Catharine Fulmer's Blog

Blogs Galore!

cefulmer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:44:28 +0000

I do think that blogging will be helpful in the future. I think that no matter what job we inquire in the next few years, that we will be able to recover valuable information from blogging. As I stated in my previous blog, I have thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with this blog. I do not know if I will continue to blog on this specific topic, but I do see myself exploring new topics related to my major in order to get a feel of exposure to my oncoming, new world.

I enjoy researching and I enjoy learning something new everyday, so you can definitely say that blogging has become my cup of tea! Although it may seem a nuisance to do it week after week, blogging is very resourceful and helpful if you do find yourself doing a project and want peer advice in order to be thoroughly educated in your topic, blogging can play a major role in being adequate for a good grade.

Blogging has been so useful and I cannot say for certain if I will keep up with this particular blog, just because time is so precious for a college student, but if down the road I am in need to blog whether it be for school or for my job, then I am well prepared to take on the challenge of being a blogger!

☮ ♥ & Blogging

cefulmer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:21:35 +0000

Blogging has been very useful for me, because it forces you to pick a topic and learn everything you can about that one topic. I’ve never been a fan of researching, but doing a little research every week on something that I would like to learn more about, I have found to be very enjoyable. Although I did not exactly favor that blogging assignment at first.. I found myself looking back over my blogs throughout the semester, wanting to revisit the cites and the comments that had been left from my classmates, and the ways that people responded to my outlook on my eco-friendly topic. I had always been interested in the “green” lifestyle, but now doing further research and blogging about different ways to get involved has really taught me just how much doing a little for the environment every day will be so beneficial in the end. My research has taught me how to be caring to the rest of creation, how to be resourceful in living in a dorm room, and easy ways to help out in the community. I feel that my blog has definitely come full circle and has a variety of topics consisting of serious and “hard to hear” topics as well as light and funny topics such as the note that I wrote to the tridelt house. All in all, I have greatly enjoyed keeping up with this blog every week, and perhaps I’ll start a new one, because I’ll probable miss my weekly dose of blogging.

Big Brother Big Sister

cefulmer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:13:33 +0000

Giving back to the community through volunteer work is always a great way to make your peers aware of their local communities needs. My best friend was considering signing up for the big brother big sister program located in Fort Worth, so we looked at the website to see the requirements and characteristics needed in order to become a mentor.

This program was set up to influence the lives of younger generations. Since many of these children come from stressful lower-class backgrounds this program helps pair them up with a friend that they can confide in for a couple hours a week and just have fun being a kid. These relationships that are built from this program impact these kids for the rest of their lives, teaching them to live more positively and encouraging them to make a difference. Through this program they have seen dramatic results on the kids improvement and many consist of: the kids being more confident in their schoolwork, the kids are getting along better with their families, 46% are less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% are less likely to begin drinking alcohol, and 52% are less likely to skip school.

Although it is a huge time commitment, consisting of meeting with the kid for a couple of hours once a week. The impact that those few hours have on the kid’s life is what makes the same people wanting to come back from week to week to play with these kids.

Sign up today to be a big brother or a big sister at http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.diJKKYPLJvH/b.1539751/k.BDB6/Home.htm

Starbucks’ Eco-Friendly Cups

cefulmer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:54:17 +0000

Starbucks’ new motto has turned several heads. They have finally figured out how to make they’re: always keep your coffee hot with without burning your hand, perfect to-go coffee cup, economically friendly. Environmental stewardship is their key concern now. 100% of their cups will be reusable or recyclable by 2015. They are significantly reducing their environmental usage through energy and water conservation, recycling, and green construction. Starbucks ability to recycle varies based on the level of commercial and residential recycling services offered in their community stores. In the meantime, there are two ways that you can help speed up the process of reducing the environmental impact of the Starbuck’s cup: ask for your beverage in a ceramic “for here” cup or use a commuter mug “to go.” Latest research indicates that coffee-growing regions will be impacted directly by climate change, so Starbucks is trying to reduce energy and water. This applies to all the new Starbucks’ stores, meaning that they will be built with the idea of conserving 25% of their overall energy usuage. The future looks bright for the Starbuck’s stores and this should bring a big smile onto their economy friendly customers.

Don’t Mess With Texas

cefulmer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:55:31 +0000

We always here a “picture is worth a thousand words,” and when it comes to proposals that is certainly the truth. Visual proposals are the voice of the photographer, you see only what he wants you to see. These can be strong messages or just basic opinions. Anything from a picture of the president in our U.S. history books or just a picture of a new movie in the blockbuster window, these photographers give “snap-shots” into what the photographer is trying to convey.

I propose through my photograph that I’ve selected is to become aware of why our earth stays so clean and trash free. Not only is this a simpler reminder for us to pick up after ourselves, it also reminds all the neighboring states driving through on our highways, just how much pride we have for our beautiful state. Whenever one sees the logo that was created either posted on a stop sign or seen on a commercial, the “Don’t Mess With Texas” logo automatically sends the message to not litter. The ethical way to look at this logo, would be to examine the font that was chosen. This font to me says that its just a friendly reminder, because no good, prideful Texan would ever want to litter on our precious state’s highways. Every little detail shows just how much the photographer or artist took the time in order to speak his message in the most powerful way.

http://30daysout.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/dont_mess_with_texas1.jpg

Hybrid Movement

cefulmer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:26:10 +0000

Honda Insight

With several serious threats to our ozone layer recently, hybrids have become more useful and all together safer for our future. Not only is car-pooling and bike riding help to produce a safer environment, the new interest in Hybrid cars are equally as helpful to live an eco- friendly lifestyle. The Honda Insight was reported to be the first hybrid car, meaning that it is the first automobile to be gas-electric, and was recorded with 17 sales in 1999. By one decade later in 2009, the Honda has sold over 1.5 million hybrids, putting the new Green Car in the market. This leads to what’s next on the agenda for green cars. In 2011, Fisker Karma will come out with the first plug-in car, meaning all electric and no gas, the plug-ins have arrived. This means that soon all cars with be switched to electric and gas cars will be no more. The recent drop in the economy market has put hybrids on the back burner with sales per year. However, hybrids are only 3 or 4 % away from being in the top automotive sales and that will be enough of an impact to create a “buzz” about hybrids to carry on to the future generations.

Healthy Eating in the White House

cefulmer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:21:54 +0000

First Lady Gardening

Michelle Obama invited dozens of 10 and 11-year-old children from states school in Washington to join her in planting an organic garden in the Whitehouse. The Obama family has been very involved and conscientious about helping America achieve an economy friendly environment. The First Lady had an idea to plant the first organic vegetable garden on the White House property to be an influence on many children as well as America to make better eating habits as well as purer food to share with the community. The school children were invited back to tend to the crop as well as to bring in the garden’s first harvest consisting of: 73 lbs of lettuce, 12 lbs of snap peas and one cucumber. The First Lady and the children then trooped into the White House kitchen to wash lettuce and shell and cook the peas for lunch, which they ate outside on red and white checked tablecloths. Not only is the First Lady teaching a valuable lesson to these children, she is being involved in the process that it takes to embed habits like these, so that these children will for sure practice and know how to practice healthy eating habits for the future generation to come.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/michelle-obama-vegetable-garden-lead

Energy Sufficient

cefulmer — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:41:10 +0000

Have you ever wondered why the lights are never turned off in residential areas? I live in the Tridelt house and have always wondered why the lights always remain on in the hallways, bathrooms, kitchen, porches, and the chapter room. Although many would over look this small issue, I have noticed that we are wasting so much energy by leaving the fluorescent lights on throughout the night. Even when I lived in the Colby dormitory last year there would be many nights when the RA’s would forget to turn off the lights in the hallways. I propose a new idea, why don’t we have more energy efficient lights that would light up just the hallways instead of leaving all of them on all night. There are high-efficiency light bulbs and automatic timers made for such needs like this. It is only a slight change that the fraternity and sorority life/ Gran Marc could participate in to save energy; by replacing the lights in the halls and using more energy sufficient light bulbs rather than fluorescent light bulbs. Yes precautions should be taken into manner with the safety of the residents, but not to this extent. All together it’s the little things that count in order to be more resourceful. Switching off the bedroom light, hall light, and bathroom light, I feel, is just something that could be taken into consideration to make a big difference.

What Kind of Action in the World Justifies a Noble Peace Prize?

cefulmer — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:17:17 +0000

President Obama was elected the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Most consider this a controversial statement for a president who hasn’t been in the Whitehouse for more than two years. Despite the upheaval, most Nobel Peace winners slave their life away to devotion towards their dreams and goals, which in many cases put their lives in danger. So the question arises, “What kind of Action in the world justifies a Noble Peace Prize?” Air America correspondent Ana Marie Cox wrote on Twitter, “Apparently Nobel Prizes are now being awarded to anyone who is not George Bush.” Jennifer Loven at the Associated Press wrote: “He Won, But For What?” (foxnews.com)

Obama won on the grounds of creating peace throughout humanity with concentration on enforcing an eco-friendly environment. Yes, Obama has done wonders for our country by providing a national healthcare that does not bankrupt those with catastrophic diseases, he has laid to rest most issues dealing with racism in his race relations speech, and he has inspired not only America but the whole world to make climate change efforts the highest priority. However, how does Obama’s claim make him on the same grounds as the other contestants such as two formerly jailed Chinese presidents, or Morgan Tsvangirai, a Columbian politician who helped secure the release of 16 hostages and was kidnapped herself ten years ago. Or even in the past, how does Obama’s work viewed as revolutionary as that of Mother Theresa?

I respect Obama, but I do not view him any different from any other liberal politician. One day the Obama saga must come to an end, people will come to realize that he is just a man that was elected president, who happened to be elected when his country was in great need of change. He will always be remembered by his revolutionary campaign, however, he does not need to be awarded an Nobel Peace Prize in order to receive the our unending gratitude.

Extinction. Curious?

cefulmer — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:15:34 +0000

An international survey was released stating that 5,437 mammal species are declining and at risk of distinction. One in four animals are at risk of being extinct. What’s sad about that statement is that the main reason for why their species is dieing off is because of poachers. I know this is so cliché to state, but our natural resources are not going to be “natural” much longer if we keep abusing what we have been given. Animals are only a small minority to the larger scheme of human disruption of nature. Hunting unnecessary animals, clearing rainforests, and dumping toxic waste into the our naturally, clean spring water; is only going to result in being hurtful towards us. How much longer can our earth take it? Not too much longer, there have already been signs of the earth’s detiorating, and the extinction of animals is one of the first, most noticeable signs. If they are not able to live in this world of pollution and contamination now, then how will we manage down the road? Anti-bacterial and flu shots can only go so far in the broad scheme of things. Yes, most environmentalist are seen as worrywarts and not given much attention too, but they have a valid statement when it deals with the possible extinction of the human race.