Nonfiction Reading Response #2

           According to the article, United Nations Panel Calls Hormone Disruptors a “Global Threat” by Brian Bienkowski and Environmental Health News, hormone linking chemicals are the main threat to the health of humans and animals. These chemicals are the organic pollutant chemicals such as, DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls, and ubiquitous chemicals such as biphenol A and phthalates. This had been growing increasing over the last decade. These chemicals are referred to as a global threat, for that it had been spread across the continent. Many people look upon this chemical as a living threat to humans and that it had to be eliminated, however, others thought it isn’t a bad thing.

            Chemicals like DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls are a major threat to humans and animals, “[They] are now banned in the U.S---traveled the globe, persisted in the environment and caused severe population declines in some wildlife species” (Bienkowski 1). These chemicals are very quick at spreading and contaminating the environment which resulted in the decrease of wildlife. Humans are not killed from this chemical, instead, their health is directly affected.

Such diseases include male reproductive problems, pregnancy complications…obesity and brain development. Many factors can cause such diseases, but the report concludes that given how fast some of these are rising, environmental chemicals are likely playing a role (Bienkowski 1).

            Even though these diseases can’t be comparable to cancer and other untreatable sickness, but they can be quit complicated. For example, pregnancy complications can directly lead to the development and growth of their offspring. It may also lead to stillborn and other severe problems. Obesity and brain development can lead to a person’s ability to remember, and to learn. Reproductive problems can interfere with a person’s ability to reproduce.

            DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls are still a threat to us, but other chemicals such as the bisphenol A and phthalates are found in everyday products (Bienkowski 1). These chemicals can come in direct contact with us and cause health problems. These chemicals are known as pseudo persistent because they don’t stay in the environment for long, but we expose to them all the time so it’s would have the same effect as if it was persistent.

            There had been more than enough evidence to prove that these chemicals are harmful and that it should be banned. But on the other hand, the government agencies and industry groups are not so convinced of this. In responding to the threat of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls to wildlife, they say that, “…particularly killer whales and harbour seals. Both have high levels of PCBs and flame retardants that accumulate in ocean ecosystems” (Bienkowski 2). This means that this chemical only kill whales and seals and not all the animals. In responding to human threat, they made a point that, “…very low levels of human exposure to BPA through the diet are unsafe” (Bienkowski 2). There isn’t enough people who are being expose to these chemicals that are having health issues and they stated that the chemicals in the food does not have a major effect on humans. “Unless we know where the chemicals are used, and they’re tested, it’s tough to make informed decisions on how to protect people” Woodruff said. Many of these chemicals had not been tested, so scientists cannot decide whether or not it is absolutely harmful to us.

            Overall, I think that even though these chemicals had not been directly proved to be harmful, they should still be banned due to the health complications that it might cause. I think that if these chemicals are ban then there wouldn’t have been so many arguments on if it’s good or bad.

Work Cited

Brian Bienkowski and Environmental Health News. "United Nations Panel Calls Hormone Disruptors a "Global Threat": Scientific American." United Nations Panel Calls Hormone Disruptors a "Global Threat": Scientific American. Scientific American, a Division of Nature America, Inc., 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.

Website: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=united-nations-panel-calls-hormone-dispruptors-global-threat

Reading Response~anything #1

Title:Walden

Author: Henry David Thoreau

In the book, Walden by Henry David Thoreau; human beings and natural things melted together without conflict, opposition, and the separation of social status. To Thoreau, nature actually exists and it was the mixture of the universal things. It was opposite to the ill-condition society. He hated the business society that was full of the stink of money because people in that society had become their own working tools. He said, “Business curse all it ran, you couldn’t get rid of the curse of the business even if you ran gospel of heaven,” He thought that to accustom the business atmosphere would ruin the characteristic of American. Thoreau needs to find a way. One of the ways was flying back to nature, for that only nature could purified people’s heart. They could get rid of the erosion of the luxurious material life and live a kind of, “true life,” which can be harsh, yet simple. He said that, “If one would like to live a and wise life, then it was not a hard thing for one to make a life, but a way of entertainment.”

Thoreau had his own ideas on education. He thought that education meant going deep into life and placing oneself in the world, no matter what you love or hate about the things discovered in it. When talking about running a school by himself, he said that he teaches not for the benefit of his compatriot, but for their livelihood. He also emphasized that human should pay attention to one’s own moral uplift without minding other’s thoughts. They should find and persist in the kind of life that fits them.

Walden was a milestone of the development of American culture. The book reflects the basic idea of Transcendentalist, which had been part of the American culture. Thoreau wrote in the conclusion part, “However mean life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not as bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse.” Those words reflect the writer’s faith of life: the poor the life is, the higher the people’s spirit is. Humans should try their best to reduce the pursuit of materials in order to pursue spirits in a higher level. I really like the writer’s attitude toward life. He said, “Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old: return to them Things does not change: we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. God will see that you do not want society.” Nowadays in a world full of material desires, I think his words really reflect who we are. Maybe most of us cannot accept Thoreau’s idea mention in the book, but his book blamed the destroying of society and denied the progress of the society, which had a reality meaning to modern society.

Reading this book reminds me of those people who work hard to earn money, waste them to buy luxury and expensive things in order to entertain themselves. In my point of view, they may easily lose themselves, and though their bodies are full, their minds are hungry. The real life is to make everything simple and enrich our heart and soul. In a word, just simplicity, simplicity and simplicity!

One of Thoreau’s thoughts about solitude attracts me deeply for that I’m the person who likes to be alone. When Thoreau lived alone in the woods, people did not understand him, even Emerson thought what he did was wrong. But I do think that Thoreau’s life was successful, meaningful and happy. I think that success and happiness of life all come from the exact same value. When you know what the value of yourself is, meanwhile you can enjoy your life according to the value every time. You will find that you will have full of energy and enthusiasm everyday to do anything. The most important thing is that your heart is peace and calm.

Last but not least, I envy Thoreau so much for that he lives in a beautiful and comfortable natural environment. He can breathe the fresh air, live with wild animal friendly, and appreciate the scenery of the Walden Pond. Meanwhile in modern society, people pursuit their own interest to kill and hunt animals, cut down trees, and pollute the environment. As a result, the number of wildlife is decreasing, the area of lake is shrinking, and the water is not pure anymore. Environmental problems such as global warming, and climate change had become increasingly serious. This book made me be more aware of the environment and also to realize the harmony between human and nature.