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Writeabull
Marco Albrecht
Dylan MayeuxJustin Weber
ENC 3250-792
Professor: Francis Tobienne
Friday November 26th 2010
The cost and benefitsof the going greenmovement
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary...................................................3
Introduction..............................................................4
Background..............................................................5
Going Green Today..................................................6
Save the Earth..........................................................7
Save your Health.....................................................11
Save Money............................................................13
Save the Economy...................................................15
It Just Feels Good.....................................................20
Conclusion...............................................................21
Glossary..................................................................22
Bibliography.............................................................23
Sequoia National Forest
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Executive Summary
The Going Green Movement
began in the early 1960s, at that
time Rachel Carsons book Silent
Spring warned us and opened the
eyes of many about the dangers of
releasing chemicals into the
environment. The 1960s were an
important period for activism and
all kinds of people supported the
environmental movement.The late 1960s and 1970s
saw the rise of the modern green
movement. On the first Earth Day
on April 22nd 1970, more than 20
million people across the United
States gathered together to be part
of activities to educate themselves
about environmental issues. In the
1980s the environmental
movement grew globally and
locally, recognizing that the best
approach to our use of the
environment is conservation for
future generations.
Going Green today is a
popular trend. The number of
businesses finding ways to go
green has increased offering more
green solutions to customers. It
has become cost efficient for small
businesses to go green but what
exactly are the cost and benefits of
going green?
y Save the Earth is the mainbenefit. As a group our actions
have done huge amounts of
damage, also as a group we have
to consider to contribute and be
part of the Going Green
Movement.
y Save your Health, goinggreen is beneficial. It can help
you live longer.
y Save Money. There aremany ways to save money while
going green.
y Save the Economy. We thinkthat this is the exact time to focuson going green, on green
technology.
y I Just Feels Good, to saveand preserve natural resources for
future generations.
We should be trying to make
an effort to be greener. It will not
only save the Earth, it will improve
the quality of life for you and for
future generations.
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Background
Beginning in the 1860s, the
U.S. government saw fit to create
parks and set aside wild lands for
public good. Yosemite was claimed
in 1864; it was made the U.S. first
national park in 1872. The
Audubon Society was founded in
1872 and Sequoia and General
Grant parks were established.
Though the federal government
had begun taking actions to
preserve lands, it was Theodore
Roosevelt and John Muir who
publicized and popularized
conservation. Theodore
Roosevelts visit to Yosemite in
1903 gained national publicity.
Then, the World Wars forced
environmental concerns to the
background of public thought.
While the environmental
movement continued to grow
rapidly and became instrumental in
establishing many parks during
these years, environmentalism as
we know it today was not a
concern for most Americans or the
federal government. After WWII,
environmental efforts continued to
be focused on conservatism of the
land.
The technological and
industrial developments of the Cold
War era and a series of events
fueled a new environmental
concern that went beyond saving
forests and establishing parks. The
Wilderness Act was passed in 1964
to limit the construction of dams
and other structures on important
areas and landmarks. During
these years the Environmental
Protection Agency was founded.
The late 1960s and 1970s saw the
rise of the modern green
movement. On the first Earth Day
on April 22nd 1970 more than 20
million people across the United
States gathered together to be part
of activities to educate themselves
about environment issues. The
1970s saw numerous steps to
clean up the environment: the
Environmental Protection Act, the
Clean Air Act, the founding of Earth
Day, the banning of DDT, the
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Water Pollution Control Act, the
Endangered Species Act and the
Safe Drinking Water Act. Disasters
at the Love Canal in 1978 and
Three Mile Island in 1979 terrified
the public with the visible
consequences of toxic waste,
pollution and contamination. In
the 1980s the environmental
movement grew globally and
locally, recognizing that the best
approach to our use of the
environment is conservation for
future generations. Also, the
1980s were plagued with oil spills
and while there was continued
significant environmental
opposition from the industry sectoragainst environmentalism, the
various Acts were not overturned.
The 1990s saw the offshoot of
radical environmentalism in the
face of corporate mistreatment of
the land.
Going Green Today
Today, going green is sort of
a popular trend. Being green has
become the cool and fashionable
thing to do. The green trend has
integrated itself into everything
from clothing and accessories to
businesses who want to keep up
with the times. Even the smallest
steps taken can have a huge
impact. Many steps can actually
save money and increase revenue
in businesses, making it a key tool
for businesses. Also, this increases
the number of businesses finding
ways to go green, offering more
green solutions to customers. From
offering direct deposit to save on
gas for bank trips and printed
paychecks, to using green products
around the workplace, it hasbecome so easy and even cost
efficient for small businesses to go
green. It even attracts more
clients. Green businesses have
become a huge circle of increased
revenue. In the news and media
today you see stories that relate tothe global warming and our effects
on the earth but what exactly are
the benefits of going green?
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These are the top benefits of going
green:
Save the Earth:
This benefit is the overall
point of the going green
movement. Saving the Earth is the
biggest benefit of going green.
While our collective actions have
done huge amounts of damage to
our planet, it is those same
collective actions that can save it.
Since the industrial
revolution the gradual increase in
temperature of the Earths surface
has worsened. Over the past two
decades the effect has become
more marked. Considerable
evidence exists that most of the
warming has been caused by
human activities. We have altered
the chemical composition of the
atmosphere through a build-up of
greenhouse gases (primarily
carbon dioxide, methane, and
nitrous oxide). If we do nothing,
rising global temperatures will
cause sea levels to rise and alter
local climate conditions, affecting
forests, crop yields, and water
supplies. It may also affect human
health, animals, and many types of
ecosystems. Deserts may expand
and some of our countryside may
be permanently altered.
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A recent article online stated:
Scientists say some whale species
off the Mexican coast are showing
a sign of severe sunburn that may
be caused by the damaged ozone
layers decreased ability to block
ultraviolet radiation. Photographs
were taken of the whales to chart
any visible damage, and small
samples were collected to examine
the state of their skin cells. The
beasts were showing lesions
associated with sun damage, and
many of their skin samples
revealed patterns of dead cells
associated with exposure to the
powerful ultraviolet radiation
emitted by the sun.
The study said the findings
highlight the possible perils
associated with the depletion of theozone layer, which helps insulate
the Earth from ultraviolet rays.
The protective layer has been
thinning for years under the
influence of ozone-eating
chemicals. While the emission of
those chemicals has beencontrolled, the extent to which the
ozone layer is recovering is still
under debate.
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Global warming is a phenomenon
that leads to climate changes,
weather changes and changes in
adaptability for all creatures in
their habitat. It leads to changes
in the living patterns of the
creatures, and in most extreme,
yet not rare conditions, leads to
the death of the animal. When a
large number of these animals
belonging to a certain group die, it
leads to the death of the group
itself.
So what exactly is the cause
of this behavior in nature? The
planet is undergoing changes and
the reason for this is in part natural
causes; however, some peoplethink that it is more human
negligence the cause of this
damage to the resources that
protect the surface of the Earth.
Global warming is a reality we
have to face; it would be great to
have a method that would reduceconsiderably the possible causes of
global warming.
Global warming has become
a growing concern for all of us. A
lot has been said about its causes,
effects and consequences. But the
truth is that landfills are filled with
trash, and people throw out
hundreds of items every day, from
styrofoams to plastics, that could
take millions of years to
decompose. All of these things are
having a detrimental effect on our
Earth and some day may make the
planet a very unpleasant place to
live.
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Going green involves taking
steps to minimize the damage
humans are doing, to live an
environmentally responsible life
and to make choices that will help
preserve the Earth and its non-
renewable sources instead of
destroying them. These steps are
a good way to preserve our
resources:
y As responsible humanbeings, it is important to recycle,
reuse and reduce what you can.
Buy stuff that is absolutely
essential. Many of us make the
mistake of not using products to
their full potential, buying new
ones. We can make a globalimpact by simply recycling and
reusing what we can.
y We could save pounds ofcarbon dioxide annually by turning
the thermostat down by two
degrees in winter or summer.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas
and is a cause of global warming.
y Switch to a compactfluorescent light (CFL) instead of
using a regular bulb. While using
only a small percent of the energy
that would be used on a normal
light bulb, the CFL also lasts much
longer. If everyone would make achange in their homes, it would cut
down the greenhouse emission by
billions of pounds.
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y Plant a tree, be part of theGoing Green Movement. A tree
is especially beneficial because all
trees are capable of absorbing
carbon dioxide.
y Encourage others to be partof the benefits of Going Green.
It is not difficult to make these
small changes. These steps can be
performed by anyone. Encourage
others to join you. It would ensuremore and more steps being taken
to make the environment a better
place to stay.
Save your Health:
Most of us are unaware of
the dangers in common household
cleaning supplies and pesticides,
but they all have a cumulative
effect on our bodies. From
switching to greener cleaning
supplies to eating more organic
foods, we can all take small steps
to positively impact our own
personal health. It is a fact that
going green is beneficial. The go
green movement can help you live
longer, the health benefits of going
green are endless.
Going green can improve your
health by preventing some of the
most common wellness problems:
y Prostate Cancer: chemicals inpesticides are connected to global
warming, as well as cases of
prostate cancer (which affects an
estimated 1 of 6 men). Almost a
billion pounds of pesticides are
annually used in the United States,
mostly in agriculture. This is one
example of how if you go green
you will not only benefit the
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environment, but humankind, as
well.
y Heart Disease: manychemicals in air pollution affect the
heart. Fine particles emitted from
power plants, industrial facilities
and cars are a contributing factor
to heart problems. Several studies
show a link between breathing the
particulate matter suspended in
polluted air and heart disease.
Researchers found blood markers
that indicate inflammation in the
body and blood coagulation
increased when the amount of the
particulate matter in the air went
up. This combination of chronic
inflammation and clot formationplays a key role in the build-up of
arterial plaque and heart disease.
The American Heart Association
estimates that more than 10
million people in the U.S. suffer
from angina. Angina is a chest
pain or discomfort that occurswhen an area of your heart muscle
doesnt get enough oxygen-rich
blood. This is staggering because
little things such as eating organic
healthy foods can prevent this from
happening. A recent study found
that a daily dosage of anthocyanins
found in blueberries can help you
avoid heart problems. By going
green you can also improve your
lifestyle.
y Skin Cancer: is another oneof those problems that are directly
caused by the harmful effects of
global warming. Global warming
has created a phenomena known
as the greenhouse effect, the
build-up of infrared radiation within
the Earths atmosphere. This
causes a drop in ozone levels,
which in turn causes UV rays to
become even more harmful tohuman skin. We need to go green
to help save the planet because
otherwise, the ozone layer will
continue to get depleted and the
abundance of skin cancer will
increase.
Alternative forms oftransportation, such as walking or
riding a bicycle are a good way to
reduce pollution. These forms of
transportation will automatically
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fluorescent light bulbs, instead of
regular ones and low flow shower
heads are perfect examples of how
you can spend money to save
money. Supplying your house with
these simple appliances will lower
your heating and water bills as well
as helping to keep the excess
amount of resources used.
A major concern people
forget to remember is the excess
amount of land we take up on our
planet. It is our responsibility to
make sure that for generations to
come there is room for more
people to inhabit the earth. Most of
these actions are out of hands
reach from the average citizen,major corporation and spenders
need to realize that the land they
are taking up for their businesses
and revenue is hurting the
environment, and somewhere you
have to stop the bleeding.
Another way you can savemoney is by cutting down on the
amount of gas you omit into the
environment or simply if you can
afford, buy a hybrid. Spending the
extra money for a hybrid makes
you feel better about your
contribution to the environment, as
well as you will never need to pay
for gas again and you will no
longer be polluting the
atmosphere, making it a win, win
situation. Of course there are less
drastic ways to save money such
as riding the bus, walking or riding
a bike to get around. We forget
how simple transportation is and
using our two feet for a change
would cut down on major pollutions
we are causing as well as another
growing issue in the United States,
obesity.
Although the economy is in arecession, now is not the time to
forget about the environment and
the national going green
movement. We can hardly afford to
spend money researching newer
technologies but in the long run it
will save money. The more andmore dependent we become of
other countries or governments
resources the more money we will
spend and the slower the process
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will become of developing more
useful and innovative techniques
for the future. Becoming less
dependent on these resources
remains crucial, as that is one of
our major concerns simply taking
up the majority of natural
resources the earth has to offer.
Becoming less dependent and
spending money on research we
can find more successful scientific
ways to continue to improve life
and the environment. These new
technologies could potentially save
our environment by finding new
ways to obtain oil for example.
With newer technologies of how to
obtain oil, we could potentially stopoff shore drilling or at least prevent
other natural disasters like the
most recent spill in the Gulf from
happening again.
Saving the economy and the
environment also gives you the
ability to save money. In arecession such as ours, saving any
money can be a big deal so why
would trying to save the
environment in any way especially
the shape it is now, not be a big
deal either. We only have one
earth, and it is every humans
responsibility to take their own
responsibility for their actions and
start help saving. When you help
contribute to saving the
environment and going green you
save the green in your wallets as
well, thus it is a win-win situation.
Save the Economy:
As our economy is currently
in a nasty recession, some people
claim that this is not a good time
to be focusing on going green. We
think this is the exact time we
should be focusing on going green,
on green technology in particular.
The U.S. has always been an
innovator and its part of what has
kept America as a world economic
power Another side benefit of
developing greener technology is
that it will also lessen the
dependence on foreign oil.
USF is becoming a leader in
environmental and green sciences,
from lead research into oils affects
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on marine life and cycles to a new
college based around
sustainability. Dr. Christian Wells,
director of USFs office of
sustainability, has participated in
ground breaking research
throughout southern America and
has written six books, all focused
on socio-natural systems and how
they live with the environment. His
website states he teaches a
number of courses that integrate
these lines of research, including a
graduate seminar in Economic
Anthropology, undergraduate
seminars in Sustainability and Soil
and Culture, and courses in
Archaeology, MesoamericanArchaeology, Quantitative Methods,
and Advanced Quantitative
Methods.(1. Uweb, ECWells)
Why is it important for
Universities and Community
Colleges to teach environmental
and green energy sciences? Dr.Wells stated The world is
changing; the only way to keep up
is through investigative science
focusing on the environment.
Every day, Earths ecosystems,
populations, and species evolve,
changing environments for the
short and long-term. In able to
keep up with our changing planet,
we must investigate and create
new sciences to explain the
physical world and inevitably
evolve with it. USF has created
initiatives to lower campus carbon
footprints and create more
opportunity for students to enter
environmental science careers by
offering degrees and a new office
that offers multiple certifications,
primarily in water purification
sciences. USF had also contributed
research in 2009 into carbonfootprints, which was used in
development of a plane by Boeing.
(Interview) When asked if he
believed that USF is becoming a
leading institution in relevant
sciences, he replied Yes, USF is
leading in terms of research anddedication because our location
allows us to have easy access to
samples; we are leading in science
based on water research.
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What do you say to the idea
that humanity barely affects the
climate and in fact it is nothing
more than a natural earth climate
phase; if true, is there still reason
to investigate more efficient
energies? Dr. Wells replied: It is
still important to find alternative
energies either way because
economic success is derived from
such an investment. The affect on
the economy of USF to be
environmentally conscience could
be astronomical. The campus and
surrounding cities economic
success depends partially in
keeping up with the rest of the
world in research anddevelopment. Will the
Sustainabull initiative eventually
save USF money? Dr. Wells
Absolutely, when USF is 3.5 billion
of Floridas economy, it makes a
difference economically to the
entire state.
Over the past three years,
Florida has seen a devastating
economical plague surge through
the state, with unemployment sky
rocketing to the highest rate ever
of 12%, according to Google
public data profile of Florida. With
massive problems arising in our
economy and resource depletion,
we find there is only one option for
Florida to revive its economy, go
green.
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Society and Management
Information Services, a
Washington D.C. economic
research firm, documents that the
renewable energy and energy
efficiency industries represented
more than 9 million jobs and
$1,045 billion in U.S. revenue in
2007. The renewable energy
industry grew three times as fast
as the U.S. economy, with the
solar thermal, photovoltaic,
biodiesel, and ethanol sectors
leading the way, each with 25%+
annual revenue growth. By 2030,
they forecast as many as 37 million
jobs from renewable energy and
energy efficiency. If we are
heading towards a future of
sustainability and green collared
jobs, we should invest now, so to
have a well formed infrastructure
in the future. This will lay a base
for scientific innovation in the
future; assuring our children will
have opportunities in the
sustainable sciences.
Renewable Energy Solar Panels
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It Just Feels Good:
Because is the right thing to
do. Going green is the right thing
to do for yourself, your family,
loved ones and everyone on Earth.
Most people start off small and
work their way up. If that is what
works, its perfect. There are
many ways to save and preserve
natural resources for future
generations. Going green does not
have to mean being one hundred
percent plant conscious all the
time.
Start simple:
y Save on electricity. Turn offthe light when you are not in theroom. This one act is so easy; this
is a great way to save energy.
y Saving water is another wayof going green. A simple way is to
make sure that all faucets are
turned off completely after every
use.
y Take your efforts to the workplace. Start by car pooling. Then,
at the work place, try to get a few
recycling receptacles. Many people
are conscientious about recycling
at home; the same people often
neglect this duty at work.
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Conclusion:
We should be trying to be
greener it just makes sense. Its
good for the Earth, good for our
health, good for the wallet, etc,
etc. You will see that everyone is
trying to make an effort to go
green, to be greener. Why not
take that extra 10 seconds to
recycle that can or bottle and enjoy
that little feeling that you are doing
the right thing? If you cannot find
the encouragement to go green for
yourself, than try doing it for
someone else. We all inhabit the
same Earth drink the same waters
and eat the same foods all deriving
from resources given to us. It is
our responsibility as human beings
to make sure that these resources
are replenished for future
generations to come. Even if the
benefits of going green do not
seem relevant to you, they are to a
majority of people in the world and
you can help a hand rather than
harm our world. In the end, just
remember that going green will not
only save the Earth but it will also
improve your quality of life and
provide many other benefits as
well.
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Glossary
Angina- a chest pain or discomfort that occurs when an area of your heart
muscle doesnt get enough oxygen-rich blood.
Carbon footprint- the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions
caused by an organization, event, product or person.
DDT- (from its trivial name, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is one of the
most well-known synthetic pesticides.
Going Green- dedicated to finding solutions for the sustainability of the
planet
Environmentalism- a movement to preserve the health of Earth and its
ecosystems.
Renewable resource- replaced by natural processes.
Socio-natural systems- Natural social order created in animal
environments, especially humans.
Sustainability- the capacity to endure.
Ultraviolet light- is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter
than that of visible light.
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Annotated Bibliography
Going green is more than just a feel good slogan these days, is all
over the news. These are some of the sources that guided us for a solutionto the widespread acknowledgement of an ecological crisis in our planet.
These sources help us describe The costs and benefits of the going green
movement.
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Ecology Movement: Going Green,
Environmentalism, Issues, Society. Internet:
August 15th 2010,
online.
This encyclopedia selection offers information on the background and
contemporary manifestations of the global ecology movement that is based
on environmental protection. It informs that there was ozone depletion and
deforestation in the 90s, and now climate change and global warming are
the biggest concern for many. It relates to sustainable development and
sustainability.
WebEcoist, website. A Brief History of the Modern Green Movement in
America: Going Green, Environmentalism. Internet: WebEcoist 2006-2009 Webist Media, online.
This website selection informs the beginning of the green movement, the
roots of environmentalism, the pragmatist era, conservation and
catastrophe, activism and the new environmentalism. It refers to the fact
that more and more people now recycle, compost, go organic, grow
gardens and understand the connection between saving money, improving
health and helping the environment.
Going Green Hints, Website. Benefits of Going Green: Going Green,
Environmentalism, Issues, Society. Internet:
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This website gives relevant information about the benefits of going green
today. It relates to issues like recycling, saving the earth, saving money,
saving the economy, etc.
University of South Florida - Office of Sustainability."U
niversity of SouthFlorida - A Metropolitan Research IUniversity, with 4 Campuses Located
in Central Florida. University of South FL, 2007. Web. 07 Nov. 2010.
.
USF has provided a website that lays out its initiatives, focused particularly
on sustainability for USF. On the site itself, information about the people
who run and contribute to the program, academia (research and courses),
and general information about the programs history all exists.
"USF Going Green with Dr. Wells." Telephone interview. 30 Oct. 2010.
Dr. Wells has been appointed as the founding director of the office of
sustainability at USF. I decided to interview him because he is very well
educated and has been all over the world studying various sciences. Over
the past 15 years, he has undertaken field research in Honduras,
Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico with funding from the National Science
Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the National Geographic Society,
and other agencies. At USF, he teaches a number of courses that integrate
these lines of research, including a graduate seminar in Economic
Anthropology, undergraduate seminars in Sustainability and Soil and
Culture, and courses in Archaeology, Mesoamerican Archaeology,
Quantitative Methods, and Advanced Quantitative Methods.
Green, Kenneth. Global Warming: Understanding the Debate Over Global
Warming. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. 2002. Book.
This book uses a debate approach to relate to the global warming, the
evidence of the global warming and the primary suspects of the greenhouse
gases.
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Goldfarb, Theodore D. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial
Environmental Issues. Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Book.
This book refers to environmental protection, the future of the worldsecosystems, recycling and the control of environmental problems.
Haddock, Patricia. Environmental Time Bomb: Our Threatened Planet.
Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. 2000. Book.
This source refers to Going Green: the environmental movement,
pollution, climate changes and global warming that threatens the Earth.