Spirited Away

As a nation we all participate in daily consumption of food, clothing, shelter and some sort of transportation. to survive. We are destroying our environment with waist. On average Americans disposed over 200,000 tons of edible food daily. Pollute our air and water, destroy our forest, just so we can drive the newest car or have the latest crafted oak furniture We use top soil to build malls, so people can consume even more. In "The shadows of Consumption, Peter Dauvergne explain the coast of consumption by globalized corporations, trade, and finance." (Dauvergne, Peter. The Shadows of Consumption: Consequences for the Global Environment. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008. ).

Hope is what you dream about coming true in your life. The film Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont is a story about a man called Andy Dufresne. Being convicted for the murder of his wife and her lover. Now he has to live his life in Shawshank prison for the rest of his life. Despite this, Andy tries to make the prison a better place by giving hope to the prisoners. Andy does this by giving beers to his fellow prisoners, plays music throughout the whole prison, and finally builds a library. I will be discussing film techniques for each example.

For example if everyone would do their part in recycling or conserving energy/water, that could change the whole outlook of global pollution, because if every single person would do their part we would be able to save energy or water. So if everyone would do their part in trying to conserve resources or not be as greedy, we would all be able to share resources without having to go into war. If people weren’t so greedy with diamonds in Sierra Leone, that war could have been shortened or even prevented. Greed is something that is very hard to prevent because people automatically become greedy and don’t know when they become greedier, but I feel, as though greed is always the cause of everything. (Axworthy, 2015) If we could all be happy with what we have and share things we don’t need then we would all have what we need and maybe even more left over to enjoy. Being involved with something that has a bigger meaning helps people feel as though they are part of a bigger picture and could help people/countries get along

Society is a ferocious circle that continues to spin out of control. During one’s existence the speed in which society spins is self-inflicted and continues to surge. No matter where one exists within societies circle, one must realize they influence the vicious tug-of-war between supply and demand cycles. Greedy Americans cause issues for manufactures, big business, and the environment. Manufactures struggle with meeting government demands while maximizing production output. After all, consumer products generate mass revenue for business and the government. Society neglects to consider the environment as long as manufactures continues to provide. This type of behavior represents a win for consumers and Uncle Sam. Manufacturing businesses

Frances Lappe challenges the common misconception that consumerism is the main problem when it comes to destroying our planet. The first thing that Lappe sees that is wrong with this is that people won’t jump at this phrase, that this phrase won’t sell. People are most likely aware that as Americans we rely on the purchase of goods and services but people also believe that it is inevitable. If people think that consumerism cannot be avoided then they are not going to want to try and make a change. People also believe that life has always been this way, even though that is not the case, which makes them further believe that change is impossible.

The environment is delicate, just as are the relationships between nations. Cooperation is difficult to achieve and can often cause more harm than good. In the corporate world the individual lives in, it is difficult to find balance between the government's need for money and the basic need for salvaging the environment. If governments across the globe were to embrace the above ideology, there would be major issues. Society is greedy and consumer culture engulfs one’s thoughts. The individual would have to give up much of their freedom in consumption. Corporations and the consumer greatly influence the environment. Differing ideologies often drive one into argument rather than resolution. An activist would argue that consumer culture and North American society’s need for more is driving environmental impact up drastically. The consumer would argue that if the government thought of it as a major issue that they would have already intervened in the actions of corporations,

One American’s consumption of resources is equal valent to that of 35 Indians. Over a lifetime, the typical American will create 13 times as much environmental damage as the average Brazilian. Unfortunately, consumerism as a modern econo-political phenomenon contributes to abnormal waste and pollution, social discrimination, and lack of economical sustainability.

Since the global financial crisis hit the world in 2007, more and more people, families and households are experiencing tough times financially and more and more ways are being found to live, thrive and survive in difficult times. Combined with a drive to live a greener and more sustainable existence, more people are combining frugal lifestyles with greener, more responsible consumerism.

There's a quote by Gandhi that says “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” This is relevant is because Industrial companies are consistently trying to find more ways to take from the environment in order to gain profit and it’s causing dramatic effects on our world. Take for example, oil drilling and fracking. Industrial companies try to justify these actions by saying "the ends justify the means" and many choose to just ignore what's happening because of the desire for convenience, but it's becoming more obvious that if we keep these practices up it will mean devastating results. The way greed affects our environment and wildlife should concern us because these are luxuries we cannot live without.

The way forward is regulating the industries on how they release their wastes to the environment that needs to be set at a standard rate that does no harm to the environment. For example when industries gases to the environment this leads to air pollution and the concentration that they release to the environment is set by regulatory companies. When they surpass this concentration levels the industries need to face penalties because the pollution is harmful to the environment and may cause respiratory diseases to people.

We have been living in a constant cycle of hypocrisy. We tweet, share, comment, and like everything that we can that has to do with saving the planet; however, after one gets done using the unnecessary electricity to power their smartphone, do solar panels charge their phone? Does everyone purposefully take short showers? Are all citizens buying locally sourced fruits and vegetables? Are there compost stations in all households? Has our government put taxes on non-reusable plastics and Styrofoam? There is an endless list of things that we can do to help the environment; however, most people are disregarding those things. Some people are ignorant to man made environmental factors, like climate change, which is leading to the destruction of our natural resources. The recently captured image of a woman on a beach exposes the growing ignorance of our society to our dying natural environment.

It is a known fact that taste in movies is something that is different for every person. But that doesn't mean people can't agree on anything in this matter.

Most big businesses and even the government believes that it gets in the way of profit and production. One person can minimize problems like hazardous waste and pollution. Most people believe that because they are one person they cannot help the environment, when they really can. People can pick up trash, not litter, re-use products, recycle, walk to places, take the bus or subway, or ride a bike. The earth also needs the government and big business’ help when it comes to earth quakes, oil spills, endangered species, etc. These problems require the actions of big groups and the government. Doing service to your environment will really make a difference. Taking action in your community can make a difference in the future. You can help save the environment one step at a time.

No matter how many people are willing to make a difference, there will always be those who will not do their part to help the environment. For example if water prices go up, and people are fined for using too much water, those who are wealthy will most likely not care. They will still be building large pools, and keeping their lawns clean because they can and they want to. Another problem is that, although water conservation is important, so is sanitation, there is only so many times we can recycle water, before it becomes unsanitary. People also enjoy conveinice. Time is money. Therefore, with their busy and chaotic lives, esspecially with families and careers, people will be reluctant to change and adapt their livestyles to save the environment. This will take time, and depend on whether or not people will ultimiately want to put effort into making a difference.

The Prestige is a movie that shows the rivalry between magicians Alfred “The Professor” Borden and Robert “The Great Danton” Angier. Their struggle is expressed through class warfare: Borden as The Professor, a working-class magician who gets his hands dirty, versus Angier as The Great Danton, a classy, superior showman whose accent makes him appear American. Obsession, secrecy, and sacrifice increase the battle, as both magicians contribute their fair share to a deadly duel of one-upmanship, with disastrous results.