"And that Lorax?... He didn't show up any more." Dr. Seuss

The moon is a giant white rock in the sky, that is what I use to think anyway. Over the course of a semester many things can change, however. I have learned more about species both native and not native and I was given an assignment to stare at the moon. The first time I started this assignment, I was walking my dog like I do every night. I went down stairs and was like “ok here I go” I looked up and stared. I felt stupid. I did not know if I was looking for something or just looking. I did write down my observations. It was a crescent moon, very bright. But I did not know what that meant to me. The next night I did the same thing and over and over the course of weeks. Finally on a full moon I really saw what I think I was looking for. The moon that night was big, bigger than I had noticed. I had a sense of place. This moon that is there every night it never fails and it makes me feel like a small piece in the puzzle. An important piece, but small. At the same time however, I know that I am where I am supposed to be. I could write down months worth of observations instead I have come to this conclusion, the moon goes through changes much like life. Every month it goes through cycles it changes and develops. I also noticed in my observations that it was not always the same place in the sky. Some nights from where I normally stood I could not see the moon so I would have to walk to the other side of the building. Although I can count on it being there it is not completely predictable. The moon, I think, can be used as a representation for life you know you will get something, but you do not know what that something may be.

Over all I learned more about my sense of place and about the moon itself. Looking at the moon made me realize that things change but always stay the same. And that the goals I am working for, like those of others, mean something people count on me like I count on the moon.

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"All my life I'd been searching for trees such as these." Dr. Seuss

     In the course of this class, I have learned that exotic and invasive species are a growing phenomena. When a pet owner decides that they want a new and different animal they buy what is called and exotic species like the Burmese Python. They take home their pet to find out that they cannot care for it. So instead of returning it to a pet store, they dump it out into the wild. Because these species have no natural predators they get out of control. This is not true for pets only but also plants. 

      What people do not realize is how damaging this is to the ecosystem. Not just North America though, but all ecosystems. When a person brings this animal in and release it not only does it not have a predator but now it has to find a new food source. When it begins to devour other plants and animals this by subsequent effects more than just one species. It now effects all the species that the invasive eats or interacts with. Because they invasive species have different needs back where they are from they sometimes have adaptations that we are not use to here. These adaptations will sometimes even give them an advantage over a native species, which in turn puts the native species at risk. Another downfall of these invasive species is that they must have come from somewhere. Now a population loosing one of their males or females does not seem that bad. However, when you take into consideration that is one person whats this animal about a thousand more do to. Then we get into the effects of the population when the amount of viable reproducers has dramatically decreased. Not only does this animal affect our ecosystem but another as well. The global connection between the import and export of exotic species is not always legal, but it still happens. And it effects the world.

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"It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat. But it also has other uses. Yes, far beyond that." Dr. Seuss

Food/Drink: 

• Sausage Links: Small box, cardboard. 
• Pudding: Small Box, Cardboard. Plastic Bag
• Milk: Plastic carton.
• Mixer: Metal and plastic.
• Salad: plastic bag.
• Soup: Metal can, Paper wrapper.
• Chicken: Styrofoam plate, Plastic wrap.
• Green Beans: Plastic bag.
• Rice: Plastic bag.

So I have come to the conclusion that I use a lot of plastic. Like every item comes in some sort of plastic based something. So I got to thinking about plastic, and how it is produced. At this point I also got to thinking if what if we run out of the oil that is the base of plastic? People would be in some serious trouble. I know that we have cardboard and Styrofoam but neither are as convenient or good as plastic. For me alone I used 8 items that had something with plastic. I imagine that people on average use more than that. It is funny to think about the amount of goods a person uses in one day. It is even funnier when you think what would you do with out plastic. All the items I use in my dad to day life 90% are made out of plastic.

Cardboard is also a major material that is used in the production of goods. When you buy a computer, phone, or another device it comes in a box. This is made from trees which I know, but rarely think about. When I think of items that are made from trees the only thing that really comes to mind is paper. Even though I am well aware that is not the truth. I know that we use tons of trees in every day life not to forget that we use trees for oxygen. 

Over all we are a consumer society that in many ways helps and harms us. It helps us because it leads to jobs but harms our environment with all of the waist. There are always things that I feel I need because society says I do.And I most of the time listen. I also know that there are ways to cut down on the products we use like reusable bags. We a country need to become more aware I know after this assignment I am. 

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