28
Sep 15

We All Need Counseling

I had been told by a friend of mine for many years that I should go see her therapist because he was amazing at what he does and therapy is a great resource for many different issues that arise throughout our lifetime. I conceded that she may be right but pride can be a large barrier when you allow it to be and I wasn’t convinced that a stranger would be better at navigating issues that were unique to me.  I suppose that was the first fault in my thinking because my issues were not unique.  My situations were very much unique by definition but the issues that stemmed from the situations were actually quite common. Once I was able to step outside of my situations and look at the larger picture I could understand the need for, and the value of therapy.  I decided to take the advice of the trusted friend and see her therapist.  That was two years ago and since that first day in therapy I became a strong proponent for counseling psychology.

The APA (American Psychological Association) defines counseling psychology with a broad stroke that is very inclusive and for this reason the effects of counseling psychology have the potential to be socially profound. Counseling is designed to help individuals, families, and groups navigate issues that surround emotional and mental health and also provide the clients(s) with a heightened sense of self through reducing stress and managing crisis. (APA, 2013). These issues are so encompassing that nearly every person in our society could benefit from taking the time to meet with someone who has the education and the training to work with them and help them understand how to resolve or make use of challenges.

Once I began therapy I was able to acknowledge the effects of my past and my struggles and how these effects kept me from bringing my talents to the table.  Before therapy I remained hidden in the hurt and shame and instead of allowing people to know I was broken, thus helping remove the stigma, I wore a mask and remained in this state of simply existing without making good use of the footprint that I was inevitably leaving behind me. Once I was in therapy I was able to see the value in my story and how it allows me to connect to people in an empathetic way because the fear of rejection has been removed through my own personal acceptance. These changes within me extended far beyond me; I am raising children in an emotionally stable home where we address our feelings when they arise and I regularly encourage those around me to celebrate the small victories in life in order to bring a greater joy to their lives. I would have never been in the position to positively affect those around me had I never taken the time to work through my concerns and struggles.

This is why counseling can have such a profound impact on society, if we can motivate people to work through their own hurt and struggles it will have a snowball effect throughout society. Education, poverty, climate change, racism, and many other social concerns can all be targeted through counseling. By bringing awareness to ourselves and our own strengths and weaknesses we can’t help but to make better choices.  When you know better you do better and that’s what therapy is, knowing yourself better.

 

References

Counseling Psychology. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2015, from http://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/counseling.aspx 


28
Sep 15

Bullying Intervention, A Comprehensive Approach

As I sat down on my lazy boy, a news story flashed across my television set. A child has hung themselves after being tormented by a cyberbully. This form of abuse is dangerous and has to stop. Cyberbullying and bullying pose one of the biggest threats to adolescence in our modern times. Middle school students have reported rates of about 25% for cyber-bullying (Willard, 2006). Interventions must be implemented to reduce these numbers. Students, teachers and parents are all vital stakeholders that must be included in any program. Some of the most effective programs have reduced bullying by 50% in schools (Limber, 2004). A safer school provides for a better learning environment and an enjoyable experience.

As with most interventions it is easier and most effective to try to stop the problem before it begins. The fact is cyberbullying is occurring at younger and younger ages. It does not discriminate on any basis. Cyberbullying is an equal opportunist and there is no significant gender differences in its practice (Balakrishnan, 2015). For these reasons, an intervention should target girls and boys at the ages 12-13 or younger. These are the ages that most children enter middle school. Also, this is the age when crowds start to develop. Young adolescents may feel vulnerable leaving the safety of the familiar elementary school environment and transitioning to middle school.

The goals of this type of intervention is to minimize or eliminate cyber bullying in and out of school. Also, to prevent the new bad behavior from developing. In addition, it should improve student to student relationships. This is important because the more you get to know someone, the less likely you are to victimize them. Many schools accomplish this by using an all levels approach such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP). This includes a school-wide level, class room level and an individual level (Limber, 2004). This assures that the school has the means to properly assess the severity of bullying in their school. The students are getting constant information on bullying in the classroom. Also, teachers can meet with students to investigate individual cases. When all three levels are working together it will produce a better school climate.

To maximize the benefits of a bullying intervention, the local community should be involved. In my hometown of Piscataway, New Jersey a partnership between the high school and the local television station produced an anti-bullying video. This activity increased student engagement and participation from the community at large. A benefit was that the message that bullying is not acceptable spread faster and more efficiently. Everyone in the town was watching the commercial just to see their children on television. This allowed the message to have a wide audience. Also, adolescent peers are very influential on each other (Biddle, Bank & Marlin, 1980).

In closing, implementing a comprehensive cyberbullying/bullying intervention would accomplish the goal of reducing or eliminating cyber-bullying in schools. Students, parents and faculty must be involved. The program should include a school-wide level, class room level and an individual level. In addition, the local community should be an active participant. This would make our schools safer and provide for a better learning environment.

 

References:

Willard, NE (2006). Cyberbullying and cyber-threats. Eugene, OR: Center for Safety    and   Responsible Internet Use.

 

Balakrishrian, V (2015). Cyberbullying among young in Malaysia: The role of gender, age and internet frequency. Computers in Human Behavior. V(46)

 

Limber, S. (2004) Implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in American Schools: Lessons Learned from the Field. Bullying in American schools: A social-  ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. , (pp. 351-363). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, xxi, 385 pp.

 

Biddle, B, Bank, B and Marlin, M. (1980). Parental and Peer Influence on Adolescents.   Social  Forces. Vol. 58, No. 4 (Jun., 1980), pp. 1057-1079


28
Sep 15

Right kind of “Wrong”, but not really…

Ever since I can remember I’ve been in therapy.  It began after my parents got divorced and has been an ongoing process since.  Throughout the majority of my childhood I can remember regular trips to a counselor; now, it’s just when I need a mental break.  Fortunately, because of this, I can say that I have learned fairly decent communication skills and have only been clinically diagnosed with mild OCD.  Like everyone, I have bad days and rough patches and times where I feel hopeless and defeated, but I can’t say that I know what it feels like to be depressed.  Some might tell me, “well then don’t try to tell us you know what it feels like if you haven’t experienced it.”  But I have.  I have watched two of the closest people I love suffer from it; my husband and my father.   And while they both have suffered from depression and were clinically diagnosed as such, it was found out later on that both actually have different mental disorders, but depression happens to be a side effect of both.

My father’s story is very dark and very long, but I will spare the gory details and try to make it as condensed as possible.  My father’s side of the family comes from a long line of abuse.  My father’s mother was sexually abused by her father and he was physically abused by her.  This abuse continued throughout most of his childhood and adolescence. (If you’ve read the book, “A Child Called It”, you’ll pretty much know what he went through).   He was also sexually abused by someone else in his early childhood.  Once he reached adulthood, he joined the military, got married, and had two daughters.  That marriage didn’t last due to excessive arguing and him being physically violent a few times.  He then got remarried, to a woman who already had a daughter, and then they had a daughter of their own.  Seven years pass, and wife number two says she wants him to start getting help otherwise the marriage is over; she can no longer take the mood swings, arguing, violent outbursts, and sometimes suicidal tendencies.  But at the time he was still in the service, and being mentally unstable was highly frowned upon, so he didn’t get help but the behaviors started improving slightly.  Then he’d break from stress and he’d be the same again.  It wasn’t until three years later he got help and got an original diagnosis of depression.  The pills seemed to help, but only a little, there were still many symptoms but the counselor insisted it was depression and to keep taking the pills and talking it out.  But after a year of not much difference, they tried a new therapist.  This one diagnosed him with rapid cycling bipolar disorder and got him on medication for that.  It helped a lot more than the depression meds, but still there were some symptoms that were unresolved and now there were new problems.  Now he was experiencing anxiety, so they gave him pills for that, but these made him not be able to sleep, so then he needed pills for that.  It got to the point that if he didn’t take his meds at exactly the right time or go to bed at the perfect time or eat the right amount of food at the right time that it would cause one of these pills not to work which would trigger a landslide response of all not working and him being out of control again.  So after another three years of a failed regimen, wife number two threw in the towel on their marriage.  So he decided to try a new councilor, and this time they seemed to get it right; they diagnosed him with complex PTSD, or disorder of extreme stress.  This is defined as being, “found among individuals who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic circumstances, especially during childhood, such as childhood sexual abuse,” according to PsychCentral. Since then they have taken him off of meds and given him coping mechanisms to help deal with the PTSD and it has worked tremendously for him.

As for my husband, his story is a lot simpler and not as grim. He has been active his entire life and had a very easy childhood.  After high school, he joined the Navy and became a nuclear engineer.  Once he was done with school, he got assigned to a submarine and almost immediately they got orders to deploy for 6 months.  His job was to sit in front of a floor to ceiling, wall to wall panel of gauges and make sure they stayed in the normal range for 8-12 hours at a time.  On a sub of only 100 to 125 people, there are only about 6 who can do that job.  Well, after returning from their deployment, someone had found out that he had become depressed underway, to an extreme.  Once they found out, they diagnosed him as clinically depressed and medically discharged him from the Navy.  Whole world changed in about a month.  It’s been four years and since then he went to UTI and became an auto mechanic and is going to school currently for another degree, but a few months back he decided he wanted to see a civilian therapist because he thought his depression was starting to become an issue again.  After talking with her, he discovered that he actually has ADHD.  He has been on meds for ADHD since and has been fine with no bouts of depression.

What does either of these mental disorders have to do with depression one might ask?  As stated by PsychCentral, people with complex PTSD exhibit extreme emotional difficulties, such as depression; and in ADHD, depression can be a secondary problem that is triggered by the frustration of coping with symptoms of it (Larry Silver, 1998 – 2015).  Both my father and husband were experiencing depression due to the fact that they were overwhelmed by the lack of control they seemed to have over their mental abilities, emotions, and themselves overall.  Because neither of them thought they could change what was going on with them, they became helpless, which caused the depression.  This is known as Seligman’s learned helplessness model of depression.  Another theory that was developed after Seligman’s model of depression was Abramson, Metalsky, and Alloy’s hopelessness theory of depression.  It states that two factors must be present at the same time, a vulnerable person and a negative environmental circumstance.  A vulnerable person in this context is someone who is interprets events negatively/pessimistically which can also be called the pessimistic explanatory style.  Both my father and husband interpret events in this way, which also increases their chances of depression due to the fact that they would be defined as vulnerable people and would view a negative environmental event in a pessimistic way.  Their pessimistic explanatory style coupled with their viewed helplessness didn’t help the depressive side effects of their mental disorders.  With the proper diagnoses, regimens, and information about their disorder, both were able to overcome the depressive side effects and both are now better at handling situations that could cause them to become depressive again.

 

Works Cited

Larry Silver, M. (1998 – 2015). Diagnosing Related Conditions in ADHD Children and Adults. Retrieved 09 27, 2015, from Attitude: Strategies and Support for ADHD and LD: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/774-3.html

PTSD, N. (2013). Types of PTSD. Psych Central. Retrieved on September 27, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/types-of-ptsd/

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology. SAGE Publications, Inc.


27
Sep 15

The Infinite Water Supply…Or So We Like To Think

Every day I wake up and I follow the same routine. I exit my bedroom and head down the hall to the bathroom. Once there, I lift the lid and proceed to empty my bladder. I complete the task and I flush the toilet without hesitation. The contents of the bowl disappear and swirls of water refill it. I then turn to the sink and proceed to wash my hands and face. This is immediately followed by a thorough brushing of my teeth. Most days I am half asleep and the thought of how much water this whole process has just consumed does not even cross my mind. As long as water flows when the lever is pushed or the handle is turned, most of us probably do not stop to question anything at all. But we should. Why? Because clean water is a natural resource and the world’s population continues to grow every day. Therefore, the number of people on earth consuming this limited resource continues to increase thus resulting in a water supply that is decreasing at an alarming rate.

Have you ever looked over at the bottle of water you have sitting next to you on your desk and thought, “what a simple product.” How much effort could it possibly take to produce such a product? After all, it is just water. But the truth is that a single bottle of water requires a lot of time and energy to produce. There is the process of removing the water from its source, the transport of the water to a facility for bottling and then the delivery of the final product to the store (Pennsylvania State University). As consumers, we travel to the grocery store and purchase a case of bottled water. In doing so, we never stop to consider the possible consequences of our action.

Recent data received from NASA satellites, indicate that many of the world’s largest underground reserves of water called aquifers are declining at worrisome rates (Frankel). Even more concerning is the belief that these reservoirs refill at extremely slow rates (Frankel). Clearly the infinite water supply that everyone wants to believe exists is just a fallacy. The question is, how do we stop the world from running out of water? How do we change people’s consumption behaviors before it is too late? Several studies were conducted in the 90’s which identified successful methods for positively changing consumption behaviors. A study by Siero, Bakker, Dekker, and van den Burg (1996) identified that energy consumption behaviors could be altered through the use of comparative feedback. A different study by Dickerson, Thibodeau, Aronson, and Miller (1992) indicated that water consumption behaviors could be altered through the use of cognitive dissonance. Keeping these as well as other studies in mind, an intervention program could be established.

To encourage water consumption throughout the world both comparative feedback and cognitive dissonance could be utilized. A competition between countries could be established to see who is able to conserve the most water. Data would need to be provided to all citizens of the competing nations on a periodic basis in order to be effective. Advocates could then be selected to speak to others about the water supply issue and provide them with the various ways they can do their part to conserve water. These water conservation efforts might include installing energy efficient toilets, taking shorter showers, or turning the water off when brushing your teeth.

While these methods could play a key role in changing water consumption behaviors, it is also important that governments and large corporations do a better job of communicating the current water supply issue to the world. Increasing overall awareness of the problem and increasing the number of individuals that are held accountable for their actions will likely result in more conservative behaviors.

References

Dickerson, C.A., Thibodeau, R., Aronson, E., & Miller, D. (1992). Using cognitive dissonance to encourage water conservation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 22. 841-854.

Frankel, T. (n.d.). New NASA data show how the world is running out of water. Retrieved September 27, 2015.

Pennsylvania State University (n.d.). green.psu.edu. Retrieved online at: Sustainability.psu.edu

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Siero, F.W., Bakker, A.B., Dekker, G.B., & van den Burg, M.T.C. (1996). Changing organizational energy consumption behaviour through comparative feedback. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 16. 235-246.


27
Sep 15

Talk Among Yourselves…

Talk therapy had never been something that interested me. I certainly assigned the stigma of “only crazy people go to therapy” to the concept. But when the wheels came off the proverbial bus, I knew I had to do something to save myself and to save my marriage. Therapy saved me in many ways. It also introduced me to the version of myself I had been missing for a very long time.

Getting good grades came very easily to me all the way through high school. I was active in school activities and teachers appreciated my enthusiasm for school and my willingness to participate and engage in active discussion. I made it seem effortless. Unfortunately, I was successfully painting myself into a corner without realizing it. Assignments were completed, grades were given and everyone (including myself) thought that I would be a great college student. Unfortunately, the effortlessness of high school didn’t prepare me for the Socratic method preferred by most college instructors in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. College became a place of great anxiety for me. I was constantly trying to figure out how to please everyone and to figure out where I fit in. I struggled with a pervasive fear that the curtain would be pulled back and Dorothy (my college) would find out that the Great and Powerful Oz (me) was just a sham. In hindsight, I can clearly see the markings of a form of social anxiety disorder.

 

(Fleming, 1939)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has described social anxiety disorder as a fear of embarrassment and/or fear of looking poorly in front of others (Social Anxiety Institute, 2015).  Here’s where I was a blend – getting up in front of people to speak in terms of a presentation, or getting up in front of the college marching band of 300 people didn’t faze me. But when I got into a smaller classroom where I felt unprepared or where I was concerned I would look stupid, I became a nervous wreck. I couldn’t speak up for myself. I couldn’t ask for help. I was paralyzed into inaction.  As a result, things got out of hand and I was asked by the college to please not return (translation: I failed out of school).

Fast-forward 15 years and I was a woman without a direction. I was married but I was in a constant state of insecurity. I was overweight, but didn’t do anything about it, and then complained when I felt like I was being ostracized for it. Leary and Kowalski (1995) developed a self-presentation theory with regard to social anxiety. The researchers concluded that individuals want to control public perceptions, because that will determine how others treat the individuals (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012).  Bingo! Not only was I afraid that people would judge or criticize me, but I felt out of control if I could not somehow manage the environment or the perceptions. It created a great amount of self-doubt. On the outside, many people didn’t know I was struggling with this. I was able to socialize and in fact, I over-compensated and wouldn’t say no to any type of outing or event. Burying my fears and anxieties turned out to be the worst treatment. My husband became tired of my constant second-guessing of his feelings for me and it became clear that if I didn’t get help, I would be alone.

My therapist is a kind man and a listener that doesn’t seem to forget anything. He never told me his diagnosis of me. He would just encourage me to come back week after week. He would listen thoughtfully. Oftentimes, he wouldn’t say much at all during our appointments. When he did? Oh boy! He would ask me a pointed question or just say, “It must feel awful worrying about everyone else all the time”.  And each time he said it, I would drop back in my chair and breathe. Managing everyone else was not my job. I had to learn to listen to myself, figure out what I wanted and who I wanted to be. It was in that chair, staring at his diplomas from Bryn Mawr and The University of Pennsylvania that I realized that I wanted to finish my degree. It was in that chair that I realized that I could be happy with myself and not concern myself with the opinions of others to the point of inaction. It was in that chair that I found a love for myself and an inner peace – the kind of which I had never known. You don’t have to be crazy to begin therapy. In fact, I kind of think you’re crazy NOT to try it.

 

Fleming, V. (Director). (1939). The Wizard of Oz [Motion Picture].

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (Second ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Social Anxiety Institute. (2015). DSM-5 Definition of Social Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from Social Anxiety Institute: https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/dsm-definition-social-anxiety-disorder


27
Sep 15

Agricultural Usage of Water

Agricultural Usage of Water

Abstract

Agriculture can be a burden on the environment. Over usage of water can lead to issues affecting surrounding flora and fauna, lack of fresh water for other human consumption, and even the deformation of the land itself. Awareness of best practices for water usage can lessen and eliminate all of these issues.

Resource Dilemma with Agricultural Usage of Water

People generally consider anything with agriculture to be “green”, aware of the environment and good for it. However this is just not true. Nearly anything done poorly can have negative side effects. Luckily the first step to a solution for any case of this is to be proactive in discovering new ways to improve and optimize your tasks. Knowing there is a problem is half the battle.

Water consumption via agriculture is a huge resource dilemma, the farmers must determine if they should take only a fair share of the water or as much as needed to help their situation ( Schneider 2013 ). Many farmers overwater their plants in a variety of different ways. Some do a flood type of system where they pump in water at one end of the field and wait till it runs down to the lower side before stopping. This does water everything well but there is much waste in over saturating the plants at the top of the field as well as evaporation stealing the water (Groundwater deletion, n.d.). Overwatering also occurs when farmers ignore weather forecasts and water their fields twice. Farmers will also waste water by growing plants that are not used to their climate and may require more water than what they should.

Overwatering of fields has many negative effects. This act can lead to depletion of nearby rivers and streams thus impacting surrounding flora and fauna. Also effected by this lack of water can be other humans. So often during summer people are asked to conserve water and if irrigation for farming wasn’t so high these restrictions would not be in place. Even more shocking is that removing water from the ground can cause subsidence, where the ground level physically drops (Groundwater depletion, n.d.).

Overuse of water by farmers can be overcome in many different ways, but here are just a few. Drip irrigation counters flood irrigation. The water is dripped directly to the roots of each plant without over saturating any plants or losing water to evaporation. Observing weather forecasts and only watering plants when there is no rainfall in the future is a sure way to conserve. Planting crops that are native to the farmers area and require what the natural rainfall provides will also save water (CUESE, n.d.).

Overuse of water for agricultural purposes is bad. Its a financial burden the farmers do not need, when less water would suffice. It harms the eco-system and neighbors with man made droughts and un-needed and sometimes dangerous sinking of land. And most importantly it can be fixed with a little bit of research and a little bit of effort.

References

10 Ways Farmers Are Saving Water | CUESA. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2015, from http://www.cuesa.org/article/10-ways-farmers-are-saving-water

Groundwater depletion. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2015, from http://water.usgs.gov/edu/gwdepletion.html

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and             Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 978-            1412976381


27
Sep 15

Why have we forsaken our children; the psychological and social ramifications of childhood poverty in the United States

Socioeconomic status adversely and profoundly affects many American citizens.  It has been shown that children that come from impoverished backgrounds are more likely to have lesser education, lesser quality of health care, lesser social support, and the list goes on and on; and these factors can be linked to a poor mental health outcome later in life (Evans & Cassells, 2013). Those that live in low income areas are more likely to be exposed to violence, lower quality of housing and schools, and live in families that are less stable and lack social support (Evans, 2004). Socioeconomic status has been directly correlated to quality of life; it affects individual efficacy as well as physical and psychological health and development (APA, 2015).

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, more than 16 million children (22% of all children) in the United States have families where their incomes fall below the federal poverty level, which is $23,550 yearly for a family of four.  This abject poverty can interfere with learning and can add to problems socially, emotionally, and behaviorally (NCCP, 2015). The United States is near the bottom of the list of affluent countries when it comes to gauging childhood poverty (Ingraham, 2014). It is preposterous that such a large conglomeration of our society is living in an environment that is conducive to poor future mental health outcomes, and the big question is why?

In Kenneth Keniston’s “Do Americans Really like Children?” he alludes to the idea that the United States is trailing other countries in maintaining the needs for our children.  The reason for this lack of progression, according to Keniston, is the dynamism of our economic structure. He explores three problems in which he thinks halts the progression of the U.S. at the expense our children; they are the depopulation of the family, the intellectualization of the child, and the perpetuation of exclusion (1975).  He states that in order to progress beyond these problems that we need to stop blaming the individual and start blaming the economic system that strongly affects our social presence (1975).

James Garbarino seems to agree with Keniston in that we are discounting our children based on the economic context in the United States (1985).  Garbarino believes that we have become “monetarized” in that we feel that we must put a dollar amount on everything; because of this parents feel they need more money to purchase food, health care costs, recreation, and child care (1985). This shows in that in most families both parents work in order to meet their budgets, which then leaves little time for rearing their children (Garbarino, 1985). This cost of raising children is connected to what he calls the “opportunity cost”, which refers to the costs involved in being a member of the workforce, and how much of that income is lost when one chooses to become a parent (Garbarino, 1985). This higher cost of raising children, and the idea of children being a luxury is causing what Garbarino calls “hurrying”.  In more well-off families this equates to the children being hurried into becoming part of the elite, while children in families that have economic hardship are hurried so that the parents can find a way to make money to make ends meet. He questions what the quality life of children will be if the economic system affects our social presence at a higher level (Garbarino, 1985).

It is interesting how much of what is said in Keniston’s and Garbarino’s writing from thirty to forty years ago is still applicable in today’s society.  We still see a considerable socioeconomic disparity between those at the top of the economic ladder and those at the bottom (Boushey & Hersh, 2012). The only difference is that those in the middle class are beginning to fall even further behind their more well-off counterparts (Boushey & Hersh, 2012).  Since 2007, those in the middle class have seen a shift in the rise in family income (Boushey & Hersh, 2012).  In between 1979 and 2007, the average family income advanced at a rate of 35%, while those with incomes at the 99th percentile saw a shift of 278% (Boushey & Hersh).  The only reason that those in the middle class have managed to stay above water economically is by working longer hours, expanding their work load (mainly at the expense of mothers and wives), and by going further in debt in order to try to keep up with inflation (Boushey & hersh, 2012).  This begs the question that if the middle class is falling further behind by having to work longer hours, having both parents work more than before, and taking on more debt to keep up with inflation, where does this leave children living at or below the poverty level?  Children in poverty are more likely to feel the adverse effects to their physical, socioemotional and cognitive well-being (Evans, 2004). Even with that being said, there is evidence that there has been an increase in the numbers of discord in American children against all socioeconomic levels, and the answer can be relayed back to our economic system as a whole (Evans, 2004). It is hard to believe that such a developed nation as the United States has such an astronomical amount of children that are suffering, and it makes one wonder if we really do appreciate our children.

 

References

National Center for Children in Poverty, (2015). Child poverty. Retrieved from: http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html

Keniston, K. (1975). Do Americans really like children? Childhood Education; 52. 1.

Garbarino, J. (1985). Can American families afford the luxury of childhood? Child Welfare, 65 (2).

Boushey H. & Hersh, A. (2012). Middle class series: the American middle class, income inequality, and the strength of our economy. Retrieved from: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2012/05/17/11/11628/the-american-middle-class-income-inequality-and the-strength-of-our-economy/

Evans, G.W. (2004). The environment of childhood poverty. American Psychologist, 59 (2), 77-92.

Evans, G.W., & Cassells, R.C. (2013). Childhood poverty, cumulative risk exposure, and mental health in emerging adults. Clinical Psychological Science. doi: 10.1177/2167702613501496

American Psychological Association. (2015). Children, youth, families and socioeconomic status. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publicatioms/factsheet-cyf.aspy

Ingraham, C. (2014). Child poverty in the U.S. is among the worst in the developed world. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2014/10/29/child-poverty-in-the-u-s-is-among-the-worst-in-the-developed-world/


27
Sep 15

What a shame

I’ve had a front-row view of depression the last few years as I’ve watched several people’s lives change and decline as they struggled with the condition.  One person in particular, who I will call Bob here, suffers from major clinical depression.  He is out of work and his life consists of sleeping and playing video games.  To make matters worse, he has the opportunity to file a wrongful termination suit that was estimated to result in a six-figure settlement, yet hasn’t been able to summons the motivation to call the lawyer who was located and prescreened for him.  Bob is a wonderful person with a generous soul who has a genius level IQ and is college educated, and accordingly, he has broken the heart of all those who love him and feel helpless to change his demise.  Freud famously described depression as “aggression turned inward” and I believe that to be true (as cited in Sapolsky, 2004, p. 299).  Bob is caught in a matrix of paralysis that prevents him from trying to improve his situation, and that non-action is a self-sabotaging behavior that perpetually causes self-loathing, which then translates into further inertia.

The hopelessness theory of depression helps explain Bob’s depression when his psychological vulnerability and challenging environmental circumstances collided.  He’s struggled with depression for decades but it wasn’t until he was first injured and then laid off recently that he descended to this level of incapacitation.  He was neurologically at risk after a car accident in adolescence which put him in a coma and resulted in some brain damage, but even before that he was inclined towards a depressogenic explanatory style.  My mom swears he was born that way.  So when he lost his job, I think he looked at things like he was being unjustly punished, yet subconsciously felt like he deserved it.  He took the one incidence of wrongful termination and overgeneralized it to his entire world.  He used  global and stable attributions to explain that one negative event: “I lost my job which was beneath me to begin with and now I’m even more of a loser with no money and no career who plays video games all day long” (global), and “Things will never change; my life is doomed” (stable).  With such all-encompassing negative perceptions, it’s no wonder he doesn’t feel any motivation to try different coping mechanisms.  Instead, he fell prey to learned helplessness when his best efforts to succeed in life failed, which lead him to give up hope (Siero, Bakker, Dekker, & van den Burg, 1996).

In the discussion of how stress and depression are related, Sapolsky (2004)  explains that for depressed people everything about life feels overwhelming, this activates the stress response and elevates glucocorticoids like cortisol, which in turn tells the brain to produce more cortisol since it is clearly needed, and these increased glucocorticoid levels create more depression symptoms, and so on.  It’s a vicious mind-body hormonal feedback loop that is self-perpetuating.  Sapolsky (2004) also talks about how intense guilt plays a large role in depression.  He says that most people suffering from depression are aware of how their state has affected their lives and how it has pained their family, and that they feel incredibly guilty about it.  They feel guilty for being depressed, and this is depressing so it prevents attempts at healthy coping mechanisms, but then this triggers more guilt and down they descend into another merciless feedback loop (Sapolsky, 2004).  This absolutely mimics Bob’s habitual pattern of being withdrawn from family and friends, and then beating himself up over it which consists of alternating long bouts of angry silence and crying fits lamenting over how he doesn’t want to be that way but can’t help it and hates himself for it.

The deeper layer of guilt is shame, and Dr. Brené Brown shot out of the cannon a few years ago researching this deeply embedded, yet rarely discussed, human phenomenon.  She’s a research professor and writer out of the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, and gained international attention with her 2010 TED talk entitled “The Power of Vulnerability”: http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en.  It’s only twenty minutes and I highly recommend watching it during a study break or even just listening to it while folding laundry.  I discovered her work earlier this year when I saw Oprah interview her on Super Soul Sunday and have since read a couple of her books.  She defines shame as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging” and links it to mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and addiction (Brown, 2010, p. 39).  She’s been studying shame and vulnerability through qualitative research for the last fifteen years and has conducted over 10,000 interviews.  She acknowledges the new-agey association with the concept of “owning your story” and yet she insists that this is a crucial foundation of mental and emotional wellbeing in combating the universal feelings of shame that we all experience.  Regardless of where people fall on the anxiety/depression/addictive behavior spectrum, her explanation of shame is something that everyone can relate to:

Shame keeps worthiness away by convincing us that owning our stories will lead to people thinking less of us. Shame is all about fear. We’re afraid that people won’t like us if they know the truth about who we are, where we come from, what we believe, how much we’re struggling, or, believe it or not, how wonderful we are when soaring (sometimes it’s just as hard to own our strengths as our struggles). (Brown, 2010, p. 39)

Again, this resonates deeply when I think of Bob.  I think he feels like if we knew exactly how deep and gnawing his emotional pain was that we’d lose respect for him, lock him up in the loony bin, or both. But that’s the insidious irony of shame: it blooms in the dark and withers in the light.  The more that depressed people can learn to expose their vulnerabilities by talking about their feeling and fears without judgment, the more they make space for new healthier thought patterns to emerge.  While I wish I could make Bob read Dr. Brown’s research and get him to see an excellent therapist to help him work through his shame, he’s too depressed to take any productive action; therein lies the ongoing problem which is a debilitating construct for many people suffering with depression.  It keeps you on a sad, dim island, spinning in circles while standing in place.  Depression is marked by the incredible ambivalence of wanting things to be better and perceiving that notion to be impossible.  In addition to standard treatment like the hopefulness approach, educating patients about shame and vulnerability as part of cognitive-behavioral therapy seems like an important piece for long-term healing.  Learning how to feel comfortable understanding and expressing the authentic self (in the company of safe, trusting people) bridges the isolation and shame that feeds upon itself and keeps people locked away inside their silent prisons (Brown, 2010).  Dr. Brown acknowledges that there are no easy answers or quick fixes, and instead explains the daily grind and commitment to yourself by quoting E.E. Cummings: “To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself—means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight—and never stop fighting” (as cited in Brown, 2010, p. 51).  I hope her research on shame and vulnerability will continue to gain traction and attention from mental health professionals and laymen alike, as it can enlighten and empower us all.

References

Brown, C. B. (2010). The gifts of imperfection: Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are. Center City, Minn: Hazelden.

Sapolsky, R. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

TED. (2010, June). Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en


27
Sep 15

Depression Hurts

I see those signs that say “Depression Hurts” almost everywhere. Every time I see one, I think: “How much does it hurt? Who does it hurt? Why does it hurt?” I think back to my very first relationship. I thought this person and I would be together forever. I was in 9th grade and in love. But my heart was broken when we broke up only 2.5 months later. I thought I would never find love, I thought that I would be alone for the rest of my life. I went to school numb on the inside, on weekends I didn’t want to get out of bed. I stopped eating and the things that I used to love to do I simply didn’t want to do anymore. I knew I was depressed. My friends would tell me to “snap out of it”, to just come and hang out with them, but the thought of being around others was simply overwhelming. But over time, it got better. I started to engage with others at school, hang out with my friends, get up on weekends again and eat food. With time I got over it. From that experience, I learned that I hurt my friends, because they didn’t know what to do with me, I hurt myself, because I knew I should get out of bed and hang out with others, I knew in my head that I am a good enough person to be with someone else, but my heart lead me to believe otherwise(or maybe it was the other way around), but I couldn’t and that hurt and depressed me more. That is a feeling that I would feel again and again as I got older, but always a little differently and always a little less.

So, now I imagine that every time I ask those questions when I see those signs, because there are people who have to feel what I felt their entire life. Imagine feeling like you are never able to accomplish your goals and dreams, imagine that people don’t want you to be around them, that you have nothing worthwhile to contribute. It’s not as easy as snapping out of it, it’s not as easy as choosing to not be depressed. It takes time. We’ve all been there, so why do we always tell others to “just don’t be depressed?”

By being nice to each other and by showing our classmates, coworkers, etc. that they matter, because they are people too, we can help prevent others from feeling like they are less. A simple smile, a friendly “Hi” can really make a difference.

 


27
Sep 15

Changing Perspectives

I often wondered what made some people feel helpless and others empowered in their choices and decision-making.  While I knew that thoughts could play a part in both, I did not realize how debilitating some could be when experienced in a negative light.  In this week’s reading for applied social psychology, Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012) discussed Seligman and colleagues model of learned helplessness called the “attributional reformulation of the learned helplessness theory of depression.” As probably assumed by the name, people that are prone to depression typically believe that their situation is unchangeable and expect a negative outcome as a result (Schneider et al., 2012, p. 94).  Thinking about this cycle, it is no wonder why individuals continually experience the same results and always see the “down side.”  It’s pretty hard to break away from something that seems to occur naturally, particularly if happens more often than the good things.  But I am curious, can this change?  Has this practice been used in other settings successfully?

I received one answer in a study sought to change self-defeating behaviors in at-risk readers.  Coley and Hoffman (1990) selected six “at risk” sixth grade students who were receiving remedial reading for their case study.  To qualify, the students had to be involved in the program for a minimum of 2 years.  It was assumed that such students would lack expressed confidence in their abilities as they have experienced setbacks in their academic journeys.  The conditions the students were introduced to consisted of three parts: 1) question response cues, double entry/response journals, and 3) self-evaluation.  Based on their findings, the students were able to express more confidence in their abilities and viewed themselves more positively (Coley et al., 1990).

Being a student myself, I can imagine the way the sixth graders felt in that situation.  If I experienced difficulty and had a hard time changing this outcome, it would be pretty hard for me to see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”  Sometimes it takes an intervention, such as the one described, to help individuals to see that their situation can change.  Just like their perspectives and confidence improved, the same result can occur in other situations.

Langer and Rodin (1976) and Kane et al. (2007) found that elderly patients who maintained control of their day-to-day lives, with activities and the like, experienced health benefits that differed from similar patients in a nursing home and/or a more restrictive setting.  Kane et al. (2007) noted that patients in the experimental condition had lower incidents of bed rest than those in the other two conditions.  And Langer et al. (1976) reported that patients in the experimental group reported increases in happiness, which was significantly more than the comparison group.  Obviously, both studies worked against learned helplessness and enabled patients to be active rather than passively involved.  Although the studies differed in implementation, both the overall objectives and outcomes resulted in positive changes.

With the examples shared, the response to my questions would be that learned helplessness can change and this has been successfully demonstrated in several instances.  While it may not be easy to exercise hope in situations that seem impossible, with a little help in realigning this thought process, this this too can change.

 

References:

Coley, J. D., & Hoffman, D. M. (1990). Overcoming learned helplessness in at-risk readers. Journal of Reading, 33(7), 497-502.

Kane, R. A., Lum, T. Y., Cutler, L. J., Degenholtz, H. B. & Yu, T.-C. (2007). Resident Outcomes in Small-House Nursing Homes: A Longitudinal Evaluation of the Initial Green House Program. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55, 832–839. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01169.x

Langer, E. J., & Rodin, J. (1976). The effects of choice and enhanced personal responsibility for the aged: A field experiment in an institutional setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34(2), 191-198. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.34.2.191

Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (Eds.). (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.


26
Sep 15

Environmental Blog – Lake Mead

Jason Johnson

Environmental Blog

Applied Social Psychology

September 26, 2015

 

 

Abstract

This environmental blog introduces Lake Mead, outside of Las Vegas, as an important natural resource for people living in Nevada, California, Arizona, and parts of Northern Mexico.  Lake Mead was created when Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s; it is an important source of water and power to neighboring states.  Lake Mead is at unprecedented low levels currently, due to increased usage and reduced incoming supply from reduced rainfall and snowfall.  Some of the ways this issue is currently being addressed in Nevada include imposed water restrictions, tax credits for desert-friendly landscaping, and a proposed project to build a tunnel under Lake Mead to access outside sources of water.  Lake Mead is a beautiful and valuable resource that deserves to be protected and appreciated by residents and visitors alike.

 

Keywords: behaviorism, water restrictions, population density, formal design, social dilemmas, resource dilemmas

 

When most people think about Las Vegas and its surrounding desert, one of the first things that don’t come to mind is the valuable energy and water resources it provides to millions of users throughout the southwest. Instead, we think of the neon lights, slot machine jackpots, and endless amounts of entertainment which people may or may not remember, or, in some cases, would soon want to forget. But amid the bright lights, there is a hidden gem that makes its presence just outside the City of Sin.  It is simply known as Lake Mead. You’re probably more familiar with Lake Mead’s creator – the Hoover Dam. In the early 1900’s, Hoover Dam was built in an attempt to solve the Colorado River’s overflow problem. The construction of the Hoover Dam took about 5 years to complete, starting in 1931 and ending in 1936 (Arizona-Leisure.com; 2015).  It took the efforts of over seven thousand workers to complete the project. What developed from the creation of the Hoover Dam was a water reservoir known today as Lake Mead. Lake Mead is over 247 miles in area and covers more than 550 miles of shoreline. Its 1 ¼ trillion cubic feet of water capacity would cover the entire state of Pennsylvania one foot deep (Arizona-Leisure.com; 2015).  In this blog, I will give you some reasons why Lake Mead is such a valuable resource, some of the concerns that are going on with Lake Mead today, and discuss many of the efforts going on to sustain, and increase, the level of water that has been lost over the recent years.

 

Lake Mead actually began as a settlement back in the mid-1800s.  As time went on, the rising waters from the Colorado River began to force the settlers out and the community became deserted by the turn of the century.  So why is Lake Mead such a valuable resource? Many believe that the southwest region of our country wouldn’t have developed without the water and energy that has been provided by Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the water supply for Nevada, Arizona, California, and parts of Mexico (Holden; 1998).  Also, with the combination of the Hoover Dam, it’s the primary resource for providing electrical power to Nevada and southern California. About 500,000 homes rely on this power supply (Holden; 1998). Overall, it is estimated that over 25 million users are dependent on the resources that it provides (Holden; 1998).

 

With an understanding of why Lake Mead is important, it makes sense why so many people are worried about the lake’s current conditions. To be able to understand the negative effects, you must first need to know how Lake Mead receives its water intake.  Ninety-six percent of the water flowing into Lake Mead comes from snowmelt that drains into the Colorado River (Allen; 2003). The water is first sent to Lake Powell (just north, in Arizona) then into Lake Mead. Water levels are usually at its highest during the springtime, and at its lowest during the end of summertime.  Typically you would need a median level of input and output for the process to become successful.  Unfortunately for the last several years there has been a shortage of rainfall throughout the west, and the levels of water usage have increased throughout those same years.  All of this has sent the water levels at Lake Mead to historic lows.  Lake Mead is experiencing some of the lowest water levels in over 60 years (Shine; 2015).

 

With more water going out then coming in, water levels are going down while levels of usage and other problems are going up. When there’s discussion about a drought, usually the word “restrictions” follows. I’ve been living in Las Vegas (90% of our water comes from Lake Mead) now for about 15 years and I can’t remember a time that I didn’t hear about some type of water restriction being in effect.  Restrictions are usually designed to not only achieve objectives and results, but to change behavior as well.  One of the most common and impactful restrictions in Las Vegas has to do with landscaping care.  If you are one of the homeowners who have decided against the rock & sand landscape and have added actual grass for your viewing and recreational pleasure, you will be required to comply with year-long water restrictions. In fact, the city has also implemented such strategies as given tax credit to those with “rock landscape” and has even restricted front yard lawns all together.  Much of this is an attempt to change our behavior regarding water usage, but studies have shown that the problem doesn’t solely rely on this.  In fact, recent studies have shown that the city has made improvements in water efficiency, using about 40 percent less water per person over the past 25 years (Holthaus; 2014). So the problem doesn’t seem to be solely based on behavior, but rather, that the lake has unsuccessfully been able to accommodate the increased population density that has occurred during that time.  In the past 10 years alone, Las Vegas and its surrounding regions witnessed a population “boom.” It might have been great for the economy, but it also has had a negative impact on the environmental resources needed to sustain a consistent living community. With both social and resource dilemmas intensifying, the city has scrambled to put together a formal design to improve the conditions of Lake Mead and to not just solely rely on the other natural resources such as rain and snow to refill Lake Mead.  One of the projects that is in development is an artificial tunnel project that over 800 million dollars has been budgeted for, which would run along the bottom of the lake (Holthaus; 2014).  The tunnels would be used carry in water from outside resources to sustain the levels of Lake Mead.  Many locals are trying to be optimistic that this could be the right solution even though the project has been over budget and past its deadline.   And of course, there is limited data available on the success of this type of strategy, so there are no other results with which to measure its success.

 

I have discussed the history behind Lake Mead and why it’s such a valuable resource to many in the southwest region.  I’ve also shared today’s concerns and some of the efforts that have been implemented to restore the lake, and get it back to its original form. Not all environmental issues can be solved only with behaviorism; sometimes an alternative solution just has to be implemented. I’m hoping that I gave you a different perspective of what Las Vegas truly has to offer besides an opportunity to accumulate new found wealth, new found debt, and/or a new found two-day hangover.  The next time that you plan your trip to Las Vegas, I invite you to give yourself an opportunity to stand up from the gaming tables, step outside the casinos, and take a trip to see Lake Mead- really one of the true wonders of the world.

 

Resources:

Conor Shine, Las Vegas Sun; August 14, 2015

Arizona – Leisure.com, The Treasure of Arizona, Nevada & the World; 2015

Chris Holden, Bureau of Reclamation Lake Mead Water Quality Monitoring; 1998

Jesse Allen, Drought Lowers Lake Mead; 2003

Eric Holthaus, The Thirsty West: What Happens in Vegas Doesn’t Stay in Vegas; March 18, 2014

 


24
Sep 15

Catholicism and Overpopulation

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Image taken from http://scentofwaterministries.typepad.com/

If America is in fact the land of the free, why should Catholics have to compromise their beliefs on reproductive rights?  Many biologists believe that pronatalism, the belief that there should not be a limit on the amount of children one wishes to bear, is an outdated belief that leads to disastrous effects on the ecosystem (Pennsylvania State University, Fall 2015).  Those in favor of the overpopulation theory believe that humans consume an excessive amount of the earth’s natural resources and bring destruction to natural habitats.  Their solution to these issues is to control population size, especially through birth control methods (Pennsylvania State University, Fall 2015).  Consequently, the problem lies not so much in the size of the population, but in how the population interacts with the environment.  Because Catholics believe children are a blessing from God, those who follow the teachings of the Catholic Church are pronatalists and cannot support population control interventions.  Though Catholics cannot participate in the effort to reduce population size in order to lower natural resource use and pollution of animal habitats, they can teach their families to properly use the resources God has bestowed on them.  Based on the teachings of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, God should determine how many children a couple brings into the world; therefore, Catholics can help preserve the environment and its resources by reducing their carbon footprint and treating the environment with respect.

The Catholic Church’s system of belief is based on a combination of scripture, the Bible, and tradition, the Catechism of the Catholic Church; both of these elements oppose methods of population control.  In the first chapter of the Bible God commands the first man and the first woman to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28, New American Standard Bible).  Not only did God command man to procreate, but He indicates that humans have the responsibility of caring for the natural resources of the world.  In addition, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that every intimate act should be within marriage and open to the possibility of life (Catholic Church, 2353 & 1664).  The use of contraceptives as a means of population control are thus prohibited by the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Not only does the Catechism promote fruitfulness, but it commands justice and charity in the care of natural resources (Catholic Church, 373-378).  From this belief it is required for Catholics to try to reduce their use of energy and care for the environment.  Catholics can reduce their carbon footprint by adopting good habits in regards to automotive and electrical use (Carbon Fund Foundation, n.d.).  Carpooling and investing in fuel-efficient cars are optimal ways of lowering ones carbon footprint.  Furthermore, installing solar panels and insulating one’s home can reduce energy consumption (Carbon Fund Foundation, n.d.).  In regards to caring for the environment, Catholics can help this movement by donating to habitat conservation efforts like the National Wildlife Federation (National Wildlife Federation, 2015).  Avoiding pollution and always recycling can also help preserve natural habitats (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2015).  One glass bottle made from recycled glass can reduce air pollution by 20% and water pollution by 50% (Conserve Energy Future, 2015).  Imagine the positive impact on animal habitat that would result if all Catholic families committed to always recycling.  The most humane way to reduce natural resource consumption and destruction of habitat is not by eliminating humans but by modifying human behavior.

There are ways other than population control that humans can embrace to help protect the earth’s resources and wildlife.  Catholics in general cannot support the idea of population control as an adequate means of reducing natural resource usage or protecting animal habits.  Reducing energy depletion and protecting the environment are effective ways that Catholics can help the earth.  Non-Catholics and Catholics alike are called to make a firm effort in preserving the earth that they share.

 

Resources

Carbon Fund Foundation. (n.d.). How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint. In carbonfund.org. Retrieved from http://carbonfund.org/reduce

Catholic Church. (2012). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Conserve Energy Future. (2015). Pollution Facts. In Conserve-energy-future.com. Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-pollution-facts.php
National Wildlife Federation. (2015). What We do To Protect Wildlife. In Nwf.org. Retrieved from https://online.nwf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=32500&32500.donation=form1&s_subsrc=Web_MakeDiff_Donate_Sitewide

Pennsylvania State University. (Fall 2015). Lesson 4: The Environment [Online lesson slides]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa15/psych424/001/content/05_lesson/02_page.html

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). 40 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/marib/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/IE/XECQOEYI/40things-poster.pdf


24
Sep 15

Penn State University Park’s Recycling Initiatives

Environmental issues are at the forefront of a lot of people’s agenda, especially with the upcoming elections. College campuses such as Penn State University Park are making the proper changes to make it easier for students to reduce, reuse, and recycle without even thinking about it. I am such a huge proponent for sustainability causes, mainly because it can be accomplished so easily. In 2014 the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) gave Penn State the “Outstanding Higher Education Award” (National Recycling Coalition names Penn State ‘Best of the Best’) and last year alone of the 14,163 tons of solid waste we produced, 7,991 tons (56%) was diverted from landfills (Recycling and Composting). With the growing fear of the impact of global warming and societies ability to reduce methane production while also helping the community sustainability is a widely growing field of interest. Since my freshman year at University Park in 2011, I have seen the incredible changes that the school has been making and the impact these changes have had on the students.

I have seen the campus grow from having just one recycling can in the dorm rooms and simple can and bottle recycling in the dining areas and the HUB, to this year completely ridding the campus of polystyrene (Styrofoam). In 2015, University Park has taken several steps to making campus a sustainable environment. Instead of having just one recycling option in all the buildings on campus, there are now options for composite, glass, plastics (different subgroups which are specified on all of the containers), and paper. Not only does this promote recycling by almost forcing it, but it also educates with descriptive signs detailing which plastics are which. The lights in most campus buildings have been switched to more efficient LED lights that last longer, take lower wattage, mercury free, and cost effective (Energy Efficient Lighting). They are also motion activated to turn on and off when people exit or enter the room which yields 34% less energy than comparable buildings. The toilets in almost all the buildings are now also reducing the amount of water used for every single flush by 16.67% (Smeal LEED Certification Process).

Waste and Recycling information sheet_Page_1-580x751

There are several other sustainability initiatives taking place on campus like both interior and exterior features (native and/or adapted vegetation, storm water management, daylight and central staircases), sustainable purchasing and waste diversion, green cleaning, and other practices outlined in U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process guidelines. My favorite new initiative applied this year is the elimination of Styrofoam from the South eating district on campus. Last school year alone, South eating commons used 279,400 Styrofoam containers (Penn State On Campus Living – University Park). That is only one of the eight eating establishments on campus. The new system gives customers a reusable Green2Go box that when returned 10 times warrants a free meal. If you do no return it, the individual is charged $5 until returned. If implemented throughout the campus, this could greatly impact and reduce Penn State’s footprint, all while setting an example for campuses throughout the country. This is just the beginning of a long process to make our planet healthier and will take the participation of communities everywhere. Attitudes about recycling need to be more positive rather than viewing it as a chore. Positive attitudes will result in positive behaviors.

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References

National Recycling Coalition names Penn State ‘Best of the Best’ | Penn State University. (2014, October 9). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://news.psu.edu/story/329635/2014/10/09/campus-life/national-recycling-coalition-names-penn-state-best-best

Recycling and Composting. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://www.sustainability.psu.edu/recycling-and-composting#recycling-composting

Energy Efficient Lighting. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm#led

Smeal LEED Certification Process. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://www.smeal.psu.edu/sustainability/leed-certification

Penn State On Campus Living – University Park. (2015, September 3). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from https://www.facebook.com/PennStateOnCampusLivingUP/posts/935060696548320?comment_id=935249216529468&reply_comment_id=935450543176002&total_comments=6&comment_tracking={“tn”:”R”}


23
Sep 15

Hidden Disease, Crouching Susceptibility

 

 

Poverty does not receive the same amount of assistance or emphasis as HIV. In fact, discrimination, fear, and alienation of the poor is normative and recommended; while the same behavior is prejudice to HIV victims. Poverty attacks the mental, physical, and financial abilities of a being, right down to the point of defeat.  Poverty is a cancer of societal function, and if unable to function in a society, while too poor to change locations, people fail to survive. The same internal aspects plaguing the T-helper cells, is occurring in our societal system. The human immunodeficiency virus attaches to cells of the body and replaces its’ RNA into the nucleus, thus creating more of itself. Wealthy or better-off citizens buy low income property, rearrange the culture and increase the cost of living, and rapidly replace areas filled with the poor. This process of gentrification comes without warning or notice. There are also no preventative methods. Since this is so, how is it that HIV receives major recognition and aggressive assistance, while those in poverty hang at the wayside? There are two primary reasons: The causes of poverty are stigmatized and not well understood on a societal level and because there is a societal focus on health being solely physical and of biological origin. Health psychologist and applied social psychologist can intervene in the way we view health and how we promote effective measures in societal treatment of poverty.

The effects of HIV, just as well as the cause, are considered with great significance and importance. People can identify the routes of transmission and the effect on the body easily. What is not understood about poverty are the causes and effects. Lack of financial resources prevents obtaining adequate health care or housing opportunities. As a result of living in a poor neighborhood, it is likely for crime to occur (Garbarino, 1976). There is a greater risk of theft, vandalism, and assault attached. For younger children, this is very detrimental to their development and can counter the positive values taught in the home. Younger children are educationally impacted, as their parent(s) is unable to afford private or higher quality schooling, they will be forced to accept the often-times terrible public school system nearby. But what causes this all? How does it get to this point? For minorities, it may be a generational factor. The effects of discrimination are not just instant and immediate to the ones who experienced it firsthand. It is continued through familial ties, with the family who faces discrimination being disadvantaged from opportunity exclusion even after new generations arise. Poverty may be a natural result of regional opportunities. Take Baltimore for instance, what was once a robust industrial city, is now facing great unemployment and poverty in many areas. Exportation of factory jobs and the move from industrialized jobs left the economy devastated (Vicino, 2008). Now one-quarter of the population lives in poverty (Kilar, 2012). Whether a result from internal or external factors, it is imperative to acknowledge the cause of poverty when assessing for treatments. Rather than taking a dismissive stance or negatively stereotyping the poor as lazy, uneducated, immoral people, it is better to rationalize the entire experience of not having resources. As health and applied social psychologist, health screenings on stress-induced disorders, informational sessions about proper emotional-behavioral responses, and training workshops on social skills and life skills should be incorporated into the efforts to reduce the symptoms of poverty.

Mental health has become a recent concern with the politicizing of gun usage and homicidal attacks. Prior to, mental health has had a difficult time receiving any attention. This may stem partly from the ignorance to the psychological effects on physiology or vice versa. Pseudo-psychology such as tarot card readings and palm readings, have not helped psychology’s plight in being taken as a serious science either. Because mental processes are not tangible, many fail to exclude their responsibility in specific outcomes. Applied social psychologist and health psychologist know how important these processes can be. Tackling why people don’t take better protective measures to avoid HIV transmission can lessen the incidence of the disease. Creating advertisements and confidential question hotlines for at-risk populations may decrease the societal prevalence of HIV also. As stated previously, the cause and effects of poverty aren’t as well understood as HIV. Since this is so, it is much more difficult provide precaution and advice on prevention and treatment. The population at hand must first be introduced to the psychological foundations integrated into poverty. Feelings of hopelessness, psychological burnout, depression, and anxiety are all possible symptoms of poverty (Winer, N.D.). If these are ignored, it is likely a snowball effect could take place, and complete emotional burnout develops. Not only are our mental states effected by this stress, but our bodies as well. Psychological stress prompt the body to release stress hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine (Sapolsky, 2004). Overtime, this stress response wears the body down. Metabolic disorders like diabetes, or even hypertension, or gastric ulcers will develop (Sapolsky, 2004). To tackle the health implications those in poverty face, efforts must be made to challenge the current understanding of health. Workshops explaining the interaction between emotion, behavior, and health so that people can understand how to control their emotional and behavioral responses to cope with stress. Training should also be given that includes a biopsychosocial approach to preventative healthcare.

Summarily, poverty and HIV prevail under the same conditions. Lack of proper insight on the cause and effect propagate their advancement and hinder progress in treatment. Poverty, though not considered along the same lines as HIV, has specific symptoms and signs, an affects all or part of an organism’s functioning. Poverty is very much so a disease. As an applied social psychologist and as a health psychologist, measures can be taken to improve the status of citizens facing both diseases. Tackling the lack of knowledge on poverty, increasing awareness of the biopsychosocial context of poverty, and emphasizing available community resources are all areas that both psychologist may include. The aim remains to challenge a brutal cycle and alleviate future generations from experiencing the perils of HIV and poverty both.

References

Keniston, K. (1979). Do Americans really like children? In D. G. Gil (ed.), Child abuse and violence (pp. 274-285). New York: AMS Press.

 

Kilar, Steve (2012, September 20). “Baltimore’s poverty rate unchanged at 1 in 4 residents: More young Marylanders insured following healthcare overhaul”. Baltimore Sun. RetrievedOctober 7, 2012

 

Garbarino, J. (1986). Can Americans afford the luxury of childhood? Child Welfare, 65, 119-128.

 

 Vicino, Thomas J. (2008). Transforming Race and Class in Suburbia: Decline in Metropolitan Baltimore. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230605459.

 

Winer, Abbey. How Poverty and Depression Impact a Child’s Social and Emotional Competence. Center for Poverty Research,retrieved from: http://poverty.ucdavis.edu/policy-brief/how-poverty-and-depression-impact-childs-social-and-emotional-competence

 

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers. New York: Times Books.


20
Sep 15

Consuming Our Planet

The uncertainty of the long term effects that our decisions and actions have on the environment make it easy at times to rationalize behaviors that one knows could and probably will be detrimental in the long run. Personal gratification is often chosen over the consideration of whether this action or behavior will have long term effects, over the environment and sustainability. This tale of two choices is what is known as a social dilemma (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). When discussing interventions that could aid in conservation of certain resources in our environment, it is often been discussed at a micro level, however one cannot help but consider the bigger picture of the resource dilemma.  Society as a whole seems to fall into the social trap of indulging in short term pleasures, often without considering the long term effect it has on the environment and the future sustainability of our planet.

Recycling is a great way to help the environment, as opposed to not recycling. Yet, does one ever stop to question why do we have so much recycling? Consumerism has a huge effect on many aspects of our environment and the degradation of it. With society’s insatiable appetite for the latest restaurant, toy, video game, technology, cars, and cell phones, there is not enough room for all the things that we eventually throw by the waste side. It has been said that American’s consumption is higher than anywhere else in the world (Mount Holyoke College, 2015). Not to mention the mass amounts of resources that are necessary to produce and process these goods: land, water, trees, and fuel. Environmentally, to create these products there is a great deal of pollution and byproducts that are involved with manufacturing. Forests are being destroyed, the ozone is diminishing, water supplies are being depleted and polluted, global warming is occurring, the lands are eroding and we are running out of land in general.

Consumption patterns must be changed, but that would be a major undertaking. This is not a topic that is heard of as often as the other areas of environmental concern. Perhaps, this is for a few reasons. First, our economy is heavily dependent on our consumerism. One must remember that economic growth is measured by the gross national product (GNP), which is “the sum total of goods and services produced by a given society in a given year” (Shah, 2005). It is a vicious cycle. One must consider that the system seems stacked against the change of these consumer habits. For instance, technology is made with planned obsolescence, to ensure one needs the latest and greatest or we are automatically at a disadvantage or disconnected. Second, our consumerism is indicative of our social status. If one has the original iPhone, they may be asked if a quarter is necessary to use it. There is shame associated with anti-consumerism. This indeed is a sign our perspective about the need for things may be skewed, as the need for them might just be our planet’s demise.

This tragedy of the commons will eventually lead to a very unpleasant circumstance if change does not occur in the immediate future.  While efforts on recycling and conservation are certainly commendable, the challenge is to address the bigger social picture and the bigger system that is reaping rewards while wreaking havoc on the planet. Perhaps the best form of intervention would be knowledge. For example, mandating environmental science in the curriculum at the secondary level of school would be a start. Although, the easiest thing to do is to rationalize that everyone is a consumer, that it’s necessary for the economy, and that one person won’t make that big of a difference, this resource dilemma must be thought through by each individual if change is ever to occur. This change must be of a social nature and possibly with some better government regulation.

To see one’s environmental footprint in everyday decisions National Geographic has an excellent educational interactive site up. It is definitely worth checking out!

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/human-footprint-interactive/

There is a great video out on the whole process behind consumerism that presents the real picture one cannot ignore after watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eWBg8ojno4

References
Mount Holyoke College. (2015, September 20). American Consumerism and the Global Environment. Retrieved from mtholyoke.edu: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~kelle20m/classweb/wp/page6.html
Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psycholgy: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). California: Sage Publicationss.
Shah, A. (2005, August 10). Effects of Consumerism. Retrieved September 2015, from Global Issues.Org: http://www.globalissues.org/article/238/effects-of-consumerism

 


20
Sep 15

Why Our Environment Does Not Change

In my family group, we attempt to leave as small of a carbon footprint as possible. Teaching lessons in conservation and protecting our resources is rather important.  With this said, I found myself in quite a dilemma the other day while driving to the store with my seven-year-old son.

The conversation went like this:

Son: Mommy, what is the black stuff coming from that truck?
Me: Well, it depends on the truck as if it is a diesel truck, it is the “normal” exhaust. If it is a gasoline truck, it could be an issue within the engine.
Son: Is it bad?
Me: Yes, it is bad for our air.  It is called pollution.  Remember?  We have talked about pollution and you learned in class.
Son: I remember. Why can’t we tell the person they are wrong and to stop?
Me *can not form words*

How does a parent explain to their child that you cannot simply walk up to another and inform them they are polluting the air we all have to breathe?  Life does not work in that manner nowadays.  However, when you think about it the way my son did, someone should in fact make a comment to the individual.  Too many individuals today are so nonchalant when it comes to the limited resources we have on Earth.  I am not sure if it is simply for the reasons they do not care or if they are not informed.  It reminds me of trying to persuade an individual to be energy conscious or to recycle.  One cannot be forced, they must understand the benefits and have desire to make a change.

The social dilemma here is too many individuals are not venturing to make a change.  Many times an electric car limits the individual to short driving, i.e. staying in the town they reside as there are not areas for them to charge.  When it comes to recycling, all too often smaller towns do not have a recycling program (such as the town we reside) therefore if an individual desires to recycle, they must drive a few towns away.  Whether it is simply for the reason that electric cars are not feasible or implementing a community/city wide recycling plan is too costly, the problem will not change until someone or group begins the process.

Many groups have come forward over the years to inform the public of the many issues we can face down the road if change does not happen soon.  At times, individuals hear what is being said and decide this is something they want to do, although they are unsure how much time, effort, or even money it will take to contribute to the campaign.  If they do make the decision, they may begin the campaign, stick with it for some time, but then stop as they are becoming overwhelmed with the extra effort they are giving when they do not see others doing the same.

Our environment has given the individuals of this world so much bounty; however, this bounty will not last forever.  It is time to stand up and make a change.  It is election time in many local communities, therefore, make the issue known and see that change is made.


20
Sep 15

Resource Dilemmas due to Over Population and Consequences

Resource dilemmas have been the source for struggle between mankind that has occurred throughout history, but now, instead of resource shortages being confined to a particular geographic area these dilemmas are now related to a global scale. As populations continue to increase and resource shortages continue to grow, human behavior will react to these shortages to the extent that previous core belief systems will change in order to accommodate the need for survival.
“Not only the common man practiced infanticide; it was intellectually justified by some of the greatest minds of antiquity. Aristotle, one of the most influential thinkers in Western intellectual history, wrote: There must be a law that no imperfect or maimed child shall be brought up. And to avoid excess in population, some children must be exposed. For a limit must be fixed to the population of the state (Aristotle-Politics: Book VII: Ch.16).”

China implemented a one child program in order to answer the problem of overpopulation. “China has the highest population in the world, encompassing 1.2 billion or twenty one percent of the world’s population (P.R.B. 7)(Cook, 1999).” This program has decreased population growth but has not been successful in reaching goals necessary and is not without serious consequences.
Infanticide has been one of the consequences of the one child program instigated in China. Infanticide has been practiced throughout history. Societies whose cultural belief systems, that include infanticide, placed little value on an infant’s life if the infant served no future value for society and infanticide was a widely accepted practice within these cultures.
“Here is a 2,000 year old letter from a Roman named Hilarion to his pregnant wife, Alis:
Know that I am still in Alexandria…. I ask and beg of you to take good care of our baby son, and as soon as I receive payment I will send it up to you. If you deliver of a child (before I get home), if it is a boy, keep it, if it is a girl discard it….(The Jewish Impact on Society, 1999).”

While overpopulation does present a variety of problems for the world’s sustainable resources, the solutions to overpopulation must be studied responsibly and scientifically by applied social psychologists as to how these solutions might affect human behavior and cultural perceptions, social facilitation, and in turn how human behavior might react to these solutions producing negative or positive outcomes.

References
Cook, J. (1999, December 5). Population Control and Consequences in China. Retrieved September 18, 2015, from http://maps.unomaha.edu)/peterson/funda/sidebar/chinapop.html

The Jewish Impact on Civilization. (1999). Retrieved September 18, 2015, from http://international.aish.com/seminars/worldperfect/wp03n11.htm


20
Sep 15

How many trees are there in the world

I was recently listening to NPR where they talked about the amount of trees that were in the world. Immediately, I thought, well there are a lot of trees in the word! I guessed maybe a couple hundred thousand trees. A couple of years ago, Thomas Crawther was inspired to take a census of all the treats in the world. He was working with a friend who wanted to undertake planting 1 billion trees to fight global warming. But because they didn’t know how many trees there really were in the world, they didn’t know if this would make a difference at all or if it would change our world for the better (Greenfieldboyce 2015).

Not many people have done research on the quantity of trees in our world. One estimate was that there were 400 million trees world wide (Greenfieldboyce 2015). So using satellite imaging and meticulous data collection spanning over 2 years, we now have been given a number. Are you ready… there are 3 TRILLION trees in this world (Greenfieldboyce 2015). Now, that is a very large number. So my thoughts automatically went to the idea that we are fine, global warming is not a big deal, because we have so many trees. One Sunday when I was visiting my mom in Conyers, Georgia I noticed that one of the woods areas where we used to hang out when I was in high school was torn down and there was a Publix, Target, AT&T and restaurants all over the place. There were so many trees there, that are all now gone.

So, this is the dilemma: We keep cutting down trees to build more and more buildings because we have more and more people occupying this earth. It is estimated that 15 billion trees are cut down each year by people to make space for our growing population. The earth isn’t getting any bigger to accommodate all of the people it is housing. Data suggests that in 300 years, there will be no trees available. What will we do then, how will we breath, what will our world look like? How can we realistically fix this population problem and keep the trees we have now?

Crawther and his colleagues want to now plant 1 trillion trees based on this new information. But planting so many trees won’t happen over night, it will take years and years for these trees to be planted (Greenfieldboyce 2015).

For more information you can go to: http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/02/436919052/tree-counter-is-astonished-by-how-many-trees-there-are

or

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/5d29245e237a4004aa9b0df074ca640d/lots-trees-hug-study-counts-3-trillion-trees-earth


20
Sep 15

Recycling

There are many environmental issues that are prevalent in today’s world, not the least of which include water conservation, better use of natural gas and electricity, curbing air pollution, and global warming.  One issue that I feel many people can control immediately is recycling.  It may be a small contribution but one that has an immediate and major impact on our nation’s landfills. I can recall, in my youth, a time when bottles were returned for a nickel a piece and people would collect tin to sell at some unknown “yard” for pennies a pound. I am not sure why this policy went by the way side but it was a concept of recycling that should have been continued. When plastic bottling came about in the seventies, there was no recycling. These plastics were not made to be recycled. Everything went to trash. Many other products used in homes went directly to trash yards as well and our landfills started to become overfilled.

It was not until 1991 when Coca-Cola came out with a recyclable plastic bottle. ” Recycling efforts will get a boost in 1991, when Coca-Cola introduces the first recycled-PET soda bottle.  PET recycling will grow from 8 million pounds in 1979 to 622 million in 1995.” (A Brief History of Recycling. Motor City Free Geek. Retrieved from http://www.motorcityfreegeek.net). Awareness of landfill issues become more prevalent during the nineties and more people start to take recycling efforts seriously. The National Resource Defence Council reports that our nation currently recycles 32.5% of our trash compared to 5% in 1970 (Recycling 101.National Resource Defence Council. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org). The efforts of Applied Social Psychology’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory could possibly have been what caused this action to take place. Believing that we need to recycle and actually doing it are two different things and could cause that struggle within each of us if we do not do our part. Awareness campaigns along with reports of a bleak future for our children if we do not recycle have moved many Americans to action.

Recycling is a large part of our communities. It takes little effort but helps in such a major way. It has become a normal part of my life. It’s the least I can do for the environment.

 

A Brief History of Recycling. Motor City Free Geek. Retrieved from http://www.motorcityfreegeek.net

 

Recycling 101.National Resource Defence Council. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org


20
Sep 15

Environmental Practices Around Town

Applying social psychology to environmental issues is a unique and interesting twist on altering problematic behaviors.  Although I saw the value in changing perception in other ways, I never really thought about it in this context.  Since this week’s lesson focused on different strategies used for recycling, energy conservation, and reduction of water usage, I wondered how this applied in my everyday life.  In what ways are utility companies, businesses, and even my employer effective in discouraging wasteful behaviors?  To learn of the answer, I decided to become environmentally aware of practices in my home, of local businesses frequented, and my work environment to find out.

Purchasing a fully electric home, I anticipated my electric use to be a bit on the higher end.  After all, attending school online uses energy, as well as cooking, using hot water, air conditioning, heating, etc.  So it came as no surprise to see my monthly usage for the square footage of my home.  What was shocking and made me take notice, was after receiving a home energy report that showed astronomical usage compared to other homes in the area.  This detailed report showed the times of peak usage, an average day of the previous month, usage of similar homes, homes that are both similar and efficient, and my home in comparison.  If you are found to have a good rating, one “smiley” face is received and for great, two.  My first report showed that I was well behind similar homes in the area, but this changed after a few months when the rating of good was received and later great.  While I did not think such awareness would have this type of impact, I am pleased to say that it did and I am more cognizant of my usage. Schultz et al. (as cited in Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, 2012) saw similar effects in their study of home energy conservation.  The researchers found when a report of energy consumption was given that provided a comparison of usage and a smile or a frowned face as the “…injunctive norm of approval or disapproval,” households responded by using less energy (Schneider et al., 2012, pp. 309-310).

Besides energy consumption, waste is yet another area that garnered little attention – until I noticed the “face-lift” many trash receptacles received. During lunch time in downtown D.C., I frequently gather with co-workers or friends to grab a salad, chicken roti, or whatever may seem tasty for the day.  Usually when our meals have been completed, the fast food establishment offered large trash receptacles to discard of all remaining items. However, this is no longer the same. Over the past few months, I have noticed that the trash cans are not just one large bin anymore.  Restaurants now have containers that divide the different type of waste for recycling purposes.  Since everything cannot fit into certain squares or holes, the consumer must be mindful of how to discard the trash.  Although I am not certain how the trash is handled from there, this method of sorting has rolled over into my home life.  By being mindful of the way trash is discarded in restaurants, I am aware of the same processes at home and have set up separate areas for different items (plastic, paper, etc.).  I have also started to reuse plastic bags, bottles, or anything that can be used on more than one occasion.  This helps me to participate in the recycling efforts in my community and make a small step towards helping the environment.

Since so much time is spent in the office, it was pretty interesting to look at behaviors encouraged by building management and my employer.  Upon entering the building, visitors/workers are introduced to the stance building management has taken with respect to sustainability. Logos of Energy Star and the U.S. Green Building Council are affixed to the entrance and are very visible.  This relays the message (at minimum) that the building is energy efficient, conserves water, and participates in recycling efforts.  In testing this assumption, I stayed attentive to ways the bathrooms were designed, trash practices, and energy efficiency products.  Within my office, there are various containers for paper, plastic, and general trash, then others for paperwork that requires shredding.  While my employer has provided all energy efficient laptops/computers and equipment within the office, the building has also taken steps to ensure compliance is met.  For example, if an office is unoccupied for a certain amount of time, the light automatically turns off.  This helps to reduce usage when others forget or fail to turn their lights off when departing for the day.  When looking at the restroom, I noticed low-flush, manual toilets and hand towels made from recycled paper to dry our hands after washing.  Our rooftop terrace, which provides amazing views of the city, boasts of greenery that provides some comforts of a park setting and allows tenants to gather for lunch, social functions, or just a moment enjoy the view.  Trash practices are prominent here also, where much like my office, there are containers for plastic, glass, etc. that is separated for recycling.

All in all, applied social psychology is all around us and with respect to the environment, there are practices being used every day.  Although we may not be aware of its effects, the trash separation at fast food restaurants and my office carry over into my home and it helps with community efforts.  Likewise, my utility company implemented a program that has proven successful in studies and now in several homes within the area.  While we may not always be mindful of such behaviors, it is a pleasant thought to see how it has helped curb some of my bad habits.  Have you noticed the same in your environment?  Try taking an observational tour to find out.  You will be surprised at what you discover.

 

Reference:

Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (Eds.). (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.


17
Sep 15

How much more space is there?

Currently the focus or prominent issue debated in the environmental realm is that of global warming. Unfortunately, the conversation is centered on the very existence rather than addressing the ramifications and solutions. I will not entertain the notion that global warming is nonexistent or a liberal social agenda. However, I will concede that the earth has experienced many temperature oscillations or changes in global climate. Furthermore, I would like to simply acknowledge the fact that the earth is undergoing a shift to higher temperatures experienced across the globe. I will not pretend to have absolute causation or explanation; however, I do contend that human global population and environmental impacts are related.   The dramatic population explosion, exponential growth, is a reality and should be a global concern.

The human growth rate and population can be best illustrated and described by a “J curve”. The growth rate quickly compounds and results in exponential growth and is illustrated in the provided graph. Interestingly, many animal species naturally reach a carrying capacity. Essentially, a species will find an equilibrium or balance within the environment. There are instances in which the animal population will exceed the carrying capacity and cause a crash in population potentially below carrying capacity but can then rebound to the natural carrying capacity. Typically an animal population is not static and naturally fluctuates above and below carrying capacity. This phenomenon is an interesting aspect to life on earth and I would argue that the human race has yet to reach or define a carrying capacity. Perhaps, we are quickly reaching this juncture and a cataclysmic decline in human population will occur, forcing humans to reach equilibrium. I do not like to be doom and gloom or overly pessimistic about the future. I do believe, if you survey the amount of human ingenuity through out time we will find a solution to human population growth and resource consumption. Possibly the reason we humans have not yet experienced a dramatic decline in population is due to human resourcefulness. Despite my optimistic demeanor, I do contend that societies need to re-evaluate human impacts and implement lifestyle changes for a more sustainable future.    Exponential Growth & Carrying Capacity

The environmental pressure as a result of the ever-growing human population is tremendous and needs to be addressed. The pressure and exploitation associated with human population has created resource dilemmas or common dilemmas. Resource dilemmas are defined as situations in which individuals must choose between self-interest and the interests of the community in respect to the environment. (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012) I will not go into the details of how the specific resources such as fresh water and air quality are in jeopardy. Rather, I would prefer to examine the current general environmental consciousness and necessary changes to address the global resource dilemma.

It is my contention that the current economic paradigm based on the notion that resources are unlimited is antiquated and is known as the tragedy of the commons. The tragedy of the commons was first introduced by a 19th-century economist Lloyd (Schneider et al, 2012) and states: “when each [person] is locked into a system that compels him to increase his [harvesting] without limit- in a world that is limited. Ruin is the destination toward which all [persons] rush, each pursuing his own best interest.” (Schneider et al, 2012) The logical question then to ask our selves as a civilization is: how do we avoid the tragedy of the commons?

I contend that the ultimate solution relies upon a collective shift in the consciousness towards the relationship between humans and the environment. This change will not be an easy effort and will rely on creativity and diligence provided by environmental psychologists to alter the current perception and behavior towards the environment. I believe the shift in attitude and behavior will take interventions designed to influence the youth and stress the importance of sustainability.

 

Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology:           Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Washington, DC:        SAGE   Publications.

Graphic:

Carrying Capacity. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.blendspace.com


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