Week 8: the journey of lettuce

Today, I had a salad for dinner. I discovered that Arizona is the second largest producers in the lettuce industry in the United States and the state’s leading cash crop. 95% of the lettuce produced in Arizona is grown in the lower Colorado River and Gila River Valleys of Yuma County. The production begins with the lettuce seeds. Some seeds are first primed which is a controlled hydration process in which the amount of water the seeds have is controlled by osmoticum, polyethylene glycol. All seeds also undergo pellitizing. During pellitizing, individual seeds are coated with an inert material, usually diatomaceous earth. Priming and pellitizing the lettuce seeds both lead to a shortened shelf life compared to lettuce grown from non-treated seeds. The reason for priming and pellitizing the lettuce seed is that it shortens the germination time and synchronizes germination. Before planting the seeds, the land must be properly prepared. Lettuce grows best in level and well drained fields, so each season fields are laser leveled and deep chiseled. The chiseling breaks up the soil to encourage internal draining and helps to preclude detrimental salt accumulation in the soil. Next, rows are formed and beds are shaped. Finally, the seeds are ready to be planted. This is done with the use of a precision planter, a tractor with rubber belts with small holes spaced to drop a single seed in the precise position. The precision planter is able to plant 6 to 8 pounds per acre, resulting in a total of 20,000 to 26,000 lettuce plants. The plants must be irrigated with 38 to 50 inches of water per acre. The water is delivered via canals from the Colorado River or from the deep wells in Yuma. The plants are threatened by the high Arizona temperatures and are often cooled down with sprinklers that run continuously. Diseases and insects also threaten the production of quality lettuce, so a variety of pesticides and fertilizers are strategically applied to the plants during their growth. The process of germination to harvesting lasts 65 days, for fall harvests, or 120 days, for winter harvests, and the lettuce plants are ready for bulk harvesting. Bulk harvesters have different tasks. Working in groups of three, some harvesters follow wrapping machines, harvesting heads of lettuce not suited for field packaging, and will be used for prepackaged salads. Harvesters place high quality heads in cardboard bins that will be sent to fast food restaurants, but the majority of the harvest will be transported to salad plants. Once all of the heads have been packed, they are transported to a distribution center that also serves as a cooling unit that stores the lettuce at 35 degrees Fahrenheit. When lettuce is stored at this temperature, it increases the shelf life to 16 to 20 days but it is usually distributed within 1 to 2 days. The next stop on the harvested lettuce’s journey is to the salad plant where they undergo a value-added packaging process. They are sorted, washed with a dilute chlorine solution, chopped up for prepackaged and ready-made salads, and sealed in plastic bags. The value-added packaged salad is now ready to make its final journey, to a food store, where I will buy it, bring it home, dress it up and eat it. The end!

Blog 8 global climate

One of the major issues facing our world today is the seemingly inevitable effect of global warming. This is not a new phenomenon. However, historically, the most developed countries have always been competitive with each other, always trying to either keep up with the others or surpass them technologically. This makes it difficult for developing nations to enter globalization. I would propose that a solution would be for the developed nations should cut back and allow the developing nations to contribute their skills. If labor can be divided equally, it can lower the demands on the biosphere. It is unfair to blame the global climate changes on the under developed nations. It is also unfair to ask the under developed nations to cut back on their emissions when in reality the most developed nations are the ones responsible for the majority of emissions emitted into our atmosphere. Regardless of the dispute between whether the climate change is manmade or just the result of nature, the current situation is serious and social divisions prevent cooperation. Extinction and ecological decay are rising and the world’s poor at, as usual, the ones that are most affected. While 2 degrees Celsius is the maximum, it is predicted that even a 1 degree Celsius increase will have an impact on both people and global ecosystems. It is essential to understand that alone, the rich world will soon overshoot the safe budget of emissions. It is also essential to understand the developing nations must increase their emissions, but, at the same time, not follow the examples of the developed nations. The developing nations must “leapfrog” the rich nations, and the rich nations have a responsibility to offer monetary support for this to happen in time. This obligation can be justified by simply looking at the top to bottom quintiles. The riches fifth of the world contributes 63% of all emissions, while the poorest fifth only contributes 2% of the world’s emissions. It is time for the rich to step aside and allow the poor nations the opportunity to enter the global market.

Utitlitarianism and Contract theory

I agree with the Utilitarian view of justice in some ways and in Contractual theory’s view. I think that justice should be distributed equally as long as the distribution is moral and increases the total happiness of society. I do see the problems though. I agree with the “we grow the pie and someone else cuts it” problem. While this theory is looking out for the good of the whole society, even the poor, there may be some problems with lack of motivation for certain groups of people to work harder.
Contract theory is the moral system of distribution that rational individuals would agree to when they are asked to stand behind the veil of ignorance. It is an anti-utilitarian view because distribution is not equal to all members of a society. It is set up so that even though benefits are not distributed fairly, it does not take into account of race, age, gender or other physical elements when distributing benefits. Under Contract theory, even the least advantageous person receives some benefits.
Contract theory is justifiable for science and technology policies while not actually changing any policies. Contract theory, however, does not take into the account of time. Some third world countries that do not have technology, will need more than just the distribution of laptops, they will need the teachers there to teach the communities how to use the technology. Without the considering time and other policies, it continues to widen the gap between those with technology and those without.