#sci10

Dreary, Damp, Dirty (2016)

This week in Sci10 class, we mostly talked about the growing population and pollution in the Philippines. I made this series/triptych in reflection of my experience when I first moved to the Philippines for university two years ago.

Dreary was the environment of the whole city. I honestly hated it and continuously thought to myself that I don’t want to stay here alone. I wanted to go back to my desert paradise in Bahrain. But now I want to contribute to how we can help improve crowded urban spaces. One attempt I have as of yet is being a part of abodeco, a hult prize competitor, in their design team and video production. They are currently tackling crowded urban spaces and I’m learning how to help and spread the word.

Damp was the feeling of a dry and wet cough stuck in my lungs. I got sick at the end of last last year because of my weak immune system. My lungs were too weak and whenever I’d commute all the way to Pasay, to OWWA, to submit my monthly scholarship reports, I’d come back home with rashes and a newly earned illness. I had my blood tested multiple times and was a mess, I had to deal with it alone. I wish the air was cleaner here. I wished so hard to the point that I escaped to Baguio alone during my Christmas break; I couldn’t take it.

Entry #6: Father Jett’s Note of Hope

Climate Change is an issue I am very interested about. I believe that remedying, reversing, and preventing climate change’s effects from worsening is something that should be on everyone’s top priority list. After all, it’s also us that is affected - future us, that is. In fact, my research paper for English 12 is concerning climate change and humanity’s seemingly lack of action and attention on the issue. 

I very much enjoyed Father Jett’s lecture on sustainability. He delved on the misconceptions, the current state that we’re in - which, surprise surprise, is bad - and, my favourite part, aside from Father being so witty and funny, Father’s “note of hope.”

Father Jett showed several graphs and figures that illustrated our very problem. He talked about Ateneo and how even if it’s already clean, is 10 units above of the recommended, or rather, amount of PM2.5. But Father Jett did not end with fear. Father Jett ended with a “note of hope.” According to most of my sources for my research paper, the problem with social media’s coverage of climate change that unfortunately leads to indifference instead of action, lies in the way social media frames the issue - that is, negatively. 

More often than not, climate change is presented as a threat, and just that. It is framed with strong emotions of fear and shock. And according to studies, this does not work for people. Instead of resulting into actions of changes, the average person will most likely become desensitised and indifferent towards climate change if social media continues to frame it negatively. According to Andrew Fiala, “in order to stimulate prompt and effective action with regard to the ecological crisis, it is necessary to paint a grim picture of the future. But if this picture is too grim, then it appears rational to do nothing… In order to take a problem seriously, one must perceive both that the problem is significant and that there is hope that it can be solved.”

To my wonder, that is just what Father Jett did. He gave us hope. He told us that there is still a chance for a better, more sustainable life should we act, step up a hill and see the whole picture. 

There should be hope. In Father Jett’s words, “Fear is not sustainable. It will paralyse you. Love is sustainable.”

This week, the we discussed Nanotechnology and little big about nitration. After watching a documentary on it, we had to write a paper on the benefits of nanotechnology in the Philippines. It turns out that we've been harnessing nanotechnology for centuries without realizing it. From the stained glass panels in church art to the new graphene computer chips, they're all nanotechnology.