Mother Earth Unit: Self-Assessment and Reflection

Throughout our Mother Earth Unit I have changed significantly. As the unit began, my concern for Mother Earth was very sincere. However, my concern for our planet has grown. Obviously, I'm much more aware of the problems that our planet is facing. Pollution is the issue that I view as as one of our planet's biggest problems. Human waste, the burning of fossil fuels, and many other issues fall into this category. Also, this unit has educated me more on the human waste and recycling processes and how truly involved and massive these topics are on a global scale. I've even learned the small stuff. For example, before this unit I had no idea what the significance was of the numbers inside the recycling triangle on the bottom of recyclable items. The part of this unit that affected me most dramatically was the "Tapped" documentary. I was truly flabbergasted by that documentary. I had always thought that bottled water was the best thing since sliced bread until that video. But I'm now educated on the harmful health and environmental effects, the monopolistic companies controlling the bottled water industry, and of the commercialization of a basic resource; water. My entire perspectie has changed. This experience has taught me to dig deeper into issues; to dig deep enough to get past all the propaganda of things. Now, I can't say that this documentary has aroused some anti-government or anti-big business spirit within me, but I do feel empowered to question societal norms more thoroughly now. Also i nthis unit I've been priveleged to be apart of our "Green Team". As part of the team I've helped create recycling surveys, researched facts about recycling and about human waste, and have also helped craft ou letter to Mr.Newman about our intentions as the Green Team. The experiences I've had in this unit will definately be apart of me for a long time. Just the other day I caught a friend who was disposing of a can in a waste bin and encouraged her to recycle instead. Little thigns liek that will sick with me. I have a whole new mindset.