Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling on the Borders of the Empires Synthesis

            To give an overview, the article “Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling on the Borders of the Empires” talks about the Coastal Salish people and how they were affected by the drawing of the USA-Canadian line in the Pacific Northwest. A couple ways that the Coastal Salish people were affected was through the schooling they were told to receive, and the physical border that was put up between Canada and the USA.

            One way that the Coastal Salish people were affected by the influence of the government and the border was through the public schooling. The public schools were more concerned with making the Coastal Salish children abandon their cultural and religious knowledge to learn American or Canadian ways. This was viewed as racist and led to the tribe people being so upset and disappointed in the public schools that they started to school the children themselves. This has led the children to continue in the way of the Coastal Salish culture at the cost of having to have parents teach them.

In terms of the physical border put up, it hindered the Coastal Salish people from communicating with one another. Pre-border, members of the tribe could easily relay messages or even travel to and from the two locations. Now with the definite border, there is security and such lining the boundary between the two countries. This makes it hard for members of the tribe to travel short distances across the border. Having to go through security was an unnecessary procedure according to the Coastal Salish people, one that shouldn't have to be performed.

For both of these reasons, the Coastal Salish people were disappointed and felt oppressed to the point that they no longer wanted their children schooled by the public. They would rather teach their own kids traditions with the “assimilation attitude” of the United States.

Sustainability Issues in the Outer Banks

         The Outer Banks, located along the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, are a group of islands that should be cautious of how they are affecting the environment. Most of the people that visit the Outer Banks are either homeowners or tourists. Each summer the islands are loaded with not only people, but people that are hungry for seafood. When most people go to the beach on a spring or summer vacation, they will most-likely want seafood. This is the cause for all the various types of seafood restaurants located on the island. With a high amount of seafood restaurants, there is obviously going to be a giant need for seafood. Most of the seafood eaten in the Outer Banks is brought in from any of the numerous docks in the area including Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Although the seafood may taste good and fresh, the amount of fish and other organisms that humans are taking from this area is not healthy for the environment. The relationship between the fisherman and the environment is anything but mutual and before long there might not be any fish left at all. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and fixed soon so that we may enjoy the pleasures of seafood for a very long time.
          Also another sustainability issue facing the Outer Banks is erosion. The islands have been currently getting smaller and smaller width wise for awhile now. It seems that every year the "beach" in the Outer Banks moves up a foot or two. This may not seem like a problem right now, but if you look at this in a wider scope, you will note that it is not good for the future of the islands or the homeowners that have residences on the islands.

Environmental Ethics

          This is a picture of the world cut in half and inside it is a beautiful scene with a lone tree and a clear sky. The interpretations of this picture can be different for everyone since there are no words or captions. However, my interpretation of this picture is that inside the earth, there is beauty waiting to come to the outside. This can also be said about everyone on the earth. If we shape up our attitudes and actions (ethics) toward our planet, then this inner beauty would easily shine through. 
          Environmental ethics is an important issue to discuss when talking about the wellness and sustainability of earth today. "Environmental ethics is a branch of philosophy that considers the moral relations between human beings and their natural environment. As a field of study  it assumes that humans have certain responsibilities to the natural world, and it seeks to help people and their leaders become aware of them and to act responsibly when they do things that impact the natural world." (1)
          If we want to bring out the potential beauty lying in the center of the earth, we must learn to develop a productive and healthy relationship with our environment.

To access this picture, as well as learn more about Environmental Ethics, visit http://www.scienceclarified.com/El-Ex/Environmental-Ethics.html#b

"Fracking Fury" by Janna Palliser

In the peer-reviewed article I choose, “Fracking Fury” by Janna Palliser, many interesting points are brought up. Palliser starts the article off by defining what hydraulic fracking (HF) is and what it is known as. Palliser defines fracking as “an unconventional technique in gas production that has been around in some form since the 1940s” and that “the gas extracted through HF is highly dispersed in rock, instead of in a concentrated underground location, and dispersed gas is produced only by special stimulation techniques” (2). Later on in the article she uncovers the pros and cons of HF and how they affect the surrounding environment. One pro of HF is that natural gas is cleaner than other natural resources such as coal and oil. On the other hand, one con of HF is that the regulations on it haven’t been established yet because HF is a fairly new method of drilling and the hazards associated with it are also new. “Escalating concerns include adverse effects on drinking water, human health, animals, and ecosystems.” (7) Towards the end of the article Palliser begins to talk about how the dangerous the fracking industry has become because, as of 2011, they do not have to follow the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act.

            I agree with Palliser on how harmful the fracking industry can be and that they need to be regulated. Although this new type of natural gas is cleaner, if you look at the net gain/loss, it still isn’t the best choice for energy. Many terrible things can be caused from fracking such as drinking water pollution, human and animal health, and the functioning of ecosystems.

To view the article for yourself visit: http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=c2aaf717-ebd9-4fd3-b7ab-093c50305281%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=sch&AN=71939139