Japan's Lesson On Economy and Environment

     As we watch the short documentary of Japan’s economy and environment, it said that Ginza, Japan was the economical construction place on year 1956. On that era, once you have refrigerator, television, and washing machine, you are big time citizen. In year 1960, the prime minister of japan, Hayato Ikeda, proclaimed the doubling of income for Japan’s economic growth. They built so many infrastructures and became the second largest GNP attained in year 1968.

     But in focusing their national income, they didn’t notice the pollution created by factories and mining projects. As their economy grew, the pollution gets heavier. It created an outbreak disease called “itai itai” that means “ouch ouch” in year 1968. This disease gives so much hurt mostly in woman. It is because of the sulfuric acid that released by factories. At the same year it the outbreak continues and created another disease. The next outbreak is called Minamata disease which came from Minamata. This disease gave the Japanese like epileptic syndrome because of organic mercury compound that came from mining projects. Another outbreak comes out in the next year, 1969. It is the Yokkaichi Asthma Outbreak. It is the disease like asthma that attacks at midnight that makes you sleepless. In it cause by the sulfur oxide and other pollution that created by factories.  

     As the Japanese reacts to the outbreaks, it created so many rallies and protests. Because of these phenomenons, Japan government amended a law for environmental pollution control in year 1971. As the Japanese alarmed to the situation, they started to build a healthy nation. One of it is the flue gas sulfurizer. It removes sulfur oxide to the fluid. Another is the selective catalytic reduction that removes nitrogen oxide to the water. In order to clean the mess and build the machines, it causes a lot of money.

     And as far as they cleaning their economy, they learn how the love it. It gives a lesson on how the conserved our planet earth. Don’t overuse it. We are the one who also suffer at the time comes. Heal the world. Heal the mankind.

Conservation Priorities

     One of the wetlands that must be conserved is the Malampaya Sound of northern part of Palawan. It said that Malampaya sound is home of the Irrawaddy Dolphins which is critically endangered subpopulation. The main livelihood near in Malampaya Sound is small-scaled fishing. And to conserve this place, the local communities must limit their fishing in there to for the sake of these endangered dolphins. 

     But some fishermen are unstable and not behaving properly, they still fishing in the area. To the local government need to banned the fishing in Malampaya Sound and migrate the communities near the area to some part of Palawan. As of today, the law of banning the fishing in the area is still continues.  

     Towards the cooperation of the people, they are continuously maintaining and sustainably enhancing the Malampaya Sound, making them to be aware and create a well-maintained place and purely beautiful natural resources.

Since Malampaya Sound is now developed, it becomes tourist spot and one of the wonderful places of the world. Let’s continue to save the world and conserve what God has given to us.

The Shell-Eco Marathon

     The shell eco marathon is an event that saves fuel, and saves earth. All of the car participants are eco-friendly. And fortunately, our school, Don Bosco Technical College achieve to jevent. And i'm proudly to say that i'm a cadet of one of the two teams that joined the shell eco marathon. I'm very thankful that even though i did little for the project, i'm still a part of it. 

     We do hard work just to finish our car. And when the day of the event comes, some of the student of the school come to the event to visit the place. We saw the track that will the cars will race, booths where students or tourist will enjoy, and of course the energy lab. It is a great annex where you can learn and appreciate the environment. 

     When the day of the race goes on, unfortunately one of our car, grigio didn't run. Next shell eco marathon, we will try our best to create a extravagant car. And i hope for great year to come for us and a continuously saving the earth.

Zero-Waste Christmas Party

   One of the days on December 2013, the 4 - ME celebrated a Christmas party including with some professors. we celebrated the party not so special, but full of happiness and so much appreciation. We celebrate it in our PN lecture room, with some foods that served for our get together.

   
   We also did this every year. But this time, we celebrate it with style. An environmental style of party that can apply in different parties. Which is called the "Zero-waste party". Unlike our past years, instead of using disposable plates, plastic spoon and fork, plastic cups, buying some drinks in a plastic bottle, we use our home plates, spoon and fork, and we just drink water than to buy drink in a plastic bottle and use plastic cups.  

   We used to it because of not much work after the party. But this year, it's not. Washing plates and against for plastics are worth it. It is not just for the environment, and it is also for us. We need to lessen the use of plastic for the good of mother earth, for the good of us.

The 11th Hour

1.) Describe some of the emotions you felt during the film. Which aspects of the video had the greatest impact on you and why?
          At the first place, I felt guilty, because I can say that I am also a destroyer of our environment in the way of waste and using air-condition. That is not that big, but little mistakes can cause big destruction. Somehow, i realized that we need to save our mother nature and ourselves are the only solution to save it. 

2.)   What information contained in the video was new to you?
          The green house gasses is the information that was new to me. All this time, I only know is the green house effect is produces by us, people, and by producing much of green house gasses that causes global warming. But in the movie says that earth has natural green house gasses that warm us.

3.)   What topics presented in the film would you like to explore further? Do you know what you need to know in order to continue learning about environmental issues? If the answer to that question is no, how can you find out what you need to know?
          The topic I like to explore further is about the structures that uses solar energy. As technologies goes on and on, we can't prevent these structures to be build in. These structures can produces green house gasses that destroys the environment. So as an future engineer, we can help our environment applying the solar energy to the unstoppable technology. Aside from it is free and given to us, it can produces oxygen the helps the environment.

4.) Discuss ways that eating locally produced food is an environmental issue. What can individuals do to support the local production and consumption of foods?
          Some food are still wrapped with plastics that can harm the environment. We need to improve our waste by using papers instead of plastics so we can prevent this problems.

5.)   Who should see this film and for what purposes? Who might be unreceptive to the ideas in the film and why?
          The one who should see this film is no other than each of all of us. We are the only one the can solve the problems to our environment. We have the power to control the save this mother earth. So we need to watch this film for us to be aware what is happening to our environment.

6.)   Share one issue or item that you wrote on your index card while you were watching the 11^th hour.
          This is the thing that i can share, it's my care and awareness to our environment. As long as i can reduce using plastics, I will. As long as i can recycle things, I will. It's either big or small contributions, It helps.

7.) As a result of your having seen this film, what, if any, specific actions do you think you will take?
          The thing that struck me in this film was using solar panels in structures. Once I can build my own house, i hope so, haha, i will uses solar energy so i can help my environment, i can save mother earth!
         

How students contribute to sustainability

As a student, sustainability starts inside the campus. It is like a organization that emphasizes leadership, pursuing the institutional sustainability, and awareness not only on the campus but the whole environment. It requires responsibilities and commitments to build sustainable innovations and to continued excellence. It takes effort in every student to contribute environmental sustainability. It is for us to develop fresh ideas and sustainable practices. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is the capacity to maintain, support, and endure. Sustainability has been used more in the sense of human sustainability in the world and this has resulted in the most widely quoted of sustainability as a part of the concept sustainable development. It says "sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"