My group has to do a project on active world virtual appliance as a classroom enviromentI've done some research on it but still dont understand it- any suggestions?
Watch An inconvientent TruthIt was made by Al GoreIt shows everything we do and the conscequencesIt will give you a new outlook on going green and what you can do to helpHere are a few things you can do 1New appliances (old appliances uses freon, which is harmful to the envirnoment, so recycle your old fridge)2Shut off the lights during the daylight hours, or when you aren't in a room3Instead of driving everywhere, buy a bicycle or a mopedMoped's can get up to 120 mpgThey are green4Spread the word! 5Use solar energy or wind energyIf you produce more energy than you use, the electric company HAS to buy your electric from you at the current going rate6Put your computer in sleep mode and turn it off at night7Recycle your bottles and cansYou already pay the deposit, so why not get YOUR money back? Also, it is all recycled, so we don't have to mine for more minerals8Get your community involvedSome ideas are to put a big box by the roads with a sign to leave all recycleablesPeople will drop stuff offAlso, talk to you local school and businesses to see if they are recycling paper and other products
You may know more about it than I do, but from what I see on their web site, they have created a computer program that provides a background and working environment that operates over the internet to allow people, represented as avatars, to interactIf it functions as I would expect, it should allow creation of special environments, such as the moon, Mars or underwater that allow students to do experiments as if they were thereIt could also use equipment that could not be brought to a school, such as cranes, bulldozers, etc In a simple sense, it is like a computer model that puts a spot on the screen and you set the gravity, set the mass, and hit it with a force and see how far it goes on the screen which is determined by formulas for movement (FMA) and gravitational fallingInstead of the student manipulating the program variables directly, the world is presented as a realistic graphic display in which objects of different weight are discovered (say in a cabinet) or delivered (matter transporter or synthesizer) and usedThe computer follows real world rules Depending on the complexity of the world, it might be possible to build towers until they collapse, bridges that sag, etcIn any given world, there is usually some limit to the calculations, for example, I found on the internet a demonstration of a program that would allow objects to bounce off the wall and float in a pool with real looking waves and proper sinking to floating pointBut when I asked about changing the viscosity of the liquid, say to that of motor oil or alcohol, that wasn't in the program I blow glass as a hobby and when I looked at the modeling of gathering molten glass, keeping it on the pipe by turning while the viscosity changes as it cools, etc., it quickly became obvious that great computing power would be requiredSee the second source[Later: I went and downloaded the Active Worlds browserNeat!]
I believe that it is finally becoming mainstream because it has lost it's hippie stigmaWe are more practical about ways to go more earth friendlyFor a long time there were few products that were made in a sustainable way, so to be earth friendly you had to eat tofu and wear stiff hemp clothingThanks to all who have lived the life for decades we created great products and idea that can fit into a normal life style Al Gore might get a lot of grief for the move Inconvenient Truth, but it opened many peoples eyes to the mess we have created.
I've been green since the 70's so it has always been popular for meNow, most folks are finally starting to believe that we can't keep polluting this planet without some dire consequencesThis planet can take what we throw at it but we humans are going to suffer from our own mistakesSo, finally some folks are getting worried and have decided to do something and stop being so selfish and well, just plain stupidBut there are still many who think we don't need to do a thing and nature will take of itself - yes she will and it's not going to feel good! We should be doing everything we can so we don't have to watch ALL our friends and family die from cancer and other pollution related diseasesThanks for joining the greening! Good luck!
It's popular because people are starting to worry about future generationsUnfortunately green living has become an excuse to spend more money and consume more productsIf you are buying a brand new dining room set, you are still consuming resources, even if is made from sustainable bambooReducing consumption is the key, and it's not just fixing leaky pipes or using cloth bags (although it is a GREAT start and everyone should be doing it)We have to reduce consumption on a grander scaleOne thing would be to go vegetarian and have fewer kidsNO couple needs to intentionally have 3 childrenRegardless of how much money you have or how great your parenting skills are, the planet can not support itMeat is NOT a necessary part of the human dietThe body can get all it's protein and vitamins from a plant-based dietThe meat industry pollutes way more than any otherWe just need to address these major causes and not just the little baby steps.
