Profiles

= Participant Profiles =

We thought that the first thing everyone involved in this project should do is to get to know each other as well as possible, given the time, space and distance differences...Each participant is asked to set up a table with two columns (with 1 row), with one column providing her/his picture and the second column providing a __brief__ biography - including such things as educational background and interests and extra-curricular activities and interests. In this biography, we also ask that you provide a very brief reference to an SSI/STSE issue that //concerns// you. To help elaborate the issue, please provide one or more links to outside websites relating to the issue. Your profiles need to be completed by **October 1st.** Once your counter-parts in the other country have completed their profiles, **post - in spaces below their entry - feedback about the STSE issue (SSI) concerning at least two student-teachers from the other university.** In this feedback, provide the other student-teachers with questions, suggestions, resources, etc. that you think might help them explore the issue(s) they have noted. When giving feedback, please give your name so that the person can respond, if /she would like to do so; thanks. (Note: The required __total__ wordage minimum for your commentary for your counter-parts in the other country is 500 words). As we have 26 preservice teachers from OISE and 19 from ACU, the mismatched numbers could mean that some preservice teachers are left out of a discussion. Please try to ensure that all the preservice teachers from the other university receive feedback on their issues. The discussions need to be completed by **October 7th.** [Note: Catherine Clark from ACU; could you please re-post your comment to the appropriate entry below; thanks, and sorry for any inconvenience.]

Return to ACU-OISE Home Page.

Professor Profiles
|| **Profile** I am an Associate Professor of Science Education at OISE, University of Toronto. I was a teacher for 11 years and a school district consultant for 4 years after that. I have been a professor at OISE since 1998, teaching preservice teachers and graduate students. My research focuses on socioscientific issues, science research and technology design and socio-political activism. You can learn more about my research and teaching via my website. In my spare time, I like to do various types of athletics - particularly hockey. tennis and bicycle riding. I also like to take photographs, particularly of artistic natural settings - like forests and ponds. I am also busy with my wife, 3 grown children and 2 grand-children. In terms of STSE issues (SSIs), apart from my general concerns about climate change, it astounds me that governments seem to give food companies considerable freedom to add to food potentially harmful substances like extra sugar, fat, & salt and colourings & preservatives; e.g., CSPI. ||
 * Dr. Larry Bencze
 * SSI Concerns:**

Outside of ACU, I have a busy life with my partner and 3 adult children. They are all at home and studying at Melbourne University. We have been renovating our house for the past year which has been a major project. In my spare time, I love to walk and listen to audio books. My current love (obession) is //The Song of the Fire and Ice,// (I am currently on book 5 and will be hanging out for books 6 &7). Larry visited Melbourne early August this year and I will be travelling to Toronto in January 2013 so as we can continue our research collaboration. I hope you all enjoy being part of this wiki and find it worthwhile. ||
 * Dr Lyn Carter || **Profile** ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/Lyn01.jpg width="197" height="178"]] || I am a Senior Lecturer in science education at ACU. Prior to joining ACU, I taught secondary science at several schools in Melbourne. At ACU, I am the Coordinator of Higher Degrees Students which includes Doctoral and Masters Degrees. I also lecture in science education to both primary (elementary) and secondary preservice teachers. My research interests in science education centre mainly on the political. For example, how do various ideologies shape science education? What is the impact of globalisation and neoliberalism on science education? What should our aims be for 21st century science education relevant to our complex and ecologically and socially fragile world? How can science education help promote socio-eco justice? These are all aspects which are involved with SSIs.

ACU Students' Profiles
Hey, my Name is Chloe i am currently at ACU studying teaching (masters, secondary), my methods are Health, Science and RE. i am passionate about both health and science since i was young although i never did any science after year 10 (16) i went head first into my Bachelor of Biomedical science and have never looked back. although Im not going to lie was hard at first but once the interest and passion set in i was hooked. although science and health can be serious subjects sometimes i believe it can be fun. there is many ways to teach and i believe that a mixture of fun and hard work can be done and will get the best results in the end. i love teaching and each time i get up in front of the class i do worry that a pencil is going to come flying at my head but after waiting for the pencils to stop i just go with it. its my passion to educate the students to the best i can so that they can find there passion too. Chloe xoxo i was watching an add recently whilst working late one night at my part time job. it was an add for cosmetics and how it was all natural make up. this was then followed by a hair add then a Botox add. basically there was a long line of adds promoting beauty products. As watching these paid for adds i began to wonder about the process of creating cosmetics. i began to wonder if animal testing is still done with cosmetics. why is it?. is there another way in which it can be tested so that animals do not come subjected to this type of testing. we can build skin graphs is it possible to create skin conditions to see the reaction in which the make up may have. could animals be suffering for no reason? this is the issue i would like to look further into. Animal testing and is there an alternative. [] [] in relation to mentioning ingredients. [] [] [] [] [] ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/DSC01085.JPG width="211" height="211"]] || **Bio**
 * SSI**

Pretty interesting SSI topic you are considering – I have always wondered if the people who use cosmetics are actually aware of what goes into them and how they are made. I do not lay claim to any level of expertise with regards to makeup (as you can probably tell from my photo), but I do have two younger sisters. I am always questioning them if the small little packet of powder is worth the $20. This sort of leads into other SSI angles you can consider with regards to cosmetics: __Education / Knowledge of Users__ This [|article] discusses a situation where cosmetics were tested and found to have toxic heavy metals within their contents. From this article I feel one of the most compelling quotes with regards to SSI would be: "The concern is not just that heavy metals are in our makeup, but exposure to these toxins through the products we apply to our skin, in the air we breathe, and in our water and food supply can all add up and accumulate in your body," added Dr. Smith. This raises another angle for you to consider: Are people really aware of the potentially harmful impacts of cosmetics to their personal well-being? __Regulations__ Also related to the testing process of the cosmetic companies, something else that might be interesting to look into would be regulations and the enforcement of those regulations. For example, in Canada there are [|regulations] with regards to cosmetics, but as per the article above, one could question how effectively the cosmetic industry is being regulated and evaluated. Hope this helps in some way. Cheers, Derrick //hey Derrick,// //interesting i did not event think to look at our own regulations it was an interesting read it mentioned about how some components of the cosmetic could be exempted from the labelling if volume is not big enough basically, makes me wonder what else could be in other products. although it was good to see that if a 'new chemical' had to be added it was not allowed unless properly analysed so the system has it strengths and weaknesses.// //that article was interesting and your right that quote is alarming and makes sense thinking about how when preparing a chemistry or other experiment contamination is usually one to look out for and noted in books. i wonder if they should start having bigger labels on products if this is true. specially arsenic that is very dangerous and concerning.// //thank you for your advice i am defiantly going to look further into the actual regulation and evaluation side of the industry// //Chloe// ||
 * Hey Chloe,

//Hey Jeff // //firstly wow, that is concerning that you found an unidentified chemical that could be mutagen that is a scary thought. it is good to hear that Canada is moving towards products that do not rely on animal testing i think it is slowly becoming something of the pass or perhaps people are just hiding it better. yeah i did pharmacology in my undergrad and had to learn all about the testing process and watch documentaries about trying to find the HIV cure using apes if sickens me that it still happens. it is concerning though that because it is cost-effective it means another life has to suffer the article below is interesting you should have a read it talks about big brands changing their policies to create a bigger market over seas. // //http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181468/Big-beauty-brands-dropping-cruelty-free-animal-testing-policies-sell-products-China.html// //thank you for your input appreciated// //Chloe// ||
 * Hi Chloe,In my undergraduate genetics course we did a simple experiment using bacteria to test the potential mutagenicity of some readily available random substances, in what is historically called an Ames test ([]). Much to everyone’s surprise (including the professor’s), particular colours of theatrical make-up contained some unidentified chemical additive that made the make-up a fairly potent mutagen. I seriously doubt that these products were ever subjected to proper, rigorous testing because these products are not marketed directly to the general public. I do hate to think of the potential harm that may have resulted from any animal testing on these products, and it also increased my awareness of and suspicions as to what regular cosmetic products might contain. Fortunately in Canada (as Derrick pointed out) there is a movement towards the promotion of cosmetics that do not rely on animal testing. You raise an interesting point that reflects on societal attitudes – I personally feel that there is too much pressure from peers, the media, and/or the fashion industry to impose ideals of beauty on naïve, impressionable young women to whom the sale of cosmetics are targeted. In my experience in academic research, as far as I know there still isn’t a widely applicable and generally acceptable alternative to animal testing of products intended for use by humans. Clinical testing by the pharmaceutical industry (which is another SSI topic altogether) as well as the continued testing of cosmetics on animals unfortunately remains the most cost-effective means to ensure product safety, although this testing is certainly imperfect and debatable from a moral and ethical standpoint.Best regards, Jeff

|| **Profile:** I am an atheist at the Australian Catholic University studying a Grad Dip of Education. (Secondary). My methods are science, and humanities- the latter I do largely for the geography component the rest (history, economics) is confusing. Prior to ACU I did a science degree at the ANU in Canberra, majoring in environmental science (forestry), then did honours at Adelaide Uni in remote sensing which is essentially fiddling with satellite and aerial imagery to make maps. This led to working as a cartographer for a few years, which was so exciting I am now becoming a teacher (although I'll always have a soft spot for maps). In my spare time (see photo on left) I enjoy riding my bike, not just because I don't have a driver's license. I listen to more music than is healthy, and waste a considerable amount of time playing computer games- the latest is world of warplanes (if that means anything to you). the rise of pseudo-science, and its role distorting issues the paleolithic diet declining fish populations, and overall ocean health (I'll expand on these/add more, later.) ||
 * Tom Ellis
 * STSE Interests:**

My name is Dino Balkos, OISE high school teacher candidate, studying STSE issues. I too am interested in pseudo-science, and it’s proliferation in our society. Many people in society hold pseudo-scientific beliefs, including teachers. It is important we rely on scientific concepts tested via empirical measurements, and reproducible experiments which have been put to rigorous testing. I am a fan of an American magician team, perhaps you’ve heard of them, Penn & Teller. They have a television show which is entirely dedicated to debunking such pseudo-scientific beliefs, including alternative medicine, and creationism. They use humor, wit, magic and intelligence to shed an alternative perspective on these issues. However, they are rather racy. Here are some entertaining, and informative clips. Hope you enjoy them :D: [] [] ||
 * Hi Tom!

I thought your STSE issue was very interesting. I began thinking about just how prevalent pseudo-science is and one thing really sticks out to me as a fantastic example: astrology. Even the most professional and well-circulated newspapers include a daily horoscope reading. I suppose it’s simply for the fun of it but when you really think about it it’s a little strange. [|Here] is a TED talk I found (I love TED talks…)by Michael Shermer who publishes Skeptic magazine. He discusses a few "strange" things people believe. Other than religious figures on toast, UFOs, astrology and things of that nature, it seems that there are always new fads that come and go, especially in foods and diets. I personally believe that everything in moderation is the way to go, but who knows... You mentioned the [|paleo diet]. The paleo diet consists mainly of meat, vegetables, nuts, and fruit. It does not include legumes, grain products, vegetable oils, sugar or dairy. The idea is that these are actually harmful to our health and cause health problems such as diabetes and obesity. The popularity of this diet is becoming more and more prominent due to best-seller books such as [|Wheat Belly]. The book is full of information on adverse health effects caused by including wheat in our diet. There are a few that I did not expect such as wheat consumption causing acne and hair loss. With the amount of information out there it is very difficult to sift through what is "right" and what is "wrong" and what is simply out there temporarily as a fad! Sanja Resanovic ||
 * Hey Tom,

I'm also very interested in dealing with pseudo-science in our society. One aspect that I'm especially interested in is homeopathy. I feel that marketing substances that do nothing as medication is not only foolish, but also an evil act that preys on those who are most desperate for help. It has been well demonstrated that homeopathy is no more effective than placebo, as "molecular memory" is a utterly meaningless concept in this regard. Related to this is a growing movement in the United States where parents are refusing to vaccinate their children. This is related to a piece of refuted science suggesting vaccinations lead to autism. Clearly the publication of pseudoscience can negatively impact not only the people who create it, or even the people that believe it, but innocent unrelated people. Devin Tonelli http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/about-homeopathy/what-is-homeopathy/ http://www.homeopathy.edu/index_abouth.php http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12676040 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203315804577209230884246636.html ||
 * Hi Tom,

I am very interested in that PDF. Seems like a great source. My email address is sresanov@gmail.com. Thanks so much! Sanja ||
 * Hey Tom,


 * VIBHA**

I'm Vibha, an international student in Australia, pursuing my Masters of Teaching (Secondary)at the Australian Catholic University.My subjects are double Sciences. I have completed my Masters in Zoology (Honors) and Masters in Education. I had the experience of teaching students from year 5 to year 12 in my home country. It was a wonderful experience teaching students of different age groups. I came to Melbourne, in Feb 2012 and it was a huge change for me, but it was fun and very interesting. I have a passion for teaching and that is one reason I decided to start my Masters in teaching and experience the difference of teaching, in India and in Melbourne. I found it difficult in the beginning, but now I have started enjoying my teaching in Melbourne. It is fun when dealing with senior students but it has some difficult aspects as well. I have been enjoying my time in Melbourne going around visiting new places for over seven months now, and also I have enjoyed teaching at different schools, both public and private. It has also been a very different experience being at the university. I was very nervous, when i came in initially, but I was lucky to have the best of people in Melbourne around me in ACU to help me everytime I needed some help. The students and lecturers both have been very helpful. I feel blessed to be at this university with such good people.
 * Profile:**

** STSE issue: ** The STSE issue I wanted to look into was the disposal of the hazardous waste including the E-waste and radioactive waste, especially in Developing and under-developed countries. The hazardous e-waste entering India under the guise of charity and study material from abroad is threatening the country's environment and security.. Export of any such e-waste is absolutely illegal and against the spirit of the Basel Convention - an international treaty of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). The Indian e-waste re-cycling system is not technically and economically equipped neither hazard free even to handle in-house generated e-waste. Developed countries are wise and prefer to dispose off their e-waste by paying for its export instead of actually investing in developing recycling infrastructure which is very expensive. They find India and other developing countries, a cheaper place to recycle e-waste. As a policy, the government should take steps to control import of hazardous wastes in the country. The United Nations should also rise up and take some serious decisions in this matter.

The links below bring up some articles related to the same issue. [] [] []

The links below provide information of the policies related to the hazardous waste disposal, followed by the various governments h [|ttp://www.nrc.gov/waste.html] <span style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[] <span style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;">[|http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/manage.html#DisposingofRadioactiveWaste]

Hi Vibha,

My teachables are also a double science. By the way, I tried placing my comments in another column but it just wouldn't work so I'm placing them here. I hope you don't mind but I was worried I would mess up the whole page for everyone. I need to amend my STSE issues list and add hazardous waste to it. I was born in Somalia and my place of birth has been greatly impacted by illegal dumping of nuclear waste. Its basically the same issue that is going on with India. In Somalia, people have been reporting that they have found barrels of radioactive material since the collapse of the government which was in the late-80s. People have reported seeing weird European ships being active in the waters at odd times and appear to be dumping things into the ocean. Doctors without Borders are seeing people with radioactive-exposure illnesses and the fishing industry has been greatly impacted. And to top it all off. For Somalia, a consequence for the illegal dumping has been PIRACY. That could be a section that you can add to your RiA when discussing stakeholders and consequences. I've attached a link for you. Let me know it you need more info. [|Al-jazeera - Piracy and Nuclear Waste]

Hodan

I'm currently studying a Graduate Diploma in Education at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. My specialisations are Mathematics and Science (Physics). My <range type="comment" id="187087">‍‍‍‍‍‍â€â€original degree ‍‍‍‍‍‍â€â€ was a hodgepodge of different things from electrical engineering, computer programing and theoretical physics through to creative writing and philosophy. I've worked in a similarly diverse range of jobs including cooking in cafes, disability support, systems administration and am currently doing landscape gardening while I study. I try to play piano and guitar, and listen to much music as I can get my hands on.
 * Finn Mulhall [[image:stepwiser/profile.png width="117" height="157" align="left" caption="My compressors bring all the scientists to the yard. And they're like, 'it's better than yours.' #I <3 Kelis"]] || ===Profile===

SSI Interests
So many! One project I've been particularly interested in is alternative fuel development (or lack thereof). There's a great project being run here in Melbourne on compressed air engines. There is also a separate project being run in France. It's amazing how little government funding is being put into these projects given their potential. It's not just the enviro friendly aspect that's interesting either - the engine's design allows for some funky car concepts too :) As of 2011, approximately 89 milli on barrels of oil and liquid fuels were consumed per day worldwide - see this site for further info. Hunger is also an area of interest for me, in part because it is often claimed that new scientific research could be the solution. While it may be true that new science could provide one solution, current science is sufficient to the task and so talk which focuses on a scientific solution can often be a distraction from the main issues. There is currently more than enough food in the world to feed everyone - see the World Food Program - yet millions still go hungry. ||

Amanda Martin [] ||
 * Hi Finn! I have some interest in the reduction of fuel consumption as well. However, I am curious if you have looked into the amount of fuel and fuel bi-products that are used in research and pharmaceutical industries. Lately, I have been thinking that even if we reduce our use of oil for transportation this might not make as much of a difference as we hope! After working in a chemistry lab for the last 6 years, I am very concerned about the use and misuse of solvents which primarily come from crude oil. You might be interested in looking into this. I have put a link which talks about "Green Chemistry".

Link that may interest you: [] Benny || Hi Finn, My name is Hongyu Shi, and I also have an English name Peggy. I am a high school teacher candidate at OISE. I am taking the STSE course this term with Dr. Larry Bencze. I am also worried about the fuel consumption and the changes it has made to our environment. I hope people could do more to improve it. My group and I are doing a basic research project on hybrid cars but we found it is not a very efficient way to lower the fuel comsumption. My wish is people could gradually change their life styles. The cities should greatly develop the public transit to reduce the amount of the private cars. It is a big waste of fuel to drive a car by only one person. I am still wondering how to improve the situation and how to make our life styles benefit the environment. It seems to be a large topic. Sometimes I miss the old days when people enjoyed the simple life.
 * Hi, Finn, I am also interested in the reduction of fuel consumption. This is one of the big issues in the society nowadays as fuel consumption leads to air pollution and hence, climate change. My group and I are doing a basic research informed action project on hybrid cars and we found out that there are many problems behind the construction of the battery in the hybrid cars. According to the information we got from the webs, we discovered that a hybrid car will release more pollution than a traditional engine car due to the construction of the battery and the transportation of the battery around the world. Of course, the amount of pollution will decrease later on as hybrid cars are highly depending on electrical power to run the car, but it will take a good amount of years to make up in lowering the pollution in the construction and transportation of hybrid cars. Hopefully in the future, people will find solutions to decrease the amount of pollution caused by battery in hybrid cars so that everyone can drive hybrid cars without worrying the problems that they can cause.

Peggy

Hi Finn I'm also worried about how much we rely on cars in our society and I think although hybrid cars are becoming more prevalent, they're not really solving the issue completely. Hybrid cars have their own slew of problems and environmental concerns to deal with as well. Their batteries for example are a source of concern. As Peggy mentioned we are working on a project to inform young adults about the advantages and disadvantages of both hybrid cars and fuel cars. The best solution to me is to develop a better, more usable public transport system. London for example has a great transit system and it is more efficient to use the transit than to drive. I really enjoyed their transit system while I was there last April and I find that Toronto is lacking in this area and it is not always best to use the subway here. Sabika Raza || **Profile** I'm also currently studying a Grad. Dip in Education at ACU in Melbourne. My specialist methods are Science and Geography. I completed an undergraduate degree, Bachelor in Science at Monash University in Melbourne. I majored in Earth Science and Environmental Science. Currently I am working part-time as a hydrogeologist for URS Australia, an international engineering and environmental consulting company. Outside work and study I'm interested in drawing, blogging, tennis and eating! During our science classes I have been made aware of many SSI issues that I previously had no idea of- so there are many more that have me interested. Deforestation and the numerous repercussions in terms of ecological systems and services loss, biodiversity loss, renewable resource loss and the global climate impacts. Here's a few references for interest: [|National Geographic], [|NASA Earth Observatory] and [|Greenpeace]. In addition to this, as a hydrogeologist I also have an interest in groundwater resources and the sustainability and management of such resources. I'm excited that these issues will be a part of a new initiative of the Teacher Earth Science Education Programme ([|TESEP]) and implemented in the new Australian Curriculum as the [|'Wet Rocks'] program/resource. ||
 * Lisa Reynolds
 * SSI Interests**

My name is Dino Balkos, a high school teacher candidate, studying STSE issues at OISE. In reading your profile, I have noticed that you hold vested interest in groundwater resources, and there sustainability. Have you ever read of the Walkerton incident here in Ontario? It was quite a big deal. Walkerton is a relatively small community. Water technicians had not had had any formal training in their position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience. The water supply became contaminated with a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, from farm runoff into an adjacent well that was known for years to be vulnerable to contamination. In 2000, many residents began to simultaneously experience purple diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections and other symptoms of E. coli infection. For days the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission insisted the water supply was "OK" despite being in possession of laboratory tests that had found evidence of contamination. On May 21, an escalation in the number of patients with similar symptoms finally spurred the region's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Murray McQuigge, to issue a boil water advisory, warning residents not to drink the water. At least seven people died directly from drinking the E. coli contaminated water, who might have been saved if the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission had admitted to contaminated water sooner, and about 2,500 became ill. We have to ensure that proper water maintenance practices be held within both major cities, and their outskirts. Here are some interesting links: Walkerton 10 years later: The Changes implemented. Are things better? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x31nOZstwjY ||
 * Hi Lisa,

My name is David Lam, a teacher candidate at OISE and I was interested in your profile concerning deforestation. Over here in Canada, we have a lot of forests, about 10% of the world’s forest cover, where most of the deforestation that occurs here is used for agriculture or farming. Although our deforestation isn’t as great as other countries, it is still pretty significant. Fortunately, the percentage of deforestation has decreased over the years due to actions taken by different organizations. In order to reduce deforesting, we also plant a lot of trees in return. But the disadvantage of this is that trees take a long time to recover so there is still lost of biodiversity and global climate change impacts. Some small efforts to reduce deforestation include reducing, reusing and recycling paper products. Deforestation accounts for about 20% of the climate change in the world. In order to combat these changes the UN implemented a program called REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). REDD enhances the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and forest carbon stock in developing countries. In order to do this, they have to address the major causes of deforestation such as unsustainable agriculture, illegal logging and lack of natural resource management institutions. To address all these issues however, a lot of funding is required. Canada invests a lot of funding into REDD. More on global deforestation: [] Here’s a small website about the statistics over in Canada: [] Here is more information on REDD: [] [] ||
 * Hey Lisa,

|| **Profile** I am currently studying a Graduate Diploma in Education at the Australian Catholic University. I completed an Arts/Science double degree at the University of Melbourne with majors in Anatomy, Physiology and Spanish. I have a particular interest in the medical sciences. In my spare time I enjoy going out with friends, cooking, sport, keeping fit and playing the piano. I have been lucky enough to have gone on a few overseas trips and have enjoyed traveling. An issue that I feel is quite important for the public to thoroughly consider is stem cell research. In the final year of my undergraduate degree I had a few lectures given by researchers in this field. I feel stem cell research using adult stem cells or IPS cells are exciting options which do not require the destruction of embryos. I feel to destroy an embryo is pushing the boundary on what is morally acceptable. Some websites that I have found informative include : [] and []. These websites both provide very interesting reads especially in relation to how Canada and Australia differ in their views on the permissibility of embryonic stem cell research. ||
 * Therese Mount
 * SSI Interests**

-Tony Wang ||
 * Hi Therese, I am also very interested in the topic of stem cell research. I read a few articles recently that many scientists are trying to move towards using adult stem cells for research as oppose to using embryonic stem cells. While some people may feel that destruction of embryos for research is morally wrong, I feel that if the results of the research may save many people, then it is all worth it. This is where the question of "when does sentient life being?" comes into play. I know that this issue of what stem cells to use has caused a lot of controversies. Ultimately I think the stem cell research is beneficial for the realm of medicine and it must be continued.

Hi Therese. Having been a stem cell researcher and I did my PhD with one of the big Canadian researchers who is now at the Ottawa Health Research Institute I agree that IPSCs do offer an alternative to the ethical issues of destroying embryos. However, I was wondering how you feel about the fact that reprogramming somatic cells to an embryonic fate (which in the research is done by creating mouse and rat pups from the IPSC cells) represent an identical ethical problem? While you are not destroying an existing embryo, you are technically creating a cell type that can become a fully-functioning human if it were implanted into a womb. Rob Perry
 * Hi Therese, I just wanted to weigh in as well on the stem cell issue. It is indeed a particularly tricky issue, and certainly many people would see a moral problem with using embryonic stem cells, regardless of the medical advances they have led to. I personally feel we are on the right track with all the work being done on effectively inducing pluripotency in adult human fibroblasts for example, and have been steadily overcoming the challenges that go along with these methods, such as activation of oncogenes (activated by the viruses used during transfection []). I feel we are close to a viable alternative, and while I feel that the continued use of embryonic stem cells is a practical necessity that is leading to many great advances in medicine at this stage, we do need to keep the pressure on to try to overcome the remaining challenges. In some ways this also reminds me of the use of HeLa cells, derived from cervical cancer cells of Henrietta Lacks without permission, ultimately leading to a US Supreme court decision ruling that discarded tissues and cells are not patient property, and can be commercialized ([], and also the book The Immortal Life of Henritta Lacks). The cells are essential for research now, but carry with them a shady past. One of the key differences from then and now is that people are tending to be more aware of these morality issues today, and it may have been a different outcome had they had the same access to communication as we do now, and with a hopefully more scientifically literate populace. I think by keeping the issue discussed, as we are now, will help us to avoid some of the mistakes of the past.-Kelly Reimer ||

As mentioned by the people above me there have been improvements in the field of stem cell research and you may also be interested to note that this years Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine has awarded today to two researchers working on stem cells. Check it out! They have had a vital role in discovering that mature specialized cells can be reprogrammed to become stem cells which can then be converted to any other tissue cell. Sabika Raza ||
 * Hi there Therese.

Hi Therese, I think stem research as an STSE issue is fascinating because different members of society have such opposing views on it. I think the question of to what extent we pursue advances in science and technology is an interesting one. A couple of summers ago, I read a book called Never Let Me Go. It won some literary prizes, maybe you've heard of it. Without spoiling it, it looks at a world where too science and technology have definitely been pursued too far. It was also made into a movie! I think if you checked either of them out it would give you lots to think about from the societal perspective of this issue.

Cody

Hi Therese, I am also very interested in stem cell research and in particular the use of adult stem cells and IPS cells. In my fourth and final year of my undergraduate studies at McMaster University I had a professor who was the director of stem cell and cancer research at McMaster, Dr. Bhatia who during the semester stumbled upon groundbreaking research on how to transform human skin cells into blood cells. His advanced knowledge of IPS cells helped facilitate the discovery and this research has potential to lead to cures to leukaemia as well as providing increased blood supply for patients who require blood transfusions. The use of human skin cells avoids the ethical dilemma of using embryological stem cells thus I think this science and research is generally better received by the public and has the potential for further funding. Through research such as this we can see how viable adult stem cells and IPS cells are in the discovery of future treatments or cures of illnesses. -Kevin Duong

Hey guys, Thanks for response. This video shows the two scientists Sabika speaks of. They have been supported by the Vatican because their research does not involve the manipulation of embryos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puNorIdPA8c&feature=player_embedded Good stuff! Therese

|| **Profile** I am studying a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education at the Australian Catholic University. I am passionate about animals and my first qualification was a Bachelor of Science in Zoology, followed by graduate study in captive vertebrate management. I spent the last three years working as a Senior Penguin Keeper at Melbourne Aquarium, managing a captive colony of king and gentoo penguins. Prior to this I worked as a Marine Educator at a resort on Moreton Island, leading wildlife watching cruises on Moreton Bay in QLD. In my spare time I like cooking, reading, golf, scuba diving and training my pet cockatiel. An issue thatâ€™s particularly close to my heart is shark fishing. Sharks are [|killed for their fins]in a process that usually involves slicing off their fins (while they are still alive) and then throwing the shark back to die slowly. Not only is this incredibly inhumane, it is also wasteful and unsustainable. Sharks are long lived and [|slow breeding], making it hard for them to recover from overfishing. According to [|the IUCN], between 26 to 73 million sharks are killed each year for their fins and [|30% of] open ocean shark species are now threatened with extinction. Sharks are apex predators in complex marine ecosystems and they [|need our protection], not our fear and loathing. What will happen to our ocean ecosystems if we continue to eliminate the top predators? Good video here on [|shark nets], another huge threat to sharks and our marine life. || Hey Susannah! I'm also very interested in the issue of shark fins, particularly for shark fin soup. Coming from a Chinese background I've been exposed to shark fin soup which is a major use of shark fins. However, ever since I watched this incredible documentary by Rob Stewart I have personally boycotted the use of real shark fins in shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is a traditional Chinese cuisine served at special occasions such as weddings or birthdays. The documentary opened my eyes to the unnecessary nature of killing sharks for their fins and the impacts it has on shark populations and the ecosystem in general.
 * **Susannah McGinnes**
 * SSI Int****erests**

I was fortunate enough to volunteer in a the grade 11 biology class and that was when I was first introduced to this documentary and issue. The students in this class actually decided to petition to ban real shark fin soup in the city of Brampton. Mississauga (a neighbouring city) had previously been successful in banning shark fin products, however there is still ongoing protests regarding the issue. The students collected over 600 signatures from Brampton citizens who favored the ban and then the students were invited to City Hall to present their case in front of a panel of MPs and policy makers. The petition was ultimately unsuccessful as the ban did not pass but this was a very influential student-led social action that caught my attention and really inspired to take action and learn more about ways we can lower/limit the use of shark fin products.

-Kevin Duong Benny || Thanks Kevin and Benny. It's great to see others so passionate about shark conservation as well! Interestingly, shark-finning is now banned in all Australian waters, however shark-fin soup is still on the menu at restaurants across the country. Kevin, those student led petitions and their presentation at City Hall sound inspiring, thanks for sharing. - Susannah - Tony Wang ||
 * Hi, Susannah, I am also interested of your STSE issue of banning of shark fins. I believe this is wrong and cruel to the sharks â€“ people are killing them just for their fins and then throwing them back in the ocean and they slowly die after that. According to the information that I found from Wikipedia, it stated that the fins are tasteless. The taste comes from the soup. The value of the fins themselves is their texture: â€œchewy, sinewy, stringyâ€. Knowing this fact, people can just replace the shark fins with other ingredients that can provide the same texture taste without endangering the lives of the species. As I further look into this STSE issues, I also found that the shark fins contain neurotoxin that is harmful to human. An analysis from Florida discovered that the neurotoxin link to Alzheimerâ€™s and Lou Gehrigâ€™s disease. Thus, this is another thing that shark fins should be banned. I live in Toronto, and people in this city have voted to ban the sale of shark fins and the banning starts to spread to other cities as well.
 * Hi Susannah, I am interested in your STSE issue regarding shark fins. I believe that the consumption of shark fins is wrong and the way that the fins are harvested is extremely inhumane and wasteful. I learned about this issue back in high school 8 years ago and I have since then been trying to educate people, specifically family and friends, that shark fins should not be consumed due to all these reason. I recently came across a video by Chef Gordon Ramsey where he tried shark fins for the first time and went on a campaign to stop shark fins consumption. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r65FgUYdBOc

|| **Profile** Hi! My name is Elleise and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and have a Dutch, German, Chinese and Samoan background. Im 22 years old, recently married (hence my Maori surname) and am very much enjoying it! Some of my interests include travel (worldwide and in Aus), reading, and fitness/sport. I have a background in competitive swimming which lead me to completing my Bachelor of Exercise Science at ACU. I am now studying a Grad. Dip in Secondary Education, again at ACU. My methods are Physical Education and of course Science! Most of my spare time is taken up by my part-time job, otherwise I like to get outdoors in the sun as much as possible. A particular STSE issue that I have great concern for is the amount of electronic waste (e-waste), that is globally produced and how it is recycled. In the year 2009, 60 Minutes ran a story on e-waste and how it was being illegally shipped to Hong Kong from America by the container load. Those that are found in e-waste recycling fields are at great risk of poisoning by lead, mercury and many other toxins found in our hardware. Many of these workers are also young, developing children. Yes, there was an international treaty put into force by the Basel Convention (BC) that was supposed to prevent this type of toxic trade and therefore inhumane working conditions back in 1992. The United States have signed this convention, but have not yet ratified it. Since this time, many countries including Australia and Canada have been found to be shipping their contribution of e-waste off to the docks of Asia, Africa and India alike. Also in the year 2009, the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities adopted a â€˜National Waste Policyâ€™. This policy was set in place to give direction to Australian waste management and recovery up to the year 2020. However it was not until April this year that the __first__ territory or state government implemented the free e-waste recycling service that this new policy provides. America has had free initiatives like this for years now (independently run from the government), so why has it taken us so long? And just to help this new free recycling initiative, Australia is switching its national free to air television network to be completely digital by the year 2013... Every household will need an integrated digital television to be able to watch free to air TV. More hardware, more e-waste. One of the major hurdles with this issue is the wording of the regulation put forward by the BC, and also that of current legislation in the countries involved. Currently legislation in Canada allows for a non-functioning but intact device to be exported, however a non-functioning but no longer intact device cannot. The problem here is that of course the intact device will be broken down when received by those importing (the less-developed countries exposing their citizens to toxins). Like Australia, Canada also has a nation wide e-waste strategy to implement. Furthermore, I believe that this issue is compounded by the fact that it simply takes too long to implement government legislation and initiatives on e-waste recycling, as evident by the new Australian waste policy that has been put together 17 years after the BC treaty and how many more years after we started using such hardware predominantly in our society. || I think I also saw that segment on //60 Minutes//, or otherwise a segment on another program about the same thing. It was kind of amazing to see how our old technology gets "recycled" by others, but this form of recycling is completely backwards in terms of how we normally view it. Instead having a positive effect, recycling old computer equipment can be incredibly detrimental—for both the environment //and// for a society.
 * **Elleise Ngawaka**
 * STSE Int****erests**

One thing I'm interested in looking at here is what the sources of this technology are, at least in Canada. What are the pathways of this technology from my house in Toronto to a recycling field in Hong Kong? We have a popular advertising campaign here about disposing old televisions, computers and other equipment, explaining that you can leave them in front of your house on garbage day and the city recycles them properly. By that, do they mean that it is sent to Hong Kong? What about sporadic electronic recycling initiatives that occur in neighborhoods every now and then? And, I also would like to understand what the viable alternatives are that are environmentally friendly and don't expose people to dangerous toxins.

I guess I should hold on to some of my old electronics until I know where they're going! :P —Giancarlo Galliani Pecchia I read with interest your post about the recycling of electronics. I am a self-described luddite who thinks vacuum tubes in an audio amplifier result in a sound that is far superior to that produced by any of the typical “home theatre” receiver/amplifiers you find in every big box store. What really irks me is when the electronics industry introduces a new technology that isn’t appreciated by consumers, mainly because people are still trying to replace older technologies which were marketed as cutting-edge a few months/years ago (3-D T.V. is a great example). Don’t even get me started on “built in obsolescence”. All I have to say is that they don’t make anything like they used to. I myself take great pride in rescuing old audio equipment and restoring it to pristine working order – much to my wife’s chagrin as our basement resembles a vintage electronics museum. As a point of interest, check this out: [|www.scrapmonster.com]. Obviously someone is making money off of e-waste, but where does it end up? P.S. – Please do your ears a favour and recycle those godawful headphones they supply with every iPod/iPhone etc.Best regards, <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jeff ||
 * Hi Elleise,

|| **Profile** I am currently studying a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary). Prior to this, I studied a Bachelor of Science and majored in Psychology and Biochemistry at Swinburne University. During my undergraduate degree I took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Industry Based Learning program, and worked for 12 months in the Clinical Neurophysiology department of the Royal Melbourne Hospital. During this time I conducted EEG's on a daily basis, assisted the department's Neurologists run NCS/EMG clinics, and was lucky enough to witness in person deep brain stimulation and a temporal lobectomy. While I'm sure that all sounds very exciting, I really like to just relax and enjoy the temperamental Melbourne sunshine in my spare time. I also enjoy reading, shopping, and spending time with my cat, Rafa. There are a multitude of STSE issues I could write about today, but one that springs to mind more often is how uneducated we are about how to effectively and healthily utilise food in our lives.We are bombarded with so many mixed messages by the media about what is healthy and how to become fit and lose weight. Every man and his dog has written a book about how to live a healthy life. All the while basic information about food labeling and marketing ploys is required by the public. Perhaps [|FSANZ] should be more widely advertised. Further to this, the public should be more educated about the specific [|metabolic pathways] of different food sources. I am particularly interested in the vast variety ad availability of multivitamin supplements, and the public's willingness to accept their claims of "memory improvement" of "increased energy" with a lack of scientific data to support such claims. Some reviews, for example [|Does It Really Keep the Doctor Away?] and [|A Systematic Review]demonstrate mixed results and some inconclusive evidence. The basic function of vitamins and minerals in our bodies seems to be lost on the public. If we can't keep ourselves healthy, then we can't look after others or look after our planet! || Hi Jade, I totally agree about the labeling issues that appear to plague your hemisphere as well as my own. I looked at the FSANZ link you provided but couldnâ€™t see guidelines for the way in which fat must be designated. If you look at table 7.5 of [] youâ€™ll see the list of acceptable terms and meanings that the Canadian government are currently allowing label producers to confuse the public with. Ryan Williams
 * **Jade Bayly**
 * STSE issue**

Hi Jade. It is funny that your STSE issue is what my group is looking at for our advanced research-informed apprenticeship. As a molecular biologist and having done obesity/physiology postdoctoral positions for the last 5 years, I am concerned that the vitamin industry is really covering up a nasty truth about the quality of our food rather than actually helping society become healthier. I am very interested in the food supply particularly after reading Michael Pollan’s books (see []). In his books, he examines a farmer in the US that really demonstrates how to farm in a holistic way that not only improves the food supply but also the land ([] and Joel Salatin). Joel has been interviewed by numerous media agencies around the world and has several videos on You tube. It is a fascinating story and one that shows that without industrial farming we can eat locally and with health rather than satiety as the end result. Throwing down vitamins every morning is just a waste of time, money and resources. I hope at some point, we all take a look at what the implications are for ‘needing’ to take a supplement and correct the problem rather than just treat the symptoms. Rob Perry
 * Hi Jade... so you’re telling me that if I eat this entire bottle of multivitamins, I won’t become superhuman? I definitely agree about the problem with misinformation, or information that is intentionally lacking in some key detail. It is a complex issue. I have taken years of study in various metabolic pathways and I still find myself confused about a lot of the different diets or vitamin sources. However because of this background, I do find myself checking up claims myself on the internet, or recognizing when something is clearly a marketing gimmick. I agree that a better understanding of metabolism specifically would benefit society’s choices regarding their diet, and more related to my STSE issue I feel that an added emphasis on scientific literacy and critical thinking in general would do much to help these issues. I feel that the problem is that most people take for granted what others they consider experts tell them, and tend to side with whatever fits their own preconceived notions. An awareness that in the end somebody is trying to sell you something and may not have your best interests in mind is a very healthy mindset.(As a side note regarding the proper labeling of food, I just plunked the recipe for a taco lasagna I made 2 hours ago into a nutritional calculator and nearly had a heart attack, both figuratively and apparently nearly literally. I think I might personally be afraid to read accurate labels of what I’m eating!) ||

|| **Profile** Hi everyone, I am currently studying to be a secondary school teacher of Science and Religious Education. I have bachelor degrees in Environmental and Biological Science (Botany and Environmental Science majors) and a Certificate in Horticulture. In between studying I have managed to squeeze in some backpacking through Europe and would love to travel again, maybe with more money this time! Most of my spare time is taken up with reading, gardening and playing tennis and basketball. An issue of importance to me is the destruction of old growth forests for timber products. Old growth forests are negligibly disturbed mature forests which are genetic reservoirs, carbon sinks and contribute to healthy water flows. They are relatively stable environments that provide unique habitat for fauna and flora that cannot be seen in regrowth forests. In Victoria, public land occupies more than one third of the state's area. Publicly owned forests are an important source of sawlogs and other wood products for the Victorian, interstate and overseas export markets and provide employment for many Victorians. However, by obtaining wood from plantations all our timber needs could be met. People forget that by using native forest sawlogs, you also have to account for all the timber that was clearfelled in order to obtain a single log. In places like East Gippsland, 85 percent of forests ends-up as woodchips or waste in order that the logging corporations can take their 15 percent of usable sawlogs. In NSW and Tasmania, this figure can be as high as 95 percent woodchips or waste. Old growth forests have so much to teach us and as Doug Larson, a botany professor at the University of Guelph, states "we have to learn how natural systems work before we screw them up." Some sites of interest: [] [] [] || Hi Brydie,
 * **Brydie Phillips**
 * STSE Issue **

I come from a plant background and my research in my master degree was on plant based pharmaceuticals. I definitely agree with you that there is a untapped resource of knowledge in old growth forests. I did focus my work mainly on tropical forest but I feel the premise remains the same. There is a large number of fauna and flora that have yet to be discovered and many that may have medicinal or biological purposes that we could be potentially destroying in these various processes.

Elizabeth

Hi Brydie and Elizabeth,

I do not come from a biology background but I am very interested in this issue. As an STSE issue, it involves many stakeholders with divergent views. I find natural forests, and the forestry industry in general, to be very fascinating because it is a prime example of the clash between our need to materially wealthy by exporting our exporting natural resources versus our desire to preserve the environment. I was wondering what kind of government action has the Australian government taken? I tried to follow your link but it didn't work. In Canada, the forestry industry is regulated by Natural Resources Canada, in particular, a piece of legislation called the //Forestry Act.// I am curious how the Australian laws compare. Also what sort of actions do you propose interested citizens take?

Cody

|| **Profile** Hey! my name is Chris Ryan, I am 21 and I live in Melbourne, Australia! I was born in Queensland and have also lived in New South Wales so I have moved round the county a bit over my time! I am currently studying a Masters of Teaching and my methods are physical education and science, I also have an undergrad degree of Exercise Science which I completed last year, also at ACU. I am a massive footy (AFL) fan and go for the Essendon Bombers, I also love snowboarding, live music and any kind of sport really! I plan on heading to Whistler in December because the snow in Australia is terrible so maybe I will run into some of you on my trip! I have been quite interested in current water usage habits in Australia after we have suffered [|severe draught] in the recent past. Currently in Melbourne our water storages are at 74.9% capacity, however only 4 years ago they were down around the [|25% mark] and because of this, Victoria was under quite severe water restrictions. Now that we are in a much better position in regards to the water that is available to us, I am interested in the measures the public, industry and the government are putting in place to ensure we do not experience another potential catastrophe. Overall, Australian's have decreased their water consumption per capita which has helped us to an increase in our storage, however with [|Victoria's population continuing to grow] will this put greater pressure on our water storages in the future? It is important to consider ways in which we the public and also industry can implement changes to maintain our current storages even with a growing population. It would also be beneficial for the [|government] to research alternative ways to ensure our water storages are safe for the future. Some interesting resources: [] [] [] ||
 * **Chris Ryan**
 * STSE Issue**

Amanda Martin (OISE) || Hi Chris, My name is Hongyu Shi, and I also have an English name Peggy. I am a high school teacher candidate at OISE. I am taking the STSE course this term with Dr. Larry Bencze. I am very interested in the issue that you have posted here. I live in Canada which is a water-riched country. People here including me are spoiled in water usage. But 8 years ago I came to Canada from China. China is a water shortage country. In some buildings there is no water on the higher floors. People in China are more saving water than the people in Canada. The Chinese government has started a huge project to transfer water from the southern China to northern China since 2003. However, I think that having decreased water consumption should be a worldwide goal. Not long ago, Canadian government has increased the water price. This is a good sign to make people reduce their water consumption. There are still a lot to do for Canadian government to save the water resources. According to Wiki, residential consumers in Canada used 343 litres per person per day, or roughly twice as much per person as in other industrialized countries, except the United States and Australia. According to one source water use in Montreal, where there is little metering, is particularly high at 1,287 liter per person per day in 1999. The water quality in Canada is excellent. According to the Environment Canada, the following sectors account for the following shares of municipal water use: This is a link of water supply and sanitation in Canada: [] This is the link of water supply and sanitation in China where I was born and has grown up for more than 30 years. [] In China, the water supply and sanitation conditions are much less optimistic than in Canada. According to the World Bank, about 13% of urban water users receive water at inadequate pressure. The water sanitation in some rural area is poor. Shanghai, like many other Chinese cities, depends on surface water that is heavily polluted. In the last 2 decades, Chinese government has done a great job in building wastewater treatment plants, supplying pipe water to the rural area, etc. The condition has been improved.
 * Hi Chris! I am very interested in the issue that you have posted. I lived in Adelaide Australia for a year and the draught was severe there. Living in Canada has spoiled me for water usage, since we have no shortages. However, I think that having decreased water consumption should be a worldwide goal. Many other countries could certainly benefit from the measures that Australia has taken. How do you feel about desalination? I read the article that you posted about desal and I am curious why people see it as such a "white elephant". There are certainly costs (both economic and environmental) associated with the plant, but it seems like it is being demonized in the media. Perhaps you could have students look into the actual statistics and cost benefits of the desal plant and analyze them for themselves. Since you can't always trust the media depictions of these issues, this might be a valuable exercise!
 * 52% residential users
 * 19% commercial users
 * 16% industrial users
 * 13% leakage.

Peggy

|| Hi my name is Szilvia Likar and I am a mother of two boys 7 & 8 years of age. Im studying for my Graduate Diploma in Education at ACU with methods in mathematics and science. Im my past life (which now seems like an eternity ago!) I studied Aerospace Engineering and Biological Science. Yes, it seems like a strange combination but I have weird and varied interests and ALL science interests me. STSE Issue My topic of interest is the constant construction and development on reclaimed land from what was once marsh or sea. We have now evolved to the point where we can change the earth's geography by moving soil and rock around to suit our own mostly selfish purposes. It is mostly driven by 'location, location, location', real-estate and money of course! On a recent trip to Monaco, a small principality in Europe whose area is very small but worth a gold mine, I became involved in a conversation about this topic of land reclamation. It appears that the Prince had knocked back a proposal to further develop the waterfront and create more land area by moving His small empire into the sea. Apparently the environmental issues both short term and long term were an issue for this most responsible, conservationist Prince. This is what really sparked my interest in this area and having worked in airports in HongKong on reclaimed land I decided to start to research, question and become more curious about this desire for more real-estate. The following are a list of questions that have come to mind: 1. How wide spread is this phenomena? 2. What is it driven by? Only greed? Are there any other reasons for such a need? 3. Who drives this need for land reclamation? 4. What are the environmental issues short term and long term? 5. Coupled with global warming and increasing unstable weather patterns as well as geo activity how will these new areas cope? 6. How long will they last? 7. How far will we go? Just a few questions to think about!!! [|HongKong] [|Monaco] [|Penang] It's happening everywhere! ||
 * Szilvia Likar

I read your profile and a couple of the links you posted and literally ‘laughed out loud’ when I came across the article about Prince Albert trying to reclaim land from the sea – I did not even realize these types of developments were happening throughout the world, or that it was even possible. Since I am not too familiar with land reclamation, I did a bit more reading and came across this interesting [|article]. I think it leads into another STSE angle you could consider, which relates to the global economy, and resource supply and demand dynamics: - Where are the materials and land coming from for the reclamation? - What is the environmental impact on the areas that supply sand and soil for the reclamation sites? - Is there a better global use for these resources other than land reclamation? - Who owns or gets the first chance at owning the reclaimed land (if it was previously owned by a marsh or sea)? Since I had not heard of land reclamation before, I also decided to look into the ‘opposite’ (or at least what I believe to be the opposite), and I read up on man-made water bodies. It might be interesting for you to compare and contrast advantages, disadvantages, motivations, environmental impact, etc. of both land reclamation sites and man-made reservoirs. In particular, I found this [|article] interesting with regards to man-made reservoirs and how they can be beneficial to a society. Best of luck! Cheers, Derrick ||
 * Hey Szilvia,

The topic area that I am interested in is surrounding the meat industry. I think many of us are familiar with the horror stories of animal cruelty in meat production and are aware that whilst these atrocities occur, this meat may or may not end up on our plate, however there is a lot more going on than we think. To cope with the western world's mass demand for meat, traditional Old MacDonald-style farms have been replaced by corporate, money-hungry factory farms. Here animals are confined closely together with no grass or vegetation. Because of their poor living environments and the fact that they are fed an unnatural diet of cheap, low grade grain and corn, these animals are often very sick. Antibiotics are used to keep them alive just long enough to make it to slaughter. To give you an idea of just how much antibiotics are administered to animals, in the US, about 3 million pounds of antibiotics are given to humans each year. In comparison, The Union of Cocerned Scientists (UCS) calculated that 24.6 million pounds are fed to farmed animals for non-therapeutic uses. But beyond this, my concerns are held for the meat eating society who are of the potential health implications of eating meat pumped with antibiotics. Here is a few different articles that tap into the controversies in the meat industry. I have used [|antibiotics] as an example, but others include examples of [|animal cruelty], hormones ([|good] vs [|bad]), [|pesticides] and how Food Standards Australia New Zealand ([|FSANZ]) is regulating the meat industry. Some others are below, including some videos, enjoy :-) VIDEOS: - [|Australian Meat Industry Video (2011)] - [|Example of World's Biggest Pork Producers] - [|FOOD INC] SITES: - http://www.mla.com.au/home - http://www.amic.org.au/ || Hey Emma! I think this is a very relevant STSE issue. Firstly I am a meat eater, but I think meat should be eaten in moderation. I think that one of the huge impacts on this issue is the unnatural amount of meat that society (North American especially I think :P) thinks is normal. There has been tons of research done into the ideal amount of meat that should be included in an average diet and it is a small amount once a day. However, we have gotten used to a typical dinner being a huge slab of meat and then a few other things (a couple of carrots?). I think this type of diet is one of the causes of the horrible animal farming that is happening now. There is an unnaturally high demand for meat from a globe that can not naturally support it. The moral is, I agree with you! I think that there needs to be a huge turn around in how we farm animals and I think this needs to be done via a change in society. Now how to make this happen, that is an entirely different problem.
 * **Emma Parker** || **Profile** ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/emma.jpg width="174" height="224" caption="Vegan magical powers. #I <3 Scot Pilgrim"]] || My name is Emma and I am 24 year old who grew up in Ballarat, a regional town 90 minutes from Melbourne. I completed a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, however have always been interested in becoming a teacher so thought I would give the Grad. Dip. Ed. a shot this year. My methods are Science and Health, however my passion truly lies around the Physical Education and Health spectrum, but wouldn't mind teaching maths and art as well. I love to run and keep active, I love live music and travelling!
 * SSI Interests**

Here is an article about a study of the negative impacts of meat. This is specifically red meat but there are many more out there! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9138230/Red-meat-is-blamed-for-one-in-10-early-deaths.html

Amy Chapman

Links that may interest you http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/663/15-reasons-why-you-may-want-to-reconsider-eating-meat/ http://www.vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/campaigns/eat-less-meat/meat-and-the-environment/ Benny ||
 * Hi, Emma, I found your SSI interests of consuming meat to be very interesting. There are many people in Canada consuming a large amount of meat in their daily life. North American and people in most of the developed world suffer from having heart disease, high cholesterol, and obesity. Many restaurants are trying to bring awareness to this situation and are trying to make changes to provide the best eating lifestyle to their customers. However, not many of us are listening and hearing the messages loud enough and instead, stating: “we need meat to survive, it tastes great and inexpensive”. Many people understand the risks of eating high amount of meat and will lead to serious health issues. People should reconsider of this problem and should be eating a moderate amount of meat and eating a diet rich in vegetables to reduce the risk for stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. The production of meat has negative side effects to the environment and one of the factors lead to the climate change today.

[|XL foods] Andrew ||
 * Hey Emma, I completely agree that meat and other food production is of increasing concern. Currently there is a massive recall on an ever increasing list of beef products all over Canada and in many parts of the U.S. I was curious to find out that this massive issue stemmed from a single plant located in Alberta, about a four hour flight or a day and a half drive from Toronto. From an article in our local paper I discovered that this one plant supplies over half of all beef in Canada. I thought that this was a good example of just how industrialized the meat/food industry is. It begs the question, is it really more efficient to mass produce these types of products and then truck them all over the continent or is it simply more profitable? Here is a link if you would like more information.

Hey, my name is James and I am currently studying a diploma in education. My teaching methods are PE, Science and RE. I have previously completed a degree in Exercise Science which was also at ACU. Whilst completing my Exercise Science degree I conducted 1 semester of study at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario Canada. Where i lived on student residence in Waterloo. I have seen much of Canada and am looking forward to going back and seeing all my friends there. My main interests include plenty of sport. My favourite sport is of course Australian Rules Football. I also love Watersports and Snowsports. During Summer I spend plenty of time Skiing and Kneeboarding. Whilst during Winter I try and go Snowboarding as often as I can. I spend as much time with my friends and family as I can. I would rather work to live, than live to work. **STSE Issue**: I'm interested in water supply. I have grown up always being told to save water however when i lived in Canada I was able to use as much water as I wanted without feeling guilty. I've heard many times before that only 3% of all the water on the earth is drinkable. At one point 97% of Australia was in drought. Saving water is something I have grown up with. Now that Australia has had larger rainfall in the last couple of years I am interested to look at whether we should still be trying to save water. I want to investigate the use of desalination plants in order to save water. ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/oise.jpg caption="Water was here first! #boom fact!"]] || ** Profile: **

-Tony Wang ||
 * Hi James, I have been thinking about this water supply topic as well. The planet Earth is covered in mostly water, however, most of this water is not safe to consume. I think that we should still try to save water whenever and wherever possible. We're able to use vast amount of clean, safe water in Canada because it is a very well developed country. There are many many countries in the world that are not as fortunate as Canada. I was brought up believing that 'just because you may have lots of it, that does not mean you should waste any of it.' I also find it sad that water has now been branded and sold at ridiculous prices where it should be free. Can you imagine if air is no longer free in the future?

Though a major theme in my undergrad was sustainability, there was relatively little talk about water supply and conservation. I think we tend to take fresh water for granted in Toronto and the rest of Canada because we are surrounded by it (Environment Canada says we have about 7% of the world’s **renewable** freshwater). Because of this, water is very cheap (about $2.50/cubic metre!). According to Environment Canada ([]), the average Canadian uses 343 L/day. I think it is slightly lower for Toronto. I found a site that has data for Melbourne as well ([]) which says Melbournians used 277 L/day per capita in 2007. There is a lot of room for improvement in both cases. A figure that strikes me is that 51% of water use in Toronto and 60% of water use in Melbourne is residential use. If residents change their water usage habits, there is the potential to drastically reduce overall water consumption. I think educating the public, bringing the issue to the forefront will possibly have the greatest effect in reducing our consumption. (especially in Toronto where it is not too often that I am told to reduce my water consumption). People should know where their water comes from, how precious it is, and the possible repercussions of using too much. By the way, Aussie rules fooball is awesome. I wish people played it over here. Lukas Notten ||
 * Hey James,

Living in Canada, a “water-rich” nation, I sometimes forget that other countries around the world are not so fortunate. To learn more about this essential resource, I took an entire course in undergrad on Water and the Environment and am now much more aware of my water use. We can all take simple measures to reduce our unnecessary consumption of water, such as turning the tap off while brushing our teeth, taking shorter showers, installing water-saving shower heads and toilets in our homes, fixing leaks in faucets, and raising awareness of the simple steps to conserve water. By doing so, not only do we preserve water, we also save on our water bills. In regards to your point about desalination plants, I wanted to know how the process actually works and found a link that describes the process: [] One thing that concerned me about the desalination process was the exuberant amounts of energy and green house gas emissions that result because of the process, as discussed in these two articles: [] [] Perhaps desalination plants can work towards using more renewable forms of energy (such as solar power) so as to reduce their impact on the environment while providing an essential resource as described here: [] Cheers, Mahin ||
 * Hi James,

I'm enrolled at ACU completing my Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary). My methods are Mathematics and Science, as I have a background in Chemical Engineering. I have worked mainly in the water and wastewater industry, although this has morphed into our own winery (in conjuction with my husband). Nowadays, I am kept busy with 3 children (ages 6,9 and 11) and have to admit that due to having had the children, I am now much more interested in child learning and development. I had commenced a psychology degree (undergrad) some years ago intending to focus on educational psychology but switched to Education instead as the Grad Dip was a shorter course. Outside of trying to get through this course and raising a family!!! I try to stay fit and healthy; I will be running my 4th marathon in a couple of weeks (The Melbourne Marathon, 42km), plus have stupidly entered a 100km bike ride the week following. I have every expectation of being in severe pain, mostly due to lack of training as us ACU students have just completed a 5 week block of full time teaching rounds. As a result of my interest in health and fitness, the SSI/STSE issue I will be addressing is the use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in so many of our processed foods. A controversial book I read last year, called Sweet Poison, alerted me to the issue. The website below provides some more detail: http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/frequently-asked-questions/fructose Whilst the book is criticised for misinterpreting information, most of us would be aware of the growing numbers of overweight people in the western world. The graph contained on the site below highlights where Canadians and Australians are ranked with respect to obesity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_Australia An OECD article: http://www.oecd.org/els/familiesandchildren/44375972.pdf highlights that nearly 20% of Canadian 15 year olds are overweight or heavier. My aim for this stepwiser project is to find out more about HFCS and its effect on obsesity. ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/162.JPG width="144" height="191"]] || =Catherine Clark=

I am also interested in the role of food in our society and particularly the negative effects it has on our health. It is disturbing to think that food (something VITAL to our wellness) has been industrialized. In order to produce food in high volume and low in cost for the purpose of high profit, quality has been compromised. The “solution” to this issue is very complex. I believe that educating young people and allowing them to form their own opinions and ideas on the issues surrounding food is important. There are organizations focused on achieving this such as [|FoodShare], which is Toronto based. Unfortunately, I also think it is very difficult for a person that is well informed to make the right decisions and buy the healthier alternatives because they typically seem to be the less available and more expensive choice. There is a book that I unfortunately have not read yet but I will which (I have heard) puts it all into perspective very nicely. It is called [|End of Food by Paul Roberts]. He also discusses the prevalence of corn as a filler in just about all manufactured food (which connects nicely to your interest in HFCS) as well as the primary diet for livestock. I have posted a two-part talk of his from YouTube below. Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NtNafRs6no Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTkPBWuxmW0 Good luck with the marathon and the bike ride. 4th Marathon, that’s amazing! I always start training for one and then start to feel that I’m going to do poorly and chicken out. Maybe next year I’ll actually go through with it… Sanja Resanovic ||
 * Hey Catherine,

This time I was able to post the comments in my own section. I think I messed up Vibha's comments. Whoops. I guess great minds think alike. Since I also included high fructose corn syrup and was of my main STSE issues that I would like to 'act' on or learn more about. In Canada, our obesity problem is not as bad as the United States however if we do not act now it is heading in that trajectory. It saddens me because many of these high fructose corn syrup products are directed towards young people. They get addicted to the 'sweetness', gain weight, continue eating those products as young kids do (especially since they are cheaper), gain more weight, at this point they may try to exercise but their body/joints hurt, so they don't exercise, get depressed, eat more of these sweet foods, and gain more weight. Its a vicious cycle and they get them when there young. In Canada, we grow corn and lots of it. Its not right that we are subsidizing HFCS. Maybe for your stepwise you could look at the countries that subsidize the corn used for making HFCS and the rates of obesity and then compare them to the ones that don't. Completing a marathon was on my bucket-list but I have crappy knees now so I had to axed that one and replacing it with bungee jumping. Hodan ||
 * Hey Catherine,

HFCS is a very interesting topic indeed. The number of everyday food products that contain HFCS is surprising, to say the least. I mean, who would’ve thought that you would find HFCS on the ingredients list of a box of almonds? There seems to be a big debate on whether HFCS or just fructose alone plays a bigger role in causing obesity. It would also be interesting to examine the economics behind the use of HFCS as a sweetener in almost everything, especially since HFCS seems to be a much cheaper alternative than cane sugar. If HFCS has a direct link to obesity, what can be done about it? I guess you also can’t ignore the fact that a lot of corn is genetically engineered and that so many processed foods contain some sort of corn product. Industrialization of food is a big enough topic on its own, but if you’re interested, you should check out the documentary, “Food, Inc.” Alan ||
 * Hi Catherine,

I am studying Education (Diploma Secondary) at ACU in Melbourne (though you probably knew that already ;P). My methods are English and Science from two bachelor degrees - Bachelor of Science majoring in Viticulture, and a Bachelor of Creative Arts majoring in English and Performing Arts. As such I do like to drink a lot of wine, get a bit tipsy and write endless dialogue of poetry. But seriously, I love teaching and working with kids and getting the creative spirit churning. As such I am passionate about education and inspiring //the creative// in my students across all fields of study. I enjoy long walks on the beach and romantic candlelit dinners... (wait, is this a personals ad?) Science is a rad, and though I'm well away from where I need to be, but I strive to be a proficient Science and English teacher come next year. Look forward to working with you all and this should be a bit of fun.
 * ==Bernard Street== || ==Profile== ||
 * [[image:http://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/546546_10150991689815826_2015702408_n.jpg width="224" height="288" caption="I have a dream where energy is free, we live in trees, and coffee is always sweet. #utopia"]] || Hi! I'm Bernard. You can call me BJ, Bernie, B, Barnes or Barnabus. I'm 26 years of age and living in Melbourne.
 * Never lose the fun in it

STSE Issue: Sustainable Energy Production Systems in Australia (and Canada)
In this STSE activist project I will be exploring the development (or lack there) of sustainable energy systems in Australia including wind turbines, solar and water energy. In recent years communities have rejected these natural energy systems citing them as ugly, loud and annoying. Yet we continue to get angry about increased energy costs, even more-so now with the introduction of the Carbon Tax in Australia. For the future of the country we need to invest in- and create a- major proportion of our electricity through natural sustainable systems. This project will explore current knowledge with new research to better understand the issue and develop new strategies for re-implementing sustainable energy into Australia. ||

Hi Bernard, Personally, I feel that solar power is one of our best bets for sustainable energy, in the long term. I feel sad to see that they are only now becoming profitable to both buyers and sellers. The movements in the solar power industry being made should have been made 20 years ago, however better late than never J. Wind is another option for renewable energy going forward. Not to mention that windmills just look awesome! Cheers, Dino Balkos ||
 * **Reply - Dino**

Hey Bernard, Sustainable energy production is definitely an issue in Canada as well. In Ontario, most of our power comes from nuclear plants. The rest is essentially hydro, coal and gas. You may be interested in this figure:. The energy return on investment is the ratio of output energy to input energy for a given type of energy generation/harnessing (not necessarily just electricity generation. For example solar thermal and geothermal can be used directly to heat and cool). The surprising one on here for me (and I think most people) is nuclear power. Most people assume it is a lot more efficient and renewable (which it is not), not to mention all the other potential problems involved (think Japan 2011). Also, the EROI for oil and natural gas has decreased over time because extraction has become more difficult (all the easy stuff has been taken). There are massive opportunities for improvement, especially in countries like Australia and Canada. We are countries that have the space and resources. As for those who complain about alternative energy sources as being ugly, loud and annoying, they have a point. I think we need to find ways to incorporate these technologies into communities as seamlessly as possible as well as educate the public about the real risks so they may be more open to the technology. Maybe its just me but I would much rather live under a wind turbine that makes a bit of noise than a few kilometers from a nuclear power plant. Lukas Notten || Hey guys, thanks for your input. It is really interesting to know that Canada is so heavily invested in Nuclear. For some reason I would have thought it was more hydro, given the water availability and ski slopes :). Dino, do you think that solar is still too far away though? I know there are new advancements in it every year, but the progress seems to be too slow and I wonder whether the economic viability is there yet to entice sufficient investment. I've always been a fan when it comes to wind energy. They do look awesome! I loved it when I was crossing the German countryside staring out at the massive windfarms that imposed themselves on the hillside. They are magnificent structures and if I had my way I would buy the farm to invest in the technology and just ignore the petty neighbours who might complain about the noise. As you say Lukas Australia and Canada both have the space and resources to be able to change the world when it comes to sustainable natural energy production. Sadly here energy is clouded in politics, especially with the carbon tax which is constant cannon fodder for both sides of parliament. It seems to me that people are just afraid of change and don't like the idea of natural energy because it's different. But the change is coming and we need to realise this. Why don't we just get 10,000,000 people in Canada and Australia to invest in a renewable energy project, and then we could invest every cent into the development of renewable power stations in both countries. In return each investor would receive a return of complimentary energy to cover their investment and we could potentially change the world (as long as we don't go crazy like those Kony kids). Social media could get that many people, right? Boom diggity! Cheers, Bernard Street
 * **Reply - Lukas**
 * Response - Bernard**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An issue that I find doesn't get enough attention and that I am quite interested in is Climate Change and its links to Coral Reef Bleaching. Considering the Great Barrier Reef is a major tourist attraction for Australia, more needs to be done to preserve this natural wonder. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Through research it has been found that coral reefs are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to the changing climate, and the slightest rise in sea level temperatures is leading to this coral bleaching effect. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I want to look into what the Governments are doing in relation to this issue, as well as organisations and lobby groups, such as WWF and Planet Action, and then try incorporate that back to the curriculum so as to integrate it in my teaching next year. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] || Hi Bec, it is sad to hear about the destruction of the coral in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) because I would really like to visit Australia someday, and of course, see the GBR. In addition to bleaching, there seem to be other factors that are responsible for the decline in coral such as the increase of coastal storms (probably caused by global warming) and population explosions of the crown of thorns starfish. Fertilizer runoff causes plankton to thrive, which in turn, provides food for the coral-eating starfish. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority seems to have strategies in place to control the crown of thorns starfish populations. Maybe you would like to look deeper into that issue? Cheers, Alan
 * **Bec Cochrane** || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Profile** ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/319799_403170676360165_100000017071495_1623777_1107029043_n.jpg width="218" height="265"]] || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hey my name is Bec. I am 23, currently living at home and studying a Dip Ed Secondary at ACU, with a double science method. My undergrad degree was in Environmental Science, majoring in Marine Biology, which I completed at Deakin University in Warrnambool. Outside of Uni I enjoy camping, reading and watching AFL and Netball. I have two part-time jobs, babysitting and office manager for an accountant, which keep me busy. **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An STSE Issue - Climate Change and its links to Coral Reef Bleaching **

Here’s an article from the National Geographic, and a link to the GBRMPA page on crown of thorns starfish. [] http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/outlook-for-the-reef/ecosystem-health/crown-of-thorns-starfish/management-strategies

Thank you for discussing the issue of coral bleaching as I knew very little about it before. It is quite alarming that even a one degree increase in water temperature above the long term average can have adverse affects on the coral population. You mentioned that you want to look further into what other organizations are doing to address the issue and I found some work that WWF has done to responsibly manage coral rich areas: [] The WWF notes that reducing stressors such as overfishing and damaging fishing practices (cyanide, blast or dynamite fishing) can help make the area more resilient and be more likely to recover from coral bleaching as a result of global warming (i.e. increase in water temperature). Here is also another link: [] that offers a wealth of information on strategies to protect coral reefs. The site is built like a toolkit for fostering coral reef resilience through various projects. There is mention of local based projects that individuals can undertake to raise awareness of the issue and help curb the devastating effects of coral bleaching that you could possibly incorporate into the curriculum and your teaching. I would love to hear about the strategies you used to incorporate teaching of this issue into your classroom next year! -Mahin ||
 * Hi Bec,

Currently I am completing a Diploma of Education at Australian Catholic University. I intend to begin my teaching career next year. After completing my Bachelor of Science at the end of 2011, I was very interested in going into teaching. I am very excited to teach Chemistry and Biology next year. The areas of Science that I am most interested in include biology - the functions of the body systems, biodiversity and chemical reactions. Some of my interests outside of University include cooking, traveling and going to the Horse Racing. I enjoy going to watch Australian Rules Football and Cricket also. __**My STSE Issue - Global Biodiversity: declining genetic diversity across the world**__. Groups that would be in favor of this topic receiving attention would be governments, lobby groups, the WWF, interest groups such as green peace and scientific researchers. Those who may be opposed to this area receiving attention include some government factions and some farmers. In regards to this topic, I am already aware that genetic diversity is continually declining across the world due to ineffective policy, lack of public education and I am aware that Australia has a strategic plan which incorporates genetic diversity issues which will be reviewed in 2015. I would like to know more about genetic diversity government policy, the importance of this issue in countries other than Australia and the long term impacts of a loss of genetic diversity. Therefore, I would like to do some research into government policy, the impact of loss of genetic diversity in ecosystems and how habitat loss effects genetic diversity. I would also like to look into aspects of science which support the decline and where these figures are coming from || Hi Ammie ,
 * **Ammie Bergmeier** || **Profile** ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/IMG_0705.JPG width="296" height="224"]] || My name is Ammie Bergmeier. I was born in and still reside in Melbourne, Australia. I'm 23 years old.

It is very sad you mention lack of effective policy. During my undergrad I had the chance to work with the Canadian government to review the policy on the SARA (species at risk act) more specifically the safety net, which is provision that allows the federal governments to step in if the provincial standards are not protecting the species at risk and/or its habitat this is for both plants and animals. We looked up numerous plants and animals and analyzed their quantities, shifts in their statuses over the years, habitat, as well as the reasons for declining numbers. It was a scary thing to sit down to look at all this data and see the general trend of declining number of species. The main cause if I could summarize a majority of the outcomes were either to climate change altering their habitat or human disruption destroying there habitat. This was evident that the safety net while at first glance it looked great however further analysis demonstrated that the federal governments were to timid to implement it as well as the large number of loopholes around having to use it.

http://www.ecojustice.ca/publications/reports/canadas-species-at-risk-act-implementation-at-a-snails-pace/attachment http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/wildlife-habitat/science/endangered-species-legislation/canadas-species-at-risk-act/ http://www.naturecanada.ca/endangered_atrisk_sara_habitat.asp http://www.naturecanada.ca/endangered_atrisk.asp http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/pet_121_e_28844.html
 * Elizabeth ||

=
This topic has always been very interesting to me! Especially things concerning the decline in plant biodiversity on account of genetic modifications we are implementing. I am not sure if you ever encountered this during your studies, but the existence of seed banks has given me a lot to think about regarding how we are managing (or rather not managing) our planets biodiversity. Here is a link in case you are interested in this further: ======

=
Basically these are banks were seeds are stored so that we have access to the biodiversity that we are losing on our planet. The number of grain species that had once existed is mind boggling and now we have limited ourselves quite a bit.======

=
With regards to animal biodiversity in the third year of my undergraduate degree I took a seminar course were we discussed just this; biodiversity. We conducted over the whole year an analysis of how the worlds’ biodiversity is changing and what the cost (economic impact; biological ie. ecological niches as well as genetic and social ie. tourism, maintenance of other species we depend on for food or for garments) of restoring these species would be. It was a real eye opener for me – I specifically focused on black rhinos, whose population numbers are dwindling.======

Marzena Serwin
My STSE issue strongly reflects my interests in climate and the weather and it is therefore very fitting that I chose to investigate climate change, sustainable energy solutions and the negative effects rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere affect our environment, the planets biodiversity and the global population. When looking into this issue in Australia it is evident that although our global carbon emissions are quite low when compared to other developed nations, we are a large contributor to the cause of climate change. This becomes clearer when looking at our global emission per capita (18.3 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2009 Canada has emissions of 16.4 metric tonnes]). The majority of Australia’s energy demand is filled through the burning of brown coal which is highly inefficient and very degrading to the natural environment. It still baffles me that although Australians are a large contributor to the problem of climate change, the general public is seemingly opposed to any sustainable or renewable energy options (currently renewable energy sources only represent 1.7% of the total energy production in Australia). The common complaints are that sustainable energy options, such as wind turbines and solar panels are detrimental to the natural environment, being too loud to place near suburban areas and too ugly as they disrupt the natural balance of the landscape. What is often overlooked is that the benefits of these options significantly outweigh the drawbacks. While the cost of these options can be high when they are first implemented, the cost of the energy they produce is quite cheap as they are driven by ‘free energy’ in the form of the sun’s rays and wind. They have also been proven effective with a wide reliance on these options across the European Union, particularly in Germany, Portugal and Spain where renewable energy sources contribute 20%, 50% and 30% of the respective countries energy needs. Without major investment in sustainable energy alternatives the future looks bleak in Australia and globally. The rising prices of traditional energy options, like coal and oil along with how scarce these sources are becoming means that these options will no longer be viable in the future. It is my opinion that we are better off investing in the development of renewable sources while we still have the option of relying on traditional energy sources. If we don’t develop the infrastructure now, the generations to come will be the ones to pay for it when the coal and oil supplies become so expensive and rare and there are no other alternatives to turn to.
 * **Monique Hofman** || **PROFILE** ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/profile.jpg width="163" height="163"]] || Hello! My name is Monique and I am currently completing a Diploma of Education (Secondary) at ACU where my method areas are Maths and Science. I completed my undergraduate degree at Monash University Clayton and now have a Bachelor of Science, with a major in atmospheric science. I have always had a strong interest in the weather and climate and this is what led me to my choice of degree. Throughout my time at Monash I completed many subjects on climate change, the urban heat island, sustainable energy, clouds and weather forecasting and this furthered my interest and knowledge in the area. Extreme weather events are particularly interesting to me and some of my favourite movies reflect this (Twister, The Day After Tomorrow, Tornado Alley). It is because of this that I plan to travel to America during a tornado season so I can witness this phenomenon in person. ||
 * **STSE ISSUE** || **Climate change and renewable energy**
 * Note;** Currently Australia has two operating wind turbine farms, the Waubra Wind Farm in Ballarat, Victoria and the Lake Bonney Wind Farm in Millicent, South Australia, with a third set to open in 2013 at Macarthur, Victoria. ||

Basically a homeowner/landowner purchases and installs a green energy generator (like a solar panel). This is then connected to the “energy grid”. As your technology produces energy the amount of energy is measured and you are paid for the energy you produce. Essentially for the owner it is a guaranteed investment, it takes approximately 10 years to be reimbursed and after that you are getting paid to do nothing. Everyone wins! Any thoughts? Does Australia have a similar program? -Nick Piattelli ||
 * Hi Monique, as most everyone would agree a shift to greener/more sustainable energy is a great idea. However one of the major drawbacks is the huge initial cost associated with purchasing and installing the technology. The provincial government of Ontario has recognized the need to shift to greener energies, however like I mentioned earlier the province does not have a large enough budget to fully switch the greener energies. So the provincial government came up with a brilliant solution; the Feed-In Tariff Program (FIT program) []

My name is David Lam, a teacher candidate from OISE. I definitely agree with your STSE issue relating to increasing the amount of renewable, sustainable energy in order to reduce emissions contributing to climate change. In addition to the high initial cost of building wind turbines and solar panels, there is also the issue of **where** to build these turbines and panels. Wind turbines take up a lot of space and they only generate a limited amount of energy, so a lot of turbines are required to match the amount of energy consumption from non-renewable resources. Also the environmental impacts of building these wind turbines must be considered. For example, if wind turbines were built near forests, it would disturb the natural ecosystems there and are potential hazards for birds, etc. In my opinion, I think it is more important to reduce and regulate the amount of energy we use first, and then look more into developing renewable alternatives. In affluent countries such as Canada and Australia, we tend to consume much more energy than those in third-world countries. We rely on too much technology for our everyday life and this is what causes the problem in the first place. I agree that burning coal should be eliminated, not only that it is not renewable, it also produces a lot of greenhouse gases that have multiple global implications. Over here in Canada, most of our energy comes from oil, natural gas and coal. While there are some significant sources of renewable energy from hydroelectric sources and nuclear sources, only about 1% of our energy comes from solar and wind power. Here is some information about the energy policies implemented in Canada: [] Here is information on the pros and cons of wind turbines: [] [] [] ||
 * Hello Monique,

Alternative energy sources are strongly emphasized in Canada wind turbines and solar panels are strongly promoted and there is even a program in place so as to encouraged land owners to purchase this equipment and place it on their land. Over several years the cost of the equipment is returned to them based on the revenue generated from production of electricity. Eventually, these individuals (of course this is privately owned) begin to generate an income from this. [] [] There are also rebates for homes that, become ‘green’ – this includes changing old toilets (which use far more water), light bulbs, insulating an old home. [] [] There are, as always, pros and cons with regards to these initiatives. For example we have to consider how wildlife is affected when implementing wind turbines [] [] Other things to consider are cost – ie. Is it worth it, is it cost effective etc. [] [] [] So it is important to consider all these factors when considering how a government should go about implementing green energy solutions. Across Canada there has been a big push to making our energy sources ‘green’ and there are many benefits to this, but with this push came an opposing push of lobbyists who oppose some aspect of the initiative. Best of luck! Marzena Serwin ||
 * Hi Monique,

Andrew ||
 * Hi Monique, I was watching the U.S presidential debate and the topic of green energy was a big dividing topic between Obama and Romney. Romney called out Obama and said that the 90 billion dollars of subsidiaries that he gave to alternative energy companies has been a failure. Most of that money was put into solar, wind and electric automobile companies and some of those companies did fail, however many of them have either succeeded or are still trying to get to market. While I believe that Obama is on the right track, even if his methods are risky, it is interesting to see just how much of the tax payer's money it takes to develop alternative energy and we are yet to see if this effort will have any positive effects on the U.S' carbon emissions.

OISE Student Profiles
|| Profile Hi All! My name is Amanda Martin, I am 28 and I currently live in Toronto. I was born not too far from here, but did all my studies until now at The University of Western Ontario, in London Ontario. I have a MSc. in Organic Chemistry and spent the first year after my masters doing research in sunny and beautiful Adelaide Australia at the University of South Australia! It was a wonderful experience and I hope to do more travel throughout my life. After that, I returned to Toronto (the biggest city I have ever lived in!) and I worked at a research institute working in ultrasound contrast agent development. It was a great experience, but taught me that I have no desire to be doing research for the rest of my life. Instead, I started my teaching degree at OISE and I hope to teach both in Canada and hopefully more international travel/work! STSE Issue A particular issue that I am interested in currently is the disposability of cell phones and other electronic devices. Many of my friends go through cell phones as quickly as a new model comes out and do not consider the ramifications of this rapid disposal. Most electronic devices use Coltan, and the mining of Coltan in the Congo is highly controversial. This is also a subject that not a lot of people know about and I would like to bring it to their attention. It is important to consider the recycling and reuse of used electronics since our Western ideals have us very quickly "updating" our systems. I would love to look into alternative recycling systems and perhaps alternatives for coltan itself. Some interesting resources: [] [] [] || Hi Amanda,
 * Amanda Martin

The disposability of mobile phones and other electronic devices is an topic that was brought up by two other students during a class discussion of STSE issues in our Science and Curriculum workshop. I was entirely oblivious to these "recycling processes" and the horrible health risks that we are willing to off-hand to those who are willing to work for little money on the other side of the world. This video is created by Green Peace demonstrates these disturbing practices - []. (Note some of the interesting comments about the video also). I have heard about organisations that advertise recycling our mobile phones and electronic devices by sending them overseas as opportunities to help communities by providing employment and funds, while neglecting to divulge information about how the resources from electronic devices are actually obtained and exposure to potentially toxic substances. It is pleasing to see that there are some companies attempting to do the right thing such as 1800ewaste and Planet Green Recycling ([] and [|http://www.planetgreenrecycling.net.au/page-news.php)] I was unaware of these controversial mining practices you speak about and I wish I knew more about this. This is a great issue to raise awareness about.

Jade.

Hey Amanda, Great profile pic firstly; it has been a hot topic of discussion haha! Thanks for your information about the mining of Coltan. I certainly had no idea that this was going on and it is quite alarming. The mining of the Coltan in the Republic of Congo seems like something which is fueling some terrible injustices. I started reading this website, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/sc7057.doc.htm and became a little bit overwhelmed by the enormity of this issue. From what I can tell, having read your articles and a small fraction of the article above, the mining of Coltan is a dirty procedure which is exploiting the natural resources of the Republic of Congo and causing political tension with its neighbouring countries. The whole industry doesn't seem at all sustainable, legitimate or considerate of its workers. Isn't is remarkable that somehow those who are buying Coltan, to supply the mobile phone manufacturers, manage to avoid responsibility for any of these problems. These people keep this industry alive and yet, from what I can tell, they are removed from the ethical equation. I think tackling this issue would be very difficult as it involves so many different interested parties, however raising awareness seems to always be a good thing so thank - you! Therese Mary Mount

Hey Amanda, thanks for this post, also one of my pet hates. I think this is another area where scientists (and science teachers) can have a real voice. The apparent necessity to use Tantalum is really based on a misunderstanding of the science involved. An excellent introductory article on the alternatives already available is at [] AND this is only what is already known about - the refusal of companies to put research funding into such areas - where there are such huge ethical issues - is ridiculous.

cheers

Finn.

|| Profile Hey everyone! My name is Elizabeth Edmunds, I am 24 and I am currently living in Richmond Hill. I grew up just outside of Toronto in Oakville and have been moving ever since! I did my undergrad at of Ottawa in Biomedical Science and had just recently finished my MSc. in Biotechnology from Brock University in St. Catharines. My research worked on the localization and manipulation of monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis in various plants that produce pharmacologically valuable compounds. Most notably is vinblastine and vincristine from Madagascar periwinkle. I had a mere week and half between defense and starting here at OISE! I have always enjoyed scientific research but love teaching so I am very excited to be here. STSE Issue There are so many to list and a lot of those already mentioned (definitely the shark fins!) A particular issue I am interested in currently is the use of Multivitamins. A lot of people self prescribe multivitamins rather than seeing a doctor for nutritional advice or the specific vitamins they lack. This results in an excess of certain vitamins via diet and multivitamins, which have detrimental effects on our health and potentially our environment (excreted). The high use of multivitamins has numerous environmental complications due to the large packing for small products and that they are now targeting environmental resources to harvest the vitamins (i.e. sugar beets). [] [] [] [] || Hi Elizabeth,
 * Elizabeth Edmunds

I am also interested in the self-prescription of multivitamins. This topic can be taken from a variety of angles - I am particularly surprised by the lack of research and information available regarding the effectiveness of multivitamins, and the public's willingness to accept the marketing of vitamins as ways to cure all of their problems! I sometimes wonder if the public actually understand what vitamins really are and what their role is in our bodies, and based on this can they really do what they claim to do. I had not entirely considered the effect of excess vitamins and their potential health effects, and certainly not the effects on the environment. I would love to read more about the effect of excess vitamins being excreted into the environment (and if they are being excreted at a higher rate, are they doing anything to our bodies?), and the environmental resources required to harvest these supplements.

Jade.

Hi Elizabeth,

You raise a very interesting issue as most people consider multivitamins to be commonplace in today’s world and have a very laissez-faire attitude towards them. In Australia, it is commonplace for multivitamin companies such as Swisse, Natures Own and Herron, to have paid advertisements and sponsor cooking shows on free-to-air TV. These shows are accessible to the general public and as a result many people associate positive and healthy eating with multivitamin usage. While multivitamins may support healthy eating, exercise and a positive lifestyle many people are led to believe that taking multivitamins undoes the effects of negative lifestyle choices such as drinking, smoking and unhealthy eating. There is also the aspect of those people who take an excess of multivitamins; one particular example of this that has stuck with me arose during a Health and Human Development class I was experienced in high school. My teacher was telling the class about a lady who lived in her home town of Warburton who was obsessed with multivitamins, so much so that doctors were concerned for her health. When she passed away an autopsy was undertaken and her liver was found to have expanded to four times the size of a normal human liver, so much so that her liver was up to her lungs. Before this I had no idea that multivitamins could have such a negative effect on humans when taken in excess and this is something I think should be made clearer to the general public.

Monique

Hi Elizabeth,

I too have an interest in the use of vitamin supplements in people’s diets and hold many of your concerns. I recognise how the trend stemmed from a real need of vitamin supplements to treat vitamin deficient diseases in the past. However, the lack of awareness in what people are putting into their body is of real concern. I also think that often people are taking these vitamins without having tested to see if they are deficient and then have a lack of knowledge to the effect excess vitamins can do to their health. I have always been sceptical to whether vitamins could cure all that ails me and held concerns to potential negative health implication, so thank you for the information you provided me and I think I’ll just go eat a banana J

Brydie

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">STSE Issue <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There are so many issues I'm interested in some of which have already been mentioned here such as shark fishing and stem cell researchAnother one that i find interesting is the use of bottled water. I was born and raised in Pakistan where there is a shortage of clean water for the poor. So I find it very odd to see people packaging water that is hardly different from what is so freely available from taps and selling it. Not just that it produces so much waste. Even though the bottles are said to be recyclable it doesn't seem like there is a great system in place for that yet and most bottles end up in landfills anyway. || Hi Sabika Bottled water is a great STSE Issue. I think students could easily relate to this topic and it lends to some great experiments/research and possibilities for action in the classroom too. Students could do water quality tests on bottled water vs. tap water and set up comparative taste tests. They could also do surveys/research to see how many water bottles people buy, how much $$$ is spent, and how much waste is created. Looking at bottled water would be a great way to investigate the chemistry of plastics and what this means for degredation, pollution and recycling. Students could take action to address this issue by lobbying school canteens to ban bottled water or by producing creative videos that promote drinking tap water and using resusable drink bottles. I can see the University of Toronto has banned bottled water on campus after a campaign by students: [] You may have already seen this, it's a video by the maker of The Story of Stuff and is called //The Story of Bottled Water//. Highly recommended! (Would be good to show students as well.) []
 * [[image:stepwiser/IMG_3598.JPG width="216" height="288"]] || Hi! I'm Sabika. I like in Ajax which is a small town to the east of Toronto. I'm a recent graduate from McMaster University where I did my undergrad in Chemistry. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I discovered my love for teaching when working as a TA while I was completing my undergraduate studies. I spent four semesters running my own lab sections and being responsible for my own students. Another factor that persuaded me to pursue teaching is my mother. She has been teaching for 17 years and enjoys what she does enormously. I have heard her speak about the many rewarding experiences she has as well as the tough times. These stories convinced me as to the merits of teaching and how important it is in shaping someone's life.

- Susannah McGinnes

Hi Sabika!

I think the use/consumption of bottled water is a great issue and one that is so relevant to a lot of people. Obviously you can look at it from a money spent on bottled water perspective as compared to buying a drink bottle and using the tap water we all pay for at home anyway, but also how much waste is created from all the bottles. The media tends to tell us that we shouldn't re-use the bottles because it can be harmful to our health, what effect does this have one the public's habits of buying and discarding the bottles when they are finished with them, and how many of these bottles are actually recycled? We have all been guilty of putting something in the bin when we should really make the extra effort to recycle. It also allows us to look at the issues of recycling and pollution and the effect of our actions and buying habits on the environment. Like Susannah mentioned above, I have read about various universities attempting to ban bottled water on campus, this could be something interesting to discuss with the students!

-Chris Ryan Hello. My name's Ryan Williams, I'm 31 and currently living in Toronto. I grew up in a small town in Wales but have skipped about a bit since. I went to University in Sheffield, in the North of England where I completed a masters degree in Biological Chemistry and a PhD researching the enzyme kinetics of the DNA repair enzyme FEN1. 6 years ago I moved to Toronto and took a research position at Mount Sinai Hospital, there I studied glycosylation and its effects on cancer, diabetes, MS and evolution. I also spent a year as a scientific consultant/patent agent at a law firm but in each job I've always found the teaching aspect to be the most rewarding. So that's how I come to find myself at OISE. When I'm not here I'll generally be found at pub trivia nights or off canoeing in the Canadian wilderness. I like questioning the world around me and figuring out how and why things work and, as a scientist, I have been trained/equipped to do just that. However, I feel that marketing departments have become overly efficient at using language on packaging and labels to misinform the public. In particular, I'm always annoyed to see food packaging claiming sugary sweets are healthy as they're 'fat free'. I feel that fat has been demonized by the food industry and an unhealthy fear of dietary fat has become entrenched in our thinking about nutrition. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/ch7ae.shtml http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=153 http://mindyourdecisions.com/blog/2008/08/08/how-to-make-any-food-99-percent-fat-free-and-why-nutrition-labels-make-my-head-explode/ || Hi Ryan, You raise a good point! You only have to walk into a supermarket and you are bombarded by advertising full of slogans such as ‘fat free’, ‘sugar free’ and ‘naturally sweetened’. While these are aimed at making consumers feel more positive about their food choices, they are quite misleading as although the products may be sugar free, the label does not advertise that the replacement to the sugar may be just as harmful. Sugars and fats are necessary for the human body and what these labels intend to do are to make the consumer afraid of sugar or fat. This issue has become even more prevalent today, with the increase in processed and refined foods and the media push for healthy eating. The issue should be more about the amount of sugar or fat in modern diets as moderation is the key instead of making the sugar and fat ‘the bad guy’. Monique
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:stepwiser/Picture2.jpg width="182" height="384"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE Issue**

Hi Ryan, I agree and think that food advertising has become a great method to misinform us as consumers and therefore put our bodies at risk. Fat has definitely been demonised by the marketing industries, even though fat is a necessary part of our nutrition requirements. A marketing scheme that I find quite clever is that they stamp the word ‘Light’ or ‘Lite’ onto packaging to promote that the product is ‘fat-free’, but is instead only light in colour! Another important and vital part of our diet that has been given the same treatment as fats is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates as we know are the only fuel source that our brains receive its energy from. Yet we see so many fad diets trying to cut out this vital energy source. I think food is definitely an area of STSE that needs to be better monitored for our own benefits. Better nutrition education also should be implemented either at school levels or through community based programs. Cheers, Elleise Ngawaka

Hi Ryan Great post! Food advertising is everywhere, you cannot go anywhere in Melbourne, let alone Australia, without being bombarded with some new food product - whether healthy or not. Food packaging plays an important role in food company profitability, however I believe it is misleading, ambiguous and encourages uneducated (or even educated) customers unaware of the true contents of food products and the impact it can have on their health. And for me this is the big one! Peoples health. As you have noted, slogans such as 'fat-free', 'sugar-free' or 'diet', encourage a notion of healthy eating. However this regularly is not the case. In Australia we have a regulatory body called Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), who dictate food advertising and labelling standards of both Australian and internationally produced products. After studying extensively many of the regulations FSANZ enlist, I have learnt that they are strict, and food products cannot enter the supermarkets without undergoing an extensive assessment and being approved by FSANZ. They have a board of professionals, scoping from all areas of the business, health and food industry sectors to ensure that safe food is being offered to Australian people. An example of one of their regulations in food advertising is banning the promotion of fast-food chains during children shows, or if products have 'fat-free' on their label that must be composed of a specific amount of fat. Makes sense but I am sure there would be many companies that would try and challenge this. Therefore I believe that whilst there will be some fluctuations in food packaging regulations to ensure customers are getting what appears on the label, the true essence of what people purchase and eat is based on their education. Nutrition education and increasing peoples awareness of particular food groups essential for a healthy diet needs to be bombarding our trains, trams, tv ad breaks, radio, supermarkets etc.. just as much as food products. This way rather than being constantly confused by food labelling they are aware of a more simplistic way of understanding a what should go into their bodies and why. In supermarkets would be ideal, that way when they recognise confusion they can read the poster/board highlighting tips and advise. Australian Guide to healthy eating is a good start!! They should stop advertising FAD-DIETS and how to lose 5 kilos in 2 weeks and focus on healthy, sustaining food education in mags!! May not sell for big bucks, but geez would assist in reducing Australia's economy for obesity and obesity related diseases ($21 billion in 2005). Thanks, Emma Parker Hello everyone! My name is David Lam, I'm 24 and I live in Toronto and I've pretty much lived here all my life. I love it here in the city and although I love traveling, I can't picture myself living anywhere else but here. I have a Hons. Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto and I did a major in Chemistry, major in Human Biology and minor in Mathematics. During my undergrad, I took a lot of lab courses and in Chemistry, I focused primarily on Organic, Physical and Computational Chemistry experimentation. I did a project on the Trypsin degredation on Hemoglobin and its potential effect on the human body. In Human Biology, I did research on the effects of creatine phosphate found in bodybuilding supplement and did microarray analysis study on it. After I graduated, I took a year off, traveled to Vietnam and Japan and had the time of my life. After that I have done a lot of volunteering, tutoring and teaching small groups of students in Math and Science. Now, I'm at OISE pursuing my Bachelor of Education with Chemistry and Math as my teachables. There are a large number of STSE issues in society today that I am interested in, way to many to list. As a biologist and a chemist, I always look at specific issues from different perspectives and try to find out the underlying scientific factors that are related to these issues and try to think of possible solutions. One particular issue I'm interested in is the production of Genetically Engineered foods (GEOs). While most of the food that we see in grocery stores have some genetically modified ingredients, the public doesn't know that. Labeling of GEOs in Canada is voluntary unless there is some health implication related to the product. Although there are benefits and drawbacks to GEOs, consumers tend to avoid these foods because they do not understand the process used to make them. Another issue is the amount of waste we produce from fast food restaurants and coffee shops. I am interested in this issue because my first job was as a cleaner for an exhibition and every day there would be literally hundreds of garbage bags piled up with coffee cups and paper bags and this does not include the amount of litter found on the ground everywhere. I was thinking, why aren't people reducing, reusing and recycling, isn't that the basics we learned in school? Here's a video that the greenpeace organization made about Genetically Engineered foods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9WZGKQeYg Here's another video on GEOs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1A31gCeOA4 ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/IMG_6574.JPG width="243" height="361"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE Issue**

i am intrigued about you issue and agree there is many articles and news reports about genetically modified foods but not so much the engineered foods. i think this is because it is only something relative new to come to peoples attention. it is only now that people are becoming more aware of GEOs. although from my reading i am understanding that they are nearly one of the same thing. this is defiantly a global issue and i recommend looking at this site below it is a good article and has relevant articles below relating to you issue. also attaching Australia's food standards that may be interesting to look at. of course in relation to Genetically modified. http://www.globalissues.org/issue/188/genetically-engineered-food http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/ good luck with it all Chloe ||
 * hey david,

Hi, everyone, my name is Benny. I received my honour bachelor degree at York (major in mathematics and minor in chemistry). The reason that I chose math and chemistry for my undergraduate degree is that math is very important in our everyday life. Pretty much everything we do everyday is related to math. Chemistry, in my opinion, is fun and interesting. There are a lot of things that I can still be learning in that subject. Students like to do experiments/labs especially experiments that are cool and interesting to learn. Thus, my teachable subjects will be focusing on those two areas. I like to travel, but haven't have the chance to go anywhere yet. I like to teach and also like to learn. The reason that I want to teach is the reason that I want to learn. As a teacher, you are learning new things at each passing day from the surrounding and as well from the students. It is a life-long learning career. An STSE issue that I want to investigate is trans-fat as it affects many people in the society nowadays. Many people understand the risks of consuming too many trans-fat products, but they are still eating food that contains high percentage of trans-fat. One of the many health risks that caused by trans-fat is coronary heart disease. Many others including obesity, liver dysfunction, major depressive order, etcâ€¦ This problem needs to be stopped. Many others used healthy, natural vegetable oil to replace trans-fat in their daily life. Some of the major food chains voluntarily chose to reduce amount of trans-fat in their products. However, some fast-food places are still using trans-fats in their fried foods to maintain the unique taste and flavour. Thus, it is the time for us to do investigations and take on actions to solve the problems caused by trans-fat [] [] [] || i wonder the same thing about fast food and their continuation of using high fat oils in their preparation of food. What is great however is that food industries today and governments are trying to get the information about the foods and what is in them out there also the labelling of food which i believe you have slightly mentioned is becoming more frequent in fast food chains. walking in a food court in my local shops i realise now that next to every food now is the amount of KJ within that food. this although small kind of shows the customer the amount of energy you gain thus you have to exhaust in order to work off the food. i work in a McDonalds and on our boards there is the KJ next to everything including the salad and drinks and it has made people think twice. there has been some heated debate i believe over what oil should be used to fry food because like you said that is the killer to. some people just can not be told though i think it becomes more up to the consumers to try and control the constant need for fried food because the more they by the more it will still be prepared the same. check this out is Australias view on trans fat http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/transfattyacids.cfm this video is about food and what it is doing to us i think would be good to take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwrV5e6fMY good luck Chloe ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/2012-01-26 13.08.35.jpg width="234" height="306"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE issue**
 * || Hey Benny,

//Benny// //hey Benny,// //i know and that is what is almost sad that it takes life risking health issue to make them think about it before consuming high trans fat foods. More needs to be done so that it does not get to that stage or server health risk. what is even more interesting is that trans fat was something that was new only 50 years ago now it is everywhere it is amazing to think that a product that is there to provide extra taste is costing people lives.// //Chloe// ||
 * //Hi, Chloe, thanks for the comments. What makes trans-fat a difficult issue to deal with is that people like to choose the taste over the health risks. Imagine you are going to ask if those people who like fried food to eat boil vegetables everyday instead. People are likely to switch over to eat healthy once they experienced serious health issues caused by trans-fat products.//

Hi My name is Nick Piattelli and I am a 24 year old Torontonian. I have a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph and I am currently enrolled in OISEâ€™s 1 year BEd for the Junior/Intermediate level (gr 4-10) with a teachable in general science. Favourite activities/pastimes; chilling with family/friends, cooking/eating, exercise/weightlifting, beer, watching MMA and taking my dog, Molly, to the park Favourite Movies; Exit Through the Gift Shop, Blood Diamond, American History X, Fight Club Interests in STSE P.s. Four years ago I was fortunate enough to spend three weeks backpacking from Sydney to Cairns and it was AMAZING! ||  ||
 * || [[image:stepwiser/Nick Piatelli.jpg width="199" height="276"]] || Nick Piattelli
 * Media consumerism and its effects on consumption, happiness and sustainability
 * Prepared/junk food and human health (diabetes and obesity)
 * Urban sprawl, population growth and the loss of arable farmland

Hi, I'm Devin. I recently completed my Master's degree in organic chemistry at the University of Ottawa after previously doing my B.Sc. there in biopharmaceutical science. My project involved synthesizing new carbohydrate based antifreezes and testing their activity in new applications. I've spent some time in industry, academia, and government trying to get a feel for how things worked in each area. What I found out is that everywhere I went my favourite part was educating the newcomers or TAing the students. That's why I decided to come to OISE. In my free time I enjoy living a sedentary lifestyle which includes reading and playing video games. I also like rock climbing but never actually go do it. My STSE issue is pharmaceuticals. I take the sometimes unpopular road and find myself defending pharmaceutical companies a lot of the time. A lot of people don't realize the tremendous cost required in producing new drugs and getting them approved for the market. This makes it difficult for them to offer these new products at the low cost many people are interested in paying. While drug developers make profits in the billions of dollars, the cost of putting a successful drug on the market is also in the billions of dollars, this says nothing for the cost of development for drugs that are not successful. There are many possible solutions to this issue, simple solutions such as offering incentives for companies to provide discounts to the very poor or ill (although many companies already offer such programs), to dramatic solutions such as setting up federally funded governmental pharmaceutical agencies which can release their products at any legislated price. This issue has a lot of room for growth, as new science, new technology, new environmental discoveries (plant based drugs), and societal influence can all have a large effect on how it develops moving into the 21st century. Here are some interesting links- http://www.law.berkeley.edu/library/classes/alr/pathfinerexample2/PharmCosts.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/23/us-branded-drug-prices-idUSTRE72M57X20110323 http://boingboing.net/2011/03/21/does-the-pharmaceuti.html ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/Profile Picture.jpg width="211" height="261"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE Issue**

Hi, I'm Hodan.I've lived in Toronto almost all my life.I did my undergraduate degree at York U and completed my M.Sc. at McGill. I love swimming and kickboxing. Love mystery films and novels. One of my favourite films is the Maltese Falcon. STSE issues that I am concerned about: - High fructose corn syrup in products leads to increase risk for diabetes, CVD, fatty liver disease, and negative health issues due to obesity. Many people are unaware of how much of it they are consuming and to top it off, corn is abundant in Canada [|High fructose corn syrup] - Fracking is a method used to extract natural gases by fracturing shale rock. It uses alot of water, releases a lot of methane, destroys habitat, and causes micro-earthquakes. [|Ban Fracking] || Interesting to hear about Fracking. We have a similar problem here in Australia with the mining of Natural Gas. The most recent big project which has made the news is a proposed Gas plant in the Kimberly. The Kimberly is region of northern Australia with amazing environmental and historical significance and the proposed Gas plant (similar to what the Fracking projects in Canada sound like) are not even the most efficient from a business standpoint. A couple of good sites are: [] and [] Finn ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/hismail_resizephoto.jpg]] || **Profile**
 * || Hey Hodan,

Hi, my name is Cody Wilson. I grew up in Welland, Ontario, which is about a 15 minute drive from Niagara Falls. I did my undergraduate degree in Pure Mathematics at the University of Waterloo and this year I am excited to be in the BEd program at OISE. My teachable subjects are mathematics and computer studies. In my spare time, I enjoy being physically active and music. I love running, tennis, squash and badminton. I look forward to getting to know all of you! STSE Issue: I'm particularly interested in social media. The internet has allowed us to connect with each other in unprecedented ways (for example look at this project we're doing!). But amongst the wall posts and tweets, are we still connecting with each other in real and genuine ways? Here are some links to check out: 1. A TED talk which says social media actually increases interactions among friends. http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/en//id/680 2. Some expository articles on social media and the internet. http://www.understandmedia.com/pdf/SJMLE-Vol1.pdf ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/S2_Wilson.jpg width="300" height="300"]] || Profile

Cheers mate. James Dickinson. Hey Cody, I think this is a great issue seeing most of the people on this forum would use some form of social media on a regular basis, not to mention the kids we will be teaching in schools. Whether I am proud to admit it or not, I had a myspace account and I now use facebook, twitter and instagram so it's safe to say that social media has become a way of life. We are all guilty of "spending a too much time on Facebook" instead of studying or doing assignments! I think that some people use social media as a legitimate way of staying in contact with people, and to them it is meaningful, however it does seem that most of the "talk" that goes on between our 'friends' on social media isn't meaningful at all. It has been suggested that there is a limit to the number of stable social relationships one can maintain, commonly said to be about 150. With this said, how genuine can people be with all 400 of their facebook friends? -Chris Ryan Hey guys, It's crazy to think how pervasive social media has become! Something my group for our research informed action project has been thinking about is the environmental impact of social media and more generally the internet. Many different websites collect information about us and store it in vast data centres. These centres consume a tremendous amount of resources to keep the servers from overheating. I think it is fascinating because how often do we think of any sort of environmental impact from checking our Facebook wall. Check out this New York Times article if you're interested. Cody [|Power, Pollution and the Internet] || = = =Social media= I read with interest Cody Wilson's comment about whether we are communicating in real and meaningful ways via the use of social media. One point I want to make is that we seem to forget that we thousands of years of evolutionary biology behind us whilst so much of how we exist (eg social media) has only been around in the last decade or two.....I don't think about bodies/brains have caught up yet.... Hi Cody, I am reconfiguring my previous post so sorry for the blurb above (I just copied and pasted from the discussion area). Anyway, I'm going to play devil's advocate and mention what I consider to be one negative about the escalating use of technology especially with respect to social media. Whilst the concept of social media has lots of positives, and it's certainly an efficient way to stay in contact/ keep up people, I wonder if we still need that actual physical contact (seeing in the flesh, smelling, hearing and touching in the flesh). As mentioned previously, we have thousands of years of evolution behind us and the advent of social media has only really been in the last few years. I wonder how our brains are coping, especially younger brains. I wonder if any parallels can be drawn between the increase of processed foods and our current lack of activity resulting in various health issues (obesity, diabetes, etc) and what may show up with escalating use of social media and our bodies. Its only fairly recently that the health effects of "screen time" are being highlighted in the media and other channels - I wonder how many years have to pass before the health effects of social media start to be seen (negative and positive). Reading your profile, you seem to be very active so I'm not worried about you locking yourself up in your room in front of your computer! However, I would be interested if due to social media, people are not spending that time doing something more beneficial - ie connecting in "real and genuine ways". I always remember learning that man is a social animal, with resulting physiological needs. I look on with interest to what you develop with this, Cody. Cheers, catherine clark ||
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Hi Cody, I find your issue interesting. It is crazy to think how much technology has changed the way in which we interact. I have lived in Canada and while I was there sometimes it felt as though I wasn’t even away from home. I had Facebook to observe everything that was going on back home and through simple skyping I was able to see the faces of my friends and family. Gone are the days where you would send a letter or a postcard. These days I can just send a text message to my friends in Canada. My uncle sold his post office business 10 years ago in the fear that all contact/letters/payment of bills would all be done online. However there is still a place for post offices, particularly for shipping large packages. Most of which (ironically) have been purchased online. With technology going the way it is, there’s no turning back. We’ve all just got to keep moving with the times. This link shows that social media may still prove to be a genuine way of contact. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[]
 * [[image:http://www.wikispaces.com/user/pic/1349092271/catherineclark2-lg.jpg width="48" height="48" caption="catherineclark2" link="http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/catherineclark2"]] || [|catherineclark2] Oct 1, 2012 11:28 pm
 * [[image:http://www.wikispaces.com/user/pic/1349092271/catherineclark2-lg.jpg width="48" height="48" caption="catherineclark2" link="http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/catherineclark2"]] || [|catherineclark2] Oct 1, 2012 11:28 pm

Hi everyone! My name is Giancarlo and I'm in the Intermediate/Senior ITE program at OISE for Biology and Chemistry. I've lived in Toronto all my life, attending York University for Biology after finishing high school. One of my most keen interests is travelling. I try to go somewhere once a year if I can. In 2009 I spent two and a half months backpacking through Europe, mostly by myself. One of my aspirations after I finish this program is to spend some time teaching overseas, especially in Asia. I would also love to visit Australia one day (can any of you give me any tips on where to visit? :P ) One environmental issue I'm keen on exploring with my students is plastic bags. About three years ago, Toronto's municipal government passed a bylaw stating that plastic bags could only be sold for 5Â¢ instead of being given out for free. Some people saw this as a nuisance, but upon traveling to other cities I realized how many unneeded plastic bags you can get from retailers on a daily basisâ€”a trip to a Manhattan drugstore for a toothbrush, for example, netted me an extra plastic bag, and when I told the cashier I didn't need it, I got a confused look. Toronto has recently reversed the 5Â¢ fee but, due to a stage of political shakiness the city is experiencing, implemented a complete plastic bag //ban// to take effect next year. The future of this ban isn't certain, but it was interesting to see how retailers accustomed to charging the fee have, in the interim, used the funds as donations to certain charities and raise awareness for recycling. I am keen to see how this plays out on a municipal level, and, in my future career, how I can influence students on their use of plastics. Some links on the status of plastic bags in Toronto : Article discussing current debate (on whether or not the ban should actually happen) Article discussing how some retailers continue to charge for plastic bags, even though they don't have to Article from 2008 reporting on when the 5Â¢ fee was first planned || Hi Giancarlo, The issue that you raise here is quite interesting. Here in Australia, governments have been trying to implement a program of this type, but to no avail. Several retailiers in Australian have taken the initiative to charge a fee for plastic bags, however, this is not backed by any government policy, rather it is an example of a sustainability incentive backed by some retailers. Furthermore, some grocery store have encouraged shoppers to bring reusable "enviro" bags when tehy shop in thier stores. This is a good incentive, however, should shoppers forget their bags, or simply so not buy them, then these store just continue to give out plastic bags anyway. It will be interesting to see how this issue progresses over the next few years, particularly with the Australian government beginning to focus more and more on sustainabiltiy. Success stories over seas may assist Australian in implementing some sort of national program. - Ammie Bergmeier
 * [[image:stepwiser/241816_10100866311831077_1635759307_o.jpg width="320" height="208"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE Issue**

http://franklin.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/798c8b072d117a01ca256c8c0019bb01/db9e3953b8bb93dbca256e9300264a1c!OpenDocument James Dickinson ||
 * Hi Giancarlo, We have a town just outside of Melbourne called Anglesea that has become free of plastic bags. The only way you can get your groceries home is to carry them by hand or in a cardboard box. It is currently the only town that I know of that has this system in place. But other towns around are sure to move with the trend. We also have shops that do charge 5cents per plastic bag. But since 5cents is minimal, no one cares about paying for the bag. Another city in Australia called Adelaide has a system in play where you get rewarded for returning your empty plastic bottles. You receive 10cents for every bottle. Very similar to the system Canada has at their Beer Store. The system seems to keep the streets cleaner. I was in Adelaide last week and was a bit shocked to see people happily picking bottles off the ground in order to save the environment and money.

Ontario has a similar system for some liquor bottles but it’s nothing compared to what I saw in Europe—in Germany, for example, you could return the bottles basically anywhere, instead of only Beer Stores (one specific retailer). One thing I was surprised about here is how much people care about paying 5¢ for the bag! I work in retail, and people would honestly complain about paying for them, even though it was a fraction of the amount they were actually spending. Our mayor also has expressed frustration in paying 5¢. As for calling our events a success story, we’re not there yet Ammie! While the plastic bag ban managed to be sustained in our city council last week, there is certainty that the plastic industry is going to launch a lawsuit against the city. The decision was a spur-of-the-moment thing that garnered a lot of criticism since virtually no advance planning or preparation by the city had been proposed. Many councillors are now suggesting the ban be postponed so that the city can make adequate arrangements for a complete ban. The latest article is [|here]. ||
 * It’s great to see that Australia is thinking about plastic bag use, at the very least!

Hi all! My name is Tony and I am in Intermediate/Senior BEd program at OISE for General Science and Biology. I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph in Marine Biology and my Masters degree at the University of Windsor in Environmental Science. My masters project dealt with invasive species in the Great Lakes. I love traveling. I have been to many countries but haven't had the chance to visit Australia yet. That is on the top of my to-go list. I also enjoy tennis, MMA, basketball, and swimming. STSE Issues: - shark fin soup: Sharks are hunted for their fins to make soup in many countries in Asia but there is absolutely no nutritional value to shark fins. The way that the fins are harvested is also extremely inhumane. http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/shark-fin-soup-facts.htm - invasive species: Biological invasion is a big issue in that the organisms do billions of dollars of damage to the environment and economy every year in Canada and USA. Governments implemented many control strategies but these strategies had limited effectiveness since it is extremely difficult to eliminate species that has established. Preventive strategies should be used to prevent anymore invasive species from entering Canada. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Biodiversity/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_069027.html || Hi Tony, Invasive species is a big issue in Australia also. The major issue in controlling these species outbreaks and invasions is funding. The Australian government and researchers are yet to settle on a plan for the long term prevention of invasive species. In the past we have had issues with sea stars which have entered our waters on the bottom of foreign trade ships and had a terrible effect on our marine wildlife. While there are preventions in place in order to ensure our biosecurity, these invasive species continue to impact upon our natural environment. After European settlement in this country, rabbits were introduced to the natural envirnoment. After over 250 years, we stil struggle to control rabbit populations and prevent them from destroying the environment. To see Australia's policy on this issue - [] - Ammie Bergmeier
 * [[image:stepwiser/P1080884.JPG width="240" height="180"]] || Profile

Hey Tony, Invasive species is one topic which has always been interesting for me. I recently studied about the invasive species found in Australia as a topic of my own choice in one of my assignments. It was surprising to know about the many species of plants and animals that are found in Australia now are alien species. There are many species which have actually replaced the native species altogether. Invasive species have major economic and ecological impacts. They are the number one cause of native animal extinctions and are the second biggest threat to river and stream areas and nationally important wetlands. They are also the third biggest threat to threatened ecosystems. Tasmania is another area where a lot of invasive species are found. The government of Australia is taking very serious steps to ensure that the invasion by these species is controlled to some extent. In response to the identified threat posed by invasive species, a multidisciplinary team of specialists, managers, and researchers has worked together to produce a National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management.The National Strategy encompasses four program elements: The following links provide some information about the invasive species in Australia and Tasmania.
 * Prevention
 * Early detection and rapid response
 * Control and management
 * Rehabilitation and restoration
 * __[|http://council.wisconsinforestry.org]__
 * __[|www.dse.vic.gov.au/]**[|plants]**[|-and-animals/]**[|invasive]**[|-]**[|species]**__
 * __[|http://www.environment.gov.au]__
 * [|www.daff.gov.au]
 * National Biosecurity Committee __[]__

Vibha

Hi everyone! My name is Mahin Aman and I am from Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto. I am 23 years old and I recently graduated from McMaster University with a B.Sc, majoring in Biology. I am now in the Intermediate/Senior B.Ed program at OISE with my teachables as Biology and General Science. Teaching is my passion and I devote my time to working with students through volunteer and extra-curricular activities. I also have three younger brothers whom I have "practiced" teaching on all my life. Although there are several STSE Issues, I am particularly interested/concerned about deforestation around the world. The practice has a significant negative impact on the environment through elimination of natural carbon sinks and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes to global warming. There is also a reduction in biodiversity through loss in species' habitats as well as soil and water loss. I am interested in learning more about sustainable practices and reforestation efforts. Here is an interesting link: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/forests/solutions-to-deforestation/ || Hey Mahin, I read about your STSE issue and I believe that it is one of the most relevant issues in today's world. There are a lot of other issues related to deforestation and that would include Climate change, global warming and the loss of biodiversity and habitat. There are a lot of interesting articles I have been reading about climate change and global warming in my last semester. There is not a single country in the world that is kept away from the impact of global warming and climate change and the main reason being deforestation We are cutting down forests for various reasons and the effects have been drastic and in the long term would affect everyone on every part of the earth. there is one very interesting link that gives a lot of information about this issues from NASA which gives a lot of interesting facts about any part of the earth. [|http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov] Vibha
 * [[image:stepwiser/OISE elective pic.jpg]] || **Profile:**
 * STSE Issue:**

In relation to your STSE Issue, deforestation and its impact on carbon sinks, I found this website of interest []. It states the effect that mangrove destruction is having on the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and it relates to your STSE issue quite well. I think more needs to be done in reducing deforestation of any kind and more renewable practices put in place. The link you provided is interesting, but it points out the key issue against tackling this problem is corporations and politics, which are not likely to change in favour of this issue. Here is a website I found on deforestation in Australia []. Bec ||
 * Hi Mahin,

Hi All, My name is Jeff, and I grew up on a rural farm in Southern Ontario. I did my HBSc at the University of Western Ontario, and my MSc and PhD at the University of Toronto. As a neuroscientist I worked in several hospital research institutes in Toronto over the past 18 years. I was a teaching assistant for an undergraduate molecular biology course for several years, and in a research laboratory setting I mentored students and trained personnel. I am the proud uncle to two nephews and two neices â€“ providing me with many creative, play-based teaching experiences. In my free time I downhill ski, and I am an obsessive audiophile, from vintage vinyl to mp3s. I am particularly interested in the efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines towards eradicating, preventing, or limiting the spread of infectious diseases in global populations. [] ||
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 * STSE Issue:**

Hello, my name is Lukas Notten. I am 23 years old and was born and raised in Toronto. I completed my BASc in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto in the spring where I focused on construction engineering, management and technology as well as building science. I decided to switch over to teaching because I have always enjoyed learning and sharing what I know with others. My teaching subjects are math and physics. On my spare time I enjoy making music, reading and playing soccer and other sports. An STSE issue that I care about is sustainable building practices in Canada and the world. There is a good deal of room for improvement in the industry in terms of construction practices, energy policy, and sustainable building design. [] [] || Hey Lukas, I enjoyed reading the two links you have posted on the construction of "green" buildings. At the moment at A.C.U. we are anticipating the grand opening of the new Daniel Mannix Building. This building is quite striking in appearance mostly because of the wind turbines located on its roof. Indeed it has already been awarded the ‘6 Star Green Star – Education Design v 1 Certified’ rating. This sounds pretty impressive but now, after having read your articles, I am a little bit suspicious of its claims of sustainable resourcing. I think as a public we should educate ourselves about the issues involved in designing and maintaining the function of a building. Like your articles proposed there must be a logical marriage between the original design and the structures embedded within the building to source energy. It seems that often, these alternative energy sources are compensating for poor building design. That is, had the building been designed originally to tackle problems of excess energy consumption and emission, there would be no need for these impressively sounding "green" systems to be put in place. A possible solution may be to team the architects with scientists who are experts in the various fields, such as heat dispersion, air current, alternative waste production and removal etc to properly construct a building worthy of being named "green". If you're interested have a look at this website explaining our new building. Thanks for the interesting read. http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/news_events/media_releases/media_releases/repository/star-studded_rating_for_sustainable_design/ Therese Mary Mount
 * [[image:stepwiser/Lukas Notten.jpg width="160" height="229"]] || **Profile**
 * STSE Issue**

Hi Everyone, My name is Derrick Sarwan. I was born and still currently reside in Toronto. I am recent graduate of Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, and I am currently enrolled in the Intermediate/Senior BEd Program with Mathematics and Physics as teachables. I really enjoy sports and the outdoors, especially beach volleyball and fishing, but most recently I have been exploring a new passion of coaching competitive soccer. I am really interested in attempting to merge my passions for sports and science with what is currently relevant. Some interesting STSE Issues relating to sports could be: [|The Impact of Nike] - what is the impact on various societies (North American markets versus Asian production locations), how does the lifecycle of a Nike shoe affect the environment? [|Energy Drinks] - production to consumption, what is the impact on the body of an individual, society and the environment (especially with regards to collection and processing of ingredients and packaging)? [|Performance Enhancement Drugs] - what are the relevant STSE issues, will a the societal views on these issues change as we continue to demand high performance from athletes? ||
 * Derrick Sarwan [[image:stepwiser/DS_STSE_Photo.jpg]] || **Profile:**
 * __STSE Issue:__**

I'm interested by the article you posted on Energy Drinks. I'm even more specifically interested in premixed alcoholic energy drinks and the dangers associated with them. In the news in Australia, alcohol related violence is often reported, particularly in relation to alcoholic energy drinks which can mask the depressant effects of alcohol. Have a read of these research articles if you're interested in another element to the energy drink issue. [] [] I think it's an interesting STSE issue and with energy drinks and alcohol in general being so popular, there is definitely the issue is worth looking at and the possible (if not already!) potential for disaster when alcohol and energy drinks are combined. Cheers, Lisa //Hey Lisa - thanks for the reply. I had not considered the dynamics between alcohol and energy drinks. Its a great idea and has actually sparked some more questions for me to consider:// //- what are the impacts of unintentional uses of energy drinks, for example mixing with alcohol// //- what are the impacts of overusing energy drinks and supplements// //Thanks again as its given me a different perspective other than just sports.// //Cheers,// //Derrick// Hi Derrick, You raise some interesting questions regarding different STSE issues, especially with the life of the Nike shoe and performance enhancing drugs. It seems that drugs and alike are being continually developed to be hidden from drug tests, and it is simply a catching-up game for anti-doping agencies. In regards to your questions posted for energy drinks, I think that energy drinks need to come with a warning label, just as products such as cigarettes and alcohol do in Australia. Energy drinks can be very harmful if consumed in great amounts, and even the amounts that are suggested on its labels. Combined with poor lifestyle choices and consumption of other unhealthy and high fat content food, it can be deadly. It is unfortunate that some packaging is now aimed towards younger children. In the Medical Journal of Australia, an article that was published reported that over 100 of their subjects who consumed energy drink required hospitalisation for serious heart and toxicity conditions. Not a very good product to be on our shelves! Regards, Elleise Ngawaka Hi Derrick, I am interested in the 'Impact of Nike' article. I was, I suppose, privileged enough to visit a sweat-shop and learn about the atrocious conditions that workers encounter for the 14+ hours they work a day. At the time I was working in a village close to a town in North-West Thailand called Mae Sot, a area full of both migrants from Myanmar and local Thai people. In this town of Mae Sot, many reputable sporting brands such as Adidas and Nike, invested small amounts of money to fund Burmese and Thai people to work in these sweat shops (mainly women). To put it simply, it was like jail. If workers did not come to work, they were hunted and killed, or killed the next day at work, they're families were often victims of death as well. In addition they all wore white blue shirts and navy pants, which developed their personal identity and thus ridiculed in their own town by other locals, suffering discrimination that could cost them their lives as well. How I got to go into one of the sweat shops and why I did, I don't know, but the working conditions bought me to immediate physical sickness, emotional pain and desperation for these innocent workers who, even at the age of 14 years old can have two kids, who must be supported by their $1-2/day wage!!!! Empathy will just not cut it with changing these ways. These big clothing companies, must stop outsourcing in Asian countries, or do so but regulate working conditions to be similar to the factories in their home country ie-America. Great topic!!!!! Emma Parker ||
 * Hi Derrick,

Hi Everyone, my name is Andrew Woods and I am in the intermediate/senior BEd at OISE with teachables in Phys-Ed and Biology. I completed both my BA and MSc in kinesiology at York University here in Toronto. My focus of study during that time was Vo2max and its effects on performance in certain sports. I have decided to pursue a career in teaching because I have always enjoyed sharing knowledge and coaching youth. I enjoy travelling and playing most sports including Hockey, Volleyball, Golf and Squash. An STSE issue that particularly interests me is food production and its effect on our health. Over the last 50 to 100 years the way we produce food has changed immensely and we are now seeing multiple health issues arising. The diversity and nutritional levels of our food is diminishing and GM foods are being produced more extensively. Society needs to understand more about what we are putting in our bodies and need to get more involved in controlling the decisions that affect the system behind the production of food. The Story of Food - [|www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzGSHTP-U20] Food Travels Far - [] ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/2010 to 2012 874.JPG width="240" height="155"]] || **Profile:**
 * STSE Issue:**

Hey Andrew, This is a great issue and one that many of my friends have been interested in recently - especially as part of trying to get all super healthy and eating the right foods. But this idea of what is 'right' is suddenly going all wrong. I mean it's pretty hard to find the right food these days when most packaged food we buy is made up of just a few processed ingredients. A few highly processed sugars and salts designed purely to get the right taste. Who needs health benefits when it looks like and tastes like a tomato. It must be healthy, it's a tomato for F&%* sake. And when the healthy foods start to turn unhealthy you know things are going downhill fast Health issues is another big one. Going by recent figures obesity in Australia has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of immature death. So not only are we eating the wrong foods, but we're beginning to eat ourselves to death. And then there is the Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and all the rest that needs to be taken into account. Sometimes I walk around the supermarket and think that this is no different to smashing down a few burgers from a local fast food joint. But what options are there in the big city when nobody has any time anymore to get to the markets where there might be something reasonable. Technology has sped up the world so much that convenience has taken over for health. I agree with you saying that society needs to understand more about what we are putting into our bodies, especially in terms of how our bodies work. One of the biggest problems I see is with the daily 'calorie counter' that must be put on all packaged foods because it doesn't mean anything beneficial. It just assumes that proteins, fats and carbohydrates can be coupled together because they all form a % of available energy. But the three are vastly different having different functions and different applications in the body. What is now 97% fat free is just %? more in sugar. But seem to assume fats are worse than sugars because fats must turn into fats in the body because they share the same name. But in the right conditions a high fat and high protein diet can be far more beneficial to the body than a carb loaded diet. Thanks for the issue. It's good to keep thinking about. Tell me what you think. :) Cheers, Bernard Street ||
 * **Reply - Bernard Street**

|| **Profile** Greetings from the far end of the globe! My name is Kelly Reimer and I'm currently studying to be a biology and chemistry teacher at OISE. I havenâ€™t always been from the big city. I grew up in a small town in the middle of the prairies in Manitoba, where I did my undergrad degree in biochemistry. Some part of me I guess became bored with seeing literally nothing but fields from horizon to horizon, so I moved to Toronto to study molecular genetics! During my masters and undergrad I had many opportunities to educate students and discovered I loved being engaged with students and decided to get into teaching. **STSE Issue:** One of the major STSE issues I feel strongly about is the broad nature of scientific discussion in general. It is awesome to see people standing up for an issue that they believe in, and try to bring about needed change, but can be frustrating when society neglects to listen because they are unaware of how to interpret the data for themselves or understand the science behind these issues, such as with climate change and anti-vaccination groups. Additionally, when people stand up for a worthy goal, but do not themselves sufficiently understand the issue to clearly portray their ideas, they are missing their full potential. I feel that a major influence in the way I teach will be the desire to focus on critical thinking skills and scientific communication and literacy in order to inspire a knowledgeable, reflective, and engaged society! [] Review article on antivaccination claims[] News piece discussing the popular American views regarding climate change || Hi Kelly, The anti-vaccination movement is quite strong in certain parts of Australia, in particular Byron Bay on the North Coast of New South Wales. Byron Bay is a beautiful coastal area popular with tourists and backpackers and is known for the "alternative lifestyle". This area has a low vaccination rate compared the rest of Australia, mainly due to a mistrust of 'un-natural modern medicine' and misinformation. The high-profile anti-vaccination group 'Australian Vaccination Network' (based near Byron) provides innacurate or incomplete references to back up their claims and often quotes disproved links between vaccination and a range of other childhood illnesses (such as the bogus Vaccination/Autism link). As a result of the lower vaccination rate, Byron Bay is known as a 'danger zone' with an increased occurence of diseases such as whooping cough and measles. Infants less than six weeks old cannot be vaccinated and are put at risk by the decisions made by others who choose not to vaccinate. This is one area which is highly emotive for parents and in which the science is being drowned out by powerful anti-vaccination lobby groups. I can see this topic being a valuable one to use in a science class, as it would give students a chance to examine the science behind the immune system and vaccines, look at the risks, the benefits and determine what's science and what's spin. It would also be a great way to introduce some action on the topic, students could produce pamphets on vaccinations or write a piece for the school newsletter or the local paper... this issue has lots of potential to help encourage critical thinking and scientific literacy!!!
 * **Kelly Reimer**

- Susannah McGinnes

Here's a great video from an Aussie science show about the topic: [] And an article from an Aussie science magazine: [] Penn and Teller on the anti-vaccine movement: (Bit of bad language in this one...) [] || **Profile:** Hello! My name is Amy Chapman and I am at OISE working towards becoming a physics and math teacher. I spend the majority of my childhood in southern Ontario but went out to Halifax to do my BSc. in Physics. Coming back to Toronto as an "adult" has been a wonderful experience and I still feel a lot like a tourist here.I am very interested in discovering new ways to make math and science more interesting and relatable for kids. I currently work at Mathnasium in Toronto where I get to explore new ways of teaching. In my spare time I love playing guitar and spending time outside: hiking, canoeing, skiing, camping etc. An STSE issue that I am interesting is actually one of the research projects done by one of the profs (Jeff Dahn) at Dalhousie University where I did my undergrad. He is working on making rechargeable batteries more efficient. This sounds silly but every time a battery (say in a hybrid car or windmill) charges and then is discharged it's maximum charge decreases a little so over time it cannot hold nearly as much charge as before and is not as useful. Optimizing these batteries is the key to making an renewable energy source/electric car possible. I find this very interesting as it relates my physics background and with the idea of STSE. Here is a link to Jeff Dahn's website if you are interested in reading more! [] Hi Amy, I love your STSE issue mainly because I HATE the fact that my rechargeable batteries drive me insane when they don't recharge properly. It would be fabulous if the job could be made more efficient and a cleaner resource made available for our energy needs in the future. This is obviously a very important socio scientific issue and I have seen various articles on different methods being investigated to try to make this a reality. This really is an area that can have a positive, legitimate, achievable impact on our current energy resources in all areas of our lives. You might find this article interesting too[|seaweed] Szilvia ||
 * **Amy Chapman**
 * STSE Issue:**

|| Hello! My name is Sanja. I am currently attending OISE with teachable subjects in chemistry and general science. I received my BSc in Chemistry from Ryerson University and an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Toronto with research focus in the areas of organometallic chemistry and catalyst development. I enjoy travelling and hope to do a lot more of it in the future. My number one hobby is cooking. It allows me to be creative and it brings people together. I am interested in learning more about all STSE issues. If I had to focus on one I suppose it would be the industrialization and globalization of food and how it relates to our health and to unsustainable agriculture. TED talk by Ellen Gustafson [|http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ellen_gustafson_obesity_hunger_1_global_food_issue.html] A Toronto non-profit organization whose vision is â€œGood Healthy Food for Allâ€ [] || Hi Sanja, thanks for your comment above. Firstly, for the personal stuff - I never thought I would have run a marathon either, I just wanted to lose some weight so started jogging - however, the key to running marathons now (and in fact I am registered for a 56km hill run in Jan 2013), is that I run with a great group of people. There are men and women of all ages, we meet 3-4 mornings a week and run short and long runs, flat and hills....and the joy of it is that we all talk!!! I have always likened it to a moving/roving cocktail party - as you would chat to someone and then possibly move onto another person. I note your comment about cooking, about how it brings people together - well, this is just the same. So if you are really motivated to complete one - try to find a running partner or group, maybe you need to register for some event and ask around and pull a group together.....trying to train and complete one by yourself is very tough.
 * **Sanja Resanovic**

I also want to made a cross-connection with Cody Wilson, with his comment on social media, and whether it leads to "real and genuine" connections. I think, when I think about you cooking and sharing this food with friends and family, you will be getting so much benefit from this process. Whilst social media could be used to organise the event, and other friends and family who were not there for the meal could see how it all went - the most important thing was the cooking and talking/sharing the meal itself.

In looking at Ellen Gustafson's TED talk, I was horrified at the proportions of "fillers" in processed foods! Not only are there health impacts on our mostly overweight bodies (unless you're starving in an undeveloped nation), the decreased environmental diversity and impact is horrifying. A key issue which struck me was the relative low cost of the processed food versus a healthier alternative, and how the true costs of the processed food have not been factored into the price.

I have always wondered how the soft drinks / soda/white bread/processed junk foods were always so cheap relative to the fruit/vegetables and good quality meat.

Catherine Clark

Sanja,

Cheers for commenting. I'm glad you also find pseudo-science an interesting topic. It is alarming how easily people can be swayed by pseudo-scientific, or anti-scientific, ideas and beliefs, astrology is a great example, also alternative medicines, creationism, and in particular the rise against immunisations really bothers me! While there are millions of fad (& pseudo-scientific!) diets out there, the only diet i've ever undertook is the paleo-diet (as a way to combat hayfever). There is a lot of unscrupulous information out there, but one source I found which seems quite concrete is [|Food and western disease, by staffan lindenberg]. It is written from a evolutionary perspective, outlining the case that our digestive systems aren't evolved to cope with grains, legumes and dairy. And contains >2000 references. For ~90$ it's pretty steep, I managed to find a pdf through 'other' means, and could email it to you if you're really interested.

The industrialisation and globalisation of food I also see as a critical STSE issue. Venezuela's food production was largely controlled by multi-nationals, when Chavez first came to power he threw them all out and returned a lot of the land to small holders and collectives. Whilst a highly politicised move, I believe it has some merit, large-scale agriculture and multinational food companies is a contribution to food insecurity and sustainability issues, I look forward to watching that TED talk sometime.

Cheers, Tom. Rob Perry-OISE || Hi everyone. My name is Rob Perry and I live outside of Toronto in a smallish town called Georgetown. I am married with 2 kids (you can see the ear of my youngest in the picture) and teaching represents a bit of a second career. I did my BSc and MSc at the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario) and my PhD in molecular biology/genetics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. I spent about 9-10 years as a postdoctoral fellow at York University in Toronto. My research interests were on diseases of skeletal muscle, diabetes/obesity and stem cell research using adipose tissue. I am now a teacher candidate at OISE in the Biology and Chemistry streams. My hobbies are cutting the grass, cleaning the house and picking up after the kids. When I have a minute, I like reading books about issues of the world. Oh, and golf. I don't get enough. Hated the game for the longest time but have become one with ruining a nice walk. I am also pretty much interested in most things science. Photons, gluons anything. Probably won't get it but, I love the challenge. Having been a scientist for a considerable time I worry about the concentration of financial resources both public and private in the hands a smaller and smaller pool of scientists and decision makers. One of my pet peeves (for lack of a set of expletives) is the use of public money for doing the research which is then patented, privatizated and sold back to the public at extrodinary cost. To me, something about this is amiss. I am all for innovation however, money could be used for better things. Hi Rob, I totally agree with your comments. Its soooo infuriating that we pay our taxes and then they get us to pay the big bucks for it AGAIN! We all know that scientific research and good outcomes do not come cheap but come on give us a break! The other area that comes to mind is the waste of public money on scientific research just for the sake of it and not putting the big bucks into where it counts. You might find this article Ive found about a debate on this issue interesting [|the economist] Although I am all for scientific research my main concern is that we ' spend public money on research that is excellent and addresses problem solving which contributes to the public good'. Thanks for your post on this issue. Szilvia Szilvia. Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the reading the article and debate. There really is a great divide on perceptions of what is valuable and what is not (applied versus pure scientific pursuits). It is funny how there is a grass-roots movement springing up around the globe of garage science (see []) and basement molecular biology. With technology and the ability to collect $5-20.00 donations, I could start a biotech company in my basement and basically crowd-source scientific advancement. Hmm. May give it a go! One never knows when the most esoteric research changes society in the most fascinating ways. Rob Perry ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/Rob Perry OISE.jpg width="166" height="204" align="center"]]
 * STSE issue:**

|| Hi all, my name is Alan. I graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a double major in Biology and Basic Medical Sciences. As such, my two teachable subjects are intermediate/senior biology and general science. Before coming to OISE, I taught English at a private school in Korea for a year, which allowed me to realize my passion for teaching. Now Iâ€™m here at OISE, and Iâ€™m excited to gain a new perspective on teaching through this course. I used to be a gamer, but I guess Iâ€™ve grown up a bit. These days, I enjoy working out, hot yoga, just chilling, and learning about anything and everything. Researching into GMOs recently sparked my interest into various issues such as GMO regulation and long-term health effects of GMO consumption. Iâ€™m especially interested in finding out more about the recent French study that found that Monsantoâ€™s GM corn was linked to early death and higher occurrence of tumors in a group of rats. Some recent articles regarding the study: [] [] [] || Hi Alan, As you mentioned GMO regulation and the possible health impacts of GM products is a global issue. I have been interested in a group in Australia called the 'True Food Network'. Ultimately its a group of people ranging from chefs and food experts to average Australians that are interested in protecting our food sources from genetic modification. The have a great 'True Food Guide' (even a kids version!) that outlines brands that use and don't use GM in their products. Labelling laws in Australia regarding GM products is not stringent enough so this guide is super valuable to those of us concerned about GM foods and what they might be doing to us! Check out the website here if you're interested: [|http://www.truefood.org.au/index.php] Cheers, Lisa || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Profile: ** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Hey everyone, my name is Kevin. I am a recent graduate from McMaster University. I graduated from the biochemistry program and am now enrolled in OISE with teachables in I/S biology and chemistry. I look forward to becoming a science teacher as I've always been passionate about science! I've lived in the GTA for all of my life, but have always wanted to visit Australia and explore their culture and wildlife as well as the outback of course. I enjoy playing all sports, tennis being one of my favourites to play. Hockey is my favourite sport to follow though, and I follow the Toronto Maple Leafs religiously. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Since I've actually had the opportunity to volunteer in a grade 10 science class that has gone through Larry's STSE and STEPWISE approaches I've been exposed to many interesting issues. The one that stands out to me and probably remains one of the biggest STSE issues currently is global warming and climate change. Global warming is kind of an all-encompassing topic that covers everything from anthropogenic greenhouse effect to the melting of polar ice caps. The Inconvenient Truth presented by Al Gore remains one of the most popular documentaries that illustrate the effects of global warming and climate change. However, science has taught us to not take everything at face value without doing our own research first so I found this site to be interesting: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A good overview of climate change and its effects: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Another interesting site that touches on global warming and its effects also provides ways for us to [|take action] ||
 * **Alan Kwak**
 * STSE:**
 * **Kevin Duong**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">STSE Issue: **

I am also interested in global warming and climate change. Admittedly I have looked at it from the marine environment impact aspect, but I am keen to look into the other effects it is having on different environments. The website you found on the things that we can do at home is quite good, and includes things that we are able to do. I find that some websites suggest things that aren�t so realistic. I found the website �35 Inconvenient Truths to be a little one sided, but then again it gives us some perspective from the people and scientists that are yet to be convinced of climate change. In relation to the coral reef bleaching and its links to climate change, have a look at [] and see what you think. Cheers, Bec ||
 * Hi Kevin,

|| **Profile:** Hi! My name is Marzena, I recently completed my MSc in the field of neurophysiology at the University of Toronto (UofT). Before my MSc I graduate with a HBSc from UofT. I am now completing my BEd at OISE and my teachables are I/S Biology and Chemistry. I am passionate about education and really look forward to working with students and hope to implement STSE issues in my future classroom. I love traveling and am currently planning a trip to Australia with my fiance. I love biking and many different sports. A recent STSE issue that has sparked my interest is the way stakeholders impact research and research goals. All areas of research are heavily impacted by those who fund those projects. Unfortunately this results in following the money trail in research, instead of pursuing research for the pursuit of 'truth' and acquiring knowledge. Some pages that I found which might provide some insight into this matter are: http://www.odi.org.uk/rapid/tools/toolkits/Policy_Impact/Stakeholder_analysis.html and: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter7_section8_main.aspx ||
 * **Marzena Serwin**
 * STSE Issue:**

Hi! My name is Hongyu Shi. I have an English name Peggy. So you can call me Peggy. I am originally from China. I got my bachelor degree in China, and master degree in the University of New Brunswick, both in physics. I have been teaching physics in an university in China before I came here 8 years ago. In my spare time I like to go for a long walk, watch movies, play badminton. Currently I am enrolled in the intermediate/senior BEd program with math and physics as my teachable subjects. The STSE issue I concern about is the pop drink and coffee. I think people drink too much pop drinks and coffees here. There are too much suger or caffeine inside which are not good to health. It has caused a lot health problems such as over weight, heart diseases, diabetes, dental caries, lower nutrient levels, etc. I wish people could develop a healthy life styles because it is very important. Here are some links: [] [] ||
 * [[image:stepwiser/DSC03985.JPG width="310" height="185"]] || **Profile:**
 * STSE issue:**

I think you're absolutely right about soft drinks and other caffeine and energy related drinks in western countries. Here in Australia we drink so many of them too and they are a massive contributor to health and weight issues. They have started to crack down on them in public schools restricting the maximum amount of sugar in drinks served replacing them with the 'diet' equivalent. Unfortunately I don't see the diet drinks as being any better, and while they don't have the sugar overload they are heavily processed and filled with all sorts of other s&^t. A recent study into the consumption of diet drinks found that daily consumption of 'diet' soft-drinks may increase the chance of vascular disease by up to 43%, so diet or not these drinks may be corrosive to the body if consumed too often. @http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092746.htm As for coffee that would be a little difficult here in Australia. Especially Melbourne which has a very very strong coffee culture with hundreds of cafes throughout the city. We absolutely love our coffee and Melbourne was the fist city in Australia to get an espresso machine - from Italy, of course :). Coffee has a certain social significance and would often be a starting point for conversation. 'Let's hang out. Would you like to come for a coffee?' I guess that at least coffee goes through little processing and does not have sugar apart from that which the drinker adds in. But too much coffee is definitely a bad thing and as a collective we probably drink way too much of that too. Not to mention the Red Bull and other energy drinks that have made their way into the night clubs to be mixed with alcohol. Binge drinking is common amongst the adolescent youth and can combine energy and high caffeine drinks with pop-drinks and alcohol. Sooo unhealthy. I also believe maintaining a healthy lifestyle is really important and maybe the best way for us to deal with this issue is education. If we can show people that these drinks are not designed for daily consumption and that a simple bottle of water will do the body a million times better than the sugar overload of a can of coke. These things should be a rare treat and not make up our diet as a whole. Thanks, Bernard Street ||
 * Hi Hongyu,

Increasing worldwide staple crop production is necessary to sustain global population growth. GMO foods are one way humans have been increasing crop yields worldwide. Critics of this have suggested that, as humans, we are unaware of the long-term health effects of GMO food. Additionally, GMO foods contaminate naturally occurring species. One suggested alternative to GMO foods is optimizing nutrient availability to plants. I have personally performed research in the area. Are GMO foods the only answer? Or are there alternatives? You decide. [] [] [|https://www.google.ca/Balkos_Konstantine_D_200911_MSc_thesis.pdf] ||
 * < [[image:stepwiser/Dino Balkos.jpg align="center"]] ||< Hi, my name is Dino Balkos. I am an OISE high school teacher candidate. My subjects are biology and general science. I hold a M.Sc. degree in plant biology at U of Toronto. I enjoy reading novels, watching movies, playing instruments, and hanging out with friends. I look forward to our STSE collaborations.
 * Feeding the world: Monsanto and GMO Foods. Are there other ways?**