Bullying (Joselyne Gallegos)

Social Media and Bullying

My Research:
Bullying has been a situation that unfortunately has not come to an end. What is bullying? Bullying can be a verbal or physical abuse towards any individual. One can say that you can not end bullying indefinitely, but there is always a way where you can make a situation better. Now in days social media has been a resource of bullying, like Facebook and Instagram.  Social media has become a big part of bullying and my community feels that it is a big problem.We have situations where women can be given a certain way of how to look, you have memes of racial messages, etc. According to DoSomething.org, over 3.2 million of people are victims of bullying every year. Statistically speaking this is a big amount of people being bullied. In this situation, this is more of a verbal abuse towards someone. A verbal abuse can be a discrimination of how someone looks, talks, or even about where they are from.

According to Cyber Safety, "A significant amount of social media bullying takes place on Facebook. This is due to many factors including its widespread popularity and its capacity share photos and other media" (par. 4). Facebook is a very popular social media now in days. It is very true when photos can be shared on this media and they can stay on the internet forever. People have to be careful of what they post. Unfortunately, there isn't much one can do once there is something shared on social media. This can affect someone's life in a big way and that is something no one wants to deal with. Bullying can be to anyone, little kids, teens, and adults. There is no age limit.

My Personal Story:
I believe that bullying is a big issue because one does not know how much a person's life can be affected. This social media situation is a very big thing now in days because everyone has access to technology, even little kids have high tech phone now in days. I have been a victim of bullying and I have also been the bully.
I was a victim of bullying when I was in elementary. I was in 4th grade when I was hanging out with my friends and we were playing handball during recess time. As we were playing this guy comes up to me because he was the next opponent since when you play hand ball you play until you loose. When we were playing I noticed he kept calling me names like "ugly", "you look like a guy", and "you are dark". Ever since that day he would call me dark girl. It was very hard for me because I felt ashamed of my skin color. He would tease me whenever he saw me and laugh about it with his friends and I would feel bad until one day I told my mother and I had to talk to my teacher about it. Ever since then I was very ashamed of my skin color. After I graduated from elementary, I didn't care since I was more concerned of how I looked physically than my own skin color. I see things very differently now. I am not concerned of anyone's opinions, but my message is that verbal abuse can be hurtful.
I was also a bully. My little sister was in 5th grade and I was in high school when she began to get bullied by some other girl. This girl would make fun of my sister's arms calling her hairy at school. My sister one time came crying home and she told me the story and I had got very mad about that. I knew who the girl was because they used to be friends and they got into a little fight and they didn't talk then. So back then there was the social media, Myspace, which was popular how Facebook is now. I had sent her a message on Facebook telling her that if she didn't leave my sister alone she was going to deal with me. She did get scared because she didn't bother my sister again, but told her mother about what I did. I obviously did not see things the way I see them now, but I did not feel any regrets then. Everything was different then. My mom had talked to me telling me that this is not the way that things are supposed to be handled and to remember of what happened to me when I was being bullied. Bullying is not a good situation.
This is an important topic to me because bullying is an everyday situation and no one deserves to be bullied.

My Community and I:

References:

https://nobullying.com/social-media-bullying-has-become-a-serious-problem/

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-bullying

Self Harm (Steven Gonzales)

Spreading Awareness

There are many things about a person that can not be known by just looking at them such as their emotional and mental state. People that are affected by mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, or many others can often feel alone in finding ways to feel better. According to Samantha Gluck, from Healthy Place America's Mental Health Channel, untreated mental disorders often lead to unhealthy ways to cope with them. Unhealthy coping could lead to drastic actions such as self harm. Self harm is a general term which includes behaviors such as cutting, burning, or pulling out hair. Any behavior intentionally done to oneself inflicting physical harm. This physical harm is done to cope with mental disorders or traumatic events.

Statistics

• 1 in 5 females self harm
• 1 in 7 males self harm
• 90% begin in teen or pre-adolescent age
• Nearly 50% have been sexual abused
• About two million cases are reported annually in the U.S.
• 4,678 nonfatal self inflicted injuries in Los Angeles in 2009

It is important to know that statistics about self harm are from reported cases which may not be accurate. Many people who self harm do not view it as something they need help with because in their mind it is helping them. They may keep their self harm a secret, sometimes even from professionals.

Helping Loved Ones

Although people who self harm tend to be more secretive about it they may attempt to reach out to someone they trust and are close to. That person could be you. It is common for someone who does not self harm and never has to not fully understand how sensitive they can be. Gluck emphasizes some key tips about responding to a self harmer.

• Do get appropriate help for him or her from a qualified mental health professional
• Do not allow him or her to recount the self injury experience in detail as it may trigger another session
• Do not use threats in an attempt to stop the behavior
• Do not show shock or revulsion at what they've done
• Avoid panic and overreaction
• Listen with compassion
• Know that this represents a way of dealing with emotional pain
• Accept him or her even if you disagree with the behavior
• Remain calm and caring

Helping a self harmer can be draining when you are the only person they go to for help, but there at many hotlines and professionals that should be contacted to get the proper care a self harmer needs. Mental hospitals can sound scary but admitting a loved one there could be the start of their recovery. Many people when trying to help do not always do what they think they should because of fear. Self harmers are often seeing as outcasts and having one in your family could bring the thought of shame if word gets out. These are common thoughts and helping someone could be done secretly but do not let those thoughts stop you from fully helping someone.

My Message

This is an extremely important and personal topic because I knew several people that would self harm including myself. The one aspect of self harm that I would like to convey to people is awareness. There are many misconceptions about people who injure themselves such as they are only seeking attention, but this was not true in my case and many of the people I know. Self harm should not be taken lightly and is a serious issue. Getting people to understand how to help is my goal because I know what it is like to want help, but don't know how to ask for it in a proper or direct manner. Helping can take a lot of extra effort, but like the self harmer is not truly alone neither is the person helping them.

Steven Gonzales

Kimberly Puentes

Works Cited

Gluck, Samantha. "Self Injury, Self Harm Statistics and Facts - HealthyPlace." HealthyPlace. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016. <http://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/self-injury-self-harm-statistics-and-facts/>.

"Mental Health." Suicide Data by County. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016. <http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/MH/Pages/CountyDataFiles.aspx>.

Help Save our Earth: Pollution prevention

                                   Help Save our earth                                                

                                                    

                                                                                              PLEASE VIEW IN PREVIEW MODE

 

I chose this Social issue because Plastic pollution is dangerous to our environment and a significant amount of Ocean Plastic Pollution is a high contributor to wildlife death. And recent studies have shown that the degradation along the coastline of our oceans has increased dramatically in the past three centuries alone. To me personally that is scary as time is running out to save the only planet we call home. Particularly bothersome as well as
worrisome is the effects of plastic pollution on our ocean.

The oceans are a living and magnificent entity of its own. It has its own diverse ecosystem and the oceans provide for our consumption and survival needs.Yet our oceans are being destroyed every day by plastic, toxic chemicals and waste sources which almost always originates from a land source. 

These sources include recreational uses such as beach visitors, the trash disregarded on streets and washed down storm drains, illegal dumping, areas with inadequate trash and or plastic recyclable facilities or trash receptacles. The majority of ocean pollution originates from a land base source as plastic and other harmful debris are easily blown and or carried into the ocean from industrial discharge, recreational uses, and runoff from farms. Rain and flooding carries chemicals such as fertilizers, petrochemicals and animal waste into the ocean.

It is said that every year we dump eight million tons of plastic into the ocean. Plastic is often mistaken as a edible food item by wildlife and also manages to find its way back to the beaches and coastlines where it will just remain there indefinitely. This causes destruction to every place it travels. (Information gathered from  http://maritime-executive.com/blog/oceans-of-plastic)
 
" Plastic takes, on average, 400 years to degrade, and even then it only breaks down into smaller pieces, which may not be visible to the human eye. " (Dilevics).

As a whole we must strive to conserve this beautiful home we call earth and work together as a collective whole to reduce the amount of trash and debris, particularly plastic pollution that has detrimental effects on our planet and its wildlife.

 

Image provided by  http://www.uvm.edu/safety/lab/pollution-prevention

 

                                   Why it Does matter                           

 

For many don’t care simply because we can’t see the harmful effects our actions have on our planet. This is because our waste, our trash is whisked far away from us, out of view and out of mind, forgotten as it is dumped and disposed of improperly. It is important for future generations to know and become educated about this matter.

It is imperative to understand that the harmful effects pollution has on our environment also get transmitted back to us in a natural cycle of consumption. Improper waste disposal has a large impact on everyone's health and well being, not only those that call the ocean home but us as well. It is important to know and realize that whatever we put into the ocean, whether intentionally or unintentionally, whether it be waste or chemicals or plastics, will eventually be absorbed by or wind up in the stomachs of marine life. Such as tiny plankton that will be devoured by larger fish that then caught and served to us, And the marine life that we consume which eat the polluted waste will also end up back in our stomachs that includes all the harmful chemicals contained in most plastics. This can cause hormonal problems, reproductive problems, respiratory and nervous system damage as well as kidney damage. The chemicals in the plastics that are absorbed by the wildlife and marine life can also cause a variation of diseases such as Parkinson, Alzheimer's and heart disease. This doesn't include the many illnesses that are caused by mere physical contact with the water. You don't even have to ingest the water but just by coming into contact you have a risk of stomach aches, diarrhea and rashes.(Dilevics). 

 

"We have so much to thank our oceans for. Not only do they provide routes from one continent to another, researchers and scientists have found that certain marine plants have the ability to help reduce pain and inflammation in humans as well as help in the fight against certain cancers" (Dilevics)

There is an abundance of benefits the oceans provide. Without the ocean we would simply not exist as over 70 percent of the oxygen that we breathe and over 97 percent of the world’s water supply comes directly from this vast source.
There is still time if we act now to make a difference, to make a change. We can learn about the ocean and learn to make a healthy impact on this earth. Understanding how vital this system is to our mere survival will help start the changes we need, changes we need to begin protecting our oceans and water supplies now.

The use of plastics can be significantly reduced, and it begins with changing our lifestyle now. this could include using reusable water bottles and reusable shopping bags. which in turn will save energy and money and will have long lasting beneficial effects of protecting and maintaining our oceans.

We can and should strive to work together as a collective whole to reduce the amount of trash and other toxic  materials that are dumped carelessly into our environment. We should strive toward a common goal where we can enjoy our planet as it was meant to be, safe and free of pollution. We should start now to prepare our planet for our children and future generations. The ocean sustains us and provides for us, we should respect the ocean by keeping it clean for our future generations to live fully and safely.

 

  Do you believe in this goal? I do and you should too. Take a look at some of these charts of more reasons why  we should be more aware and willing to prevent pollution on our earth, particularly the oceans. Click here to see how pollution directly affects you through our oceans.  Also And here to view the affects pollution has on humans.  

Image provided by http://www.uvm.edu/safety/lab/pollution-prevention

>1trillion plastic bags are used every year.

This equates to 100 million barrels of oil.   
                                                                  

> 17 single-use bags contain enough embedded                      

 petroleum energy to drive a car 1 mile.  
                                         

>Plastic bags are used for an average of 12 minutes. 

>It takes 1,000 years for them to decompose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
>Over 100,000 marine animals 
and 1 million seabirds die every year from ingesting plastic.

(Facts provided by https://greenfuture.io/lifestyle/plastic-bags)

 
                    Here is an article that list 20 true facts of ocean pollution-20 facts you may have not known

 

Video Provided by Youtube 

"The ocean covers almost three quarters of our planet. Populations in coastal regions are growing and placing increasing pressure on coastal and marine ecosystems. Marine pollution of many kinds threatens the health of the ocean and its living resources. While the past decades have seen efforts at the local, national, and international levels to address the problems of marine pollution, more needs to be done"-U.S. Department of State

                                 What You can Do                            

 

There are many ways we can work together to conserve this beautiful and amazing planet we call home.You can get involved in a local conservation society and learn how we can work together to reduce the amount of trash and debris, that are improperly  disregarded and have harmful effects on our planet and its wildlife and us as humans.

 

The first step is to become educated on the matter, the next step is action. Through action and determination we can minimize the waste output and prevent pollution. We can try to make a conscious effort to memorize and practice the three R's, they are Re-Use, Re-Duce and Re-Cycle.Make sure garbage bins at home have lids to prevent unnecessary litter.Purchase bottles that are eco friendly. If you must throw away plastic place them in bins that will end up in the proper MRF. 

 

Next time you are at the grocery store you can use your own re-usable bags instead of the many plastic flimsy ones the grocer supplies you. This method saves money and in the end saves the environment which comes back to you. It may be a little inconvenient.But it’s nowhere near as inconvenient as the consequences of plastic pollution.

 

Other ways you can help conserve the environment as well as the oceans can be seen here Ways to reduce the harmful effects of chemicals 

 

A part of this project was getting others involved. I believe that the initiative for change happens when you alter your lifestyle and you are more willing to change when it affects those you care deeply for or are in constant contact with. Change begins with you and those closest to you. I did this by informing some members of my family that were unaware of the consequences pollution has on our environment. In fact they seemed indifferent to this heartfelt issue of mine. Because this issue was something that touched me deeply and that I firmly believed in I asked them if they would be willing to hear me out on the matter. What resulted was a deep and thoughtful if not lengthy conversation. At first they were very put off about the whole idea of being in some way a part of the responsibility, even joking about it. They couldn't understand why this issue affected me and was so heartfelt. I believe it was because they couldn't see the obvious effects or were just unaware. And I have to admit it was a bit frustrating and difficult to explain the matter at times but in the end it was worth it.   

 

In time the conversation became more genuine and my family members became more engaged and interested. The conversation had seemed to bring to light a new perspective and new understanding of the effects pollution has on our earth,and how in the end it not only effects our planet but us as well. At certain times they seemed genuinely surprised  as I revealed new information to them.Even asking questions of their own, "how did it get this bad?" or "can it be fixed?" , "what can be done about it? " or "why hasn't anyone been sent to clean it up?" (referring to the huge trash dump in the ocean) In the end they seemed more accepting of what I had to say. I asked if they would stand with me on this issue to bring awareness to more people as well as seek proactive actions in preventing future waste pollution. They agreed and as a family are trying to seek alternatives to prevent waste and plastic pollution. In this last few weeks alone we have done away with the plastic grocery bags and bought our own re-ususable grocer bags For my family who had a collection of plastic bags this is a big step in going green.

 

 

Image Provided by http://esh.fnal.gov/xms/Environment/Recycling-and-Waste

Work Cited

Dilevic, Andrew."Oceans of Plastic" maritime-executive.com. Acessed November 14th 2016.http://maritime-  

                      executive.com/blog/oceans-of-plastic

Roney, Luke." By 2050, our oceans will hold more plastic than fish"January 25, 2016http://www.usatoday.com

                       /story/news/2016/01/24/oceans-more-plastic-than-fish/79267192/

"Marine Pollution" national geographic.com.http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/explore/pristine-

                     seas/critical-issues-marine-pollution/

"Help Us Keep the Festival of Whales Clean and Green"festivalofwhales.com. Accessed November 15th 2016.    

                        http://festivalofwhales.com/clean-and-green/

" OCEAN PLASTICS POLLUTION:A Global Tragedy for Our Oceans and Sea 

                      Life"www.biologicaldiversity.orghttp://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns

                      /ocean_plastics/

"Pollution In Our Oceans"marinesavers.com.

                        http://marinesavers.com/2016/02/pollution-in-our-oceans/

"What is Ocean Pollution?"www.conserve-energy-future.com.

                     http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-ocean-

                      pollution.php