Final Post

After the first day of class, I knew it was going to be an interesting class and I was looking forward to learning a lot more about the class and even about myself.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay in Hawaii because of the gallstones, but at least I was with my family.  Even though I wasn’t able to attend class any more, I still learned more that I think I could have.  Despite the pain, I was able to get my work done and learn outside of the class room.  I thought most of the articles were interesting and the books were good, even the videos on Ted.com were pretty interesting, as well as the guest speakers.  I was lucky enough to at least go on a few field trips before I left the island and both of the field trips that I went to for this class were very new to me and that’s what I loved.

Although, I wasn’t all that good with turning in a weekly blog, I still was able to do them.  This was my first time blogging and I kind of liked it, I didn’t really have time to explore all that blogging had to offer, but I was able to put up pictures and videos up without too much trouble.  I don’t think I would have really considered blogging had it not been for this class, but I’m glad that I got to do something new. 

This class really taught me that we should really take a second look at what we are doing and why.  Why are we doing some of these things when we obviously know that it can’t me good for us or for the environment?  We need to start thinking of not just ourselves, but everything around us, because if it wasn’t for the plants and the insects we would not be here today.  We need to start looking at the problems that we are causing around us and come up with ways to fix those problems permanently before it’s too late. 

Thanks again for an interesting and educational class.  I just wish I would have been able to actually attend class.  This is my final blog for this class, but I don’t think it’s the last of them. 

  

Final Project

Since I wasn’t able to present a final project in class and at the time I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do for it either, I figured I would interview someone close to me who actually gardens.  I chose to interview my father since he had experience with gardening and he seems to enjoy it. 

His main reason for gardening is because he loves it.  He likes to eat fresh produce and likes to provide for the family, not just with his job, but also with his gardening.  He feels better that what he is eating is pesticide free and tastes fresher when picked from the garden and not the grocery store.  He gets a sense of satisfaction working with his hands and also giving extra vegetables to our neighbors.  Although its time consuming and hard work he still likes to go out there and plant and water and just see Mother Nature doing her job.  As far as I can recall he has always gardened and in fact when my parents were looking for a house, my father’s first priority is to see if the yard is big enough to for a garden. 

He doesn’t just plant, water and pick when the season is right, but he also composts throughout the year.  When the most of the food has been picked and the warm weather is almost up, he starts the process of collecting the leaves, grounding them up and throws in the garden, so it can help the soil.

When the season for gardening is near he starts up the processes again like clockwork.  He softens the ground with the till and purchases lots of seed and spends days spreading them out.  He even purchases pray mantis, because those bugs can help to keep out pests that could destroy the plants.  He goes out there almost every day to work in the garden and even plants extra fruits and vegetables that he didn’t plant earlier.    

I know for a fact that if he was given the opportunity we would expand the garden which he was already done so over the past few years. I am very proud of my dad because of how much work he put in to feeding us with nutritious foods.  When the bugs aren’t attacking me I try to go out there and help him pick the fruits and vegetables, but I usually end up eating the fruits almost immediately when I come in side, so I not much help when it comes to the fruits.

Here is a list of the fruits and vegetables that he grows out in the garden/backyard:

Plums, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, pares, cantaloupe, watermelon, cherries, apples, string beans, lima beans, white corn, tomatoes, peppers, beats, squash, cucumber, asparagus, pumpkin, carrots, peas, lettuce, kale, spinach, potatoes, onions, spearmint leaves and peppermint leaves and tons of flowers and plants a lot of butterfly bushes.  There are more, but we couldn’t think of them at the time.

Ted.com (Derek Sivers)

I thought this video was interesting, yet a bit discouraging.  The video talks about your particular goals and if you want those goals to actually happen, you shouldn’t tell anyone.  However, when I have a goal in mind, the first thing I do is tell someone, because I am so excited about it.  Then I plan really hard and work really hard to make my goal come true.  I have done this for as far as I can remember and so far my goals have actually come true and I think I will continue with this method, because it so far has worked out for me.  Apparently, those who tell their goals to someone, are less likely to actually fulfill their goals, because the feeling of telling someone your plan is almost the same feeling of actually accomplishing the goal without ever having to really do anything to get you towards that goal.  Those who keep their goals to themselves are more likely to be successful.

I wonder what impact that would have on our environment, if we didn’t tell people that we were going to do something to change the world, would we actually see a difference or because we didn’t tell anyone, people would be able to get together to make the goal happen.  This is somewhat confusing, yet interesting.

Here is the video I watched: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yourself.html

The “Moneyless man’: Why I Live Without Money

I thought this was an interesting article because not many people want to experience something like what Mark did.  He wanted to “be the change you want to see in the world.”  He realized that money is usually the root of many problems today.  “Because of money, we no longer see the direct repercussions our purchases have on other people and the environment.”  I liked this quote because it really is true, many of us are so infatuated with money and things, not needs but things.  Money is what clouds our judgment for the most part, because we think that money can get us thing and fix things.  However, with money come greed and poverty and many other problems.  Mark wanted to live a life without money, no spending or receiving.  He chose to grow his own food, cook outside, live in a caravan, use newspaper for his toiletries, and used candles for lighting.  He also washed in the river and used washed-up cuttlefish bone and wild fennel seeds for toothpaste and rode around on his bike everywhere so he also got his exercise that way.  Mark had felt the past two years to be the most fulfilling of his life.  He had more friends, hadn’t been sick since he started this, and felt fitter.  He realized that “friendship, not money, is real security.”

I thought this was a very interesting because that is something I would like to experience and really get a better understanding of the real hardships in life.

Ted.com (Jonathan Klein)

I really liked this video, and even though it was only a short video, you were still were able to learn what the video is all about.  We look to images for beauty, the ugly, for the escape, for the wishes, the hopes, for what ifs, and for the memories.  A picture truly is worth a thousand words.  Images have the power to change the world and make us more aware of the problems that are out there, even the successes that are out there.  “We are all confronted by a powerful image, and we all have a choice, we can either look away, or we can address the image.”  I loved this quote because it is very true; many people who see a sad picture either turn away or become aware and may even do something about it. “Images push us to question our core beliefs and our responsibilities to each other.”  They allow us to become aware and provoke reactions in us.  In many of these pictures we are the cause of these sad and disturbing images.  “What is far worse is mans destructive power over man.”  Other than still images, we have short videos and movies that make allow us to be informed of the tragedies that have happened in the past and if we don’t change our ways we will see more and more upsetting images in the future. 

If “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  What do these pictures say to you?

Here is the video I watched:  http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_klein_photos_that_changed_the_world.html

Ishmael by: Daniel Quinn

I found this book to be very interesting yet a bit strange.  I have never read a book quite like this one.  Towards the beginning of the book, the narrator comes across an ad that that said: “TEACHER seeks pupil.  Must have an earnest desire to save the world.  Apply in person”(pg 4).  The narrator then meets a educated gorilla named Ishmael who is telepathic.  Majority of the book is a back and forth dialogue between the narrator and the gorilla, where the gorilla helps the narrator to understand the history and the future of humankind and how if we don’t do something, then we are essentially destroying the world.  Through the book, it talks about the Nazis and Mother Culture.  One quote that scared me was the one that was one that was in the front and in the back of the book “With man gone, will there be hope for gorilla” and the other quote that was in the back of the book was “with gorilla gone will there be hope for man.”  This scares me a bit because we are all one, we are all a part of something thing and if one goes will we/ they be able to survive without us/them.  I would like to read it again when I have more time because I kind of quickly read it and I feel like I may have missed a lot.        

Vocabulary on decline due to fewer books

Although this is not news, I did find this article to be very interesting and yet a bit sad because it’s true.  More and more kids would rather play on the computer, Xbox, or text, and then actually pick up a book.  With the advancement of technology, books are becoming a thing of the past.  With fewer books being read, there is also a decline in vocabulary words that should be learned.  Reading allows for a child to develop their vocabulary and even help them later on in life.  There are also less dictionaries being used which also hinders a kids ability to learn because if they see a word they don’t understand they are less likely to pick up a dictionary to look up the word.  We are becoming lazy and would rather not learn the meaning of the word(s).  By looking up a word, the process mentally glue into the memory, which will allow you to recall that word later on if you learn it to begin with.   I may not always carry a dictionary around, but I tend to write down word that I heard but wasn’t familiar with and later look it up.  I actually have a word list that keeps on building.  When I have the time, I try to do some leisurely reading, but I usually end up reading something for school.    

Social Life Starts in the Womb

Wow that was certainly an interesting yet strange article.  The article talked about how the womb provides the first opportunity for social bonding.  The twin fetuses start to reach out for one another and as the weeks go by the fetuses spend more time touching their neighbor then themselves or the wall of the uterus.  The findings suggest that the twin fetuses are more aware of their counterparts and prefer to interact with them in the womb.  This was definitely an interesting article and I guess that’s why many twins have a somewhat closer bond then siblings who aren’t twins.  Because they have to share the womb, they may also be sharing other things like thoughts and feelings.  I don’t know if this is actually true, but I have heard that many twins seem to feel each other’s thoughts and feelings.    

Drowning Beautiful

An artist named Jason Taylor is creating life size cement sculptures that he later submerges in the waters of South America.   As time passes the sculptures become a part of the beautiful underwater landscape and become artificial reefs for the fish.  These picture are so amazing, I don’t think I would have believed someone would that that had I not seen it with my own eyes.  It’s unbelievable the way people come up with are and how they choose to show it off.  I would love to actually see these sculptures in real life.  It’s amazing that people can be so creative and can even help the environment along the way. These sculptures have more than one purpose, they are nice to look at and also help the underwater environment.  I loved the picture and have already showed these pictures to others and they too found it to be interesting.  I can’t wait to see how these sculptures look in a few more years.

For more pictures and the actual article: http://24flinching.com/word/gold-seal/inspiring-artists/drowning-beautiful/

Ted.com (Marcel Dicke)

I stumbled upon this video and found it o be very interesting.  The video basically talks about insects and that we should be eating them.  As far as I know I have never intentionally eaten an insect, but apparently every one does, whether in their sleep or in their everyday food that they eat.  I was shocked to learn that all our processed foods contain more protein than we are aware of.  These insects are in our tomato soups, peanut butter, chocolate, noodles, and many other things.   80% of the world’s population actually eats insect, which I found to be interesting.  I had no idea that it was that many but as I watched the video, I came to understand why.  There are far more insects on this planet than humans or any other mammal.  There are 6 million of insects on this planet and a thousand of them are being eaten.  “We are not a planet of men, but a planet of insects.”  I thought that was an interesting quote because it seems to be true there are far more insects than humans and without insects we would not be here.  Insects are at the bottom of the food chain but if they go what will the other animals eat.  The insects help us by removing dung, pollinating our crops; they also control pests and are food for animals.  More and more people are turning to insects for their daily protein and a lot of restaurants are staring to add insects to their menus.  After watching this, I’m still not sure if I would eat an insect willingly, unless I was starving.  Over all I thought this was an interesting video and in a few more years we could start to see the value of eating insects.  There is only a limited amount of livestock and plants that are edible, but bugs could be the future to our survival.

The video that I watched:  http://www.ted.com/talks/marcel_dicke_why_not_eat_insects.html

Eat Here by: Brian Halweil

Wow this book really opened my eyes.  I thought it was a very interesting and educational book that everyone should read if they care about where their food comes from, or if they care about the connection we have with our food.  You should also read this book if you care about local farming and local food and the importance local food has on the environment.  Halweil also talk a lot about history and how things became the way they are and how things have change in only a few years.  

I thought it was very interesting how farmer are getting together and actually selling their produce in a farmer’s shop/grocery store.  These store support local farmers which is one step closer to putting the word out there that it’s better to eat locally.  People today are losing connection with the farmers and even their food, because the people eat/buying food that does not come for that area; don’t really know where it came from and the process it took to ship it here.  “The long-distance transport of food had become such a defining characteristic of the modern food system that most people accept it as the only way for us to be well fed” (pg 12).  I thought that was very sad because that isn’t the only way but because many of us are lazy and don’t have time or just don’t want to grow our own food we rely on “fast food.” It was astonishing to find out that not only does long-distance travel for food increate waste and pollution, but it actually increase a substantial amount of waste.  The food that is shipped to an area will have more waste and the area the sipped it has less fertilizer. Long-distance also contributes to climate change.  I never thought about that, but that is very interesting.  Also the book talks about the history about food storage which I thought was sad yet interesting.  For some reason this quote scared me when I read it, “tinkering with plan biology.”  I think it scared me because a few semesters ago we spoke about genetically modified foods and its impact on us.  However it may be good for something’s, I don’t really think it should be done because you should be changing things that weren’t meant to be changed. These are just a few things that the book touched on and there is a lot of interesting information in that book.

I think people need to start supporting their local farmers and get back somewhat get back to what we used to be.  We are losing touch with our food and with history of what we used to be.  I am so thankful that my father is a gardener and we are able to eat what we grow and not have to rely so heavily on the food market.  We are able to stay connected to the simple things in life and appreciate what we do.  Gardening is hard work but you get a sense of satisfaction because you are doing things with your hand and you get to see Mother Nature doing her work and you get to eat what you grow.  Not many people can say they grow what they eat and I am happy to say I do.  My father also gets a lot of joy by giving extra vegetables to our neighbors which allows us to stay connected.  Also other people in the neighborhood do the same so at least we are able to kind of look out for one another.

Field Trip: Likeke Trail Hike

Unfortunately, this was the last field trip I went on before going home to Maryland and I wasn’t really feeling all that great that day to begin with.  For the most part, I stayed in the back of the line of people who were hiking with us.  Although this way I could take pictures and really capture the event. Sadly I wasn’t able to hear a lot of the history of the trail because I was in the back, but from what I was able to hear, was pretty interesting.  I really liked the trail because you got to see the beauty of nature and hear the some of the history.  I started to feel a little better during the hike but still stayed behind and took pictures. I figured I would do this field trip again and hear more of the history the next time. Halfway through the hike we came across a waterfall and stopped to take pictures. I loved that part because it was just so beautiful and many people who visit the island never really get to see something like that because it’s not really advertised.  Its hidden beauty is what I liked about it the most. Once we got to the end of the hike, we took a break and sat for lunch (if you brought a lunch, sadly I didn’t, but someone offered to share their pomegranate with me, which was very nice of her and I definitely accepted since pomegranate is a favorite of mine).  I wish I had heard more of the history, but I am still glad that I went for the experience and took pictures and I hope to go again. It’s a hidden beauty and I think those are so rare to find now-a-days, but I’m glad I went and I can’t wait to go again.

Here are some pictures from the field trip:

Where The Hell Is Matt?

The movie 180 Degrees South kind of reminded me of something a friend had stumbled upon and sent to me.  This video really makes you think how so many people can get together and just dance. This video allows you to see the world and all it has to offer.  There are some places that are just so beautiful and some where you probably wouldn’t want to go.  Matt went to all these places and was able to see the good and the bad of the world, the poor and the rich, but despite that, he was able to get people come together and join in this dance.  While watching this video all I could think about beside wow, I want to go there, and there and even there was, why didn’t I think of this first it’s such an great idea.  It’s amazing how he was able to use his video to show that we are all connected despite the fact that some places/people are miles away and show the beauty of the world.  I think when people see their state or country on this video they feel a part of something even if they weren’t in the video. I feel as though the video also shows you that where you live is seen as special even if you don’t think so.  Over all I really liked this video and can’t wait to see where he goes next. It’s awesome that he is able to travel to all these places and meet new people and I think that is something we all would to do whether it’s plausible of not.      

Movie: 180 Degrees South

We watched this movie in class and I just loved it.  Jeff Johnson went on an epic journey to Patagonia. Along the way he was shipwrecked in Rapa Nui a.k.a. Easter Island and once they go the boat fixed he was on his way for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado and meets up with his heroes Chouinard and Tompkins who had done this journey before. 

Just the idea of leaving everything you know behind for something new is scary in its self, but that is when you really get to see who you really are as a person and how you really fit in, in the grand scheme of things.  I would love to just drop everything behind and follow my dreams where I get to travel the world and see and learn things you wouldn’t normally learn in a class room.  I feel as though my purpose is not to sit in a desk doing paper work, but to actually go out into the unknown and learn the true meaning of life and know what is out there past our fences.  Unfortunately, I don’t think may people can do this because their lives are already planned out for them and it does seem somewhat unlikely that many people would just drop what they are doing to travel to a place they have never been to. “The fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all,” I think this is a great quote.  The thing I fear the most is not getting the chance to travel into the unknown, it may be a bit scary, but it’s better than wishing you had taken that chance to do something like what Jeff did but chose not to.  I am quite the planner, and my plan is to actually go out there and learn everything there is to learn and help those along the way that includes me.  That is the ultimate goal for me. 

While watching the movie I felt a bit sad, thinking that we are truly missing out on the true beauty of the world.  It’s like looking at a beautiful landscape painting, where you wish we were in the painting and really being immersed in the beauty.  We buy these painting because of their beauty and the thought of actually being there, but the fact of the matter is, the painting is just paint on a canvas and the real beauty is out there just beyond our reach.  However, there is beauty out there that we see every day, but are too busy to notice.  We take things for granted, and never really think about what we are doing. We are too absorbed in our daily lives that we don’t really stop to think what our actions are doing to the world.  The painting will soon be a memory of what beauty was and not something that exist today because we are destroying the beauty that the world gave us.  If we keep on this destructive path we will lose everything. We are constantly taking away land for our own selfish need and not thinking of the consequence of our actions, or we just don’t care.   One quote I really liked was “when open land is gone we will be gone with it.”

Over all I loved this movie and just wanted to jump in while watching it.  You really learn a lot.

Here is the movie Trailer:

Field Trip: Sweet Home Waimanalo

We were invited by Kevin to go to his restaurant and the farm.  First off I have never been anywhere near Waimanalo, but it was nice to see the area and eat some food.  Sweet Home Waimanalo is on Kalanianaole Highway between Makapuu and Waimanalo Town.  The class first met up at the restaurant and from there we went to the farm which was about five minutes away by car.  Unfortunately, it was starting to get dark so it was getting harder to see things, but for the most part we were able to see a lot of what was growing there and even got to see a few horses. There were a lot of plants that were growing there and it didn’t even seen to be a big area so that was surprising, yet awesome that they are able to use the land that they have and not waste any. Once we were done with the farm, we went back to the restaurant and got our food.  I must say the place is very cute and very small, but they definitely use what they have and don’t waste.  Beside the food which was very tasty and pretty cheap, Sweet Home Waimanalo also supports local artist, which I thought was really awesome.  Everyone was able to sit down and enjoy their meals and just have a nice relaxing time.  I ordered the smoked BBQ chicken salad wrap and found it to be very good.  I really wanted to try a little bit of everything once I saw what everyone ordered.  Once everyone was basically done, Kevin brought out some Kava for us to taste.  Kava is made from the ground root of kava and is traditionally used to relax and calm the nerves.  I had tried some and almost immediately felt relaxed, but I can’t get past the taste.  It wasn’t bad it just wasn’t for me, but a lot of people seemed to have liked it.  I really liked the restaurant and all that they are doing and would definitely go back.  I even talked parents and sister into going there when they come for my graduation, which won’t be for a while, but this place was so awesome that I want my family to have the same experience that I had. 

Here is a bit more information on the restaurant: 

Guest speaker: Ramsay Taum

The first time Ramsay came to my class was last semester where he spoke about tourism and how hotels work.  He definitely, taught me a lot about how the industry works and how the host and the visitors coincide.  This time he taught me something completely new.  He talked a lot about the meaning of the word Hawaii, which I found very interesting.  I had no idea that the word had different meanings, I guess you never really think about it unless someone tells you.  Hawaii’s language goes hand in hand with its people and the land. I don’t really know that many words in Hawaiian, but this gave me a better idea of the meaning of the words. The words don’t just have a definition but have an actual meaning.  Taum describes the word HAWAII and its meaning.  He starts off with the word “HA”-meaning breath of life, or shared breath (HA is in many of the words like aloha, mahalo ect.).  He then goes to “WAI”-which means water (this is a very important word, because water is very important to the Hawaiians and the people of the world.  The next one he does is “I”- which I think means self or spirit. He then brought all of them together and you really get a sense of the language and how the word HAWAII doesn’t just mean a “paradise island” (to the tourists), but has a meaning of life.  He also continues to talk about how important it is to know where you come from and to know where you are going.  He also states that we are all connected and that we share HA (breath of life).  Taum also talks about how Hawaii is the center of the earth or the bellybutton.  Thanks again for speaking to our class and I look forward to seeing you in a future class of mine.

Ted.com (Michael Pollan)

In class we watched a video which was on Ted.com and the speaker was Michael Pollan, who is the author of many books about food and nature.  I though this video was very interesting and really gave me an alternative way of looking at nature and our connection with nature.  Pollan suggests that we should start “looking at us and the world from a plants point of view.” At first I thought that was a bit strange, but once Pollan went on to talk about it, I really started to think about it and in a way it seems like he has something going.  He had gotten this idea one day when he was working in his garden.  I think that’s a bit funny the way people come up with the most interesting ideas.  Pollan starts talking about Darwinian revolution and that “we are one species among many and evolution is working on us, the same way its working on others.” One quote I really liked that Pollan stated was “we are really in the fabric of life,” which is very correct because we are intertwined and we can survive without some species and some species can survive without us. We need each other for survival and if one goes than the balance is no longer.  Unfortunately many haven’t or won’t absorb this lesson, but I believe that if we were to look out ourselves through the plants point of view, then we can have a better understanding of nature/life and this should help us in the future.  Pollan also spoke about how lima beans protect themselves from spider mites.  We have evolved so we should also expect that the plants around us have also evolved not just other animals.  When Pollan talks about the lima beans, it kind of reminds me of the movie The Happening where people are dying because the plants released a chemical in the air and the beginning of the movie talks about bees as well.  I thought that was a bit strange because Pollan at the beginning of the video also talks about bees and its relation to us.  Over all I found this video to be very interesting and educating.  I haven’t read any of his books, but now I think that might be something that I am interested in doing.

The video we watched: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/michael_pollan_gives_a_plant_s_eye_view.html

Guest speaker: Ruth Boloment

I hope I spelled the name correctly.

Ruth briefly spoke about her past and how she got where she is today. She started off talking about how she was living in I think California where she designed clothes and one day she was hit by disturbing news that her father was very ill.  Her father later pasted away, but some land to his kids.  The three kids didn’t really know what to do with the land and two of them wanted to sell it, but Ruth said to herself, “he gave it to us for some reason and we shouldn’t just sell it.”  So she convinced her two siblings to sell their portion of the land to her.  She finally decided what she would do with the land and started growing plants.  Once she started on this path, she started to feel enlightened.  She practiced Yoko farming, which is praying for the food.  To her surprise the method worked, the plants were growing and those that weren’t growing as well, she would pray for them individually and the next day the plant would look better.  Unfortunately, Ruth was starting to get sick and losing her memory, at one point she didn’t remember having a daughter.  So she went to find out what was wrong with her and she later found out that she had a bunch of chemicals occupying her body.  She had no clue why this happened because she is an organic farmer and the farm next to them is also supposed to be organic farming.  Ruth later found out that the farmers next door were spraying chemicals on their plants and the wind was caring these chemicals to Ruth’s garden.  She tried bioenergetics medication which really helped her and her memory is slowly coming back to normal.  She also said “being in control of our health, by controlling the environment,” the environment will help us.  Some interesting things she briefly touched on besides her story which is sad yet inspirational, were how polyester is actually harmful and yet we use it all the time in clothing.  Also how bottle waters are actually harmful as well and when they are left in the heat they are much worse.  Thanks Ruth for coming in to speak with the class.

Guest speaker: Kevin Vaccarello

First I would like to apologize for the late posts!!

Kevin talked a little about his past like where he went to school, what he studied (I think AstroPhysics) and a lot of things I didn’t really understand.  He spoke briefly about Thermodynamics which is the law of heat exchange and also talked about maximum entropy which has something to do with the depth of the earth.  He also spoke of negative entropy and maximum power principle.  Much of this I’m sorry to say, I didn’t really understand, but the one with I do understand is food and healthier ways to grow food.  Kevin went on to talk about his self-sustainable restaurants in Waimanalo.  He and his partners have been working together to make people more aware of how important self-sustainability is.  Kevin states that “we humans have been taking a lot and not giving back.”  I found that to be very interesting because it’s true, we are taking what we need/want and aren’t helping to replenish what we are taking. Once we realize what we are taking, we only come up with temporary fixes, when we should be thinking ahead of what harms we might cause and come up with long term alternatives ways instead.

We have started to realize that we can’t keep on taking without giving back.  Take for instance deforestation, this is a huge problem because we are not just destroying the trees that create oxygen, but we are also destroying animal’s habitats.  We were only thinking of our own selfish needs and not thinking of the consequences.  However we are slowly giving back by growing more and more trees and making other changes that will help the environment and even ourselves.  Thanks Kevin for coming in to speak with the class.