Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Topic Proposal

Before I started my writing argumentative essay, I had to write a topic proposal and state what I was going to talk about. Below I decided to post the introduction to my proposal. Enjoy!


When shopping through a grocery store, specifically in the produce section, you are wanting to buy a pound of some fresh apples. But you notice one thing, theres a section of Organic apples and a section of regular apples. Also, there is a difference with the prices. Which kind of apples would you buy? The expensive organic brand or the conventionally grown? Most people tend to buy the cheapest apples because spending those few extra bucks can truly add up. Many may also ask what is the difference with organic and conventionally grown food?


Special Thanks To:

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Which is Better.. Conventionally or Organic?

For our final essay of the semester, we had to talk about a recent environmental issue. We also had to incorporate our own argument towards this issue along with an opposing argument. My argument argues that organic food is expensive but there are alternate ways to buy organic food with out all of the nasty pesticides!


Do you know where most of your fruits and vegetables come from? A variety of these produce products can be shipped from different states and even countries. According to the Center for Environmental Education, each year 817 million tons of food is shipped around the world causing transportation of food being one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse emissions. Another source, Farmers Market Authority, states that “produce purchased in supermarkets travel an average of 1,300 miles for about 7-10 days.” To help keep its ripeness, many pesticides are used to help keep it from spoiling before reaching its destination.  A way to help reduce emissions and the use of pesticides, is buying produce from local farmers markets. By doing this, it help supports local farmers, agriculture and provides the sense of freshness when buying fruits and vegetables.  In our local towns there are always farmers markets located outside or in parking lots. Although one may think it could be risky buying through unknown farmers, it is another great way to avoid the cost of organic and the nasty pesticides used while being grown. To feel more comfortable buying through a local farmers market, getting to know the actual farmer and the process they go through to grow their produce is a very effective way to earning their trust and business. Just like CSA’s their produce is usually sold within the 24 hours they were picked. Buying from a local farmer not only benefits the farmer himself, but also our community. He receives the higher profit without the middleman. Farmers Market Authority briefly gives a explains that “studies prove that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly...produce purchased locally was probably picked within the past day or two and provides crispy, sweet and flavorful food.” Local farmers are usually more passionate about selling the freshest quality of produce to their consumers. Farmers may also have organic certification, which gives the consumer confidence of the “organic” label without paying the expensive price of an organic product. By purchasing locally, it keeps local farmers around for a good amount of time allowing more generations to stay involved in buying nourishing produce.



Above is a chart to just show the difference between prices in Austin Texas

Here are some links to websites  for CSA's ( Community Supported Agriculture) in Colorado :




Special Thanks to: 

Abolition International

About half way through my spring semester, we got assigned a group project which involved analyzing a non-profit organization using ethos, pathos and logos.  My group picked an organization called Abolition International. This organization is determined to stop sex slavery and to rescue mostly women. They provide them with basics needs along with counseling and aftercare to help build up themselves. Below is a excerpt from my paper! Enjoy
 
People that seek into non-profit organizations are interested to know who is behind this organization, who they are targeting, and of course their purpose of the organization. Natalie Grant, a grammy christian singer, is the main founder of this foundation. It has been established since 2005 and has been going strong ever since. They also have founded the Abolition International Shelter Association to help provide women with housing, food, education and basic needs. There are many credible members and employees overall presented in this organization. Stacia Freeman, the President and Executive Director of Abolition International, helps set up trips to visit around the world and directs educational grants and interns.



Supporters of this organization



Natalie Grant/ Founder 

To see more information about this organization visit their site! 



Rhetorical Analysis of Covergirl Makeup Products

Everyday we are exposed to hundreds of  advertisements whether its in a magazine, on T.V. , and even on the roads. For this assignment, we had to write a rhetorical analysis on an Ad. We had to analyze and figure out the ethos, pathos and logos throughout the ad. I decided to analyze a make up Ad for COVERGIRL make up with the famous Drew Barrymore. Below I posted a paragraph from my rhetorical analysis.


Throughout our society there are thousands of beauty brands and companies sold in the United States, some that are unheard of. Besides focusing on the perfection of these ladies, facts or statistics also help bargain the item for customers. What girl wouldn’t want to buy a product that is statistically proven to work? One statistic in this certain ad, claims to say that this “Tru-Blend Micro Mineral Foundation” is prefered nearly 2-1 for the natural look. This helps the audience by thinking that this is the best brand that they could possibly buy. Also, in the brief description about the foundation, it states hows its the leading brand for mineral foundation for the level of coverage. Most advertisements lack the logos aspect. This can form a question of why are there not a lot of facts or statistics about these products? According to Medscape, eighty nine percent of the 10,500 ingredients that are used in beauty products throughout the world are not approved by the FDA or the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review).  Not a lot of companies can back up proven statistics because of this reason. Hence why they use celebrities and scientific sounding names to cover everything up. If customers only knew what they used and how it can affect our bodies.
This is the exact ad I analyzed for this paper!


Rocky Mountain National Park

 Our first assignment for the semester was called an evaluative essay. I decided to evaluate Rocky Mountain National Park and nit pick about its postivies and negatives that come along with the park. This was probably one of the most enjoyable papers I have written.The exerpt I have below is my introduction to this paper. Enjoy!


When people think of Colorado, the thought of skiing or snowboarding down the perfect snowy slopes comes to mind. The winter in Colorado paints the perfect image of enjoying a steamy cup of hot chocolate while taking in the sights of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Not only is the winter amazing in Colorado, but also the summer is also breathtaking. Colorado has to offer 222 state wildlife areas, national parks, pristine lakes/rivers and trails to enjoy biking or walking (“National Park Service: Rocky Mountain National Park”). One of the most visited places in Colorado is Rocky Mountain National Park. According to Trip Advisor in 2010, this park was rated the second most popular outdoor and adventure destination in the world. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most heart stopping destinations because of the location, outdoor activities and scenery.

Overlook of one of the main valleys

Trail Ridge Road 

Both of these images above are pictures I took for a photography class in high school!