Induatrialized farming has many benefits, such as hardier crops, increased output of crops, etc. but it also has some drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks of industrialized farming, I would say, would come from the use of pesticides. The use of pesticides has increased dramatically on farms over the past couple years. From some studies, it was found that these pesticides can be liked to many brain diseases. I see this as being one of the main reasons why industrialized farming is very unhealthy for your body.
This type of farming also has negative consequences for the environment. First off, all the machinery causes a lot of pollution, which is terrible for the environment. And the machinery also depends on oil, which is a fossil fuel, but the supply of oil is beginning to run out. I found an interesting fact online, "at least half of the 2 trillion barrels of oil available has already been used and oil demand from China, India and other major developing countries which are industrialising fast is rising so sharply that production cannot keep up with demand, and permanent shortages of oil will kick in within a decade or less". Secondly, the machines used in industrial farming use lots and lots of water, and half a billion people today live in water-stressed areas. The amount of water used in agriculture today is extravagant! Another fact I found online was "US prairie farmers and East Anglian barley barons need 1,000 tonnes of water to produce 1 tonne of grain, plus 1 000 energy units are used for every 1 energy unit of processed food."
I don't know if there are ways to completely take back the "damage" we have caused, but I think there are still ways and little things we can do to improve farming today.
/www.organicconsumers.org/BTC/meacher091905.cfm
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Soy and a Healthy Diet
Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with eating soy. If you really think about it, almost every food could be found to have some kind of negative consequence if you eat it. Some of the meats we eat contain special chemicals, synthetic growth hormones, etc. that affect us. In fact, it is said that because of today's meat, children are hitting puberty at a younger age. Also, nitrates which are found in many different kinds of meats, can eventually convert to nitrosamines that are believed to cause cancer.
It can also be looked down upon if you eat too much of one certain type of food. For example, even though oranges are very healthy and good for you, if you were to ONLY eat oranges, that would be very bad for your system. The same thing could be said for many other things...even water! If you drink too much water it's bad for you; you could die. And yet, water is one of the most healthiest things for you and it is extremely good for your body in the right amounts.
So, even if there are high levels of phytoestrogen, etc. in soy, I still think soy is perfectly fine to eat. I say go for it! It's not like you are stuffing your face with french fries, funnel cakes, and other deep fried items :) Compared to lots of other foods, I think soy is relatively good for you.
It can also be looked down upon if you eat too much of one certain type of food. For example, even though oranges are very healthy and good for you, if you were to ONLY eat oranges, that would be very bad for your system. The same thing could be said for many other things...even water! If you drink too much water it's bad for you; you could die. And yet, water is one of the most healthiest things for you and it is extremely good for your body in the right amounts.
So, even if there are high levels of phytoestrogen, etc. in soy, I still think soy is perfectly fine to eat. I say go for it! It's not like you are stuffing your face with french fries, funnel cakes, and other deep fried items :) Compared to lots of other foods, I think soy is relatively good for you.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Conflict Resolution
There are many, many tactics that can be used for resolving conflicts. The five main styles of dealing with conflicts are categorized under: Competitive, Collaborative, Compromising, Accomodating, and completely avoiding the situation. Each style is useful in different types of situations, but if I could pick the most effective tactic for resolving conflicts I would choose the collaborative method.
The collaborative method tries to meet the needs of all people involved in the situation. That is the main goal when using this method. People who use this route for resolving conflicts can be very assertive but they will still cooperate effectively with other people and acknowledge that everyone is important. This style is very, very useful when a you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution. I also think it is more of a professional, mature way to handle a situation, instead of completely avoiding it, etc.
I think this is a good conflict resolution method to use because you usually get what you want, most of the other people involved conflict are satisfied with the outcome, and most importantly, nobody feels hurt or left feeling like they have been bruised. In other words, no one is being bullied or being put down when this conflict resolution style is used. In some cases, teens (or people), will put each other down to make themselves feel better or superior, so they can get what they want. This is very unnecessary, and I think immature. You can be assertive without putting others down, and still manage to get what you want and make others satisfied too.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_81.htm
The collaborative method tries to meet the needs of all people involved in the situation. That is the main goal when using this method. People who use this route for resolving conflicts can be very assertive but they will still cooperate effectively with other people and acknowledge that everyone is important. This style is very, very useful when a you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution. I also think it is more of a professional, mature way to handle a situation, instead of completely avoiding it, etc.
I think this is a good conflict resolution method to use because you usually get what you want, most of the other people involved conflict are satisfied with the outcome, and most importantly, nobody feels hurt or left feeling like they have been bruised. In other words, no one is being bullied or being put down when this conflict resolution style is used. In some cases, teens (or people), will put each other down to make themselves feel better or superior, so they can get what they want. This is very unnecessary, and I think immature. You can be assertive without putting others down, and still manage to get what you want and make others satisfied too.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_81.htm
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Decision Making Models
We learned about the G.R.E.A.T. Decision Making Model in class. First, give thought to the problem. Then, review your choices. Evaluate the consequences of each choice, and access and choose the best choice. After making your decision think it over. Was it the best option?
There are various models out there to help you make good decisions, such as the PLUS Decision Making Process, and the Rational Decision Making Model. In the PLUS Desicion Making Process, first you must define the problem. Then you must identify the availabe alternative solutions to the problem. After that is complete, evaluate the the identified alternatives and make your decision. Implement the decision and then evaluate the decision afterwards. For the Rational Decision Making Model, you must recognize the problem, develop alternative solutions to solve the problem, evaluate the alternatives, choose the best alternative, and put the best plan into action!
The three models mentioned basically work the same way. For instance, a problem must be identified and you must identify alternative solutions to fix the problem. Take some time to think the choices over, choose the best option, and implement your decision.
Although these models are very similar, there are a few small differences. When using the Rational Decision Making Model, it does not say anything about evaluating your decision afterwards like the others did. Other than that, there really are no other differences between the models.
If you are ever confronted with a problem and would need to use one of the models to help you make a good decision, I would say to look at either the G.R.E.A.T. Desicion Making Model or the PLUS Decision Making Process for assistance. Both models work the same way, and unlike the Rational Decision Making Model, they both suggest that you think over your decision after it has been made.
For more information on decision making models check out these websites.
http://www.ethics.org/resources/decision-making-process.asp
http://www.decide-guide.com/rational-decision-making.html
There are various models out there to help you make good decisions, such as the PLUS Decision Making Process, and the Rational Decision Making Model. In the PLUS Desicion Making Process, first you must define the problem. Then you must identify the availabe alternative solutions to the problem. After that is complete, evaluate the the identified alternatives and make your decision. Implement the decision and then evaluate the decision afterwards. For the Rational Decision Making Model, you must recognize the problem, develop alternative solutions to solve the problem, evaluate the alternatives, choose the best alternative, and put the best plan into action!
The three models mentioned basically work the same way. For instance, a problem must be identified and you must identify alternative solutions to fix the problem. Take some time to think the choices over, choose the best option, and implement your decision.
Although these models are very similar, there are a few small differences. When using the Rational Decision Making Model, it does not say anything about evaluating your decision afterwards like the others did. Other than that, there really are no other differences between the models.
If you are ever confronted with a problem and would need to use one of the models to help you make a good decision, I would say to look at either the G.R.E.A.T. Desicion Making Model or the PLUS Decision Making Process for assistance. Both models work the same way, and unlike the Rational Decision Making Model, they both suggest that you think over your decision after it has been made.
For more information on decision making models check out these websites.
http://www.ethics.org/resources/decision-making-process.asp
http://www.decide-guide.com/rational-decision-making.html
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)