DPAPBio: April 2012

April 30, 2012

"Are We Suicidal?"

Disclaimer: I am well aware that everything in my poster is backwards on the picture, I wanted to say it was by accident, but I'll say I did it for comic relief instead.

After reading "Is humanity suicidal" I decided to show graphics of human impact. I choose deforestation and the melting of the polar ice caps because those are the most dangerous ones. I choose pictures I found online rather than drawing them because as you can imagine that would be a nightmare.

Deforestation

After reading "Is Humanity Suicidal," I looked up more on human impacts on the Earth. Deforestation was one of the most interesting and eye catching. Human impact is much more powerful than most people think it is. At the rate that deforestation is occurring, in one hundred years, there may be no rain forests left in the world. In the name of industrialization, we are depleting not only resources at an alarming pace, but also natural beauty found on the planet. Some logging operations that provide us with paper and other wood products are done illegally. It seems the only way to keep industries from chopping down trees for personal use is to create federal reserves. Deforestation has many negative impacts on the Earth. It dramatically decreases habitats for millions of organisms and drives climate for change. Also, chopping down trees that provide for a forest canopy eliminates the shade from the incoming sunlight. This causes more extreme climate swings.

Is Humanity Suicidal?

The human race is being "drowned" by the problems that it presents to the Earth.

Navneet's Ecology Poster

After reading "Is Humanity Suicidal" I decided to draw a poster that promotes the growth of trees. People are clear cutting forest left and right. This affects not only the animals that live there, but ti affects humans too. Without trees, what other way can we reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide? Every day we are burning fossil fuels, and therefore putting CO2 into the air. This CO2 breaksdown the ozone layer. If people plant trees, we will have a natural way to reduce at lease SOME of the CO2 in the atmosphere.

Ecology Poster

I created this poster after reading "Is Humanity Suicidal". In the article, the author spoke about habitat destruction and the selfishness of humans. This inspired me to think about all the species that are affected by our actions evry day. In my poster I drew eight endangered species, along with two children wearing shirts that promote recycling. I believe that if people are educated about the negative impacts we are having on the environment, they will be motivated to save the planet.

Ecology Poster

After reading the article "The Rape of Appalachia" I decided to make a campaign poster. This poster is telling people to vote no to mountaintop mining. They should vote no because mountaintop mining is hurting everything around it. It is forcing people and animals to move from their normal habitats because the ground is not sturdy for them to live there. Also this mining is affecting the miners that work there. It is an extremely unsafe process and should be ended immediately. There are other things we can substitute using instead of coal, like solar panels that are environmentally friendly.

Ecology Poster

I made this poster after reading the article "Our ocreans are turning into plastic...are we? written by Susan Casey. The main thing on this poster is the earth in someone's hands. The only way earth's problems can be solved is if YOU help. The bottom of the poster is the ocean filled with garbage,but mostly plastic items. The four animals are trapped in the plastic that us humans use. We need to learn to be more considerate and think about the environment before making such bad decisions. If everyone is aware of the harmful effects that humans are causing, hopefully they will help make a change.

April 29, 2012

Mountaintop Removal

This collage was made as a relection to the article "Rape of Appalachia". The various images depict the horrific events taking place in some what of a humourous point of view. Coal is needed in order to produce electricity which is a major aspect of the lives we live. The coal companies claim mountaintop blasting is safer but many think otherwise. Some of the headlines also found in the collage gives light to what is occuring near the blasting sites as a direct effect of the blasts. "800+ square miles of mountains are estimated to be already destroyed. (this is equal to a one-quarter mile wide swath of destruction from New York to San Francisco). That is a huge amount of land that has been destroyed. New York to San Francisco is about 3000 miles. The removal of mountaintops is truly disappointing. Not only is it effecting the nature in its proximity but the blasts are being done close to public and residential areas, shown in the elementary school picture. Since coal is needed greatly we can't stop mountaintop removal completely. Instead we should limit it and fund groups to develop new techniqes to mine coal or generate electricity.

Help Save Earth (Ecology Project)

I made this poster after reading the article "Our Oceans are Turning into Plastic". It's a reflection on how to make a difference and put a stop to the pollution of plastic. Since plastic isn't biodegradable it stays on earth forever. I found a few ways that can help stop the pollution of our oceans by making changes to supplement plastic products. If everyone was to make a few changes it could help keep tons of plastic out of the ocean.

I Am Plastic (Ecology Project)

I Am Plastic

By Kevin Tresselt

I am plastic.

I pollute the sea,

With bags, bath toys, traffic cones, jugs, and other debris.

Along with my friends, I create a huge plastic gyre,

Covering up large portions of the ocean, so it no longer looks sapphire.

I am plastic.

Created to withstand fire and bending,

The chemicals that help me are scarier than uncontrolled government spending.

The toxins within me can cause cancer within you and your brethren,

And create countless future problems for all of your children.

I am plastic.

I can barely be seen,

Because I am the nurdles that act so mean.

I absorb pollution, like a supersaturated poison pill,

Waiting to be eaten by a big fish with no will.

I am plastic.

Can you guess how I move?

Not by boats, ships, or the usual groove.

I get dumped on land, where the wind picks me up,

Then travel down streams to the ocean with my fellow cups.

I am plastic.

Believe it or not,

I used to be as valued and admired as a beautiful yacht.

I’ve given people credit cards, spandex pants, and medicine breakthroughs,

But today people hate me, and I rarely receive a simple thank you.

I am plastic.

Everyone uses me,

And while people are learning how to fix my problems, there are no guarantees.

Yes, scientists are trying to identify and remove me through major endeavors,

Unfortunately I will never breakdown; I’ll be here forever.

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Description of Poem

This poem acts as a reflection of the giant plastic gyres that have been created in many of Earth's oceans. The poem portrays the damaging effects of these pools of plastic, including negative effects on humans as well as other animals. While the poem does defend plastic at one point, noting its usefulness when it was first created, it quickly refutes this. In effect, the poem warns people of the dangers that plastic items impose, and that something must be done to address this large problem.