Fresh Watershed.

1.       What fresh water sources are around you (home, school, work)?

A fresh water sources that is  around school is the San Diego River.
2.       What watershed are you in?

Tijuana Watershed.

3.       Where does your tap water come from?

Tijuana Estuary, Tijuana River, Cottonwood Creek, Pine Valley, Campo Creek, Barrett Lake, Lake Moreno.
4.       Where does your waste water (sewage) go? The Tijuana River.

Beets in the hood:

Quote: " Technically, these farms are still organic- they don't use chemical fertilizers. But is something really sustainable if the natural fertilizer must travel such distance or come from feedlots, the apotheosis of unsafe, unsustainable production?"

Questions: This phrase from " Beets in the hood" made me question whether most so called natural fertilizers are actually natural and sustainable. Would traveling and coming from feedlots cause the fertilizers to become contaminated and unnatural?

Comments: I guess what the article is trying to convey is that fertilizers can not be natural and sustainable if they travel extreme distances and are exposed to a variety of chemicals that are in the air.

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Veg-o-might:

Quote: "Going vegan, she explains, should have no effect on the performance of normal athletes, provided they eat a balanced diet. But bodybuilders' diets are anything but balanced: when they are bulking up, they consume between 1.5 and 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. That's a ridiculous amount, nestle says, about twice whats recommended for strength training athletes and enough to cause chronic kidney problems."

Questions: since bodybuilders consume twice the amount of protein recommended which can cause kidney problems, how long would it take for such health issues to arise? Would it take years or would ones body be at risk from the start?

Comments: I didnt know that there was a such thing as too much protein. This article is bringing awareness to readers and allowing us to become familure with what is considered healthy and what is not.


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This little piggy goes home:

Quote: "Only meat from USDA-inspected slaughterhouses can be sold across state lines or on a retail basis (including at farmers markets and restaurants) in the 25 states without their own inspection systems, like California and New York.

Questions: What happens if meat that is not USDA inspected is sold? Has there ever been a case where meat was sold or served in restaurants and was not inspected before hand?

 Comments: I learned from this article that the meat industry is more complicated and complex than I thought. There are a lot of safety rules and regulations that are involved that a lot of us don't think about.

Organisms & Soil.

1.) What organisms would you find and what would they be doing?
The multiple  living organisms that you might find living in the soil are protozoa, bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates (insects with no spines.) These organisms could me doing multiple things, such as re-producing, or fighting each other off. The organisms could act differently depending on the season.

2.) How would they be interacting with one another? 
I would assume that many of the organisms that would be found in the soil might be re-producing with one another or helping each other find food, as well as fighting with one another for food and nutrition.

3.) What do you think the mineral content of the soil would look like? 
I am guessing that the soil would be rich and healthy looking and that it would contain alot of nutrients that would help plants grow and harvest.
4.) What would the benifets be of such soil composition?  The benifets would be that the plants would have a lot of nutrition to help and allow them to grow. When soil is rich and healthy it is a alot easier to harvest than it would be if the soil did not provide the plants with the nutrients that are needed. It is important that the soil in which one is planting in, is rich and contains nutrients. It is also important that the soil is watered and remains moist.

Sprout Robot.

Peas.

Sort of plant: Vegetable.
Peas contain vitamins A, C, and K (which is good for the blood system.) Peas general do well in cooler seasons and germinate in about 2 weeks. When planting peas it is found to be helpful to use poles since peas are a vine and can grow up the poles. The poles are used to create a pyramid and the seeds are to be placed at the bottom. In order for the peas to grow properly they must be placed at least an inch apart in rows of 8-10 inches. The PH needs to be between 5-7 and the NPK should be about 5-10-10. You want to make sure that you do not over water, but keep moist! Its companion plants are eggplant, beans, and spinach.
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Carrots.

 Sort of plant: Vegetable.

Carrots contain 92% carbohydrates, 5% proteins, 5.3 calories, 41% vitamin A (good for eyesight.) 11% vitamin C and 2% vitamin K. Carrots can grow year around in both warm and cold climates. They require 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. When planting, make sure that small holes are dug about 12 inches apart and that a seed is placed per inch. You also want to make sure that that soil is cultivated, if not the carrots may not grow properly. Watering is very important! The soil must be moist at all times. Its companion plants are strawberries, beats and cucumbers.
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Spinach.

Sort of plant: Vegetable.
Spinach helps cholesterol and contains vitamin A,.C, and E. It also contains iron, calcium, potassium and zinc. Spinach grows best in cold weather and has a 5- 12 germination period. It takes 40-50 days to harvest. To help it grow, it is.recommended that mulch is placed around the plant to help contain its moisture within the soil. PH should be between 6-7, and NPK should be between 3-2-1. This required frequent watering. 1-2 inches per week. Its companion plants are celery, caulyflower and eggplant.