Green Effect

Blog Needs Help!

2007-07-09T17:28:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the backup on blog posts. I have just been so busy with college visits and work, and unfortunately I can't sit at my computer all day and blog.

This brings me to another topic about expanding the blog. I need more writers that would be willing to post environmental blog posts about once a week. It would help this blog to cover a wide range of perspectives, and would also help me in trying to keep one post a week.

I am looking for a few writers, so if you are interested email a paragraph to me about what it would mean to you to be able to post environmental blog posts. I will email you back if I think that you are up to the challenge, and if there are spaces available.

My email is pippenfree2003@yahoo.com

Help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!

Seth

Painting the World Green

2007-07-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, environmental issues have seemed to take the
forefront in many people's minds. However, there is speculation about what
the public is doing to lessen the myriad of environmental problems
(littering, ozone depletion, global warming and pollution, to name a few)
that are ruining the world. It seems as if there is much talk for
change, but nobody actually wants to step up in order to correct the
problems.

In order to find out if teens are actually helping to fix these global
crises, I meandered the halls of my school and asked some students
this question: "What are you, personally, doing in order to correct the
environmental problems that the world is facing today? If you do not
believe that there is a problem, please state your reasons."

"There is a problem; however, it's mostly caused by the natural
changes in Earth's climate. I am helping to save the world (from these
problems) by separating my glass from my plastic."
-Kristen Glaser, rising senior at Central York High School

"I do believe that there is a problem, but I could be doing much more
to correct it. I carpool and use the low-emission light bulbs."
-Jayson Myers, rising senior at Central York High School

"There is a problem. (In order to fix it) I personally have invented a
product that slows down the release of phosphate and consequently
lowers the pollution of waterways due to phosphate runoff."
-Alex Ghaben, rising junior at Central York High School

(published in July 2007 edition of York Daily Record Teen Takeover by Seth Black)

One Ground

2007-06-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, but the earth only has one ground. That ground must be shared 6 billion people and trillions of anilmals across 6 continents and four oceans.That is right! Erosion makes the dirt that you step on today the same dirt that farmers in Africa are trying to use in a few years.

Why is this relevant?

As Americans, we are prone to want everything perfect. Whether it is keeping our lawns from being eaten, having a weed free garden bed, or keeping organisms off of our perfectly round vegetables. As a way to achieve our perfection, we trun to pesticides. Pesticides are any chemicals that are intended to keep away any pests, and this gardening phenomenon has been growing at an alarming rate since the early 1990's. As a result, people are unknowingly eating these "pest killers" in their food, whether it is home grown or imported. If you use pesticides on your own soil, you are inhibiting the growth of needed nutrients in plants across doors, counties, states and seas. Ingestion of these chemicals by any living being is known to cause some bad side effects. As a concluding result, plants are dying, animals are dying, and water is being contaminated.

So how can one help to stop this growning lethal ingestion? Easilly! A person can pull weeds themselves and let the crabgrass grow. As long as my life, my parents have always let the yard handle itself. The crabgrass doesn't even show any signs of disruption from the yard. Just let the plants grow and take it from there.

At One: Truly Appreciating Nature

2007-06-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

The cool breeze washes around my face
As I look up into bitterness of the oncoming storm.
Only a short few seconds could tell me
How much longer I have to wait.

I start to hear the rain droplets speckle
Upon the leaves of the woods overhead.
I quickly abandon my safe haven
And run to the forest gate
Hoping to beat the storm to the outside world.

Muddy shoes sloshing and stamping.
Sound trying to keep up
With every jolted movement of my feet.

The sound of thunder embraced
The air around me.
I rapidly kicked off my shoes
To lessen the weight
And make my strides
Faster
Longer

My race turned quickly
As I began to hear the shower
From behind me.

I broadened my sight
Just to see that the exit
Was only a few yards ahead.

I pushed my last leg
And pulled myself through the tightly packed trunks
That guarded the gate.

I started to hear the gusts of wind
As I ran outside of my threshold.
I turned around
And took one last glance at what I call home.

The rain swirled overhead
And engulfed the spring area
Instantly drenching my self.

And all I could do was smile.
Nothing in the world mattered to me.

I raised my arms in the air
And threw myself to the ground.
I stared up at the sky
And let the droplets pierce my pupils.

I welcomed the thunder
And lighting.
Not a care in the world
As I laid there
Smiling and free.

Litter Control

2007-06-21T13:12:00.000-07:00