So, what exactly is climate change? What is global warming? What is the difference? Here’s all that you should know.

“Climate is a measure of the average pattern of variation in temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological variables in a given region over long periods of time.”

“Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among other effects, that occur over several decades or longer.”

Climate change is the change of the various climates around the world. Examples of climate change include global warming.

“Global warming refers to the recent and ongoing rise in global average temperature near Earth’s surface. It is caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is causing climate patterns to change. However, global warming itself represents only one aspect of climate change.”

Over the past hundred years or so, the average temperature of Earth has increased because of this phenomenon. It has risen by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit already, and is estimated to increase from 2-11.5 degrees in the next hundred years. These changes do not sound like much, but a small change in climate can affect the Earth in a very big way. These small changes can cause large, and “potentially dangerous shifts” in weather and climate.

Evidence has been found that clearly proves the existence of climate change.

Effects and    evidence of climate change include the following:

-Changes in rainfall

-Flooding, droughts, or intense rain

-More frequent and severe heat waves

-Warming and increasingly acidic oceans

-Melting ice caps

-Rising sea levels

These signs of climate change pose significant threats to life on Earth.

More indicators of climate change can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/

Who has caused climate change and global warming? Humans.

Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels for energy, deforestation, industrial and agricultural practices, release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases blanket the Earth, and trap heat energy under the atmosphere. This causes the overall climate to warm. This is the greenhouse effect, and it is not all bad. The greenhouse effect is necessary—in moderation—to support life on our planet. But the increasing greenhouse effect and the buildup of greenhouse gases has significant consequences.

More causes of climate change: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/causes.html

Climate change can change anything connected to our climate—which includes all life on Earth. It can affect water supplies, food supplies, power and transportation systems, the environment, our health, and our safety. It will continue to worsen—Earth will continue to warm until carbon dioxide begins to leave the atmosphere, which can be up to 100 years after it is placed in our atmosphere.

This is kind of depressing, though. People, along with larger organizations and agencies, can take action.

What the EPA is doing: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities.html

What you can do: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/

Calculate your carbon footprint: http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/

As someone who is interested in the environment and protecting it, I have always been interested in renewable sources of energy. The eco-friendly form of energy that I am most excited about is solar panels. To me, solar panels signify the change that parts of society are making to live more sustainably. Solar panels harness the most significant source of energy that we have access to on Earth, and then store this as electricity that we can use. However, solar panels are often criticized for being inefficient, expensive, or ineffective. Here is some more information on the different types of solar panels and on solar panel efficiency.

Types of solar panels:

• Monocrystalline silicon (aka single silicon): these are the most efficient types of solar panels. They create the most electricity out of sunlight when compared to the other types of solar panels in use today. Single silicon solar cells (say that three times fast) use more silicon than other types of silicon-containing solar panels. This increases their cost, but you need fewer of them to create a specific amount of electricity because of their high efficiency. Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are distinguished by their square shaped cells.
• Polycrystalline silicon (multi-silicon): these panels are cheaper because they use less silicon, however, this makes them less efficient. These solar panels are best for construction on use, and can be recognized by their woven silicon and wire appearance.
• Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): these panels can look like real roofing tiles. These solar shingles are the most attractive-looking panels for use on a house or other building. However, these good looks cost more, are less efficient, and may not last as long.
• Solar thermal panels: these panels produce hot water for homes and pools. Some solar thermal systems can even provide heating or air conditioning for homes. These look nothing like a typical, blue solar panel.
• More info on types of solar panels: http://pureenergies.com/us/how-solar-works/types-of-solar-panels/

So those are some of the different types of solar panels. So what? How efficient are they? And what does an efficiency rating mean? Here’s what you should know.

• Most solar panels are from 11-15% efficient, meaning that they convert from 11-15% of the sunlight that hits a panel into useable electricity. This sounds low, but most typical roofs can be easily outfitted with solar panels to cover one’s energy needs.
• Compare different solar panel efficiencies here: http://sroeco.com/solar/table/
• The higher the efficiency, the less surface area you’ll need in your solar panels.
• When someone looks to buy solar panels for their roof, pre-negotiated solar deals typically offer a choice of different panels. You might not want to get the most efficient panels if you have more roof space. Companies usually focus on minimizing the cost of solar panels while maximizing expected kilowatt production from those solar panels.
• Solar panel efficiency is affected by: panel orientation (which should be installed in the optimal position for sunlight and airflow), tilt of a roof, temperature, and shade from plants/buildings/trees.
• More info on solar efficiency here: http://pureenergies.com/us/how-solar-works/solar-panel-efficiency/

If the right type of solar panels are chosen and installed correctly, the average household owner can drastically reduce their consumption of electricity from traditional sources (such as fossil fuels). Large industrial or office buildings can install solar panels as well. Additionally, solar farms are being created in various parts of the country, for the sole purpose of harvesting solar energy into electricity. But what else can solar panels be used for?

To me, one of the most exciting ideas for using alternative energies is the idea of solar powered-cars. While this is not exactly feasible at the moment, the idea is becoming closer to reality. Ford has created a concept hybrid car and put solar panels on its roof. This C-Max Solar Energi car is just one of the solar paneled cars created to explore this exciting engineering concept. Small car roofs create a challenge in generating enough electricity to make it worthwhile and practical. But whether or not this idea becomes a real product in the future, it definitely demonstrates the progress that humans are making towards a more sustainable future with solar energy.

More info on the C-Max Solar here: http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Ford-s-experimental-car-has-solar-panels-on-roof-5107688.php

On Monday, March 2, 2015, I was able to attend a deliberation entitled “Weighing the Options: A Deliberation on Obesity in America.” Being an American, this issue immediately interests me, especially when coupled with my commitment to living my life in a healthy way. So here is some background on what a deliberation is, and on the issue of obesity in society today.
This event was put on through Penn State as a part of the Deliberation Nation effort. “The National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation is a network of thousands of innovators who bring people together across divides to tackle today’s toughest challenges. NCDD serves as a gathering place, a resource clearinghouse, a news source, and a facilitative leader for this extraordinary community.” Deliberations are similar to debates, except that they aim to talk through a solution to a tough problem, and are much calmer and less argumentative. This deliberation facilitated an interesting conversation, and it helped me learn more about one of the nation’s biggest health problems.
Although there is no easy solution to this problem, I hope that today’s deliberation was able to help find a solution. The issue of obesity emerged when famine became an uncommon event in the United States. Our bodies are designed to store fat from times of abundance of food, and as we do not need this fat storage any more, we are becoming bigger and bigger on average. Instead of working to hunt and gather for our food, we can go to a fast food chain and easily acquire food. Obesity is a big issue, because it causes many other health issues, not to mention issues with body image and more.
There are many approaches to reducing obesity. This deliberation outlined three different options. Option one focused on subsidies on healthier foods, taxing unhealthy and fast foods, and making obesity-related healthcare more expensive. This would help incentivize people to eat healthier through economic actions. Option two focuses on teaching families, families, and society as a whole to eat healthier and exercise more. This could teach college students how to eat healthy on their own, focus on teaching nutrition ideals in elementary school at an early age, and increasing discussions about nutrition at check-up doctor’s appointments. Option three is a scientific approach to ending obesity. This would work on more research to find who is at risk for obesity, and on changing one’s metabolism through genetic modification.
While all of these solutions offer valid answers to the issue of the obesity epidemic in America, I have reached a personal decision on the best way (in my opinion) to solve this problem. I am no expert, however, so my opinions are to be taken with a grain of salt. I think the most important way to challenge obesity is to change the behavior of people in America. I think economic actions could contribute to this, as could increasing research and scientific advancements, but the main focus on this initiative should be on education and changing the psychological and social aspects of food and eating. I think the best way to solve this issue is to combine all three of these approaches. Once we change the way people behave with food and nutrition, this can help to change the willpower of Americans struggling with obesity, and can lead the way to a healthier future.
For more information on deliberations, visit http://ncdd.org/.

So most people get that using a lot of energy is bad, because of the increase in greenhouse gases and the resulting effect on global warming. And most people get that fossil fuels are bad—that they’re dirty, inefficient, messy, and can be dangerous. But despite increases in alternative energy, a significant amount of society is still against these alternative energy sources, even if these sources could pose a solution to mitigating climate change. Why is this?

Many people have a positive mental image of rene  wable energy, while fossil fuels tend to have a more negative connotation. But people are reluctant to make the switch from fossil fuels to alternative energy. It is easy to just stick with what works, and people don’t want to change what isn’t broken. But that attitude won’t get us anywhere. In fact, the opposite attitude is what will—and is—helping us to begin to solve the pressing environmental issues we face today. Renewable sources of energy have also begun to change the minds of some members of society.

Renewable energy is currently providing clean and reliable energy where it does exist. And record numbers of new wind farms and solar energy farms are popping up in the US recently. If we continue this expansion of renewable energy, we can continue the decreases in dirty fossil fuels. New energy technologies can allow us to improve our current electricity and energy system, and this will allow us to move the country towards a cleaner future. In fact, the United States has the tools needed to increase renewables, and our electricity system has the potential to accommodate more wind and solar energy. But can we count on renewable energy? Yes.

“The wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine.”
This does not matter. With multiple wind and solar power sources, we can draw electricity from a broader geographic area to ensure a steady supply of electricity. Additionally, more accurate weather forecasts can allow grid operators to estimate renewable energy output, and make adjustments as necessary. Other power sources, such as hydroelectric power or even hydrogen power, can fill the gap made on wind or sun-less days. And it is also important to remember that electricity grids can handle change. All energy sources face changes, and even fossil fuels are not always reliable because of possible “interruption for maintenance, and from severe weather, equipment failure, and other unexpected events” (UCSUSA). The grid that handles our electricity is already used to preparing for variations in supply and demand, and can just as easily be made to work with alternative energy sources that can be just as variable as traditional energy sources.

We will be able to allow renewable energy to provide a majority of U.S. electricity, because we can actually depend on alternative energy sources. Alternative forms of energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower, are readily available to be used as forms of electricity for today and tomorrow. We can add many variable energy sources, and depend on these environmentally-friendly sources of electricity. We can change.

Although change is hard, we can do it. Change is necessary for a better future and sustaining the human race on Earth.

Let’s start a change—today!

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/smart-energy-solutions/increase-renewables/ramping-up-renewable-energy-sources.html#.VNA0Qi5HM4c

Not everybody is an athlete. I learned that when I was cut from the volleyball team in high school. But at universities such as Penn State, everybody can still become involved in sports. I am able to attend this school to learn more while also experiencing the amazing sports traditions of the nittany lions. University communities such as State College provide a perfect combination of academic and athletic opportunities. As a Penn State student, I can appreciate the academic and athletic opportunities and interactions that this wonderful university provides.

In university communities, athletics and academics interact in a variety of ways. I learned of many of these ways when I was able to visit the Penn State All-Sports Museum and encountered the athletic history and heritage and how it interacts with the academic history and heritage of Penn State.

This museum provides many examples of the countless awards won by the “student-athletes” from PSU. I was astounded by the amount of trophies in the museum alone, and these awards are proof of the athletic prowess of Penn State students. But these great athletes aren’t just accepted as students here because of their sports skills. They are not athletes, or students, but student-athletes, and this combination of two skill sets is a powerful inspiration for those in the community. In the past year alone, PSU won 8 championships and almost 300 student-athletes received Academic All-Big Ten honors. The student-athletes of this community are inspiring in their drive for excellence both on the field or in the classroom, and they prove that athletics and academics can unite perfectly in a university environment. Additionally, these student-athletes also positively impact the community through acts of community service and being ambassadors of the university.

In both recent years and historic years, athletics and academics interact in a variety of ways here at Penn State. The student-athletes here, along with the other members of this community, are able to participate in and watch a large variety of sports activities while also participating in the large variety of academic opportunities available here as well.

Penn State is a fantastic university because of the academic and athletic pride it instills in the students and community her in State College, and I couldn’t be happier here.

I absolutely love creating art, and there is no place better for inspiration than at an art museum. When we visited the PSU Palmer Art Museum as a class, however, we focused on viewing the art as not inspiration for art (although everything was still very inspirational to me) but as a way to see how artwork can reflect historical and social contexts and cultures. This different lens to view artwork through was an extremely eye-opening experience for me, and I really enjoyed looking at the various works of art in this way. I was particularly struck by this sculpture. It depicts a regal-looking woman who is standing tall. This work of art, or cultural artifact, tells viewers a lot about the context and culture of when it was created. For example, she is wearing decorative jewelry and clothing, which suggests that she is of the upper class. She also has tiny feet, suggesting that they were bound, as were those of many young women in this historical period. Her nails are also long. This shows that she was most definitely not a peasant—she had the luxury of keeping her nails long and not working for herself. Additionally, she is wearing yellow, which is the color of the emperor—only the emperor was allowed to wear yellow during his rule. All of these details about this beautiful sculpture paint a portrait of an upper class woman who was most likely a member of the emperor’s family. She might have had servants to carry her and do labor for her, and she was regal or royal enough for a sculptor to create this beautiful piece of artwork for her. Additionally, a large amount of clay was used as a resource to sculpt her, signifying her importance. This specific artifact not only shows the life and context of the woman who is depicted, but also reflects the culture she lived in. Her society was one with both upper and lower classes, and the peasants in this society were often servants for the emperor and his family. Cultural artifacts and pieces of artwork, such as those found in the PSU Palmer Art Museum, are reflective of the culture and society they were created in because of the way that they can depict members of society such as this beautiful woman.

I urge all readers of this blog to take a chance and visit your local art museum and think about how artwork reflects culture—you won’t regret it.

Chimamanda Adichie creates an intriguing character with an interesting personal response to civic life in the first chapter of her novel Americanah. Ifemelu has left her home in Nigeria to live in America, and ends up settling in Princeton for about 15 years, during which she writes a “lifestyle blog” called “Raceteenth or Various Observations about American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) By a Non-American Black”. This blog is Ifemelu’s way of coping with the racial differences and difficulties she encounters as a black Nigerian living in America, and also serves to gather followers and increase awareness of the way that Non-American Blacks are treated. Ifemelu is extremely engaged in civic life by writing this blog that has created “a space for real conversations about an important subject” (Adichie 5). In general, any blog that provokes thought or discussion allows the blogger and readers to become engaged with civic life by allowing these members of a larger online community to talk about the issues raised in that blog. When a blog is centered on a sensitive topic, such as Ifemelu’s blog about race is, this blog also creates a ‘safe’ online community to discuss these issues and provoke a change as well. When Ifemelu talks to the white American from Ohio, she learns that he has adopted a black child despite the fact that “nobody wants black babies” in America. This blog post received the highest number of comments for Ifemelu for that month, and this shows that Ifemelu’s blog posts are thought-provoking and allow her to interact with her audience, which is a unique way for her to be civically engaged (Adichie 5). Ifemelu’s immigrant “race blogger” perspective is shown through her unique blog, which is her way to be civically engaged within her online community of readers.

This is a rough draft of my rhetorical analysis essay, which I chose to write on JFK’s Inaugural Address. Please let me know what you think of my essay so far!

Here is a link to the speech if you have not read it: http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres56.html

On a cold day in 1961, John F. Kennedy delivered a speech to the citizens and peoples of both America and the world. After the end of a close and competitive election, he used this speech not to celebrate his victory as president, but to unite the audience. He addresses the audience with a speech that would be remembered for years to come, as its call to duty is a powerful one. A strong appeal to ethics─ not only his ethics, but our ethics as a country united through common values─ and powerful emotional and logical arguments are used to convince the audience to take a stand and make a difference. Additionally, he appeals to the rest of the world by referring to different areas and countries of the globe while also connecting all human beings together as one population. In this inaugural address, Kennedy connects Americans together as one country and humans together as one population with a call to duty that relies on a heavy appeal to the ethics and morals of himself and the audience. Additionally, the use of a structurally and logically sound argument with powerful imagery and emotions used throughout the speech allows this call to action to be so effective in uniting Americans and the human race together.
Kennedy aims for his speech to be used as a call to duty to unite all of his listeners. There were many pressing issues─ threats to freedom and liberty, existence of poverty and misery, and lack of peace and civility─ that he felt should be rectified. He states that his inauguration should be a beginning of renewal and change, and goes on to connect Americans together. He appeals to the shared background of this proud and disciplined generation of “heirs of [our] first revolution” and asserts that this generation will prove their patriotic loyalty by leading America to join in the effort to assure the “survival and success of liberty” (Kennedy). All Americans, born here or not, are members of the great American ‘melting pot’. While we may have different ethnic or racial backgrounds, all who live in this proud country are all people who believe in values such as liberty, freedom, and justice. We are all descendants or supporters of the brave patriots who fought in the revolutionary war to stand for these same principles, and by referencing this shared heritage, Kennedy is able to further unite the American people. Additionally, Kennedy further connects the audience through a call to duty directed at each and every listener. He tells his “fellow Americans” to “ask not what your country can do for you” but do what they can for their country (Kennedy). While it is a big responsibility, he acknowledges that we can do this and if each American citizen helps the country in their own way, we will be able to make a difference. Through a combined effort, our country will be able to change the world for the better, as a nation of united peoples is much stronger than a nation of disconnected peoples.
Aside from the similarities in backgrounds, Americans share a set of core values as well. Kennedy uses ethical appeals in his speech to further unite the country while also adding to his credibility as a newly elected president. He swears the same oath set by “our forebears” in front of the country to show his commitment to the survival of basic human rights “because it is right” (Kennedy). As a people, we are committed to the promotion of human rights and peace as well, and by showing his commitment to these ideals, he is able to prove his credibility through a shared set of ethics with the audience. Kennedy’s impressive credibility parallels the same credibility that is ideal in the American nation. This connection between the president─ who has the ability to make an impact on the world─ and the audience shows that the people have the same ability to make an impact on the world. This increases the audience’s desire to accept this call to action, and results in an effective speech as well.
Along with uniting the American populace as one, Kennedy unites the human populace as one. He refers to allies whom we share “cultural and spiritual origins”, our sister countries, and the United Nations, and makes a pledge to the many different societies of the world (Kennedy). By referencing the common cultures, borders, and goals we share with countries throughout the world, he continues to develop his theme of unification. This ties together people from around the world as “citizens of the world” (Kennedy). As one people and one race, we can work together to accomplish our shared goals. Throughout his speech, Kennedy uses shared ethics and backgrounds to unite citizens of America and citizens of the world to accomplish the same goals that also unite us together.
In this speech, Kennedy aims to accomplish two main objectives: unification of Americans and humans, and to call his audience to duty. His use of shared backgrounds and ethics is extremely effective in connecting the country and world as one, while also working to strengthen his call to duty. This call is also based on an argument of logical and emotional appeals. The entire speech is structured in a logical way that flows from point to point, and makes sense overall. Stronger than the appeal to logic, however, is the appeal to emotions. Feelings such as pride and hope are contrasted with emotions such as fear and pity, and this contrast works to evoke powerful emotions in the audience. Negative sentiments, such as the pity felt for people in “huts and villages” attempting to cast off “the chains of poverty” are used to propel the people into action (Kennedy). These unwanted feelings create a desire among all to eradicate these emotions─ and their causes. Additionally, when contrasted with the sensations of hope and pride created through the unification of American and world citizens, this emphasizes the desire for increased pride and hope. And this can only be accomplished through rising to Kennedy’s challenge and answering his call to duty.
Strong appeals to morals and emotions are important aspects of Kennedy’s inaugural speech, which was aimed at uniting the people of the world as one by referencing their commonalities− such as shared backgrounds, cultures, and values. Kennedy creates connections between the different societies and groups of people in the world to emphasize his powerful call to duty, which serves to further unite the audience together with a common goal to ensure that we can all live in a world of peace and stability, where basic human rights are protected for everyone.

I would say that it is a safe assumption that most kids do not enjoy writing essays in English class; but there is one thing that many would say as worse than writing essays. And that is writing and performing speeches.
For me, I am fine with writing essays, and I am okay with writing speeches. But performing speeches, by myself, in front of the class, is not my forte. So I was not exactly thrilled about writing a speech for my RCL class. But I did it, and performed it in front of class earlier this week. I think it went okay, but it is really hard to accurately judge my performance from my own perspective. I also watched several other speeches being performed before it was my turn. In my opinion, I can say that all of the speeches performed in class were fairly sound in their ideas and structure. Additionally, they were all delivered well, despite some small (and common) mistakes or errors. Those small mistakes are the frequent use of words such as “um”, “like”, and “uhhhhhh”, along with long or awkward pauses, make some speech deliveries less effective than they could be. However, that does not make a speech completely bad; it just makes the delivery weaker in convincing the listeners of the main idea. I myself was able to limit my use of my crutch word: the word “like”, which I throw into my conversations way too often. Limiting my use of that word (especially in a formal presentation) is a success for me.
I also witnessed a variety of delivery styles as well, and the ones that worked best involved confidence, enunciation, and a speech based on well-structured and thought-out ideas. Hopefully my speech delivery fell in the category of successful speech deliveries, and not the category of weaker speech performances. Additionally, I hope that the rest of the speeches performed will be just as good (or even better) than the speeches I have already seen in class.

The Penn State Arboretum is a well-known place both on campus and off-campus. It offers many services to the public, such as hiking trails, a beautiful botanical gardens, and even a pumpkin festival in the fall. I got the chance to walk up to the arboretum on a cool September day, and I really enjoyed the chance I got to spend some time alone, reflecting on the wonders that can be found in the gardens and copses of trees in the arboretum. Aside from the opportunity it provides individuals to explore on their own, in the quiet pathways and trails, the arboretum provides other opportunities for civic interaction. Through the efforts of the arboretum, the university supports local ecological restoration and the teaching of these efforts. The university’s fields are currently being restored with native flora, and the future holds plans for restoration of the many acres of native habitat. Local members of the community are also given the chance to volunteer at the arboretum, where they can engage with others in their community through guiding tours, gathering and managing scientific data from within the arboretum, and restoring and enhancing native habitat and trails. The arboretum also aims to increase public awareness of its efforts, from research and conservation to outreach within the community. Penn State’s arboretum is dedicated to its mission, which is to be an “outreach, teaching, and research facility dedicated to preserving the beauty” and ecology of the habitats of its lands (“The Arboretum”). This dedication is a perfect example of the university’s efforts to increase civic interaction, as it allows for members of the community to interact with nature and each other as they explore and learn within the arboretum’s trails and gardens.
“The Arboretum at Penn State.” The Arboretum at Penn State. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.