THE ROLE OF FOOD IN BETTERING OUR LIVES AND OUR WORLD

 

If we are serious in our aim to tackle climate change, we need to start with how we eat and how we produce what we eat. Provided some measures are taken, both we as people, and more importantly, the planet on which we depend will be healthier. In this exercise, the texts and the videos have been mingled, which will hopefully make it easier for you to organize your ideas. If you should find material which you feel should be included in the task, don’t hesitate to contact me.

CLIMATE DISASTERS AND THEIR LINK TO FOOD

·         The foods that could prevent climate disasters

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-foods-that-could-prevent-climate-disasters/

·         Food and a sustainable climate https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/food_practice/food_climate_cop26/?gclid=CjwKCAjw9e6SBhB2EiwA5myr9ja8ckLEpvXwZA24qkBoqPaKHlCz0cF2Veh4lUXgXHp_kTaZQKdweRoC0S0QAvD_BwE

·         How your food choices can help fight climate change https://www.eatingwell.com/article/290798/how-your-food-choices-can-help-fight-climate-change/

HUMAN HEALTH AND ITS LINK TO FOOD AND CLIMATE

·         Turning back the climate clock

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/

·         How your diet can treat disease

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/how-your-diet-can-treat-diseases/

·          Why we need to expand our crop  menu

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/why-we-need-to-expand-our-crop-menu/

 

INSOMNIA: THE CAUSES AND THE EFFECTS

 

Disturbed sleep or insomnia is the bane of modern society plaguing millions around the world. What causes this worrying problem and what effects does it have on us? Do your research and find out. When you are ready, write an essay analyzing your findings.

Circadian rhythm

·         Circadian rhythm https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

·         What is the circadian rhythm? https://www.news-medical.net/health/Circadian-Rhythm.aspx

Documentary

·         How to get a good night’s sleep  DW Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqhSW8miqq8

The major reasons analyzed

·         Blue light has a dark side https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

·         Light and circadian rhythms  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU-JzVwx-2M

·         Diet, exercise and sleep https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/diet-exercise-sleep

·         Anxiety and sleep  https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/anxiety-and-sleep#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20frequently%20connected%20to,involving%20insomnia%20and%20anxiety%20disorders.

The major effects analyzed

·         Can poor sleep lead to Alzheimer’s or dementia? https://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/05/health/alzheimers-sleep-dementia-study/index.html  

·         What would happen if you didn’t sleep? https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-sleep-claudia-aguirre

·         Cardiovascular disease risk greater in people prone to insomnia https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/19/insomniacs-risk-heart-failure-stroke-study

BABY FARMS

 

Farms, you may be forgiven for thinking, are places where animal husbandry is practiced: cows roam the meadows, sheep frolic in the sunshine and poultry scratch around for grubs. You may be horrified to learn that there existed places called baby farms. Do your research, find out what this institution was and discuss the reasons why they were established and why they still exist today. In your conclusion, suggest solutions.

Reading material to make notes on

·         Baby farmers and angel makers http://ultimatehistoryproject.com/baby-farmers-and-angelmakers-childcare-in-19th-century-england.html

·         Baby farming https://www.encyclopedia.com/children/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/baby-farming

·         The Victorian nurse who strangled babies https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-39330793  

·         Child harvesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_harvesting

·         Baby farms: a new kind of sex trafficking https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2019/09/27/baby-farms-vietnam-sex-trafficking/

·         Chinese baby factories https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/shocking-pictures-show-chinese-baby-4971128

Videos to take notes from

·         What is baby farming? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhrdHAwENEI

·         Nigeria’s baby farmers https://www.aljazeera.com/program/africa-investigates/2015/12/3/nigerias-baby-farmers

THE PROBLEM OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

 

Electronic waste and what to do about it are two of the most important problems facing humanity as valuable resources are wasted and depleted and the natural world is slowly poisoned. Do your research to find out where your discarded iphone or tablet ends up and what effects it has on the environment. When you are ready, use your notes to describe the problem and suggest solutions.

Animation

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ixtgA9uMs

The nature of the problem

·          What is e-waste? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmraERa1WQE

·         E-waste problem: overview  http://www.electronicstakeback.com/resources/problem-overview/   

Reading material to make notes on

·         Can we fix our way out of the growing e-waste problem?  https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51385344

·         The growing problem of e-waste

 https://rethink.ft.com/articles/growing-problem-ewaste

·         E-waste: a global hazard  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214999614003208       

Videos to take notes from

·         Electronic waste and the threat to resource security https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiahTEGJMAI

·         Putting an end to electronic waste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1a8J1pmYQ

·         Greening our electronic waste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYZDfmkVL4

·         New e-waste report features evidence from the Royal Society of Chemistry  https://www.rsc.org/news-events/articles/2020/nov/e-waste-report/

 

COVID 19, EDUCATION AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONS

 

Schools  have been closed for months now and online learning has replaced the classroom. What is more, it doesn’t look like things are going to change anytime soon. This situation, experts warn, will have lasting impacts on society and the world as every sphere of life is impacted by the covid generation. Do your researchand discuss these impacts.

OVERVIEW

·         Adverse consequences of school closures https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/consequences

READING MATERIAL TO MAKE NOTES ON

·         How covid 19 is affecting the world’s children https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200603-how-covid-19-is-changing-the-worlds-children

·         Covid 19, school closures and child poverty: a social crisis in the making https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30084-0/fulltext

·         Lost school time will hurt economy for 65 years https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53514564

·         The impacts of school closures on children in developing countries https://www.cmi.no/publications/7214-impacts-of-school-closures-on-children-in-developing-countries-can-we-learn-something-from-the-past

·         Coronavirus will explode achievement gaps in education https://www.epi.org/blog/the-coronavirus-will-explode-achievement-gaps-in-education/

VIDEOS TO WATCH AND TAKE NOTES FROM

·         Coronavirus could exacerbate existing children achievement gap https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Nu41B6-_vxc

·         Covid 19 and girl’s education: a tale of two futures https://www.facebook.com/UNGEI/videos/covid-19-and-girls-education-a-tale-of-two-futures-insolidaritywithgirls/718461532246192/

·         Webinar: education and structural inequalities during covid 19 https://www.brookings.edu/events/education-and-structural-inequalities-during-covid-19-how-do-finland-and-the-us-compare/

 

UNCONSCIOUS OR IMPLICIT BIAS AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR LIVES

Many of us would deny having prejudices or being biased in any way but it transpires that we may not even be aware of our bias against various groups of people. Do your research to discover how this comes about and how it affects our lives. In your conclusion suggest ways to deal with unconscious bias.

 What is unconscious bias? Read

·         Unconscious bias https://diversity.ucsf.edu/resources/unconscious-bias

What is unconscious bias? Animation

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVp9Z5k0dEE

Take a test

·         Project Implicit  https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Reading material to make notes on

·         Unconcsious bias and how it affects us more than we know https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/12/03/unconscious-bias-how-it-affects-us-more-than-we-know/#5dc4cd616e13

·         Unintended consequences of unconscious bias https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/articles/10049-unintended-consequences-of-unconscious-bias

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         Are you biased? I am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq_xYSOZrgU

·         How to outsmart your unconscious bias https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP-cqFLS8Q4

·         Implicit bias: how it affects us and how we push through https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr8G7MtRNlk 

THE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN

The global lockdown has had and continues to have devastating effects on many people around the world. It has affected livelihoods and quality of life . Do your research and write an essay discussing three of these effects in detail.

·         An increase in domestic abuse

1.       Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on domestic violence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_on_domestic_violence

2.       Violence against women and girls, the shadow pandemic https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/4/statement-ed-phumzile-violence-against-women-during-pandemic

3.       Domestic violence calls for help https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uk-domestic-violence-charity-huge-spike-calls-for-help-as-coronavirus-lockdown-continues/

4.       UN supporting trapped domestic violence victims https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/un-supporting-%E2%80%98trapped%E2%80%99-domestic-violence-victims-during-covid-19-pandemic

·         Malnutrition and starvation as people lose livelihoods and remain housebound

1.       COVİD 19 could deepen food insecurity, malnutrition in Africa https://www.afro.who.int/news/covid-19-could-deepen-food-insecurity-malnutrition-africa

2.       Malnutrition https://www.unicef.org/turkey/en/topics/malnutrition Read make notes on the first three articles

3.       Coronovirus threatens global surge in malnutrition https://reliefweb.int/report/world/coronavirus-threatens-global-surge-malnutrition-jeopardizing-future-extra-10-million

4.       Delivering nutrition services https://www.nutritionintl.org/2020/05/delivering-nutrition-services-during-covid-19-how-nutrition-international-is-working-to-avoid-a-looming-malnutrition-crisis/

5.       Covid 19 food systems and interaction with malnutrition http://paepard.blogspot.com/2020/04/covid-19-food-systems-and-interaction.html

·         Mental health issues

1.       Mayo clinic Q&A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH5WxRjp4Ug

2.       Managing stress and anxiety in the face of Covid 19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qctBOMMBA

3.       Coronavirus: mental health and wellness during the Covid 19 pandemic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqprqUd56_g

HOW WILL COVID19 AFFECT THE WORLD?

Covid 19 caused the first major worldwide pandemic since the influenza epidemic in the early 20^th century and has had some devastating effects. Will this pandemic have lasting effects on the way we live? Will it transform our social lives, politics and the world economy and if so how? Study the material below, add your own opinions and write an essay on the topic

Reading material to make notes on

·         How will Corona virus change the world? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200331-covid-19-how-will-the-coronavirus-change-the-world

·         We can’t go back to normal: how will Corona virus change the world? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/31/how-will-the-world-emerge-from-the-coronavirus-crisis

·         The new world: how the world will be different after Covid 19? https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzytaherian/2020/04/07/the-new-world-how-the-world-will-be-different-after-covid-19/#f40921a5d158

·         How Covid 19 will change the nation’s long term economic trends, acc to the Brookings Metro scholars https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-covid-19-will-change-the-nations-long-term-economic-trends-brookings-metro/

Videos to take notes from

·         Covid 19: how it will change the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsArdIXgRTU

·         How the Corona virus pandemic is changing the world  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldKtWp7jlHI

·         What Corona virus means for the global economy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrxYhv2O3wU

THE DAMAGE DONE BY HEADPHONES

In the modern world, people are glued to their devices anywhere and everywhere. This being the case, they mostly wear headphones so as not to disturb others. However what is this new habit we have acquired doing to our hearing? Do your research and find out. When you are ready write an essay discussing the effects of the use of headphones.

This task was prepared in its entirety by Fırat Akkuş

Familiarize yourself with the issue:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150619-are-you-damaging-your-hearing-without-realising-it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giwFOmKkDoM

Reading material to make notes on:

https://www.audiorecovery.com/blog/do-headphones-increase-your-risk-hearing-loss

https://www.quora.com/What-are-side-effects-of-using-headphones-in-our-daily-life

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-06/headphones-could-be-causing-permanent-hearing-damage/9826294

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/26/will-headphones-damage-my-hearing

https://doctor.ndtv.com/ear/can-headphones-damage-your-hearing-1942658

https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/headphones-hearing-loss/

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/top-10-tips-to-help-protect-your-hearing/

Videos to take notes from:

https://youtu.be/_bpbNlM35oM

http://www.theblackspoons.com/2018/05/side-effects-of-listening-to-music-over-headphones/

THE CAUSES OF PUBLIC PROTESTS

Public protests have always existed, and the reasons are universally known. They are usually a way of drawing attention to a perceived wrong and demanding change. Never have they been so widespread as in the autumn of 2019, which is when this task was prepared. Below, you will find the main causes of public protests and examples from the afore mentioned period. You will need to research each case in order to be able to do justice to the writing task. It is hoped that while doing so, you will develop a keen interest in world events and continue to follow what is happening globally. Should you attempt this task in the years to come, you will need to scour the press to discover appropriate examples. It is suggested you give yourself free rein and allow this writing task to be as long as it needs to be.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Here are the main causes of public protests and the names of the countries where they occurred in October 2019:

·         Political: London , Barcelona

·         Erosion of human rights: Hong Kong

·         Fraudulent elections: Bolivia

·         Economic inequality, cost of living: Chile

·         Corruption: Iraq

When writing cause and effect essays, it is customary to suggest solutions in the conclusion so here are some suggestions:

·         Social and economic reforms (Diversifying the economy and the like)

·         Young and innovative leaders

PLANT BLINDNESS

The term plant blindness may set you wondering as you may not have heard the term before. In fact, plant blindness is a problem many of us suffer from. The consequences of this problem for humanity and the planet are phenomenal so it may be a good idea to find out more about it. When you have completed your research, write an essay.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Plant blindness: a short film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv3PgGL-008

Reading material to make notes on

·         Plant blindness https://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/about-main/plant-blindness

Click on the links to access the video, power point presentation and reading material

·         Why plant blindness matters – and what you can do about it http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190425-plant-blindness-what-we-lose-with-nature-deficit-disorder

·         Plant blindness is a real thing http://theconversation.com/plant-blindness-is-a-real-thing-why-its-a-real-problem-too-103026

Podcast

·         Plant blindness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEqR0_cSoAE

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         Plant blindness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuTkgcFjOWw

·         A cure for plant blindness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUzrRo1T274

WHY PALLIATIVE CARE IS IMPORTANT

Palliative care is a vital part of any health care system or at least should be. Unfortunately, it is virtually non-existent in many developing and underdeveloped countries. Do your research and discover what exactly palliative care entails and how it benefits patients. When you are ready write an essay on the topic.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         What is palliative care? https://getpalliativecare.org/whatis/

·         Benefits of palliative care https://www.palomarhealth.org/palliative-care/benefits-of-palliative-care

Reading material to make notes on

·         It could be any day now: why how you die matters https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/26/health/end-of-life-care-uk-gbr-intl-eprise/index.html Make sure to watch the video and read the text.

·         The role of palliative care at the end of life https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241069/

·         Palliative care https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         The importance of palliative care in global health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnhU44_6mrc

·         What really matters at the end of life? https://www.ted.com/talks/bj_miller_what_really_matters_at_the_end_of_life/transcript?language=en

·         What we can do to die well https://www.ted.com/talks/timothy_ihrig_what_we_can_do_to_die_well/discussion

AGEISM

Ageism, or stereotyping and judging on the basis of age, is a worldwide problem. No one is born ageist; ageism is an attitude fostered by society and has a host of negative consequences. Do your research and discover what it entails and write an essay concerning the issue.

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Ageism Towards Older People - Motion Graphics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqhEEAgyKZk

Reading material to make notes on

·         Are you ready? What you need to know about ageing https://www.who.int/world-health-day/2012/toolkit/background/en/index3.html

·         Why is ageism acceptable? https://www.comfortlife.ca/retirement-communities/why-is-ageism-acceptable

·         Ageism https://www.who.int/ageing/ageism/en/

Also click: Frequently asked questions about ageism and 10 misconceptions about ageing

·         Discrimination and negative attitudes about ageing https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/29-09-2016-discrimination-and-negative-attitudes-about-ageing-are-bad-for-your-health

·         Ageing in America: Ageism and General Attitudes Towards Growing Old and the Elderly https://file.scirp.org/pdf/JSS_2017081414465032.pdf

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         The harmful effects of ageism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnp3T4Yzaws

·         Lets end ageism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjzkO6_DEI

·         Rethinking age and ageism https://www.coursera.org/lecture/ageing/2-age-and-ageism-yCRES

THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVILITY IN LIFE

Emerson said “Life is short, but there is always time for courtesy”. Yet people seem to have forgotten all about civility in many areas of life in spite of its many advantages. Sheila Suess Kennedy got it right when she said "We cannot find common ground without civility, and we cannot solve our problems without finding common ground." Do you agree? Do your research and find out more about the effects of rudeness and suggest ways to make people learn to be more civil towards each other. This essay is a combination of a cause effect and a problem solution essay.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays:https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Civility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXmljRvhrU

Reading material to make notes on

·         The importance of civility in trying times https://www.umassmed.edu/dio/engagement/committee-on-equal-opportunity-and-diversity/civility-committee/importance-of-civility/

·          The importance of civility in the workplace https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-civility-workplace-43590.html

·         Why civility is necessary for a society’s survival https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2010/07/23/p.m.-forni-why-civility-is-necessary-for-society_s-survival

·         Why civility matters https://www.cis.org.au/app/uploads/2015/04/images/stories/policy-magazine/2002-spring/2002-18-3-nicole-billante-peter-saunders.pdf

Videos to take notes from

·         Three ways to practice civility https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_petrow_3_ways_to_practice_civility

·         Why being civil to your coworkers is good for business https://www.ted.com/talks/christine_porath_why_being_nice_to_your_coworkers_is_good_for_business/transcript?language=en

·         The force of civility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paAfcZMpFAc

THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION

Social exclusion is defined in the dictionary as exclusion from the prevailing social system and its rights and privileges, typically as a result of poverty or the fact of belonging to a minority social group. Social exclusion has serious effects on individuals. Do your research to find out what they are and write an essay.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays:https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Social exclusion and its effects on health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyAlnObWfrE

Podcast: panel discussion

·         What are the causes of social exclusion https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/what-are-causes-social-exclusion#

Reading material to make notes on

·         Causes and Consequences of Social Exclusion and Peer Rejection Among Children and Adolescents https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6085085/

·         Risks and outcomes of social exclusion http://www.oecd.org/education/school/1855785.pdf

Videos to take notes from

·         Exclusion is an invisible disease | Ronna Timpa | TEDxFremontEastWomen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSIeeaOsnz0

·         The psychological effects of feeling excluded http://socialpsychonline.com/2015/11/psychology-ostracism-feeling-excluded/

·         Researching the effects of social isolation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyAlnObWfrE

THE IMPACTS OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS

A host of plant and animal species are facing extinction because of human activities. This is having a disastrous effect on nature and life on the planet. Do your research to gain a better insight into the matter and write an essay where you discuss these effects.
Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays:https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com/

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Nature’s emergency: where we are in five graphics https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48104037

Podcast

·         Biodiversity loss has an enormous impact on humans according to a UN report https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-04-21/biodiversity-loss-has-enormous-impact-humans-according-un-report

Reading material to make notes on

·         Treat global nature declines as an emergency https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-nature-extinction-un-biodiversity-report-2019-a8901061.html

·         Biodiversity loss and its impacts on humans https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11148

·         Biodiversity https://www.who.int/globalchange/ecosystems/biodiversity/en/

Videos to take notes from

·         What does a biodiversity emergency mean for humans? https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-48142018/what-does-a-biodiversity-emergency-mean-for-humans?ocid=global_bbccom_email_05052019_top+video

·         Humans, Biodiversity, and Habitat Loss — HHMI BioInteractive Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1drkFgHbcWY

 Why should humans care about biodiversity loss? https://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/science/why-should-humans-care-about-biodiversity-loss/

Academic lecture

·         Biodiversity loss and its impacts on humanity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK0Li9_H6uo