Unit 1 Portfolio

Four Creative Spins on Old and New Technology

Cleaner for your Hair- and the Earth-National Geographic's encouragement of shampoo bars

     National Geographic is a source that is known for nature advocacy and education of our planet. So, you could imagine my surprise when I clicked on an article that was focused around beauty products. However, once I got reading, I found the article was educating on the innovation of shampoo, the shampoo bar, and why everyone should be a convert. The short and simple article highlights how shampoo bars reduce plastic, last longer than a bottle, and are often qualified to be natural and cruelty free. Not to mention how "TSA isn't going to take soap that's in bar form and a shampoo bar won't ruin your clothes." Overall the article remarks on the handful of good outcomes that the shampoo bar will bring you, your luggage, and the earth, including their recommendations of which to use and why.
    Examining the article itself, I found National Geographic made this text very informative in a rather 'quick and dirty' manner. The format was laid out with clear headers, and the information was relayed in an impressively short manner. The diction was very convincing with its optimistic tone. I really enjoyed seeing a highly acclaimed organization make an eco- friendly advocacy article accessible and easy to the eye.

A Modern Perspective on Dated Technology A Times article on a NYC pencil shop

Today’s generation is fully immersed in digital technology, leaving the perception that the past technique of writing with pencils is no longer impactful. However, a store in lower Manhattan combats this digital immersion, bringing back the pencil in a way that even the newest generations can come to appreciate. Ms. Weaver, who tends to the shop, revealed how there’s a different pencil for everyone, from crossword puzzle pencils with pointy erasers, to authentic graphite pencils from the 1950’s. Whatever the need is, this store has a way of bringing the past into the future, with an aesthetic that “is begging to be Instagrammed” as says so on the website. 

Examining the article itself, the New York Times did a really nice job curating a feeling of connection that made me want to buy a pencil. It touched on many different passions and everyday tasks correlating each thing with a specific pencil, which made it seem like buying a pencil in the shop would be an act of supporting yourself and helping yourself grow in the area of choice. The relaxed diction gave a casual, easy feeling to the article, making it a pleasant read. I am surprised and happy to say that this article made me feel connected to past technology in a modern way.

Killing Two Harmful Birds with One Stone -BBC's optimistic story on innovative energy

Looking at climate change and carbon emissions in the air is often seen as something negative and troubling on our planet. However, as destruction is being done, there are also bright minds talking about restoration- this one in particular being a startup called Charm Industrial, where they are troubleshooting two urgent concerns at once. The small California company has created new technology that takes the dead trees and brush from California forest and heats it up in a zero-oxygen chamber, creating oil that they can then put back into the earth. But the oil does more than temporarily rebalancing the earth, as Co-founder Kelly Kinetic explains: “It’s really valuable for its carbon content, and not necessarily its energy content”. This makes it unique in that there will be no desire to re-drill it, leaving the startup with major potential of slowing down the destruction of the earth in more ways than one.

The idea of creating new technology to help the planet is exciting- it gives those with a concern a chance to feel optimistic. However, Charm industrial is one of many companies with a good idea that has a barrier of expense, making this story seem a bit misleading; the optimistic beginning of the innovative technology was destroyed towards the end of the video, as the BBC spared the gory details of how difficult it would be for the company to make a real impact on the earth for the last few minutes. This being said, I think the BBC did a nice job showing the potential the company had, and explained it in a manner that was easy to conceptualize. Unfortunately, the steps of implementing technology make this story one that is unsuccessful at the moment, and I think going in with that information in the beginning would've made it a more informative video.

 Looking at the Eco- Friendly Bright Side-The Economist’s article on solar power

As us humans look to aid the crisis that is our planet being destroyed, there are scientists putting their heads together to figure out how we can substitute everyday necessities in the modern household to be more eco-friendly. In this case, The Economist talks about the phenomenon of solar power energy, reporting that "One of mankind's most cherished dreams- the harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the Sun for the uses of civilization" could become a prominent resource of energy in our future. The scientific article examines how solar power works/the trajectory of use, and reviews pros and cons of solar power in modern- day society. On the positive side, the article states that after spending 50 years finding a way to reduce the price of solar power, energy has become versatile and accessible. A main reason this occurred was due to governments around the world, using subsidization in hopes of encouraging a decreased use of fossil fuels. Though solar power continues to get cheaper, The Economist notes the downside is the tempting use of more harmful energy sources still being too effective and accessible to give solar a proper chance to shine.

This article on new environmental technology was very well written. Even though I went in with a background of knowing a fair amount about solar power, the article took the time to help the viewer understand different types of solar power, how they work, and where they are currently being used. After an extensive backstory, the article formed a concise perspective of the pros and cons of solar power from an overarching view. My only critique for the article, and I mean the only, would be the extensive explanation versus real world applications. I would've liked to hear more about the energy use than the science behind it, though the overall intention of the article was concise, making it an informative read.

Additional Image sources:

https://fluid-painting.com/en/types-of-pencils/

https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/solar-cheat-sheet-your-complete-guide-to-getting-solar-panels-at-home/

*Links are in pink by each title

Amanda Kearns- Unit 1