Journal Four-Young

Part I
     I read the article discussing the new Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and, to be frank, I was rather disgusted. In my mind, after considering the various lands and laws that this pipeline will violate, the fact that it is even in question amazes me. This pipeline will destroy land that is imperative to Native American heritage, wildlife reservations, and endanger the clean water sources for thousands of Americans-- it also violates more than one federal Acts. I believe that the monumental danger that this pipeline presents, and the fact that it is in blatant disregard of federal and local law, is not being given enough attention or gravity. In fact, the dangers of our dependence on fossil fuels in general are glossed over too often. I understand that this pipeline would make the processing of this oil cheaper and easier, but at what cost to the land? I also believe that this issue should spur the country on to consider cleaner sources of energy.
     This brings me to my activism issue of choice--clean energy, especially here at home in Ohio. I looked into solar energy specifically. This issue is so important to me because I believe that not only can solar energy be a valid, dependable substitute to fossil fuels, but that it can also grant normal people agency over their energy consumption. By this I mean that investing in solar panels, whether for businesses, schools, or residential homes, can grant local people control over their source of electricity, Exploring and expanding this field would also create a whole new market of jobs. I used the Solar Energy Industries Association website to look more into the issue--I was curious as to just how easy it was to actually install solar panels on a typical residential home. I found this site particularly helpful and I appreciated that it includes information on several panel installers and statistics about solar energy in general. It also breaks down information by state so that the facts and figures are specific to the area, which makes the aspect of solar energy seem almost personable, and very reachable.

David and Darlene Norman, residents of Clintonville, OH, with their 5.6 kW electric system purchased from Ecohouse Solar

Part II

     In our reading of Holding On, I found Lydia Emery's profile to be rather striking towards the end. Of course, she is amazing for the simple fact that she became a doctor during a time when women did not have much room to advance, especially academically. She is amazing for charging such small fees for her skilled services, knowing that it would ease some the financial strain of her clients. Yet, what I find most amazing about her is her position on women's rights and monetary equality--that they are not nearly as important as her work as a doctor.

     Emery told Issay about another female doctor, a peer of hers, that disagreed with how much she charged for her fees. This other doctor said that Emery was "projecting the wrong image" of women in the medical field because she did not charge as much as male doctors might. Emery responded to this, "But I was very upset by that, because to me, medicine should be a measure of what you're doing, now how much money your're making". The fact that she didn't see this as a gender rights situation was the ultimate view of equality to me--she wasn't worried about not making as much as a man, she was worried about taking care of her patients. It was a statement that made feminism irrelevant in the face of a larger, more important issue.