"Our Plastic Oceans" is a really interesting article. It talks and informs us about the harm we are causing on our oceans. Most of it we probably know, yet nobody does anything to stop it. Everybody thinks that it doesn't harm anything. It hurts the animals and it also hurts us.
I think "What's being done?" is a pretty good passage to focus on. What exactly is being done? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. If anything we're just hurting our cause. The Chinese are the main ones at fault here. People have tried banning plastic straws and plastic bags. I honestly don't think that's going to help one bit. People are still going to be slobs. People are still going to find a way to trash our environment and make it a living hell for everyone and the animals.
In my opinion, this "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" shouldn't even exist. There is no call for people to be this lazy. People need to get up off their butts and try to make a change in this world. We need to clean this place up.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Our Plastic Oceans- Hailey Carr
"Our Plastic Oceans" is a very intriguing article. It mainly talks about the pollution that is in our oceans. This articles informs people of how bad the pollution actually is, where it comes from, how it affects marine life, what is being done about it, and how we can fix the damage that we caused. After reading the article, the most important section to me was "Is it affecting marine life?"
"Is it affecting marine life?" is the most important to me, because I didn't realize how much the pollution actually affects the animals. I never knew that the pollution caused the fish to be smaller in size or not as smart as other animals. It was quite shocking to me to read this section, because it informed me of so much stuff. I never realized that the plastic was being ate by whales, and then later causing them to die. So, if the whales are eating the pollution, that means all of the other marine life is, and eventually if we don't stop filling the oceans with pollution, some animals are going to go extinct.
The most shocking factor to me is that even though all of us known how much pollution we are putting into the water, no one is doing anything to stop it. We are continuing to create a large amount of pollution and we are allowing it to go into the oceans. The only thing is that even if we started to clean the pollution from the oceans, it would take years. However, it would be completely worth it in the long run to know that the marine life would be better off.
"Is it affecting marine life?" is the most important to me, because I didn't realize how much the pollution actually affects the animals. I never knew that the pollution caused the fish to be smaller in size or not as smart as other animals. It was quite shocking to me to read this section, because it informed me of so much stuff. I never realized that the plastic was being ate by whales, and then later causing them to die. So, if the whales are eating the pollution, that means all of the other marine life is, and eventually if we don't stop filling the oceans with pollution, some animals are going to go extinct.
The most shocking factor to me is that even though all of us known how much pollution we are putting into the water, no one is doing anything to stop it. We are continuing to create a large amount of pollution and we are allowing it to go into the oceans. The only thing is that even if we started to clean the pollution from the oceans, it would take years. However, it would be completely worth it in the long run to know that the marine life would be better off.
Our Plastic Oceans ~ Katie Towery
(I just responded to the essay as a whole and listed things I found interesting)
I think the author was smart in the way they organized their article, grabbing your attention with a startling fact: "A garbage truck's worth of plastic enters the world's oceans every minute." They then tell you about their topic, and connect the reader to their essay through the paragraph about "Are humans at risk?" which forces you to be involved in the subject. The author also seems to organize their essay in a logical and chronological way. They explain how bad the pollution of plastic and waste is, where it comes from, the risks to humans and marine life, then the author seems to reel the reader back from the shocking facts to tell the them about what is being done about the matter. The article tries to persuade you to take action to save the water and marine life from pollution of plastic by making you aware of the problems plastic pollution is causing and making you sympathetic towards the subject.
I'm really surprised that China is the main contributor to plastic waste getting thrown in the ocean, about thirty percent, and also with the United States ranking twentieth out of the world, as stated in "Where's it coming from?" I am also shocked to know that plastic pollution is in deodorant and toothpaste, as well as synthetic fibers. Although, it doesn't seem to shock me that not many people are supporting the movement of using less plastic, as many products are made of plastic and many companies gain money from making and producing plastic. Not many people support the cause most likely because they don't see it directly affecting them, because they tend to think things that happen in the ocean won't ever affect them and are ignorant to it it possibly affecting them in the future.
I think the author was smart in the way they organized their article, grabbing your attention with a startling fact: "A garbage truck's worth of plastic enters the world's oceans every minute." They then tell you about their topic, and connect the reader to their essay through the paragraph about "Are humans at risk?" which forces you to be involved in the subject. The author also seems to organize their essay in a logical and chronological way. They explain how bad the pollution of plastic and waste is, where it comes from, the risks to humans and marine life, then the author seems to reel the reader back from the shocking facts to tell the them about what is being done about the matter. The article tries to persuade you to take action to save the water and marine life from pollution of plastic by making you aware of the problems plastic pollution is causing and making you sympathetic towards the subject.
I'm really surprised that China is the main contributor to plastic waste getting thrown in the ocean, about thirty percent, and also with the United States ranking twentieth out of the world, as stated in "Where's it coming from?" I am also shocked to know that plastic pollution is in deodorant and toothpaste, as well as synthetic fibers. Although, it doesn't seem to shock me that not many people are supporting the movement of using less plastic, as many products are made of plastic and many companies gain money from making and producing plastic. Not many people support the cause most likely because they don't see it directly affecting them, because they tend to think things that happen in the ocean won't ever affect them and are ignorant to it it possibly affecting them in the future.
Melanie Cheesman - Our Plastic Oceans
Melanie Cheesman
Jamie Larkin
ENG 1003
31 October 2018
How bad is the pollution?
Humans have caused a huge increase in pollution in the ocean. According to the passage, a garbage truck’s worth of plastic goes into the ocean every minute. We have caused 14 million tons of plastic pollution into the seas. The waves and the ultraviolet light have broken the trash, making the trash invisible from the people just looking over the side of a boat. The passage says that 99.9% of the trash is plastic, and it could have been recycled instead of just thrown into the ocean or other waterways that lead into the sea. The plastic in the ocean causes trouble for the animal life that live in here. All of the pollution could potentially kill the animals that live here and end a species. The World Economic Forum says that there would be more plastic, by weight, in the ocean than fish by 2050. That is crazy, especially when it is easy to recycle the plastic. Littering also helps cause this problem with people just throwing trash on the beach instead of throwing it in a safer place. This needs to be changed because if the fish species gets wiped out, there will be a decline in the process of fishing to sell as food. The water could also get too polluted to even get in when visiting the beach. The sad thing is that the scientists do not know how long it will take for the amount of plastic being thrown in the water everyday will subside.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Our Plastic Oceans - Brittany Fulcher
I'm just gonna do the second possible response question, and discuss a move made by the writer that I believe is interesting and explain it.
In this article, the writer makes a paragraph dedicated to how plastic pollution could be a risk to human life, not just marine life. This is a smart and strong move made by the writer because if people believe they are being affected, not just animals, they will open their ears and start listening. Even with his or her's evidence not being clear, just the words humans and risk together will catch people's attention.
Plastic is not just a risk to marine life, humans are at risk too. According to evidence given by the writer, 83 percent of the worlds drinking water is contaminated, and 93 percent of the water contains some plastic. It might not be doing anything to humans now, but it could cause some kind of problem in the future. No one pays attention to that though because it has not been advertised like the effects plastic pollution has on oceans and marine life. It was never even intended for plastic to cause this much of a problem. Now it is everywhere and no one knows what to do about, not really anyway.
Maybe if it is brought to people's attention, the progress made to solve the issue would be further looked into or worked on faster. The writer gave information on what he or she knows about pretty much everything to do about plastic pollution. Maybe since they included the risk humans could face, more people will do the same and something will be done. That is why I believe it was a smart move to include that paragraph in the article.
In this article, the writer makes a paragraph dedicated to how plastic pollution could be a risk to human life, not just marine life. This is a smart and strong move made by the writer because if people believe they are being affected, not just animals, they will open their ears and start listening. Even with his or her's evidence not being clear, just the words humans and risk together will catch people's attention.
Plastic is not just a risk to marine life, humans are at risk too. According to evidence given by the writer, 83 percent of the worlds drinking water is contaminated, and 93 percent of the water contains some plastic. It might not be doing anything to humans now, but it could cause some kind of problem in the future. No one pays attention to that though because it has not been advertised like the effects plastic pollution has on oceans and marine life. It was never even intended for plastic to cause this much of a problem. Now it is everywhere and no one knows what to do about, not really anyway.
Maybe if it is brought to people's attention, the progress made to solve the issue would be further looked into or worked on faster. The writer gave information on what he or she knows about pretty much everything to do about plastic pollution. Maybe since they included the risk humans could face, more people will do the same and something will be done. That is why I believe it was a smart move to include that paragraph in the article.
Our Plastic Oceans - Alexis Butler
As a whole, "Our Plastic Oceans" is a disturbing yet interesting essay. The main topic is the pollution in our oceans. This essay describes how bad the pollution is, where it comes from, where it goes, the effects on both human and animals, and what is being done. All of these sections are terrifying, but one in particular stands out to me. "Is it affecting marine life?" was the most shocking in my eyes.
"Is it affecting marine life" explains the known effects of polluted water on the animals who live in it. Polluted water effects the psychological state of fish in heavily polluted areas. These fish tend to be less intelligent, have less agility, and smaller than fish in cleaner waters. Another effect on animals in polluted habitats is they are more likely to die. These fish are more prone to swallow trash and prevent the digestion of food.
The worst thing to me is the fact that humans know about this problem. We know trash is bad for the ocean, yet we still dump it. We know trash kills marine life in alarming numbers, yet we don't care. These animals are forced to live in a mess that humans made. They suffer everyday and have short lives, but we don't care. Even for those who do care about this problem, efforts are not taking place as fast as the trash is being dumped.
At this rate, our oceans will never be clean. Even if humans were to step up and take drastic new measures to clean the ocean, there will always be those animals that unfairly died. By throwing our trash into the ocean, we are digging a grave for an animal.
"Is it affecting marine life" explains the known effects of polluted water on the animals who live in it. Polluted water effects the psychological state of fish in heavily polluted areas. These fish tend to be less intelligent, have less agility, and smaller than fish in cleaner waters. Another effect on animals in polluted habitats is they are more likely to die. These fish are more prone to swallow trash and prevent the digestion of food.
The worst thing to me is the fact that humans know about this problem. We know trash is bad for the ocean, yet we still dump it. We know trash kills marine life in alarming numbers, yet we don't care. These animals are forced to live in a mess that humans made. They suffer everyday and have short lives, but we don't care. Even for those who do care about this problem, efforts are not taking place as fast as the trash is being dumped.
At this rate, our oceans will never be clean. Even if humans were to step up and take drastic new measures to clean the ocean, there will always be those animals that unfairly died. By throwing our trash into the ocean, we are digging a grave for an animal.
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Zoe Meyer Essay
Zoe Meyer
Mrs. Larkin
Comp 1 Eng 1003
9-19-18
Buddhism v. Christianity
Buddhism is a religion revolving around Siddhartha Gautama’s teachings. He believed that suffering is the root of all evil, basically, and the goal of this religion is to reach nirvana, which is a state of total peace. Christianity revolves around Jesus Christ’s teachings, and the mission is to spread His word of how God created the world and to worship Him. That is what will save you. (“Buddhism vs Christianity”) Both of these religions do have a set of beliefs, customs, and practices. Some are very much alike, such as always being generous, improving your well-being, and more. Some couldn’t be any more different, like what happens after death. Regardless, these religions are quite interesting and can even help people. There are many great similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity, and learning about them could even possibly benefit you in everyday life.
Believe it or not, Buddhism and Christianity are a lot more alike than you may think. Many of these similarities that they share are just basic customs and rules we go by every day, such as treating others fairly, helping people, and, well, not murdering others. Others are things the more religious people go by, like improving your wellbeing and conquering hate with love. Even so, these religions are very much alike.
Three of the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity are as followed: to be generous, to help others who need it, and to improve your well-being. Dāna (or generosity) is one of the main central practices in Buddhism. This doesn’t mean just giving someone something because they want it, or just because you’re throwing it out. Your intention is just as important as giving something away. It may be seen as a greater act to give something away you may still use. If you’re throwing leftovers out with the intention of insects and animals eating it, that’s still being generous, and that’s good. Your intention should be pure. (Liusuwan)
It’s the same with Christianity, seeing as Acts 20:35 says “...remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (NIV, Acts 20:35) Don’t just throw money in a bag that is collected by your church, because more likely than not, your church already has enough money. Being generous is giving to those who truly are in need of help.
One of the unspoken goals of these two religions is to improve your well-being. The Buddha wants you to learn to respect all life-forms including, yourself, others, and nature. You meditate, which is scientifically proven to improve your health. You’re advised to not get stuck in the past or to think about the future which can decrease stress, which in turn makes you healthier and gives you a better mindset. The Buddha taught, which can lead to the same results, is “the mind is everything. What you think, you become.” (Health Fitness Revolution)
With Christianity, prayer is usually the key to any problems in life you may face, and that can significantly reduce stress. You feel like there’s someone watching over you making you feel safe, and also more confident with how you can handle your problems. You trust that everything will work out okay in the end as long as you believe and pray. Feeling this security with God can definitely improve some part of your mental wellbeing. (“The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Active and Positive Christian Belief.”)
More similarities between these two summed up are to just be kind to others; to love everyone and your enemies always, to help others in need, to follow the Golden Rule, to not judge others, and to not kill. To love others from Buddhism and Christianity quoted is: “Let your thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world,” (Sutta Nipata 149-150), and “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you,” (ESV, John 15:12). When it comes to loving your enemies according to the Buddhist religion, you should always overcome the angry, the selfish, the lying, etc, with the opposite emotion for each. When it comes to Christianity, Luke 6:27 says to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (NIV) In turn, loving everyone can make you feel more content in your life, which contributes to your well-being.
All of our lives, the Golden Rule has been drilled into our heads. It’s typically told as it is in the Bible which is, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (NIV, Luke 6:31) But this rule doesn’t just stem from Christianity. In fact, it stems from Buddhism as well. Dhammapada 10:1 says “Consider others as yourself.” Judging and killing others kind of go hand in hand with the Golden Rule. Both religions believe that judging others is easier to do than to judge yourself and that if you judge others, you, in turn, will be judged right back. “A man winnows his neighbor’s faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides.” (Dhammapada 252). “Judge not, that you not be judged.” ( NKJV, Matthew 7:1).
There are five precepts to Buddhism. The first one is to not kill any living thing, especially humans and animals- and definitely not large animals. You are not to indirectly support killing, such as in any way helping someone hunt. Some even say you shouldn’t even think about killing because it damages the mind. (“Buddhism - The Three Jewels and Five Precepts.”)
Now, Christianity has the Ten Commandments. The sixth commandment is the one that tells you not to kill. It’s simply quoted in Exodus 20:13: “You shall not murder.” (NIV) Another source says “... man is unique. He was made in the image of God. Since God is the One who gave life, only He has the prerogative to take life.” (“What The Ten Commandments Really Mean: 6th Commandment”).
We now know all about their similarities, but what about their differences? There are differences between the practices and the goal of these religions. Also, what happens after you die? The religions each have their own thing to say when it comes to these topics.
Rather than praying, which is a big part of Christianity, Buddhists meditate. Meditating helps change how your mind works and makes you more aware. When you want to remove dissatisfaction and suffering from your life, you practice the “rights.” The right view/understanding (which is seeing things as they truly are without influence), the right thinking (setting your life on a positive path), the right speech (honesty and kindness), the right conduct (selfless, peaceful, and honest behavior), the right livelihood (avoiding work that harms others in any way or that diverts you from your beliefs and practices), the right effort (try to make a balance between a spiritual and average life), the right mindfulness (aware of your body, feeling, mind, thoughts, and emotions; avoiding selfishness), and the right concentration (focusing to reach enlightenment through meditation and discipline). (“Core Beliefs In Buddhism”)
Following the guidelines of the five precepts is another Buddhist practice. These are to avoid murdering all living things, not taking things from others if it’s not given to you first, to avoid sexual misconduct, to avoid lying, and to not take or use anything that can cloud your judgment. (“Buddhism - The Three Jewels and Five Precepts.”)
One of the largest practices of Christianity is prayer. This is the communication between the person praying and God. You can pray silently, out loud, or written. Many Christians pray before meals, before bed, or in church. Many also attend a church (or many over time) where they learn more about God, the Bible, and what everything means according to God. There they also praise and sing gospel songs. Many Christians attend a Bible study, where they simply study the Bible. Baptism is also an important part of this religion. That’s when you either have water sprinkled on your head or to be immersed in water. This signifies a new life with Jesus and joining others who believe. Christians spread the word by telling people about God and they try to recruit members to believe in Him. (“Christian Practices.”)
What happens after death according to the Buddhist religion is very complex. It’s determined by karma. If a person has good actions throughout their life, they will have good results. Not having any bad actions can mean that you have good karma, but it’s even better to practice generosity, righteousness, mediation, and so on. Bad actions cause bad karma, and those actions include lying, stealing, killing, and so on once again. Then there’s neutral karma, no bad actions, and no good actions; just eating, sleeping, breathing, and other basic human acts. After you die, if you haven’t reached nirvana, there are six planes you can be reborn into determined by your karma. Three of them are good, and three of them are bad. If you have good karma, you can be born into the realm of demigods, gods, or man. Demigods and gods have many things that they enjoy that humans do not have the luxury of doing. The only downside of this is that they feel constant envy. If you’re born into mankind, of course they will lack benefits that demigods and gods have, but they don’t have to suffer from the downside that the other two realms do. Mankind does have the opportunity to reach nirvana, though, which is the greatest thing to have. In the case that you have bad karma, you will be born into the realms of animals, ghosts, or hell. All of these planes cause intense suffering, more than you can imagine. You will stop being reborn once you reach nirvana. It is described as “a state of being that is realized through eliminating desire.” Some think that nirvana is a place with eternal bliss, and others think nirvana is simply nothingness. It is only reached with a lot of effort and over a plethora of lifetimes. (“Comparing Christianity and Buddhism;” “Buddhism: Beliefs about Death;” “Basics of Buddhism”)
According to Christianity for what happens after death, you only have one lifetime with one chance. You either go to Heaven or Hell. If you go to Heaven, “believers will be taken into the presence of Christ in heaven.” Heaven is supposed to be a place of glory, much better than anything on Earth. Once you arrive, it’s supposed to feel like you’re finally where you belong. You’re made perfect and cleansed from any sin, and since you’re only your soul, you look forward to the day when your body is resurrected from your grave. You live forever in Heaven with Christ. (“What Happens at Death?”) Those who didn’t trust or believe, though, they’ll be separated from God and excluded from Heaven. They’ll be sent to Hell with all the other non-believers and sinners. They sufferer forever in torment with a raging fire that will never go out. Hell is supposed to be worse than any suffering and torment on Earth. (“What Happens in Hell”)
While there is a similarity with one small goal, there’s also another goal that is very different intended for these religions. With Buddhism, the goal is to reach nirvana and escape the process of reincarnation. To do this, you have to eliminate all mental suffering. With Christianity, it’s to love God and obey His commandments all while creating a relationship with Him. You’re also supposed to spread the word to everyone about what He has done for us, to worship Him, and finally, to be released from sin. (“Buddhism vs Christianity.”)
As you’ve read, there are a number of similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity. Some of the similarities being almost identical, and some of the differences couldn’t be any farther apart. We understand the importance of being kind and content with yourself and life, and to always be generous and help others. We also know the differences, how many of the practices and beliefs are different from each other. Both of these religions do have a great impact on people, making people feel better about themselves, and maybe even their lives. These religions are so much alike and so different, but both great.
Works Cited
“Basics of Buddhism.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service.
“Benjamin Franklin Quotes, Unique Secrets for Success in Relationships, Personal Prosperity & Self Improvement.” Golden Rule Quotes from Various Religions.
“Buddhism - The Three Jewels and Five Precepts.” Buddhism - Rebirth.
“Buddhism vs Christianity.” Mountain Bike vs Road Bike - Difference and Comparison | Diffen.
“Buddhism: Beliefs about Death.” Funeralwise.
“Christian Practices.” ReligionFacts, 18 Nov. 2016.
“Comparing Christianity and Buddhism.” OnceDelivered.net, 30 June 2017.
“Core Beliefs In Buddhism.” Buddhist Core Beliefs - Buddhism In Practice : Pearls Of Wisdom.
“The Many Similarities Between Jesus and Buddha.” Owlcation, Owlcation.
Myers, Jeremy. “Is It More Blessed to Give than to Receive? Says Who?” Redeeming God, 17 Dec. 2011.
“Similarities Between Buddha and Jesus.” Buddha-Christ.info: Jesus and Buddha: Numerous Similarities.
“What Happens at Death?” Desiring God, 28 Sept. 2018.
“What Happens in Hell.” AllAboutWorldview.org.
“What The Ten Commandments Really Mean: 6th Commandment.” Bethel Church of God, 22 Apr. 2016.
“The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Active and Positive Christian Belief.” The Way?, 11 June 2015.
Liusuwan, Nicholas. “Generosity in Buddhism.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 9 Feb. 2018.
Health Fitness Revolution. “10 Healthy Buddhist Teachings for Everyone • Health Fitness Revolution.” Health Fitness Revolution, 3 Apr. 2016.
The Bible. New International Version.
The Bible. English Standard Version.
The Bible. New King James Version.
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