Entry #10: Here we go again

Coming to the end of the year and looking back, 2020 and 2021 gave witness to many major events that all affected us. I feel like the world is slowly going back  to normal, but recent events also seem to prove the opposite.

A societal issue that has been growing is police brutality. Notably, the incident between George Floyd and police after he was suspected after using a counterfeit $20 bill sparked protests against racism. Floyd was killed after being pinned down by the neck from officer Derek Chauvin for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Almost a year later, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years in prison. 

Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, is another decision that holds significance to the world. Their transitional period started on the 31st of January, 2020 and since then, several changes have been set. From the BBC:

• European travel rules
• Duty-free shopping (tax exempt goods during travel from the EU to UK)
• Changes for citizens that want to move to the EU
• New immigration system
• Trade between the UK and EU

Immigration, vulnerability, and economic opportunity are all arguments made for the UK's decision. This event was interesting to research, and I recommend clicking the hyperlinks if you want to know more.

Last, but not least, is the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Almost two years into the pandemic, we have all experienced the societal and economical changes that came with it. My family and I actually had the virus, but thankfully none of us were seriously harmed by it. Anti-vaccine activists, mask and vaccine mandates, and the lack of space in hospitals are just some of the many things that came with COVID-19. Even at the time of this post, a new variant was discovered. Named "Omicron", this variant was found in South Africa and has spread to a few locations in the EU (apnews.com).

While 2021 has not been as chaotic as 2020, it is easy to see that we still can not return to how life was before these events. I hope 2022 will be a better year for all of us and reduce the disorder we are currently going through.

Entry #9: Food Now, and Later

For many of us, food is a regular part of our lives that we do not consider so important. However, there are many problems we are ignorant of in the world. An article from 2015, by the Wharton University of Pennsylvania covers important food challenges that affects us now, and will in the future. 

The growing population of people is one huge factor of the future regarding food production. The article states that, "it will require raising overall food production by some 70% between 2005-2007 and 2050". Doubling the entire world's production would be an impressive feat. However, in the film Fresh, it shows the unsafe and cruel processes of harvesting crops and animals that are currently practiced. Will this eventually require us to sacrifice the quality and safety of our foods further for the sake of efficiency?

Obesity is another serious issue that has been steadily rising. Since the 2000s, obesity has increased by 12% among adults 20 years old and over. This means that 42% of the entire American population is obese, with another 9% being severely obese. With the availability of convenient and unhealthy foods becoming more common, disease will follow and many people will be affected by obesity. 

The article shows all of these subjects in good detail, with interesting statistics to go along with. While researching this topic, there was such a vast amount of information on food's challenges that it really made me think of what will happen in the future, and if we will be able to solve these issues.

 

Entry #8: Vacation

 Setting up time to take yourself away from life's responsibilities is a luxury we all love to have. And going on a vacation is an activity many of us do whenever we do decide to go on these extended breaks. I recently went to the Grand Canyon at Eagle Point in the Hualapai reservation, and the trip made me think of all the interesting places that exist in the world.

Vatican City, the home of the pope, headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, and ancient Roman sculptures is located in the heart of Rome, Italy. The main buildings around St. Peter's Square boasts giant white pillars, beautiful architecture, and the impressive dome roof of the basilica. In 2019, before the virus hit, the city welcomed 6.9 million visitors and it shows how popular of a location this is.

In the northwest of Cambodia holds the 900 year old temple Angkor Wat. What you will notice first are four towers surrounding a central spire that rises to 65 meters above the ground. This temple covers 3.47 square miles of land and you are allowed to walk inside by the long bridge and path. This historic monument is overgrown with plant life and exploring the temple throws you to the past as you look at the almost millennium old sculptures and fixtures. Deep in Southeast Asia, you will have to go through a lot of traveling, but this location is definitely worth the visit.

The Great Wall of China like many of these man-made creations is like no other. The wall's existence dates back 2,000 years and from that time, over 13,000 miles of wall was laid down across China. While I researched about the wall, I found out that three men in 1984 walked from the eastern most part of the wall to the west which took them 508 days. This simply highlights the sheer size of the wall and I would love to see the winding fortification for myself one day.

Travelling is a time consuming task, but the outcome is being able to see these incredible wonders built by regular people like us. What is a place you always have dreamt of traveling to and what qualities make the location attractive? 

Entry #7: Fresh, an Insight to Food

 

Have you ever thought about the origin of what we eat at restaurants, fast food chains, and at home? Fresh, a film about the background of the cruel and unsafe methods of how farms produce our food, and the possible solutions people can make. 

Featuring people who are like us (people who love to eat), it targets regular people to inform them of how our food is being treated and produced. Some of those ways are through shock value as exhibited in the film. In the beginning, the chickens are shown being thrown to the ground from the baskets they were held in, along with an audible thud from the impact. This shows the inhumane treatment livestock are victims of in the proceeds of efficiency.

The film also features the vast amounts of pesticides used on crops. Monocultures are large fields of one specific plant being grown. Farmer George Naylor actually states that there are so many weeds and bugs that decide to grow in these fields, that it is just necessary to spray the fields to preserve their crops.

    I have thought of how our food ends up on tables before, but after this film, it has really confirmed my thinking and really helped me see how we all eat without giving thought. I also thought that the farmer, Will Allen, teaching people how growing fresh and the tricks to it was another impactful scene. By doing so, it displays that even us regular people can grow our own natural and healthy foods. Though we may not like the way our food is brought to us on a large-scale, it is inconvenience which stops us from putting in the extra work to maintain our own sources of local, healthy food.