Kristina Kabadaeva

I researched the topic smart thermostats and found out how much better they are for our environment because they save energy. Most thermostats need manual operation or preset programming and research has shown that people can struggle to do either one correctly. I found out that smart thermostats eliminate that problem which results into much more predictable energy savings. Another thing that I found out was that the first smart thermostat came out in 2011, the Nest and it was made by a former iPhone team of engineers. The smart thermostat uses sensors and algorithms to help the thermostat learn your routines. Also, smart thermostats can detect the presence's of the people inside the building. The most interesting fact that I learned was that nine percent of the energy used in the United States is from people using thermostats for heating and cooling. This was what I found out and this was the most interesting fact that I found out. 

I researched the transport solution hybrid cars and found out that in the year of 2013 1.3 million hybrid cars came off of the assembly lines. A hybrid car has an electric motor, a battery, and a internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine in the car doesn't move the car forward like the traditional car but it turns the generator that charges the battery which powers the electric motor that is in the car which moves the car forward. Another thing I learned is that electric cars are good for the city and that they can keep a cars air conditioning and other things going even when stopped at a traffic light. Also, I learned that hybrid cars catch the kinetic energy that is usually released as heat during breaking and make it into electricity once again which make the engine's performance much better and more efficient. The most interesting fact that I learned is that the Chevrolet Volt could accomplish on average about 150 miles per gallon. This is what I found out for my topic and this was the most interesting fact that I learned. 

The factors that influence my choice of transportation are time, convenience, money, safety, and comfort. The reason why all of these things are on my list is because I want to be able to travel quickly from one place to another so I'm not late for occasions, I want to be able to get up and leave whenever I want and not have to wait at a stop, I want to be able to afford my transportation because then I could use it in everyday life, I want the transportation to be safe because I don't want to be risking my life, and finally I want the transportation to be comfortable because sometimes I might be spending a lot of time traveling so I don't want to be cramped. What would need to change for me to regularly choose more climate friendly transportation options such as the high speed rail is definitely the price and location because while I was doing my research I found out that traveling on a high speed rail is really expensive and also there are no high speed rails in the U.S which prevents me from using them. This was my response to the reflection question.  

I researched one food solution that fell under the category of demand-side solutions and it was composting.  What I found out is that half of the solid waste in the world that is produced is biodegradable which means that it could be composted but most of it ends up in landfills where it decomposes and produces a deadly gas called Methane. Even though most landfills do take action in managing the deadly gas it would be much better to divert the organic waste to composting. Also, another thing I found out is the process of composting which is "ensuring sufficient moisture, air, and heat for soil microbes (bacteria, protozoa, and fungi) to feast on organic material." Another thing that I learned is that in 2009 San Francisco passed a law that made composting the city's food waste a requirement. Finally, the most interesting fact that I learned was that Copenhagen Denmark has not thrown any organic waste in their landfills for over twenty-five years. This is what I found out about composting and this was the most interesting fact that I learned.  

Expiration dates are very important because they tell you up to when the food is good to eat and when it has went bad. Use by means that that date is the final day before the product goes bad. Sell by is a suggestion that tells you that it is best if you buy the product before the date labeled but it doesn't mean that the food has spoiled even if you buy the product after the date suggested. Finally, best by is also a suggestion and its suggestion is you should eat the food before the date printed on it for the best quality.  Now that I know the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates it empowers me to make better decisions when I'm at the grocery store and when I see something that I want to eat because now I will think about its expiration date. Sometimes, when shopping you might buy too much food to eat and by the time you get to it it will have expired and it will go to waste. This is how knowing about expiration dates has empowered me to make better decisions.