Society's Need for Fitness

In the 21st century people have definitely become more interested in learning about their health and well-being. As technology advances along with the interest associated with fitness, more and more people are becoming interested in the fitness equipment, as they try to lead healthier lifestyles. The human need for a fit body and exercise has lead to a wide development of technological inventions. In the late 19th century, the first mechanical fitness contraption was created, likely in response to this growing need. The mechanical horse was made by Gustav Zander and was created to help improve cardiovascular fitness. Zander himself argued that his new fitness contraption combated the evils of office life and becoming unhealthy. Zander brought the idea to the people that although medicine would temporarily help you, prolonged use of his machine and constant exercise would train people to lead a healthier lifestyle.

In present day, there are much more obvious technological advancements and we have come along way from the mechanical horse. A large percent of the population may owns a treadmill and simple weight machine in their own home. People are even prepared to spend large amounts of money to buy the ideal fitness equipment that will guarantee to keep them fit and healthy. The demand for fitness equipment has definetely been rising as we learn about the virtues of preserving good health and our bodies. People are also seen to have gym memberships where they pay regular fees in order to get access to sophisticated equipment. Socities needs have even spread to schools, in response to the growing fear of becoming unhealthy, it became mandatory for students to have daily physical activity in elementary school and at least one gym credit in high school.
Something else to consider is how social needs and awareness of the importance of organ donation has led to the improvement of techniques for transplanting various organs. An example of this is liver transplantation; there have definitely been many improvements throughout the years in this field. The current and most recent technique currently consists of orthotopic liver transplantation. This technique is proven to be the best because better stability is achieved during the anhepatic phase of surgery, transfusion is reduced, and the renal function is improved. Previous methods would not have been as efficient and effective, and the development of this technology would not have even taken place if people didn’t raise awareness about organ transplantations.

All in all, I think that society’s needs relating to health and well-being are all good. This is because it has to lead to much major scientific and technological advancement that help to improve our bodies and improve our health. Humanity needs to continue in this step in order to ensure that we can become a healthy society that is aware of the virtues of good health and have some knowledge of our bodies and how they function.

SOURCES

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/history.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2020659/

http://boingboing.net/2008/05/08/origins-of-exercise.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/realestate/27posting.html?_r=1

http://articlescavern.com/healthandfitness/achieving-better-fitness-through-using-proper-fitness-equipment

http://www.fastdietfood.com/Article/getting-better-fitness-through-employing-suitable-fitness-equipment/14019

PICTURE SOURCRES

http://condos01.condontario.com/amenities/amenities.htm

http://classroom.kleinisd.net/webs/greenwoodforest/physical_education.htm

COMMENTS

Valerie - http://valerieszetosblogspot.blogspot.com/2011/05/dum-dum-dum-dummm-technology-to-rescue.html?showComment=1306511138160#c3725388425937366097

Claudia - http://claudia-d-123.blogspot.com/2010/12/first-in-canada-to-use-endoscopic.html?showComment=1306511600076#c3301829044674786411

Can We Feed the World and Save the Environment?

With human population rapidly growing around the world, we have to ask ourselves one question, can the agricultural industry keep up?

A possible solution to this issue, employed mostly by developed countries, is industrial agriculture. The overall goal being to increase the amount of crops produced, while keeping production costs to a minimum. While this may sound as a foolproof solution to the dilemma we face, there are many things that must be considered.

The goal of industrial agriculture is achieved through heavy usage of pesticides, fuel, fertilizers, and many harmful substances to the environment. By employing the use of industrial agriculture we are basically damaging the earth.

Something else to consider is monoculture. A key feature of industrial agriculture is planting only a single crop. This invites pests to the area, and therefore the farm is in dire need of a large amount of pesticides.

In such conditions, there is very low genetic diversity as a result of planting genetically similar crops together and therefore decreasing biodiversity. Low genetic diversity gives rise to problems, the "Southern Corn Leaf Blight" being a key example. In the 1970s a disease had destroyed a large amount of the U.S. corn crop, as all the crops had a similar genetic makeup, allowing all of them to be vulnerable. In situations like this, something to consider is, with crops becoming increasingly genetically similar, they are more easily to become endangered and extinct.

Finally, it has been reported that the living conditions of animals in industrial farming is extremely cruel and animals are subjected to a life of pain and suffering. Animals in such farms have been manipulated and altered so significantly for higher production, that it is extremely unethical. It has also been reported that while the animals are alive they are confined to very small cages and spaces and subjected to cruel mutilations.

After hearing about all the negatives of industrial farming, there is still hope. Sustainable agriculture is a way of growing food so that the environment is protected, and animals are given respect. The work of sustainable agriculture is the complete opposite of the work of industrial agriculture, and is an all around benefit.

Contrary to popular belief, sustainable agriculture can sustain the population. In fact an expert from the UN, Shivaji Pandey, says that sustainable agriculture is the only way that we can meet the need for the growing demand of food. Pandey says, that since other types of farming lead to the destruction of the environment, leading to less productivity rates, and sustainable agriculture reverses the destruction, sustainable agriculture is our only choice.

Recent studies from the University of Michigan suggest that the yield of crops produced by sustainable agriculture would be equal to the amount of crops produced by industrial agriculture in developed countries, while the yield would be much greater in developing countries.
In order to feed the world and save it too, the simple solution is to switch to sustainable agriculture.

COMMENTS
Megan D'Souza http://biomeggs.blogspot.com/2011/02/harder-economic-times-greater-problems.html?showComment=1300935899945#c2598311526644414762

Sarah Brown http://hellomynameissarahbrown.blogspot.com/2011/02/closer-look-at-farming.html?showComment=1300936758126#c6237753327258794167

SOURCES
http://www.idausa.org/facts/factoryfarmfacts.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_industrial_agriculture/industrial-agriculture-features.html
http://www2.nau.edu/~bio372-c/class/sex/cornbl.htm
http://www.sustainabletable.org/intro/whatis/
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/sustainable-farming/
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29766&Cr=FAO&Cr1=crop
http://www.misa.umn.edu/Search_and_Ask/FAQ/FeedtheWorld/index.htm

PICTURE SOURCES
http://giwayne.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FarmPesticideSpraying.jpg
http://cropdisease.cropsci.illinois.edu/corn/images/07LARGEcrnanth021%20copy.jpg
http://www.cuisinevegan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/factory-farming.jpg
http://www.macalester.edu/environmentalstudies/threerivers/studentprojects/ENVI_133_Spr_08/Agricultural%20impacts/AgMnRi/susag.gif