First, let me say that I've enjoyed reading your first set of responses to the "Let Your Mind Dance" and paper towel posts! In most cases, I could hear your speaking voices as I read through your comments which brought smiles to my face! Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to be allowing me to comment/respond to my own blog. I'll look into this and see if its a setting I can change, because it would be nice to be able to "join the conversation" directly.
For today, I'd like you to reflect a bit on the first 30 minute section of the video Bloom which you watched yesterday on youtube. (You may have recognized the voice of the narrator as actor Chris Cooper. Google him - I think most of you would recognize him!) There was a lot of information in that film! That became doubly apparent to me as I was writing the questions for the worksheet while viewing it again - I wrote an average of 1 question for each minute of the film (I can practically hear you groaning your agreement of that!)
Before you move on to the next assignment in the classroom queue, I'd like you to think back to Bloom and write your overall impression of this film - what stood out for you? What was new information? What did you already know about (but perhaps learned more about?) Did anything seem shocking? Over-exaggerated? Too politically extreme? Or perhaps - somewhat irrelevant given the unusual circumstances we now find ourselves in?
In other words - push yourselves a bit to jot down some thoughts/ideas before you respond. Look back on what you wrote in your responses yesterday. Reply to this post with a good, solid paragraph (or two...or three...) rather than the simple sentence saying that you either liked it or didn't like it.
In other words, let your minds dance around the issue for awhile before you respond. I look forward to reading your thoughts!
I felt like the film presented information in an easy to understand well structured format. Most of the information I already understood fairly well but having it all put into one piece really helped me to better understand the situation and how diare it is. I do disagree with how they portrayed farmers, they are not trying to pollute the land the government and milk prices are forcing them to, they quickly accumulate debt to the point where they can't get out. But other than that I agreed with the information and that something has to be done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tobin - my overall response is below!
DeleteI felt that this film was both very similar and also very different from the Chesapeake bay video that we watched earlier this semester. It brought the issues discussed in the video earlier this semester into a more personal realm. Even though the issues were brought on by very similar issues, because this video talked about how it affected lake Champlain hit more at home to me. I do however disagree with how they seemed to be blaming the farmers for everything wrong that’s going on in the lake, because even though they may play a role in the issue they aren’t the only people to blame. I enjoyed the film and how it presented the info in an easy to understand manner.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lucas - please see my response below!
DeleteI enjoyed this film very much because it reminded me a lot of the Chesapeake bay video but at the same time it was very different from it because were talking about a big lake that is the centerpiece for a community and there was a lot of information about what was going on and how this stuff happens to the lake and it’s just very crazy what agriculture can do do bodies of water such as lake Champlain and I felt this a lot more because of lake Champlain is so close to me and I’ve been there a lot in my life time and now it’s slowly becoming unswimmable and I feel like that needs to change quick
ReplyDeleteTrue Ryen - the situation is very similar to what is happening to that large Mid-Atlantic bay, and its watershed. And here we are in New England with similar problems and issues. What does that suggest to you about the scope of the problem?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Bloom" was an extremely enlightening film. Strangely enough, I was in Burlington while watching it, which made it even more interesting, if not scary. Never did I think such a beautiful piece of nature so close to the place I call home could be in such unhealthy shape. It saddens and confuses me, as I always thought of Vermont to be an environmentally conscious state. What I found most shocking was that a large majority of the pollution is contributed to agriculture, in particular dairy farming. Of course, I learned a lot about agriculture's impact on pollution in the film about Chesapeake Bay, but I associated that more with very large-scale, industrial farming; I always thought of Vermont's farm to be small, family-owned farms, therefore I did not think they could have as much of an impact as they do on pollution. But, it seems that it does not matter the scale of farming. I think the most important thing this film made me realize is that the environmental impacts humans make are everywhere, even in our quaint, seemingly environmentally focused state. Of course, some of the areas of the world are more affected, but we still need to act everywhere to slow down the climate crisis we have created.
ReplyDeleteWow! Somewhat of a coincidence being up in Burlington! Yes - I used to summer vacation along the shores of Lake Champlain, and I witnessed many of the changes that the film referenced. It was depressing seeing the shoreline water quality change so much over a relatively short period of time.
DeleteI thought that “Bloom” was a very well put together, good film. It contained a lot of good information. Also, it was cool that it was about something so local. I recognized some of the places they showed. However, this also made it more concerning. I do think of Vermont as having high environmental standards, as they said in the video that people do, and so I was surprised to see all of this. I definitely have heard about algae in Lake Champlain, but I guess I hadn’t thought about it. I was not really surprised by the leading causes of excess phosphorus in the lake. What I was surprised by was that it is town’s drinking water that had this toxic plant growing in it. And another thing that shocked me is that there were so many people interviewed who were disappointed by the state of the lake, and they were almost all in charge of different organizations. However, it did not seem like any of them were working together for a goal. They all seemed on their own agendas.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lily. Yes - one of the things I was excited about this video series was that it was so local and germane to Vermont. Which only makes it more depressing! As you noted, the reality is that there are many people and organizations interested in protecting the lake. The other reality is that each group sees the situation through its own lens. Understandably, the agricultural folks don't want to implement any changes that may cost a lot of money to farmers who are already so burdened financially. Yet agricultural runoff (fertilizers/manure) continues to be the primary source of this biological nutrient that feeds the bloom.
DeleteThank you 5 for being first to respond! Yes, Tobin, the situation is dire. While there has been some improvement during the past few years, the agricultural issues remain a "cultural standoff". As you and Lucas point out, some have questioned how agriculture is portrayed. But no one - from either side - has questioned the fact that agricultural runoff - non-point source runoff - from fields into streams/rivers and Lake Champlain is the primary source of the problem. When fields were cleared for grazing, the trees, shrubs, and native plants that grew along river banks - the riparian growth - was gone. The root systems that used to filter materials like phosphorus out of the water feeding into the lake was gone along with them. Then its the same old story: fertilizers placed on the fields for growth/grazing grass wash away with rains, percolate through soil, and drain into the streams and underground water that feed into Lake Champlain. And because these fertilizers are essential for farm survival (or, in the case of manure removal too expensive to remedy) the problem gets worse.
ReplyDelete