Social Change through Social Media Project

For my project I decided to follow the destruction of our aquatic and oceanic ecosystems and marine life. This is a huge issue in the United States and across the world. Introducing foreign species into an unnatural habit, pollution, overfishing and the slaughtering of whales, dolphins and sharks. In using social media to address these issues I am going to find different videos, articles, causes, blogs, pages, and other tools that people are using to spread awareness and initiate change and post them on my own social networking sites. I am going to send invitations to my friends on various causes and see how much I can affect the growth of them.

The videos and groups that I have "liked" on my facebook page has already gotten attention from many of my friends. People have commented and "liked" the issues I have been writing about. This issue is important to me because I admire, respect and cherish our lakes, oceans, and rivers across the world. Scuba diving was like being in a whole different world, a mysterious world full of species I never even knew existed. It's incredible to be 80 feet below the surface of the water and still look underneath you only to find a dark blue abyss.

Can you imagine what our waters will look like in 20 years if we keep going at this same rate of destruction? The oceans would be polluted, desolate and eerie without the marine life we have today. It is important to eat fish that are caught in an eco-friendly manner with as little by catch as possible and it should be regulated just as the hunting season is. People need to learn that bringing foreign species into a place they don't belong will ultimately kill the native population. The most obscene of these things that needs to stop is the slaughtering of dolphins, whales and sharks. Killing for sport is unnecessary and inhumane and if enough people stand against it there is possibility for change.

When Disaster Strikes

"Disputes, competition and the lack of coordination among local, state, and federal governmental agencies and between those agencies and privately controlled media can add confusion" (Research on Disaster Response and Recovery). This quote couldn't be more true of the way the government functions and its efficiency in coordinating together how to prepare for disaster so that we can be ready when it hits. Each one of these entities contradicts the other when it comes to announcing evacuation plans that no one knows what to follow? Businesses further confuse their employees when the refuse to release them due to emergency situations. I think its terrible that employers would make people put their life on the line to keep their job.

In some ways I think the news has lost a lot of credibility with its readers. People are now choosing the information they hear over social media sites, from their friends or family, or weigh their decisions based on past experiences rather than what they hear from the media.

It's also interesting that victims are first assisted by the people around them until emergency personnel is able to get to the area effected. The media has made people think lawless, violent behavior is prominent when disaster strikes. When really, people tend to be more sympathetic and helpful in promoting the safety of others and the rebuilding of their community.