HawksleyExam


 * Erika Hawksley **
 * Final Exam Essays **

ESSAY 1
 * 1) Identify ways that corporations are a sustainability problem, referencing at least four examples from films you watched this semester. **
 * Word Count: 389 **

In today’s society companies have a lot of money, and since money equals power, they have a lot of say about policy making and decisions in our government. This control makes companies a sustainability problem because they are not held accountable for their actions. As we learned from the movie //The Corporation//, companies are given the same rights as individual U.S. citizens.(1) This means that corporations receive constitutional protections and can sue or be sued. Corporations take full advantage of this by basically doing whatever is profitable for the company, regardless of the consequences, whether it is polluting the environment or putting peoples’ health in danger. Unfortunately, if they are sued for these actions they usually win the case or just pay a small fine. Corporations can also sue people for using their products or ideas without permission, as is demonstrated in //Food, Inc.// (2) Monsanto, one of the largest agri-business companies in the world, owns the rights to Roundup Ready Soybeans, and if a farmer’s crops are accidentally pollinated by neighboring Monsanto soy farms the company can sue them. If companies don’t have moral responsibility, then they have no motivation to operate in a sustainable manner. One example that displays this lack of liability is Dow Chemical not taking the blame for the devastating incident they caused in Bhopal that killed many people and ruined the lives of many others. This example of how corporations are a sustainability problem is brought to light in the film //The Yes Men Fix the World// when one of the Yes Men poses as a Dow Chemical executive and makes a phony statement that the company was finally taking responsibility for the event 20 years later.(3) This film also portrays the absurdity that lies within the actions of many companies. The Yes Men pretend to be members of Halliburton and give a fake presentation about how the company’s proposal to help fight global warming is “SurvivaBalls”.(3) The fact that the audience didn’t question the legitimacy of this ridiculous sales pitch makes it clear that too much trust is being laid in the hands of large corporations. This stunt by the Yes Men shows that companies have no real intent of trying to mitigate the effects of global warming or to act more sustainably, which can only leave us in a downward spiral.

ESSAY 2
 * 3) Describe ways that mainstream media is a sustainability problem, referencing at least four examples from films you watched this semester. **
 * Word Count: 527 **

Mainstream media is the main source of information for the average American. This term encompasses large television networks, news broadcasts, newspapers, radio, and advertising that reach a large portion of the population. Mainstream media is a sustainability problem because the information presented by these sources is influenced by the interests of large companies and the messages they are sending often do not support sustainable actions. This makes it more challenging for people to make informed decisions about what is good for them and the environment. An example of misleading information in the media can be found in the film //The Corporation//, when we learn about a particular case where investigative reporters for FOX News were pressured to present altered information under the threat of being sued if they presented the complete truth, but they resisted and were fired instead. In this case, a study was conducted about the potential health and safety problems of drinking milk that contained Posiliac, a Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) made by Monsanto, and Monsanto’s lawyers pressured the news company to not present these issues to the public. (1) When the reporters spoke to their general manager about the report he told them that they must make the changes the lawyers wanted made and said, “We’ll tell you what the news is. The news is what we say it is.” This sort of distorted information is obviously a sustainability problem because people often do not have background knowledge about what is being reported and may blindly believe what the news says. If that happened in this case people would be buying and drinking milk with BGH, unaware of the consequences. Advertising is another aspect of mainstream media that is a problem. Advertisements on major television networks are increasingly becoming longer and more frequent and most of the commercials are paid for by a handful of large powerful companies just trying to make more money. As seen in the film //The Persuaders//, corporations use specific vocabulary to target viewers and bombard them with repetitive images and messages.(4) Commercials such as those that advertise how ‘clean coal’ and natural gas are going to solve our energy needs in a sustainable way, are depicting false images of these products and attempting to convince consumers that these are good solutions. This is a sustainability problem because education about sustainability issues is the key to making positive changes in our society. We need more factual advertisements for using alternative fuels, such as those discussed in the film //Fuel//.(5) Overall mainstream media portrays an image of how people should live their lives, specifically that Americans should have a two story house with a fenced in yard. Images such as this reinforce sustainability problems like using vinyl siding on your house. The film //Blue Vinyl// explored the details of using vinyl and addresses that consumers are not warned of the dangers of such products. Mainstream media effectively conveys skewed information to the public. Changes need to be made to use this communication system to educate people about how to live sustainably, but in order to do so power needs to be taken away from greedy companies with no moral responsibility.

ESSAY 3
 * 6) Identify key characteristics of the best environmental media (recognizing that few films or other media are likely to have more than a few of these characteristics). Reference examples from films we’ve seen this semester. **
 * Word Count: 383 **

The best environmental media holds the attention of viewers, effectively conveys an environmental problem, and presents feasible solutions. Some key characteristics needed to do this are having reports from experts for scientific data and personal accounts from people affected for emotional appeal. These two characteristics are key to making people believe in a problem and giving them a desire to change. An example of good environmental media is the film //Food, Inc.// This film reveals what really goes on in our industrial food system by talking to farmers and showing footage inside slaughter houses and Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Then it has food experts like author Michael Pollan discuss the implications of the way our food is grown, processed, packaged, and shipped and why it is unsustainable. The corruption in policy making is revealed and a low-income family accounts their struggles to afford a healthy diet and the obesity and disease they are facing. The film then looks at solutions of eating local and organic food and a successful sustainable farmer from Virginia describes his ingenious yet simple techniques to running a closed-loop farm with cyclical systems that mimic nature.(2) This film pulls together the best combination of characteristics that makes it entertaining, very informative, and makes viewers anxious to make changes in their lives and push for changes in our food system. Another film that that is an effective piece of environmental media is //The Corporation//. This film uses a total of 40 corporate insiders and critics to convey all parts of the complex problems with corporations and their power in our society.(1) This is effective because all of the people are reputable sources of information and some discuss personal experiences that exhibit the corruption in companies, news, and policy making. Other characteristics that may be effective include shock and awe tactics that scare viewers into caring about a problem and comedy which keeps viewers entertained and makes the film less depressing. In my opinion, using comedy or shock and awe tactics is only effective at making people aware of the issues, but not necessarily at providing details about how the problems affect us and the environment. These tactics also do not often describe solutions or motivate people to make changes in their lives or to help make changes in policy.

ESSAY 4
 * 7) In a 2010 NY Magazine article, Jon Stewart describes his media team as "Soil enrichers. Maybe we can add a little fertilizer to the soil so that real people can come along and grow things.” What does Stewart mean, and how persuaded are you by the metaphor? The NY Magazine article is " [|America is a Joke] "**
 * Word Count: 368 **

Jon Stewart whole heartedly believes that his program is a form of entertainment media and he thinks of himself as just a comedian. However, the topics he discusses are directly related to the news of the day, so some people consider //The Daily Show// to be a source of real news. Jon Stewart discusses new angles of information that are big in the news and pokes fun at the absurdities that he sees within the political world. In the article //America is a Joke,// Chris Smith makes it clear through dialogue between Stewart and his team that everything said on the show is carefully phrased to produce the desired impact and to get a laugh out of the audience.(6) I am persuaded that this metaphor that Stewart uses to describe his team is an accurate description. By using the term ‘soil enrichers’, Stewart is saying that what his team does is point out details about topics in the news and collaborate clips to make people question what they see in mainstream media news. Stewart is a comedian, but with this metaphor I think he is saying that he hopes people can take away something from his show and form their own educated opinion about it. Comedy news is effective in making people think more about issues in the news and at pointing out contradictions that people may have not noticed on their own. This form of media is most advantageous to viewers who also watch and or read at least one reputable news source. However, comedy news may also present issues to the uniformed and make them curious enough about the topic to look up more about it. This form of media is more entertaining than standard news and sometimes laughing at the comedy can be beneficial for people who are depressed by the overwhelming amounts of bad news on the air today. Many people enjoy watching comedy news, such as //The Daily Show//, and it plays an important role in the media. Comedy news helps people summarize all the crazy news stories they hear in a day, makes viewers think about whether some news casts are biased, and points out irrational claims and arguments made by politicians.

ESSAY 5
 * 9). Many Americans are skeptical about climate change, and climate science. What do you think explains the skepticism? What do you think scientists should do to further enroll the public in concern about climate change? The articles listed below will provide material for your argument. Reference both articles in your answer. **
 * The Perception Factor: Climate Change Gets Personal. (Environmental Health Perspectives, 11/1/2010)**
 * [] **
 * Heroes wanted in climate science story (USA Today, 11/20/2010)**
 * [] **
 * Word Count: 470 **

The skepticism about climate change is due to a combination of factors. There is a lot of data published about climate change, but people may be overwhelmed by the various results and not know what to believe. One factor presented in “//Heroes wanted in climate science story”// is that scientists need to present climate change data in a story format in order to reach people. A political scientist graduate student at Harvard conducted a study about the impacts of climate change information in different forms and found that, “People were more likely to agree with scientist's views about climate change after reading a story, rather than a list [of data] alone.”(7) According to this research it would be beneficial for climate scientists to work on the presentation of their findings or to have a great author convey the important facts for them in a story. However, //The Perception Factor: Climate Change Gets Personal// reports that there are “Six Americas” and some people just don’t care about or believe in climate change research, noting that 10% of the population is titled Disengaged, 12% Doubtful, and 12% Dismissive. (8) One reason presented by this article that may contribute to the lack of concern about global warming is that most Americans are worried about other things that will affect their lives more immediately. “A January 2009 poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press discovered that global warming was a low national priority for Americans, ranking dead last behind 20 other concerns such as job loss, terrorism, Medicare, and health care.”(8) This information indicates that despite the extensive scientific research that has proven climate change is a problem and will have negative consequences for us in the near future, making changes to fight global warming is not a top priority for many Americans and this needs to change. To further enroll the public in concern about climate change scientists should make more compelling documentaries and films about the consequences of continuing with our current lifestyles. Then there needs to be a push to broadcast these films on mainstream media television networks in order to reach the most amount of people. I think the majority of the population is aware of the problems, but does not know what changes to make to help the problem, or sees the solutions as too extreme. Scientists suggest that, “Perhaps surprisingly, individual homes represent a huge and still largely untapped source of U.S. emissions reductions. ”(8) This calls for the need to present small practical solutions that people can begin to implement into their daily lives to reduce their carbon footprint. If everyone becomes educated more educated about climate change and begins to transform their behaviors to be more sustainable, we can start to reverse the destruction we’ve caused and mitigate the consequences of our actions.

ESSAY 6
 * 12) Identify ten developments (in education, law, media, etc) that you think would help mobilize greater public awareness of and commitment to environmental sustainability. **
 * Word Count: 571 **

1. Education about sustainability should be built into the curriculum of schools starting at a young age. Children take in so much information when they are young and if we taught our children how to live sustainably, that generation would grow up to live a life that is far less detrimental to the environment and to human health. I envision sustainability as a class throughout elementary and high school education or incorporated into science programs.

2. Enhancing sustainable behavior in movies would be a great step. What we see in movies influences us, whether we are aware of it or not, so if people how to live sustainably I think more people would want to change their behaviors. This could even apply to children’s movies and books.

3. Laws should be made to enforce the Precautionary Principle with regards to chemical use in food and all material products. Using chemicals in things we eat and touch everyday without knowing the potential effects on our health or the environment is just a bad idea and measures need to be taken immediately to change the way policies are made.

4. Being a society that is surrounded by advertising, sustainable alternatives could easily reach millions of people if the advertising of unsustainable products was slowly phased out. Just as ads for cigarettes have been banned, advertising unhealthy fast food and wasteful products should be eliminated.

5. In order to make sustainable food and products popular, the government needs to provide incentives for companies to make the switch. Companies need to see that sustainability can be profitable and that there is a demand for these products.

6. A combination of education, law, and media could encourage people to eat local and organic. Education about where food comes from should start at a young age and schools should provide healthy lunches from local and organic sources as much as possible. To do this, the government needs to make regulations that enable schools and farmers to easily interact. The media is needed to advertise local stores and farms where people can buy the products they need.

7. An overall shift in culture to one that values local community would help reduce fuel consumption and encourage sustainable behaviors. We need to revert to small scale farming and small family owned business in order to make this happen. Eliminating dependence on large national or transnational corporations could drastically change our market economy for the better.

8. Enhancing knowledge about reducing, reusing, and recycling, and putting more resources into these programs would help reduce waste and the need for landfills. Companies need to move away from disposable products and packaging and consumers need to vote with their dollars for sustainable choices.

9. Environmental scientists need to be put in decision making positions in our government in order to make laws that for companies to act more sustainably and be held responsible for their actions. We need to eliminate the corruption in the policy making system so that former oil company executives are not deciding what environmental regulations are passed.

10. The lifestyle of the average American needs to be molded into a lifestyle that requires fewer hours of work per week to allow for more family time and reduce the need for quick convenient solutions like frozen dinners. People need to take the time to do things like cook real meals and wash towels instead of using disposable paper products.

ESSAY 7
 * 13) Imagine that you are teaching high school seniors about environmental controversies. How would you advise them to make sense of the controversy around hydrofracking for natural gas? What questions would you encourage them to ask in analyzing all environmental controversies they encounter? In answering this question, you can draw on news accessible here: ** [|**http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/**]** . **
 * Word Count: 367 **

The controversies around hydrofracking for natural gas are important and it would be beneficial to inform seniors in high school about the issues. If I were teaching a class about environmental controversies, I would first show the students the films Gasland and Split Estate. I feel that both of these films address the many issues involved with hydrofracking and it would give them an interest in the topic. After watching the films I would have a class discussion about what they thought and have them brainstorm a list of questions they still had about natural gas and the consequences. I would encourage the students to think about questions regarding health, the environment, government, laws and regulations, media, and alternative fuel sources. The students could then each take a question, look into the answer, and write a short research paper on what they found. I would take class time for them to research issues on hydrofracking and to read three articles that further explored the impacts of this process. Hopefully, they would find information such as that presented in an article from the Times Union that stated, “The EPA is writing new standards for how energy companies dispose of waste water from natural gas drilling sites, and what they must do before injecting diesel into the ground as part of hydraulic fracturing operations.”(9) It would greatly benefit the class to share all of the research the students did to inform one another about what they learned. Additionally, I would explore the current state of hydrofracking in the area and state of the high school and try to get students involved in writing letter to their state senators to encourage a ban on hydrofracking. To address other environmental controversies in the future, I would advise that they look up news and scientific information about the topic to gain some background information. At that point they should discuss their thoughts with peers and adults and try to find further information, like watching a documentary. I would recommend that students always question ads and sales pitches that sound too good to be true and that they should think about the potential consequences of using certain products or types of energy, etc.

ESSAY 8
 * 14) Scientific research demonstrating a link between toxic chemicals and skewed sexual development has developed considerably in recent years. Describe how this could be effectively communicated. What audience would you target? What media form (film, website, radio show) you would use? What research studies would you highlight (see news coverage of some of this research below)? How would you represent the state of the science? What kind of environmental and scientific literacy would you aim to cultivate? What “go fix it” strategies would you suggest? In answering this question, you can draw on news accessible here: **[|**http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/**]** . **
 * Word Count: 378**

It is not surprising that chemicals are causing skewed sexual development in babies, because many of the chemicals used in industry have not been tested for long term effects. In an article titled “Why are so many children being born with sex defects?” the author attributes this problem to the use of “‘gender-bending’ chemicals used in plastics and hormones excreted by women taking the Pill or similar drugs used in animal rearing. ”(10) According to research done on the chemicals used by DuPont to make Teflon, “Two perfluorinated chemicals are linked to a delayed onset of puberty, according to a study of nearly 6,000 children living near a chemical plant.”(11) These pieces of information clearly identify that there is a correlation between chemicals used in industry and problems with sexual development in children. To effectively communicate this problem to the public I think a combination of film, websites, and radio media should be used. I would specifically focus on mothers as the target audience because they are the ones carrying the children in their womb and the decisions they make can affect what chemicals a fetus would be exposed to. It is also likes that women select the majority of the cleaning, cooking, and bathing products in a home. Each type of media would need to present scientific research conducted by a reputable source that identified what chemicals are linked to skewed sexual development. I would recommend studies such as those that I found about birth defects and early, delayed, or altered puberty. The state of science on these issues is continuing to develop, but current research provides enough information to convince people to limit their exposure to chemicals by avoiding certain products. The media would also need to discuss a personal story from someone who has seen the consequences of these chemicals first hand in order to convey emotional appeal and capture the attention of the audience. Finally, this type of report by the media would need suggested points of intervention for consumers to take in order to reduce risks associated with these chemicals. I would suggest avoiding non-stick cookware, buying organic produce, milk, and meat that is not injected with hormones or antibiotics, and researching what types of plastic products and containers do not contain harmful chemicals.

ESSAY 9
 * 15) Assess how each of these videos about problems with our food system would likely impact viewers. What message is delivered by each film? What does each accomplish, and not? Which audiences would be most responsive? **
 * Transport: Food Miles **
 * []**
 * The Pig Picture**
 * []**
 * The Meatrix**
 * []**
 * Word Count: 501 **

//Transport: Food Miles// provides data about what impacts our current food system has and delivers the message that growing and transporting food the way we do is unsustainable. However, the film is optimistic that we have the capability to make the proper changes and that it is practical to sustain ourselves with organic and local food. This film makes viewers think by providing striking information, like it takes 10 calories of fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food energy, whereas 100 years ago, 2 calories of food energy could be grown using only 1 calorie of fuel energy. The film successfully informs people of the problems with a fossil fuel dependent food system and recommends that people eat local and from a solar food chain in order to support their local economies and improve their health. One thing the film did not do was make the problems seems very urgent. It could have addressed more consequences of what will happen if we don’t change the way we get our food. //Food Miles// would be beneficial for all audiences because it provides a good introduction to food issues for those who are uniformed and offers a good reminder for people who have background knowledge.

//The Pig Picture// uses a shock and awe method to get viewers attention about how pigs are being mistreated in our industrial food system. The film plays on the viewers’ ethos by showing happy-go-lucky pigs roaming free in a field and rolling in the mud, then cuts to images of their horrible living conditions in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Most viewers would likely be disgusted by the details that the film provided, which may either make people stop watching or jump to conclusions that they should never eat pork again. However, this is still an effective way of communicating what really goes on in our food system, particularly to people who are unaware. This film is suitable for most audiences, but I would advise that young children not watch this film. //The Pig Picture// successfully addresses the problems with the way meat, specifically pork, is being raised and provides examples of smaller scale farms that provide a natural and healthy environment for their pigs.

//The Meatrix// uses cartoon animation and some humor to portray how meat is produced in our current food system. It plays off “The Matrix”, which makes the short film quite entertaining. This method is effective because it keeps viewers attention while opening their eyes to serious problems. The film identifies that many people still have false images of a little farm where their supermarket meat came from and reveals that the truth is ugly. By using exaggerated animations of what factory farms look like, //The Meatrix// conveys important messages about animal cruelty, pollution, and health concerns. Overall, the film was effective, but people may not be as affected by a cartoon as they would be by actual images. The film best addresses younger audiences and those who enjoy animations and/or comedy news.

ESSAY 10
 * 17. Write a 400-word biosketch that describes where you will be and what you will have accomplished twenty years from now. The biosketch should be narrative rather than resume style. Include basic biographical and educational information, the expertise you have built and have become known for, and a brief description of important projects you have been a part of over this period of time. For an example, see the Wikipedia entry for Paul Farmer ( **[|**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Farmer**]**)**
 * Word Count: 350**

Erika Hawksley, P.E. is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer for Summit Geoengineering. She received her professional engineering license in the spring of 2018 and has nearly 20 years experience in the field. Erika is a member of the American Society of Engineers and Geo-Institute and has her Diplomate, Geotechnical Engineer (D.GE) certification. She worked as an intern for two summers and joined Summit Geoengineering full time after college. Erika played a critical role in the growth and development of Summit from a small business with 3 members into a comprehensive geotechnical design firm consisting of 15 members. She is known for her expertise in slope stability and the use of geosynthetics. She also has extensive knowledge of shallow and deep foundation design, sheet piles, and construction management. She has worked on many large projects, including designing the foundations for the largest wind farm project in the mountains of Maine and the Forefront arena complex located on soft clays at Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine. Erika is currently the Secretary of the Maine section of the American Society of Engineers and was recently recognized for her excellence in engineering by the Society of Women Engineers.

Erika was born and raised in Windsor, Maine and attended St. Mary’s elementary school. She graduated from Erskine Academy ranked 5th in her class. Erika went on to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering. She concentrated in geotechnical engineering and received a minor in sustainability. Erika currently lives in Gardiner, Maine with her husband Justin and two children. She has a passion for living sustainably and has designed her home to be off-the-grid by utilizing solar and wind power and a wood burning furnace. She is also an avid vegetable gardener and buys produce and meat from local farms. Once a year she spends a day at Gardiner High School talking to science classes about engineering in order to encourage interest in the field. Erika has also worked with the local schools to help implement sustainability education classes and make school lunches local and organic.

References:
1. [|The Corporation] Dir. Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott, and Joel Bakan. 2003. 2. [|Food, Inc.] Dir. Robert Kenner. 2008. 3. [|The Yes Men Fix the World] Dir. Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, and Kurt Engfehr. 2009. 4. [|The Persuaders] Dir. Barak Goodman and Rachel Dretzin. 2003. 5. [|Fuel] Dir. Joshua Tickell. 2008. 6. Smith, Chris. " [|America Is a Joke] " //New York Magazine.//12 September 2010. Web. 9 December 2011. 7. Vergano, Dan. "Heroes Wanted in Climate Science Story " //News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World. // USA Today, 7 Nov. 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. [] 8. Cooney, Catherine M. 2010. The Perception Factor: Climate Change Gets Personal. Environ Health Perspect 118:a484-a489. [] 9. Dlouhy, Jennifer, and Simone Sebastian. "New Study on Fracturing Isn't Changing Many Minds." //Times Union //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. Hearst Newspaper, 10 Dec. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. [] <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">10. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Rogers, Lois. "Why Are so Many Children Being Born with Sex Defects?" //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Mail Online //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. 22 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. [] <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">11. Cassiday, Laura. “Perfluorochemicals May Postpone Puberty.” //Chemical & Engineering News.// 10 May 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. < <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[]>