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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Week 9: Everyone Posts Comments to This Thread (by Sunday 5/4/08)
(Without Week 8 posting requirements, due to mid-terms week).
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW
This was a handout in class. I will post it on the blog.
This is an example to conceptualize ideas of 'soft constructionism' in Hannigan's article: the 'reality' of 'snow' exists, though the way we talk about those environmental realities matters for how we socially relate to it.
The same snow, socially constructed differently:
1. For many people of the world 'snow' is just snow.
2. However, for the Innuit, a single term 'snow' is meaningless. They have about 31 words for snow. And the lists I found are constructed differently as well.
3. In terms of environmental problems in he past, we were cultures without much social construction of that reality. We were like that culture "that didn't have a word for snow." Some cultures are like that: traditional words for ice or snow didn't exist among Amazonian indigenous tribes. Some cultures don't have a wide variety of color terms either.
Like the five theoretical themes of the course, they are ADDITIVE to each other.
As we move through them, they build on each other instead of are substituted. The focus on social constructionism is like that: it is required in Beck's risk society ideas and ecological modernization ideas, though since the social constructionism of that is innately problematic (as argued in the Mythen article) we will look into that further about what has been learned about cycles of social construction and public awareness of environmental problems and just how environmental problem/reality is socially constructed to make it real as others argue for its nonexistence ("hard constructionism"). However, soft and hard constructionism are both social construction arguments.
Without further ado, THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW:
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW
From: noblei@hursley.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Inuit words for snow
Date: 29 Jun 1995 12:03:18 GMT
In <804329548.8959snx@mundens.equinox.gen.nz>, frankie@mundens.equinox.gen.nz (Frank Pitt) writes:
>In article <3snsk9$aoe@ari.net> arvon@ari.net writes:
>>I withdraw the Inuit remark. But can someone tell me if it's a myth,
>>lie, story or rumor that they have 300 words for snow?
>It's a rumour. Inuit have _four_ words for snow, skiers have more.
No idea as to the accuracy of its content, but I got sent the following a month or two back: "Subject: Snow; Here are the 31 words for snow in the Inuit language (I don't speak Inuit, so please don't ask me how they are pronounced) as printed by today's Denver Post:
Aniugavinirq: very hard, compressed and frozen snow
Apijaq: snow covered by bad weather
Apigiannagaut: first snow of Autumn
Apimajug: snow-covered
Apisimajug: snow-covered, but not snowed in
Apujjag: snowed-in
Aput: snow
Aputiqarniq: snowfall on ground
Aqillutaq: new snow
Auviq: snow block
Katakaqtanaq: hardcrust snow that gives way underfoot
Kavisilaq: snow roughened by frost
Kiniqtaq: compact, damp snow
Mannguq: melting snow
Masak: wet, falling snow
Matsaaq: half-melted snow
Mauja: soft, deep snow footsteps sink in
Natiruvaaq: drifting snow
Pirsirlug: blowing snow
Pukajaak: sugary snow
Putak: crystalline, breaks into grains
Qaggitaq: snow ditch to trap caribou
Qaliriiktaq: snow layer of poor quality for an igloo
Qaniktaq: new snow on ground
Qannialaaq: light, falling snow
Qiasuqqaq: thawed snow that refroze with an icy surface
Qimugjuk: snow drift
Qiqumaaq: snow with a frozen surface after spring thaw
Qirsuqaktuq: light snow
Qukaarnartuq: crusted snow
Sitilluqaq: hard snow
31!
And here they are:
Aluiqqaniq : Snowdrift on a steep hill, overhanging on top.
Aniuk : Snow for drinking water.
Aniuvak : Snow remaining in holes.
Aput : Snow on the ground (close to the generic Snow)
Aqilluqqaaq : Fresh and soggy snow
Auviq : snow brick, to build igloo
Ijaruvak : Melted snow, turned in ice crystals.
Isiriartaq : Falling snow, yellow or red.
Kanangniut : Snowdrift made by North-East wind.
Katakartanaq : Crusty snow, broken by steps.
Kavisilaq : snow hardened by rain or frost
Kinirtaq : wet and compact snow.
Masak : wet snow, saturated.
Matsaaq : snow in water
Maujaq : deep and soft snow, where it's difficult to walk.
Mingullaut : thin powder snow, enters by cracks and covers objects.
Mituk : small snow layer on the water of a fishing hole.
Munnguqtuq : compressed snow which began to soften in spring.
Natiruviaqtuq: snow blasts on the ground.
Niggiut : snowdrift with South-east wind
Niummak : hard waving snow staying on ice fields
Pingangnuit : snowdrift made by south-west wind
Piqsiq : snow lift by wind. Blizzard.
Pukak : dry snow crystals, like sugar powder
Qannialaaq : light falling snow
Qanniq : falling snow
Quiasuqaq : re-frozen snow surface, making crust.
Qiqiqralijarnatuq: snow when walked on.
Uangniut : snowdrift made by north-west wind.
Uluarnaq : round snowdrift
Uqaluraq : taper snowdrift
These are 31 words about snow, from the Inuit, Aivilik and Igloolik languages.
(Julian Bentham, Adelaide Research Center)
http://www.elements.nb.ca/kids/snow/snoword.htm
Next winter, perhaps you would find it fun to photograph each of these kinds of snow? ^^
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW
This was a handout in class. I will post it on the blog.
This is an example to conceptualize ideas of 'soft constructionism' in Hannigan's article: the 'reality' of 'snow' exists, though the way we talk about those environmental realities matters for how we socially relate to it.
The same snow, socially constructed differently:
1. For many people of the world 'snow' is just snow.
2. However, for the Innuit, a single term 'snow' is meaningless. They have about 31 words for snow. And the lists I found are constructed differently as well.
3. In terms of environmental problems in he past, we were cultures without much social construction of that reality. We were like that culture "that didn't have a word for snow." Some cultures are like that: traditional words for ice or snow didn't exist among Amazonian indigenous tribes. Some cultures don't have a wide variety of color terms either.
Like the five theoretical themes of the course, they are ADDITIVE to each other.
As we move through them, they build on each other instead of are substituted. The focus on social constructionism is like that: it is required in Beck's risk society ideas and ecological modernization ideas, though since the social constructionism of that is innately problematic (as argued in the Mythen article) we will look into that further about what has been learned about cycles of social construction and public awareness of environmental problems and just how environmental problem/reality is socially constructed to make it real as others argue for its nonexistence ("hard constructionism"). However, soft and hard constructionism are both social construction arguments.
Without further ado, THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW:
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SNOW
From: noblei@hursley.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Inuit words for snow
Date: 29 Jun 1995 12:03:18 GMT
In <804329548.8959snx@mundens.equinox.gen.nz>, frankie@mundens.equinox.gen.nz (Frank Pitt) writes:
>In article <3snsk9$aoe@ari.net> arvon@ari.net writes:
>>I withdraw the Inuit remark. But can someone tell me if it's a myth,
>>lie, story or rumor that they have 300 words for snow?
>It's a rumour. Inuit have _four_ words for snow, skiers have more.
No idea as to the accuracy of its content, but I got sent the following a month or two back: "Subject: Snow; Here are the 31 words for snow in the Inuit language (I don't speak Inuit, so please don't ask me how they are pronounced) as printed by today's Denver Post:
Aniugavinirq: very hard, compressed and frozen snow
Apijaq: snow covered by bad weather
Apigiannagaut: first snow of Autumn
Apimajug: snow-covered
Apisimajug: snow-covered, but not snowed in
Apujjag: snowed-in
Aput: snow
Aputiqarniq: snowfall on ground
Aqillutaq: new snow
Auviq: snow block
Katakaqtanaq: hardcrust snow that gives way underfoot
Kavisilaq: snow roughened by frost
Kiniqtaq: compact, damp snow
Mannguq: melting snow
Masak: wet, falling snow
Matsaaq: half-melted snow
Mauja: soft, deep snow footsteps sink in
Natiruvaaq: drifting snow
Pirsirlug: blowing snow
Pukajaak: sugary snow
Putak: crystalline, breaks into grains
Qaggitaq: snow ditch to trap caribou
Qaliriiktaq: snow layer of poor quality for an igloo
Qaniktaq: new snow on ground
Qannialaaq: light, falling snow
Qiasuqqaq: thawed snow that refroze with an icy surface
Qimugjuk: snow drift
Qiqumaaq: snow with a frozen surface after spring thaw
Qirsuqaktuq: light snow
Qukaarnartuq: crusted snow
Sitilluqaq: hard snow
31!
And here they are:
Aluiqqaniq : Snowdrift on a steep hill, overhanging on top.
Aniuk : Snow for drinking water.
Aniuvak : Snow remaining in holes.
Aput : Snow on the ground (close to the generic Snow)
Aqilluqqaaq : Fresh and soggy snow
Auviq : snow brick, to build igloo
Ijaruvak : Melted snow, turned in ice crystals.
Isiriartaq : Falling snow, yellow or red.
Kanangniut : Snowdrift made by North-East wind.
Katakartanaq : Crusty snow, broken by steps.
Kavisilaq : snow hardened by rain or frost
Kinirtaq : wet and compact snow.
Masak : wet snow, saturated.
Matsaaq : snow in water
Maujaq : deep and soft snow, where it's difficult to walk.
Mingullaut : thin powder snow, enters by cracks and covers objects.
Mituk : small snow layer on the water of a fishing hole.
Munnguqtuq : compressed snow which began to soften in spring.
Natiruviaqtuq: snow blasts on the ground.
Niggiut : snowdrift with South-east wind
Niummak : hard waving snow staying on ice fields
Pingangnuit : snowdrift made by south-west wind
Piqsiq : snow lift by wind. Blizzard.
Pukak : dry snow crystals, like sugar powder
Qannialaaq : light falling snow
Qanniq : falling snow
Quiasuqaq : re-frozen snow surface, making crust.
Qiqiqralijarnatuq: snow when walked on.
Uangniut : snowdrift made by north-west wind.
Uluarnaq : round snowdrift
Uqaluraq : taper snowdrift
These are 31 words about snow, from the Inuit, Aivilik and Igloolik languages.
(Julian Bentham, Adelaide Research Center)
http://www.elements.nb.ca/kids/snow/snoword.htm
Next winter, perhaps you would find it fun to photograph each of these kinds of snow? ^^
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Week 7: Everyone Posts Comments to This Thread (by Sunday 4/20/08)
See instructions and format at the beginning of the first week's thread.
1. Mark Whitaker
2. Canada Bans Plastic Baby Bottles, First government to act against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a human hormone manipulator chemical
3. Interesting news from Canada, re, 'risk society.' Nice example of governments claiming its entirely safe in the past and then reversing themselves: "The action, by the departments of health and environment, is the first taken by any government against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a widely used chemical that mimics a human hormone. It has induced long-term changes in animals exposed to it through tests"...though it had been allowed before as 'certainly safe.'
Many of the USA 'authorized' chemicals don't even have safety research data. They were simply put into the monitoring program as "GRAS", Generally Recognized As Safe, though without any general studies about them. Besides, there is the issue of testing these chemicals as individual introductions to the environment, when the major issue is the chemical cocktail of interactions--that is without any legal requirement to test them as compounded introductions and as interactions.
In other words, an entirely artificial world of isolated, single-chemical tests becomes the way for 'managing the rationalization' of safety--even though it has nothing to do with the real world of 'risk society' daily experience.
However, just when you thought it was a 'risk society' story, we have this sort of 'treadmill' like demonstration that plastic is still considered 'rationally safe' (despite its ability to absorb other chemicals in the manufacturing process or its entirely dangerous waste build up in the oceans. The other quote makes the Canadian government look like a shopping mall for the treadmill idea: "“We’re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,” the environment minister, John Baird, told a news conference, ***where he displayed an array of baby bottles made from plastics that do not use the material."****
So which is it: the political capitalism of a Schnaiberg world, or a eco-political capitalism of an Ulrich Beck world?' As with many things, it all comes from your perspective and unobserved anticipations of the future or your selective views about the past.
-------------------------------------------
Canada Takes Steps to Ban Most Plastic Baby Bottles
By IAN AUSTEN
Published: April 19, 2008
OTTAWA — The Canadian government moved Friday to ban polycarbonate infant bottles, the most popular variety on the market, after it officially declared one of their chemical ingredients toxic.
Nalgene brand water bottles had used bisphenol-a, which some studies in animals linked to hormonal changes.
The action, by the departments of health and environment, is the first taken by any government against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a widely used chemical that mimics a human hormone. It has induced long-term changes in animals exposed to it through tests.
Also on Friday, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said he intended to introduce on Monday a bill that would ban many uses of BPA-related plastics. It would prohibit them in all children’s products, including nonfood items they may put in their mouths, as well as in any product used to contain food or beverages.
The toxic designation will allow Canada eventually to ban the manufacture, import or sale of baby bottles made with polycarbonate. Polycarbonate, which dominates the North American baby bottle market, mimics glass but is lighter and shatter-resistant.
The toxic designation is to be followed by a 60-day comment period, but there is little chance of a reversal, given the lengthy government examination that preceded the move. Because of regulatory procedures, however, government officials said that a ban probably would not be fully in effect for about a year.
“We’re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,” the environment minister, John Baird, told a news conference, where he displayed an array of baby bottles made from plastics that do not use the material.
The health minister, Tony Clement, told reporters that after reviewing 150 research papers and conducting its own studies, his department concluded that children up to the age of 18 months were at the most risk from the chemical. Mr. Clement said that animal studies suggested “behavioral and neural symptoms later in life.”
Potentially unsafe exposure levels are far lower for children than for adults, Mr. Clement said, and he and Mr. Baird both said that adults who use plastic containers made with the chemical were not at risk.
“For the average Canadian consuming things in those products, there is no risk today,” Mr. Clement said.
He said that the government was also concerned about the use of BPA in coatings inside infant formula cans, but did not act because no practical alternative is now available. The government, he said, will work with formula and packaging industries on that issue.
The government has begun monitoring the exposure of 5,000 people to the chemical. If that study, to be completed in 2009, indicates a danger to adults, the toxic designation will allow the government to take additional action swiftly, according to government officials who, following official practice, spoke on the condition they not be identified.
The government said that its review found that even low levels of the chemical can harm fish and other aquatic life over time, and that low levels are present in waste water.
Canada’s move drew praise from environmentalists. “I have nothing but congratulations for the government today,” said Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence, who has long criticized the use of BPA. “This sends a clear message to the plastics industry that it needs to start reformulating its products.”
But in Washington, Steven G. Hentges, the head of the American Chemical Council’s polycarbonate group, told reporters in a teleconference: “We do not think that bans on bisphenol-a are based on science.”
Shannon Jenest, a spokeswoman for Philips Avent, which makes bottles from polycarbonate and other materials, said she “wouldn’t see us challenging” the Canadian health department.
But Gemma Zecchini, senior vice president of public policy for Food and Consumer Products of Canada, whose members include the bottle makers Nestlé Gerber and Playtex, said her group would most likely ask the government to avoid an outright ban.
Ms. Zecchini acknowledged, however, that the market might already have outrun the Canadian government.
Most of Canada’s major retailers, including the Canadian units of Wal-Mart and Sears, have rushed to remove food-related BPA products from their stores. The country’s largest druggist, Shoppers Drug Mart, took the step at its 1,080 stores on Friday.
Senator Schumer said in an interview that he was prompted to act by the Canadian announcement and a report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services this week, which endorsed a scientific panel’s finding that there was “some concern” about the health effects of the chemical.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he said. “There are alternatives.” Senator Schumer added that his bill would give industry a substantial amount of time to switch to other plastics.
---
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/business/worldbusiness/19plastic.html?_r=1&ref=americas&oref=slogin
1. Mark Whitaker
2. Canada Bans Plastic Baby Bottles, First government to act against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a human hormone manipulator chemical
3. Interesting news from Canada, re, 'risk society.' Nice example of governments claiming its entirely safe in the past and then reversing themselves: "The action, by the departments of health and environment, is the first taken by any government against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a widely used chemical that mimics a human hormone. It has induced long-term changes in animals exposed to it through tests"...though it had been allowed before as 'certainly safe.'
Many of the USA 'authorized' chemicals don't even have safety research data. They were simply put into the monitoring program as "GRAS", Generally Recognized As Safe, though without any general studies about them. Besides, there is the issue of testing these chemicals as individual introductions to the environment, when the major issue is the chemical cocktail of interactions--that is without any legal requirement to test them as compounded introductions and as interactions.
In other words, an entirely artificial world of isolated, single-chemical tests becomes the way for 'managing the rationalization' of safety--even though it has nothing to do with the real world of 'risk society' daily experience.
However, just when you thought it was a 'risk society' story, we have this sort of 'treadmill' like demonstration that plastic is still considered 'rationally safe' (despite its ability to absorb other chemicals in the manufacturing process or its entirely dangerous waste build up in the oceans. The other quote makes the Canadian government look like a shopping mall for the treadmill idea: "“We’re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,” the environment minister, John Baird, told a news conference, ***where he displayed an array of baby bottles made from plastics that do not use the material."****
So which is it: the political capitalism of a Schnaiberg world, or a eco-political capitalism of an Ulrich Beck world?' As with many things, it all comes from your perspective and unobserved anticipations of the future or your selective views about the past.
-------------------------------------------
Canada Takes Steps to Ban Most Plastic Baby Bottles
By IAN AUSTEN
Published: April 19, 2008
OTTAWA — The Canadian government moved Friday to ban polycarbonate infant bottles, the most popular variety on the market, after it officially declared one of their chemical ingredients toxic.
Nalgene brand water bottles had used bisphenol-a, which some studies in animals linked to hormonal changes.
The action, by the departments of health and environment, is the first taken by any government against bisphenol-a, or BPA, a widely used chemical that mimics a human hormone. It has induced long-term changes in animals exposed to it through tests.
Also on Friday, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said he intended to introduce on Monday a bill that would ban many uses of BPA-related plastics. It would prohibit them in all children’s products, including nonfood items they may put in their mouths, as well as in any product used to contain food or beverages.
The toxic designation will allow Canada eventually to ban the manufacture, import or sale of baby bottles made with polycarbonate. Polycarbonate, which dominates the North American baby bottle market, mimics glass but is lighter and shatter-resistant.
The toxic designation is to be followed by a 60-day comment period, but there is little chance of a reversal, given the lengthy government examination that preceded the move. Because of regulatory procedures, however, government officials said that a ban probably would not be fully in effect for about a year.
“We’re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,” the environment minister, John Baird, told a news conference, where he displayed an array of baby bottles made from plastics that do not use the material.
The health minister, Tony Clement, told reporters that after reviewing 150 research papers and conducting its own studies, his department concluded that children up to the age of 18 months were at the most risk from the chemical. Mr. Clement said that animal studies suggested “behavioral and neural symptoms later in life.”
Potentially unsafe exposure levels are far lower for children than for adults, Mr. Clement said, and he and Mr. Baird both said that adults who use plastic containers made with the chemical were not at risk.
“For the average Canadian consuming things in those products, there is no risk today,” Mr. Clement said.
He said that the government was also concerned about the use of BPA in coatings inside infant formula cans, but did not act because no practical alternative is now available. The government, he said, will work with formula and packaging industries on that issue.
The government has begun monitoring the exposure of 5,000 people to the chemical. If that study, to be completed in 2009, indicates a danger to adults, the toxic designation will allow the government to take additional action swiftly, according to government officials who, following official practice, spoke on the condition they not be identified.
The government said that its review found that even low levels of the chemical can harm fish and other aquatic life over time, and that low levels are present in waste water.
Canada’s move drew praise from environmentalists. “I have nothing but congratulations for the government today,” said Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence, who has long criticized the use of BPA. “This sends a clear message to the plastics industry that it needs to start reformulating its products.”
But in Washington, Steven G. Hentges, the head of the American Chemical Council’s polycarbonate group, told reporters in a teleconference: “We do not think that bans on bisphenol-a are based on science.”
Shannon Jenest, a spokeswoman for Philips Avent, which makes bottles from polycarbonate and other materials, said she “wouldn’t see us challenging” the Canadian health department.
But Gemma Zecchini, senior vice president of public policy for Food and Consumer Products of Canada, whose members include the bottle makers Nestlé Gerber and Playtex, said her group would most likely ask the government to avoid an outright ban.
Ms. Zecchini acknowledged, however, that the market might already have outrun the Canadian government.
Most of Canada’s major retailers, including the Canadian units of Wal-Mart and Sears, have rushed to remove food-related BPA products from their stores. The country’s largest druggist, Shoppers Drug Mart, took the step at its 1,080 stores on Friday.
Senator Schumer said in an interview that he was prompted to act by the Canadian announcement and a report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services this week, which endorsed a scientific panel’s finding that there was “some concern” about the health effects of the chemical.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he said. “There are alternatives.” Senator Schumer added that his bill would give industry a substantial amount of time to switch to other plastics.
---
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/business/worldbusiness/19plastic.html?_r=1&ref=americas&oref=slogin
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Week 6: Everyone Posts Comments to This Thread (by Sunday 4/13/08)
See instructions and format at the beginning of the first week's thread.
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