Deforestation in the Amazon

This picture represents the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.  The amazon is one of the most bio diverse places on the planet.  If we do not make an effort to change the current destruction of the amazon, about half of the worlds animals and plants will be gone or extremely threatened.  If deforestation continues on the rate that it is going, the Amazon will be gone by 2060.  From the years 2000 to 2006 an area nearly the size of the unites states has been lost to deforestation.  Think about all of the displaced animals that once roamed there.  The Amazon has monkeys, anacondas, fish, bats, manatees, dolphins, toucans and the thousands of other endangered species that are unique to this habitat.  In terms of size and diversity, the Amazon is the only rainforest we have left.  The Amazon is important to the entire world for so many reasons especially because it filters and reprocesses our harmful carbon dioxide output.  We get 20 % of our oxygen from the Amazon.  The Amazon effects global climate.  The rainforest exchanges vast amounts of water and energy with the atmosphere and by changing this we will be harming the earths natural balance.  The picture that I recreated is the Amazon that we need to protect. The trees have grown back in and animals such as toucans have come back to claim what was once theirs.  Now the Native peoples who have lived in the Amazon for thousands of years can live in peace as well. 

 By Cassie Steen

Original image citation: http://www.oneworldeducation.org/deforestation-amazon

At Arms Reach

My digital art remix focuses on social justice and reform. In the original ad, you see a gentleman selling veggies in a “veggie truck”. Interestingly, he is serving a little girl a bowl of broccoli dressed up in Ranch Dressing. Though the advertisement is well intended, I don’t believe it justifies the reality of what is happening in our communities. Needless to say, more often than not our children and families, from poorer and more urbanized cities are affected by limited, natural resources. Gardening may not be an option for folks due to little or no back yard space. Even if so, a lot of parents are working two-three shifts and are not able to prepare cooked meals for their children. Unfortunately, folks are left eating at the resources that they are surrounded by; inexpensive food chains, such as McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy’s (Note: A great Marketing Strategy). All while stores such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods, providing nutritional supplements are found miles away, a car ride away. Let’s face it; many have no means of transportation. So with that said, I thought it would be nice to transform this image by adding in a mix of cultural and urban city background, cost of veggies at an affordable rate, and resourceful information on the side of the truck. Truthfully, this truck would probably not be a “hit” with the kids but by adding the additional visuals on my image, I hope it speaks volumes on behalf of social justice and awareness regarding our natural resources.

By Yazmin

Original Image Citation: Hey Kids, It’s Veggies. The Oprah Magazine, Page 69.