Electronic Waste: The Problem and Little bit of Solution

Electronic waste (e-waste) is modern society's elephant in the room. It is not difficult to notice- a quick think back to one's electronic history usually reveals several cell phones, televisions, mp3 players, and other formerly used electronic devices. I know that I have three phones, many game systems, and a few Ipods that have long been out of use. The attitude of the culture is to instantly pursue the next phone upgrade as soon as it comes out. People wait in lines for days to be the first ones to purchase a new Iphone and other devices. Also, new devices are being upgraded so quickly that people may be buying a new phone yearly. This does not even mention the extra phones that one may have to buy when their old ones break. Soon enough, even the most patient and careful of electronic device owners is buying a new phone or tablet every few years. Will people just continue this trend for the rest of their lives? Pretty soon, these devices begin to stack up, and what do we do about it? We get more electronics, ignoring the problem. Before we know it, we go from filling cans of e-waste to filling landfills of the stuff. Then what happens when the landfills fill up? This equation is not a winning one for the world- all these factors add up to about 20-50 million tons of e-waste produced each year.

Many of these issues are common predicaments shared with all garbage and man-made waste. However, e-waste is special in the fact that certain chemicals from e-waste are particularly dangerous. Many substances in e-waste can become very hazardous when added to an environment. Effects of this can lead to disease for humans, as well as a major disruption to the ecosystem. Arsenic can cause skin disease as well as lung cancer. Barium can damage the heart, liver, and spleen. Mercury causes brain and liver damage. There are countless other dangerous chemicals, and many of them spread through the air. Thus, every electronic device thrown away makes the world a little more dangerous place.
Note: Here is the info for the chemicals: http://ewasteguide.info/hazardous-substances

What is the solution to this world-threatening issue? Well, there may be no panacea that will solve this whole complicated problem. However, recycling could be a huge help to limiting the e-waste. It is currently possible to recycle your waste, but it is ineffective and not widely done. Often, people do not even know how to recycle their goods. It is not like a truck comes and picks up the waste. Even if people do attempt to find out how to recycle, they may have to pay in order to recycle larger items such as televisions. Recycling needs to become more easily accessible. Without this, it will never become more widespread. I think that the technology companies should head this front. They should make campaigns to raise awareness about e-waste, and make recycling a common occurrence. Also, technology companies need to further utilize recycling goods. This may be possible with new advancements such as this 3D printer based on e-waste: http://3dprintingindustry.com/2015/01/21/tanzania-e-waste-3d-printers/
This device allows for companies to use the recycled waste for raw material to be used to print other goods. This would not only make great used of the e-waste, but also sharply reduce the price of the products that are made with the printer. This is not only a great advancement for the environment, but also a great economic one as well. Research such as these can greatly help the world overcome the problems presented by the gluttony of e-waste that we produce every day.

Communication, One of The Most Important Parts of Coaching Sports

As I get older, I have begun to look back and reminisce about the events and people that have shaped my life. Many of my fondest memories are those that I have made when I was playing and practicing sports. From the good times to the bad, I always look back on how much influence that certain people have had on me in sports, and in life in general. Some of the most influential people, good and bad, that I have encountered in my life, have been my coaches. My coaches have, for the most part, shaped the person that I am today, each using different types of communication.

Communication is defined as the exchange of ideas/thoughts from a sender to a receiver. In coaching, one must use communication at every moment to ensure that one's team understands the tasks and goals that the coach has laid out. Communication is not just speaking to the team, but also can be shown through Non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can consist of physical appearance, proxemics (space and territory), paralanguage (everything in the vocal channel except the actual words), and other types of non-verbal communication. Each of these is just as important as the other for a coach to be successful.

In an article titled, What Communication Means for a Coach, I have found many interesting things that relate successful coaching to communication skills. Some of the topics that this article discusses are about sending and receiving messages, non-verbal and verbal channels, content and emotional impact, and sending effective messages. Each of these concepts are very important in coaching. A coach must learn to communicate with everyone in a way that will motivate them, but not in a way that will discourage anyone. A coach must also learn that different types of communication work differently on different types of people. One person may respond well to criticism, while this may break a separate person down. A coach needs to give off an encouraging and strict mantra, while also being a figure that an athlete can confide in and trust. Being a successful coach can be very difficult and takes time to learn the proper communication techniques.

Personally, I have had great coaches in my life as a wrestler. From youth wrestling with my dad as a coach, to club and varsity wrestling, I have always had great coaches. Of course, my father was my favorite coach, meanwhile, he was also the most effective. Whenever I was working out with him in the room, he understood how to communicate with me to get the best out of me. He pushed me to my limits and helped me develop a stellar work ethic. We had great chemistry and that is why I believe that we had such great communication. It is difficult to have that good of a rapport with other coaches, however, over time it can be done. Coaches have to understand how to communicate with each individual and learn to get the best out of everyone to be successful. This task can be difficult, but that is why the best coaches in the world make millions of dollars!
What Communication Means for a Coach

How Non-Verbal Communication Makes a Difference

 Communication is such a complex topic. Anything can be used to communicate to one another. Communication has evolved and it certainly has become part of our daily life and is something that we need in order to survive. Communication keeps us connected to others and allows us to develop relationships with others. In class we learned that communication is unavoidable and it is multi-channeled. We can send multiple messages at the same time using body language, gestures, tone of voice, and facial expressions. The process of communication requires a sender, a receiver, a message, and a medium. The medium does not always have to be words.

Non-verbal Communication is a way or medium in which we can send messages to one another. Physical appearance which can be how a person is dressed, body type, ethnicity, gender, and is usually the first thing we notice. Proxemics include space and territory which is similar to haptics which are the ways in which we communicate with touch. Kinesics involve movement and describes how we communicate with posture and facial expression i.e. feelings, mood, emotion, and eye contact. Paralanguage is everything in the vocal channel except the actual words; tone of voice, pitch, and accent. I found a video that I enjoy watching often because it is full of excitement and nonverbal behaviors there are some words in the video but the non-verbal behavior that the one of the little girls show hits every category of nonverbal communication that we discussed in class. This is a link to a video of Sophia Grace and Rosie on the Ellen Show and it shows Sophia Grace freaking out when meeting Nicki Minaj. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9573kGBtuE. The first thing that one would notice before starting the video would be the way the two little girls are dressed. Physical appearance is shown through their apparel. They have on very cute, pink, and fluffy tutus. This communicates to us that they are young and innocent little girls. Also the clothes that they wore gives us insight into their personality. Para-language is shown throughout the whole video clip. Sophia shouts and screams in a high pitched voice. She jumps in excitement whenever Ellen gave her a complement at the very beginning. Also her emotion and mood tells us that she is really ecstatic. She has so much energy and it’s hard for her to contain it. We can talk about proxemics and haptics when Nicki Minaj comes out. As soon as Ms. Minaj comes out Sophia runs to her screaming and gives her a big hug but she is not invading her space because Minaj does not mind. Even after she stops hugging her she continues to scream because she is so happy that she got to meet her, Even the audience is contributing nonverbal communication by screaming, clapping, laughing, and crying. They are showing that they are happy that Minaj is there and that they enjoyed being able to share this experience with the two little girls.

Nonverbal communication is just as important as the words themselves. Nonverbal communication allows us to send and receive messages to and from others conveying what we are thinking or feeling without words. I could not imagine having a conversation in person without using gestures or facial expressions because it makes a difference. It would be hard to get my point across and the conversation would be so boring.

Obsolete technology the good and bad.

Obsolete technology is a term that is constantly receiving additions to its definition. Every day some former technological advancement is becoming obsolete and replaced by the newest upcoming tech. When thinking about obsolete technology what are a few things you think of? The first thing I think of is corded or rotary phones. When growing up I would see these in my grandparent’s house and even by the age of about 6, they were obsolete. Everyone has a cordless phone for a landline now, and if they don’t it’s because even those are becoming obsolete and people are using cell phones only instead of landlines.

In class we talked about technologies that were used in the past for communication that are now obsolete, the main one being the telegraph replaced by the telephone. At the time of this technology coming out it was top of the line and very important to its generation.  Nowadays no one uses a telegraph and even telephones are used less with the invention of texting and instant messages. With cellphones taking over for both of those inventions what will come next? Another example from class was the dial up modem. Most everyone has a decent form of Wi-Fi or Internet connection on their phone now that there is no need for that useless annoying sounding modem anymore, which was a slow as could be. Other small things that years ago were used every day have become obsolete and we don’t even think about them anymore. How many people still have a tape player in their car and if you do I’m sure you only use it to connect your iPod. Hardly any people even use CDs, which were the invention that replaced the tape player. Now everyone has their music digitally with mp3 players, which are also becoming less and less common because music is kept on our smart phones. Smart phones themselves have made many different technologies obsolete by being combined conveniently into one. From the article I read of 22 Technologies the People Thought Would Last Forever, there is a list of inventions that are now obsolete. From that list 10 of them became extinct because they were all single featured items that are just one feature of a smartphone. Some examples are media storage, maps, digital cameras, and the basic landline.

With new technology emerging every day we are becoming more and more connected with everything we do. This new technology allows communication at all times and solves many day-to-day life problems, but what is the price? With all this new technology we are left with the problem of getting rid of these obsolete materials. Most of the new electronics are made up of metals, plastics, and glass that are not safe to just be thrown away. Most end up in landfills and there is no were to really put it all. Those massive tube TVs and computers from the late 90’s are like metal boxes that just waste space in landfills now. According to dosomething.org, which is an organization who campaigns to eliminate e-waste, 70% of Americas overall toxic waste comes from the lead found in e-waste landfills. Some other organizations like EPA have come to notice this and have started programs that allow the recycling of your old phones and other out dated electronics. This is only one of the main problems we face with having new technology pushed towards us daily. Moving forward with technological advances makes or lives easier yet we must look at the downsides of having obsolete materials in our world.

https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-e-waste

http://io9.com/25-obsolete-technologies-that-future-generations-will-n-1526922030

Nonverbal comunication

So I like to find the funny things in life so I went to YouTube for my Blog research. I found a video from Comedians Key and Peele. Keegan is texting Peele about meeting up at the bars, and because you don't get as many social cues in a text message things get heated. Keegan things that he is arguing with his Peele. While Peele thinks he is just having a friendly conversation with Keegan about meeting up at the bars.  Text messages cuts off some of the channels we use to communicate. With a text I could receive something that say's "You wanna go" Like in the video. It can be taken as "Do you want to fight" or as "Do you want to go the bar right now?" So you lose a sense of expression. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine over text and she began to be sarcastic over text but I and read that over text. So I thought she was really mad at me, then I begin to argue with her. I came to find out she was serious then I realized what had happened in our conversation.

We were lacking nonverbal communication, which is essential for an effective conversation. We are missing our elements of nonverbal communication when we text. We are missing proxemics which is how close we are to people while we talk with them, kinesics which is our body movements. Which can be anything from facial expressions, to hand gestures and eye contact. All very important for communicating, out facial expressions communicate emotions, eye contact expresses interest in what the other person was saying, it represents respect and lets the person talking know that you are listening to them. You lose paralanguage which is voice inflection, tone, pace, and pitch which all add meaning and depth to what you are saying. The last thing you lose with texting is haptics which is our sense of touching, which conveys affection or commands attention. If you have a friends who is going through a hard time, and you are texting. You cannot give them a hug or touch their shoulder to show them you care or are here for them.

In the article I found it begins by talking you back to childhood, when your mother gave you a look and you knew you were in trouble. Even without her talking the child knows that he better straighten up and behave. Then it goes into talking about how nonverbal communication can sometimes be negative because it can be misinterpreted. Like we learned in lecture it is ultimately all up for your personal interpretation. Say we are having a three person conversation. I could be trying to convey one point and he might interpret that view point differently from me and from the other person.  But If I use effective nonverbal communication it is more likely that we will all be on the same page. Then the article reemphasizes how nonverbal communication enhances a conversation and adds clarity.

 

Article : http://www.livestrong.com/article/123418-nonverbal-communication-affect-relationships/

 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naleynXS7yo

 

Our Inability to Not Interpret

Being able to detect and interpret facial expressions and body movements can make or break your understanding of a message someone is trying to communicate to you, and vice versa effect the message you are trying to send out. But how does if effect your communication if you cannot technically see these emotions and behaviors?

A 2009 study shows that those who are blind, not because their eyes aren't functioning but because of brain trauma to the part of the brain that interprets what we see, can unconsciously respond to emotions shown to them. Imagine being able to see but not being able to mentally understand, interpret and respond to images. That is what it is like to be these people.

In this study, described by this article, the "blind" were shown images of happy and upset people on both sides of their faces - shown once on the side of the face that wasn't "blind" then on the other side that was- and the side that was actually interpreted the images faster. This is because these subjects were lacking the component of their brains that sees an image then thinks about what it means before responding. This study showed that being empathetic is innate and subconscious at times, even to those who legally cannot see. Even though the parts of their brains that were in charge of interpreting visuals was damaged to the point of no return, other parts of their brain chipped in to analyze the emotions they were seeing. After analyzing, the subjects' faces twitched in the exact spot distinctly associated with smiling. Therefore, being empathetic and showing emotions back to people is something that is a part of us regardless of brain damage.

To further prove this, when we are first born all we have to understand the world are our senses. We have not yet gathered enough experience to base our actions and thoughts off individual perspective because we are still learning. When babies are shown two faces, one angry and one happy, and then hear a happy tone of voice, they will immediately turn to the face that looks happy.

Therefore, when we communicate with people and they show emotions, purposely or not, we have an internal, unconscious reaction that we cannot help. Minus those with forms of autism or behavioral issues, most people can easily interpret someone's emotions and behaviors without putting too much perspective-and-experience-related thought into it. That is where most communications fail, in my perspective; when we put too much thought into a smile or an angry stare, as if there are hidden meanings. But, at the same time, when someone is hiding something it's even harder for us to fully understand unless we tap into the experience related perspective, because deep inside our minds really want to believe the faces we see before us.

How can the Effectiveness of Your Communication Skills Impact Your Future?

Throughout most of my life, I had always been told that communication and the way you present yourself has a great impact on success in a future occupation. From elementary school through college, communication skills have been pounded into our heads. I remember the nervousness and restlessness getting up in front of the class to speak, and always finding ways to improve. While this aspect of communication skills is important, there is much more to communication than just this. Communication skills are important in everyday conversation with someone. The things you say, how you say it, and the way you present yourself can greatly impact a conversation.

One article I found discussing the importance of communication skills in the work place is from a website called Forbes, which you can find here. The author starts out with saying that all business professionals believe themselves to be good communicators, but asks the question if that is true or not. He then goes on to say that Warren Buffet once told a business class of his that good communication skills can boost your worth in business by fifty percent. That sounds pretty good to me. Although what he is talking about is written in context to directly relate to those in a business field, I believe the tips he gives applies to every occupation where a person has to interact with other people. The rest of the article is composed of a numbered list in which he gives his tips and opinions on how to further your effectiveness in communication.

One of the first things that jumped out at me in relation to this class was the concept of "aim to simplify rather than inject complexity." While discussing this tip, the author explains that simplicity will lead to focus and in turn, will produce clarity. One of the many things we discussed in lecture was the importance of striving for accuracy and clarity. If you're constantly trying to invoke some kind of a complicated mess in speaking, how are you supposed to get your point across to another person? This may cause inaccurate decoding by the receiver, and lead to a misunderstanding. This could be problematic in my cases, especially the work place. When being concise and to the point, you're creating a direct message path. Another interesting idea that the author discusses with this is that people will distrust what they don't understand. Distrust is not something you want in a conversation.

Lastly, there is one more relation to the article and our lectures. The last tip the author gives in the article is to "lead with empathy before your own perspective. This ties in the importance of active listening and understanding that others will have a different understanding of the words you're saying. A point he makes is to let others help you listen, rather than only listening with your own ears. This article does an excellent job of explaining the importance of communication skills, but also explaining how to improve on it.