Energy and Place
Project Reflection:
For the Sense of Place project we were asked to dive deep into ourselves and find what we are connected to. This can be a physical place, mental, or even something that is not tangible, like the internet. We were asked to find our sense of place, where we feel the most like ourselves and when our lives our flourishing. We researched what others might feel is their sense of place and how one can be connected with a place, physical or not. We also researched energy and by what means do we acquire it. We were assigned to write a personal essay or short story about our sense of place and possibly how it is affected or connected to energy production.
When I first started this writing assignment I was writing about a completely different thing. I actually restarted my writing about three times until I finally knew what I was going to write about. At first it was really hard for me to write because I felt no inspiration, that everything that I would write would just be a lie. After scrapping the first three ideas I finally found where, or more closely to, what I found my sense of place in. I find my sense of place in the change of things, when things are unexpected and new. I wasn’t writing about a place like I intended to for my first idea but instead on a change in place. When I reached the final draft of my writing I added more descriptive language and better background information. I expressed my thoughts better by using action verbs and clearly articulated what I was trying to say.
During this project I think I got a better understanding on what sense of place can be. I know that it doesn’t have to be a literal place and it might not be any particular place. I do not really feel like I have grown as a person during this project however, I simply wrote down what I already knew. I actually felt little to no inspiration when writing my personal essay on my sense of place because I do not find much importance in it. I am not saying I didn’t learn anything but this project felt a little repetitive from the Happiness and Meaning project. Even though I felt almost no motivation intrinsically to write my essay I still think it is a good piece of work that I can be proud of.
When I first started this writing assignment I was writing about a completely different thing. I actually restarted my writing about three times until I finally knew what I was going to write about. At first it was really hard for me to write because I felt no inspiration, that everything that I would write would just be a lie. After scrapping the first three ideas I finally found where, or more closely to, what I found my sense of place in. I find my sense of place in the change of things, when things are unexpected and new. I wasn’t writing about a place like I intended to for my first idea but instead on a change in place. When I reached the final draft of my writing I added more descriptive language and better background information. I expressed my thoughts better by using action verbs and clearly articulated what I was trying to say.
During this project I think I got a better understanding on what sense of place can be. I know that it doesn’t have to be a literal place and it might not be any particular place. I do not really feel like I have grown as a person during this project however, I simply wrote down what I already knew. I actually felt little to no inspiration when writing my personal essay on my sense of place because I do not find much importance in it. I am not saying I didn’t learn anything but this project felt a little repetitive from the Happiness and Meaning project. Even though I felt almost no motivation intrinsically to write my essay I still think it is a good piece of work that I can be proud of.
Draft 1: |
Final Draft: |
Happiness and Meaning
Essential Questions:
What is the purpose of your existence?
What is happiness and what makes you happy?
What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
What is happiness and what makes you happy?
What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
Reflection:
Some new insights that I have developed during this project is that people try to find meaning where there is none. They try to make meaning out of ideas and out of their own selfishness. The reason I say this is not because I think people are selfish, usually, but because the center of finding their meaning tends to be for themselves. Just doing something to benefit them self or even saying that they just want to help and it's not about them. Even when someone says this they still seem selfish. Sure, they have good intentions but it still puts humans at the center of attention. Either it is the fault of humans or that they are the only one that can help. The Stranger is one thing that gave me insight on this idea. Throughout the book you see characters that seem to be selfish, only doing what gives them pleasure. You also see people that think they are the only ones that can help. This book helped me understand more about why some people may do what they do and the reasons for their actions.
This project definitely sparked some questions for me about my future. I know that in the future I will still have a relationship with God but what will change? Who will I marry? What will she be like? I have a rough plan for my future, let's call it an outline. I want to get married to someone that is equally yolked, of course, and I want to eventually have kids. Along with these things I want to have a job so that I can support them. These are some things that I see in my future but what will it be like? What job will I have? Will I have the same job for 20 or so years or will I change it up? What will being married be like? What does my future hold for me? Will I still feel young even when I am 70? These are just some questions that I could stress about my whole life but instead I think I am just going to trust God.
This project definitely sparked some questions for me about my future. I know that in the future I will still have a relationship with God but what will change? Who will I marry? What will she be like? I have a rough plan for my future, let's call it an outline. I want to get married to someone that is equally yolked, of course, and I want to eventually have kids. Along with these things I want to have a job so that I can support them. These are some things that I see in my future but what will it be like? What job will I have? Will I have the same job for 20 or so years or will I change it up? What will being married be like? What does my future hold for me? Will I still feel young even when I am 70? These are just some questions that I could stress about my whole life but instead I think I am just going to trust God.
Personal Philosophy:
The Morality and Politics of Justice
Reflection:
Project Description
Leading up to the exhibition we had to create an op-ed that addresses an issue that we are interested in. In the op-ed we needed to come up with a solution to the issue and influence the reader using two of three types of rhetoric, pathos, ethos, and logos. Pathos, being things that appeal to the emotions, ethos, being credible claims from credible sources, and logos, something that appeals to logic and seems logical. In the op-ed we needed to include a philosopher that would best support our solution to our issue. The philosopher I chose was Immanuel Kant because he founded Deontology. I chose his philosophy because the majority of it is about treating others with dignity and respect, as humans. After the op-ed rough draft was done it was time to work on Part two. Part two is the visual piece of the project. This also had to include two of the three types of rhetoric we studied and one quote from a philosopher.
Writing Growth
On a content level the largest thing that I have changed in my final draft would be adding paragraph 7. In this paragraph I add a direct quote from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also reference the U.S. constitution so that I could add more credibility to my claims. The largest improvements I did to improve the more technical aspects of my writing is fixing run-on sentences and quotes. I shortened and made my run-on sentences clearer so that my writing is easier to understand. Also fixed a placement issue of my quotes. I also improved my thesis statement so that it is simpler.
Artist Statement
In my art piece there are many hidden symbolism that I made that mean little things and all of these things add to this piece in one way or another. They may connect certain aspects of the painting together or just represent something broader. Either way each piece of symbolism is important to an art piece. A few of the aspects that can represent bigger ideas, depending on how the specific person views them, are the placement of the elements and the texture of the painting. For example, how the man on the left is placed inside of the hidden room symbolizes that human trafficking is hidden behind closed doors. Also, the texture of the painting symbolizes anything! What it can represent changes on whoever is viewing the piece. How my painting uses rhetoric to persuade the viewer is by appealing to their emotions and using credible sources. The pathological appeals, pathos, can be found in the overall lighting of one half over the other. On the left side things seem brighter and almost normal, besides the man in the hidden room. However, on the right side the colors that are used are darker and the setting seems darker. To make this piece more persuasive I added quotes from credible sources for my ethos. All these things tie together to make my art piece.
Throughout the process of creating this piece I was constantly doing refinements to it. Sure, they were mainly little things but if those changes were not made the quality of my work would not be as it is now. I am proud of the work I have done and know that I spent my time well in and out of class working on my piece. I believe I used pathos and ethos well and that the quotes fit well with the art. However, I do think that I could have chosen a simpler way to represent my topic and where I stand on the topic.
Leading up to the exhibition we had to create an op-ed that addresses an issue that we are interested in. In the op-ed we needed to come up with a solution to the issue and influence the reader using two of three types of rhetoric, pathos, ethos, and logos. Pathos, being things that appeal to the emotions, ethos, being credible claims from credible sources, and logos, something that appeals to logic and seems logical. In the op-ed we needed to include a philosopher that would best support our solution to our issue. The philosopher I chose was Immanuel Kant because he founded Deontology. I chose his philosophy because the majority of it is about treating others with dignity and respect, as humans. After the op-ed rough draft was done it was time to work on Part two. Part two is the visual piece of the project. This also had to include two of the three types of rhetoric we studied and one quote from a philosopher.
Writing Growth
On a content level the largest thing that I have changed in my final draft would be adding paragraph 7. In this paragraph I add a direct quote from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also reference the U.S. constitution so that I could add more credibility to my claims. The largest improvements I did to improve the more technical aspects of my writing is fixing run-on sentences and quotes. I shortened and made my run-on sentences clearer so that my writing is easier to understand. Also fixed a placement issue of my quotes. I also improved my thesis statement so that it is simpler.
Artist Statement
In my art piece there are many hidden symbolism that I made that mean little things and all of these things add to this piece in one way or another. They may connect certain aspects of the painting together or just represent something broader. Either way each piece of symbolism is important to an art piece. A few of the aspects that can represent bigger ideas, depending on how the specific person views them, are the placement of the elements and the texture of the painting. For example, how the man on the left is placed inside of the hidden room symbolizes that human trafficking is hidden behind closed doors. Also, the texture of the painting symbolizes anything! What it can represent changes on whoever is viewing the piece. How my painting uses rhetoric to persuade the viewer is by appealing to their emotions and using credible sources. The pathological appeals, pathos, can be found in the overall lighting of one half over the other. On the left side things seem brighter and almost normal, besides the man in the hidden room. However, on the right side the colors that are used are darker and the setting seems darker. To make this piece more persuasive I added quotes from credible sources for my ethos. All these things tie together to make my art piece.
Throughout the process of creating this piece I was constantly doing refinements to it. Sure, they were mainly little things but if those changes were not made the quality of my work would not be as it is now. I am proud of the work I have done and know that I spent my time well in and out of class working on my piece. I believe I used pathos and ethos well and that the quotes fit well with the art. However, I do think that I could have chosen a simpler way to represent my topic and where I stand on the topic.
Human Commodities
By: Skylar Schultheis
In the world at any given moment there are approximately 2 million children in the commercial sex trade and in Nepal around 20,000 women and young girls are trafficked to India every year. One of those girls has been given the name Kaanchi, which is a nickname to protect her identity. At age 13 Kaanchi was drugged, unknowingly, by her cousin's wife and was sold into human trafficking. When Kaanchi awoke she found herself in a brothel in India. Kaanchi asked, “Where is my aunt?” The brothel owners informed her she she was sold to them for $1,500. She didn’t even know what a brothel was.
Human trafficking is initially forced prostitution that usually involves verbal and or physical abuse. The perpetrator may make the victim feel like dirt and makes them feel dependent on them alone by verbally abusing them. For example, they may say “You are nothing without me” or “If you leave you will never be happy”. They say this so the victim feels hopeless and trapped. Human trafficking victims are eventually forced, but later they are brainwashed into believing they are worthless and that they can never leave the system
On the contrary, the victims self-esteem may be uplifted so that they can be easily coerced and, again, depend on the perpetrator(s). The perpetrator might say “I love you so much for doing this for me”. These sweet, empty words make the victim feel loved and makes them believe they will not find this “love” any where else. Many girls and women enter this organization hoping to be loved and accepted and that is why they feel dependent on the trafficker. This dependence on the ‘owner’ of the girls makes it less likely that one might try to escape. They think they need the owner and have nowhere else to go.
I write this op-ed in outrage not only at the existence of human trafficking, but also at the absence of action in the western world. We can agree that human trafficking is unjust, yet not much is done and what is done is not enough. There are organizations that do their best. However, it is not enough.. To stop this we need to raise awareness of the issue and influence congress to make this issue a bigger priority.
Before attacking the morality of human trafficking, it is worth briefly considering its economic benefits, which if you were a robot or sociopath, it might resonate with you. As Lewis Andrews writes on behalf of the Foundation for Economic Education, “[p]eople are a good commodity as they do not easily perish, but they can be transported over long distances and can be re-used and re-sold”. As insane of logic as this seems to be, it is the very logic that allows human traffickers to exist: some people are profiting handsomely from this horrific practice. Still, you have to take into account that sex slaves are human lives, not objects.
Human trafficking victims have family and a life they could be living. However, this life is no longer an option because the trafficker has taken it away. If we apply the philosophy of Deontology to this problem, we can see what is wrong with it. Immanuel Kant, the Russian philosopher and founder of Deontology, said, “Live life as though your every act were to become a universal law.” If you live life according to this statement, it is impossible to justify human trafficking. If such acts of injustice are allowed in some countries, are you willing to universalize this practice?. Part of this philosophy is treating people with dignity. They are ends, not a means to an end.
Using other people’s bodies for one's own pleasure and profit is treating them as means to an end, not with dignity and their is no integrity in this. If we were to all treat humans as ends, with dignity, then this would no longer be a problem. Along with violating a philosophical outlook, it also violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights made by the United Nations. Article 4 states, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” One of those forms is sex trafficking. We need to universalize this law so that sex trafficking is not a universal standard. Also, in regards to the 13th amendment found in the U.S. constitution, which was supposed to end slavery, we should recognize this statute and nullify slavery.
If we live life with contentment while someone else is suffering, do we deserve to be “content”? What if you were stolen from your family and were forced to have sexual intercourse 25 to 30 times per day like Kaanchi had to for 6 years and if you refused you would just be raped. Wouldn’t you want the government to be looking for you, wouldn’t you want hope? Kaanchi was only 13 when she first entered the system and many are younger. You don’t want that small, but still relevant, chance of being forced into this system so something must be done.
CNN Leif Coorlim, an award winner journalist, and Dana Ford, a writer and editor at CNN, researched this subject and found that “Atlanta’s illegal sex industry brings in nearly $290 million a year”. Also that “more than 3,500 sex trafficking cases were reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center last year alone [in Atlanta]”. Some traffickers in Atlanta make more than $32,000 a week.
International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence, states, “Sex trafficking is a form of modern day slavery… [that] thrives when law enforcement cannot or does not protect vulnerable children and women.” Politicians need to worry less about our day to day “issues” about minimum wage and whether or not we should have a flat tax and more about this issue that happens behind closed doors.
The government needs to protect people from human trafficking. Not only save the victims but they need to treat the victims as equals and not objects so the victims can feel like human beings again. This is the most just action to take because it prioritizes humans over our own selfish desires. What will you do to stop this issue, what will you do to end slavery?
Works Cited
Andrews, Lewis M. "Human Trafficking: The Other Good Reason to Reform Immigration."
Foundation for Economic Education. N.p., 14 Nov. 2012. Web.
Coorlim, Leif, and Dana Ford. "Sex Trafficking: The New American Slavery."CNN. Cable News
Network, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
"Federal Government Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking." Office of Refugee Resettlement.
N.p., 27 Sept. 2012. Web.
Meyer, Austin. "The Border Into Sex Slavery." The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2015. Web.
"Sex Trafficking." International Justice Mission, n.d. Web.
Human trafficking is initially forced prostitution that usually involves verbal and or physical abuse. The perpetrator may make the victim feel like dirt and makes them feel dependent on them alone by verbally abusing them. For example, they may say “You are nothing without me” or “If you leave you will never be happy”. They say this so the victim feels hopeless and trapped. Human trafficking victims are eventually forced, but later they are brainwashed into believing they are worthless and that they can never leave the system
On the contrary, the victims self-esteem may be uplifted so that they can be easily coerced and, again, depend on the perpetrator(s). The perpetrator might say “I love you so much for doing this for me”. These sweet, empty words make the victim feel loved and makes them believe they will not find this “love” any where else. Many girls and women enter this organization hoping to be loved and accepted and that is why they feel dependent on the trafficker. This dependence on the ‘owner’ of the girls makes it less likely that one might try to escape. They think they need the owner and have nowhere else to go.
I write this op-ed in outrage not only at the existence of human trafficking, but also at the absence of action in the western world. We can agree that human trafficking is unjust, yet not much is done and what is done is not enough. There are organizations that do their best. However, it is not enough.. To stop this we need to raise awareness of the issue and influence congress to make this issue a bigger priority.
Before attacking the morality of human trafficking, it is worth briefly considering its economic benefits, which if you were a robot or sociopath, it might resonate with you. As Lewis Andrews writes on behalf of the Foundation for Economic Education, “[p]eople are a good commodity as they do not easily perish, but they can be transported over long distances and can be re-used and re-sold”. As insane of logic as this seems to be, it is the very logic that allows human traffickers to exist: some people are profiting handsomely from this horrific practice. Still, you have to take into account that sex slaves are human lives, not objects.
Human trafficking victims have family and a life they could be living. However, this life is no longer an option because the trafficker has taken it away. If we apply the philosophy of Deontology to this problem, we can see what is wrong with it. Immanuel Kant, the Russian philosopher and founder of Deontology, said, “Live life as though your every act were to become a universal law.” If you live life according to this statement, it is impossible to justify human trafficking. If such acts of injustice are allowed in some countries, are you willing to universalize this practice?. Part of this philosophy is treating people with dignity. They are ends, not a means to an end.
Using other people’s bodies for one's own pleasure and profit is treating them as means to an end, not with dignity and their is no integrity in this. If we were to all treat humans as ends, with dignity, then this would no longer be a problem. Along with violating a philosophical outlook, it also violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights made by the United Nations. Article 4 states, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” One of those forms is sex trafficking. We need to universalize this law so that sex trafficking is not a universal standard. Also, in regards to the 13th amendment found in the U.S. constitution, which was supposed to end slavery, we should recognize this statute and nullify slavery.
If we live life with contentment while someone else is suffering, do we deserve to be “content”? What if you were stolen from your family and were forced to have sexual intercourse 25 to 30 times per day like Kaanchi had to for 6 years and if you refused you would just be raped. Wouldn’t you want the government to be looking for you, wouldn’t you want hope? Kaanchi was only 13 when she first entered the system and many are younger. You don’t want that small, but still relevant, chance of being forced into this system so something must be done.
CNN Leif Coorlim, an award winner journalist, and Dana Ford, a writer and editor at CNN, researched this subject and found that “Atlanta’s illegal sex industry brings in nearly $290 million a year”. Also that “more than 3,500 sex trafficking cases were reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center last year alone [in Atlanta]”. Some traffickers in Atlanta make more than $32,000 a week.
International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence, states, “Sex trafficking is a form of modern day slavery… [that] thrives when law enforcement cannot or does not protect vulnerable children and women.” Politicians need to worry less about our day to day “issues” about minimum wage and whether or not we should have a flat tax and more about this issue that happens behind closed doors.
The government needs to protect people from human trafficking. Not only save the victims but they need to treat the victims as equals and not objects so the victims can feel like human beings again. This is the most just action to take because it prioritizes humans over our own selfish desires. What will you do to stop this issue, what will you do to end slavery?
Works Cited
Andrews, Lewis M. "Human Trafficking: The Other Good Reason to Reform Immigration."
Foundation for Economic Education. N.p., 14 Nov. 2012. Web.
Coorlim, Leif, and Dana Ford. "Sex Trafficking: The New American Slavery."CNN. Cable News
Network, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
"Federal Government Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking." Office of Refugee Resettlement.
N.p., 27 Sept. 2012. Web.
Meyer, Austin. "The Border Into Sex Slavery." The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2015. Web.
"Sex Trafficking." International Justice Mission, n.d. Web.
Voices from the Animas
Voices from the Animas Project Reflection
The person I interviewed was Derek Sinogi, an 11th grader in Silverton. What stood out to me was his perspective on the water in Silverton. He believes that it is perfectly natural, which it is, but also that it is somewhat safe. Sure you shouldn’t drink it, just like you should not drink the Animas water, but he says that it is safe to swim in. Infact, Derek has swam in the orange water down by Cement Creek in Silverton when he was a kid and he said all you had to do was shower after swimming so you are not to be stained orange. This stood out to me the most because of all the ‘rumors’ I have heard. I have heard it was deadly and contaminated with toxins galore or that the water is safe. Either tourists calling hotels after hearing about the spill asking if the water is safe or someone drinking from the river I have heard many different opinions. From this interview I now have a better understanding that the Animas water is somewhat contaminated and would be like drinking toilet water, as it always has been, but is safe to swim in. Also that Silverton wants to fix the drainage out of the mines and has been working towards that goal for awhile now.
Based on everything that I have learned and especially because of the seminar I have formed an opinion on the whole debate between Superfund or not and my opinion is that a Superfund in Silverton would be the best way to go. I believe this because it would be the easiest way to end this problem of mine drainage and although it would be great if Silverton could do it on their own it would just be too expensive. While saying this I am not saying the government should just come in and takeover but should work with the people of Silverton and other people being affected down river. During the seminar a student said something that really helped form my perspective, “A Superfund seems to be the most feasible action at this point in time to make the Animas River clean. Silverton cannot afford it on its own so the Superfund makes the most sense.” I admit I don’t remember exactly which student said that but it really helped form my opinion, knowing that Silverton couldn't possibly do the clean-up on its own.
The Silverton trip was also another big contributor because I was able to see the mine drainage before it was diluted. I could see that the mine wouldn’t drain itself out over time and that the drainage was natural. From the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill Jeff Snowbarger stated, “In early August, the EPA accidentally released three million gallons of contaminated water from the Gold King mine into Cement Creek, a tributary of Colorado’s Animas River.” At first I couldn’t even imagine how much it was but when I saw the video of 3 million gallons flooding out of the Gold King mine I could better grasp the idea of that much water. That much water flooding out proves that there is a lot of water and there will be more in all of the mines. During my interview with Derek Sinogi he said “It's called Cement Creek because of the orange, it flows into the Animas and you can usually find that the orange waters come off the Red Mountains.” What this means is that the orange water in Cement Creek is natural runoff mainly from the Red Mountains in Silverton. Even though it is natural doesn’t mean it is safe when a mine deposits 3 million gallons into the Animas River. This is why I think Superfund is the way to go, sure we can’t stop the Red Mountains from leaking but we can try to control the runoff from the mines. The problem isn’t when the mine leak but when they overflow and flood uncontrollably, this is why we need Superfund.
The most important social lesson I learned through this project is that there are consequences to actions for future generation to take care of. “... the notion that decisions collectively made in the name of freedom almost always have detrimental consequences for those who follow.” Jeff Barger said in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill. An example of this would be a robber, he doesn’t know what will happen to his family or his children, or his children's’ children. They may be dramatically affected or not at all by his actions but he should be aware of the consequences either way. I believe this is the most important social lesson I learned over the course of this project because it has to do with everyday life. Whether or not we should go to a party just to get busted and to find ourselves in a deep hole that we dug or which person we should vote for president. If the action you take can affect you or others later on in a bad way or even if it benefits you now but not others you should probably not take that chance. Instead of affecting others or yourself in a bad way you should invest in the future and not just think in the present. Actions have consequences, we decide if we will benefit from our actions and we should be weary of how they will affect others.
Based on everything that I have learned and especially because of the seminar I have formed an opinion on the whole debate between Superfund or not and my opinion is that a Superfund in Silverton would be the best way to go. I believe this because it would be the easiest way to end this problem of mine drainage and although it would be great if Silverton could do it on their own it would just be too expensive. While saying this I am not saying the government should just come in and takeover but should work with the people of Silverton and other people being affected down river. During the seminar a student said something that really helped form my perspective, “A Superfund seems to be the most feasible action at this point in time to make the Animas River clean. Silverton cannot afford it on its own so the Superfund makes the most sense.” I admit I don’t remember exactly which student said that but it really helped form my opinion, knowing that Silverton couldn't possibly do the clean-up on its own.
The Silverton trip was also another big contributor because I was able to see the mine drainage before it was diluted. I could see that the mine wouldn’t drain itself out over time and that the drainage was natural. From the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill Jeff Snowbarger stated, “In early August, the EPA accidentally released three million gallons of contaminated water from the Gold King mine into Cement Creek, a tributary of Colorado’s Animas River.” At first I couldn’t even imagine how much it was but when I saw the video of 3 million gallons flooding out of the Gold King mine I could better grasp the idea of that much water. That much water flooding out proves that there is a lot of water and there will be more in all of the mines. During my interview with Derek Sinogi he said “It's called Cement Creek because of the orange, it flows into the Animas and you can usually find that the orange waters come off the Red Mountains.” What this means is that the orange water in Cement Creek is natural runoff mainly from the Red Mountains in Silverton. Even though it is natural doesn’t mean it is safe when a mine deposits 3 million gallons into the Animas River. This is why I think Superfund is the way to go, sure we can’t stop the Red Mountains from leaking but we can try to control the runoff from the mines. The problem isn’t when the mine leak but when they overflow and flood uncontrollably, this is why we need Superfund.
The most important social lesson I learned through this project is that there are consequences to actions for future generation to take care of. “... the notion that decisions collectively made in the name of freedom almost always have detrimental consequences for those who follow.” Jeff Barger said in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill. An example of this would be a robber, he doesn’t know what will happen to his family or his children, or his children's’ children. They may be dramatically affected or not at all by his actions but he should be aware of the consequences either way. I believe this is the most important social lesson I learned over the course of this project because it has to do with everyday life. Whether or not we should go to a party just to get busted and to find ourselves in a deep hole that we dug or which person we should vote for president. If the action you take can affect you or others later on in a bad way or even if it benefits you now but not others you should probably not take that chance. Instead of affecting others or yourself in a bad way you should invest in the future and not just think in the present. Actions have consequences, we decide if we will benefit from our actions and we should be weary of how they will affect others.
Seminar prep
Historical Context: How has the history of mining impacted the debate on this issue?
The history of mining has impacted the debate on this issue by showing that mining does help with the economy and the resources we obtain we still use today. The resources we mine we can sell and use. “... my eyes glued to my smartphone. It’s a wonderful tool. Strangely enough, maybe perfectly enough, my smartphone requires what the Old Timers flocking to the San Juans hoped to find: rare, precious metals.” Jeff Snowbarger stated in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill. We still use these resources today for what some of us may call essential. At the same time the history of mining has impacted us greatly with the resources it has also impacted us by allowing chemicals buried deep in the mountains seep out. The mining that has helped us develop our society has also created streams of acidic water. Sure there has always been runoff of polluted waters from the orange mountains but the mining sped up the process of runoff. Jeff Snowbarger says in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill, “This was how free people behaved. And this is what seems buried in our current disaster, the notion that decisions collectively made in the name of freedom almost always have detrimental consequences for those who follow.” When he said this he was basically saying that the actions of others will have consequences for future generations. An example of this is the mines, sure they gave us resources and helped the economy but now they leak chemical water. In a way it is a balance between the good and the bad.
Historical Context: How was the river affected by pollution before the actual spill?
Before the actual spill our river already had polluted waters seeping in but not at the same quantity. In Silverton cement creek is already orange and to the people of Silverton it is perfectly natural. Since cement creek goes into the Animas river the Animas already has these chemicals in it but not in the same quantity, that is why it is not the same color. Animas is just more diluted therefore has a more natural looking color. Cement creek may look quite polluted and may be but it is somewhat safe according to Derek Sinodi. During an interview with him he stated “ I’ve swam in the water…” At first I was a little shocked but then he told me you just need to take a shower after otherwise you’ll be stained orange. He has swam by the upper part of the Animas river where cement creek drains into. So, even though Cement creek has already been draining into the Animas before the spill the water in the Animas is so diluted that the color is more natural looking. Could all our worrying about the discoloration be a little over dramatic? We have only noticed the Animas and its chemicals when it changed colors, what else have we missed?
Economic Impact: How was our community affected economically by the spill? What, if any, future economic impacts will there be?
Our community was affected by the spill mainly while the toxic sludge flowed through Durango. When the river was orange rafting companies had to stop any rafting trips and pretty much close down until all the sludge was gone or diluted. On the site by 9 News (http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/08/10/animas-river-wastewater-spill-epa/31442009/ ) the author, Maya Rodriguez, shares what a rafting company says. "We've had to cancel all of our trips," Kensinger said. Along with businesses, people using the Animas water had to shut off any water intakes. Although we were affected by the spill and it was only a short period of time the Animas was orange what will happen now, what will be the aftermath? Now the river has all this stuff at the bottom of it that will stay there for a very long time. Now the Animas is like a cup of water with sugar at the bottom, just a little stir and the water will once again mix with the chemicals. Once again when the Animas is stirred up the rafting companies might have to close up shop again.
Future Implications: What is the best solution to both ensure economic prosperity and environmental health for current and future generations? (Should Silverton be designated as a Superfund site?)
The best way to ensure both economic prosperity and environmental health mainly involves Silverton. They are the ones that need economic prosperity and some believe they can’t have that without the mines and tourism. For economic prosperity they should not choose to do the Superfund because it would cost a big bag of money and it would pretty much stop all mining in Silverton. Also some people in Silverton believe it would make bad stigma, ruining tourism. I think the best way to both have economic prosperity and environmental health is to have water treatment. This would help determine if the water is safe and how safe it is and it will help us determine what we need to do in the future. “I think there is a better solution we can do and that is to have the water treated.” Derek Sinodi says. I personally agree with this because it does not necessarily mean Superfund, which would be really expensive.
The history of mining has impacted the debate on this issue by showing that mining does help with the economy and the resources we obtain we still use today. The resources we mine we can sell and use. “... my eyes glued to my smartphone. It’s a wonderful tool. Strangely enough, maybe perfectly enough, my smartphone requires what the Old Timers flocking to the San Juans hoped to find: rare, precious metals.” Jeff Snowbarger stated in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill. We still use these resources today for what some of us may call essential. At the same time the history of mining has impacted us greatly with the resources it has also impacted us by allowing chemicals buried deep in the mountains seep out. The mining that has helped us develop our society has also created streams of acidic water. Sure there has always been runoff of polluted waters from the orange mountains but the mining sped up the process of runoff. Jeff Snowbarger says in the article Letter from Colorado: On the Dirty, Deep-seated Origins of the Animas River Spill, “This was how free people behaved. And this is what seems buried in our current disaster, the notion that decisions collectively made in the name of freedom almost always have detrimental consequences for those who follow.” When he said this he was basically saying that the actions of others will have consequences for future generations. An example of this is the mines, sure they gave us resources and helped the economy but now they leak chemical water. In a way it is a balance between the good and the bad.
Historical Context: How was the river affected by pollution before the actual spill?
Before the actual spill our river already had polluted waters seeping in but not at the same quantity. In Silverton cement creek is already orange and to the people of Silverton it is perfectly natural. Since cement creek goes into the Animas river the Animas already has these chemicals in it but not in the same quantity, that is why it is not the same color. Animas is just more diluted therefore has a more natural looking color. Cement creek may look quite polluted and may be but it is somewhat safe according to Derek Sinodi. During an interview with him he stated “ I’ve swam in the water…” At first I was a little shocked but then he told me you just need to take a shower after otherwise you’ll be stained orange. He has swam by the upper part of the Animas river where cement creek drains into. So, even though Cement creek has already been draining into the Animas before the spill the water in the Animas is so diluted that the color is more natural looking. Could all our worrying about the discoloration be a little over dramatic? We have only noticed the Animas and its chemicals when it changed colors, what else have we missed?
Economic Impact: How was our community affected economically by the spill? What, if any, future economic impacts will there be?
Our community was affected by the spill mainly while the toxic sludge flowed through Durango. When the river was orange rafting companies had to stop any rafting trips and pretty much close down until all the sludge was gone or diluted. On the site by 9 News (http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/08/10/animas-river-wastewater-spill-epa/31442009/ ) the author, Maya Rodriguez, shares what a rafting company says. "We've had to cancel all of our trips," Kensinger said. Along with businesses, people using the Animas water had to shut off any water intakes. Although we were affected by the spill and it was only a short period of time the Animas was orange what will happen now, what will be the aftermath? Now the river has all this stuff at the bottom of it that will stay there for a very long time. Now the Animas is like a cup of water with sugar at the bottom, just a little stir and the water will once again mix with the chemicals. Once again when the Animas is stirred up the rafting companies might have to close up shop again.
Future Implications: What is the best solution to both ensure economic prosperity and environmental health for current and future generations? (Should Silverton be designated as a Superfund site?)
The best way to ensure both economic prosperity and environmental health mainly involves Silverton. They are the ones that need economic prosperity and some believe they can’t have that without the mines and tourism. For economic prosperity they should not choose to do the Superfund because it would cost a big bag of money and it would pretty much stop all mining in Silverton. Also some people in Silverton believe it would make bad stigma, ruining tourism. I think the best way to both have economic prosperity and environmental health is to have water treatment. This would help determine if the water is safe and how safe it is and it will help us determine what we need to do in the future. “I think there is a better solution we can do and that is to have the water treated.” Derek Sinodi says. I personally agree with this because it does not necessarily mean Superfund, which would be really expensive.
Seminar self-assesment
The grade I believe I deserve for the Seminar is a 90%. I believe I deserve this grade because I made comments that were on topic and I responded to ideas of peers. An example of this is when I responded to the idea that maybe frogs are being affected by the polluted waters. During the seminar I used evidence from text and real life to backup my claims. I also had good eye contact and tried helping clarify another idea of a student while not dominating the conversation. In the seminar I connected the topic with a real life situation. I believe I deserve this grade because when I contributed I used evidence and was on topic and when I did not contribute as much I kept good eye contact and listened in on what they had to say. Although I did not contribute too much I also did not want to say something if it was not on topic or if I did not really agree with it. I did not want to say something just so I said something. Next seminar I need to work on not being afraid to say something. I need to work on not worrying about hurting someone's feeling, because almost everything people say may hurt someone else's feelings.