The Greater Picture

Reflection #5

Freedom Fuels

On Tuesday November 8^th, I had attended OPIRG at Brock’s ‘Freedom Fuels’ documentary and conversation group. The student held meeting is funded by students and was attended by students from Brock and a few other adults from the St. Catharines region. This weekly event is held to discuss the world’s issues and this week specifically it is geared toward usage of fuels and the available renewable fuel sources, such as bio-diesel, ethanol and vegetable oil. People had chosen to speak or not speak about what they feel they learned or experienced in the documentary but because I am shy in front of large groups I had chosen to listen instead.

I learned that the main goal of this group is to ‘encourage and support research, education and action on social justice and environmental issues’ as stated by their information package online. Environmental issues go further than just saying the government needs to change something but rather also consider all the people it indirectly affects (e.g. Jobs, living locations, etc.).

I learned this when while discussing with each other that ethanol isn’t the answer for everything, converting over from diesel to ethanol won’t be easy and will also cost more money to produce in excess causing Americans to be in further debt in order to get it done. The video showed pros and cons much like the split personality of a person. It shows such amazing ways in which new innovations can be made to save our world yet it also shows businesses trying to make money off of these ‘green ideas’ which isn’t really of ease or convenience to the general public. Really there is no silver bullet solution to the ongoing fuel problem explored in the documentary. It is however a buckshot solution or many solutions in one.

This learning matters because I was able to also come to the realization when listening to discussions of how differently people interpreted the video, that we have so many other people to consider in the line of individuals changes to fuel affects when and if it is changed. Some examples that come to mind are considering the farmers, the gas station owners and in which ways it helps them keep a job while going green we shouldn’t be using crops for fuel however, crops are meant to be human food.

In light of this learning I discovered there are variety of ways in which the government can help with a solution, and one of them being reduced prices on hybrids; alternate fuels becoming convenient to the public as stated before. Making a public exposure of using vegetable oil in a kids remote gas powered car will make people talk and compare changes in a remote car to an actual car. If the government considers to make it more convenient for people to get conversion kits from diesel to vegetable oil available in North America as opposed to ordering it from Europe and paying more than double what you would pay here while also paying for shipping. The general public usually doesn’t want to spend this kind of money just to be environmentally friendly. I really believe that the government can make the initiative to be one of the first to help make green energy convenience to the general public and until then people  will continue with the cheapest and easiest product that works well with their appliances.  

Importance of Great Leadership

Reflection #4

The Dark Side of Chocolate

Importance of Great Leadership

I learned that…. i have a deep passion for the greater good of my surrounding environment and how it will turn out for my kids and the generations following. My first week of visiting and learning with the OPIRG at Brock, I learned that I identified with the different roles of the people in the organization and what they believe they are gathering as a group for. The group clearly states the objective of each meeting as they did the previous week and verify they will have enough time for discussion. Due to feeling a little new in their presence I had chosen to take a more passive role where I had listened to the others inputs instead of taking a leadership role.

 I learned this when…. I had taken part in a documentary and discussion night for my fourth reflection. This group tends to show the importance of having each and every member that attends the event weekly. A lot of the action was initiated by one of the executive members of the OPIRG which initiated many important talks of chocolate. Not only who it directly and foremost affects but the side effects and all the chains of people who feel the effects.

This learning matters…

In light of this learning…

The South End of the Welland Canal Walk

Reflection #1

Reflection on Personal Growth

I had chosen to do only part of the Welland Canal walk due to the weather. For this week’s Service Learning assignment I had walked from, as stated by the posting in OOCLO as the beginning point, the Thorold Tourist Information Center on Chapel St. up through to the Upper Trail. I smelt water, and felt a nice cool breeze. I had taken my dog along for the walk, and being from the city this was a refreshing feeling on my skin. I was able to see a few old buildings to my left that were along the trail. I can tell they were old by the way the bricks on the outside of the house were cracked, browned, or chipped. Close by there I saw rusty old railway tracks running parallel to the Welland Canal. As I read through my guide, these tracks are old, more than a 150 year old to be close. I turned back down the trail as the breeze started to pick up into wind. I walked back towards the tourist information center, heading straight for #8 on my guide, The Return to Lock 7. Along the walk I got to meet some really nice and friendly people. I had met a lady who had stopped to talk to me, find out where I’m from, what I’m doing and even ask to play with my dog. She was an old lady, wrinkly but smiling caused most of her wrinkles. She made me feel a part of a community that I was new to.

This learning experience made me feel a part of a community that’s very new to me. It proved to have so much history, art, and kindness through experiences of walking around and communicating with the citizens of the City of Thorold. I was so happy to meet some people, talk to strangers as if I knew them and they knew me. I felt like I had done some good for my body by taking the walk even though it had begun to rain, and some good for my mind by talking to others in the community who shared their love for this city through the words they exchanged with me. I feel like this is partially what I was looking to feel and therefore I ended up getting what I was looking for. If I had maybe not expected to come out with a personal growth experience and just left it open then I probably may have had another reaction to my experience and felt there was something else that made my experience that much more important. Walking through this guideless tour, made me realize I need to get out more and involve myself with the community in some way, as well find a job in the community. I feel that I should take walks for as long as I could until winter really comes in and that the Welland Canal Walk might be the perfect route.

I have learned that there are many community walks designed throughout many cities that not only help us learn about the city’s history but also let us get involved with our health and our community on a personal level. I learned this when I got the chance to walk alone with nature in Thorold by a Self-Guided tour of the Welland Canal area where I took in nature, the water, the building and also when I got to speak to a random lady who was simply showing me the hospitability most Thorold residents show to anyone they come across in their city. This learning matters because it taught me I need to take some time aside for myself to get involved in the community, meet people with history, and learn about my environment and city I live in. In light of this learning I will continue to keep taking safe walks along unknowns parts of the city so I can explore and learn a little bit each time I walk through the city. I will continue trying to involve myself in the community by stopping and talking to strangers and be a little more welcoming instead of being passive. Overall I really enjoyed this Personal Growth Service Learning experience, It proved to be fun, and it truly put me out there.