Is Mining Sustainable In the Future?

I was walking through the mall the other day and I noticed a sale at a jewelry store. There were many different gems and precious metals, with gold and silver being the most common. As I was entranced by all of these pretty pieces of jewelry, I started thinking about what it took to mine that diamond from the ground and into the hands of the customer. And the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to be a crazy and unsustainable idea. Mining is truly an unsustainable activity for the future, and this is why.

Global Facts about mining
The USA: from January to October 1999, 45mine workers died because of workplace accidents.(1)
South Africa: one worker dies and12 are seriously injured for every ton of gold produced.(2)
China: 3,362 people died as a result of accidents in coal mines in 1996. (2)
World-wide: uranium mining has caused 20,000 deaths since the 1950s. Uranium mining has exposed more workers to radiation than any other industry.(3)

There are usually two types of mining that is most common today. We have the above ground Surface-Mining where the ground is literally “scrapped” away and then sifted through to find the precious minerals. Wide, open, shallow pits are the best indicator of a surface mine. The other common method is under-earth tunneling. This was the first method used in the progressive era. The under-earth process of mining is where a tunnel is dug in order to find veins of metals, and then the tunnel is dug deeper to find more metal. There is, however, a third method of mining especially used for oil: mountain top removal. The tops of mountains are literally shaved away in order to find the oil inside of the mountain. All of these methods are very unsustainable and damaging.

Although there are an untold number of groups and people involved in the mining process, from machinery manufacturing to freighting companies to energy suppliers, there are a few institutions that have considerably large stakes in the mining industry. First, we as consumers have a huge dependence on the mining industry because virtually everything had to come from the land at one time or another. An obvious organization with considerable interest in mining is the mining company itself. The company needs a job and therefore wants as loose regulations as possible. The local inhabitants of the area are effected by mining in many ways including increased money, higher pollution, destruction or loss of land, and more jobs created by mining companies.

Some groups, such as the AIDA, are protesting mining for environmental numerous grievances. Mining causes harmful runoff that seeps into local watersheds, creating drinking water that is contaminated with cyanide. Also, the polluted water creates sulfurous dust that climbs into the atmosphere and produces acid rain. Abandoned surface mines are used as illegal landfills that usually store hazardous waste. Many miners suffer health problems from mining such as Black Lung disease and arthritis early on. Mining creates a spider web of problems that cannot be solved by simply changing techniques or methods. Mining is simply too environmentally destructive to work.

As many environmental concerns as there are, there are probably just as many legal issues regarding mining and its effects. As many mining sites develop communities, these communities are affected in negative ways from mining. Because of this, the government passed the Mining Reclamation Act of 1977 that forced mining companies to consider the social effects of mining presence in communities. Another legal issue that affected the mining industry was the Superfund Act of 1886 that said the government would essentially give away land for mining as an incentive for westward expansion.

Among others, Oil companies are predominantly responsible for mining. This started in the progressive era when the gasoline motor gained popularity and there was an exponential increase for crude oil. These corporate institutions worked with the government for favorable mining regulations such as the 1872 mining act that gave land away to mining companies that then reaped billions of dollars in profit. Oil companies, along with governments and other economic forces created an increased demand for precious metals that had to be excavated from the earth.

While mining has recently been in the hot-seat for environmental damage, there are many campaigns against it. No-Dirty-Gold has a campaign with a slogan that says “the more you know, the less gold glows,” which means that the process of mining gold is very unsustainable and unjust. Also, there is another campaign called HandsOff that calls for financial institutions to stop drilling and mining.

The progressive era saw many issues with mining. Miners worked long hours in dangerous areas for low wage. This also helped create the modern workers union for increased employee protection. Because of such a high demand for all types of raw materials in the expanding progressive era, there was no real leader of mining reform in the progressive era. With pressures for a nation to rise and become the highest power on earth, there was no room for second-guessing and caution. There was no real mining reform until the 1960’s by President Kennedy and President Johnson.

History has shown us that every society in the past, from ancient Egypt to modern Africa, has consisted of two basic economic products. Products that come from above ground (farming) and products that come from below ground (mining). But the state of the world is very different than ever before and because of this, mining is not in the sustainable future of the world.

While mining is becoming increasingly regulated, there are still a lot of issues regarding mining practices. The biggest impact that citizens can make on mining is awareness. A great example of awareness was the movie “Blood Diamond” which brought real attention to diamond mining and the ensuing chaos because of mining. Do some research on where your new gold bracelet came from, because although it seems inexpensive, most of the cost was paid for by the communities and environment that were destroyed for the mining of gold.

Body paragraphs

The various forms of advertising in schools put an undue amount of stress on teachers. For example, suppliers of computers for public schools require students to take time for market research surveys (6). It is absurd for teachers to have to allow students to complete a 15 minute long survey on their favorite types of jeans and clothing brands during class instructional time. In exchange for credits on new gym equipment, some teachers allowed the fast food clown Ronald McDonald to make multiple appearances in their classroom (1). Also, many teachers around the country have been mailed curriculum packets from Hershey’s that is supposed to teach about the making of chocolate and chocolate’s prominent place in a healthy lifestyle (5). Teachers are mailed an average of 77 types of these kits each year (5). With nearly half of these packages found to be highly commercial, 88% highly biased, teachers have too much commercialized fluff to sift through in order to find a quality curriculum kit (5).


Teachers are not the only ones that are effected by advertising. Parents as well are starting to feel the strain. If students bring in General Mills boxtops, the school earn freebies (6). Thus, schools pressure students to buy General Mills, who in turn pressure their parents into buying General Mills, which is exactly what General Mills had planned. Instead of packing a lunch on a field trip for 4th graders, parents were asked to send money for a McDonalds lunch as a “reward for making it through a long day at the museum.” (3). Health class practically preaches healthy lifestyle choices to students, yet we send them to one of the fattest restaurants in the country as a “reward”. Scholastic Books sends a monthly book magazine to schools, advertising more than just books; it includes the latest video games and television shows (1). Also, schools participate in corporate sponsored incentive programs, such as selling wrapping paper or cookie dough (6). Parents are made to feel that their child is required to generate a certain amount of money from these programs, and usually spend an abnormal amount of money for a huge amount of wrapping paper or magazine subscriptions. When all of this is taken into consideration, it is easy to see how parents spend an extra 60 billion a year due to the influence from children and the advertisemtns they see at school.


While teachers and parents feel the effects of ads, the group most effected by this situation is the students. Big soda companies pay big dollars to put in unhealthy soda machines in every corner (2). According to a survey taken by CorporateWatchdogs, 17.1% of students said they didn’t want advertising in school. In 2008, that number has risen to over 26% (4). Also, Over the past 7 years, the number of students who thought that advertising in schools was perfectly fine has declined from 11% to 9% (4). Students are becoming more aware of the advertising that is taking place and more students are saying they want it gone. According to Mark Obrien, a professor at UC Davis, “Young people are smart and savvy, and they know when you are trying to market to them…but young people hate a lack of choice.” (4) Obrien is referring to a lack of choice when it comes to the types of advertising in public schools. The worst types of ads are those that are unavoidable, like a giant billboard for example. These billboard style ads are the most predominant types of ads found in public schools. Therefore, every time a student looks up to see the score of the basketball game or walks down a hall with a vending machine, he has no choice but to be marketed to.

I-1000 Death with Dignity

Countless times people have fought so hard for a never-ending battle of life vs. death, and too often death is the one that wins this battle. People on their last six months to live have to suffer through what is a horribly painfull ordeal. They are most of the time bed-ridden and in pain. Why not give these people a choice? Why not let them go without pain or suffering? These people deserve better. These people deserve their dignity.

 

These patients that want to overdose aren’t just average people. They have to be terminally ill with sex months to live. This is almost warrants that the patien will not be able to survive so that if they are in too much pain, they will be able to consult a doctor to end their life. Its their life, it should be their decesion, not that of the government. Also, in terms of safety, the patient has to go through two different doctors to be ok. The patient and a 14 day waiting period to think about if this is really the right choice for them. Also, if the doctors determinethis patient is clinically depressed, then that patient has to go  has to go through a phsiciatrist and go through counseling before the medication is prescribed for them. This normally is a very peacefull death because it on average takes 25 minutes to die and during this time they can have their family with them or have a peaceful quiet time.

 

Tony miller is a man who traveled the world seeing new things and living the way he wanted to live and writing about his life. Now, because of his prostate cancer, he has to stay in a box of a home in oregen all cooped up and stuck. He has to change three times a day because of how much he sweats. He moved to oregen because of their death with dignity law. When asked about the opportunity to put this is law into action, he said “I will keep living but when the pain becomes too much, I will use it”. Tony is just like many people in oregon or who have moved to Oregon because they don’t want to live a life that is full of pain and sadness.

 

 

If passed, initiative 1000 would be a horrible law. Life is a gift, and should never be willfully destroyed, as I-1000 proposes. This initiative would allow people who are considered terminally ill to end their life prematurely, without even so much as notification of their families. Very few spouses would want to learn that their husband or wife had killed themselves, without even discussing it over with them. A suicide not only destroys the life of the victim, but also the lives touched by the victim as well. For example, a young girl killed herself due to mental depression. After the death, her parents divorced and Dad became an alcoholic, losing his job and gambling away his life savings. There are many stories like this, and making assisted suicide a legal practice would only increase these types of tragedies.

 

Chris Carlson, 65, was told in early 2005 that he had six months to live. Now, in 2008, Carslon is fighting against I-1000, death with dignity. He says that doctors are often wrong when predicting life expectancy. He would know this first hand, as he has lived almost 18 wonderful months more than expected.  This should tell people that no matter how much you trustu your doctor, he can be wrong. A person can due unbelievable things when there is a strong will to survive. Some people even embrace their time period and try to make the most of it, instead of sitting and waiting for their death to come.  For example, Duane French is very much paralyzed, and very much against I-1000 as well. While people have told French that they would “rather be dead than suffer like he is,” French is determined to make the most of what he has. He admits that at first he was suicidal, but “you come through that,” he says. “Every moment of life is precious”. He is arguing against sending people to an early, unnatural death because he understands the joys of life, even in a wheel chair or hospital bed.

 

While the numbers of cases of physician-assisted suicides continue to rise each year, with over 350 cases in the last year alone, fewer than 100 doctors are involved in writing the prescriptions. One doctor in opposition to the law says he “believes in death with dignity, but not in empowering doctors to give massive overdoses so that patients can kill themselves.”  In washington, doctors would not be able to physically administer the drugs, only write the prescription. However, a family member would be able to help the patient take the drugs if the patient is too weak to take the medication by themselves. This puts a great stress on the family member, who is assisting a suicide, which is also an illegal act. To sum things up, death by a prescribed overdose should not be considered a death with dignity, it is suicide. 

Konner and Michael

True/False Statements

Biden

1. Mccain voted for tax increase 477 times
2. Mccain give 300 billion tax cuts for wealthy and big business
3. It will take 10 years for new oil to be produced
4. He has supported clean coal for 25 years
5. There will be no legal difference between same sex and heterosexual couple





Palin
1. Oamba/biden voted for largest tax increase in history
2. Obama voted for tax increase on 42,000 income families
3. Palin eliminated property tax in Alaska
4. Mccain proposing a 5000 healthcare credit
5. Circulating 700 billion in foreign countries


The red statements are false and the green statements are true

Debates

Both the presidential and vice presidential debates were very exciting to watch. In the presidential debate, many strong points were made on both sides however it was difficult at times to sift through the politics and understand the position of the candidates. At the end of the debate, it was unclear if there was a definite winner. McCain spoke very directly and plainly which appeals to some people, but Obama spoke with eloquence and intelligence which is also appealing. If I had to choose a winner, I would have to side with John McCain because he spoke more directly and succinctly in the debate.

McCain Habit of mind- Striving for Accuracy.
McCain kept his side of the arguments to a very straight talk. He didn't try to mix up his positions too much

Obama Habit of mind- Metacognition
It was easy to see that during the debate, Obama was thinking about what he was saying and thinking about what he was going to say next. This enabled him to appear very smart.


In the vice presidential debate, I think that the political winner was Joe Biden. He was in control and was very quick with bringing up facts that refute the previous point made by Sara Palin. However, I think that Palin made up a lot of ground in terms of her appearing unable to assume the responsibility of vice president. In the end, I would say that Joe Biden was a more skilled debator but Sara Palin became more appealing to the American People.

Biden habit of mind- Persistence
Biden was always ready with a counter point to whatever Palin said. He appeared to be very in control and very persistent in his approach to the debate.

Palin habit of mind- Communicating with Clarity and Precision
Palin spoke very directly and to the point. She didn't worry about making herself sound smart, she just made herself sound to the point. I think people will like that about her.

VP Facts

Biden

1. Mccain voted for tax increase 477 times
2. Mccain give 300 billion tax cuts for wealthy and big business
3. It will take 10 years for new oil to be produced
4. He has supported clean coal for 25 years
5. There will be no legal difference between same sex and heterosexual couple





Palin
1. Oamba/biden voted for largest tax increase in history
2. Obama voted for tax increase on 42,000 income families
3. Palin eliminated property tax in Alaska
4. Mccain proposing a 5000 healthcare credit
5. Circulating 700 billion in foreign countries

President Speech

Hello, good morning my fellow citizens. I come to you to speak on this day for many reasons, but mostly I come to you as a former president still working to make this country better. My plan for improving the state of this great nation is decidedly radical in its approach. But before we discuss that, I think it would be better if I tell you about my life and past decisions as the commander-in-chief of America.  Like yours, my life and decisions have not been always perfect, but I believe that under the given circumstances at hand, they were the best anyone could have done. I believe that life is about finding the beauty in the flaws and vice versa. First, I will tell you about my life and my many contributions in making this country better. Second, I will go over my decisions as House Representative and as former President of the United States of America.  Lastly, the discussion turns to ways to improve our nation.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the notion that actions speak for themselves. However, it is important for you, voting America, to hear my story and know where I come from and what I am. I was born and raised in New Hampshire in 1804. I attended Bowdoin College beginning my first year with the lowest grades in my class. As the graduating class of 1824, I had the highest grades. I am not perfect, however I do continually work to improve myself in every aspect I can. After college, I directly entered the political arena as a democratic. Again, starting small and eventually working my way to attain a seat in the senate and nominated as governor of New Hampshire. Due to my responsibility as governor, I had to graciously decline the position of Attorney General of the United States of America, personally appointed to me by President Polk at the time. As you can see, I have had many opportunities to voice my opinion on important economic, judicial, and civil issues. Let me assure you, I took the utmost advantage of those opportunities to make our nation great.

Holding a seat in any political office is a very big responsibility. Every person’s voice needs to be heard and respected. There is no doubt it’s difficult, but I believe I have done a fine job in accounting for everyone’s voice while holding a democratic seat in the senate and as President.  I created the original plan for expanding westward. I did this by making two key economic purchases of Arizona and New Mexico. My cabinet and I had the foresight to see that the future always lies in the unknown. While on the subject of my cabinet, I think it is important to bring to attention that fact that in the history of presidents, I am the only one that has maintained the same cabinet for 4 years.  Some other decisions I have made include enacting a plan to build a railroad to the west. This provided America with many opportunities for economic prosperity. Under my command, more jobs were created than every before. Less people lived at the poverty line. Although fighting broke out in Kansas over the issue of slavery, by the end of my term I could claim a peaceful state of the union.  These decisions and their consequences have shaped the way I think, and I have gained more insight into how to run this country.

While America in the present day looks radically different than the America I knew, I believe that under the surface, America is still fundamentally the same. People work for money and try to survive. Some are rich and some are poor. We still have the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At the heart of things, America is still the same. My plan for America is to do away with the notion that the sick and disadvantaged need to work it out for themselves. People say that no one cares about the little guy, but I believe that America is essentially millions of little guys. We need to embrace that fact and understand that the only way to prosper is together. This means more government oversight into the operations of big businesses. Look at the oil prices and the cost of gasoline. This is because no one has monitored oil companies and kept them in line.  Protecting the American people is the first priority, not protecting the bulging pockets of big corporations. The economic state of America is a paramount in the overall prosperity of every hardworking American. I have many ways to improve the economy, including mandating better benefits and incentives for employees.  Blue collar is the badge of America and we need to embrace it as our economic powerhouse.  I have always supported America’s industriousness and I believe that once again this will prove to be our American Keystone.

Other issues that America faces now include our involvement on two different wars. Afghanistan and Iraq.  At times war is necessary, but this is not one of those instances. Instead of spending huge amounts of money on a sketchy war, lets use that money to support more public services for the American people.

In conclusion, under my administration, we will secure and maintain peace at home, while vigorously upholding open foreign relations. Vote Franklin Pierce.