Birth Dearth

Here’s this week’s discussion topic (due by 11:59 on Thursday, November 25).

We’ve been studying population-related issues, and especially interesting is the ‘birth dearth’ (Chapter Seven) that affects us here in North America.  Using our discussions/notes and your textbooks, think about these questions and respond thoughtfully to the following questions:

1. Discuss the statement:  ’The birth dearth is essentially a women’s issue.’ Note that, in your response, you should consider both the ways that this statement could be true and those in which it might not be true.
2. What changes in the organization of the work world would be necessary to meet the needs of women and men who want children?
3. Explain why solving the demographic issues of next century is not as simple as moving people from overpopulated regions of the world to underpopulated regions.
4. Finally, we just completed our pecha kucha presentations (quite successfully, in Coffin’s opinion).  In a few lines, explain your most successful 30-second snippet.  Which one did you do the best with and why?

Population-Related Issues

Responses to this topic are due by 11:59 on Thursday, November 18.  It closes Monday, November 22.

We have a few discussion topics/tasks this week.  Read carefully.

Personal Ecological Footprint

1. In class this week, we will participate in several population-related activities.  One of them involved completing a survey to determine our personal ecological footprint.
2. Today, take your survey results and complete an online calculation of your ecological footprint at this site:  http://www.myfootprint.org
3. Don’t forget to submit your survey when complete to qualify for assessment.

Globalization of Disease – Obesity Rates

• You were required to read chapter 26 in your text this week: Globalization of Disease to accompany our presentation by UPEI Student Nurse, Ms Gunn.  One section from the chapter dealt with obesity rates.  Based on your reading, respond to the following:
  • There are enormous differences in obesity rates in wealthy countries (as outlined on Figure 26-11 on page 418).  People wonder if it’s because of the makeup of national diets.  Your job:
    • Investigate the characteristics of typical diets in two of the countries listed on the chart and compare them to the United States.
    • Describe three characteristics of each national diet.
    • In your opinion, what is it about these national diets that creates such a difference in our obesity rates?

Miniature Earth Math

Responses to this discussion should be completed by 11:59 pm on Thursday, November 4 (but Coffin can wait until Sunday, November 7 since the topic was posted late.  There will be no penalty for Sunday responses).

Judging from the responses from our October 24 newsflash, this week’s discussion will focus on some of the more population-related statistics forwarded by The Miniature Earth website.  Here’s what to do:

1. Assuming the population of Canada at 34 million, take three statistics from the miniature earth video and apply them (so some math) to our country.  What do the stats look like?
2. Assuming the population of PEI at 135,000, take three other statistics (not the same ones used in number one) from the miniature earth video and apply them (again, by doing some mathematical calculations) to our province.  How does it look?
3. Two-Part Question:
   1. For everyone, one part of the miniature earth video hits a little harder or makes us think a little more.  What part was it for you?  Explain.
   2. Discover an organization committed to provide aid for the problem you discussed in part one of this question.  What is this organization’s name and its goals and how can ordinary people help?

UNFPA

Responses to this week’s discussion topic are due by 11:59 on Sunday night, October 31 (since many people have been working diligently on the Festivals and Feasts presentations).  It will still close on Monday, November 1.

As its mission, the United Nations Population Fund states:  the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

Its website contains a wealth of information, including publications, articles, statistics, and news pertaining to the state of the world’s population.  Your task this week is to explore the site and discuss some of the more interesting details you discovered while visiting.  Responses should be in the 250-300 word range and should include at least four details that you discovered that you feel are worth sharing with others.

Again, responses may be submitted anytime before 11:59pm on Sunday, October 31, since many students are still working on Festivals and Feasts.

Food for Thought

We will respond to some food-related questions this week based on our lectures, presentations, and short films.  Each response should be in the 50-150 word range.  Here goes:

1. Do you care where your food comes from?  Explain why or why not.
2. Some forms of factory farming raise tough questions about the way animals (and vegetables) are grown/raised and treated (think of The Meatrix, The Great Food Revolution, Food, Inc., and Grocery Store Wars videos).  What’s the solution?  Do you think ‘commando tactics’, such as breaking into or blowing up labs to help the animals are justified?
3. Read about the 100-Mile Diet on page 162.  Do you think you could do it for even a week?  Why or why not?  How would you make it work?

As always, responses are due by 11:59 pm on Thursday, October 21.  The discussion closes on Monday, October 25.

Food Aid Article Review

Responses to this topic are due by 11:59 on Thursday, October 14.  It closes on Monday, October 18.  Students who participated in the annual Magazine Campaign are excused from completing the post, unless they’d like to participate.

We’ve been studying/discussing/experiencing food and agricultural issues across North America and the rest of the world.  Your task this week is simple, go to the following site (Global Issues:  Food Aid), read the first four subsections and then complete a 250-word article review.  To complete the article review properly, check out the links on the left side of this page.

Again, responses are due (in proper article review format) by 11:59 on Thursday, October 14.

Clothing with Conscience

Responses to this discussion topic are due by 11:59 on Thursday, October 7.  It closes on Monday, October 11.

We’ve been looking at globalization and the real stories behind some of the brand-name clothing we wear every day.  Your task this week is to dig a little deeper into some of the companies who make your clothing.   Here’s what to do:

• Using your Global Girl or Global Guy, choose one of the clothing/accessory companies represented (for example, Nike, Hollister, Tommy, Reebok, etc).
• Using the web and find out a little more about how the company operates (wikipedia might be a good starting point), where its manufacturing base is, its human rights record, environmental record, the age of its workers, etc.  Especially interesting will be any stories that actually paint the company in a good light (although they will be difficult to find).  Share your findings in your response.
• Also, go to the site Better World Shopper and see where your apparel company fits.  Make sure to indicate its rating in your response.
• Some helpful sites:
  • Better World Shopper
  • Apparelsearch
  • Behind the Label