GreenMedia

This blog is basically just an evaluation of this may-mester course. When I first started this class I was only a little bit aware of what the term green meant and I really did not know much about new media either. I had different expectations for this class because I signed up for the ENVR 501 class and I was kind of thinking that we would be studying the effects that cell phones, you tube, and other sites like on the environment. I was also expecting more of a hands on learning class instead of a small discussion class. Although I had completely different expectations for what this class is about, I really enjoyed the topic and have learned a lot about new media and other green concepts.

In this course I have successfully accomplished quite a few things. I learned first of that Green is almost anything that is environmentally friendly. I also learned that Green washing is and has basically the opposite effects that regular cable television has. I have also learned a lot about new media and all the different ways there are to communicate online. I really like the fact that we were able/ had to blog our ideas on the website instead of always having to talk in class. I am very shy when it comes to speaking in large groups and I would prefer not to do it. That is why I think that the blogs on the Green Media website significantly help me learn and participate evenly in this course. Another aspect of the course that I really enjoyed was watching the videos. Green Media Literacy is a hard concept to get a hold of but the videos about related topics really helped to put the ideas into place for me. My favorite video was the “add and the ego”. Also, another positive aspect of this course was the Media G assignments. They really helped me to want to blog instead of just seeing the blog as a boring homework assignment where I have to read 7 chapters to answer a question. I also like exploring the new websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and 750 Words.

Last off, I really think that the group teaching assignments were also a very valuable asset to have for this class. It allowed us as students to not only get up and teach the class for a day but to also pick a topic that we liked and cared about. I liked the fact that we got to choose our topic because I care a lot more about alternative fuel sources and sustainable developmental housing than I do about internet addiction or building a farm. Another thing that I liked about this class was the fact that we got take field trips and we got to meet up outside of class to hang out for points. I really think all of the community building events helped everyone get to know each other better and that will allow for better discussions. Overall I think this was a very good class and I really enjoyed all of it. After going to city roots and seeing the farm, I would definitely like to invest in a little farm of my own one day. I would not change anything about this class because it was a fun and laid back atmosphere where we were still able to learn about Green Media Literacy.

For this special project I created a home movie of my friends backyard garden. The first section is a smaller garden that they started first and then the second part is a larger garden. The house is located off on South Edisto street which is right off rosewood. All of these plants are organic and growing very well considering the location. This is the first time I have every made a movie and actually tried to edit it and make it look good so please bear with me. All of the seeds were bought locally from a market right off of rosewood. In the movie he does mention that he is not sure what type of lettuce he has planted but after doing some research I decided that it has to be Romaine Lettuce. Other than that I think this video is self explanatory and I really hope you all enjoy this movie. The link is listed for movie that is posted on youtube.

Prior to entering this class I had limited knowlege on what “Going Green” was and no knowlege what so ever about “Green Media Literacy.” I have learned a great amount on the two topics throughout the duration of this course. Green Media Literacy focuses on exposing us to all the media that is around us and how we can use the media and other sources to our advantage. I’ve learned ways in which Green Media Literacy can be affective. How the use of media has allowed people from all over the world to voice their opinions on situations via the internet and other avenues when if not for the media none of that would have been possible. I also learned that the use of the media is one of the most powerful advertising forms and tools out there today. The media is soooo much more important in todays world than it was fifty or even ten years ago. According to a recent reading the media or the use of the internet is the new direction of our future. The president should make it mandatory that students in schools become familiarized and experts and the internet because soon we will be in a all digital/cyber ruled world.

I also learned and begun to appreciate the efforts made by people and organizations to promote “Going Green”. We should do everything in our power to keep our environment healthy and pollutant free. Before attending this class I thought that the need for “going green” was overrated and that our daily lifestyle routines could not be causing that much damage to the environment. But with activities like the carbon footprints, class discussion, all the information presented in class via documentaries my beliefs were proven wrong. Human lifestyles are one of the main contributors to this unhealthy, global warming, environment. After completing my group teaching project which was on sustainable development I found the need to create more environmental friendly homes to be extremely high. We should all look past what we are use to and try to adapt to what is right. I think the reason why “going green” is taking such a long time to really become a major move is because Americans have reached a high level of comfort from: driving their fancy cars, living in their dream home where they burn tons of electricity. Although it is slowly eating away at our environment alot of people have become so comfortable that they tend to look over the matter at hand and that is that we need to continue finding ways to improve homes, improve our lifestyle so that we can preserve our environment for as long as possible.

I liked all the field trips that we took to the different places but I especially like the trip we took to the nickelodean theater. I had never been before and found the Indie Grits festival and all the other films there to be very interesting and maybe something that I would consider pursuing.

Overall I felt like this was a Great Course. The professors were good listeners and the course outline was very accurate. I would recommend this course to anyone because it covers alot and after leaving one will be informed on all of  those situations. I enjoyed the course.

For our special project we visited the Rosewood Dairy Bar. It was founded in 1942 and presented a very friendly atmosphere. The Rosewood Dairy Bar has been serving the columbia area for about 70 years. Their menu ranges from their tasty burgers, juicy corndogs & hotdogs, chicken sandwiches to what they are most famous for; all their different shakes and ice cream delights.

We interviewed a lady name Carol. Carol has been coming to eat at Rosewood Dairy Bar for as long as she can remember. She said not only is the food and the dairy products great but so is the atmosphere and the people who dine and work at Rosewood Dairy Bar. The second person we interviewed was a guy name Rick. A current student at USC rick has not been a customer of the Dairy bar as long as Carol has but he says the Hotdogs is what keeps him coming back.

Compared to all these other fast food chains, it is my personal opinion, the people who make your food and the type of atmosphere plays a major role in whether or not a customer will continue to eat at your restaurant. I think small businesses like the Rosewood Dairy Bar have mastered that Southern Hospitality and Southern cooking and that alone is what keeps their customers coming back.

Everyone should have some sort of idea of exactly how the food that we eat on a daily basis is being made. The Film Food Inc. definitely painted a clearer picture for me. I found the film to be very breath taking at times. Seeing those chicken farms and how unsanitary they were made me not want to eat chicken ever again!! That whole process I just found to be unsanitary and gruesome. The one about the cows was a shocker as well. I found it interesting that breeders will feed the cows corn instead of grass because its makes the cows fatter. Not taking in consideration that feeding the cows this diet also places the cows at risk for developing Ecoli. And to prevent that from happening they place some type of anti-bodies inside the cows digestive system. All of this information and actually watching the film made me re-evaluate my eating habits.

I found the information presented in the documents and during the group presentation to be very interesting. The oil spill in the Gulf is a major problem. Not only for BP but for the environment and the surrounding areas around the gulf. Oil is a difficult pollutant to clear up, especially a massive spill such as the one that took place in the Gulf. I found it very disturbing that instead of trying to work together to get the problem solved the major corporations involved are blaming each other and pointing the finger in the opposite direction. The time that these companies are spending on arguing and playing the blame game could have been time spent on trying to find a resolution to solve the massive oil spill in the gulf. However, one organization called the EPA has begun to work with BP in an attempt to solve the oil spill.

To me, I really do not see how the internet can be an addiction, but I realize for many people it is. When using the internet I do not feel like I can stay on it for too long, or ever get addicted to computer games. One thing I must say though I do watch a lot of movies on Netflix, but not for hours upon hours a day. Maybe a few times a week. Can that even be considered part of an internet addiction anyway?

Two cases I have seen where there actually has been an internet addiction. When our class watched the movie with the kids from South Korea where they did nothing but play computer games was alarming. When sitting at a computer screen for pretty much all your free time, it can really mess up your personality in my mind. Another one would be the amount of time some people stay on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. I have heard about people spending entirely too much time on these sites where it starts to get in the way of their schoolwork.

The way to fix this addiction would just to go cold turkey. It doesn’t seem like the internet is the kind of thing to just slowly let yourself stop, because once you get on it you won’t get off. To fix all the free time you would have if you were an internet addict would be to pick up a few hobbies. I would start trying to play basketball more because that takes up a few hours a day if you got into the right schedule, and it is good for you.

For the past year when I am visited the famous University of South Carolina bars in 5 Points, I have see more and more people working for the Camel Tobacco Company handing out free cigarettes. Now I know smoking these things is terrible for you, unfortunately I still do, but handing out free packs of cigarettes every weekend night it makes it hard to even cut down on them Camel’s rational about this subject is to give away free packs on the weekends and get the people addicted by the week. In my mind, it is just wrong. They are taking advantage of these drunken college students, and getting them addicted to a harmful product very easily. By the way, not only do they hand out free cigarettes, but also tins of SNUS which is a spitless chewing tobacco. It is a terrible form of advertising, and should be stopped. I have heard there might be some new regulation to stop the cigarette part of this, but handing out SNUS will still be legal. So now the cigarette smokers will also get addicted to dipping. Sounds like a win-win for Camel. This is a very un-green form of advertising, and everyone should think twice before partaking in it.

For this blog, I am going to report on a recent Columbia, South Carolina event called “5 After 5”. It takes place on Harden St., right next to a bar names CJs, every Thursday at around 5. They have many local bands that come in play, while people can just come in and watch for free. It is a great local community event, which is very family orientated. It is great to see something that is grassroots, but at the same time something I am used to doing. For me personally, I am not used to going to events such as ones the Green Quad Community holds, but feel I can support the same kinds of goals with events like these. The last time I went to one of these events was on May 13, 2010, and the solo act names James Wesley Satterfield played. He had a really good sound, which included a lot of bluegrass in it. I would recommend this event to anyone, as it is right next to the school, supports local music and it just a great place to hang out with some of your friends. Remember every Thursday at 5.

Hearing about the recent events with the company BP and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is made me think of greenwashing. If you did not know, BP currently had the reputation of being the type of gas company that was very “green.” For example, these comparisons start with their logo, and go to driving around certain town in electric powered cars. They want to promote to the public they are different than the rest of these companies, and they actually care about the environment. Recently though, they have taken part in the biggest oil spill I have ever heard of. If they are so environmentally friendly, how could they let something like this happen? The company will tell you it was a fault of someone else rather than them, but if they are so environmentally friendly shouldn’t they do business with other companies that have the same values of them? In a perfect world yes, but the only reason they are promoting this message is to try and get one up on companies like Exxon and Shell. They will not risk profit to save our planet.