Description For the mini-essays/mini-projects: students should expect to submit smaller written or ...
Description For the mini-essays/mini-projects: students should expect to submit smaller written or creative projects throughout the semester. Mini-essays will consist of critical reflections or argument-focused responses on assigned course readings (10-12 pages, including at least 7-10 peer-reviewed citations each). Mini-projects may include a variety of more creative works that engage with course materials or concepts including (but not limited to): documentaries, infographics, podcasts, photography or other creative works. (Do not have to include class work as long as it revolves around nature and the environment). The topic I am thinking is "Reality Check: How Survival Shows Like Naked and Afraid Leave a Real Environmental Footprint" an example thesis could be "Although survival reality shows like Naked and Afraid appear to promote a raw and natural lifestyle, the behind-the-scenes production often causes environmental harm through ecosystem disruption, resource waste, and carbon-heavy logistics—raising questions about the true cost of so-called “natural” entertainment." please change the wording too if decide on that one. I will also attach some of my writings in the class so you can see the writing style I use. Another example could be how Dude Wipes are bad for the environment. UNFORMATTED ATTACHMENT PREVIEW Tate Jernigan Week 7 reading reflection The first chapter was focused on touring a toxic tour in California. The reading was also focused on breast cancer and how there is research for the cure to cancer, but how there needs to be more of a focus on the cause of breast cancer and how polluting the environment is a significant role in it. The last chapter was about border towns and how, since these factories are on the border, they can bypass environmental laws that hurt the people in the area. Then, I think he brings it all together pretty well and talks about time and space, which I would not mind going over again. He ends it by talking about Hurricane Katrina and how that event was more than just natural causes. “For approximately every citizen alive in the United States, one in three will contract cancer and one in five will die as a result of cancer. For women in the United States, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer, accounting for approximately one third of all new cancer cases in women.” This quote scares me because I know cancer is something that many people get, but I never considered the numbers that 1 out of every three people get cancer. I know sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent it from happening, but it really makes me want to take better care of myself to the best of my abilities. Plus, 1 out of 3 is outrageous. If there is 20 people in a room, that’s 6-7 people getting cancer. “In addition to the more than two million current breast cancer survivors nationally, the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization claims that every year, ''breast cancer will be newly diagnosed every three minutes, and a woman will die from breast cancer every 13 minutes." This quote is from the same chapter, I believe, but it also really hit me. It took me a couple of hours to do these readings, and every time I checked the clock, the first thing I thought of was, “Man, there have already been so many people that have been diagnosed and died from breast cancer.” It really is something scary to think about. No one in my family has had breast cancer before, at least to my knowledge, but I know friends who have been affected by it. “Life can be muddy, both literally and metaphorically. That is part of what makes me feel connected to humanity- knowing that life doesn't always happen as we plan it.” This doesn’t necessarily go with our class, but it made me think of my last few weeks. I originally came back to El Paso to play football for UTEP, but I have been struggling to get my waiver approved for another year of eligibility in time to participate in spring ball. Well, two weeks ago, I ran into the head cheer coach for UTEP on accident, and now if my waiver doesn’t go through, I’ll still be a college athlete, but I’ll be on scholarship to throw and catch the girls. I never would have imagined me doing that and it is totally new, but I am absolutely loving it and having fun with it. At least I know what I will do if the waiver is not approved in time. I enjoyed the book we read. I understood the readings for the most part but would love to go over the part where it talked about time vs space and how it ties into everything else. Starting at as early as four or five, my relationship with nature started to develop. Around that time, my father took my brother and me on our first hunting trip. I obviously did not shoot anything then, but it was around the age of eight when I shot my first deer. We would continue to go on hunting trips all through my life, and I learned many valuable lessons from them. The first two lessons I learned are how important gun safety is and how anything we hunt for, we eat. Waking up early in the morning and sitting in the deer stand for hours taught me patience. I also learned the importance of maintaining and controlling healthy populations of animals. When I was eight years old, my family purchased a houseboat in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, at Elephant Butte Lake. My mother was on the UT at Austin waterski team when she was in college, so waterskiing was one of the first things I learned when we went to the lake. It became a family tradition to spend the weekends and holidays at the lake, and we always invited our friends and family. On top of waterskiing and tubing, we always bought minos to fish off the dock. We would keep the fish that were big enough to eat and throw back the baby fish, and then my dad would always make his fish tacos with what we caught for dinner. The lake has always been such a great place to go, but one of my favorite memories of the lake is getting up at about 7:00 am to water ski. The reason is that when you get up that early, no one else is on the lake, and the water is crystal clear when no one else is on the lake. That is always the best time to water ski, and there is nothing better than having the lake to yourself with the butte, dam, and scenery attached to it. When I would do this, it truly was one of the first times I appreciated nature for what it is. One year, for Christmas, Santa Claus decided to give my brother and me the best Christmas present of all time. He gave us a 4x4 red Polaris RZR, and that gift would forever change my appreciation for the desert and El Paso. I was in 6th grade when we got it, and I would take it out to the desert every day after school or whatever practice I had. I would not even know where I was headed when I would take it out. We would explore all over the desert; before we knew it, we knew the desert like the back of my hand. I love the desert, and there is so much you can do out there, way more than people think. The scenery is incredible, especially in areas where no one has been. Sadly, the areas that are not as far away can be filled with trash and waste. Many people do not appreciate the land and leave their trash out there, but it is home to many animals. Fast forward a couple of years into my early years in college, my family went on a family trip I will keep with me for the rest of my life. My parents surprised us with a two-week trip to South Africa, and it was an incredible experience. We went to the more popular cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town, but my favorite part of the trip was when we spent a week in a smaller area where I do not remember the name. It was spectacular because we would go on safaris twice a day where we were staying. We would go early in the morning before the sun was out and then in the afternoon and be done by nightfall. What made the safaris interesting was how it differed from other safaris you could go on. For example, they had to stay on the road when looking for animals at the safari place nearby. So, if the animals were off the road, you could not go off-roading to follow them. With the safari group we were at, we could go off the tracks and follow them wherever the animals went for the most part. This allowed us to get within one to two feet of wild animals such as hyenas, lions, leopards, hippopotamuses, rhinos, and wildebeests. The rooms were cool, too, because they were cabana-styled rooms with a shower that was outside, and the rooms were just out in the open with full windows so we would see wild animals, packs, and herds come up to our rooms. At night, you could only leave your room, restaurant, or any part of the hotel supervised. The reason is that they had to be careful with hungry lions looking for food. Thinking of this scenario reminded me of a quote from our week three readings, which was, “It can be very disturbing to realize that we’re not just a part of something so much bigger than ourselves, but we are immersed in it – embedded within a world wherein there are many other beings out and about that are bigger than us, that can eat us, and even beings who are much smaller than us (microbial organisms around and within us) who can, and ultimately will, take us down.” I think this quote completely ties into my safari experience because it reminds me that humans are not always the dominant figure in every setting. If we realize that large animals and small microorganisms can take us down, it will make us realize that we should respect nature instead of trying to dominate it. Experiencing the wildlife in their natural habitat also made me realize the importance of protecting the animals and preserving the ecosystem for them and us, too. I have been incredibly blessed to experience so many different places, from the desert of El Paso to the landscapes of South Africa. Yet, one constant has remained in my life since I was eight years old—my relationship with nature through football. Football has shaped me more than anything else for the past sixteen years, spanning two-thirds of my life. I have played the game of football in the dry, scorching heat in El Paso, and I have also played in the humidity in New Orleans and Florida. I have also played in the rain and the snow, and I have played on turf fields, grassy fields, and muddy fields. No matter how the weather looks, besides if there’s lightning or thunder, the practice and games continue. Playing through these conditions allowed me to build resilience, mental toughness, and discipline, especially when it is cold, because that’s when every hit hurts a little more. Football also taught me the importance of patience and persistence because just like a tree doesn’t grow overnight, so does not becoming an elite athlete. I also believe that just like nature reminds us we are bigger than ourselves, so does the game of football. I was not just playing the game for me, I was playing for something bigger than me that I believe it will continue influencing me for the rest of my journey. Tate Jernigan Week 7 reading reflection The first chapter was focused on touring a toxic tour in California. The reading was also focused on breast cancer and how there is research for the cure to cancer, but how there needs to be more of a focus on the cause of breast cancer and how polluting the environment is a significant role in it. The last chapter was about border towns and how, since these factories are on the border, they can bypass environmental laws that hurt the people in the area. Then, I think he brings it all together pretty well and talks about time and space, which I would not mind going over again. He ends it by talking about Hurricane Katrina and how that event was more than just natural causes. “For approximately every citizen alive in the United States, one in three will contract cancer and one in five will die as a result of cancer. For women in the United States, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer, accounting for approximately one third of all new cancer cases in women.” This quote scares me because I know cancer is something that many people get, but I never considered the numbers that 1 out of every three people get cancer. I know sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent it from happening, but it really makes me want to take better care of myself to the best of my abilities. Plus, 1 out of 3 is outrageous. If there is 20 people in a room, that’s 6-7 people getting cancer. “In addition to the more than two million current breast cancer survivors nationally, the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization claims that every year, ''breast cancer will be newly diagnosed every three minutes, and a woman will die from breast cancer every 13 minutes." This quote is from the same chapter, I believe, but it also really hit me. It took me a couple of hours to do these readings, and every time I checked the clock, the first thing I thought of was, “Man, there have already been so many people that have been diagnosed and died from breast cancer.” It really is something scary to think about. No one in my family has had breast cancer before, at least to my knowledge, but I know friends who have been affected by it. “Life can be muddy, both literally and metaphorically. That is part of what makes me feel connected to humanity- knowing that life doesn't always happen as we plan it.” This doesn’t necessarily go with our class, but it made me think of my last few weeks. I originally came back to El Paso to play football for UTEP, but I have been struggling to get my waiver approved for another year of eligibility in time to participate in spring ball. Well, two weeks ago, I ran into the head cheer coach for UTEP on accident, and now if my waiver doesn’t go through, I’ll still be a college athlete, but I’ll be on scholarship to throw and catch the girls. I never would have imagined me doing that and it is totally new, but I am absolutely loving it and having fun with it. At least I know what I will do if the waiver is not approved in time. I enjoyed the book we read. I understood the readings for the most part but would love to go over the part where it talked about time vs space and how it ties into everything else. In my opinion, the first reading was about how most Indigenous people find out about their environment through Facebook and social media. I think the second reading talks about how the US claims to help Indigenous countries; however, it is argued that with how much pollution they put into these areas and in the world, they aren’t really helping. I struggled reading the third reading, but I think it was about tying humans and nonhumans together and being in the present moment. The fourth reading also ties humans and nonhumans together while also focusing on the oppression of Indigenous people and the destruction of the world. After reading the first two readings, I thought the main focus was going to be on social media, but it is really on Indigenous people, humans and nonhumans, and the destruction of the world as we know it. "There is strong evidence to suggest that social media might play a critical role in the flow of environmental information to Indigenous people living in the diaspora." This statement stood out to me because it shows that social media is not just a tool to post memes and pictures but also a way to find important environmental information. It is also a way to raise awareness, a way for communities to make a stand, and to always be in the loop with environmental issues. It is also a way for Indigenous people to have a voice and to make sure that everyone is heard. ‘‘The environment that we experience and affect is largely a product of how we have come to talk about the world.’’ This quote really stood out to me because this doesn’t just apply to the world and the environment we live in; it also applies to us individually and the lives we live. The power of the tongue is so important, and it has shaped us into where we are now, and it will shape us into where we go. This applies to everything, such as the environment, nature, and the day-to-day lives that we live. Therefore we must be careful how we choose our words because it will shape the future. ‘‘People, animals, rocks and trees are actually co-present and co-participate’’ in the lived moment.” I love this quote, too, because it pushes the agenda that we, animals, and nature are all one and shape the world we live in, which is different than how the Westerns view life. The traditional Western view is that humans are above everything else, but if we take better care of nature, I think nature will take better care of us. It’s sort of like I scratch nature’s back, and nature will scratch my back, but I think it has been one-sided for the most part. I love the quote too because, recently, anytime I am outside, it’s sometimes all I can think about. We all share this planet, and it’s all our home. Overall, I enjoyed the readings, but I would love to go over TEK from the first reading. I would also like to go over the third reading as well. I thought there were some interesting things about the reading, but it was somewhat spotty for me when I was understanding it and not. Tate Jernigan Week 5 readings In my opinion, the three articles we covered this week focus on groups that have faced environmental injustice. The first article focuses on the native Americans and their land being waste lands such as Yucca Mountain, and the third discusses how Mexicans have seen injustice in our city of El Paso. I thought the second one, which focuses more on food, relates to the first and the third article because food can have a direct positive or negative impact on both communities. “According to this logic, if we store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, it serves the national interest; if we do not store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, it remains useless.” This quote spoke to me because the government may think it is useless not to use it, but the people there think the land is useful for what it is. The native Americans had used that land for generations, and the resources there are good for the environment and the people and animals who live there. "Food systems communication necessarily begins with the recognition that food (from cultivation to consumption and disposal) is a critical environmental justice issue" In my opinion, this quote serves as a reminder that environmental justice and food systems are closely related, impacting everything from waste management and sustainable agriculture to the availability of wholesome food. Therefore, it is important for fair food laws and communication tactics to advance social justice and sustainability. “At the request of FUDC, a research team from the University of Texas at El Paso studied the soil surrounding Douglass Elementary and found potentially harmful levels of heavy metal contamination (Sadasivam, 2019).” This third quote came from the third reading, and it spoke to me the most because this happened in my hometown. School is supposed to be a safe environment for everyone, and although I didn’t go to that school, it is worrisome because it is not a far drive from where I went to school and grew up. I couldn’t imagine having health problems and learning that the reason why they developed was because of the school I went to. I would be upset and my parents would be furious if that was the case. This article would not have hit the same if it happened anywhere else, but since it happed here, it really makes you think. In all, I am unsure why these readings were harder for me to keep up with, especially since they were shorter. I feel confident in knowing the main idea of the readings, but I would like to clarify a few things. From the first article, if we could go over the definition of polysemous and then go over loci of quality vs loci of quantity and how it all ties into the bigger theme, that would be great. Tate Jernigan Week 5 readings Tate Jernigan Week 2 readings After going through the readings, I can see that all three are tied to nature and culture dualism. The first reading argues why it is not good for the environment and how it arises. The first article also gives the history of nature and culture over time. After the first reading, I was curious to see some real examples, and that is exactly what the following two articles gave me. The second and third articles talked about nature and culture dualism, but they discussed it through working with orangutans and by looking at wolfdogs in homes as pets. “In the Judeo-Christian tradition, man was made in God’s image, and all items of creation had the purpose of serving human aims. This cultural pattern explains, according to White, the origin of systematic exploitation of nature in Europe and the Middle Ages: “Man’s relation to soil was profoundly changed. Formally, the man had been part of nature; now he was the exploiter of nature.” This passage from the first reading got to me because I feel that the environment was originally perfectly suited for us. The Middle Ages was when it began, according to the passage, but it has not slowed down at all. As a result, it has led to deforestation and industrialization, and it has had an overall negative effect on our planet. We used to treat our land with respect for what it was, but now there is an incentive for economic gain. "G. Kaplan and L. Rogers contend that "by recognizing that nature has its own laws and rules for survival, it is possible to live with nature and use it, but also put something back and allow it to be maintained." I thought this quote was good because it led to their study of orangutans and working with them. I knew orangutans were smart, but the part that really got me was when they said how one orangutan tried to paddle away on a boat. The reason why I selected it, too, is because by learning about them and how close they are to us, we can learn and figure out a way for both of us to prosper without hurting each other’s environment. My third quote comes from the third article. "The authors claim that while “wild” wolves do not tend to severely injure people, the nearly hundreds of thousands of wolf hybrids and captive-reared wolves in America do maim and kill humans." This struck me when I was reading because I know lots of people who have or want to have wolf hybrids. I did not realize the harm that could come with having a wolfdog as a pet, and I never thought of the behavioral changes that could occur. However, it makes sense when you think of it because they are meant to be in the wild, not as a family pet. I think it can be done, but as the article said, 99% of people do not have the resources or knowledge that comes with raising a wolfdog correctly, and this does not benefit the owner or the pet. Overall, I enjoyed the readings more than I thought I would. I did have some questions after reading the first article because I wanted to see examples of what exactly culture and dualism looked like, but the following two readings helped. In the third article, I was curious about what caused animal control to come and look at the dog in the first place after the family had him for ten years. One thing I would not mind discussing in class is talking about the last two articles and pinning points to the first one so we can see exactly where they tie in with the full picture. Tate Jernigan Week 2 readings Purchase answer to see full attachment User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.
