Reflection questions:
1) consider your food systems, what do you like about it? what do you not like about it?
Growing up my family always valued the food we hunted, grew and prepared ourselves, which gave me an appreciation as to where all of my food really comes from and how different the treatment of livestock can be from farmer to farmer. I cherish all the animals I now raise on my family farm, as I know exactly how my animals are treated, if they are ever given chemicals, and what kind of feed they are given. Although I am able to provide much for myself there is much I can not grow or raise. When I shop at a super market I try to be aware of what I am buying, but it is made very hard to know exactly what process went into preparing my food, as companies of all sorts hide their recipes, and methods. The food that is transparent about what is in it, is often priced quite highly, which is difficult for me to decide to by when there is a seemingly identical product for much less right next to it. I truly believe it is my right to know what I am putting in my body, and companies should have to label their products truthfully.
2) What role if any should zoos play in conservation/ education?
I feel zoos if properly designed have the ability to be great educational tools, especially to young children. If all zoos had staff which constantly were on duty at each of their exhibits, there to provide onlookers with real time information, more interactively than just a sign next to an exhibit, therefor providing a better opportunity for learning and teaching.
As for conservation, zoos should double as a local wide life preserve in my opinion, a place where local injured animals can be safe while healing, then be returned to the wild.
Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? if so, what size/ type of animal/ zoo?
If a zoo has proper facilities, such as large habitats, not small cages, and keeps animals which are meant to handle the climate in that location, I feel it is ethical.
Do you enjoy visiting zoos?
I have always found pleasure in watching magnificent animals since I was young, though as I grew older, the pleasure was often mixed with guilt felt for promoting the often unethical treatment of these animals.
3)What am I doing to promote sustainability and happiness in my life? What would I like to do? I pledge to?
I am promoting happiness in my life by going to school so I can learn about the environment, animals, and struggles of my own society. I feel this promotes sustainability as I am becoming more aware of my surroundings and their problems, and can take action to educate others to these situations.
I would like to find a new way to get to school everyday, such as a car pool with other people from my community.
I pledge to immerse myself in knowledge with the goal of sharing it with others.
Activity:
Ted talks by Jane Goodall, How humans and Animals can Live Together:
Jane tied together the importance of preserving nature for the future, with reducing poverty and empowering youth. By reducing poverty and giving people another source of food which is not their extirpated land, the land has a chance to heal, which restores the natural ecosystems and gives the community a chance to empower themselves. The environmental issues humans face, need to be addressed at a variety of levels.
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