Identifying Local Opportunities
Local Newspaper: https://www.gainesville.com/
1.
County repeals plastic bag and Styrofoam ban
On Tuesday, the Alachua County Commission repealed its
plastic bag and Styrofoam container ban with a vote of 4-0. The reasoning
behind this decision is due to threats made by the Florida Retailers Federation
to take legal action. The Alachua County Commission
The
problem with this story is the environmental impact that comes with allowing
the use of plastic bags. According to the EPA, Americans throw away an
estimated 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cup and uses 320-500 single use plastic bags
every year. An established law preventing the use of these materials could
significantly reduce the amount of pollution we see from day to day. This problem
can be felt by not only people, but animals and other sorts of wildlife. By
revoking the ban, more people will be able to buy and use these materials that
are extremely damaging to the environment.
2.
Gopher tortoise case: Charges dropped against RLR Investments
In this
story, the State Attorney’s Office dropped the 4 misdemeanor counts made
against RLR Investments LLC for the destruction of gopher tortoise burrows.
These charges were dropped once the company donated $500 to the Wildlife Alert
Fund and another $500 to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida.
This
story is a problem because it highlights the carelessness of major companies
when it comes to the protection of wildlife. It is essential for companies to
be held accountable for their actions so they are not destroying the animals
that are essential to our ecosystems, and if they are not reprimanded in some
way, they will continue to damage the environment. This situation is a problem
to the wildlife that is effected and it is important to both wildlife activists
and people in general, since a planet that is being destroyed also has negative
impacts on our lives.
3.
Jail officer charged in domestic incident
On
Wednesday morning, an Alachua County Jail detention officer Christopher
Hathcock was arrested on allegations of dating violence, as he was involved
with an altercation with a woman and proceeded to push her in the face. Later
on, it was noticed by many people that she was walking unusually and when she
was asked, she informed them of the incident. Once reported, Hathcock was
arrested.
The problem
in this story is the issue of people of power being corrupt or partaking in illegal
activities. This is a problem because many people around the world in the woman’s
position are too afraid to speak out against abusers when they are holding some
sort of position of authority. In this scenario, the people who have this
problem are the people that depend on the Justice system to keep them safe.
When it is filled with people who engage in behaviors such as battery (or
perhaps other horrible behaviors) it reduces the security of the people that need
them.
4.
Former dorm RA charged in battery at UF
In this story,
University of Florida student Ian Milaski was released from jail after being
arrested for charges of false imprisonment and battery. This took place in a
Weaver Hall dorm, and the situation is particularly suspicious since Milaski
was a dorm RA.
The
problem in the story is that it compromises the safety of the students and the
campus when University employees are committing violent crimes against the
students. In this case, Milaski has access to the living spaces of many young
women (being a resident assistant at the dorms). This problem is one that is
extremely important for both students on campus and their parents, who fear for
the safety of their children.
5.
Vaping-linked lung problems surface in Florida
In
several locations around Florida, (as well as the United States) people are
being affected by VAPI, otherwise known as Vaping Associated Pulmonary Injury. Vaping
has proven to cause harsh health issues due to chemical exposure and in some cases,
it has even caused death. Furthermore, e-cigarette companies are facing outrage
by individuals that are demanding regulation of these vaping devices for the safety
of the people.
The
problem in this story is that “vaping” is a trend that has become increasingly
popular over the years that is severely affecting the health of the individuals
who do it. Many individuals in Florida have been hospitalized and are extremely
ill and there is not enough being done to stop it. This is a problem for
current users of e-cigarettes as well as potential future users. This is
particularly important to University students because there is an increasing rate
of teenagers to young adults that are beginning to use these devices.
Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you regarding the article about VAPI, Vaping Associated Pulmonary Injury. This is a huge issue for people college aged and below considering the fact that they are not using the e-cig or Juul to weed themselves off of cigarettes but rather most often started vaping without ever have smoked a cigarette. I think there is an opportunity here for marketers and hospitals to stop vaping and let the population know that these injuries are directly related to vaping.
I like you choice of articles. The vaping linked to lung problem, i believe , is a huge deal. Especially on campus. So many young students can be permanently damaging themselves. The jail officer story is also very interesting to me. I know he was caught but image the amount that abuse their power and get away with it. There is a lot of improvements to be made with how officers are chosen and trained.
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