Sustainable Systems, Year One

Solving Wicked Problems Paper

Katrina Simon

11 December 2014

Sustainable Systems

Solving the Wicked Meat Industry Problems

According to a report by Worldwatch Institute, more than 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. Not only does it add to global warming, the pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, feed and water used are also effecting the air, water, and soil. The meat industry’s use of factory farming is a form of animal cruelty, in the way that they house and treat animals and also by genetically altering them. Don’t think there are enough reasons why meat/the meat industry is so bad? Here’s another one- meat has been the source of many health issues in humans because of the bacteria and antibiotics found in animals. The meat industry has been causing environmental problems but what makes this a “wicked problem” and injustice are because of the ethical issues regarding the treatment of animals and health issues to those that consume it. It seems like factory farming/the meat industry is negatively affecting so many aspects of our daily lives.

Raising animals for food, like using land for gazing and to grow animal feed crops, uses 30% of the Earth’s land mass. Since there is about 520 million square kilometers of landmass on Earth, which means that 153 million square kilometers is used for raising animals. Seeing the actual number of how much land that is holds a lot more emotion and effect than hearing the percentage of land it is. Its not just using a lot of land, it is damaging a lot of land. 260 million acres of this amount of land was forests that were cleared to create cropland to grow animal feed (Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources). In a 2009 study, it was found that four-fifths of the deforestation across the Amazon rainforest could be linked to factory farming of cattle (Scheer).

Water pollution for factory farms is also a huge environmental problem that has been occurring. Animal agriculture uses one third of the world’s fresh water (Walsh). Half of all water in the United States is used to raise animals for food. This amount of water is used through many different aspects of the factory farming process, from growing cattle feed to giving cattle fresh water to drink. Many animals consume feed that is primarily corn. Corn is a plant that actually requires a lot of water for growth. 7,000-8,000 gallons of water are lost daily through the water evaporation in the corn. Corn needs to be watered more often than other plants because it has short, shallow roots, which also results in more water consumption (Environmental Impact). It takes 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat. Factory farming uses an excessive amount of water, but also results in water pollution. The manure or animal urine/feces that is produced in factory farming is so much in such a small space that it up getting into water systems. These results in polluted water that can be very dangerous for humans, making us sick or in many cases can be fatal. Antibiotics that are pumped into animals also ends up being found in water as well, which is not healthy for humans and fish to be consuming. Shocking statistics about this shows says that chicken, hog and cattle excrement has polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and groundwater in 17 states, according to the EPA. To give an example of a situation where the water was polluted, in 1995 25 million gallons of hog urine and feces spilled into a river in North Carolina where 10-14 million fish died instantly (Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources).

The amount of chemicals that is found in many parts of the meat process is startling. Like I stated before, the antibiotics that are given to animals end up being found in our water as well since it ends up in animal excrement, which has been polluting water sources. Livestock are usually fed corn, soybean meal or other grains that are grown with a lot of fertilizer and pesticides. According to the Environmental Working Group, livestock feed in the U.S. requires 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer each year across 149 million acres of fields of crops (Scheer).

It is known that antibiotics are found in most animals because of the conditions of factory farming. Some say that 70% of all antibiotics are mixed into animal feed to prevent disease in animals when they are raised in factory farming conditions, which consist of close quarters and too many animals shoved together in one area. Not only do the antibiotics decrease losses of animals from disease, it also accelerates growth of animals. For example, chickens have been grown larger and larger to provide cheaper chicken to mass-produce. The pumping of antibiotics into our animals is not healthy for the animal, as well as for humans. This means that the meat we eat is filled with antibiotics that we then consume. With the overuse and misuse of antibiotics means that bacteria will become resistant to them and they will not be used in the way that we need them- to keep us healthy and protected from very dangerous bacteria (Hal).

The actual make up of red meat is very unhealthy for humans, even when it is not pumped with antibiotics. Carnitine is found in read meat and it has been known to cause atherosclerosis, which is hardening or clogging arteries. According to a report in JAMA International Medicine, eating red meat can increase the risk of developing type two diabetes. “Specifically, 3.5 ounces of red meat or 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily can lead to a 19% and 51% increase in diabetes risk.” Meat also contains a lot of iron. Eating too much iron increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This is because when iron builds up in the brain, myelin (a fatty tissue that coats nerve fibers) is destroyed. Destroying them affects the brain tissues and brain communication, which therefore causes Alzheimer’s. The hormones added to red meat increase the risk of breast cancer. According to a study, women who ate more than 1.5 servings of red meat per day had nearly double the risk of developing breast cancer than women who ate 3 or fewer servings per week (Melone).

The treatment of animals in how the meat industry is currently run is (in my eyes, and many others’) extremely cruel. In factory farms, animals are crammed into small spaces with no windows and feces covered on the ground, resulting in disease in animals. They are given drugs to fatten up fast and stay alive in conditions that would normally kill them. Animals are also deprived of exercise so that all the energy goes towards producing meat, flesh, eggs, or milk for humans to eat (Factory Farming: Cruelty to Animals). Factory farming has also recreated the chicken (and other animals) physically so that they have larger breasts. Making the chicken fatter in a shorter amount of time has caused chickens to not be able to walk around for more than a couple steps until they have to stop. They cannot hold themselves up because they do not have the muscle to do so and are too big. This problem is also happening in cows. Since lean meat is so desirable, farmers are not having their cows exercise much so meat stays lean. This results in cows that are not able to hold themselves up, the same problem that is occurring in cows. Mercy for Animals is an organization that has exposed animal cruelty in factory farming and is trying to prevent this from continuing to occur. It is really interesting to read the investigations that they have done; for instance this year they looked into Butterball again in North Carolina. They found that baby turkeys had their toes and beaks cut and burned off without any painkillers and workers were throwing and dropping animals, and grinding up animals alive (Undercover Investigations of Factory Farms and Slaughterhouses). The conditions animals are being treated in factory farms are revolting and should be stopped.

There is a lot of air pollution that is caused by cattle and meat industry/factory farming practices. Livestock are fed usually corn and soybean. To make this feed, it takes about 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer each year. This process creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that’s 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Methane is also created from livestock’s flatulence and manure as it decomposes. It is estimated that 20% of all U.S. methane emissions is from the meat industry/cattle. Red meat is responsible for 10 to 40 times as much greenhouse gas emissions as the growing of vegetables and grains (Scheer).

The meat industry is causing many environmental problems, health problems and brings up ethical issues regarding the treatment of animals, making this a “wicked problem.” One of the easiest ways to try and fix this problem is to stop eating so much meat. If everyone were to just cut down on meat consumption, this would result in fewer cows needing to be farmed, less environmental problems and will help your health greatly. Other ways are to stop pumping antibiotics into animals. My invention is to have cow “pants” so when cows flatulent is released, it goes into a tank so methane is not released into the air, it can be used as an energy source, and this is also a way where cows can roam free but still stay in a lot- also solving animal cruelty problems. My product could be a way where we can try to fix this wicked problem.

 

 

Work Cited

“Environmental Impact.” StopForceFeeding.com. Animal Protection & Rescue League, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.

“Factory Farming: Cruelty to Animals.” PETA. PETA, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

Hal, Robert W. “Antibiotics and Wicked Problems.” Compression Institute. N.p., 8 Sept. 2010. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.

“Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources.” PETA. PETA, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Melone, Linda. “10 Reasons To Stop Eating Red Meat.” Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.

Scheer, Roddy, and Doug Moss. “How Does Meat in the Diet Take an Environmental Toll?” Scientific American. The Environmental Magazine, 28 Dec. 2011. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.

“Undercover Investigations of Factory Farms and Slaughterhouses.” Mercy for Animals. Mercy for Animals, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.

Walsh, Bryan. “The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production.” Time. Time, 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Integrated Studio: Fake, Year One

Studio Fake Reflection

Reflection about what you’ve learned about:

1) your working process-

I realized that I am the type of person that works better when I have time to think through everything before having to start. I use to just start something without really planning but I’ve found that I’m more successful when I take time to sketch and plan (although sometimes this can be a boring step). I’ve also realized that I do very well taking a couple days just thinking about a project before I start sketching. I like to walk around, getting inspiration from other and things around me and then getting to a sketchbook and figuring out what to do.

 

2) new/altered interests

I am really interested in design that has a specific purpose/use and is sustainable. I use to really like fine arts strictly but I’m way more into designing for solving problems and creating things that actually work- like my persona project and even my final where the fabric was waterproof and those who would wear it could actually swim in it.

 

3) where you see yourself going next

I’m not sure where I see myself going. I use to be set on design and management, focusing more on the business side of the creative world, but I’m not sure if thats exactly what I want now. I use to envision myself managing and marketing for creative people. I do really love designing and being hands on, and I’m a little worried that design and management might not be hands on enough. I am considering to possibly switch to integrated design… looking into it. Or maybe staying in design and management and doing a minor thats more hands on.

Integrated Seminar: Fake, Year One

Seminar- Fake Analysis

What is “fake”? (what does it mean/why is it important)

To me, fake has a different meaning than what I thought it was coming into it. Although I still believe that counterfeit handbags are a form of fake, I now realize that there is a deeper meaning and that it can be more true than truth itself. It is important because of how powerful it can be compared to truth, which can be weaker. Fake is comprised of 4 main types- fake as fantasy, truth, fraud and mistake.

 

What are three key concepts you took away from this semester?

1. simulacra

2. performativity

3. fake that is fraud

 

What are three skills you got from the course?

1. better writer as a whole

2. better at reading/outlining difficult texts

3. research tips and sources

 

Which assignments did you feel best practiced these skills and concepts?

I think that the reading responses weekly really helped me with my reading and writing skills. Before this class, I was a slower reader and had a hard time summarizing. This helped me get a lot better with this. Also just writing weekly was helpful because like anything else, the more you practice the better you become.

 

What concepts or skills from the course have you used in other courses (other than studio)?

I used the concepts of simulacra and performativity in my drawing/imaging class when discussing other assignments. The writing/reading skills have helped me in my Sustainable Systems class because that class is mostly seminar based.

Uncategorized

Climate Change Field Experience/UN Field Activity

1. READING RESPONSE OF READING AND VIDEOS (INCLUDING 3 QS FROM READINGS)

The videos and required reading on climate change, specifically the scientific basis on it and about extreme events, was interesting to read since I didn’t know the exact facts of what has been going on, only general ideas. The first video, Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, was a general video on climate change and how greenhouse gases have affected the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases have been created by human influences and the facts have shown that there is no denying this. Oceans are warming and sea levels are rising because of the melting of glaciers. With all these problems arising and more, we need to learn how to adapt to this and design for resilience and for the new climate that we will be living in. In Video 2, Overview of the IPCC Report of Extreme Events, experts discuss the climate and how to manage and reduce the risk of disasters. It is discussed how the combination of climate and society is how natural events become disasters because this is when society is unprepared for climate events. This made be think, if us being unprepared makes the event a disaster, than can you classify the events as a climate change disaster? Or is it the fact that we are just not prepared for the climate events that happen (but its not because of climate change)? Interesting to think about.  In the reading, Climate Change and Cities: First Assessment Report of the Urban Climate Change Research Network, this reports builds the scientific basis and research to show a city’s vulnerability to climate hazards and how cities can change and steps that should be taken to act on the effects of climate change. The risk and vulnerability framework that has been determined is: climate hazards, vulnerabilities to the social, economic or physical characteristics, and adaptive capacity aspects that relate to the ability for a city to act. This framework seems extremely broad and not specific, which made me ask why so broad? Wouldn’t it help more to have a framework that’s more specific that cities can use as a checklist to go though and see if they are at risk for certain climate change events? Throughout this whole report, it describes urban climate, the impact and adaptations a city needs, the transportation system, water supply, and how the land effects climate change. It was surprising that according to 2004 data, transportation accounts for 23% of greenhouse gas emissions and in many cities it is higher. Why is it higher in cities? Shouldn’t it be lower since so many people walk, bike and take public transportation instead of driving their own cars? Yes there are more people per square mile in cities but so many people use sustainable ways of transportation.

 

2. QUESTIONS TO ASK SPEAKERS AT UN

  1. Why do you think that it has been so hard for many people to believe that climate change is a real thing when there are many scientific data and improved data showing it is?
  2. What tips would you give the US for becoming more sustainable in a short amount of time like how Denmark was able to accomplish this?
  3. Bikes have been a main transportation mode in Denmark, a wonderful way to get from place to place without contributing to climate change.  With so many people biking, have designs been created to ensure the safety of bikers in Copenhagen? If so, how was this accomplished? Do you have ideas in ways that NYC biking can become safer and more effective like in Copenhagen?

 

3. PHOTOS OF NOTES AND QUESTIONS FROM TRIP TO UN

photo 1 photo 2photo 3

 

photo 4

Sustainable Systems, Year One

Reading + Reflection 12

I am from Massachusetts, specifically a small town outside of Boston called Medfield. I live right near the Charles River, a major River that flows through Medfield and through many other towns and through Boston where it empties out into the Ocean. There are many other rivers that run through Massachusetts, like the Concord River, Assabet River, and Blackstone River as well as Reservoirs like the Wachasett Reservoir. The Charles River reminds me a lot like the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail because many use the river for recreational use, but also for natural and cultural resources and as a water source for the town. Many people go out on day trips where they kayak, canoe, and even fish on the river. There are not many overnight accommodations on the Charles River near where I am but there are hotels that are close to the river once you get closer into Boston, like in Cambridge and the heart of the city. Since the river is so long, this waterway can be for long distance travelers or day trips, since there are so many areas where you can rent and/or launch boats. For the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, every 10 miles there are access points and every 15 miles there are excursions and attractions like historical sites, hiking trails, swamps, and many more interesting areas. Like the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, there are many access points to the Charles River and interesting areas along it like parks, bridges, and gardens.

To get to my house, one has to drive over a bridge that is over the Charles River. When I was younger, this bridge/road was a dirt road. Since it was a dirt road and not paved, this means that it wasn’t very far from the water, it was quite close to the river although it was still considered a bridge. When there was heavy rain (not heavy enough to be considered an “extreme event,” but still heavy rain) for 24 hours or longer, the river would get very high and most times would flood the road. I remember many times having to take the long way to the center of town because the bridge was flooded. This flooding problem we had reminds me of what I was reading in “How to Think Like the Dutch In A Post Sandy World.” In this article, it is discussed that after Hurricane Sandy, designs were needed to try and prevent something like this from happening again. The Hudson River flooding during Hurricane Sandy put 80% of Hoboken, NJ underwater. Because of this, houses were raised on stilts, green roofs and more trees were planted (to soak up rainwater), barriers and pumps were put in, and parks were turned into water containment basins. The uses of pumps were and are used in my house for flooding prevention as well. Since our basement would flood if water rose so much, we have pumps that try and stop this from happening. The town had the road paved about 7 years ago and during this process, the bridge was raised up significantly. This has helped stop what use to be constant flooding. Now it is very rare that the bridge floods, it has only flooded once since then when there was an excessive amount of rainfall in a short amount of time, and with this it was not nearly as bad of a flooding as we had previously. Both in Hoboken and in my town, residence needed to create a way of living with the problems of flooding (and climate change in the case of Hoboken). By rebuilding areas of Hoboken and the bridge near my house, there needed to be thought of water and what to do to prevent flooding.