Question 1: The book talks about some people might choose to be a vegetarian to rid themselves of harmful ingredients that might go into the production of animals, but even on that note, we still don’t truly know what goes on in the production of the vegetables and fruits either. Would you as a consumer be alright with the fact that some of the produce you buy might have harmful ingredients in them or would you be more prone to trying to better your well-being and grow your own produce?
Question 2: Within the Five Guiding Principles portion on pg.181, large companies like Nike are wanting to become more eco-friendly by creating non-toxin ways of tanning leather and a new rubber compound that can become a biological nutrient to the earth oppose to being a threat. What other large companies should really jump on the eco-friendly path? What should they change? How should they change things? Would this change make you switch between two competing companies?
Question 3: Bill Ford’s design team made an effort to “create healthy soil” around the plant of the River Rouge, and his team did so by using not more chemicals, but exploring the use of phtyoremediation and mycroremediation. What other large plants across the US do not think about their contanimated soil and should they be forced to clean up their soil with these new innovative methods? If you lived in the same town as a plant such as the River Rouge, would you petition for this plant to clean up their soil? Do you support these new methods of creating healthy soil and do you think it will work in the long run?
February 28, 2009 at 2:28 am
In response to question one, I feel some people think that just because they are not eating meat they are doing better for the environment and for themselves. However, that is not always the case. Like the book said and research has shown, there are many harmful products for both the consumer and the environment used in the production of produce. Organic produce is a step in the right direction, not using chemicals in the production, however lots of people don’t want to spend the extra money to buy organic produce. Personal I don’t think about the chemicals that could be lingering on the skin of the produce I eat, but I do always try and wash the produce before eating it. This is the case with probably a lot of people, they just don’t realize that there can be many harmful chemicals for the consumer and environment on the skin of produce. This past summer, I grew 3 tomato plants, 2 pepper plants, and a zucchini plant. It was satisfying being able to eat the produce I grew. However it takes a lot of work and time to grow any produce, so that limits people to having their own garden. Also a lot of people don’t have a yard to keep a garden, but even growing some plants or herbs in your windowsill is a good step. At school it is hard for me to keep produce plants, because of the limited amount of space, however I would like to be able to grow my own produce, not just for the benefit of the environment, but it says money, and is satisfying knowing where the produce grew, how is grew, etc.
March 1, 2009 at 6:27 am
In response to question one, as a consumer, I wouldn’t be alright with the fact that some of the produce I buy might have harmful ingredients in them because harmful ingredients in the food destroy health. But there are thousands of FDA-approved brand-name grocery products that are contaminated with toxic and dangerous ingredients. I would read the ingredients label when I buy the produce. And avoid of buying processed foods, which are filled with additives and stripped of nutrients. I agree with Sarah, organic foods is a step in the right direction. If I can’t afford those pricey produce, I would grow my own produce. Since not everyone have their own garden, I hope there are some places or farms that can lend a small land for us to grow your own produce.
March 1, 2009 at 5:09 pm
When it comes to question one I know that I would be alright with consuming certain produce that may have harmful chemicals in them and I know that other people are too. It is convenient to buy our food at the grocery store and it is easy for us to not have to think about where our food comes from and what goes into it. Most people do not have the time or means to grow a garden that could sustain them and often do not know or think about going to a farmer’s market. I do not like that there are harmful things in our food but I have not noticed any harm done to me so it is unfortunately not a top concern for me and I think this goes for everyone else as well. Right now it seems like the best I can do is avoid some processed foods because I do not have a place or the time to grow a garden.
March 1, 2009 at 6:20 pm
I agree with Katrina. I mean, to a certain extent, we are not alright with the produce having harmful chemicals in them, but most of us can’t afford organic and don’t have the means of planting a garden. For me, personally, I would like to someday have a garden, but that is hard living in an apartment complex.
For question number 2, I think any big company should change to being more eco-friendly. I mean, imagine if Wal-Mart or Target only offered eco-friendly products? Sure, it would be more expensive, but it would be more readily available for people (so they wouldn’t have to go out of their way to look for eco-friendly products).
March 1, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I have to comment on question three, if I lived in the same town as a big plant that was creating harmful materials, I probably wouldn’t petition, but I would try to find a way to help the plant instead of causing a big up roar that would be annoying. If I and many others could come together in a helping manner and contact the plant about wanting to help them clean up their facility, then I think that would have a more positive effect for everyone. I feel if some people petition, then the company might be less willing to participate. I do support the efforts of the better soil, and hopefully if many companies can get on the same page it might really pay off in the long run.
In response to question one, I have to agree with Katrina, yes it would be beneficial to grow and consume produce that we have had control over and know what we used on them, but the connivence of the store bought produce seems to out weigh the potentially harmful products that may have gone into growing them. Don’t get me wrong, the tomatoes my grandfather used to grow looked great, but with the time and effort put into them, it is a lot easier to just go buy some at the store. I would like to have a garden too, like Amber said, but maybe once I retire and can have more time to look after it when I am not sitting at Bojangles at 5:30 in the morning with all my blue-haired friends.
March 1, 2009 at 11:14 pm
In response to question 1: As a lot of you have pointed out, there is an issue of convenience when it comes to growing your own garden of produce while living in a populated area like an apartment complex. Not only is it difficult for college students to find the time to grow their own gardens because of their heavy work loads, but it is often hard to find the space and resources for growing fresh produce. As long as I can remember, my dad has always kept a large garden with fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, peas, green beans, silver queen corn, collards, basil, tomatoes, spinach, butter-crunch lettuce, butter beans, and much more. He has always told me how rewarding it is to put a seed in the ground and watch that grow into an entire meal, plus it’s free! I would also love to grow my own garden when I have the accommodations for it, simply because I have been lucky enough to experience the difference (in taste and quality) between freshly grown and processed/store-bought produce. There is definitely something comforting about knowing exactly what when into producing the food you are eating because it was freshly picked right off your own land. Although it may be extremely rewarding to be able to grow all your own produce knowing it is free of harmful ingredients, I feel like it is virtually impossible to do in the modern age. My mom was talking about a book she read for her book club about a couple who produced ALL of their food from their farm, without buying anything from the store for an entire year. It was not surprising when she told me the amount of effort required for such a difficult goal.
Addressing question 2, I think that it would be in the best interest of car companies to take serious action in creating more environmentally friendly vehicles. I have noticed that car commercials have focused their advertising on the aspects of their products such as quality gas mileage. I think that even in the next ten years car design will have changed so drastically, the familiar fuel-powered vehicle will be a thing of the past.
March 2, 2009 at 3:26 am
At this point in my life, like Katrina, I dont have the resources to grow my own produce. However, hopefully I would be able to do that in the future. As Claire stated, I would think that after you put a little seed into the ground and watched that seed grow into a plant then onto your kitchen table, would be one of the most rewarding feelings in itself. Instead of growing my own produce now, when the season comes for farmers markets I will plan in going shopping there. At the same time, it doesn’t bother me too much as of now that there are chemicals. If there were to be a time that the levels of chemicals were to increase to a rate that they are threatening, I would almost be forced to grow my own produce.
March 2, 2009 at 4:24 am
In response to question 1 I would definitely grow my own produce if I had the space to do it. The life (and living space) of a college student is not very conducive to keeping a garden. That said, even though there are chemicals in many fruits and vegetables, that does not rule them out as being a step up from some animal products. At the very least eating vegetarian uses less resources than does eating animal products as it doesn’t require the additional effort of keeping animals alive. Also animal products contain additives and chemicals as well, so the fact that produce contains these does not necessarily make them less healthy than eating meat, just not quite as superior.
March 2, 2009 at 5:29 am
1. I don’t buy organic food because of the expense. This issue has never been a big concern for me. Vegetables I eat are either from my parents garden or store can. It does make me wonder that these chemicals could increase chances of having cancer or cardiovascular disease. I do know that organic food has more nutrients and good for the environment. I might consider going organic, especially if I have my own family. I don’t think I would have the time to work in a garden. I bet organic food prices will go down in the future.
2. Apple and microsoft need to create environmental friendly computers because computers have a lot toxic chemicals. I found this resource, http://blog.greenmachineshop.com/25/environmentally-friendly-computers-and-chemical-sensitivities/. I start to yawn a lot after working on the computer for a long time. It could be me being tired. This site says that symptoms could range from “almost nothing”, “a tad more tired” in the evening after working a day in front of the computer.” Sometimes my nose will run too.
March 2, 2009 at 5:41 am
In response to question 1: I definitely agree that growing your own garden can be somewhat of a struggle. My dad like Claire’s has always kept a garden and it is something that I grew up with, and I must that the produce from that garden was ten times better than any vegetable we ever bought at the store. I mean yea he had to use fertilizer and other pesticides to keep all the dang on bugs away, but if you think about it, that is what any other farmer has to do to keep their crops from being ate up. And just like many of the others that have responded, I would keep a garden if I honestly had the time and space to do so.
Question 2: I agree with Amber when bigger companies such as Wal-Mart and Target should jump on the sustainable bandwagon. It is kind of hard to find eco-friendly products and if they were to sell those type of products, stores that are so popular, then maybe people would be more inclined to buy greener products. If stores such as Target were to advertise their green products like they do their spring products, then maybe others would take notice that Target is trying to have eco-friendly sales, and maybe that would move Target towards more eco-friendly ways of manufacturing their products, like a snowball effect.
Question 3: After this reading it really made me think that I am sure that large companies do not even realize how much waste is contaminating the soil in their community. Between the smoke that billows out of factories and all of the spills and nasty chemicals that can creep out, it amazes me that many communites are not phased. This part of the reading reminded me of a paper mill on the way to New Bern that just smells wretched and their is a river that lies not even a half a mile away from the factory. Has anyone ever tested that water for contamination? Yuck.
March 2, 2009 at 6:21 am
I try not to think about the fact that there are harmful chemicals on and in the produce that we eat. It seems that washing your fruit or veggies off with simple water would do the trick but unfortunately not. It would be great to be able to grow my own fruits and vegetables. But like everyone else has said, a lot of people do not have the time or space to upkeep a garden. Another benefit to having my own garden would be the fact that I would probably eat healthier than I do now. The fruits and veggies would be so much more accessible, and I wouldn’t cringe the way I do now when I have to buy them at the grocery store. When I was a kid my parents had a garden and I remember making rosemary wreaths wreaths for ourselves and family members at Christmas time. It was so nice to make something from scratch that looked and smelled beautiful and it came from our own backyard.
When I read question three I, like Liz immediately thought of the Weyerhauser paper mill in New Bern. The smell is absolutely awful. You can smell it from miles away, and the sad thing is is that the people that live nearby are used to it, who knows what it is doing to contaminate their bodies! (not to mention the workers) The mill is literally right on the river and smoke is pouring out of the stacks 24/7. I would also be curious to know about the water and whether or not it is contaminated.
March 2, 2009 at 11:14 am
1) As a consumer, I wouldn’t be alright if the produce I was buying had harmful ingredients/chemicals in them. For the most part, I believe that produce is grown without the use of harmful chemicals. The use of pesticides doesn’t bother me because the farmers have to protect their source of income and for the most part the produce is grown at a large scale. The pesticides also can’t be that relatively harmful if the produce is still being sold at businesses. I don’t have a problem with cultivating my own produce but realistically it won’t happen because I don’t have the space, time, and resources to upkeep the garden.
2) I believe any company that is willing to should jump on the eco-friendly path. Companies thrive on what the consumer wants and not necessarily what is good for the environment. Because many people don’t demand organic/green products there isn’t a sufficient supply in businesses like Target or Walmart. If there was a dramatic demand for such products I believe that it would be more common and there would be more of these products in different markets.
3) I believe that all companies should invest time in making sure they aren’t polluting their environment. The thing with phytoremediation is that it is not always a sure fix. Using plants that aren’t native to environment can harm a native species or kill off a local plant (through competition). These introduced species also have the chance of spreading a disease that the native vegetation can’t fight off causing that vegetation to deplete and also hurting the animals that eat the plant. Phytoremediation also has the chance of causing eutrophication which has the chance of depleting oxygen in the water and killing off aquatic plant and sea life. I support the use of these practices but it needs to be done with extreme caution, paying attention to the native species to that environment.
March 3, 2009 at 5:33 am
1. I have the benefit of eating fresh vegetables and fruits from my grandmother when I go home. She normally works with local farmers and people with their own gardens to get these foods. I have helped her countless times harvesting produce in 5-gallon buckets. I like the fact of knowing where the food is coming from and who helped to grow it, while feeling pride in harvesting it myself. So I can understand why some people would want and desire to yield their own produce to prevent the harmful chemicals found on commercial products. However, I think that we are too far in the opposite direction to have mass individual crops production in our society anymore. But in the long run, I think that it could be a very smart and health conscious idea.
2. I think that any company that uses any non-biodegradable materials for its main composition should take major steps in making their products more eco-friendly. For example companies that use mainly plastics could try to increase the amount of times a product is recycled. Any company that knowingly uses harmful chemicals or buys from countries that have lower standards could improve the chemical compositions of products. Packaging companies could even improve the way and materials in which items are shipped. For example I got flowers sent to me from a very environmentally friendly company. They came with ice bags that instructed you to use them yourself. The box had an decorative floral disclaimer on its top flap that said “These flowers are given to you so please give back to the environment and recycle this box.” When I got them it was around the time of the last project we finished and I thought it was a successful way of encouraging people to reuse and recycle in simple marketing and packaging changes. I think that if a company is more eco-friendly than another, know that I’m beginning to understand sustainability, I think I would chose them.
3. I think a lot of plants around the country are probably cutting some corners and if its not required of them then they will not become more environmentally friendly. It all boils down to the bottom line versus restrictions versus public relations. If restrictions placed on companies and their public relations is strained by not being eco-friendly, then I think it will out way the cost. I think plants should be forced to clean up their acts with punishments and rewards, because if they are not rewarded they will move their plants to countries where the standards are usually way less than ours.
March 3, 2009 at 6:44 am
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March 3, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I also have the privilege of having homegrown vegetables from my grandparents garden. Growing up in the country it is natural to my grandparents to grow their own vegetables even though they now live in a urban setting. I have always imagined that I would do the same once I had a yard of my own. However i don’t think that it makes sense or is practical for people to try to grow all there own produce. I think it would be better to buy your produce from farmers markets, were you can ask the farmer how they grow there produce.