1. The personal experience I selected was drawn from my time living and working in Okinawa, Japan. The food choice I selected was the social norm of a diet largely consisting of fish. The social norm of eating fish is directly connected to the environment of Japan. While the trend of eating sushi first appeared as a way to preserve food, there are other environmental factors that add to how this social norm came to be.  Specifically, the amount of arable land. A large percentage of land that could be used for grazing is used for rice production. This severely limits the amount of food produced from livestock. Due to this limitation, there is a great reliance on fisheries to meet the demand of the people. The food choice is mainly connected to convenience and the environment.

2. The food choice identified in the first paragraph most heavily relates to the societal issues of hunger and the environment. In terms of the environment, the reliance of fisheries as a food choice in Japan is apparent. Japan is ranked behind China for amount of fish caught. However, the lack of farmland available is in direct correlation with a dependency on fish.   Hunger is linked to this food choice for the same reason. In order to meet the depend of the people, social norms related to food developed in far different way than other areas of the world. In addition, the popularity of eating raw fish has a similar origin. Specifically, fuel as it relates to manure from livestock and wood from forests. A shortage of each of these fuel sources can help to explain why raw fish is a norm in the area.

3. 

One common food choice that is influenced by social norms is the “I’m in a rush and don’t have time to cook” fast food stop. As college students, and members of society in general, we have all made a food choice based on time, or our lack there of. I would estimate that on 2-3 occasions a week, I stop at a fast food restaurant on or around campus. This decision is usually based on the fact that I don’t want to to go back to my apartment between classes, or because I’m in a rush. I certainly understand the health and environmental effects associated with this decision, but nonetheless I make the stop in order to save short-term time. This is a common decision for many college because our busy schedules and limited budgets often force us to go with food that is cheep and quick.

Two big societal issues associated with this decision are; an unhealthy diet, and excess greenhouse gas emissions. The unhealthy diet associated with this food choice is pretty straightforward and something that I am conscious of when I make this decision. As a consumer, you know that eating cheep greasy food probably isn’t in your health’s best interest, but we often justify this decision because we are busy or in a rush. The excess greenhouse gas emissions is less straightforward. The cattle needed for the fast food emit gasses while digesting their own food, and the travel associated with distributing the food to the fast food chains across the country is an additional contributor. I could reduce these societal issues by buying local groceries and packing a lunch so that I wouldn’t have to buy fast food. The food would likely be healthier, and would also reduce the greenhouse gasses associated with shipping the food.

Part 1: Air pollution in Mexico City

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/air-mex.html

The first development case study that I found dealt with the current air pollution issue in Mexico City. The goal of this study was to find out just how much a program to decrease pollution by controlling driving in the city This case study focused on a driving program which banned drivers from driving one day out of the week, depending on their license plates. This particular city is heavily populated, with poor air quality due to their positioning in the mountains. Although the idea was good in theory, this particular program had a number of issues, with convenience being one of the largest. This case reveals how current constituents of Mexico City are unwilling to make sacrifices for later generations. The idea that the people now are unwilling to compromise for the people later frames the idea that Mexico City is making decisions based on Sustainable Development. Air pollution is a global-scale problem, and I think that this large case study done in the 1990’s shows the general attitude of the global population, which is essentially an indirect lack of empathy for the destruction of Earth.

Part 2: Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa

http://paa2010.princeton.edu/papers/100215

This case study was conducted by David Shapiro, Professor of Economic Demography  at Penn state . Professor Shapiro conducted this study in Kinshasa, Africa: the largest city and capital of the Democratic republic of the Congo. The study examines the inverse relationship found between fertility rates and women’s educational attainment in sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Shapiro’s study greatly relates to our development module as it examines the way a particular sub-Saharan African city develops through the relationship between fertility rates and  women’s education. In Module 5, we learned just how a number of factors can indirectly create positive influences with in a country, increasing the overall development of the country.

Part 3: Pittsburgh, PA

I did not initially think so, but fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa and Air Pollution in Mexico City are similar to the development of my hometown. I live in Pittsburgh, PA, which is famous for the Steel Mills. In the mid 1900’s when industrialization was increasing popularity even more so, Pittsburgh started seeing similar air pollution issues just like Mexico City. One of the indirect affects of air pollution in Pittsburgh has been an increase of asthma, increase of low-birthweight, as well as an increased risk for heart and lung disease. Although the business changed and the steel mills stopped, Pittsburgh can learn a lot about the efforts of Mexico City to decrease air pollution. Groups Against Smog and Pollution, GASP, is heavily in charge of clean initiatives in Pittsburgh. Ideas about less driving could be implemented in my town with minor adjustments from the original case study. The study in Sub-Saharan Africa also mirrors Pittsburgh because of the increase of educational opportunities. The prestigious universities in Pittsburgh, as well as the current push for jobs are showing that the more schooling a woman has, the older she is when she has children, and she is less likely to have a lot of children.