Transformation essay - Almost Final Draft

Solar Power:

A Way to Save the World

Can climate change be reversed? That is the question that could save our planet. My solution to the problem is solar power/solar energy. Solar energy is a technology that is currently available around the world. If you are not familiar with how solar power works, first sunlight must reach the top part of the solar panel. Then one of the solar cells, the little blue squares, absorbs the sunlight into one of its crystals. These crystals have bonds in them made up with electrons, once the sunlight reaches the crystal it makes the electrons more active. When the electrons get really active that is when they make a current and can be converted into energy (Scientific American). One of the advantages of solar power is the lack of Co2 emitted into the atmosphere. They can also double as roofs so that the solar panels do not have to take up extra space. Solar power, while advantageous, does possess flaws. While oil, coal, etc. can run in almost any condition solar power can only run at its peak efficiency on sunny days, but even though they can only run on certain days they still can help save the environment. This is not the dilemma though, the dilemma is what’s going to happen to our planet if we keep using nonrenewable fossil fuels, the solution is solar power.

Global warming is slowly killing our planet. Currently, we use many fossil fuels i.e. coal, oil, and natural gas. These resources are called nonrenewable resources, because there are only a finite amount on Earth. Aside from the fact that we only have a limited amount, those fuels also pollute the Earth with a harmful gas called Co2. Currently the areas most affected by this gas are Greenland and Antarctica. Greenland has been losing around 281 gigatons of ice every year since 2002, whereas Antarctica loses around 118 gigatons every year (NASA). To put that in perspective 1 gigaton is equal to one billion tons.(Kyle) That means every decade year in total we lose 399,000,000,000 tons of ice in just two places (Kyle). This is because of the human race using our fossil fuels to power our machines, homes, computers, etc, but these are only some effects of pollution.

As we continue to use fossil fuels our world becomes increasingly closer to death. Since 1880, the overall temperature of our planet has increased by 1.7 degrees fahrenheit (NASA). Our carbon dioxide level has gone up by 406.17 parts per million, this is the current record and it is still climbing rapidly (NASA). This means as the years go by not only is our planet dying at a steady rate it is dying faster every year. In 1884 almost none of our planet was above the global average, now most, almost all of our planet is over the global average (NASA). We need to stop this growth and solar power is the solution.

Solar power is not the only thing that reduces our fossil fuel use. Wind power and Hydroelectric/Water power also do not emit any Co2 and are renewable resources. Wind power uses wind to drive a shaft that rotates to power a generator (Department of Energy). This method of creating electricity is much less complicated than solar power, meaning less things can go wrong. Another pro to wind power is that it outputs no Co2 emissions. Hydroelectric power uses the same principle for it’s energy. Water flows in through an intake valve and spins a turbine which creates the energy that runs through the power lines (USGS). The advantage to hydroelectric power is that it creates a lot of power quickly and is a typically consistent power source that does not depend on many variables i.e. (time of day, weather, etc.). Like solar power, they also possess disadvantages. Wind power relies on an abundance of wind consistently in order to create electricity, but in areas where a person might want to live, a lot of wind is not abundance. Depending on the size wind turbines can also be quite large. Hydroelectric power, on the other hand, can be very expensive to install and relies on the fact that there is a large body of water nearby. Water power also destroys the environment around it, it can change water temperature, destroy agricultural land, and even kill the fish in the rivers (Energy Information Administration). This destroys the idea of water power being “green” because of its destruction of the ecosystem around it. Solar power, however, doesn’t have these drawbacks.

Solar Power is one of, if not our best, renewable resource. It combines size and being user-friendly. Solar power is relatively portable compared to hydroelectric and wind power, it also requires less variables than that of wind power. Typically they are much smaller than both other renewable energy options. One of the only problems is that it requires sunlight to work meaning, it can not create energy during the night. Another issue is the cost of solar panels, the national average for solar installation of a solar panel system of 5kW, kilowatts, is around $10,000 to $13,000.(EnergySage) The solution to these difficulties is the use of batteries which can store the solar panels power throughout the night and the fact that electrical bills are not needed once a full solar system is installed, meaning it can pay for itself (NPR). Solar power is the key to saving our planet.

Solar power is the way to save our dying planet, Earth’s death is imminent.While wind power and water power work, they do not have the advantages that solar power does. With it’s size and eco-
friendly benefits solar power is the simple solution. Solar power is the answer and we are the ones
that have to do something about it. This is not some fantasy, we will die if we continue down our
path, and soon. Everyone needs to help and solar power is the key to the door of salvation. Save our
planet.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/polar-bear-clings-tiht-iceberg-882963

Works Cited:

Ashok, S. "Solar Energy." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 19 Apr. 2017.

Web. 18 May 2017. <https://www.britannica.com/topic/solar-energy>.

"EPRI Public Site." EPRI Public Site. Electric Power Research Institute, 2001. Web. 18 May 2017. <https://www.epri.com/#/research/landing>.

"Executive Committee and Board of Directors." SEIA. Solar Energy Industries Association, n.d.

Web. 18 May 2017. <http://www.seia.org/about/seia/executive-committee-board-directors>.

"Solar Panels Hit Energy Milestone For Potawatomi and Milwaukee." Solar Energy Industries

Association. Solar Energy Industries Association, n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

<https://energy.gov/articles/solar-panels-hit-energy-milestone-potawatomi-and-milwaukee>.

"Small Solar Electric Systems." Small Solar Electric Systems | Department of Energy. Energy

Department, n.d. Web. 18 May 2017. <https://energy.gov/energysaver/small-solar-electric-systems>.

"Cost of Electricity." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 9 May 2017. Web. 18 May 2017.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_electricity_by_source#Photovoltaics>.

"How Do Wind Turbines Work?" How Do Wind Turbines Work? | Department of Energy. U.S.

Department of Energy, n.d. Web. 23 May 2017.

<https://energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-work>.

Perlman, USGS Howard. "Hydroelectric Power: How It Works." Hydroelectric Power: How It

Works, USGS Water-Science School. USGS, n.d. Web. 24 May 2017. <https://water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html>.

Tenenbaum, Laura. "Global Climate Change." Global Climate Change. NASA, 24 May 2017.

Web. 24 May 2017. <https://climate.nasa.gov/>.

Brady, Jeff, Leigh Paterson, and Lauren Sommer. "Solar And Wind Energy May Be Nice, But

How Can We Store It?" NPR. NPR, 05 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.

<http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/04/05/470810118/solar-and-wind-energy-may-be-nice-but-how-can-we-store-it>.

Matasci, Sara. "2017 Average Cost of Solar Panels in the U.S. | EnergySage." EnergySage Solar

News Feed. EnergySage, 05 May 2017. Web. 25 May 2017.

<http://news.energysage.com/how-much-does-the-average-solar-panel-installation-cost-in-the-u-s/>.

Kyle. "Convert Gigatonnes to Tonnes." Kyle's Free Javascript Unit Conversion. Kyle, n.d. Web.

30 May 2017. <http://www.kylesconverter.com/mass/gigatonnes-to-tonnes>.

Locke, Susannah. "How Does Solar Power Work?" Scientific American. Scientific American, 20

Oct. 2008. Web. 04 June 2017.

<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-solar-power-work/>.

"Hydropower and the Environment." Hydropower and the Environment - Energy Explained, Your

Guide To Understanding Energy - Energy Information Administration. Energy Information Administration, n.d. Web. 04 June 2017. <https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/%20data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environment>.

The Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis:



We sailed for almost twenty days for around two and a half denarii with many stops for food and rest for the rest of our journey. The Dreadful Whale rocked back and forth, and my master got sick a couple of times, this was good for me though, I got to help him make his map! That was only for a couple of minutes though, and soon we arrived on the shores of Asia Minor. After sailing, we rode on a wagon to Ephesus. We walked through the city streets to take in the scenery, smells, and cuisine. After all the sight seeing we fell asleep at another of Barbillus', the slave master, lavish houses. We woke up and walked to the marvelous site that was the Temple of Artemis, it had wonderful pillars the size of the arm length of both me of my master combined, the building itself was also massive, bigger than even the house of my master. As soon as we walked in, my master documenting, of course, we saw a great statue of a woman, presumably a goddess of some sort, adorned many precious metals such as gold and ebony. While my master stared at the marvels of the outside of the building I wandered around the inside. There were many works of art in there, some with a myth, others with an epic battle. I liked the battle paintings, because the soldiers were awesome, with their massive shields, and their magnificent armor, I was amazed. However, we could not stay in Ephesus forever, and so we had to return to Roma, our home. I was so sad, our journey had been thrilling, and I would never do anything like it again. And so we packed our things and sailed home on a twenty-day journey back to our home.

Giza

The Pyramids of Giza:



We traveled from Alexandria to Memphis, a city nearby the Pyramids, by donkey. It only cost us one and a half denarii, a price my master was more than willing to pay. My donkey's name was Osiris after the Egyptian god, but I just called him Osi. We stayed with our donkeys for only two days and then boarded at a traveler's stop. We had some of our beer and spiced bread before heading out the next morning to Giza. There wasn't much to see on our journey except for the dunes and oasis that lie on the horizon, so I just slept. We finally arrived at the Pyramids, and they were spectacular, throughout the entire trip this was my favorite place. The shininess made it look like it was the sun on the ground in all its glory. Its shape was also intriguing, a pyramid, you never see that in Rome. My master, on the other hand, wasn't focusing on the outside, I could see him vigorously sketching what he thought the insides would contain. Was it a tomb, an alien race, maybe even an advanced civilization? For me it was none of these things, I thought it was just made of stone on the inside. We stayed there for at least 5 hours before my master, and I were ready to leave the Pyramids of Giza. I then rode Osi back to Memphis where we then stocked up at the market with some more beer, which I developed a taste for, spiced bread, and some salted meat. I than had to part with my beloved donkey Osi and we rejoined the Dreadful Whale for another journey, this time to the Temple of Artemis.

Alexandria - Gus S.

Alexandria:



We arrived at Alexandria, our stomachs rocking back and forth like the sway of the waves we were riding. My master had a friend that owned a villa in Alexandria, so that's where we were to stay. His name was Barbillus, and he was a slave trader, he was not a very nice man, but the fact that he accommodated us in his home was enough for me not to care. It was nice, with marble pillars, a balcony, even some slaves, who I got to talk to. After we settled in my master took me to see the greatest thing I had ever seen, for the time being, it was the lighthouse/Pharos of Alexandria! It was huge, it could have been even taller than 350 feet! It had a bright indistinguishable object at the top of the lighthouse. The light was so bright it looked as if you could see it from hundreds of miles away. My master looked even more impressed than I did, his eyes were wide open, and his jaw was gaping. He quickly conducted himself though and started to sketch, he told me I could ask someone if I could go in, but I was to scared. We then went to the market and bought some beer, a drink tastes like bread with water. We also bought some bread and spices like coriander and salt. These purchases were for our next journey the Pyramids of Giza another magnificent sight right within our reach. This was my master's favorite architectural wonder, not because of the interest of the outside, but the inside.

A trip to Alexandria - Latin Project

Rome to Alexandria:



Today me, Ba Yek, and my master, Brutus, woke up. We went to the forum and bought some bread, cheese, and dried meats to prepare for our journey, but only enough for the trip because my master said he wanted to, "Experience the culture." While there we met with one of my master's friends, a senator. They discussed things like, "What type of carriage we were we taking, where we were going, if the senator could do anything for us?" These questions my master answered, while I sat on a pillar and waited for 30 minutes. Alexandria was our destination, specifically the lighthouse there, because my master was to map out the Mediterranean and it's many wonders. He is a cartographer, a man who makes maps, and the Senate instructed him to make a map of the land for 1000 denarii, that is a lot of money. We were to take a wagon for the mainland and a small ship over the sea. I was extremely excited, why shouldn't I have been, it's where I'm from. We hired a carriage and set off that day. First, we traveled to Palinurus on our rickety, loud carriage, I shouldn't complain, I'm a slave, but it was awful. At Messana, we boarded the Dreadful Whale, which deserves its name by the way, and sailed for what seemed like years, but was only a couple of days. In total we traveled for 30 days, my master mapping our journey the entire time, me just eating our food and watching the horizon for a sign of civilization. It only cost us a measly 3 denarii. Then, we arrived at Alexandria.

Transformation Project - Gus

Can climate change be reversed? That is the question that could save our planet. My solution to the problem is solar power/ solar energy. Solar energy is a technology that is currently available around the world. If you are not familiar with how solar power works, first sunlight of a certain wavelength penetrates a solar cell. The solar cell then takes the electrons from the atoms in the sunlight and coverts them into usable electricity. One of the advantages of solar power is the lack of Co2 emitted into the atmosphere. They can also double as roofs so that the solar panels don't have to take up extra space. Although solar panels have many advantages though, they also have some disadvantages. While oil, coal, etc. can run in almost any condition solar power can only run at its peak efficiency on sunny days, but even though they can only run on certain days the STILL save the environment.

In the mind of a teacher. - RAFT

• 1896, in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson it was stated that segregation in schools did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, equal rights for all, and that it was fine if races were relatively the same.
• 1954, it was ruled that there was to be no school segregation anywhere. Even though it became illegal for school segregation people still found loopholes.
• 1955, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on the bus, she was arrested and started the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• 1957, nine African-American kids are blocked from going into their school because they were African-American.
• 1957, Dwight Eisenhower sends the 101st Airborne Division to guard the Little Rock Nine so that they can go to school.
• 1960, four African-American college students protest by sitting in at a whites-only bar.
• 1962, Bull Connor, Birmingham Alabama's police chief, used tactics such as police dogs and high power fire hoses to suppress African-Americans.
• 1962, John F. Kennedy issues an order for 3,000 troops to restore piece in Birmingham.
• 1963, a bomb exploded in an African-American church killing four girls.
• 1963, John F. Kennedy is assassinated.
• 1964, A new law states that no public facilities are to be segregated.
• 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is shot by James Earl Ray.http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086

The MOST transformational book.

Skulduggery Pleasant. This is one of my favorite books I have ever read. What makes it so special to me is not only the incredible writing, but the fact that the author makes the character relatable no matter your gender, age, etc. Valkyrie Cain, a.k.a. Stephanie Edgley, is a teenage girl that struggles to hide her adventurous life from her mundane one. She also lives in a universe where the worlds seems close to ending every day. As a fan of Lord of the Rings and Batman, this book showed that all epics don't need to have rugged male characters, some can have teenage girls. As a boy I typically stick to male protagonists simply because I can relate to them and their struggles more, but this book made me change my mind.

 

New Deal Then and Now

The New Deal is a revolutionary economic recovery plan made by Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of the products of the New Deal is the National Recovery Agency a.k.a. N.R.A. They set wages, set work hours, and set prices for certain items. Now it would not take that much knowledge to realize that they still work today, but as they have developed they have become more more modern and efficient. Our wages, depending on what your opinion is, are more fair, and our work hours better. Thanks to the N.R.A. our workers are happy and our economy booming.

The T.V.A. a.k.a. the Tennessee Valley Authority are in charge of several things. It was originally created to supply electricity at affordable prices so that even those in the depression had access to it. They also prevented dangerous floods and harnessed water for the electricity they were meant to provide. Today, unlike other government programs, it is funded purely on the sales of its own product, it also provides for 9 million people. It's a good thing we have the T.V.A. or else we wouldn't have electricity all across America.

The Dust Bowl was a disastrous event that caused the deaths of several people and the loss of thousands, even millions of crops. The Soil Conservation Service was created so that this natural disaster never happens again. They taught farmers the proper ways to maintain and preserve their soil. They now have their own website that promotes all times of sustainable living i.e. food safety, better cotton initiative, and even sustainable palm oil. Without the SCS we would all be covered in dust.

The FDIC is responsible for was creating to make sure people trusted and used banks again. During the Great Depression people would hold onto their money because it wasn't worth it to invest in a bank. Roosevelt created the FDIC so that wouldn't happen and now banks are one of the most successful businesses in America. Without the FDIC we would not have enough money to even run this website!

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States

Equality

Equality:

The Ideal that Destroys or Unites

My family has taught me that people are always equal, regardless of who they are. They can be poor, look different, and/or have little to no education, but still they are equal, they are human. Equality: the idea that all are equal, not in appearance but in rights, opportunities, etc. It doesn’t matter what you look like and how you live on the outside, what does matter is who the person is on the inside and thanks to my parents I believe that this is true.

An instance where my parents’ ideals helped me become more accepting of others is when I was in Africa at a small school. I was nervous when I went in. I had never met these people before, what would they think of me, would they believe I was “better” because of where I come from? My thoughts scattered in all directions, and my mind was racing. My family and I were the only white people in the school, but as soon I went into the first building all my nerves settled down, there were smiling faces all around. Our guide looked like he knew everyone there, he would pat the children on the head (which is a custom in Tanzania), and said hi to all the teachers. I realized that there was no point in being nervous, we are all the same, and they were happy and so was I. At that point, not even the lions scared me, for no one could stop the happiness emanating from the rooms. The teacher introduced us and we played Tiny Wings, a mobile app, for the rest of class. I can still remember the looks on their faces when the iPad turned on, and they saw me playing the game. They were infatuated with the fact that a sheet of glass could project a bird going over hills, for me this was a regular sight, I played Tiny Wings all the time. It was almost humorous, to see all the broad smiles filled with joy, the eyes widened with curiosity, from the look of them the iPad might have been a Lamborghini. I have always tried to look at everyone as equals and tried to bring happiness to people, but from that day forward I was inspired to do so.

Even though the things around me make me do things that I would consider to be kind acts of equality, my voice is one of billions. It doesn’t change the minds of all the others, but to those of you that read this, I have a challenge for you. Try to look at issues with an equal mind every day, try to help those that are oppressed because they are considered “lesser." One act can change the interactions between millions.We have many issues regarding equality on a global scale. They seem to be the worst of the worst, but I believe that with time we as a human race can solve these issues.



www.flagofplanetearth.com

The Museum of Tolerance

As I walked in I could see the statue of a man. He was upside down in a position that can only be described as painful. The Star of David behind him showing that no matter the cost, his faith would live on. As we kept walking we saw the stories of the thousands of children whose lives were taken by evil. The writing made me writhe in pain as most of the children were lost to history, only stories on a sheet of paper. We walked into the gas chamber and heard the stories of thousands men, women, and children whose lives were taken because they were not of the race that was "pure". Aryans they called them, the "pure" ones, blond hair, blue eyes, and white skin. They were wrong, everybody is unique whether you are European, American, African, Asian, it doesn't matter. At the end we heard of the riots in America that were about freedom, equality, and rights. Those were truly horrible times. After we traveled through the several exhibits in the Museum of Tolerance we listened to the story of a Holocaust survivor. He was truly an incredible man, with three books and an incredible life story. He told us about Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass, where he heard thousands of windows being broken by those that supported the mass eradication of thousands of innocents. Scapegoat: a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, specially for reasons of expediency. This definition describes to a tee what the Jewish people were during the second World War. Finally we exited the museum and I felt as though I had a responsibility to make sure our world is that of equality.


Equality: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities. This is what I know I have to uphold after traveling though the Museum of Tolerance. After seeing millions of people being oppressed for different reasons, skin color, religion, etc. I believe that we as a human race have the responsibility to uphold our rights as human beings. Seeing the faces of the people who were killed because of what they believed in truly was inspiring for me. I'd say the thing that made me think about equality most was definitely when Walter, our tour guide, talked about the evil Dr. Mengele who experimented on twins because he thoughts they could regenerate parts of their flesh if it was from their twin. It was truly the worst thing I've ever heard of, the fact that a man thought human experimentation by cutting off flesh was ok. It was revolting beyond belief.





 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_David

R.A.F.T. - Civil War by Augustus Sabino

Dear Martha,

We are fighting for our freedom and winning. We have trudged through the blood, sweat, and tears of our kin and died. I have seen things I would never wish upon any man. They are paying us less for doing more. At Fort Wagner our brothers died in our arms as we bounded to our own deaths. On the good side we have our own regiments, we can now serve our country, our rights, our freedom. We are now recognized as people in a free nation, who can fight for their country and die for their country. I hope you receive this letter before it's to late.
       Your husband,
        Davis


https://www.britannica.com/topic/buffalo-soldiers

The Rocky Mountains

Trespassers

by Augustus

Why do you cross my path?

Tread on my bones, camp on my skin by the thousands.

Your leaders promising freedom and adventure.

Why do you provoke me, for I have an army of danger beyond my walls.

I have diseases, cholera and dysentary which will kill you by the tens of thousands.

I have predators, boars, snakes, and mountain lions.

Your leaders have lied, if you think you can survive.

Leave my borders and I will grant you peace, but if you pass be warned.

You have already angered me, you are trespassers in a foreign land.

My trees will keep you from the scorching sun, giving you rashes, burns, and fatigue.

Your horses will tire, you food will be sparse, and your will even more broken.openclipart.org