How Much "Stuff" Do I Have?

I never realized the severity of my impact on Earth.  When making a list of all of the things I needed to survive, I found myself trying to live with a lot of things that I didn't need.  My list of things turned out to be comprised of 50 items: from toothbrushes to socks to pants.  For some reason, this number seemed very high to me.  I thought 50 items was a lot.  


I thought 50 was a lot, that is, until I counted the actual number of items I actually own.  After about 30 minutes of counting all of the "stuff" in my room, my tally was off the charts.  I was extremely embarrassed and really shocked to how much stuff I had.  Shirts alone, I had about 150, and which I really only wear 15 or so.  I have 7 jeans in which only 3 are used by me.  I was just really shocked by the amount of clothes I have.  And actually, as a matter of fact, my mom and I went through a lot of my clothes and took out about 20 shirts that don't fit me that we will be donating.  And there are still tons more to go.  Altogether, I had well over 400 items in my bedroom.  


This number really brings to fruition the impact on Earth that I have.  In GT, we looked deeper into how products are made.  On the box of a toy, it may say "Made in China" but where did those plastics come from?  Where did the ink come from?  Andrew and I looked at the impact that an iPhone 3GS had on the Earth and the effects are astounding.  Apple is one of the more environmentally conscience companies out there but the process of their products takes its toll on the environment.  For example, stainless steel is used to make an iPhone 3GS.  Stainless steel is an iron-containing alloy—a substance made up of two or more chemical elements—used in a wide range of applications.  Stainless steels are made of some of the basic elements found in the earth: iron ore, chromium, silicon, nickel, carbon, nitrogen, and manganese.  But where do these items come from?  Iron ore may be mined from Brazil, silicon may be mined from India, the nickel may be mined from Australia, and all of these items are shipped to somewhere else.  During this process, many greenhouse gases are being released into the air.  Looking at this, it makes one look at the bigger picture and not just the finished product.  Because where does the product go after it is thrown in the trash?

We took an Ecological footprint on this site here.  It determined, after a short multiple choice test, that stated

"If everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle, we would need 5.40 Earths"

Just the way it was worded, made me feel horrible.  That is just awful.  This makes me want to make a big difference in my life and try to make a difference in others as well.

This is a screenshot of my Ecological Footprint Quiz Results.

Green Team: Collaborative Consumption

How have you changed since we embarked? Why?


Every time I turn on the computer and open up Google Chrome, there is a certain regimen I go through, the certain sites I go on: Facebook, Youtube, Edmodo, PowerSchool.  However, what I realized over time, was that this daily fixation of sites that I go on, had me entertained for about a grand total of 5 minutes.  However, with the introduction of TED.com from Gifted and Talented Seminar II, there is a new site that has changed the way I spend my time on the computer: watching new and ingenious ideas that people are coming up with.  This site is amazing.  I have changed because this site and the TED talks that our teacher, Ms. Mystrena have showed us, have really inspired my classmates and I to really make a difference in our community.  Combined with the recycling about water bottles video called Tapped, and the Collaborative Consumption video we watched, we want to make a difference.  I've convinced my mom to stop buying water bottle cases (in which she would buy in cases of 36)  In all honesty, this class in general, since the beginning of my freshman year, has inspired me to make a difference in my life, in other people's lives, and if only a little, make a difference in the world. 


What have you learned?


Environment.  The World.  Green Planet.  Future.  Mother Earth.  It has just recently struck me that I am getting older (odd feeling really) and the older one gets, the more observant one gets to the world around them.  One's mind starts to get "polluted" with the problems of the planet and the worry-free days of childhood seem long gone.  But can they be brought back?  Not in a weird way, meaning living in my mom's basement when I'm 35, but what I mean is that, if the world had more of the care-free mind set of a kid, it would be a lot easier to fix the world's problems.  This, I think is one of the most important things I've learned all year.  We just watched a TED talk on a truly inspirational teacher who played the World Peace Game with his students and the children in the mere 4th grade solved the hypothetical issues of the world.  It can be found here.


How have you contributed as a team member?


I've helped with some of the letters in this Collaborative Consumption project.  However, in all honesty, I don't feel as if I have completed anything completely by myself, and I really like doing things with projects (I tend to take over).  However, I am currently working on the PowerPoint in which we will be presenting at the Board of Education Meeting on Monday May 9th, 2011.  I am trying to make it as eye-opening, visually and with information, and make it sound as "wallet-friendly" to the Board of Education.  I am also going to go evaluate the trash receptacles at our school, to determine, or get a good idea of how much my school does or does not recycle.  


At this point do you see this becoming something that stays with you? 


Not only have I seen the changes in the way I think, but I know for sure it will stick with me for my whole life.  Every time I throw something away, I wonder where it will go.  Learning a unit like this makes one very conscious of the world's problems.  And that, I think, is a good trait to have, however, I want to try to look at the problems with a pessimistic and optimistic point of view, both a realist and a romantic.  I want it to be a "optopesstic" view on life...not a real word...but can it be a real idea?  I have hope.