Session 8 lecture-Hornby

[Stella Castro]

Pollution was the topic of Ms. Hornby lecture today. I was quite astonished by the devastating statistics Ms. Hornby talked about. Actually it was quite scary for me to learn that many of our imported food could quite possibly be tainted with pesticides and or soil pollution. In watching the pictures that Ms. Hornby, showed us, I can’t fathom, how people can live like that, but it is a reality and that is how life is in China/Asia. I guess I am just accustomed to the nice, way of life here in the states. Although we still experience pollution here,(air and water pollution), but not to the extent as in China. For that I am grateful, but then, i feel for those unfortunate people in china that just have to deal with it and bear it; as no one really cares for their welfare and since they have no health insurance , that makes it even worse. However I presume that even if they did have health care, it would be an issue for them to attend to a doctor’s appointment and get the necessary treatment/s, as I think their employers would not grant them the time of to go seek medical advice. Then take the time off needed to recuperate or get better. While it is interesting to find out about life in Asia, and their trials and tribulations, one, ( I mean Me), cannot help thinking about the life situations in Asia, I guess I am quite lucky to live here in the United State, and thinking about the bad things that happen here, like homelessness, poverty, hunger, etc., to name a few, but life here in the States, can be aided with local government programs like Welfare, food stamps, energy reeducations in the gas, water, and electricity bills, , ( if one qualifies),Shelters, etc..
It was very sad to see the picture of a person infected with skin disease because of the pollution in the soil, while that was just a random picture , I am sure there are many more of this type that one can gain access too. The one picture that really blew me away was the one of the worker who did not wear a breathing mask, as he was spraying the fields/soil with pesticides, as it made me think and realized that this person already knows his fate. the results, of his occupation, and that would be getting infected with a disease/ condition, and knowing he could not do anything about it. He was already to face his destiny, and that being death from his occupation, in order to survive, what an irony.

[Sandra Soltero-Torres]

Stella, I agree with you in how scary the living conditions are in China in regards the the severe pollution. Even tjhough we do have pollution issues here in the United States, we  are spoiled because we don't have the extreme health issues that are affecting Chinese people.  I feel like we take our lifestyles in the United States for granted believing that other people live the way we do.  When I heard the lecture and some of the extreme health issues that are a direct result of the severe pollution problem in China I was astonished.  I hope the Chinese government continues to try to be proactive in their pollution epidemic!

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