A graduate student builds pollution awareness in Hawaii
In this week’s blog post, student Wayne Sentman gives us a peek into his work leading ecotours on the Hawaiian island of Midway Atoll. Sentman, a field biologist, is working on a sustainability degree at Harvard Extension School.
The plastic is visible through the skeleton.
For a moment I forgot what a sad sight it must be for the tour group I was leading. In front of us lay a dead Laysan albatross chick, one of the unsuccessful young from the previous “hatch” year. In the exposed rib cage, many brightly colored objects were clearly visible.
As an ecotour leader at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, I was simply excited to find one of these intact carcasses so that I could use the opportunity to talk about the environmental problem of marine plastic pollution for ocean ecosystems and the wildlife dependant on them.
As the group gathered closer, we began to dissect the carcass. The group’s initial wonder at what all this colorful “stuff” was inside the dead bird turned to outrage and ultimately shame as we all started to recognized plastic objects from our daily lives (some we had even used that morning). In the end we counted three lighters, two magic marker caps, one toothbrush, numerous bottle caps, and many small unidentifiable pieces of plastic. (more…)
We are what we eat, so what are you?
Hi folks, Liz here. I work with Leslie at Harvard DCE, and I’ll be blogging from time to time, starting with today’s post about why what you eat matters. I look forward to sharing this space with you, and as always, I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Every day, we are bombarded by stories of how food affects our health or the planet. And who’s to say today’s report won’t conflict with tomorrow’s? In the past year alone we have seen:
- A dramatic rise in food prices spurred by increased global demand, which has exacerbated hunger and food insecurity for tens of millions.
- Concerns about contaminated foods in Japan following its nuclear crisis.
- An increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and type II diabetes in China and other regions of the developing world.
I don’t know about you, but at the most basic level it sure gets me thinking: where, exactly, does my food come from? And just because the label says it’s organic, does that mean it’s healthy? Maybe I should go vegan? And of course there are the issues of dining-out too often (hello sodium and butter!) and portion control. (Read Harvard Magazine’s “Restaurant Rampant” for an eye-opener.)
In the meantime, I asked Dr. P.K. Newby, a nutrition scientist and obesity expert from Boston University School of Medicine and School of Public Health, and Dr. Gary Adamkiewicz, an environmental health scientist from Harvard School of Public Health, about their new fall course ENVR E-129 From Farm to Fork: Why What You Eat Matters.
Here’s what they had to say:
Beyond our own physical health, what are some of the other less-publicized implications of why what we eat matters?
While food plays a central role in society and culture, a source of both pleasure and sustenance, it is also a contributor to many chronic diseases and health disparities. As well, it is a basic human need that is unmet for millions on our planet. And food production, processing, and transport are major contributors to environmental problems around the world. In essence, every meal we consume is intimately tied to our own health and to the global economy and environment.
What can students expect to learn in your course?
In the course, we will examine our food decisions through various lenses such as human health, nutrition, environmental degradation, and climate change. We will also explore the significant opportunities and challenges posed by addressing food production and distribution problems at both the local and global levels. Ultimately, students will learn why what we eat truly does matter—from farm to fork, person to planet.
What do you want students to be able to walk away from your course with?
The goal of our course is to provide students with information and tools to think about how their day-to-day decisions about the food they consume affects everything from their own health to the future of our planet. Indeed, everyday choices surrounding food and diet have important ramifications at the individual, local, and global levels. And the life cycle of food has a significant footprint on the earth.
Now that we’ve heard from the faculty, I want to hear from you. Are you buying more local and organic food these days? Have you tried to go vegetarian, vegan, or even fruitarian? Can you provide your fellow gastronomes with any advice?
Lastly, I’ll leave you with Making an Organic Choice, a nifty infographic courtesy of So Nice and InfoNewt.
Mangia!
10 courses to consider for the fall semester
Registration for fall courses at Harvard Extension School is now open! Here are 10 courses to whet your appetite. Use our course search to find more.
1. Microbes, Man, and the Global Environment
We have a complicated relationship with microbes. One day the viral types are creating a public-health threat, the next day hydrocarbon-digesting ones are eating up the Gulf oil spill. Study these complex microorganisms with a Harvard Medical School lecturer. Read about Microbes, Man, and the Global Environment.
2. Understanding and Developing Multimedia
Where would we be today without YouTube? Video and other multimedia have enriched the web. Learn to produce your own multimedia in this computer science course, offered online and on campus. See Understanding and Developing Multimedia.
3. Literature and Sexuality
From D.H. Lawrence to Nabokov to the Marquis de Sade, sexuality in literature has been a salient ingredient for modern subjectivity. In this online class, explore the intertwining histories of literature and sexuality. See more about Literature and Sexuality.
4. Environmental Science
Delve into the science of air pollutants in this class with three professors from the Harvard School of Public Health. See Environmental Science.
5. Russian Politics in Transition
This online course, taught by the Morris and Anna Feldberg Professor of Government and Russian Studies, explores the many hurdles on Russia’s long road to full democracy. See Russian Politics in Transition.
6. History of American International Relations
How has America’s role in international relations changed since Thomas Jefferson first served as a liaison to France for our fledgling country? History of American International Relations surveys the history American international relations. The course can be taken online.
7. The Darwinian Revolution
Featuring recordings of a Harvard College course taught by Janet Browne, Aramont Professor of the History of Science and Harvard College professor, this online class explores why evolutionary theory is so controversial in the public sphere and looks to the history of cultural changes in the West for answers. See The Darwinian Revolution.
8. Censorship of Obscene, Blasphemous, Incendiary Materials: Legal, Ethical, and Policy Issues
Explore the complex legal and social minefields of censorship through famous cases involving religious, sexual, and politically volatile materials. See Censorship of Obscene, Blasphemous, Incendiary Materials: Legal, Ethical, and Policy Issues.
9. Strategic Management
Successful managers approach all aspects of their work from a strategic perspective, with their eye on the big picture. Explore these key concepts and gain practical techniques in this course. See Strategic Management.
10. Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies
This survey of Islam explores the Muslim tradition and how it has shaped political, social, and cultural life in Muslim countries. Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies can be taken online.
Registration continues through August 28. And classes start the week of August 29.
The Spark — Official blog of the Harvard Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts 