Monday, April 27, 2015

Midterm Assignment- "In-Vitro Meat"

Each year, more than 150 billion of animals are enslaved, victimized, tortured and killed in slaughterhouses around the world. According to International Aid for Korean Animals (IAKA), a non-profit organization, each day, in South Korea alone, over 5 thousands dogs are brutally beaten to death for their meat.
*View this video link that I attached here and you will see how brutally the animals are being tortured:https://youtu.be/C8q5pDiglIA

Are you aware of the fact that at the moment you’re enjoying chicken wings, thousands of animals are cruelly slaughtered for the taste of their flesh? Maybe we should all become vegetarians instead. Let’s face it. That’s not going to happen. But there is a solution. The solution is called “In-Vitro Meat”.

In this blog, I am going to introduce “In-Vitro Meat” and its advantages that outcome conventional meat. I hope that through this blog, you may change your mind to consume from conventional meat to accepting the new invention on “In-Vitro Meat”.
The introduction of “In-Vitro Meat” would have a positive impact on the world, both in terms of society and the environment. A future without the need to slaughter thousands of animals for food.
“In-Vitro Meat” is a new idea of manufacturing meat products whereby animal suffering and environmental pollution can be reduced.

What is “In-Vitro Meat”?
“In-Vitro Meat” is the idea of manufacturing meat products through tissue engineering technology. Let’s take a look at this picture. 

Traditionally, we kill animal to collect its meat but not anymore. Instead, we take some stem cells from the animal and grow them in laboratories for meat. We culture the stem cells in a Petri dish with amino acids, lipids and other nutrients to start the growth process. The cells are then attached to scaffold of collagen gel that allows cells to organize themselves into muscle fibers and eventually into muscle tissues. Electrical impulses are supplied to the tissues to stimulate it into meat. In theory, a single cell from one animal could be used to feed the entire global population without stressing the environment.
*Here’s a video for better understanding on In-Vitro Meat”: https://youtu.be/cVdjc4b5CAk

That completes my explanation on “In-Vitro Meat”. I hope you get the idea of what in vitro meat is. Now, I will begin with the first advantages of “In-Vitro Meat” which is “In-Vitro Meat” benefit public health. The first supporting to first main idea is “In-Vitro Meat” will significantly improve the health of humans because scientists have full control over the fat content and nutritional content. According to Professor Mark Post of the University of Maastricht, the scientist behind the first in-vitro burger mentioned that the meat will be 100 per cent muscle and will eliminate the clogging of artery caused by saturated fats. This new food will use omega-3 or salmon oil that is healthy. 
This picture explains saturated fats causes artery clogging and omega3 allows bloods to flow freely. The upper figure shows healthy fats like omega 3 and the bottom figure shows dangerous artery clogging saturated fats. In other words, scientists can make a hamburger that is actually good for you.
The second supporting for the first main idea is farm raised meat production puts the human population at major risk for a worldwide epidemic. Crowding animals close together creates epidemic viruses because animal viruses can easily move from one animal to another, rapidly evolving and mutating. Eventually, it mutates into a virus that can infect humans. One example is the swine flu outbreak in April 2009.
*This picture shows that after only one month, there were 21,940 cases recorded worldwide and 125 deaths. 
On the other hand, “In-Vitro Meat” offers a true solution. “In-Vitro Meat” is produced in sterile conditions, completely void of bacteria and viruses. No crowding animals’ means no viruses can evolve to infect humans. Thus, no longer will the public have to be concerned with the meat production.
Next I want to explain the second advantage of “In-Vitro Meat” which is about animal welfare. The production of “In-Vitro Meat” will get rid of the subliminal guilt, which sensitive individuals feel when eating a carnivorous meal.
This graph based on the National Agriculture Statistics Survey (NASS), shows the animal slaughter statistics in the United States. The x axis represents types of animals and the y axis represents the number of animal killed annually in billion. Notice that, one million chickens are killed hourly in the United States. 
Besides that, my second supporting idea for the second main idea is the International team of scientists, led by Dr. Mike Boland of the Riddet Institute in New Zealand mentioned that earth population is estimated to be 9 billion by 2050. This means that the demand of meat will be doubled and there is need to slaughter more animals for meat. Thus, in vitro meat is a crucial step in the elimination of suffering in all sentimental creatures.
Moreover, “In-Vitro Meat” brings advantages to the environment. In vitro meat will result in a healthier planet.
This graph is based on a study by researchers at Oxford University and the University of Amsterdam. In this graph, x axis shows different types of meat and y axis shows the percentage of impact to the environment. It is found that production of “In-Vitro Meat” uses 45% less energy than the average production of conventional meat. It also produces 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and requires 99% less land. Relatively less energy, land and water is needed for the production of cultured meat. 
The second supporting point to this main point is According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, raising livestock produces 20% of human-related greenhouse gas emissions. 

 This means that the production of conventional meat is in fact responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the transportation sector. For example, the production of 8 ounce steak and I don’t mean the entire cow is the equivalent of 4 and half kilograms of carbon dioxide that is released into the air. That’s the amount of greenhouse gases that is releases from burning about 2 liter of gasoline which is enough to take me from here all the way to airport 25km away.
I strongly believe that “In-Vitro Meat” provide people with the benefits of health, without the attendant suffering to animals as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions. By consuming “In-Vitro Meat”, we can save money on medical bills because “In-Vitro meat” brings benefits to our health since scientist replaces unhealthy fats with healthy fats. We no longer have to be afraid of getting fat and being unhealthy. Besides, we can avoid killing of billions of animals because “In-Vitro Meat” is produced through a tiny stem cells from the animals and we can produced lots of meat through that tiny amount of stem cells. Last but not least, by consuming In-Vitro meat, we can help to keep the environment clean and we no longer have to worry about living in a world that is full of diseases and pollution. 
I strongly recommend that you will try to accept the new changes in your dietary by consuming “In-Vitro Meat”. I believe that from the health perspective, “In-Vitro Meat” has the potential to enhance public health in several aspects, such as bacterial resistance, production of healthy fats meat and an improve in general hygiene in meat production. I would like to focus on one aspect that is the hygiene in meat production. This aspect has an important affect and influence on human worldwide. It is a known that Influenza viruses causes many deaths but how does this happens? It happens when the environment isn’t hygienic due to crowding of animals. Crowding of animals will result in creating viruses that can cause pandemic like the swine flu. Thus, I believe that “In-Vitro Meat” will prevent this problem because it will be produce in a more hygienic environment.
My opinion on the animal rights is we can prevent slaughtering of billions of animals cruelly. Besides, it is expected that the number of animal slaughtering will increase due to the increase of population. “In-Vitro Meat” will become a solution for all of these problem, since it will not be necessary to grow live animal. In-Vitro Meat will be produced out of animal cells where animals no longer need to suffer the pain. We will have meat with the exact taste even without hurting animals at all.
From the environment perspective, the conventional meat has many negative impacts on our environment. These include air pollution, water pollution, global warming, water waste and energy waste. However, with “In-Vitro Meat”, it will be environment friendly. This is because less energy, less greenhouse gas emissions, less land, and less water use are needed for the production of “In-Vitro Meat”. Therefore, I would suggest that you to try to take a minute to consider your moral obligation to put in vitro meat to your meal list.
In conclusion,” In-Vitro Meat” brings you 3C which includes care for health, care for animal and care for environment. “In-Vitro Meat” is more ethical in terms of animal welfare and it reduces the amount of green-houses gases substantially.
 Out with the old, and in with the new. In-Vitro Meat” is the choice for food. 
For more information, you can visit this website: http://www.nextnature.net/themes/meat-the-future/



Friday, April 10, 2015

Money, or happiness? (Career)

An ancient Chinese saying says: “Find a job you enjoy doing and you will not have to work a day in your life”. The meaning is that you will be so busy enjoying your work that you will not consider it work at all. 
My question is can we all find jobs that are enjoyable?

Part 1: The Importance of Happiness and The Importance of Money  (Expressive & Evaluative)
Part 2: Balancing Money & Happiness (Persuasive)

Part 1: Importance of Happiness & Importance of Money (Expressive & Evaluative)
Money vs. Happiness
 
First of all, in my opinion, the purpose of life is to seek pleasure and to avoid pain.
Looking at this way, it is obvious that humans automatically look for what gives them pleasure. In that case, it might be true that we look for work we enjoy. It is advisable that we seek out jobs that we enjoy, though they may not pay very well. 
The argument here sounds simplistic: Can we all find jobs that are enjoyable? 

On the other hand, money is also important. There can be little happiness for a person who does not have enough money. 
For a person to enjoy life he certainly needs money and if it means of obtaining money is somewhat unpleasant- like working in a mortuary, can we say that he should abandon his job and seek a job that he enjoy? An immediate difficulty that comes to mind would be that if all of us seek only jobs that are enjoyable, there are jobs that no one will find enjoyable and no one would like to do these. There certainly are jobs that no one can enjoy doing.
_______________________________________________________________
Part 2: Balancing Money & Happiness (Persuasive)


A good suggestion could be that we should learn how to enjoy what we are doing, rather than look for what we would enjoy doing. It should be easy to love a job that gives you a lot of money. One could think of all the pleasure one could have and realize that it is the job that makes these possible and from there see that the job is enjoyable after all.

Psychologists tell us that what gives us pleasure is a matter of programming. We have been programmed to listen to a certain type of music; like certain foods and even people. If this is true that it would be possible to programme ourselves to enjoy our jobs.

Hence we could say that though it is true that enjoying a job is more important than money, it would be wonderful if we enjoyed the job and earned a lot of money from it. Enjoying ourselves is a matter of attitude: we can find enjoyment anywhere if we look hard enough. Life is short, so why don't we earn a great fortune and live a pleasant life out of it. Our lives is in our own hand:)

Here's a song to lighten up your day:)



Friday, April 3, 2015

Websites with Different Purposes: Entertaining, Informative, Persuasive, Evaluative, Expressive

(1)   Entertaining
       from: http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/


I came across eatyourkimchi when I was watching videos from YouTube. That is when I searched for their blog. I find this blog very entertaining but before I explain why I enjoy keeping up with this blog, I would like to introduce to you all the blogger behind this blog. 

      They are Martina and Simon, a couple from Canada who are currently residing in Korea. 


    For the reason: They don’t just share their experience but they share it in a very creative way and what they shared really fit my thoughts and my live as a foreigner in Korea. They pretty much talks about everything, such as Korean food, Korean pop stars, Korean news as well as difference between Korean and Western cultures. Besides, I am impress that they sell stuff through blogging as you can see from their blog page by clicking “EYK Store”.

For more videos, you can click the link below J

(2)   Informative
            from: http://www.bornfitness.com/blog/


 enjoy my pastime doing gym and I find that "Born Fitness" is a very useful website for me to gain information about fitness. 

From his blog, I get to know about effective ways for muscle growth and the exact proper diet. 

I no longer have to spend money for a private coach or worry about whether the way I exercise is right or wrong. 

The blogger behind Born Fitness is Adam Bornstein. He is a fitness editor and creates content in health and fitness.



“In the kingdom of health and fitness, Adam Bornstein is king.” – Adam Bornstein 

For more information: http://www.bornfitness.com/

(3) Persuasive

I find that the writer behind "Striking at the Roots" by Mark Hawthorne is very persuasive in gaining animal rights. 


The reason I know about this blog is while reading an article about the reasons people go for vegan. At first I though it was only about health. However, after reading this blog I learn that lots of animals have been killed cruelly. The way they were slaughtered in the farm house and factory is just a pain to know. Perhaps I will start becoming a vegan from now on. 

I find that the post that he blog entitled "Introducing Bleating Hearts" The Hidden World of Animal Suffering  is the best post and the most touching. 


(4) Evaluative


Tim Brown, CEO & President of IDEO. 

In his blog, he talks mostly about the value of thinking and being innovative which leads me to finding this blog as an evaluative blog. As a Business Major student, I need to constantly think of new ideas but before getting a wide idea, I have to always ask the question why and evaluate my thinking.

His blogs help me to reflect my thinking in a certain way that provides me with better and mature thinking.

For example from his post, "The Career Choice Nobody Tells You About". In this post he asked a question on what choices that make one choose between going deep or going wide. Going Deep is about willingness to be patient and constantly work hard for achievements and Going Wide is about curiosity and creativity. Thus, I evaluate every step I take and no longer in a hurry to success. 

(5) Expressive


I believe that a photo is a great way to express one's emotion, current environment and in short photo tells a story. I find that Weinert Brothers' blog is very special in the way they express their photography skills and how they express what is going on around the world through photography.

They are documentary journalist and photographers from Germany. Through their picture, they show the human rights and current environmental issues in countries like Philippines, Nepal and so on. 

Here is one of the photo from their portfolio.


This picture is taken in Manila. From this picture, I can feel the sadness in the kids where they live in a world with worries. Worry about how they can survive from tomorrow's hunger. I think this picture tells it perfectly.