For our video, we did a news report about food insecurity causing riots in Philadelphia, which has personal stories about people struggling with hunger and having to eat a bunch of processed food due to disparities. It also has alarming statistics on how widespread the issue is, and calls for action to solve the crisis. I chose this topic because food insecurity is a major problem impacting many people, especially in underprivileged communities like the ones in Philly and even in places abroad like Ethiopia, and by raising awareness it could help motivate solutions.

When it comes to what we did well in creating this project, there isn’t much besides how well it turned out, despite how badly we procrastinated. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have started the project the day before it was due, so I would have had a reasonable amount of time to work on it.

If I’m being honest, there really wasn’t anything meaningful about experiencing the creation of a PSA. If I had to say why I feel this way, I’d probably say it’s because I didn’t really take the time to make it, so I couldn’t fully absorb what I was doing and the real meaning behind it.

Unit Essential Questions:

What value do we see in the biodiversity and natural resources of the earth?

The value of biodiversity and the natural resources of the earth we see is how they are essential for supporting all life by providing us with clean air, fresh water, food, medicine, and materials we need to survive.

What human actions are associated with altering earth’s natural systems?

Agricultural practices like deforestation, overuse of water, greenhouse gas emissions, use of harmful chemicals, burning of fossil fuels, and damage to soil health are human actions associated with altering the earth’s natural systems.

How can individuals, communities and or nations live more sustainably?

Individuals, communities, and nations can live more sustainably by making a few small changes and sacrifices. First, we should use as much renewable energy as possible, like solar and wind power, to reduce our reliance on nonrenewable fossil fuels that foster climate change. We also need to stop wasting resources and conserve what we can, especially water. Recycling should become a norm for everyone. Small swaps are important. For example, in agriculture, we can switch to using compost instead of harmful pesticides.

Reflection Questions:

How did this project deepen your understanding of sustainability?

This project deepened my understanding of sustainability by awakening me to how switching to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy aren’t the only two ways to become more sustainable. Most people are unaware of that, but literally, there are tons of ways, some small and some big, that can help us reach our goal of sustainability. You can fit sustainability into your lifestyle; there isn’t just one cookie-cutter layout.

What information about your chosen industry surprised you most? Why?

The information about my chosen industry that surprised me the most was that in many countries, agriculture is the leading source of pollution. We always hear about clothing and transportation causing so much harm, but you rarely hear about the environmental impacts the agricultural industry has, besides from vegans worried about animals. It also scared me how much of our freshwater is being used up by the industry. 69 percent, is way more than half. How do we even have enough drinking water?

How did you contribute to your groups project? Provide specific examples. What were you proud of, in terms of your overall project?

I contributed to my group’s project by finding all the information, creating the slides and business overview, going out and getting the materials needed to create our diorama, and spending a whole school day putting the physical component together. I’m proud of everything. Literally, I’m proud of the business overview and how compelling it is, all the amazing research I did, how the slides and diorama turned out, and how I managed to get a lot done despite of certain group members.

Droughts start with a lack of rain due to changes in weather and climate patterns. When drought drags on, plants and trees can die from lack of water. Losing these plants leads to an excess of carbon because their aren’t enough plants to go through the photosynthesis process, leading to the demise of the carbon cycle. Thus, one earth system’s downfall creates a chain of events.

The environment is connected to everything. When one part has problems, it causes problems for other parts too. Like with droughts. Droughts happen when there’s little rain. This kills plants and trees since it dries them out, causing them to die off. This can cause wildfires due to dry trees and plants easily being able to catch fire. Mind you, combustion releases CO2 into the atmosphere and causes an excess of it. Droughts aren’t just about a lack of rain. They impact plants, animals„ fires, air quality, and much more. Knowing these connections helps scientists predict disasters earlier.

Overall, I’m not surprised at all by my findings. Droughts are pretty simple to understand, and I could name all the effects of them prior to even doing research. I just wish I had more time for my project so I could have tied it back together nicely.

Overall, I would describe this career as the perfect mix of nursing and being a physician. Like a nurse, you have way more patient care time than a doctor would and more autonomy, but less than you would have as a physician. Yet you still manage to do most of the things a physician can do and can do almost anything else under the supervision of one. What I found most interesting about this career, though it wasn’t one of your questions, was that you get a white coat as a PA, which I thought was just reserved for physicians. Advice that I would give someone who is interested in pursuing this career is to only join this field if they have passion for it because it’s too difficult, too much work, and too much time to commit to it just for money.