Quiz: What is your Personality?
1. If you are at a party, where are you most likely to be found?
a. on the dance floor
b. joking around
c. trying how to best fit in
d. sitting back and relaxing
2. If you were on a baseball team, what position would you play?
a. starting pitcher
b. relief pitcher
c. catcher
d. position player
3. What drink do you prefer?
a. water
b. Soda
c. Wine
d. Beer
4. Which would be your preferred job?
a. business owner
b. newscaster
c. travel agent
d. engineer
5. What activity would you most likely be doing?
a. taking a nature walk
b. surfing the net
c. playing sports
d. hanging out with friends
6. Which of the following describes you the best?
a. quiet
b. calm
c. active
d. loud
7. What is your favorite movie genre?
a. adventure
b. action
c. mystery
d. comedy
8. What is your favorite room in the house?
e. bedroom
f. living room
g. kitchen
h. backyard
Results
Dominant-You have do always be doing something, always on the move.
1-a 2-c 3-b 4-a 5-c 6-c 7-b 8-d
Expressive-You have to be the center of attention, always talking and always involved.
1-b 2-a 3-d 4-b 5-d 6-d 7-d 8-b
Analytical-You are always thinking and analyzing each situation.
1-c 2-b 3-a 4-d 5-b 6-b 7-c 8-a
Solid-You always relax and just take life as it happens.
1-d 2-d 3-c 4-c 5-a 6-a 7-a 8-c
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Profile Paper
Daniel Conrad
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
30 March 2009
Profile Paper
One day, as a child, Bernie Conrad was out fishing on the Wabash River with his two sisters and brother. One of his sisters fell out of their small fishing boat and into the river. She was able to swim, but she got caught in the undertow. Without hesitation, Bernie took action and dove into the water after her. He was putting his own life on the line to save somebody else. He managed to pull her out onto the bank. This heroic act showed the enormous potential for someone of his character.
Bernie was born in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1942. He grew up on a small farm just outside of town. Every morning he would get up at sunrise to complete his chores before walking three miles to get to school. After school, he would go horseback riding, shooting his dad’s rifle, or playing basketball with his older brother. In high school, he was captain of the basketball and baseball teams, while also playing football. There were numerous activities he enjoyed doing, “One of my favorite things to do was to go out into the cattle fields and shoot my dad’s rifle. Me and my brother had lots of fun taking target practice, even though he was always a little better then me.” Bernie had a lot of friends and was one of the most popular kids in school. He will be the first to admit it did get to his head, “I was very arrogant and wasn’t exactly the best kid in the world. I did a lot of things that I regret.” However, the important thing is that he learned from his mistakes and was able to become a better person.
Bernie Conrad was introduced to sports at a young age. His father had played college basketball before him, but it would be a long, hard road if he was going to follow in those footsteps. He practiced his long ranged shot by playing in the barn where mud would get on the ball making it heavier, and in turn making him stronger and more accurate. Along with basketball, he would also play baseball in the fields with his brother and cousins. He was exposed to a variety of sports early and often, “I remember being only six years old when my dad taught me to throw horseshoes. I couldn’t screw up. Quitting or failing wasn’t an option, my dad wouldn’t allow it.” He took this attitude and used it to become a great player and leader, eventually earning a sports scholarship to Purdue where he played both baseball and basketball. He was a backup point guard in basketball and rarely got in the game, but when he did get in it was for his defensive tenacity. On the baseball team, he started in centerfield his junior and senior years and batted seventh in the lineup. He was never a star, but he worked hard to be the best he could possible be.
On the academic side, he was just an average student through high school, but still got into Purdue University for his college education. At Purdue, along with playing basketball and baseball, he got through his first four years with a degree in agricultural economics. After graduating, he started working for a small farming firm. Shortly after he went back to school to get a degree in accounting. After receiving his second degree, he got a job working for Chrysler in Detroit. He left his home town and family farm behind. After working for Chrysler for a while, he decided he wanted more out of life. “The work I was doing was just an everyday routine, there was no excitement and so I though maybe I should try something else.”
Once again he decided to go back to school, this time it was for law school. With three years of studying at Wayne State University under his belt, he started to practice law. However, being a lawyer was not what it seemed. As a lawyer he expected to be upholding laws and the constitution, establishing justice for those who had been taken advantage of, and protecting the weak. In reality, he discovered a world of greed and selfishness. Everybody around him was all in it for themselves. He hated the work and the people so he quit, “Being a lawyer isn’t what it is cracked up to be. You pretty much have to be a jerk to be any good and make money. It just wasn’t for me.” In the end, he landed back with Chrysler and got his life long career going. Due to the tough economic times and all the job cuts at the car companies, he retired the day before thanksgiving in 2008. He has lived out his short retirement reading numerous books that he never got a chance to read in the past.
Bernie is also a family man. He got married to his wife Anne, and had two kids. He has raised his kids to be the best they can be. He teaches them the ways he learned to be successful, but also telling them to have fun and just be themselves. “I try to teach my kids to be great people, and the foundation of that is being a good Christian. Following the ways of Jesus Christ and constant prayer with the Lord is where it all starts. From there I teach them to work hard, be honest, and be respectful of the people around them.” Bernie grew up in a Catholic family and continues the traditions his parents taught him.
For someone to come so far there must be stops along the way that make that person who they are. Bernie’s greatest experiences came as a college student, “My greatest experiences happened during college. I learned countless lessons and really matured from an irresponsible kid into an adult.” There were certain moments that stood out in his life both as a student and as an athlete. “Graduating was my greatest achievement. I was sort of a fool back in those days and wasn’t too serious at all. So just getting out of there successfully at first was a great achievement in itself….as an athlete it was just getting into games and playing.” All of these defining moments paved a path for a man who would grow up to be loved by his family and friends, and honestly, it can’t get much better than that.
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
30 March 2009
Profile Paper
One day, as a child, Bernie Conrad was out fishing on the Wabash River with his two sisters and brother. One of his sisters fell out of their small fishing boat and into the river. She was able to swim, but she got caught in the undertow. Without hesitation, Bernie took action and dove into the water after her. He was putting his own life on the line to save somebody else. He managed to pull her out onto the bank. This heroic act showed the enormous potential for someone of his character.
Bernie was born in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1942. He grew up on a small farm just outside of town. Every morning he would get up at sunrise to complete his chores before walking three miles to get to school. After school, he would go horseback riding, shooting his dad’s rifle, or playing basketball with his older brother. In high school, he was captain of the basketball and baseball teams, while also playing football. There were numerous activities he enjoyed doing, “One of my favorite things to do was to go out into the cattle fields and shoot my dad’s rifle. Me and my brother had lots of fun taking target practice, even though he was always a little better then me.” Bernie had a lot of friends and was one of the most popular kids in school. He will be the first to admit it did get to his head, “I was very arrogant and wasn’t exactly the best kid in the world. I did a lot of things that I regret.” However, the important thing is that he learned from his mistakes and was able to become a better person.
Bernie Conrad was introduced to sports at a young age. His father had played college basketball before him, but it would be a long, hard road if he was going to follow in those footsteps. He practiced his long ranged shot by playing in the barn where mud would get on the ball making it heavier, and in turn making him stronger and more accurate. Along with basketball, he would also play baseball in the fields with his brother and cousins. He was exposed to a variety of sports early and often, “I remember being only six years old when my dad taught me to throw horseshoes. I couldn’t screw up. Quitting or failing wasn’t an option, my dad wouldn’t allow it.” He took this attitude and used it to become a great player and leader, eventually earning a sports scholarship to Purdue where he played both baseball and basketball. He was a backup point guard in basketball and rarely got in the game, but when he did get in it was for his defensive tenacity. On the baseball team, he started in centerfield his junior and senior years and batted seventh in the lineup. He was never a star, but he worked hard to be the best he could possible be.
On the academic side, he was just an average student through high school, but still got into Purdue University for his college education. At Purdue, along with playing basketball and baseball, he got through his first four years with a degree in agricultural economics. After graduating, he started working for a small farming firm. Shortly after he went back to school to get a degree in accounting. After receiving his second degree, he got a job working for Chrysler in Detroit. He left his home town and family farm behind. After working for Chrysler for a while, he decided he wanted more out of life. “The work I was doing was just an everyday routine, there was no excitement and so I though maybe I should try something else.”
Once again he decided to go back to school, this time it was for law school. With three years of studying at Wayne State University under his belt, he started to practice law. However, being a lawyer was not what it seemed. As a lawyer he expected to be upholding laws and the constitution, establishing justice for those who had been taken advantage of, and protecting the weak. In reality, he discovered a world of greed and selfishness. Everybody around him was all in it for themselves. He hated the work and the people so he quit, “Being a lawyer isn’t what it is cracked up to be. You pretty much have to be a jerk to be any good and make money. It just wasn’t for me.” In the end, he landed back with Chrysler and got his life long career going. Due to the tough economic times and all the job cuts at the car companies, he retired the day before thanksgiving in 2008. He has lived out his short retirement reading numerous books that he never got a chance to read in the past.
Bernie is also a family man. He got married to his wife Anne, and had two kids. He has raised his kids to be the best they can be. He teaches them the ways he learned to be successful, but also telling them to have fun and just be themselves. “I try to teach my kids to be great people, and the foundation of that is being a good Christian. Following the ways of Jesus Christ and constant prayer with the Lord is where it all starts. From there I teach them to work hard, be honest, and be respectful of the people around them.” Bernie grew up in a Catholic family and continues the traditions his parents taught him.
For someone to come so far there must be stops along the way that make that person who they are. Bernie’s greatest experiences came as a college student, “My greatest experiences happened during college. I learned countless lessons and really matured from an irresponsible kid into an adult.” There were certain moments that stood out in his life both as a student and as an athlete. “Graduating was my greatest achievement. I was sort of a fool back in those days and wasn’t too serious at all. So just getting out of there successfully at first was a great achievement in itself….as an athlete it was just getting into games and playing.” All of these defining moments paved a path for a man who would grow up to be loved by his family and friends, and honestly, it can’t get much better than that.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Podcast Script
Daniel Conrad
The Student Athlete
Complete Show Length in Minutes: 6:30
Episode 1: Topic: The affects of being a student athlete.
Intro Music Clip: Title: “Roundball Rock” Minutes: 30 sec
Intro: The Bernie Conrad experience. Minutes: 1min
Hello and welcome, I’m Daniel Conrad and I will be telling you all about the experience of the student athlete. In this pod cast we will explore all the excitement and work that goes into being both a student and an athlete at college. I will address questions about the athletic, academic, and social life of student athletes. As the NCAA commercials say, most of these athletes will go pro in something other than sports; we will show how true this is. Usually, they stand out at these other professional levels and within their communities. In a little while we will be getting first hand knowledge from a man who experienced this from 1961-1965. His name is Bernie Conrad, and he will explain to us what life was like being a college student while being on both the basketball and baseball teams at Purdue University. He will also explain how collegian athletics have changed since he played, and how there is much more pressure on students to win nowadays. This is an extraordinary man with extraordinary talents who has much experience and is a valid source for this pod cast. As a student myself I know how much time and effort it takes to study and keep my grades up. I can’t imagine playing a sport and getting all my academic work done as well.
Segment Music Clip: Title: “Eye of the Tiger” Minute: 4
Segment: Being a college athlete. Minutes: 3:45
So we are now joined by Bernie so that he may share his thoughts with us. Please tell us about the overall experience as a student athlete? “Well, looking back I’ve got to say that it was a lot of fun. It took a lot of hard work and determination to maintain grades and also, be able to play on sports teams. I was on both the basketball and baseball teams at Purdue. I probably wasn’t as focused on my school work as I should have been. I was like any other student and liked to party and just have fun.” How have these experiences in college helped to define you as a person? “Playing sports at such a high level helped prepare me for the real world more than I ever thought it would. It taught me the proper work ethic, leadership, and how to work with teammates. No matter what career you pursue you’ll have to work with other people, and playing a sport in college allowed me to know how to handle my co-workers and bosses.” What do you feel are the greatest accomplishments as both a student and an athlete? “As an athlete it was definitely in basketball when I was in a game for more than five minutes. I didn’t play that much, but in that game against Michigan, the two point guards ahead of me got into foul trouble, so I got the nod. Academically it would have to be graduating and knowing that all of my hard work had paid off.
I also talked to him about the differences in college athletics today as compared to when he played back in the sixties. He said that today’s athletes are under so much pressure to win. The fellow students and alumni from major schools and programs demand success. Almost all games are televised, with players getting interviewed, and attention from different media outlets. With the way the games are played, basketball has changed dramatically. When Bernie played, there was no shot clock and no three point line. The college games were low scoring and a lot more focused on playing as a team and the right way. Today, you just need one stud on your team and you can be successful. The biggest difference in baseball is that everybody today, is bigger and stronger. Players can pitch faster and hit the ball harder. Back when Bernie was playing, teams played “small ball,” where you would do things like sacrifice bunt, and hit the other way in order to manufacture runs. Now, all players do is swing for the fences. Even though styles of play have changed, the challenges to a student athlete are the same. They must succeed academically and be able to perform in whatever sport they are a part of.
In America there are almost four-hundred thousand student athletes. They are able to compete and perform at a very high level, while keeping their grades up. When glancing at the benefits of playing sports in college, it would seem that people just do it for fun. However, most of the time there is a lot more to it. The student athlete usually has a drive to achieve great things. They are hard workers and will run through walls for their teammates. They need a tough mentality to be able to focus and keep themselves from being distracted. The final thing we asked Bernie was about distractions. “It is hard not to be distracted with the pressure of your social life and trying to fit in. It can all become overwhelming sometimes. You have to keep your head on straight and be able to stay close to earth. As long as you don’t get too big of a head you should be fine.” So there it is, words from a man who has been there and seen it.
End Segment Music Clip: Title: “Hail Purdue” Minutes: 1:15
Ending: The dedication of the student athlete. Minutes: 1
Although collegian sports have changed over the decades, the principles they teach young people all over this country hasn’t. Student athletes gain a unique experience that teaches them teamwork and leadership. It also does a lot to help prepare them for their future in any career they choose to pursue. These talented athletes need to be able to perform in the class room along with on the gridiron in order to succeed and make it through college. Another quality that becomes imprinted within the players is dedication. They are dedicated to there teammates and learn what it is like to work in a group. This can then de translated to the real world when working with family and co-workers. All of the things that student athletes learn from the college experience can help develop them into better people, and better citizens. I want to thank Bernie Conrad for allowing me to interview him, and for his appearance in this pod cast.
The Student Athlete
Complete Show Length in Minutes: 6:30
Episode 1: Topic: The affects of being a student athlete.
Intro Music Clip: Title: “Roundball Rock” Minutes: 30 sec
Intro: The Bernie Conrad experience. Minutes: 1min
Hello and welcome, I’m Daniel Conrad and I will be telling you all about the experience of the student athlete. In this pod cast we will explore all the excitement and work that goes into being both a student and an athlete at college. I will address questions about the athletic, academic, and social life of student athletes. As the NCAA commercials say, most of these athletes will go pro in something other than sports; we will show how true this is. Usually, they stand out at these other professional levels and within their communities. In a little while we will be getting first hand knowledge from a man who experienced this from 1961-1965. His name is Bernie Conrad, and he will explain to us what life was like being a college student while being on both the basketball and baseball teams at Purdue University. He will also explain how collegian athletics have changed since he played, and how there is much more pressure on students to win nowadays. This is an extraordinary man with extraordinary talents who has much experience and is a valid source for this pod cast. As a student myself I know how much time and effort it takes to study and keep my grades up. I can’t imagine playing a sport and getting all my academic work done as well.
Segment Music Clip: Title: “Eye of the Tiger” Minute: 4
Segment: Being a college athlete. Minutes: 3:45
So we are now joined by Bernie so that he may share his thoughts with us. Please tell us about the overall experience as a student athlete? “Well, looking back I’ve got to say that it was a lot of fun. It took a lot of hard work and determination to maintain grades and also, be able to play on sports teams. I was on both the basketball and baseball teams at Purdue. I probably wasn’t as focused on my school work as I should have been. I was like any other student and liked to party and just have fun.” How have these experiences in college helped to define you as a person? “Playing sports at such a high level helped prepare me for the real world more than I ever thought it would. It taught me the proper work ethic, leadership, and how to work with teammates. No matter what career you pursue you’ll have to work with other people, and playing a sport in college allowed me to know how to handle my co-workers and bosses.” What do you feel are the greatest accomplishments as both a student and an athlete? “As an athlete it was definitely in basketball when I was in a game for more than five minutes. I didn’t play that much, but in that game against Michigan, the two point guards ahead of me got into foul trouble, so I got the nod. Academically it would have to be graduating and knowing that all of my hard work had paid off.
I also talked to him about the differences in college athletics today as compared to when he played back in the sixties. He said that today’s athletes are under so much pressure to win. The fellow students and alumni from major schools and programs demand success. Almost all games are televised, with players getting interviewed, and attention from different media outlets. With the way the games are played, basketball has changed dramatically. When Bernie played, there was no shot clock and no three point line. The college games were low scoring and a lot more focused on playing as a team and the right way. Today, you just need one stud on your team and you can be successful. The biggest difference in baseball is that everybody today, is bigger and stronger. Players can pitch faster and hit the ball harder. Back when Bernie was playing, teams played “small ball,” where you would do things like sacrifice bunt, and hit the other way in order to manufacture runs. Now, all players do is swing for the fences. Even though styles of play have changed, the challenges to a student athlete are the same. They must succeed academically and be able to perform in whatever sport they are a part of.
In America there are almost four-hundred thousand student athletes. They are able to compete and perform at a very high level, while keeping their grades up. When glancing at the benefits of playing sports in college, it would seem that people just do it for fun. However, most of the time there is a lot more to it. The student athlete usually has a drive to achieve great things. They are hard workers and will run through walls for their teammates. They need a tough mentality to be able to focus and keep themselves from being distracted. The final thing we asked Bernie was about distractions. “It is hard not to be distracted with the pressure of your social life and trying to fit in. It can all become overwhelming sometimes. You have to keep your head on straight and be able to stay close to earth. As long as you don’t get too big of a head you should be fine.” So there it is, words from a man who has been there and seen it.
End Segment Music Clip: Title: “Hail Purdue” Minutes: 1:15
Ending: The dedication of the student athlete. Minutes: 1
Although collegian sports have changed over the decades, the principles they teach young people all over this country hasn’t. Student athletes gain a unique experience that teaches them teamwork and leadership. It also does a lot to help prepare them for their future in any career they choose to pursue. These talented athletes need to be able to perform in the class room along with on the gridiron in order to succeed and make it through college. Another quality that becomes imprinted within the players is dedication. They are dedicated to there teammates and learn what it is like to work in a group. This can then de translated to the real world when working with family and co-workers. All of the things that student athletes learn from the college experience can help develop them into better people, and better citizens. I want to thank Bernie Conrad for allowing me to interview him, and for his appearance in this pod cast.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Organic Food
Daniel Conrad
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
23 February 2009
The Truth about Organic Food
You have probably been told that organic food is great for your health, and great for the environment. You need to reconsider. A lot of evidence, from many different sources, shows that buying organic food actually does more harm to our planet, than good. A study conducted by the University of Alabama talks about the distance organic food travels, and how it can be very harmful to the planet by contributing to the depletion of the ozone. Also, many scholarly articles have been written about the affects of growing organic food on the environment. One article explains that in Denmark, growing organic food is harmful to the soil and thus, hurts the surrounding environment. On the other hand, growing organic is good for the environment by preventing the chemicals used in pesticides from getting into the soil and water supplies. However, the overall environment is more important. An investigation into the details on the subject proves that growing organic food causes more environmental harm, than environmental benefit.
The study done by the University of Alabama shows that buying organic produce is actually, more harmful for the environment, than buying regular, non-organic produce. When deciding whether or not to go green, it is very important to know how far the food has traveled before it arrives on your table. The study led by Vicki Burt, compared the “food miles” organic crops and regular crops. Food miles are defined as the distance that the food will travel from the field to the store counters. The results of the experiment showed that organic food travels just as far, if not farther, than regular produce. It really depends on what product you’re talking about. Organic mangoes and peppers, in particular, travel much farther than regular mangoes and peppers. In the United States and Canada, we get our organic mangos and peppers from South American countries as opposed to the regular ones from Mexico. The variance in those distances adds up to many thousands of kilometers. With this extended distance that organic food travels, more carbon dioxide is produced from trucks, planes, and ships, than the carbon dioxide produced when transporting non-organic foods. So in the end, it is far more harmful to buy organic food because of there high food miles, which leads an increased output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and this ultimately leads to global warming (Science Daily).
An article written by Birgitte Hansen, Hugo Fjelsted, and Erik Steen Kristensen, helps to explain the environmental impact of growing organic food. The content is based on information coming from the European country of Denmark. This article points out that organic food, despite having many benefits, also can produce negatives for the environment. Many current farming practices are used because they are fast, safe, and efficient. However, modern farming can have a significant impact on the ecosystem. Organic farming can drain more nutrients from the soil, than regular farming, if it is not done at the proper time of year. Significant evidence from Denmark shows that, nitrogen, and other key chemicals that are essential to plants growth, are wasted, or used up when growing food organically. This leads to farmers using more land to grow less. Also, they end up using a wider range of crop rotations, meaning a lot of land is left empty and wasted during certain years. In order to keep production at its highest point, more farmlands have to be created. This rips into already existing ecological niches. Although, growing organic can help in certain ways with the ecology and biodiversity of local farming areas, it is more harmful by taking away the usable, natural land. Organic and non-organic farms affect the soil, water, and ecosystem in many different ways, both types of farming have some benefits, and both do some harm to the environment around them (Fjelsted).
There is a lot of other evidence and facts out there that shows how organic food can harm the environment. It has also been shown that faming organic produce, can lead to both a lower quantity of crop yields, as well as lower quality of crops. Also, some organic food is improperly labeled. You might think that what you’re buying doesn’t use chemicals, but farmers lie and twist their information around. To go along with that, there are many questions about how much affect chemicals and pesticides actually have on the environment. If used safely, and in the correct way, they actually pose little threat to the surrounding areas. Farmers need to be aware of current research of how and when to plant there crops properly, regardless of whether it is organic or not. Growing non-organic foods really doesn’t destroy the environment as much as many groups and organizations may lead on (Recipe 4 Living).
Despite common thoughts, growing organic foods is harmful to the environment. It increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere because of the carbon dioxide produced from the trucks, planes, and ships that carry it from the field to the store. Organic food needs more land to grow because it uses the nutrients in the soil too quickly. Due to crop rotations, less organic food is able to be grown at one time. So in the end, if you care about the environment, you should buy locally grown food, from your own garden, or from local markets. Buying organic foods is either a neutral or negative on the environment, and this evidence should be an influence on your decision making the next time you are in the grocery store.
Works Cited
Fjelsted, Hugo, Birgitte Hansen, and Erik Steen Kristensen. “Approaches to assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to Denmark.” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 83 (2001): 11-26. Science Direct. Elsevier Science B.V. 2001..
Organic Food Miles Take Toll On Environment. Science Daily. 7 June 2007 < http://www.sciencedaily.com>.
Your “Organic” Food Hurts the Environment. 10 July 2007. Recipe 4 Living. < http://www.recipe4living.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=55594>.
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
23 February 2009
The Truth about Organic Food
You have probably been told that organic food is great for your health, and great for the environment. You need to reconsider. A lot of evidence, from many different sources, shows that buying organic food actually does more harm to our planet, than good. A study conducted by the University of Alabama talks about the distance organic food travels, and how it can be very harmful to the planet by contributing to the depletion of the ozone. Also, many scholarly articles have been written about the affects of growing organic food on the environment. One article explains that in Denmark, growing organic food is harmful to the soil and thus, hurts the surrounding environment. On the other hand, growing organic is good for the environment by preventing the chemicals used in pesticides from getting into the soil and water supplies. However, the overall environment is more important. An investigation into the details on the subject proves that growing organic food causes more environmental harm, than environmental benefit.
The study done by the University of Alabama shows that buying organic produce is actually, more harmful for the environment, than buying regular, non-organic produce. When deciding whether or not to go green, it is very important to know how far the food has traveled before it arrives on your table. The study led by Vicki Burt, compared the “food miles” organic crops and regular crops. Food miles are defined as the distance that the food will travel from the field to the store counters. The results of the experiment showed that organic food travels just as far, if not farther, than regular produce. It really depends on what product you’re talking about. Organic mangoes and peppers, in particular, travel much farther than regular mangoes and peppers. In the United States and Canada, we get our organic mangos and peppers from South American countries as opposed to the regular ones from Mexico. The variance in those distances adds up to many thousands of kilometers. With this extended distance that organic food travels, more carbon dioxide is produced from trucks, planes, and ships, than the carbon dioxide produced when transporting non-organic foods. So in the end, it is far more harmful to buy organic food because of there high food miles, which leads an increased output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and this ultimately leads to global warming (Science Daily).
An article written by Birgitte Hansen, Hugo Fjelsted, and Erik Steen Kristensen, helps to explain the environmental impact of growing organic food. The content is based on information coming from the European country of Denmark. This article points out that organic food, despite having many benefits, also can produce negatives for the environment. Many current farming practices are used because they are fast, safe, and efficient. However, modern farming can have a significant impact on the ecosystem. Organic farming can drain more nutrients from the soil, than regular farming, if it is not done at the proper time of year. Significant evidence from Denmark shows that, nitrogen, and other key chemicals that are essential to plants growth, are wasted, or used up when growing food organically. This leads to farmers using more land to grow less. Also, they end up using a wider range of crop rotations, meaning a lot of land is left empty and wasted during certain years. In order to keep production at its highest point, more farmlands have to be created. This rips into already existing ecological niches. Although, growing organic can help in certain ways with the ecology and biodiversity of local farming areas, it is more harmful by taking away the usable, natural land. Organic and non-organic farms affect the soil, water, and ecosystem in many different ways, both types of farming have some benefits, and both do some harm to the environment around them (Fjelsted).
There is a lot of other evidence and facts out there that shows how organic food can harm the environment. It has also been shown that faming organic produce, can lead to both a lower quantity of crop yields, as well as lower quality of crops. Also, some organic food is improperly labeled. You might think that what you’re buying doesn’t use chemicals, but farmers lie and twist their information around. To go along with that, there are many questions about how much affect chemicals and pesticides actually have on the environment. If used safely, and in the correct way, they actually pose little threat to the surrounding areas. Farmers need to be aware of current research of how and when to plant there crops properly, regardless of whether it is organic or not. Growing non-organic foods really doesn’t destroy the environment as much as many groups and organizations may lead on (Recipe 4 Living).
Despite common thoughts, growing organic foods is harmful to the environment. It increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere because of the carbon dioxide produced from the trucks, planes, and ships that carry it from the field to the store. Organic food needs more land to grow because it uses the nutrients in the soil too quickly. Due to crop rotations, less organic food is able to be grown at one time. So in the end, if you care about the environment, you should buy locally grown food, from your own garden, or from local markets. Buying organic foods is either a neutral or negative on the environment, and this evidence should be an influence on your decision making the next time you are in the grocery store.
Works Cited
Fjelsted, Hugo, Birgitte Hansen, and Erik Steen Kristensen. “Approaches to assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to Denmark.” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 83 (2001): 11-26. Science Direct. Elsevier Science B.V. 2001.
Organic Food Miles Take Toll On Environment. Science Daily. 7 June 2007 < http://www.sciencedaily.com>.
Your “Organic” Food Hurts the Environment. 10 July 2007. Recipe 4 Living. < http://www.recipe4living.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=55594>.
Activity 1
Visual Glossary:
Rhetoric: Exaggerated use of language, or use of effective and persuasive speech.
Icon: An image or picture that can stand in or represent something else.
Design (Noun): A projection or plan that outlines or represents something, an organized creation, or structure to some object.
Design (Verb): To create or conceive some sort of plan or creation. To form, or plan, the structure or outline of something.
Representation (Noun): An object, person, symbol, or image that stands in place of and gives the same meaning as the entire thing it is taking the place of.
4c. Tags: grand theft auto, busy town, videogame, game, animated design.
6. Each logo does work to make the website visually appealing. They can’t be too simple or too complicated. They are supposed to draw the user back to the website in the future and make there website the most attractive. Google uses different colors to try and do this, Yahoo a unique font and style, while AltaVista uses a symbol above there wording. They all are effective logos and do the work they are suppose to.
I like the Google logo the best. It is a simple design but the colors are creative and cool. The biggest reason I like it the best is probably because I use it the most and am most familiar with it.
I like the AltaVista logo the least because I am not at all familiar with it and had not used it before this activity. Visually they are similar so popularity really determines what you like and don’t like.
13. Advice for validity of general research:
1. Try to avoid .com, use things like .edu, .org, or .gov because the information on these sites is much more likely to be accurate and meaningful. They are much better for an educational or professional setting.
2. If the content has grammatical and punctuation errors then the creator of the site didn’t take care to have there work carefully looked over, and therefore isn’t very professional.
3. Is the content of the website relevant? Can you understand and use the information that is provided?
Advice for validity of visual research:
1. If it looks professional and well thought out it is probably valid. If it looks sloppy and quickly thrown together then it is more likely to not be as trustworthy.
2. Is the visual content useful? If it is not relevant to the website then it is unlikely to be at a professional level.
3. If it satisfies common sense criteria. If it makes sense and is appropriate for the context of the website.
Visual Glossary:
Rhetoric: Exaggerated use of language, or use of effective and persuasive speech.
Icon: An image or picture that can stand in or represent something else.
Design (Noun): A projection or plan that outlines or represents something, an organized creation, or structure to some object.
Design (Verb): To create or conceive some sort of plan or creation. To form, or plan, the structure or outline of something.
Representation (Noun): An object, person, symbol, or image that stands in place of and gives the same meaning as the entire thing it is taking the place of.
4c. Tags: grand theft auto, busy town, videogame, game, animated design.
6. Each logo does work to make the website visually appealing. They can’t be too simple or too complicated. They are supposed to draw the user back to the website in the future and make there website the most attractive. Google uses different colors to try and do this, Yahoo a unique font and style, while AltaVista uses a symbol above there wording. They all are effective logos and do the work they are suppose to.
I like the Google logo the best. It is a simple design but the colors are creative and cool. The biggest reason I like it the best is probably because I use it the most and am most familiar with it.
I like the AltaVista logo the least because I am not at all familiar with it and had not used it before this activity. Visually they are similar so popularity really determines what you like and don’t like.
13. Advice for validity of general research:
1. Try to avoid .com, use things like .edu, .org, or .gov because the information on these sites is much more likely to be accurate and meaningful. They are much better for an educational or professional setting.
2. If the content has grammatical and punctuation errors then the creator of the site didn’t take care to have there work carefully looked over, and therefore isn’t very professional.
3. Is the content of the website relevant? Can you understand and use the information that is provided?
Advice for validity of visual research:
1. If it looks professional and well thought out it is probably valid. If it looks sloppy and quickly thrown together then it is more likely to not be as trustworthy.
2. Is the visual content useful? If it is not relevant to the website then it is unlikely to be at a professional level.
3. If it satisfies common sense criteria. If it makes sense and is appropriate for the context of the website.
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