Sustainability Freshman Inquiry Nov. 2, 2010 Jeff Fletcher.
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Transcript of Sustainability Freshman Inquiry Nov. 2, 2010 Jeff Fletcher.
Sustainability Freshman Inquiry
Nov. 2, 2010
Jeff Fletcher
Logistics• New Reading due Nov. 2
– Sell the rain: How the privatization of water caused riots in Cochabamba, Bolivia Connie Watson, CBC Radio (Feb. 4, 2003)
– Water Revolt (Timeline): Cochabamba, Bolivia, Frontline, Public Broadcasting System (PBS) (June 2002)
– Who Will Bring Water to the Bolivian Poor? New York Times (Dec. 15, 2005)– (optional): What's in Your Water Bottle? Frontline, Public Broadcasting System
(PBS) (June 2002)– (optional): Letter From Bolivia: Leasing the Rain, The New Yorker William
Finnegan (April 8, 2002)• No exams or class meetings during finals week
– Final reflection paper due, but can be submitted online • Students host series of events for PSU Sustainability Education Week Nov.
6-12– http://ecowiki.pdx.edu/news/view/students-host-series-events-psu-sustainability-
education-week • Group project topics
– Sustainability on campus, around Portland
Early Term Feedback: Main Themes
• Helpful:– Group and class discussions, Omnivore’s Dilemma,
mentor labs, field trips, hands-on activities, quizzes• Challenges:
– Seating arrangement, chatter, cliques– Not covering material in more depth, clearer
expectations (what to take notes on), more students involved in discussions, wording on test
• PowerPoint slides plus/minus• My explanations plus/minus
Suggested Remedies
• Change seating arrangements– Sit on outside facing front– Sit by someone new, more random groups
• Don’t tolerate side conversations, texting– Michelia and Zak will assist– Seating charts if necessary– Asked to leave class (absence for day)
• Need to talk to me before returning
• You: Ask questions– Note taking, key points,
• Me: clearer expectations– Recap main points, more study guide review, more discussion
and hands-on
Midterm
• Mean: 40.9 / 50 = 81.8%• Median: 42.5 / 50 = 85%
Midterm Score Distribution
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
95 -100 90-94.9 85-89.9 80-84.9 75-79.9 70-74.9 < 70
% correct
Count
Food Inc.• Veil between us and food (e.g. labeling)• A Farm vs. A Factory
– Who works on each?• Consolidation of Farms and food businesses• Chicken Counsel Spokesman:
– “A lot of food, little land, affordable prices: some one explain what’s wrong with that.”
• Social Change– Revolving Door (Lobbyists and Gov. Officials)– Who controls crops (Farmers vs. Agribusinesses)
• Hidden Costs– Hemorrhagic E. Coli (157:147)– Working Conditions– Environmental Costs– Health Costs (antibiotics)
Social Engineering Leverage Points
• Policy: Legislation, regulation, standards & guidance.
• Economic or Financial Stimulus: Subsidies, creating markets, pricing, grants and loans, investments.
• Technology: Encouraging inventions, adoption of new technology, implementation on a wide scale.
Social Engineering in AgricultureA mini - exercise
Write down one of each of the following:
• Examples of Agriculture Policies
• Examples of Technologies in Agriculture
• Examples of Financing in Agriculture
Social Engineering in Agriculture
• Examples of agriculture policies– Industrial agriculture (Butz)– USDA definitions & certifications of organic foods
• Examples of technologies– Plant 1 acre in 18 min (King Corn)– GM crops– GPS/Satellite auto-steering (fertilizer, fuel costs)– Soil, nutrient sensors– Feedlots, antibiotics
• Examples of Financing– Public funds make the difference for a corn farmer– Private/ventures in biotech, – agribusiness (Cargill, ADM, Unilever)
Discussion Questions
• Do we have effective social engineering targeted to increase production and consumption of Organic food? Should we?
• Do we have social engineering targeted to increase production and consumption of Local foods? Should we?
• What about water & energy needs?• What about land use?• Who will do the work of local farming?
Omnivore’s Dilemma• Ch 10: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a
Pasture
• Ch 11: The Animals: Practicing Complexity
• Ch 12: Slaughter: In a Glass Abattoir
• Reconciling Livestock and the Environment
Debate (next class)
• Local Food?
• Eating Meat?
• No-Till Chemical Farming?
• Can we give up Nitrogen Fertilizers?
• GMOs + Organic?