Central Arkansas Community Development

The destruction of various ecosystems through modalities such as bulldozers, cranes, and irrigation systems have shaped the current state of the world. As countries continue to industrialize many parts of the world are becoming increasingly urban. The desire to turn undeveloped areas into bustling cities has been exorbitantly transformative in the state of the world's ecosystems. Increasing populations resulted in a greater amount of socio-economic, agricultural and industrial activities (Schultz). Therefore, a high stress was placed on local ecosystems to meet those demands. Cities now lack

First, it felt slightly odd to read about a city other than New York City in a Macaulay Seminar class because most, if not all, readings I have read in such a class discuss a topic in the context of New York City; nevertheless, reading about Chicago, another major American city, and its comparison with St. Louis, were refreshing. Second, this is the first time that I was exposed to the “first nature vs. second nature” concept, which I found insightful and somewhat surprising. I began to ruminate on the aspects of New York City people assume natural that are in fact artificial. Immediately, the salt marshes near the John F. Kennedy airport in Queens came to mind. According to NYC Parks, the marshes serve to “absorb fertilizer, improve water quality, and reduce erosion,” which can be considered as, using Cronon’s phrase, “natural advantages.” However, they have clearly been positioned and altered in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. In this instance, the presence of human intervention exists, yet many people would be inclined to consider the park “natural.” Perhaps this is how people in the 19th century viewed the railroads. Lastly, the following questions might be worth discussing: in today’s world, given the prolific human activity, what is considered first nature and second nature? Can there even be a third nature or

The Houston Texans performance against the Kansas City Chiefs wasn’t pretty Saturday afternoon. In the Texans 30-0 blowout loss to Kansas City, Houston failed to establish an effective running game behind running back Alfred Blue, and Texans quarterback Hoyer never got in a rhythm throwing the ball.

Since man has evolved from apes, humans have only seen the land for its material value. More specifically, people who are driven by greed and self interest, have consistently taken advantage of the Earth’s limited resources.This relationship is illustrated in familiar pieces of text such as, “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose and “On Indian Removal”by former President Andrew Jackson. This topic has extended to more recent articles like, “Is Gentrification a Human Rights Violation?”. Despite overwhelming scientific studies demonstrating the toll that man has reaped on the environment, humans continue to take advantage of and exploit the land for their own economic benefits which has developed a parasitic relationship.

Unlike most of the persuasive essays needed many “power” words to persuade readers, R. Crumb’s comic, “A Short History of America”, reflects the change of the natural, ecological landscape to urban area without using any words. Nevertheless, his drawing deeply shows us the down side of the urbanization and we human-being are destroying our indispensable nature. We are going the exact opposite direction to a better life; we are going to live in the life where we totally rely on technology and advanced, luxurious materials. Humans will never be satisfied and keep changing. However, while we’re keeping changing, have we ever asked: What are we doing to our nature?

Oberlin college is ranked as the 4th greenest college in America by popularmechanics.com, and it makes sense. It incorporates sustainability into its curriculum, but it also uses brand new technologies, such as solar panels and electric cars. Campuses that are more sustainable seem to have two main characteristics. The first is they are often in more rural settings, and usually use this setting to their advantage, by having big farms and creating nature reserves. The second is that they invest in more environmentally friendly technology before other colleges. Most colleges in the United States are attempting to become more sustainable, but many are taking the wrong approach to doing so. For example, USC is making efforts towards becoming more sustainable, and while some of these efforts are valid, many merely appear to be so that USC market itself as more sustainable. Colleges that put an emphasis on using new, more sustainable technologies tend to be more sustainable than those that simply try to spread the ideas of sustainability. While creating an environmentally conscious student body is important, it may not be achievable everywhere.

Oberlin college is ranked as the 4th greenest college in America by popularmechanics.com which makes sense. It incorporates sustainability into its curriculum, while still maintaining its use of brand new technologies such as solar panels and electric cars. Campuses that are more sustainable seem to have two main characteristics: they are regularly in rural settings, which they use to their advantage by having big farms and creating nature reserves, and they invest in more environmentally friendly technology before other colleges. Most colleges in the United States are endeavoring to become more sustainable, but many are taking the wrong approach to doing so. For example, USC is making efforts towards becoming more sustainable, and while

Nature presents itself around us every day, sprouting between the sidewalk and the street, potted on a porch or controlled and planned out in sectioned off lots often accompanied by a playground. Living in the city, we are not often presented with the unpredictable qualities of wild nature, an environment that is more likely to make the average person feel like an explorer of uncharted territory than a trip to the neighborhood park would ever make us feel.

Urban sprawl is quite commonplace in most suburban communities and usually make way for many problems alongside it. With residents come needs of the people such as work spaces, commercial centres and institutions. While although the community of Morningside Heights may be abundant in many things such as institutions and industrial land, the focus on dealing with urban sprawl has led to the lack of focus on other needs of a community. Here, a large influx of people coming into the community without enough residential area to sustain a rapidly growing population. As much as the community has been expanding into the area which was once a golf club, there is not enough land, or money to build housing to sustain the number of people coming in. In addition there is the problem of the environmental impact; habitats being destroyed for the sake of this housing.

Val Plumwood in her essay “Paths Beyond Human-Centeredness,” illustrates the impact that humans have on nature and non-animals when it comes to preserving environments. Understanding that nature has it’s living properties that let it thrive among its resources allows for people to grasp the complexities that come about when construction companies destroy the environment in which they work. Plumwood uses the term dualism to refer to the sharp distinction between two classes of individuals. There is the high class, which is considered as the “One.” In contrast, the other side of the division consists of individuals that are classified as lower and are subordinates to the “One” as “Others.” This account on dualism allows the reader to understand how humans can significantly alter the environment because of the way they perceive its resources and inhabitants. Plumwood defines five characteristics that illustrate the oppressive actions that change the connection between human relations and the relationship between humans and nature.

Fayetteville, Arkansas is a beautiful, lively college town that always has an event going on. The town was voted the third “best place to live” in the United States by U.S. News & World Report this year. Since the University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, the town stands out compared to the other surrounding

Lewis & Clark was the first college I toured and over ten college tours later, my experience on campus remains crystal clear. All around me I could see the openness and environmental responsibility I strive to maintain in my own life. The combination of academics, student involvement, and well-being I witnessed at Lewis & Clark compels me to want to attend the college myself. In this college setting I would flourish with forward thinking in the setting of Portland, Oregon where I would contribute my dedication, positivity, and environmentally focused spirit. I would work to make the campus better for myself and those around me, inviting others to do the same. However, more than anything, I would try to make people feel welcome because the

The University of New Hampshire has tried to change the mindsets of its students to think and act greener. Oberlin College and Northland College both built green buildings for environmental studies. Middlebury College has an almost entire administration that is dedicated to green, sustainable living. Noel created this list to show that care for the planet should be a factor in a student's college

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss depicts a world ravaged by deforestation and suffering from other environmental crises. In the town of Thneedville, an aspiring capitalist begins to sell his new product and as a result of booming business, the cornerstone of his business pays the price. The trees, the only natural resource used in production, are harvested to the point of extinction. The lack of trees leads to soil erosion, air pollution, and species extinction. While this is a children’s tale and Dr. Seuss’s illustration may be quite extreme, it is a reality for future generations of our planet. Human involvement in ecosystems by clearing land for urban development, logging, and agriculture have all exacerbated the rate of decline in the region’s natural systems. The deforestation of rainforests for the cultivation of palm oil is causing the possible extinction of orangutans and exacerbating air quality issues in Indonesia.

The urban environment that I live in is my nature. My nature is filled with birds, cats, grass, and flowers. It may not be as abundant with mother nature’s resources compared to most places, but it still provides me with an experience of nature. Nature is not limited to just what we see anymore. However, you must use your senses to truly achieve the full experience of nature. In nature, you must smell the wonderful odors from the flowers, you should use your sight and observe the natural beauty of the ever-changing sky, touch the rough and jagged bark of the trees, and hear the spectacular songs of the birds that fly above you.