing “embedded sensors and electronics in the shirt [that] are able to pick up signals such as a heartbeat and body temperature from a loved one at the other end of a mobile phone. When the sensors process the signal, embedded mechanisms in the shirt re-create the physical pressure and warmth of a real hug” (97).
The “carbon-sniffing robot” by Sabrina Raaf is a perfect example of how technology and art can combine, and in this case provide a very useful and safety-ensuring function as well. The robot wanders about a room, stopping every few inches to read the carbon dioxide levels and, armed with a green crayon, marks them on the walls for a grass-like final product.
"Place making" page 259 in world changing.Discusses communites and how peopleneed to work together to make communities. through collaboration and working together is how it is done. people can just live together but, to actually "life" together there is some interaction that needs to be done. People cannot just ignore eachother they need to work together and plan events together and share common activities. There are many ways people can make their own communities- a very community thing is to share public transportation. traveling together can be seen as a bonding experiance, traveling together is very close to almost like living together.
ReplyDeletePeople who share common experiances maybe if not even at the same time have more in common and the more you have in common with someone the closer you are brought together to them and one another. In our world today it is not as easy to live together cause through our advancement in electronics there are so many things that we can do that do not involve any interaction with any others. But, that should not be the case- living together should not be any old fashioned idea- it is very much so in the now. -brynn kurlan
Living Well in Compact Spaces.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about the fact that it is good for the environment to live in small spaces, even if they are in big cities. In this chapter it showed different ways in which we could change the way we live so we can live in smaller spaces. They started by talking about the futon, and the beds that come out of the wall in some houses. One way of making more of les was with the Abioto system. This system made use of small areas by stacking as well as compacting what we had. Another way was using organizational boxes and shelves that could be stowed away under beds. A-Z Living units were boxes that could hold full apartment appliances, that way no one would ever have to see your blender, toaster, or any of the other clutter we used to cook everyday.
My apartment is super small; I only have enough room for a twin bed, dresser (I don’t have a closet), and a desk. Anything else and I wouldn’t be able to walk into my room. I never really considered using any of these techniques to make my living space better, nor did I think about the fact that this way of living is somewhat eco friendly.
One other way that they saved space in this chapter was with a stove that turned into an armchair. Since one doesn’t usually cook and sit at the same time, they said it was a good idea. It sounds like a good way to save space, just like a futon, but at the same time it sounds a bit dangerous for there to be a cushion that hides under your stove while you are cooking your meals.
For this weeks posting I chose to write about the article called "Educating Girls and Empowering Women." This article talks about how people want many things in the world,that they have certain goals and that they want to do anything and everything they could to help this world become a better place. It says that in 2000, the United Nations helped established what is called the Millennium Development Goal. It shows that most of these goals had to do with the human rights of women. It says that we must shift the structure of development to include women, empower them and secure their human rights. The first step in doing this is to educate young girls. The more and earlier a girl is educated, the more likely they are able to hold a better job, and perhaps start her own business. In my opinion, this is the same for everyone, male or female. The more you educate anyone, of course they will be much more likely to succeed as appose to someone who hasn't been educated. I think that women nowadays do have as much rights as men do, they can do anything men are able to do however, they are a little more underestimated than men are. For example, think about the odds of a woman becoming the next president of the United States. Never has a woman ever became president in our history. Why do we think this is?Would you ever vote for a woman? I don't think it's because we feel that woman are uneducated, I think that because it's tradition for a man to be president and that people are afraid of changes.
ReplyDeleteLast week I read up on "Consuming Responsibly", and so this week I decided to read about "Producer Responsibility"! I feel as though I've held a grudge against producers in general for all that consumerism has come to embody in our society. They ruin our lives! They trick us into buying their shit! They just want our money! Maybe it's this whole eco-friendly trend that's pressuring producers to care more about where their products end up after they've reached their usable limit, and maybe producers only care as long as it saves them money and hikes up profit, but it certainly seems like some companies out there are making an effort. The key to increasing recyclability seems to be easy disassembly. The easier a product is to disassemble, the easier it is to recycle. This is where designers come in! Better design for disassembly, using recyclable material, would help reach the ultimate goal of "the closed loop, in which objects are continuously remade, spiraling upward in quality and harmlessness" (p.119). For example, Hewlett-Packard (HP) has been making hardware that is easily disassembled. But not just that- they also come to your door to pick up old printers and include return mailing packets with their ink cartridges. Doesn't get much easier than that! And the positive effects show: "at last count, the company was flooded with 140 million pounds of cold cartridges and electronics a year." It may not have fixed all the world's problems regarding recycling and waste management, but it's a start. If more companies can learn from models such as HP and provide options for eco-conscious consumers, we can begin to become a society that thrives on reused material instead of a rotting on our own pile of thrown-away trash.
ReplyDeleteBrands
ReplyDeletePg. 393
This article opens up with how we as consumers associate ourselves with a company’s brand connotations. A company’s brand has a thoughtfully selected set of signals that tells is what kind of values and style you and the company share. The article also talks about how we as consumers pick products that we often have had a chance to try out, which means that the most attractive brand wins the most customers.
It was interesting to me that there are brands such as Mujirushi Ryohin, which means “No brand, good product” in Japanese, and Blackspot, a product creating by antibadnging advocates at Adbusters magazine. They are both still a brand that sells products without the ‘eye candy’ and tries to make it fair, sufficient, and good quality. Blackspot sells plain black canvas shoes with a whitespot where the logo of most shoes would go to. This idea brought up an interesting point. In the world of luxury items versus the world of Walmart branded clothes and products, what is the real big difference?
Further throughout the article, it discusses about how costumers prefer more well known or branded products versus a generic one. I know personally if I had to choose a type of clothing between a Walmart branded one versus a Nordstrom branded ones, I would go with the bigger ‘brand.’ To be honest, the reason why I would chose the more well-known brand is because of its guarantee or security. In my reasoning, the reason why the brand got ‘bigger’ was because of its products. People will not continue to buy its products if its level of quality decline, especially because people do not like to waste money or take the risk of trying a less known products. I am not sure if that is the case with things such as food, electricity, or other essentials, but when I see other product brands such as At&t whose slogan says that they ‘cover 95% of all Americans’ they are selling the fact that a lot of other people trust At&t and so they are saying to these people who do not have At&t’s to switch. If this was the case for all brands in all aspect of goods, it must be hard to even start a new brand without proper advertising, but sometimes I wonder, because big products are generally mass produced, will the quality decline eventually?
This week I chose to read “Chinese Cities of the Future” as I was interested in the take they would have on Chinese policies after learning about the huge growth occurring in China currently. In addition, the movie we watched in class that observed a Chinese factory that pumps out manufactured goods by an underpaid staff and people rummaging through broken computers looking for valuable materials gave me a new look at goods in general as well as goods coming from China and recycled goods we send there. Therefore I wanted to see the progressive side of China, and my knowledge of what happens behinds the scenes there will give me a hardened view when reading about new Chinese cities.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter starts by telling me the statistics: China is growing rapidly, and if they continue to build for the future population with current methods, they will run out of supplies, resulting in a need for sustainable growth. This is what I believe drives most green building. When looking at our own campus, we have two Leed certified buildings. This is nice, but all new buildings should have this distinction, and this has not been the case over the last few years. The problem is cost. We look at the immediate expense of building sustainably and ignore long-term effects. Luckily, China has looked at future growth with an eye on resource use, and this has lead them to innovative designs, even if much of their economy now is based on unsustainable practices, like massive amounts of coal burning. This inefficient use of energy is planned to change, though. New buildings have very stringent standards, such as saving 65% more energy than previous building codes, and cities had to reduce their total building energy by 50% before this year, and 65% by 2020. It makes me wonder why a country that has been so negligent of its environment for many years can suddenly turn to green building, while our nation that has had environmental activism of several decades continues to simple hope corporations will do the right thing when it comes to harvesting natural resources and energy use. I would like to think that such changes abroad will eventually reach home and turn our consumer society into a sustainable one.
For my World Changing article this week I read an article about education and literacy. The author describes how education leads to sustainability. In order for a country to succeed the people living in the country have to be educated and literate. I was happy to find out how much action is being taken to improve the world’s education. For example there is a One Laptop per Child Plan. In this plan laptops are created for less than a hundred dollars and are being distributed to schools all around the world. Students having laptops enable them to learn more. This is because not only will they get an education from textbooks, but they can read the textbooks on their computer, search the web, and use education programs on their computers. I find it reassuring that educated people are working so hard to make sure people who are not as fortunate as them can have a good education. The most incredible part to me was the fact that these computers would be distributed for free. By giving these computers to countries for free it shows how truly important it is for both adults and children to have an education. Another program created was MIT’s Open Course Ware Website. MIT has created a website where they put over 1,250 courses online. This includes the syllabus, readings, assignments, test, lecture notes, and lecture recordings. Not only is the school posting this all on the web, but also they are posting it for free. This enables people all around the world who cannot afford an education, to take initiative and get one. I really respect this school for doing this because it shows that they are not around to simply make money and educated their students, but they truly care about educating people. However, I feel like there can be negative effects to this website. I think that the negative effect may be the students being upset that they are paying so much money to receive their education, and other people can receive the same education for free.
ReplyDeleteWorld Changing for November 1, 2010
ReplyDeleteResponse to “Brands” pg 393-497
I read this section of World Changing to correspond with the themes presenting in Culture Jam for this week’s assigned reading. I was intrigued by Muji and Blackspot especially because they got me thinking about why I might not trust a non-branded item. My mother has never instilled brand loyalty in me or my brother. The only thing she says that she has brand loyalty to is Heinz Ketchup because it has the consistency and taste she prefers most and Playtex Tampons for reasons of personal comfort. Growing up my family generally could not afford brand name foods. Hamburger Helper and home-name brands were something I saw on TV and wanted because I was told that I did but received the cheaper version at my own family dining table.
I wonder though, if I would have even noticed that it might not have tasted like the actual Hamburger Helper had I not been told that it was an mimicking brand. There are certain products that I have brand loyalty to because they work. Mostly concealer and foundation make-up brands because I have found what is most likely to cover up the acne marks I am so self-conscious about. When it came to monthly prescriptions I was weary at first of generic brands until I tried them and felt no difference what so ever. I prefer Vans to Converse but that’s mostly an aesthetic appeal, and if I could find the same design in a knock off version of my Vans branded shoes I would have no problem buying the cheaper brand.
Brands didn’t become a matter of self-identification for me until middle and high school when American Eagle, Hollister, and Abercrombie and Fitch became so popular. Those brands were out of my price range, much like the upgraded versions, which I consider to be North Face and Blackberry, which most likely had a huge impact on how I viewed them. I detested those who would rather wear a shirt that screamed American Eagle across their chests, convinced that it was merely a way to flaunt their family’s wealth. It was at this same time though, that I realized the power in being someone who didn’t wear these brands, I became aware that people considered my way of dressing to be “different” but “in a charming way” they would clarify. Without meaning to, and with necessity I became unique and it was something I eagerly embraced.
I don’t think that brands are always a bad thing though. TOMS Shoes has worked up a wonderful reputation with their line of work. Something that I don’t think would be as possible without the brand name and the attention that is paid to it because their name means something. I’m sure there are other brands as well that are linked with charity to certain organizations that I cannot quite name at this moment, but in those cases I believe that brands to a wonderful thing by allowing the consumer to know they will be contributing to a good cause when purchasing a specific product.
For my World Changing case study I read Tools for Talking, which discussed the avenues available for talking about politics and finding solutions for problems in our world. This is a valuable article because although there is a lot of diversity of opinions at the University of Michigan it primarily comes from one age group. I was interested to find a place where opinions from people from different walks of life and different ages would be present. The article listed successful programs such as the World Café, which holds meetings a range of meetings and after splitting people into smaller groups and then mixing them up after the conversations has gotten interesting. This promotes ideas being cultivated in a controlled environment that can be a platform for problem solving. I have always been curious where one can go to have a successful and meaningful conversation where instead of talking over one another and arguing opinions can be presented in a system where each person has there turn to talk and then each person has a chance to respond to other’s ideas. It is unfortunate that the environment where these interactions are held has to be so orderly, because every time I have tried to have a political conversation it turns into something difficult and strained. Even on television and the news, conversations quickly become argumentative such as on Hardball with Chris Matthews. I would like to see a mature and informative environment for discussing where one can get their ideas out into the world in a positive way.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read the section on global culture (pg 368) after I was asked today if I was going to study abroad and where would I go? Without even thinking about it I declared Japan. It’s strange that I have grown so attached to a country I have never been to. But that’s the way it is for myself and a few of my friends. I think we have been living up to this idea of broadening our perspectives for a long time. I grew up watching star wars you see. If one remembers the visual look and the iconic Jedi, you realize film that was for the most part samurai in space. As a little Jedi in training with a dad who loved good movies, it wasn’t long before I was watching Akira Kurosawa’s seven samurai. That film is still one of my favorite films of all time. Still during my youthful childhood, my father discovered that the nearby video store had a vhs copy of Wizards. I think that that American movie was the first non-Disney animation that I saw. The effect was important for my upbringing I think. “Wizards” is not really a kids story. It deals with Nazi propaganda and the world after nuclear war. It gave my father some way he could teach me about serious concepts. I quickly fell in love with animations after it. This lead to me discovering Japanese anime (though I didn’t know it at the time) Like Hayao Miyazaki’s “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” But it also opened the flood gates to both more mature works as well. I for the longest time saw no difference between something being from Japan and something from America. And truthfully I still don’t. Good films come from both countries and themes are universal. I think that this is why in the end I am choosing to study in japan. It was the first country that made me a global person and I have never dismissed a film because of where it came from because of that.
ReplyDeleteFor this week's World Changing, I decided to write about the article "Neobiological Industry," (109). I completely agree with the statement made on page 110 that "recycling as we know it will never solve our massive waste problem." 100% recycling is a near-impossible goal, and so more and more materials must be mined and processed to fit our growing needs (and wants). I was also intrigued by the idea of 'closed-loop' manufacturing, where products are designed to be used numerous times over, or no 'waste' is generated. However, I feel that this is something big companies will not favor. Business rely on the mortality and planned obselescence of their products to drive a continuing product. If they design something that can be used 100 times over before needing to purchase another, they lose their consumer base, losing money.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the idea of hydrogen-producing algae. I think that hydrogen fuel is something that will have to be implemented on a large scale in the not-so-distant future, and this seems like a very viable option. We are hard-pressed to find ways to create clean energy, without the use of fossil fuels throughout the process.
This week I wrote about the World Changing article “Place-making”. The article dealt with how to develop specifically an urban setting to best create a universal sense of place. This type of thinking comes into play when developing cities. Where do you put green space, how do you layout the housing? These types of decisions determine what we think of a city. My hometown for example is a six by six mile block of subdivisions. We do not have a dowtown and the parks are mainly unincorporated into the town as a whole. I have always felt I don’t have a sense of real connections with the town or even the people in it. I think this is why I have always found small towns so enticing and big cities so enthralling; in these places there is character and different personalities to the places. Another aspect this reading delt with was finding issues that promote change and bond people. We feel closest to people when we know we are fighting for the same thing. For instance, the article talks about how the Straphangers Campaign united New Yorkers riding the city subway system to get a better subway system. New Yorkers with their busy lives don’t feel the need to stop and get to know strangers, but with a common interest they feel united with the strangers around them and therefore a sense of community evolves. “A well-designed neighborhood keeps us from wanting to retreat to the safety of our isolated homes.”
ReplyDeleteCharting the Deep Oceans:
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting fact that stuck out to me in this World Changing section was that phytoplankton produces roughly half of the atmosphere’s oxygen. The other shocking – more frightening than shocking – is that phytoplankton do not feed and breed as well in heat. Global warming is demonstrating this as it heats up the ocean. If phytoplankton starts losing this game of survival, so will the rest of us. Not only is phytoplankton at the very bottom of the food chain in the ocean, but it also produces a large portion of oxygen for the rest of us land animals. Another way oceanographers are discovering the direct effects of global warming is through coral reefs. Coral reefs become bleached and are quickly killed off if introduced to warmer temperatures than it is used to. Increased carbon dioxide from pollutants in the ocean can also make a coral reef brittle and clearly more acidic. Both of these reactions by coral reefs are showing up in our oceans. Apparently coral reefs can somewhat easily be restored and scientists are attempting to come up with other ways besides dropping oil platforms into the ocean. However, it was warned in this section that if the way pollutants are being dropped into the ocean continues as is, coral reefs will become extinct by the middle of this century.
Anther fact that caught my attention is that it has been determined that “one quarter of all fish stocks are nearing extinction.” In other words, we are in the middle of a very serious problem and if pollutants do not stop being tossed off into our oceans, we may as well soon not have any ocean life left.
On the article discussing sustainable meat and fish, I am torn between both sides of the argument. I understand that free- range animals tend to be less fatty, and are typically in better health than those, which are kept in cages for their entire lives, and hardly have room to turn around. On the other side, I also understand that with the huge demand for meat and fish, food producers and distributers have added stress on their operations, and therefore must utilize such poor conditions in order to make sure that they still make a profit on their product. I believe that the solutions to this problem, is that the number of people and organizations that raise animals and fish must increase, so that the conditions in which the animals are held can improve. By reducing the stress on the existing producers and distributers, conditions would be able to be improved greatly. In the event that the living conditions for animals and fish were to improve, then they would most likely be in better health, and get sick less frequently. This would mean that farmers could reduce the amount of antibiotics that are fed to the animals, which would benefit both the animals, and the people consuming the animals. While I believe that organic is a good idea, I fail to understand how someone can completely cast away the idea of using antibiotics, which have prolonged life, along with the quality of life. I my opinion, the amount of antibiotics that are fed to animals should be reduced to the point that they are only used when an animal is sick. By increasing the number of people that raise the animals, and distribute the meat, antibiotic use can decrease and the conditions in which the animals live can improve.
ReplyDeleteGlobal Culture
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking of the Bangladesh children that were assembling oil in the Landscape movie Joe showed us last week, I was inspired to read about other culture for this week's assignment. I read about the Nigerians and what they call "Nollywood" a mergence of their home-grown film industry that has outpace many global film industries world-wide, states the author. Nigerians are using this industry to portray a certain identity, while also saving money and resources. These films are made under the amount of fifteen thousand dollars to the expense of being made within three weeks, says the author. In comparison to the average film in America, in some cases, accumulates to nearly a million dollars.
This is a great way to save money and use what is provided to you. I think this shows that the Nigerians, as well as other people who are content with their lifestyles, are very appreciative of things, which cuts out a need for mass production and limits the amount of consumption. Whereas Americans, being very greedy and dissatisfied, have grown to be seduced by the media’s wiles and forcing them to purchase things that are seen in Ads.
Regardless of our cultural differences, film helps us to understand each other and see a glimpse of a life that may be so differently impacted. Filming has this amazing functionality to it that it allows so much freedom and can be very life changing depending on the context of what is being filmed.