School Lunch!

Breaking news! school lunch isn't good for you!

I think most people know this already since the coined phrase "Mystery Meat" started being said about cafeteria foods.

First Article:
http://www.commonwealinstitute.org/blog/jill-richardson/foods-role-in-the-health-care-crisis

"Food's Role in the Health Care Crisis |." Commonweal Institute. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .

This article brings up the 2 biggest setbacks (I think) that are out there for people not eating healthy. If it was easier for people to get healthy foods then maybe people would. School lunch is provided by the school so the access is very easy. However school lunches are made in mass for hundreds of students and is the epitome of industrial foods. Because lunch food is provided by the school there is also a program called "free and reduced lunches" and for those who qualify get lunch for free or at a reduced price. The second part that this article says as a setback is cost. By decreasing cost that would be more appealing for people to buy.

Second Article:

This article is talks about an actual movement. And one of the major problems, some people just don't care or can't break the habit. his solution though is to make healthy foods more convenient and less expensive.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/magazine/11Oliver-t.html?pagewanted=6&_r=1

"The New York Times Log In." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .

Third article:

This article talks about the level of consumption, along with the amount of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is in a persons diet in relation to Obesity. This article will be useful for evidence of the connection between HFCS and dieting.

http://journals.lww.com/nutritiontodayonline/Abstract/2005/11000
/Highs_and_Lows_of_High_Fructose_Corn_Syrup__A.5.aspx

Fourth Article:
This article is a strict scientific study that came to the conclusion of a "significant correlation". This can be used to show that the results are the same as what my partner and I are trying to express to our audience. It also says that it is because of increase consumption. That is a great point that we can use since HFCS isn't bad in moderation.

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/79/5/774?ijkey=cJSxz0rjkfs9s&keytype=ref&siteid=ajcn

"Increased consumption of refined carbohydrates and the epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the United States: an ecologic assessment -- Gross et al. 79 (5): 774 --." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .

Fifth article:
This one talks about the reason that Humans use HFCS . This is good for perspective and to help people understand why we use HFCS in the first place but also what alternatives there are.

http://www.researchdiets.com/OSD/DIDM/diabetes.htm



http://www.nmji.in/archives/Volume_20_2_March_April/correspondence/correspondence.pdf

Irragation Websites

These are a few website that I found interesting.

The first website: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/irmethods.html

"Irrigation techniques" this website explains the history of "bucket irrigation". This website is explains the downsides of home irrigation systems but also gives some ways to be more efficient. Examples are capturing run off, surge flooding, and leveling fields.

Second Website: http://www.yardfairy.com/environmentally-friendly-landscaping-tips.html

"Environmentally Friendly Landscaping Tip" I like this article because it writes about pathways that are most effective when trying to have the least amount of run off. This website is also very good for garden layout. The article explains a lot of ways that makes it so less water is used which is good for irrigation.

Third Website: http://www.missionrcd.org/Pub%20Ed%20-%20Rainbow%20Creek/Agriculture/Micro-Irrigation%20Tips%20brochure.pdf

This is a HTML for irrigation tips. This paper has a section in it about water pressure. i found it very useful because of the language that it uses (head unit, block inlets, lateral lines). Also it explains what that is and how to use it properly. Also at the end it gives details about each section (like a mini dictionary)

Chance to Change

a few topic brought up today in a discussion revolving around "Farmer in Chief" by Michael Pollan brought up some interesting points.
"It is the people up top in the government that have the power to change" stated a person in this discussion This is what I have to say:

The overall agreement is that most of the power is in the government which is out of our hands. A sentence like that can seem very pessimistic however, the government is made up of people who were once high school students and chose to go work in the government. I am a high school student, all the kids i was talking to about this are too and will in a few years have the opportunity to be the ones with the chance to change.

Food seems like such a hard thing to change. With such a strong foundation it seems at least to me that my efforts of the efforts of my class may just be a eyedropper worth of water into a large glass bowl.

During the discussion I started to wonder why I spend money on such a low quality product as industrial food. I would never want to waste my hard earned money. The fact that I have been spending money on food that has been chemically enhanced it very disturbing.

The meat that I am eating isn't the best quality that it could be. The point is I am not that picky and I am grateful for what I have but growing a cow or any other type of meaty animal to eat, i see nothing wrong with it, it feeds and keeps humans full. It is the fact that chemicals are making it so that the meat is not as nutritional as it is naturally suppose to be.

It is the fact that because people are lazy I have to compromise my health so that the farmers I pay to grow my food have it easier. If the food was still good for me and full quality that grown crops and animals are suppose to have I would say yeah lets make life easier on the farmer! But to make physical labor that has been done for centuries easier and because of this have it affect my personal body and then on top of that not give me much of a choice because the organic food is out of my spending limit is a slap in the face.

If we take the time to educate people about issues that directly affect them I have a feeling they will listen, I am being educated and I am listening.

Best Practices

Irrigation:
One very important thing is that whenever the water is turned on that when we are done, the water from the main source is turned off. Otherwise there will be a water pressure backup .

Another thing to consider is over watering and under watering. If someone turns oin the water they need to be responsible for turning it off.

What inspired me for my seinor project?

I think that I want to focus on land and development. I see land development every day everywhere I go so I feel that I can really relate to the environment and changes around me. Something that the group talked about was deforestation. This is when they clear the forest to build industry or sometimes to grow crops. The problem with this is to accomplish this trees have to be cleared which, trees and other surrounding plants and ground are homes to many animals. Not only tearing down homes but Trees are the main source to consume CO2 and release of oxygen. Cutting down trees could make the air around the area worse with an unbalance of CO2.

The presentations helped me because I think that for senior project I have a more narrow topic of the affects on deforestation more specifically, the affect of tree loss.

What kind of Plants do I want to Grow?

Pumpkins- Sara wants to grow pumpkins also. I think that it would be really cool to carve my own pumpkin. Also I think how they grow on vines are really cool. I also like the idea of pumpkin pie…Carrots- I think it would be interesting to watch grow. Since they grow underground it would be cool not to see the outcome until its ready to eat.

Apples- I have always wanted an apple tree to have endless apples would be wonderful.

Carrots- They taste good and grow underground which is interesting

Top Two

Pumpkin-

A) Squash

B) Growing season- May or June

C) germinate- 5-7 days

D) a few months

E) has long vines but can be trimed and do not interfere with other plants

F) Needs rich soil

G) Keep moist but not drenched. Don’t let the soil dry out

H) Planted next to bean or corn patches rich soil

Needs a sunny spot (6 hours a day)

http://www.informeddemocracy.com/pumpkin/growing.html

Jack-O-Lanterns come from an irish myth “Stingy Jack”

Carrots- 65 degrees for dirt

A) Vegetable

B) Growing season- Spring, cool climates

C) germinate- about two weeks

D) 2-3 months

E) 3/4ths of an inch apart

F) 6.5 ph

G) one inch of water per week from irrigation

H) beans, chives, cucumbers, flax

Carrots originated in Afghanistan (they were never a orange color they were red, white and yellow.

Enviromental Science

What is one thing in the natural world that I am curious about?

Trees. I have always wondered how something can grow up. Trees start out as something so small and then get to be bigger then me. I wonder how the branches grow up and out and what stops it from being pulled back to the ground by gravity.