MY BODY/MY HEALTH – My Online Homework Helper

Reflection Journal Entry Description

Unit 4 – Environment, You, & Social Activism

This Reflection Journal Entry has two activities: Activity 1 and Activity 2. Each Activity is worth 50/100 points.

Introduction: Completing this Unit 4 Reflection Journal Entry will give you the opportunity reflect on some of your patterns of consumption, and to identify actions you can take to address the environmental problems our world is facing today.

Rationale:

Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year. Americans account for only five percent of the world’s population but create half of the globe’s solid waste.

Moderate UN scenarios suggest that if current trends continue, by the 2030s we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us. And of course, we only have one.

Individuals (people like you and I!) and institutions worldwide must begin to recognize ecological limits. We must begin to make ecological limits central to our everyday and long-term decision-making and use our human ingenuity to find new ways to live, within the Earth’s bounds.

Source: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/sustainable-development/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/american-consumption-habits/

Activity 1: “Overshoot”, You, and the Well-Being of the Planet

This Activity has two parts: Part A and Part B It is worth 50/100 points

Part A: Watch “The Story of Stuff” (link below) and answer the following questions: http://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/ (2007 Official Version, 21:24)

1) What is the “Golden Arrow of Consumption”?

2) Who is Victor Lebow, and what did he say in the 1950’s that is so important to us today?

Part B: Reflect and answer the following questions:

1) What factors influence your decision to buy something new?

2) List the last five products you purchased that were not food or drink (can be clothes, electronics, etc.). Why did you buy each one of these products? Please elaborate: if you needed it, why did you need it? If you wanted it, why did you want it?

3) What is the difference between a “want” and a “need”?

4) Consumption habits include both spending habits and one’s personal habits of usage of products/material items – such as the number of paper towels one uses in the restroom, choices around food, clothing, personal hygiene items, etc. List 3 positive and 3 negative consumption habits someone might have. Explain.

5) Create a list of 5 reasons why it is difficult to change your consumption habits when living in your day-to-day routine.

6) What is a consumption habit you personally have, that you would be willing to work on changing after watching “The Story of Stuff”? Why? How could go about doing this? How would both you and the planet benefit?

· The word count for Activity 1 (this includes both Part A and Part B) is 350-500 words using 12-point Arial font.

· See below for additional grading criteria.

Activity 2: “UMass Student Engagement” This Activity is worth 50/100 points

Using Campus Pulse, or Sustainable UMass. or Facebook, find two clubs on campus that focus on an environmental issue. Explain their mission, detail upcoming activities that they are planning or past events. Would you join this club? Why or why not?

Campus Pulse Link-https://umassamherst.collegiatelink.net/

· The word count for Activity 2 is 150-300 words using 12-point Arial font.

· See below for additional grading criteria.

JOURNAL ENTRY GRADING RUBRIC

This Journal entry is worth 100 points

Activity 1 is worth 50/100 points

Activity 2 is worth 50/100 points

Your journal will be graded using the following scale, and will be assessed using the criteria below:

Journal Grading Scale:

Needs Improvement: 0-73.9 points

Meets Expectations: 74-89.9 points

Exceptional: 90-100 points

Your work in each Activity will be graded as according to the degree to which:

· It demonstrates self-reflection, understood as careful thought about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences (worth 20 points)

· It is well thought-out and developed, with content that is specific and appropriate (worth 20 points)

· It follows the specified word count using 12-point Arial font (worth 5 points)

· Grammatical or spelling errors undermine the overall the effectiveness of your work (worth 5 points)

Points will be deducted from late entries as follows:

· 20 points will be deducted from journal entries posted on Blackboard ANYTIME after 11:59 PM on the specified due date, up to the first 24 hours.

· 20 additional points will be deducted each 24 hours after this, up to 72 hours after the specified due date. 

· After 72 hours you will receive a zero (0) for your journal entry assignment in that Unit.

We strongly suggest that you do not wait until the last minute to post your journal entries as there is always the chance that technical problems (internet, hardware, etc.) might interfere with your ability to upload your work onto Blackboard.

We will not be able to grant exceptions to this grading policy for late entries!

Previous answers to this question