Sign Ordinance

     Driving down the streets of Myrtle Beach I am bombarded with signs advertising "Pete's Putt-Putt Palace" and "Wings Surf Shop." Instead of seeing a beautiful view of the ocean I am stuck looking at bright, flashy, and obnoxious billboards. However while driving down the streets of Cary I see quaint suburban homes and not twenty foot long flashing posters. The lack of unnecessary visual pollution is due to the strict sign ordinances the Town of Cary enforces.

     Some people argue that strict sign ordinances are unnecessary and limit expression; however, according to “North Carolina Living” one of the main reasons people move to Cary is the atmosphere. There are people specifically moving to areas because of the attractive environment that is not overwhelmed with needless advertisements. Sign ordinances and regulations provide a uniform area that is pleasing to look at. Sometimes Cary is called “the city for families” because it gives off a kid-friendly atmosphere, an atmosphere that does not include large billboards advertising the new bar downtown. Currently, out of the whole country Cary was voted one of the “best” places to live.  Cary enforces strict ordinances so that they can keep their reputation, they want more families to migrate to their city and contribute to their local economy. The “homey” feeling people get when they visit Cary is due to the open skies and visually appealing ambiance.

     Sign ordinances provide regulation and uniformity to areas, allowing them to be appealing and welcoming. Yes, maybe “Pete’s Putt-Putt Palace” does sound like a good time, but I would rather be able to see the beach than the distracting monstrous sign. 

Work Cited:

City ordinance keeps stars bright and city lights low. (2001). Building Operating Management, 48(5), 22-22. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203452627?accountid=45237

Cocke, A. (2001). Savannah ordinance questioned. Architecture, 90(8), 35-35. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/227806403?accountid=45237

Stryker, R. (2011, Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. The Camping Magazine, 84, 8-8,10. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/893925148?accountid=45237

Junk Food Tax

Once in a restaurant I heard a woman say “Hmm, I think I will order the double cheeseburger, large fries, but to be healthy, a diet coke.” I hate to break it to you ma’am, but I think it is going to take a lot more adjustments than a “diet” coke to make your lifestyle healthy. Bad eating habits like these have led to the health epidemic known as obesity. According to Professor Barry Popkin, one of every six people in the world is suffering from obesity.  America is the worst offender. With over 34% of Americans obese (Huffington Post), it is time to make a change. A tax should be implemented on sugary drinks such as soda and unhealthy foods to deter people from wanting to buy them.

Trust me; I understand how good junk food can taste, but the detrimental effect it has on the body is not worth it. Obesity can cause diabetes, heart failure, and premature death. A “junk food tax” as it is being called is supposed to be placing a 20% tax on sugary and harmful foods. Opponents of the junk food tax say that one of the main reasons they buy junk food is because of its cheap price, and they need the price to stay low because they cannot afford to buy healthier foods. To this I say, fast forward. Fast forward ten years later of eating junk food and look at the medical bill. In the long run the money that was saved by buying such cheap food is now being spent on medicine for diabetes or atherosclerosis. According to a study done by the National Institute of Health 75-125 billion dollars is spent either directly or indirectly on obesity-related problems. The tax will obviously not stop people from eating junk food indefinitely, but it can discourage people who drink a gallon of soda a day to cut down, and maybe eventually quit drinking soda altogether.  According to Sara Haan, registered dietician, it is easy to rack up 800 calories in just one day by drinking soda.

One thing that I find hard to believe, is that there are now more people in the world that are overweight than there are under nourished (Popkin). It is official, while even though there are people starving in Africa, there are more people out there who are overweight. Ironically, people who are obese and peole who are undernourished suffer some of the same health problems. One main problem is that children are now developing diabetes, because of their terrible eating habits. However, they cannot really be blamed for this; they eat whatever their parents buy for them. Many parents buy junk food, because it is cheap and ready to eat. The junk food tax would thwart parents away from the “chips and snack aisle” towards the “fruits and vegetables aisle.” The tax was not made out of malice, but with the safety and health of consumers in mind. Proponents of the 20% tax hope it will be enough to push shoppers more towards the greens and less towards the fried beans.

The world needs a wakeup call, and while a diet coke does have the word diet in it, I do not think it will be enough to save the millions of people from the devastating health crisis known as obesity.

 

 

 

Work Cited:

Benson, Lorna. "'Junk Food' Tax Proposal Goes to Committee." MPR News. Minnesota Public Radio, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2013

Kaladis, Jen. "Should the U.S. Adopt a Fat Tax?" The Week. The Week Publication Inc, 25 Feb. 203. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

Matthews, Deb. "No Junk Food Tax Letters." Well and Tribune. Canoe Sun Media, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

Deforestation

     In 100 years how will things be different? Will the world finally receive the hover boards Back to the Future promised us? Will families be living like the Jetsons?  Will there be a way of eating as much food as you want without getting fat? That last one would be pretty convenient. However, I know something that will not be around, and that is rain forests. If the deforestation rate does not decrease radically, in 100 years there will be no existing rain forests.  There will no longer be homes for half of the worlds living organisms.
     Now, I understand that people cut down trees to use for paper and fuel wood, but what people do not realize, is that there are other sustainable methods that can be used. Instead of cutting down trees for their pulp that is used in making paper, there is another alternative called the kudzu vine. The kudzu vine was initially introduced to America to help battle soil erosion; however it began to grow uncontrollably. Kudzu vine if left uncontrolled can take over anything near it, including vegetation. It has been proven however that this vine can be used for making paper. This destructive plant that has had a rampant growth can finally be used for good, it can save many forests from being cut down and degraded. As for fuel wood sundried roots such as gourds and squash can be burned instead to prevent the detrimental effects of going into the forests and cutting down all the trees.
      Rain forests are homes for millions of plant and animal species, and destroying them leads to the premature extinction of these species. Many people do not understand the ecological services rain forests provide. Rain forests play a large role in the carbon cycle; they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen that humans need to live. By cutting down these trees enormous amounts of carbon dioxide are being emitted, this increase in carbon dioxide warms the atmosphere and increases temperatures worldwide. Humans are also losing oxygen needed for survival that these forests provide. So if the destruction of habitats for animals is not enough to raise awareness for deforestation, then maybe more carbon dioxide and less oxygen will wake people up.
      If the Amazon rain forest were a country it would be the ninth largest country in the world. This rain forest holds 20-40 million species. Yet, very little has been done to protect this store-house of biodiversity. Education is one of the best ways to fight deforestation. Many logging companies cut down trees to fulfill the needs of consumers. However, if consumers were to start demanding wood that is not cut down from nonrenewable sources and were to stop buying products that were made from old-growth forests, the company would want to change to satisfy the new needs. Another reason education is important is because a lot of deforestation in the Amazon is done by the local people living in the forest. They do not really know the long term effects of cutting down the trees. These people want the forest to survive; they need to live off of it. They could be taught more sustainable ways of harvesting the forests and using its resources. Community-based conservation is based on enlisting the local people to protect their environment.
     By the end of today at least 147 plants and animals will be lost due to deforestation.  Forests are worth protecting, they are homes for plants, animals, and people. In 100 years would it not be cool to ride your hover board through a rain forest?

Work Cited:
Darlington, Shasta. "Brazil Delays Vote on Bill Regulating Deforestation." CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, 06 Mar. 2012. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.
Leader, Jessica. "Amazon Deforestation: NASA Images Show The Great Rainforest Disappearing." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06 Aug. 2012. Web. 07 Mar. 2013
Rodriguez, Alex. "Pakistan Flood Crisis Blamed Partly on Deforestation." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.