Part 1: Describe an animal or plant that has been placed on the endangered species list. Be sure to describe how they were led to be put on the list, and what you would do to get that animal/plant off of the endangered species list. (150-200 words)

Part 2: Describe what kind of biodiversity you hometown consists of. Be sure to include the location of your hometown and the things that make your hometown very or little diverse biologically. (150-200 words)

Part 3: Comment on two other students post comparing and contrasting your post to theirs. Giving valuable feedback to the students post and also leaving a link to your post.

Part 1: For my endangered species I chose the Canadian Lynx. I chose this mammal because I have very little knowledge of the lynx and wanted to gain a further understanding of why they have now become endangered. The Canadian Lynx is likely to be found in the far northern parts of the United States and much of Canada. It is unlikely to be found in areas lower due to its long legs and large feet it is built for hunting and deep snow and also its coat is built to withstand the harsh winters in the northern part of the North American continent. The Lynx has been placed on the endangered species list due to the lack of its natural habitat. The forrest and wooded areas in which the lynx is most likely to be found is greatly decreasing in quantity. Due to timber harvesting and recreational locations being built the lynx are being pushed out of there natural habitats. To fix this issue, I would implement strict deforestation laws that would prevent the harvesting of timber in certain locations that have been designated for the lynx to be able to live comfortably. It is not right that their home is being taken from them, we as humans can not just take the land that is not ours and has been these animals homes for centuries. That is why I believe strict laws preventing the harvesting of timber in certain areas would help to prevent the endangerment of the Canadian Lynx.

Part 2:

My hometown is Perkasie, Pa which is located about an hour north of Philadelphia and 30 mins from the New Jersey boarder. Perkasie has a mixture of small towns and cities to some rural areas. I consider my hometown to be fairly diverse biologically but can sometimes be threatened. We have a large amount of varying plants, and animals as we are located in a farming community but the development of farm land is a growing issue. As the deforestation increases in our surrounding areas we notice the lessening of natural animal in our lands. Luckily in Bucks County we have a preservation society in place that helps to protect farming lands from being purchased from developers to put up more homes in the area. Although this cannot necessarily prevent the development of all of the lands in my area it can at least ensure that my hometown will not be crowded in by new homes and business buildings but will remain at least partially  a farming community. I have grown up in a farming community and would not change it for the world, and will do my best to help preserve this level of biodiversity as best I can in years to come.

2)  The universal problem of Climate Change is a global issue that has a need to be addressed because it is having major negative effects on our world as a whole. To begin my Climate Change Diagram I started with the burning of fossil fuels. Connected to the subject  of Fossil fuels I added another, entitled “Not Sustainable” by this I am referencing to the limited amount of fossil fuels remaining available to us. After the box of Fossil Fuels I next went onto the emission of Green House Gases which is in hand greatly leading to a large negative impact on our atmosphere. This of course is then traveled through to the Climate Change Box. I connected these two boxes especially because greenhouse emissions are directly related to the issue of due to the amount of CO2 being produced and pushed into our atmosphere. From there I finally put in the UN climate change convention. This is a major turning point in the area of climate change, where the Copenhagen Accord was created. From this representatives were able to mitigate for climate change on a global scale. Allow many countries did not want to participate in the accord, the US was able to persuade them using funds to support lesser financially stable countries. By this I mean the US offered aid to countries in need in order to gain support for the Copenhagen Accord. This was a massive step in the correct direction towards a prevention of climate change circumstances.

3) In my opinion I do believe even though it is slightly heavy handed in our manner the way the US was able to almost force the hand of some countries for the Copenhagen Accord it was the right thing to do. I do believe that the methods of withholding aid may have been intense in order to force the hand the topic of climate change is serious and needs to be taken seriously. I personally would have gone along the same path as far as using pressure for the greater good. If we think about the issue on a global scale which obviously it exists every country is responsible for the help to improve the problem. Without help and understanding from the rest of the world we can not make an impact large enough to make a change to the current situation. Although we may have taken into account the opinions of other countries as a valuable resource to improve overall quality of solutions to climate change. Furthermore I am an environmental engineering student who hopes to make a difference in the quality in which we are treating our world. We are only given one world in this lifetime so if we have to force other countries into aiding in the fight to not destroy it, I don’t have a problem with it.

Part 1:

I live in Bucks County, PA which is located roughly an hour from Philadelphia and about 30 mins from a bridge to New Jersey. Bucks county has an approximate population of 626,976 people living in the county as a whole as of 2010. Within Bucks County I live in the township of Perkasie, PA which has a population of approximately 8,515 people. I live in a more rural part of the township, by that I mean I live on a larger piece of land with fewer neighbors. I would definitely classify my area as a automobile suburb. While you could walk from place to place inside town, for people like me that is difficult to do. I am not in close proximity to the necessity stores that I could walk to if needed. We use cars to get almost anywhere. I like the area within Perkasie I grew up because it was spacious and not crowded like a development, we have fewer neighbors to deal with and when you want to see someone or need something they are only a short drive away.

Part 2:

For my first city I chose Charlottesville, Virginia. I was interested in this town because of the rustic older feel to the town itself. I personally and a bug history buff so I am fascinated by old buildings and the history behind them, which Charlottesville has a lot of. In Perkasie we have a few older buildings that we have been able to restore and keep around which I am grateful for. I also love the old time southern feel of Charlottesville, VA a town that has existed for a while and has prospered with the traditions still intact is very intriguing to me. They have also done important things like creating the Pedestrian Mall in order to create a place reserved for walking and enjoying the town. Perkasie does not have anything like this but we do have many sidewalks that you can roam for the day to gain a new perspective on the town itself.

My second city I chose was the city of Haiti. I chose this because I actually was able to visit there once and saw some of the damage that was caused by their many tragedies that the city has gone through. Although they seem to always rise from the ashes of the terrible hands they are dealt and try to make some good come out of it. Like the old tires that are then used as planters, this is an innovative way for the people of Haiti to use the resources they have to improve on a situation. Perkasie has never been through the tragedies that Haiti has but they do tend to do innovative things in order to brighten the community as a whole. Haiti uses these planters to grow fruits and veggies to support their community, although Perkasie is not primarily urban area it does have buildings in which we could try this method of growing to aid in the community.

Part 1:

Growing up I always had a very busy and large schedule. Whether it be going to school, work when I was older, to the barn to ride horses, or other sporting activities I was always on the go. This led to a lot of my meals going from home cooked at the dinner table to on the go packed up quick or fast food I would grab on my path traveling somewhere. A lot of times this unfortunately ended up to be a burger at the closest fast food place around.  Some negatives effects it had on me is the loss of socialization from sharing meals which was discussed in this module. By me constantly being on the run somewhere I did not always get to sit down and enjoy a meal with others whether it be family or friends. Another negative aspect I learned through a video in this module “The Hidden Cost of Hamburgers” was the major affect that cows are having on our ecosystem and the large amount that we as americans consume. I really shined a light out the effects just one main food source can cause.

Part 2:

In my first paragraph I referred to the consumption of burgers, and also with that I will lump in the use of beef in general and how large of a negative effect beef takes on the environment. It is surprising to me how obesity has become a social norm due to the food consumption Americans have on a daily basis. We do not think much about the fact that there are people that cant get up or move there bodies due to obesity, which is not only caused by fast food but in which they play a large role. Also another social norm that has become more apparent to me after reading this module is the use of GMO’s in food. They are used to make the food taste better to us and make the consumers want it even more. This is related to a topic discussed earlier in the module of the “enjoyment of food”, GMO’s make people enjoy fast food and unhealthy food so much that they are drawn to it more. Along with obesity goes health issue but that is to come from consuming approximately 3 hamburgers a week according the the video mentioned earlier.

Part 3:

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

I personally believe that it is more important to perform good acts. Although many may claim that it is more important to be a good person I believe that actions speak louder than words. Someone can claim to be a good person but how is that truly proven? Being a good person is proven through the good actions and deeds you perform. I believe that action ethics is the key to being a good person. By performing acts of kindness or helpfulness you are becoming and maintaining being a good person. For example, is someone a good person because they feel bad for a homeless man sleeping on the street but do nothing about it? Or are they a good person when they help the man up, take them to get something to eat, and then help them to improve themselves and their lives. I have a hard time with people that claim to be good people but their actions prove otherwise. Action ethics is what a person should do in a particular situation, a good person has the ethics to think and perform the actions that will benefit others or the environment.

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

Personally I have a great love for animals and find their lives to matter just as much as a human life. But in reading this module I was made to think do I truly believe that? I eat meat from animals and yet humans don’t eat other humans (gross). So this question is hard for me to form a full response because I can not fully say I believe the earlier statement. I feel as though there are many screwed up people on this earth that find pleasure or entertainment out of the torture or abuse of animals, and that sickens me. Lives are lives no matter if they are human or non-human. They are breathing living beings and whose to say that a human life matter more or holds more value than an animal life? They also live on this planet, they aid to the planet and environment just as humans do. I believe that the pleasure and pain of non-humans matter and should be taken into account when individuals make decisions that will affect those non-humans. For example, a dog deserves to live out a happy life and not be thrown into a situation in which they are in harm or not being cared for properly. We have child services that acts on behalf of humans but when it comes to animals more often than not animals are over looked in painful situations.

Is my own life worth more than the lives of others, the same, or less (selfishness vs. altruism)?

I believe that my life is of the same value as all others. When considering this topic I take into consideration, why should one person’s life ever matter more or less than another? If you think about it humans are all composed of the same chemical compounds so does that make us any different? No, if we are composed of the same make ups then why should anyone be considered less. I realize that many people consider their lives to matter more than say a criminal, drug addict, or maybe terrorist but in their own ways and situations their lives matter to the people surrounding them and there would be an absence when they are gone. Taking into consideration, I lost someone very close to me recently, of course this was heartbreaking to me and I would do anything to get them back but I realize that although they meant the world to me, others have lost someone that meant the same to them. Lives are equal whether it’s me, you, or some random person off the street their lives are no more or less important then my own.