4.17.12 Journal

For my environmental literature essay, I have chosen to write about Jack Kerouak. So far I have been thinking about how it will be best to represent this material. I have read this book before and I loved it, it portrays nature in a way that can be universally appreciated. Instead of looking at it from a scientific standpoint, Kerouak looks at nature as an adventurer. I think he writes about it in a very poetic way as well. The struggle I am facing however, is how to separate the humanistic views and biases in the novel from the descriptions. The novel is set in Big Sur, a location in Northern California. Another reason I am excited to write about this book, is that I have camped in this area before. While I admittedly have not done too much vacationing, this is the most beautiful location I have ever seen. The book is set over 50 years ago, so the environmental issues are another obstacles. While there are some small hints at problems of urbanization, Kerouak could not have had any idea of how bad it was going to get. Research into this, as well as logging(which has become a huge threat to the area) is how I really would like to present this novel.

Journal Entry 4.3.12

My project this week had to do with sources of pollution in Flagstaff, what it has made me think of is all the different views of pollution that are out there. While we definitely have our problems with pollution, there are so many different sources out there too. Most of them are really much worse than we have it here too. I recently watched a documentary regarding oil companies and their lawsuits with South American countries. The people who live in these places are being poisoned by malpractices of the multinational companies. Although they are working with top attorneys to try and clean up their countries, the native people can not even help themselves. With so much more of an issue regarding short term health care this has got me wondering just how dangerous pollution would have to become in order for Flagstaff residents to push for improvements. Of course I realize industry, and economic progress will always be important in the US, but when will we look to alternative sources of energy and production? A few weeks ago I was pondering this regarding cars and gasoline, but really it is just as important to find alternative methods on the way we produce our goods as well.