Read 'n' Seed : 3rd Quarter of "Exposed"

Chapters and Pages
 Chapter 6, 7  Pages 105-178

Chapter 6: Rise and Fall of the Machine

Chapter 7:Chemical Revolution

Main Topics n My Opinion

     Chapter 6 mainly talked about the pros and cons of technology.  What do you do with a printer or old television that has become obsolete and is no longer of any use to you.  You can either throw it away with your regular trash, properly recycle it, or give it to someone who could fix it or take all the useful parts.  Most people just end up throwing them away and buying another cheap-o.  This has serious consequences.  Schapiro talks about how 50% of used cell phones, televisions, and other throw away electronics are shipped to landfills in countries like Taiwan and China.  When studies on drinking water in these countries were done they had 10,000-24,000 times the amounts of Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in their drinking water.

     It goes to show how stuff that we do in our country is not only hurting the united states, but our old iPods, Blackberry, and desktop computers and poisoning innocent people in other countries around the world.

     Chapter 7 is based around a story.  A story of the European Union choosing 112 woman from all over Europe to have their blood tested for chemicals.  In sets of 3, a grandmother, mother, and daughter all living in the same area.  These woman all had their blood all looked at and the results were shocking!  The grandmothers (who have spent the most time alive) had the highest amounts, with the largest being 63 different compounds in their blood.  The worst part of this story is that the next highest were the grandaughters!  The highest found in the age group was not far behind the grandmothers, 59.  With the mothers in the middle having the lowest amounts, with their highest being 49.

     This showing that kids in Europe are exposed to many different types of chemicals at a young age.  The sad part is that most of them are coming from toys, or all of the new technology invented to keep them "busy" like computers, cell phones, iPods, Barbies.  All of these things are actually leaching chemicals into our surroundings and the sad part is there is no where to put it all!  The end of the chapter gives a little philosophy.  All the risks we take like driving a car, smoking, drinking, microwaving our food in a plastic containers, its all dangerous and the more and more we fall into a lifestyle that is completely manufactures the less healthy our lives are.

How this affects me...

It makes me feel a lot more conscious about what I buy.  Sometimes when I have to buy stuff like a desk for my room, or a new DVD player cuz my old one shit out I usually go for the cheaper one.  Well the last time I went out and got a DVD player I decided to get a nice and little more pricey one.  I figure if I'm gonna get one I might as well get one that will last.  Or instead of buying a new iPod the next time mine malfunctions I'll make sure I get everything looked at before I buy another one, and I'll make sure I recycle it properly if it does come down to disposing of it.  It's scary to me how many things we as humans expose ourselves to everyday.  I feel like there is going to be tremendous consequences for all of this in the not so distant future, and it worries me that the majority of the world isn't even aware of most of this information.

Thought this quote from Luke Ramsey fit pretty well, and I borrowed from my friend Gus over at his amazing peek/stare blog-

Luke Ramsey

"People keep taking about how we’re destroying the world and then they continue to destroy the world. Don’t worry about 2012. It’s not about destruction, it’s about a shift in consciousness and a rebirth of love and understanding. There will be less testosterone and more estrogen. These religious nuts got it all messed up. It’s not about Armageddon, it’s about change, because Mother Nature needs it. Humans think we’re smart. We think too much. We need to start feeling more. There’s too much focus on technology and the future. Yes, technology is amazing, but we need to focus more on the now and embrace natural wonders. Like how cool is it that when we get cut – our skin heals. Or how amazing it is that when we plant a seed and give it water – it grows. Get fascinated by the simple things. Watching NASA send a missile to the moon and then Twittering about it on a cell phone, just doesn’t seem all that evolved. Choose love and light, because it feels good."

 

see ya guys monday!

Pam