1. Sustainability Freshman Inquiry Oct. 12, 2009 Jeff Fletcher

2. Logistics I Presentations last Wednesday? –Guest Presenter: Karen Kennedy (UASC) –Brian Kirk (Writing Center) Assignments –Hand back HW2 (End of Class) Grading 6 (original) + 10 (revision) + 2 (peer review) + 2 (self- review) –HW3 Typical Meal (Due this Wed.) –HW0 Attend an out of class, non LLC event (e.g., lecture, workshop, protest, film opening) and write a 1-2 page reflection summarizing main points/issues in presentation and connecting them to course themes. The event MUST BE approved by me beforehand. –Read for next Monday Omnivore 8 and 9 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, 2007. Reconciling livestock and environment.Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, 2007. Reconciling livestock and environment. –Proofreading Log

3. Logistics II Fieldtrip Week of Oct. 19 or Oct. 26 1-3 public transport—Any conflicts? Tryon Farms (link) Paid Internships! Did you get my email? –TOTAL of 5—two more coming in next couple of weeks Zoe Weil last Friday? Andrew Weil talk this ThursdayAndrew Weil –Free tickets Prior learning survey data Meals together. What’s a good time? Tuesday Breakfast or Lunch? Group discussions: what would help your participation?

4. Important Themes: Omnivore’s Dilemma National Eating Disorder Natures way vs. Industrial/Corporate way Omnivore's Dilemma Domestication by Humans; or Domestication of Humans We are corn Dramatic Increase in Corn Yields Corn anatomy and sex Changes to Farm Subsidies (1973)

5. We Are Corn C3 vs. C4 Grasses –Different photosynthesis biochemical pathways –C4 generally evolved later and have advantages: more efficient use of CO2 and water More drought tolerant Corn is a C4 Grass, more efficient that C3 –Carbohydrates Carbon 12 vs Carbon 13 –Periodic Table of ElementPeriodic Table of Element

6. Major Grass Grain Crops Wheat (C3) Corn (Maize) (C4) Rice (C3) Barley (C3) Sorghum (C4) Oats (C3) Millet (C3 & C4; different species) Rye (C3) Triticale (wheat & rye hybrid; C3)

7. Important Themes National Eating Disorder Natures way vs. Industrial/Corporate way Omnivore's Dilemma –What should I eat? What am I eating? Where did it come from? –Missing a narrow culture around food Domestication by Humans; or Domestication of Humans

8. Important Themes We are corn Dramatic Increase in Corn Yields –Hybrid vigor –Plant close together –Genetically identical—don’t compete Group selection of corn, chickens –GMO advances –Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer –Sun foods vs. petroleum foods Corn anatomy and sex

9. Industrial Fertilizer Modern miracle or modern scourge? Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer –Leftovers from munitions WWI –Fritz Haber (Haber-Bosch process) –Nobel prize 1920 –More than half of all fertilizer goes to corn –N2 in air (80%) is inert The explanation for 2/3 of human population—implications of changes?

11. Earth Relatively Closed System to Matter We don’t get any more atoms here on earth –We keep reusing the Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon atoms we have –Nature’s RecyclingNature’s Recycling Structure of these systems varies –N critical to proteins in living organisms and abundant in atmosphere, but mostly unavailable Depends on symbiotic relationship in plants with bacteria that “fix” nitrogen –O part of H20, C02, Carbohydrates (systems interconnected) Bodies burn carbohydrates -- Cn(H20)n (e.g. glucose C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H20 + Energy) Plants can do this backwards with sun for Energy! Similar to burning hydrocarbons (only C + H, i.e. methane=natural gas) CH4 + 202 = CO2 + 2H20 + energy –C lots of it, but relatively little of it is cycling in atmosphere Most of the carbon is stored in geologic deposits - carbonate rocks, petroleum, and coal - formed from the burial and compaction of dead organic matter on sea bottoms. The carbon in these deposits is normally released by rock weathering. Extraction and burning of fossil fuels alters this system