1. In Module 4, we discussed individual and collective action. Now reading about the biodiversity problems, describe what you do on an individual level to hurt biodiversity?  What do you, or your family, do to help biodiversity?
2. What is your community and town is doing to hurt biodiversity? What about helping with biodiversity?
3. Research one invasive species that is affecting your area and discuss the problems that it is causing.

Several years ago, I got into gardening ornamentals.  I then proceeded to become addicted to rose gardening and joined many clubs and associations.  The gardening clubs were dedicated to bringing beautiful and fragrant roses to people’s gardens.  It involved a lot of time, maintenance, and chemicals.  At the time, my goal was to create the perfect rose garden and it seemed like the thing to do – of course the soil needed additives and of course weeds needed to be killed and of course chemicals needed to be added for the flowers to go bigger, brighter, and more often.  Unfortunately I did not realize that the chemical to kill the dandelions was also poisonous to many of the frog species that traveled through my garden.  I did not give it a thought that the sprays to kill Japanese beetles also hurt good species of insects.  I unknowingly was slowly killing the biodiversity in my garden, all in the name of nature and gardening.  Thankfully work and school came along and I stopped focusing on my hobby so much.  During the break, I learned a lot about the harm that I was doing.  When I got back into the hobby, I stopped killing the weeds, and instead planted helpful plants such as milkweed for the Monarch Butterfly.   I also started planting more native plants and made sure to not plant any invasive species.

The community and town is hurting biodiversity by growing a limited species of crops.  Most of the farms around my home grow corn and soybeans and through discussions at the local feed mill, it sounds like many of the farmers grow at a maximum of three or four different breeds of each crop.  Therefore, any problems that arise will hurt most of the crops in the area and therefore biodiversity is not very present.  However, my particular neighborhood has a lot of people expanding into home gardening and farmettes.  We are zoned agricultural and many people are taking care of the small stream that grows through the area, letting the tree areas on their lands grow, and adding animals to their land.

As for an invasive species in the area, the multiflora that was planted throughout the county in the 1980s as a natural barrier for farms and cattle is not becoming a large problem.  There has been an explosion of Rose Rosette Virus and it is using the multiflora as a host to spread.  The virus attacks roses among other crops such as peaches and similar species.  The virus causes ugly red heavy growth on the plant and eventually kills the plant.  There is no cure for the virus.  While gardeners are on the lookout for the virus and are regularly removing plants infected by it, the problem is that this multiflora is infected and no one keeps up with this invasive species.  Therefore, the virus infects this multiflora that grows, the wind then picks up the virus from the infected multiflora and passes it on to other plants and hurts other crops.  Multiflora was once used as a species that could solve the farmers’ entire problem in the area and now has become a threat to other crops in the area.

A natural hazard is an unusual event that occurs naturally and causes harm.  Natural hazards identified on the Nathan map that my city of Williamsport faces include intense hailstorms and possible increase in heavy rain.  This map has both positives and negatives.  The scale of this map is large and thus allows the viewer to see the worldview of natural hazards but it fails to be a great source for local viewing.  For example, flooding may be a natural hazard in a local valley but the map fails to mention that.

On the EDIS map, what caught my eye was the biological hazard in Tuscany, Italy.  It states that four people have died and the biohazard level is high due to an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis C.  It is very possible that the city of Williamsport experience a biological hazard similar to this one in Italy.  Our vulnerability is higher than some because the city is poor and does not have an average high education rate.  Thankfully we are still in the United States so the size of a biological hazard can be limited versus biological hazards that occur in other parts of the United States due to the medicine and resources we have available.  The scale of the event is small.  While Tuscany, Italy is a larger area than Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the state of Pennsylvania is more populous than Tuscany, Italy.  There are only four people affected in Italy which is possible in Pennsylvania and should be about four times as much in Pennsylvania based on the population difference.    Some people in my hometown would be less vulnerable because of the distance to each other.  This disease spreads via human fluids, including spit, and most of our town is spread out.  Those that do use the public transit may be more vulnerable as well as those that live in apartment buildings in close proximity.  To reduce the vulnerability, one would educate the public on symptoms and on personal hygiene and in the case of an outbreak, close down schools in the area so that it can be contained and treated.

Viewing Lycoming County’s website shows that Williamsport is most likely to be affected by floods.  Many of the areas lie near the Susquehanna River and its’ off branches and are prone to flooding (Schnitzlein, n.d.).  This is the same experience I had in the area in the fall of 2012 when the river flooded and left me stranded in a retail location overnight.  While that was a large flood which is rather rare, regular flooding does occur quite often in the area and is the most common natural hazard to affect the area.

To help reduce the vulnerability, the area needs an even more organized flood preparation plan.  As of the fall of 2012, there were not enough resources to help people stranded in the area.  People in flood areas have to have a plan as to where to go and like the hurricane planning community engagement seen in Sarasota County, Florida, local neighborhoods should have annual meetings in which people learn how to react and what to do in such a situation.  The government should also keep regular tabulations on citizen movement so they know what parts of the city are busiest at what times of the day in case evacuation is needed.  Even more importantly, high risk areas should not be allowed to be developed like they were until a few days ago.  The government workers and emergency crews are the best people to handle it but I can help assist with community involvement.

Schnitzlein, Josh. N.d. “Hazard Mitigation.”  Lycoming County. http://www.lyco.org/Departments/PlanningandCommunityDevelopment/HazardMitigation.aspx

Muncy, Pennsylvania is a small automobile suburb of the Williamsport metropolitan area. This suburb has deep agricultural roots, while housing developments are slowly growing; it is still common to see large family farms throughout the town limits. While the Williamsport area has a population of roughly 117,000 people, Muncy only comprises about 2% of the metropolitan area or 2,400 people, this is a stark contrast to the Chicago neighborhood I grew up in. This is my husband’s hometown and now it is mine. In the 3 years that I have called Muncy home I would say I have become a product of the area. This Chicago girl now has an acre garden and a back yard full of chickens, something that I never thought would happen.

At first glance Boston, Massachusetts has little in common with the Williamsport-Muncy area. Boston is a large sprawling port city while the Williamsport area has recently become classified as a mining town due to its proximity to the Marcellus Shale fields. To find their similarities one must look at Williamsport’s history as once the lumber capital of the world which caused areas of influential housing known as Millionaire’s Row to spring up in the 1860s. This area still exists today and has a Beacon Hill feel to it, just slightly more spacious. The recent influx of money from the Oil and Gas industry has seen a revitalization of this area, bringing back a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood and helping to stabilize a dwindling business district. This change has slowed the expansion of the Williamsport area and helped rebuild its core, thus diminishing the need for farmland to be converted into housing developments.

While the Muncy-Williamsport area has strong agricultural roots, the homesteading video focusing on Detroit, Michigan shows that Williamsport is missing out on a big sustainability opportunity. In our area most homes have large enough green spaces to sustain a viable garden for home us, yet few take advantage of this resource. Both towns share a similar make up of blue collar workers, yet some in Detroit are doing more with less. Furthermore townships within the Williamsport metropolitan area are limiting property owners as to which animals can be raised on their property. Simple backyard coops have many sustainability advantages but are consistently under attack from zoning boards. While Detroit is opening up options for its residents, Williamsport residents are seeing their paths to sustainability being closed faster and faster.

Originally being from Poland, I thought it was very odd that pierogis were missing from all meals in the United States.  Pierogis are a staple in the Polish diet.  Contrary to popular belief, not all pierogis include potatoes and cheese.  Pierogis were made with whatever food was available.  Hence late summer saw a lot of blueberry pierogis on the plate and late fall had my favorite – mushroom pierogis.  Social norms dictated that whatever food was available was put into dough and boiled and provided a good amount of the food supplies.  This was very different from menu staples in the United States as I was shocked to find out when I moved to the country.  Despite having moved, I still sought out pierogis when they were available due to the fact that I grew up eating them regularly.

Pierogis were not only a social norm, but they were a nutritional requirement due to both food availability and food waste.  Under Soviet rule, food was scarce.  Hence the pierogis stuffed with seasonal foods.  Food waste was also a societal issue which is why this was an obvious food choice.  Almost any ingredient could be put into the dough.  The dough is made from flour, salt, and water, and scraps are reused to make more dough so there is no waste.  This is important because it means the food supply lasts longer and feeds more people.  In countries, such as the United States, where this problem did not exist, this social norm does not exist.  Pierogis are sometimes a nutritionally balanced meal as they usually include some sort of meat or vegetable in them.  However, the same large batch is often eaten at every meal over several days so it may cause deficiencies if not enough variation is done.  This would not be a problem with American food which is very diverse.

GDP and Energy and Development

1. 1. Nigerian delta in Africa – University of Michigan Case Study – http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/cases_03-04/Ogoni/Ogoni_case_study.htm

   The goal of this development was to provide revenue and jobs for the Nigerian delta.  It appeared to be a win-win, the drilling company, Shell, received their oil while it also provided for 80% of the government’s revenue.  The company was able to bring in revenue and helped the government tremendously.  However, in time, the negative effects appeared.  For example, 40% of Shell’s oil spills were in Nigeria which caused the river to be so polluted that fishing as a way of supplying food is no longer an option.  Development can be measured in numerous ways but one of those ways is GDP per capita and while the drilling made the government richer, it still caused the Ogoni people to live in poverty.  As the lesson discussed, increasing GDP is not always the best way to achieve sustainable development, because it does not always give an accurate representation of all sects of society.  In this case, the Ogoni tribe had their way of living negatively impacted by Shell although the country appeared to benefit.

   2. Queensland, Australia – Rural Development Sociology from Wageningen University – http://www.rlarrdc.org.in/images/Mining%20Development%20adn%20SIA.pdf

   The goal of this development was to provide economic stimulation to the area with coal mining activities.  The mining took place in the Australian inland and towns sprung up around them.  These towns experienced terrible quality of life.  They also impacted economies around the towns.  The mines paid more and thus most other businesses lost staff, rents sky rocketed, and crime rose.  Once again, we see an increase in income and GDP caused by the mining and energy industry and yet the development of the area could be questioned.  The mining also obviously increases gas emissions and creates health problems which are also downsides of this supposed development, as was discussed in the lesson.  As in the previous example, the economic boom caused by this mining was not beneficial to many of the people.

   3. Williamsport, Pennsylvania

   In the 2000s, fracking hit Williamsport.  There was a boom in jobs (Beauge 2010).  Companies spent large amounts of money in the area, as occurred in Australia but not in Nigeria.  Eventually in all situations the long term impact on the development could be seen as negative.  This is beginning to be seen in Williamsport as we have seen crimes occurring and now with the oil and gas industry declining, there are more foreclosures and tax sales occurring.  Therefore, the fossil fuels industry in all three cases brought in lots of money into the areas and yet also brought many negative factors.  In the case of my hometown and Australia, the residents were not left in as much despair as they were in Nigeria.  Also, in the case of Williamsport, the state government ensured that the drillers were unable to harm the area as much as in the other two examples (2013 Act 89).  However, in all three instances, the development brought on by increased GDP did not necessarily translate into development for the people.

    

   Beauge, John. 2010. “Impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling is widespread in Williamsport.” August 24. PennLive. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/08/impact_of_marcellus_shale_dril.html

   “2013 Act 89.” 2013. Pennsylvania General Assembly.  Retrieved from http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2013&sessInd=0&act=89

Unlike many of my classmates, a majority of my home town, including my family, relies on well water for their household needs.  Our well goes down to the aquifer running under our home.  We have the Muncy Creek, a branch of water splitting from the Susquehanna River running near our home and are fortunate to sit near a high water table and yet away from the flood zone.  Our well was drilled in the 1980s and needs regular testing for bacteria and other contaminants.  We must be careful with pesticides and fertilizer so that they do not infiltrate the well.  We have a filtering system inside of the house but it is unlike the commercial systems most towns have for their residents.  When this water is flushed, it goes into a septic system in our backyard.   We have yet to have it pumped but according to West Branch Regional Authority, most of the sewage ends up in a water treatment plant.  This waste water eventually ends up in the Susquehanna River after the treatment.

I did not even know where to start trying to live on two gallons a day.  I had used 115 gallons the day before and I had eaten out all day so did not even use water for cooking.  Looking into a life of a Haitian, it appears as though animals are brought to a water source which I could not imagine doing with three dogs, four cats, 10+ rabbits, 30+ chickens, and several flocks of ducks.  To make up for using 15 gallons to give water to everyone, I decided to apply deodorant heavily and forgo the daily shower, thereby saving 40 gallons.  My husband and I then got lax on the toilet flushing and forewent the dish and clothes washer.  Unfortunately one pot of tea plus the hand washing and teeth washing was non-negotiable.  Obviously the experiment of living on two gallons failed.  If I had to redo the experiment, I may have attempted to re-use the water.  For example, the water that is used to boil things may be then used to shower with and then used to flush the toilet.  I still think I would have had a hard time going down to anywhere near two gallons.  It is no wonder that United States uses so much more water than they have freshwater availability – it is far too easy for Americans to use water without any thought or planning.  If developed countries had to plan out their water usage like many other areas of the world do, our water usage could be better controlled.

Do the pleasure and pain of non-human animals matter as much as the pleasure and pain of humans (speciesism)?

As a huge animal lover, this is a hard question for me to answer.  I run to the veterinarian if any of my animals do as much as cough, and yet I do not go to the doctor’s office unless a body part is in danger.  From a religious standpoint, one would say that no, non-human animals do not matter as much as humans since God made us in his image.  This thinking gives us some insight on the popular thought regarding this question – human pain and pleasure matters more than the pain and pleasure of humans.  I agree with this view but also side with Bentham’s writing, but would argue that it needs to come after human welfare.  As humanity develops, then the pain and pleasure of other species becomes more important.  I would expect the United States to have animal welfare laws, but I would not expect a nation that is unable to provide clean water to its people to require its animals to get clean water.  I cannot find any argument in which the life and well-being of a human is not important than one of an animal.

Is it more important to be a good person or to perform good acts (virtue ethics vs. action ethics)?

It is more important to perform good acts than merely being a good person.  While many actions begin because someone cares about them, it is not good enough to merely be.  If one looks at it in the reverse way, we only punish people for acting on bad thoughts, as it would be quite inhumane to punish people for merely wishing others ill will.  There is also the discussion that has to be had of nurture versus nature – people can be born not the best person and yet still commit good acts very much the same way an introvert can still go out to a social gathering.  People have more of a choice over their actions than their thoughts.  Additionally, action ethics can make a much larger difference than virtue ethics.  A person who cares about the environment yet lacks action does not do much for the topic that they are concerned with whereas one that donated money to an environmental association, despite not being very concerned about the environment, can actually make a difference.  For all of these reasons, it is much more important to perform good acts than to be a good person.

Do the ends justify the means (ends ethics vs. means ethics)?

This is a very difficult question as one must consider the extremes – for example, should we prevent people from reproducing in order to lower population growth since the environmental benefits would be large?  Or should we go even further and kill people to fix the population problem?  Not only do these seem unthinkable but one also has to question who is making the decision that the means are correct.  After all, the Nazis believed they were improving humankind and therefore the end justified the means.  Therefore I believe that there is not an answer to this question.  In certain situations, such as chopping down a tree to save others as used in our reading, the ends do justify the means.  However, a line has to be drawn in the means that cannot be crossed.  Unfortunately that line also has to be fluid and taken into context in each situation.  Therefore, in many instances ends ethics are more important than means ethics but not in every instance.

The human-environment system presented shows the effect that a technology such as biogas use has on the social system and the eco system.  This system perspective is a very useful way to learn about all of the interactions that occur as a result of a chance such as biogas fuel.  Each arrow shown has an impact on the topic that it points to.  There are a few feedback loops shown in the systems such as the one that shows that increased education increases technology and increased technology increases the amount of time available for education.  As for Marten’s human-environment system, many of the same subjects are discussed.  For example, farms create animal dung which is then used in biogas generators and then used as compost back on the farms.  However there are clear differences in the social system.  Whereas Marten’s focuses largely on human population, mine focuses more on quality of life such as education, livelihood, and health.  Similarly, Marten’s system presentation discusses broader concepts such as irrigation water on the ecosystem side.  Therefore it is possible to have similarities and differences despite having the same topic because different viewpoints exist.  Therefore even factual evidence can be portrayed differently depending on the author and thus it is important to get multiple viewpoints for the same subject.

Hello classmates!  My name is Karolina Powell.  It has been Americanized over the years that I have lived in the United States so now I pronounce it like the state.  I currently live in Muncy, Pennsylvania which is an hour and a half east of State College.  I grew up in Poland and later moved to Chicago before moving to Virginia for school and then Pennsylvania for work.  I currently work in the oil and gas industry in the administrative front for exploration and production companies.  I would love to eventually work in the public sector in the conservation field.  I am taking this class as it is a requirement for my degree, although I am sure it will be good for me as a person considering I have never taken a geography course before.  Otherwise, I am an avid animal lover and outside of work and school, I show and breed rabbits and chickens.

One issue that geography would be well suited to address is the impact of external factors, such as political regional actions, on individual actions.  The first lesson makes a good point when discussing this in regards to deforestation.  A person that sells a tree for money is an economic decision that is impacted by broader and larger scale decisions.  For example, in my current neighborhood, many people cut and sell wood in order to use it for heat.  However, this never occurred when I lived in Chicago.  In our town in Pennsylvania, utility companies have not run natural gas lines to most of the homes despite Pennsylvania producing a huge amount of the country’s natural gas.  Yet, our Congressman’s street did have lines run to it a few years ago and therefore his street would not be part of the same commodity chain as everyone else.  Thus regional politics made an impact on a local economy and this can be explored at even a broader scale.  This sort of issue is what geography would be well suited to explore.