Julia's Blog

A Cool Competition

Categories: Kolbert's HR April 14, 2010 @ 3:04 PM 39 Comments      

Just a few hours ago, I got the opportunity to listen to a seminar done by the great oceanographer Jaques Cousteau’s grandson Philippe Cousteau. He talked mainly about environmental issues, and the horrifying results of overfishing and how vital it is for humans to change. The seminar really helped me open my eyes to how dangerous humans are to the environment, and made me want to work hard to make earth-friendly choices so generations to come can enjoy the magnificent beauty of nature. Therefore, I have decided to hold a contest to reach people who still haven’t realized the very face of the earth is changing in an ugly way. To win this competition, leave a comment containing a persuasive article from three to ten sentences long about what you think is the most important place for humans to change our actions in simple ways. After receiveing six articles, I will narrow my choice down to the top three, then choose the winner. The award is that  you will know that you conviced someone out there that making a small change could do so much.

39 Comments

  1. Mrs. Kolbert
    April 14, 2010 at 5:28 PM
    Awesome, Julia! I’m so proud of you for taking this on. Often it is the smallest changes in our own lives that can have the biggest impact and the action that you are taking today on your blog is very admirable. I hope you get lots of participants in your competition. Good luck!
  2. OceanRev
    April 14, 2010 at 5:39 PM
    Great idea!

    Since shrimp is the number one seafood eaten in the US, and catching it causes VERY high bycatch of sharks, sea turtles and everything else living on the seafloor, and farming it pollutes the ocean and destroys coastal mangrove forests, a very good place to begin is to avoid or eat much less shrimp. Be sure that’s the policy for your home, your school, your family, the place where you work. There are plenty of other good things to eat that don’t wreck the ocean.

    Philippe Cousteau with a friendly reminder http://bit.ly/cBYpW
  3. Charlene
    April 14, 2010 at 6:03 PM
    Julia – I’m very impressed by your response to Cousteau’s seminar today. Among the simple things we can do – walk more/drive less, “think before you print,” plant a garden and grow your own veggies (in fact, eat more veggies!), ride a bike to work or school, recycle/reuse/repurpose, and lastly, much like you’ve done here, encourage your friends to do the same. Good luck with your competition!
  4. Mr. Shoemaker
    April 14, 2010 at 6:54 PM
    What a great idea! Keep up the hard work and be a great model for your fellow students. Think of the difference you are making! Good luck!
  5. Ms. Day
    April 14, 2010 at 7:05 PM
    Julia,you are an excellent writer with an important message. I am a 4th grade teacher in Iowa. I think it’s important for people to use what they have, and avoid waste. We throw so many useful things in the trash everyday. Recycle and reuse what you have!
  6. raegan
    April 15, 2010 at 7:10 AM
    very,very nice!
  7. Matt Montagne
    April 15, 2010 at 7:36 AM
    I think the number one thing we can do as humans to have a positive impact on the environment is to eat local, fresh, and seasonal foods. When we purchase pork from China, grapes from Chile, and oranges from New Zealand we contribute to the massive pollution and waste associated with shipping foods half-way around the world. Most communities have farm fresh food options within 100 miles. Let’s vote with our wallets and make a commitment to eating local and season foods.
  8. anahi
    April 15, 2010 at 12:45 PM
    wow this is awesome like i never thought of thinking to write something like this but its really good and it sounds pretty true so hopefully it is true.. good luck
  9. zackery
    April 15, 2010 at 12:50 PM
    That was good and sounded like you took your time to do it.
  10. daniel
    April 15, 2010 at 12:53 PM
    i believe that technology is destroying it a little bit and gases of the atmosphere and the gases that we make by cars and factories and the planet is getting dirty by not recycling and how people don’t take of trash in parks and other places so i think that the environment should deserve more
  11. shelby richarson
    April 15, 2010 at 12:53 PM
    Hi, i’m a 7th grader from noel,Missouri and people should pick the trash that they throw on the ground each day cause when we throw things on the ground, anything could happen. When people start keeping things clean than the world would be a better place to live.
  12. Courtney
    April 15, 2010 at 12:54 PM
    Well, there are a lot of places to start when it comes to changing our actions. We could start with not eating as much fish. If overfishing is an issue, that could seriously help. Another thing we could do is not use as many products with plastic packaging. These things can harm animals, and are very dangerous to our environment in other ways, as well. If we do these two things, along with others, we could save our environment so that it can be healthy for many generations to come.
  13. Keira
    April 15, 2010 at 12:55 PM
    What is an Oceanography?
  14. Kyle
    April 15, 2010 at 12:56 PM
    I bet that you will get a lot of articles. And that’s a good role model for little kids.
  15. Kirsten
    April 15, 2010 at 12:59 PM
    You have to start caring about the environment because if we don’t we may destroy it. If we keep throwing trash on the ground it is going to get disgusting. Instead of throwing it out recycle it. If we all recycle we will be doing lots better for our community and the environment. This will help more animals survive and make a healthier place for us to live.
  16. Keria
    April 15, 2010 at 1:04 PM
    tahts cool
  17. valerie
    April 15, 2010 at 1:11 PM
    They must be cool oceanographer.
  18. Aaron K.
    April 15, 2010 at 1:14 PM
    I think the first thing we should do is that to find out away to lower the Co2 levels in the factories. Second, we should all go onto rivers, lakes, seas,or oceans and clean them nationally. Third, we should all go outside and clean the trash on the streets and sidewalks.
  19. Gabby
    April 15, 2010 at 1:40 PM
    Did you enjoy it???? :)
  20. cheyenne
    April 15, 2010 at 1:40 PM
    Whats a seminar? Being good to the environment will ensure a good future for generations to come.
  21. Kiley
    April 15, 2010 at 1:44 PM
    We do need to change. I think to be able to change, we need to find other forms of energy sources to live by. There will be less ozone depletion that way, and we won’t be using our nonrenewable resources so quickly.
  22. Trystan
    April 15, 2010 at 1:45 PM
    I agree we need to stop endangering the earth. We should recycle more and litter less, and stop polluting the air. We should reuse more things like water bottles instead of just burning them or throwing them out.
  23. Ashley.Herrera
    April 15, 2010 at 1:53 PM
    Wow!
    That’s a great idea.
    I think that we could recycle water bottles, or use them over again.
    We could stop throwing trash on the ground, and throw it in the trash can(where it belongs)that could really help our enviroment.
    We could stop throwing harmful chemicals on the ground, and in the air.
    We could walk to friends house or use a bike instead of driving to our friends house.
    Little things that people do can little by little change the world!
  24. mckoy
    April 15, 2010 at 1:54 PM
    julia, if you ever see a shark down there tell it to me cause i think sharks are scary.
  25. Florinda
    April 15, 2010 at 1:55 PM
    Julia you make an excellent point people should change their way of living. Imagine that years from now people could be living in a waste dump. Then they will try somewhere else where there is no trash then years later they will do the same thing. The process will go on until the face of the earth is covered with trash.
  26. Austin Grotts
    April 15, 2010 at 1:58 PM
    You have a awesome idea and a very good point people have a terrible effect on the ecosystem I wish we could all do something we could help.
  27. Austin w.
    April 15, 2010 at 1:59 PM
    This is a good thesis
  28. DILLION
    April 15, 2010 at 1:59 PM
    I think is great project to take on. I think we should just limit fishing ocean animals and we shoud just make the things we get last.


    DILLION
    Comments4Kids
  29. carmen
    April 15, 2010 at 2:08 PM
    Julia,you are amazing,because instead of thinking of something else to write about,,, you thought about how to change earths looking. I think that people should start recycling stuff that are useful for other people.
    L.O.L
  30. Levy
    April 15, 2010 at 2:09 PM
    The most important to think about is the gases in the world because in about thirty years we will not have enough gasoline to supply the cars. Or like the littering which will harm all the people who get there water from creeks and lakes, and littering will hurt the ecosystem of the animals that live in the ocean.The animal are going to die, for example if fishes die then the whales will die and the sharks will die. So we must stop polluting or else the animals will die and then the humans so that means that the plants will die without the humans. If we continue to polluting the air with gases, we will kill the atmosphere. That means the earth will get hotter and the poles will unfroze, we will have more ultra violet radiation witch will harm us by increasing skin deceases. Those are some of the most important things to worry about.
  31. Yoland Salas
    April 15, 2010 at 2:16 PM
    I am very impressed that someone actually wants to do something to change the situation going on in this beautiful and amazing world. I don’t think that i should enter the competition because i think the winner here is totally you. I say that the winner is you because you have already showed to everyone that you care by this post that you made. I am very proud and glad that you think this way and that you give and show the importance of helping keep our world safe and clean.
  32. Julia S.
    April 15, 2010 at 7:16 PM
    Wow! I had no idea that so many comments would show up! I have made my final decision, and although all articles were wonderful and had important messages, I have chosen my three, Levy, Courtney, and OceanRev. Please comment telling why your cause was important, and I will choose a winner.
  33. Mrs. Kolbert
    April 16, 2010 at 5:15 AM
    Julia,
    You’ve generated some good conversation here. I love how you’ve come back to your space and commented back and validated the messages that your readers left here.

    Like you, I blogged about this event over here at our class blog: http://weblogs.pbspaces.com/mrskolbert/2010/04/15/an-earth-day-webinar-with-philippe-cousteau/

    I can’t wait to read who you choose as the winner. Rock on!
  34. Courtney
    April 19, 2010 at 12:35 PM
    We could start with not eating as much fish. If overfishing is an issue, that could seriously help. Eating too much fish can take away vital food for other sea animals, like sharks.
  35. Rachel H.
    April 19, 2010 at 4:26 PM
    You’re an awesome blogger! Keep up the good work.
  36. Julia
    April 19, 2010 at 5:49 PM
    Thanks, Courtney!
  37. chance
    April 23, 2010 at 12:53 PM
    I’am going to start doing something now just because of you THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  38. Yo!
    May 19, 2010 at 6:55 AM
    :) :( :? :| :D :P
  39. Yo!
    May 19, 2010 at 6:55 AM
    :0

Only the teacher may leave comments.