May 6

Reflection Blog

Blog on the reflection concerning the Climate Choices Deliberation.

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

All in all, I thought the public deliberation regarding climate change was actually very enjoyable. I think the option that appealed to me the most was the third option, which pushed towards increasing innovation to help climate change. I felt like the second option was the least desirable, as it focused on reacting to the effects of climate change, instead of trying to make a change towards our bad actions. Pushing for innovation and research to effect climate change, such as producing vehicles that are more emission efficient or creating more energy sufficient homes could greatly reduce our carbon footprint. I believe it is easier to make the changes we need through innovation, and give humans more desirable options for being better on the planet.

Our group discussed several options to address the issues associated with climate change. They all definitely had their pros and cons, with the majority of them being ways to incentivize people to be more eco-friendly. One of my favorite solutions was to offer a tax incentive to people who decided to be more “green”, possibly reducing taxes on cars or homes that were more environmentally friendly. This concept could also be applied to companies, even further reducing our impact on the environment. It is obviously impossible to completely force the entire population to become more environmentally friendly, but if there was a trend in society (or people just wanted to keep more money), we could see a trend towards a more environmentally friendly population.

I think the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community is an effective way of allowing individuals to discuss a topic in a well facilitated manner, allowing for a better flow of ideas in a constructive manner. Especially in the community and in the world of academia, this could be used in such an effective manner to discuss topics with multiple ideas and individuals. I think this would be pretty enjoyable to facilitate, but honestly I am more interested in participating in these in different topics, especially in the world of science.

Category: Gabriel Andino | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 6

5-3-19 — Climate Change Deliberation

  1. Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

The options that appealed to me the most were the ones focusing on awareness and innovation, such as the options we spoke about pertaining to increasing the efficiency of the “dirtier” fuel sources we currently have so that society has more time to come around to clean fuel sources naturally while also giving those energies time to be improved as well. I also think it’s important to spread the severity of this issue and talk about the little things that they can do to be part of the solution and not get harmed by some effects of climate change.

2. Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the              warming of the climate?

We read a lot of ways that co2 emissions could be limited but a lot of them involved taxing or limiting freedoms of people and overall we decided that these were not going to be first choices.

3. What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the                community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

I think that deliberation instead of argument is a lot more effective at getting to the problem and how to solve it without emotions getting people riled up. It makes it so that everybody is on the same side instead of competing and I think that our time was very productive.

Category: Brandon Reider | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 6

Climate Change Reflection

Shepard Saabye

5 May 2019

1. Blog on the reflection concerning the Climate Choices Deliberation.
2. Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?
3. Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?
4. What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

1. To me, none of the options were really that great. I guess I was more or less looking for a magic answer, and outside of taking personal responsibility for your own products and wastes, I hadn’t thought much further. There are some major issues with all three options, but personally I believe privacy and the defense of the rights of the people is the most important issue in modern politics.

2. Climate change policy must be constructed in a way to most minimally interfere with the rights of the citizens. With that said, there are parts of option three that make sense to me, like economic incentives for innovation and for finding a cost-effective solution to the problem. As soon as a true solution is viable, it will be quickly implemented in the US and every other western country.

3. There are several problems with addressing climate change. First, it’s not localized to just one area. The symptoms aren’t just the ice caps melting, but also a change in the amount of precipitation across the globe, weather patterns, etc. All of these issues can be explained as man made or otherwise, but again there are more sources of the problem than even a million reasons could explain. While the US and Western countries are motivated to address the obvious problem, other parts of the world may not follow suit. Therefore, an all-encompassing strict legal reform would not be effective. While this idea isn’t exactly new to some people, its something that is often not mentioned, and gradually forgotten. Therefore, a better solution must be found for the world to adjust its efforts, and that’s where the incentives of economics will play a major part in correcting the issue.

4. Public deliberation is an interesting method for the discussion of these problems. It’s a very important topic, and may help further spread awareness, but the actual usefulness of the public deliberation format doesn’t seem to be particularly high to me. I enjoyed the deliberation, but until the deliberation can be conducted with people who have both a say in, and an understanding of, the problems affecting the community, state, country, and globe, these deliberations will not be the most effective, personal, or efficient way in addressing the problem.

Category: Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 5

Reflection Blog

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

The option that appeals to me the most is the one concerning acceleration of innovation, as there are steps currently being taken to ensure the harmful effects of climate change are being slowed down. Within this group, a specific option that seemed more workable is to ease regulatory processes to bring new environmentally friendly technologies to the market. Currently, more people are purchasing these technologies which indicates that there is an increase in awareness of the harmful effects of climate change.

 

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

During the discussion, there were ideas about what can be done to ease in these technologies. Someone offered the viewpoint that not many people will follow when being told what to do, the same idea can also be understood in terms of telling people to switch to more “green” technologies. With this problem in mind, someone offered the idea of beginning small such as producing a light bulb which can be environmentally friendly as it is changed out so often.

 

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

I believe that public deliberation opens the minds of those participating in the deliberation to new ideas and concepts, and that new, unthought of ideas can be discussed and refined. In the classroom, this exercise would be a good way to expose students to how to fix real world situations through discussion and thought.  

Category: Sabin Patel | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 5

Climate Change Reflection

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

Options 3 was the most appealing to me because rather than adopting a very aggressive cutdown or building our defenses against disasters,  Option 3 looks for an actual solution to the problem and encourages innovation that would solve the problem rather than just prolong the the lifespan of the planet.

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

The one thing that stuck with me was that any solution that we can come up with, we have to consider the opinions of the public and consider if it will be acceptable to them because the problem does not only need and idealistic solution, it needs a practical one that the public can accept and support rather than just a small proportion of the population that is willing to sacrifice some freedom and comfort. The bigger the proportion of the human population that is involved, the better the chances for success.

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate ?

The use of public deliberation would be great in the classroom and the community. it would allow for a safe space for healthy discussion in the classroom and prepare an individual for participating in the community. This will train students in the art of peaceful communication and discussion, allowing for the exchange of ideas in an environment where one can free share their ideas, which can evolve into viable solutions for many of the problems in the world. this is definitely be something i would like to facilitate.

Category: Aman Patel, Dr. Adair | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 5

Climate Change Reflection

Out of all the options presented, I think that option 3 appeared as the most appealing. It seemed to be the most obtainable given the circumstances that are presented to us today. A lot of companies are already looking for solutions and making technological advances towards combatting climate change. It also seemed to be the path that was responsible for the least amount of disruption to others. Options 1 and 2 would undoubtedly cause the lives of many to change, and would, therefore, face some opposition.

A majority of the solutions presented in option 2 were solutions that I had not considered previously. Moving and relocating individuals in areas that were susceptible to climate change was a solution that I had not thought about before. I was able to learn from others who live in susceptible areas that that change is currently happening, which was surprising to hear. Our group also discussed possibly creating incentives for energy efficient products to encourage consumers to choose that option.

I thoroughly enjoyed the climate change deliberation forum as it was a good way for me to hear the opinions of my peers. I was exposed to new ideas and heard evidence to claims that I had not known to be true. I would assume that communities would feel the same way. I think it would be interesting to facilitate a public deliberation forum, but I do not think that I possess the skills to do so.

Category: Emily Gaw | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 5

Climate Choices Deliberation Forum Reflection

Climate Choices Deliberation Forum Reflection

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

Yes, option 1 appealed to me more than the others because, to me, it seemed like the only option that was guaranteed to make anything better. Scientifically, we know that human carbon emissions are contributing massively to the problem of global warming and if we reduce these emissions radically then we can tackle the problem. I feel like option 2 is kind of a cop-out that will not guarantee any positive outcomes, and option 3 would be a good idea if there could be actual guarantees. I think that even though radically reducing carbon emissions would mean some individual discomfort, I think it would be better in the long run.

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

I didn’t think about adapting our communities to deal with the consequences of climate change until the discussion. I don’t think it is a good idea, but I’d never considered it before.

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

I really like the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom because I feel like it is an easy way to learn a lot of perspectives on the same issue very quickly. I think it works best with controversial issues after everyone has a basic understanding of the issue because it creates a free flow of ideas. I’ve never experienced Public Deliberation on a community level, but I imagine it would be good for increasing understanding between different groups, so I believe it to be a useful tool. I think if I had time it is something I would love to facilitate.

 

Category: Lucy FIsher | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 5

Climate Change Reflection

Option three was more appealing to me since it talked about accelerate innovation. Lots of things were said that could help with climate change. In the discussion, we talked a lot about how little steps are being made towards a “green” world. We talked about how the majority of us will have to give in to the cause, whether that is big or small. Things talked about in option one seemed huge on many levels. One of the examples of what could be done stated to require the use of electrical cars. We have made steps in that direction, but it would take time to give up something that is so useful in our society. An interesting topic was discussed in our group on how nuclear plants should be the way the go since they are easy to make, and not as much pollution, such as nitrogen. Public deliberation in the community is a great way to spread the word of an important topic that will have an effect on many lives. It is where the community can come to one and talk about real world issues in that community or in that state/country. Having more of these in a classroom setting would only help the class benefit from many things such as: learning something new, broaden your scope on how you viewed a certain topic, and connecting with your classmates. Option three on the what can be done example stated ease regulation to bring new “green” technologies to the market more quickly could have an effect on the environment. It is like asking yourself, “which is “eco-friendlier”? the paper bag or the plastic bag?” It depends on your prospective on this since both have its pros and cons.

Category: Michael Lum | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 4

Climate Choices Deliberation

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

Option 3 appealed the most to me since it seemed the most realistic; however, this option still is not ideal. In option 1, forcing individuals to only drive electric cars would cost a lot of money and create waste since all the cars being replaced would need to be discarded. In option 2, relocating people would cause problems by invading property rights and forcing people to move and adapt to areas they did not want to live. Option 3 suggests giving incentives to companies to encourage research for more innovative products and methods which is a very positive step. I disagree with the easing regulatory processes example since this could potentially expose the market to products that have not been proven safe over time.

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

When reading through option 1 which addressed reducing carbon emission and option 2 which addressed protecting communities, I was surprised that there was no point made about cows. Raising cows requires many acres of grass, and the animals can be cited as major contributors to methane gas emissions. Ranchers also have difficulty discarding the manure in an environmental-friendly way. However, cows are excellent sources of protein and dairy. As the human population continues to increase and as more communities can afford to purchase meat, the need for more sources for protein has increased. In a Ted Talk, entrepreneur and conservationist Mike Velings gives the frightening statistic that the human population will be approximately “9.7 billion by 2050” and that “70 percent more protein” will be required (1). One alternative, suggested by the Ted Talk, addressed these problems by suggesting aquaculture. In aquaculture, fish are grown for food. This would significantly reduce both cow methane and mature problems while also providing a source of protein. It would also allow previous dairy farms and ranchland to be use for homes or for growing other crops for human consummation. However, two problems come with this solution. First, by raising fish in small spaces, they become more prone to spread disease, and studies have shown the farmed fish are not as healthy as the wild fish (2). If the farmed fish manage to escape the chamber and mate with wild fish, they can spread contamination and disease. The second problem would be convincing individuals to change their diet.

  1. https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_velings_the_case_for_fish_farming?language=en#t-57905
  2. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/303/5655/226

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

I think the best way to inform individuals about these issues would be through social media. If a public deliberation is held, it should be livestream. As an individual, I sometimes feel like lifestyle does not have a significance impact on climate change. If a public deliberation could focus more on things individuals can do, show how the little things do matter, and convince others to motivate their friends and family to make these subtle changes, then the public it could create an impact on the community. I might be interested in facilitating a public deliberation, but I have a heavy course load next semester so I am not sure.

Category: Kathryn Adkins | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 4

Climate Change Reflection

Did any of the Options appeal to you more than the others?

I think my favorite options were #2 and #3, the second option was great because it does perhaps the most to actually protect our communities, and the third option invests in our future. While it is hard to change the past, it is easy to decide what our future is.

Did you hear or think of any new way of addressing the issues associated with the warming of the climate?

I still choose to remain skeptical on the topic itself, merely because of a lot of politically charged misinformation. However, I am glad to have discussed with my classmates to reach common ground on a couple of issues. Our group mainly agreed that the problem is inaction and hypocrisy.

What are your thoughts on the use of Public Deliberation in the classroom or the community? Is this something you would like to facilitate?

I loved the deliberation, I wished we had done this more often during the school year. I think it would be very beneficial to utilize this during next years SEA-PHAGES class.

Category: Cooper Johnson | LEAVE A COMMENT