Hope you are doing well! Welcome to our fourth activity. Please, post your comments before June 1st, 8 p.m.
1. In groups, make decisions about the social issue you are going to deal with, considering how it is noticed in the global, national and local levels. Do not forget to give your points of view and offer possible solutions based on your perceptions about it.
2. Write an esssay in paragraphs considering the suggested format. Take into account all the aspects suggested previously. It must have 350 words at least.
3. Tips for writing:
Simple sentence structure considering topics worked in class until now.
- Grammar, spelling, punctuation rules, etc.
- Include as much details as possible.
- Useful conectors or linking words.
Language use / writing aspects:
Simple sentence structure considering topics worked in class until now.
- Grammar, spelling, punctuation rules, etc.
- Include as much details as possible.
- Useful vocabulary you need to express your ideas.
- Coherence and cohesion.- Useful conectors or linking words.
4. Prepare your final presentation, to be presented from June 5 to 12 (10 minutes per group). Be as creative as possible.
All your writings will be welcome as comments... Thanks for participating!
ANIMAL EXTNCTION
ReplyDeleteThe main aim of this essay is to provide information related to the global problem of animal extinction and thus to make society aware of the importance of conserving our environment because this environmental problem is one of the biggest and most troubling of the time.
It’s well known that the main cause of animal extinction has been produced by man during the last centuries and it’s because as industrial factories grow, the environmental cycle gets affected regarding the amount of pollution and the bad use of natural resources such as water becoming into habitat degradation. Climate change is a big deal because it’s the one causing instability in certain parts of the planet that are more unsafe or vulnerable producing extinction of some species.
It’s then taken into a count the real problem in this specific situation and it’s that everything is a chain when people cuts down a tree it ends up destroying a habitat of a specie and it does not affect just the specie but the whole balance of the ecosystem such as water and the alimentary chain. So extinction happens as well because of a competition of animal for territory in which the strongest will survive.
A big consequence for animal extinction is the loss of biodiversity and it reflects on the role that a specific species of animals play on the world that won’t be done anymore. Therefore it breaks with the balance of whole.
Some of the solutions to this global problem include supporting the work of national parks, nature reserves and wildlife areas that protect the habitats of animals in danger of extinction;besides forbid hunting of the various animals in extinction, forbid felling of trees, stop the traffic of wild animals and avoiding the contamination of water sources; since all this generates a strong alteration in the animal habitat.
In conclusion, it can be said that human beings are responsible for the damage caused to nature over time. To avoid further destruction of the environment in which we live as a society, we must be aware that all our actions have an impact on the lives of other living beings, and since the damage is done, the only thing left to do is to try to stop the death of so many animals.
Diana Benitez Nitola
Laura Barrera Rodriguez
OVERPOPULATION
ReplyDeleteThere are seven billion people on the planet, this number keeps growing each minute, some people still don’t realize that this is one of the main contributors to the environmental challenges like pollution, animal extinction, climate change and water shortages. We can name a lot of effects that overpopulation have, the resource consumption is one of the biggest, it means lack of water, food, space and everything we need to live. And we also have to think about the social issues, conflicts, wars caused by sources of tension between countries, high cost of living, rise in unemployment and that the diseases could be spread easily, and the cause is clear, we are too many.
Overpopulation is caused by many factors. Reduced mortality rate, better medical facilities, are some of the causes that result in depletion of essential resources. It is possible for a sparsely populated area to become densely populated if it is not able to sustain life.
The scientist have been investigating about the issue of overpopulation since the beginning of the problematic, and they have been created a list of causes and we are going to show a few.
When we talk about overpopulation we should understand that there is a psychological component as well. For thousands of years, a very small part of the population had enough money to live in comfort. The rest faced poverty and would give birth to large families to make up for the high infant mortality rate. Families that have been through poverty, natural disasters or are simply in need of more hands to work are a major factor for overpopulation. As compared to earlier times, most of these extra children survive and consume resources that are not enough in nature.
Many people prefer to move to developed countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia where best facilities are available in terms of medical, education, security and employment. The end result is that those people settle over there and those places become overcrowded. Difference between the number of people who are leaving the country and the number of people who enter narrows down which leads to more demand for food, clothes, energy and homes. This gives rise to shortage of resources. Though the overall population remains the same, it just affects the density of population making that place simply overcrowded.
But what can be done about it? Our proposed solutions are: better sex education which has to go with access to birth control, make sure that everyone understand the problems that we are facing and reduce the birth rate. But the most important aspect is making changes in policy, some countries gives benefits to people with children, this causes that some of them take advantage of this and have more and more kids to receive financial incentives. Overpopulation is an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of earth, and we all need note that.
Felipe Florez
Alexandra Diaz
Felipe Solano
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSTREET SEXUAL HARASSMENT: A DAILY ISSUE FOR WOMEN
ReplyDeleteStreet harassment is defined as “unwanted comments, gestures, and actions forced on a stranger in a public place without their consent and is directed at them because of their actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.” Although is a common issue around the world, it still does not have the importance it deserves.
The numbers are worrying. In 2014, SSH commissioned a 2,000-person national survey in the USA with surveying firm GfK. The survey found that 65% of all women had experienced street harassment. Among all women, 23% had been sexually touched, 20% had been followed, and 9% had been forced to do something sexual. In Colombia, the situation is quite similar. According to a survey made by the District Department of Women, a 64% of women have suffered of sexual assault on public transport.
In fact, it is difficult to size the percentage of harassment because, as it is absolutely common, people do not treat it as if it was a real problem and most women do not complain about it. Women have to ignore it or defend themselves, that is the solution that society offer us. This is not only useless but also, harmful, since there have been cases where women have been attacked by their harassers.
Movements against SSH from all around the world have been spreading conscious about it and campaigns such as “Cuéntalo” have opened our eyes to the tragic consequences that an “inoffensive comment" can bring. The campaign picked up testimonies regarding SSH and some of them, the most disturbing cases implicated rape, torture and even murder. We could not find evidence to support the information we found related to campaigns against SSH here in Colombia, which is pessimistic for us as Colombian women since it does not give us security or comfort.
SSH generates a negative psychological impact, especially in the women and they suffered this almost in their whole life. We need to take into account that the person who suffered this kind of aggression does not have the fault, in all the cases the fault is the harasser. There are no excuses or justifications for street sexual harassment.
Everyone has the right to experience their sexuality as they see fit, provided they do not run over the freedoms of the rest but this does not mean that the use of these aggressions has to be done in order to pass over the rights, this would be a gender violation. Women who had protested also ask for punishments against harassers and they invite men to leave these acts aside.
In conclusion this problem must stop, at any time an act of street harassment can end in a violation, we must take these acts seriously. Remember that when you witness a harassment situation and you do not say anything, you are part of this, helping any victim may not be much but everything starts a few. Also start to remind children that we should all give and receive respect so that when they grow up they will be good citizens because any change starts with a good education.
Yessica Daniela Paredes Cely
Maria Alejadra Pinilla Hernández
Irma Lorena Claros Camargo
Infant mortality in the world.
ReplyDeleteThe number of children who die each year in a country is an index of the well-being and health of children in that country. At present, the worldwide situation of infant mortality is tragic: a child dies every 4 seconds. Infant mortality is measured by the "Infant Mortality Rate", which consists of the annual number of infant deaths divided by the total number of births in a given region. This quotient provides, mainly, information about the health conditions of the children of a country.
Infant mortality has 6 main causes:
Pneumonia (19%)
Diarrhea (17%)
Premature birth (10%)
Neonatal infections (10%)
Malaria (8%)
Lack of oxygen at birth (8%).
Infant Mortality in Colombia:45% of Colombia's population lives below the poverty line. Although the country has a lot of wealth, it is unevenly distributed. These conditions are aggravated by the continuous armed conflicts and the frequent natural disasters that the country faces.The most vulnerable victims of this oppressive poverty are the numerous homeless children, abandoned to sleep on the streets of large cities without shelter or help; an unacceptable situation. Colombian children who are victims of the sex trade, are subject to all kinds of degrading perversions including child pornography, sexual abuse, sadistic violence, etc.
More than 10,000 child soldiers participate in the armed conflicts in Colombia. They are used directly in armed forces and combats.Many children grow up in this environment, surrounded by violence, caught between the barbarities of the armed fighting groups and living with the constant possibility of an untimely death.
According to Paul Martin, Unicef representative in Colombia: "The biggest challenge facing Colombia is violence; the villencia in the home, in the schools, in the streets. Colombia is a country completely traumatized by violence."
What characterizes children is their youth and vulnerability. The child, being in the process of growth, does not have the means or the necessary tools to protect himself.
In conclusion, children should be supported, assisted and protected against labor exploitation, kidnapping, they should be given appropriate treatment for diseases, etc.
Infant mortality can be prevented if governments decide to prioritize policies in favor of children in their national budgets.Simple interventions can reduce child mortality significantly, such as:
Improvement of children's nutrition;the improvement of maternal health;the decrease in the impact of HIV, malaria and other diseases;drinking water and sanitation conditions.
Daniela Sánchez
Paula Plazas
THE EXTINCTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
ReplyDeleteThe care of the environment is a very controversial issue in recent years and, of course, something that touches all of us. It is our planet, our home. And like this problem many others have come and we are not enough informed. One of them is the extinction of food. We still have not realized that if we do not take charge of repairing the problem we have caused with our carelessness, we could end up stopping eating the food we find in the markets at such a low price. These can cost much more, almost becoming luxuries that we can not give ourselves the pleasure of consuming.
In the recent years one of the most controversial problems is the global warming which is affecting the life of the planet, destroying all kinds of biodiversity. Now, one of the consequences is the extinction of a lot of food. As we know, fruits and vegetables need different elements to have the right development, for instance, the appropriate weather, the right time, a good fertilizer, a correct land, etc. But, because of climate change and the human greed, a lot of food has been to decreasing little by little until almost its total extinction.
Climate change, insane government policies, and urban growth on fertile land are important issues in this matter. Also, the over exploitation that becomes the land infertile, and the seed industry consolidation, which uses increasingly transgenic seeds instead of natural, play a part in the problem. In many regions, the monoculture represents a wrong use of the land, because it uses the fertile land for animals instead of for crops. We find as the principal cause of this problem, the disinformation; we live in a society that is not interested in vegetables / fruits consumption, then it is not a surprise the lack of interest in take care of them.
However, it is a fact that some of our favorites dishes will disappear with some crops, such as avocados, coffee, peanuts, chocolate, bananas, strawberries, soybeans, wheat, maize, rice, wine grapes, stone fruits and ancestral cereals like the Andean Quinoa. It is just a matter of time to consider those products as luxuries, and most of people do not even know about it.
After noticing the big problem it represents, we can talk about solutions. To combat a global issue requires the commitment of many people, and some little daily actions could help to solve the problem, You can do many things by your own! Such as; cooking most of your meals at home using organic ingredients, il would help not only the planet, your life would be healthier too! Also, frequenting restaurants that serve organic food. If you have a garden, use only organic seeds! Buy only heirloom, open-pollinated, and/or organic seeds for your garden; Boycott all lawn and garden chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) unless they are "OMRI Approved," which means they are allowed in organic production. Reducing the meat consumption or no smoking are really good deeds, there is too much we can do for the planet!
The planet needs our help, but we need even more from it. Then, it is necessary to be cautious with the decisions that we take every day, because if we do not stop that misuse, all our resources will finish soon.
We have to try to make changes for our life and for the sake of futures generations; One of the most important heritage that we could leave for them is the organic natural food that the same land has given us since the beginning.
Daniela Medina Miranda
Laura Medina Verdugo
Aleida Natalia Espitia
THE EASIEST ROUTE? DRUG TRAFFICKING?
ReplyDeleteOf the many problems that exist in the world, there is one that although the countries have given it strong blows throughout its existence this one is still alive. This is the problem of Drug Trafficking, which stands out as a large scale commercialization,specifically, of illegal drugs.
But, how the Drug Trafficking started to be part of a profitable economy? we come back to the XIX century, by the arrival of the Opium of India’s and the Hashish in France from northern African colonies to England. In order to receive juicy profits, the English aristocracy was in charge of spreading the idea that its consumption in moderate amounts did not generate harm to the health, on the contrary it helped to overcome the suffering of the daily life.
The drug most consumed and marketed: cocaine, the origin of its consumption goes back to 1750 in Europe. The government, beginning the 20th century tried to limit the non medical use and the legal trade of this substance. Parallel to this process appeared new drugs of synthetic type: Synthesized mescaline, amphetamines and LSD.
The rise of drug trafficking began in the so-called Golden Triangle, consisting of Burma, Laos and Thailand, thanks to the fact that in these areas there was little presence of the authorities in the territory. Unfortunately, in countries where drug trafficking was witnessed, many members of the government took advantage of illegally profiting from drug trafficking.
Drug trafficking was reinforced with globalization, and because of emotional, spiritual or social disintegration problems, the consumption of illegal substances was in some way increased, because its made the consumer move away from their distressing reality.
This is where the great debate begins what we should do as a society to give a possible solution to this problem that is practically holding the Colombian economy?, inasmuch there is a lack of opportunities in the country, and being drug trafficking one of the easiest things that can exist for individual "progress" many people are forced to be part of this drug economy. This becomes a vicious circle from which there is no way out.
Colombia is the only country in the world where the three main illegal plant-based drugs (marijuana, opium and cocaine) are produced in significant quantities. Colombians are involved in illegal drug production, international smuggling and marketing for more than 20 years. Also, it means that Colombia, as the world’s largest producer of cocaine.
Medellin is still the capital of the cocaine trade in Colombia, but nowadays the situation is a little different in the topic of wars ands deaths by drug trafficking because the BACRIM groups, the Oficina de Envigado and the Urabeños are working together to provide protection and services for a new generation of drug traffickers. This new generation is very clandestine, with the traffickers looking like young entrepreneurs or highly qualified, successful businessmen or young students, as the case where UPTC University was involved last year, and many of his students were involved with drug trafficking within the university facilities.
This phenomenon must be fought with the economic and social progress of the country, to the extent that clear and practicable policies for society emerge, and thus to be able to raise new actions to fight against the corruption associated to the drug trafficking.
Sofía Llanos
Angélica Mesa
Knowing the importance of Páramos in Colombia.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to know the impact and influence of everything with our country and to the world. Knowing the importance of natural resources gives out to the society a bigger view and sense of responsability with Páramos and nature. The functioning of the Páramos ecosystemS are getting damaged because of the rising of the population. The government and the general society has the capability and ability to work together for the prevention of damage of Páramos, even though there is an economic organization based on the consuming of oil and different chemicals, there could be done a replace for clean energy fuel.
The most notable problems for Páramos are: Agriculture, the growing mining activity mainly of coal, sand and limestone produce pollution of the surface and groundwater. Mercury and cyanide and air pollution destruct biodiversity. Likewise, unbridled and unorganized tourism has increased the deterioration of these ecosystems and their species, of which several are in danger of extinction
The flora of these ecosystems is really inmportant in terms of water conservation, these plants have hairs that keeps heat and hard leaves that prevent water from being lost by evapotranspiration. In general, they are stubby specimens to protect themselves from the cold and the wind.
Many species let the natural process of life in Páramos be fluent and articulated, but it is not the same, because some species have desapeared like the toad called in Ecuador "jambato" was very abundant until a few years ago but to date it can be said that it is totally extinct, this affect not only the organization of the food chain, but also the conservation of life.
Nowadays too many people can see the dangerous era its about to come, but there is a solution, it is not that late, the colombian ecosystems are getting damaged by sequence of our acts, but those acts can be stopped by a contingency plan and campaign, the futuro of our Páramos its in our hands.
Daily Galeano
Juan Mendivelso
Daniel Mahecha
Some mistakes we did not see before post
DeleteDesapeared= disappeared
Futuro=future
EcosystemS= ecosystems
DRUG ADDICTION
ReplyDeleteThe drug addiction is a social issue that affects to all the countries in the world. Obviously in some countries the problem is bigger than others ‘cause the drugs also give another different problems like delincuence, school dropout, etc… and it’s ‘cause the majority of the consumers are youngers between 10 and 24 years old.
The problem isn’t when you consume drugs ocasionally, no, is when you need to consume drugs for do your daily routine, when you feel that if don’t have your doses, you go mad, and your body feel that needs the drug as a need, as an obligation like brief or eat. Then, people like us who are studying, starts to looks at the drugs as the most important thing and leave their future, their studies, and starts to sell drugs to live.
A lot of different countries have implemented personal doses for their population, and that choice have reduced the delincuence and other facts. In rich countries like Netherlands legalizate the drugs, but when you have a control in your population, and the citizens have a good life style, they don’t do bad things for get drugs, just go to the shop and buy some of it. But in poor countries like Colombia the situation is different, we can produce drugs, and the business of drugs are very good, there are a lot of money. So then the people from poor neighborhoods start to sell drugs, and kill people from another brotherhoods who also sell drugs and can steal their clients, and then, the violence starts. Also, people who don’t have money for buy drugs (incluiding kids who doesn’t have parents or something like that) starts to robber citizens (incluiding us) for get money.
According to many studios, the people become in addicts when they feel alone, and just wanna stay way from that, just wanna lost the mind for some moments, but the effect doesn’t last many time, just some hours, so they wanna consume again and again and again, and they become in addicts.
But think in this, there are many people who doesn’t do anything bad to the society, they just live their life like any person without harming anyone, and is a good point. But there are another kind of people who steal, kill and traffic drugs just for them, without think nothing, just that they need drugs, and that’s it.
The problem is not drugs, the problem is people who can’t consume drugs in a nice way, because the drugs don’t kill people, people kill people, and is worst when you are in a selfish country where the people put their needs over us.
In my opinion, the drugs can be used in a good way, for distract the mind and feel us different. But all in excess is bad, and if you don’t visualize your priorities, you are in the bad way.
Jhony Moreno
TERRORISM IN THE CLASSROOMS
ReplyDeleteIn the last decade in the United States of America, a series of violent attacks with firearms by student has occurred as a way to show dissatisfaction with the state, its environment or even its moral principles. As a consequence of this, mortality and victim rates have increased drastically in public and private schools and colleges in this country, throwing the following figures: 291 school shootings since 2013, 1 average shooting a week, 121 young deaths. The government is alarmed because it does not know how to control this situation because these events happen unexpectedly since the perpetrators are ordinary students.
Globally, the United States has the highest rates on this problem, in contrast to countries such as Bangladesh, Austria, Chile and the Netherlands, where it also occurs but with less frequency and with not so harmful results. Following the latest shooting in Florida at a high school that killed 17 people and left 20 injured. We question the reasons why the student decides to commit this act and why he does it easily. We also note that this problem is not related to the rate of violence that a country or a state has, since it was shown that in the city of Parkland (Florida) designated as one of the 15 safest cities in the world, on February 14 of this year, an episode of these was presented.
The profile of the perpetrators is that of a person who has suffered violence in childhood or who has psychological problems caused by various reasons such as bullying, mistreating, or using drugs; as a result of this; for example Nikolas Cruz (attacker in Florida) 19 years old, who turned out to be a problematic boy, solitary and crazy by the arms.
We can conclude that these situations are presented as a way of venting that violence or psychological problems that the student suffers throughout his life, supported by the ease of obtaining a weapon in some states. As a possible solution to this complicated case, we propose that there be prevention and support for all students (especially students with attacker profile) by the government and that a contingency plan be developed for a possible episode, in addition to the sale of weapons is more controlled and more difficult for a student to access.
Presented by:
Cristian Kamilo García Sierra
Sebastián Camilo Jimenez