http://www.powerincooperation.com/

ConocoPhillips uses its pioneering spirit to responsibly deliver energy to the world. This purpose transcends all of ConocoPhillips’ operations. The company conducts its business to return maximum value to shareholders while utilizing a wealth of knowledge and resources from its employees and acting responsibly in all communities in which it operates.

ConocoPhillips is an international, integrated energy company. As of Dec. 31, 2010, it is the third-largest U.S. integrated energy company, based on market capitalization, as well as proved reserves and production of oil and natural gas, and the largest refiner in the United States. ConocoPhillips is the seventh-largest holder of proved reserves and the fourth-largest refiner worldwide, of nongovernment-controlled companies.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips operates in more than 30 countries.

Natural gas is affordable, safe and clean. With a small land footprint; low levels of combustion emissions, including carbon dioxide; and comparatively low water use across the full life cycle, it is a key component in developing a sustainable energy mix for the United States. Responsible production of this valuable resource requires practices that carefully manage and minimize any impact on the environment and the people that live near our operations.

Our approach is founded on prospering as a business and meeting the energy needs of present and future generations by partnering and cooperating with others. We work with regulatory agencies, communities, landowners, business partners and other stakeholders to design production systems that consider everyone's interests while caring for the environment – be it air, land or water. We focus on the fundamentals to ensure safe and proper management of the well site and facilities, drilling and completion operations, and product transportation. We believe our job is not finished until proper site cleanup and restoration is completed.

Increasing the use of natural gas in our energy mix is the fastest and most economical path to significantly reducing U.S. emissions of CO₂. Combustion of natural gas generates very little sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and that helps curb the formation of acid rain and smog. It doesn't generate particulate matter (soot), volatile organic compound or mercury emissions, and that also contributes to healthier air. 

ConocoPhillips recognizes the importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystems' health and as a vital factor in human well-being. Protecting plant and animal species and ecosystems is an essential component of our health, safety and environmental commitment wherever we operate.

ConocoPhillips is committed to the development of water management practices that conserve and protect freshwater resources and enhance the efficiency of water utilization at our facilities.

 

 

Journal Entry #15

WHO

The World Health Organization 

http://www.who.int/en/

WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.

WHO operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape. The boundaries of public health action have become blurred, extending into other sectors that influence health opportunities and outcomes. WHO responds to these challenges using a six-point agenda. The six points address two health objectives, two strategic needs, and two operational approaches. The overall performance of WHO will be measured by the impact of its work on women's health and health in Africa.

The World Health Organization has a 6-point agenda toward helping improve public health:

1. Promoting development

2. Fostering health security

3. Strengthening health systems

4. Harnessing research, information and evidence

5. Enhancing partnerships

6. Improving performance

 

WHO fulfils its objectives through its core functions:

• providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed;
• shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge;
• setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their implementation;
• articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
• providing technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity; and
• monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.

These core functions are set out in the 11th General Programme of Work, which provides the framework for organization-wide programme of work, budget, resources and results. Entitled "Engaging for health", it covers the 10-year period from 2006 to 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journal Entry #14

In a previous journal entry I discussed how working in certain environments tends to promote a more positive work attitude and outlook.  When I wrote that journal entry I was working primarily in a cubicle located in the middle of the room in the interior of a building.  Since then, I have received a promotion and was given an office with two windows!

 Now this is not my old cubicle, but it is almost identical in size and location.  

While I did not hate working or my job, I can say that being secluded from nature for 9 hours was a little difficult.  I found myself wondering what the weather was like outside, was it raining, windy, sunny?  There were many distractions simply because it was easier for my mind to wander about considering what all was going on. 

Now that I have an office with windows, I find that I am more focused on my job and have a more positive attitude in general.  I find that my mind does not wander trying to figure things out like the weather because...I can see it for myself!!

In general, I think it is very important for not only moral, but for my sanity, to be able to have some contact with the outside world while being at work. 

Journal Entry #13

www.TheMoreYouKnow.com 

I found a very interesting website this week when I was watching tv.  It's called TheMoreYouKnow.com.   

This website is a public service that promotes raising awareness of the country's most important social issues and motivating people to take action.  This year, 4 particular topics were focused on: Diversity, Education, Health, and the Environment.  

Diversity

We have talked about diversity many times in our class this semester and the description of diversity this site gives is very fitting.  " People differ in many ways along a variety of dimensions, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, age, education, socioeconomic status, language, and political beliefs. 

Some helpful tools to enhance diversity: 

• Be mindful of your actions and words. Your manner of speech and any jokes that you make are good cues of your inner values and thoughts.
• Speak out against jokes and comments that target certain groups.
• Be more aware of how your cultural background influences how you understand and experience the world in order to understand and respect others.
• Share the characteristics that make you unique with others.
• Cook a national/ethnic dish of your cultural origins for others and share how it reflects some aspect of your culture.
• Read literature from various authors and countries that provide different perspectives.
• Join an organization promoting diversity.
• Set a good example for others around you.
• Have an open mind.

Education

Something very important to remember about education is that nothing speaks to a child's future like a quality education. Education is often the road out of poverty regardless of a person's race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. 

Some helpful tools to enhance education: 

• Take time out of your workday to go to your parent-teacher conference; it may be the most important meeting you attend all year.
• Ask your child’s teacher how he or she is doing academically. Ask if your child is on the right track for his or her age.
• Be aware of skills required for each grade level and whether or not your child meets these requirements.
• Join a PTA, parent organization, committee, or advisory council to help make decisions regarding school policies or practices.
• Be an advocate for your child; make sure the school is providing all of the necessary resources to promote his or her growth.
• Monitor your child's performance with report cards and grades on tests.
• Be conscious of homework policies and homework assignments.
• Be available to help your child with any homework that is difficult for him or her.
• Listen to your child and anything he or she has to say about school, including comments about teachers, tests and any difficulties understanding concepts.
• Talk with your high schooler about college and college visits.

Environment 

Going green is about improving quality of life through green living. Start by adopting one simple, everyday sustainable action into your daily routine. An action is considered more sustainable when it positively affects you, your family, your community, your workplace and your planet. There are many things you can do to help the environment, but it is important that you choose an action that makes you happy and makes sense in your life. We invite you to adopt this practice for a period of 30 days. Studies show that once you’ve incorporated your action into your routine for one month, chances are, you’ll stick with it for life. Try to measure your progress to see how your actions can add up to make a big impact; the satisfaction from tracking success will encourage you to stick with your routine and pass it on to family and friends. 

Some helpful tools to help our environment:

Whether you're at home, at work, at the store, or on the go, daily habits and simply being environmentally conscious can go a long way towards conserving natural resources, decreasing unnecessary waste and fundamentally protecting the world we live in.
 

AT HOME:

• Wash laundry in cold water
• Dry clothes on a line rather than in the dryer
• Turn off the water while brushing teeth
• Use environmentally friendly soaps and cleaners
• Use only a pencil-width flow of water at the sink
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)
• Insulate your walls and ceilings to keep air from escaping your home
• Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
• Move the temperature on your thermostat down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer
• Unplug electronics in standby mode
• Save waste by removing yourself from junk mailing lists
• Pay bills online
• Go outside to exercise
• Run your dishwasher only when it's full
• Repair leaky faucets and toilets right away
• Reduce and reuse daily waste

AT WORK

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Use recycled paper
• Print reports and memos on both sides of the page
• Use reusable mugs for the water cooler and your morning coffee
• Ship packages in reusable cardboard boxes and make packing material out of shredded waste paper
• Get in the habit of shutting down and unplugging your computer at the end of the day

AT THE STORE

• Plan shopping lists to avoid multiple trips to the store
• Look for food that is fresh, organic or locally grown
• Buy bulk for your family at the supermarket
• Carry reusable shopping bags
• Give presents in reusable gifts bags
• Wear vintage or organic cotton clothing
• Choose recycled or reusable products

IN TRANSIT

• Drive less - try walking, biking, roller blading, using mass transit or carpooling with a friend
• Lighten your load - take only what you need in your car's trunk to increase fuel efficiency
• Consider rolling down the windows instead of using the air conditioner
• Use windshield shades to keep your car cool in the summer and keep frost away in the winter
• When in the market for a new car, choose the most fuel-efficient model that fits your budget and lifestyle
• Keep tires properly inflated and get a regular car tune up
• Check into your community's car sharing organization.

Journal Entry #12

What is sustainability? 

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.  Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations. Sustainability is important to making sure that we have and will continue to have,  the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and our environment.

Now do I feel that I live a life that is sustainable to the earth?  No- not really.  As humans, many of us fall into the category of gluttony. Gluttony refers to excessive eating and drinking.  But how can we refuse to be gluttonous....when we see things like this....

 I think that gluttony can also refer to how we use and abuse our resources.  There are so many other ways to do things in our world without completely depleting our resources. 

Fast food companies prey on consumers with gimmicks just like this one- or a famous buy one get the next free.  Right now McDonald's has a campaign that you can get any size drink, Small-Medium-Large for the same price! This allows so much unnecessary waste- naturally consumers will get the largest size for the same prize as the smallest thinking they are getting a deal- but typically the large drink will be wasted.  

 How often have you left the water running while brushing your teeth or washing your hands?  I used to do this every time I was at the sink- this is so wasteful and it's something so small and easy to remedy that more people should change it. 

Conserving rainwater is another simple and easy way to reduce unnecessary waste.  By setting up barrels near drain spots either gutters or roof points, you can collect natural rainwater that can later be used to plant watering/yard watering. 

Journal Entry #11

 For this weeks journal entry, I monitored and recorded my personal consumption for 24-hours.  

When I finished this... 

I was S-H-O-C-K-E-D at how much I ate!!!

My morning started out with a cappuccino to get me going :)  Some mornings I will drink a glass of milk or I might drink a soda if I'm tired :(

Typically I'm running too late to eat breakfast at home, but this morning I did :)  I had a bowl of Eggo Cereal.

While at work, I try to drink as much water as possible :) I snacked on some wheat thin crackers and a candy bar before lunch.

For lunch, I ate a frozen dinner :)  I typically snack throughout the afternoons because I work 10-hour days. 

When I got home, I had a soda and a small bag of chips while I started making dinner.  

For dinner we ate turkey burgers on the grill with a ranch pasta salad. **YUMMY**

We had a pound cake for dessert about an hour later.  

After dessert, we watched tv and got ready for bed.  

Throughout the day, I probably drank around 5 glasses of water, but I am actively trying to do better.  

After looking at everything I ate and drank, I realize that I am not eating all my required nutrients throughout the day...not even close! Starting today, I am going to start being more aware of my food intake and what I should be eating daily.  I have printed out a food pyramid and put it on my desk at work and on my fridge at home!

 

 

Journal Entry #10

I visited a museum this week to encounter some different animals in their habitats. 

It was simply amazing to me how unaffected these animals were by visitors to the park.  This "buzzard" actually flew right up to the fence!

This was a neat simulation of how a bird flies.  I never knew actually how their wings moved during flight. 

I had never seen a bald eagle in person until today!  I was quite stunned to see how...plump it was!

This was duck who was sharing a habitat with some miniature owls seen below. 

I found it very interesting to see the animals that were grouped together for co-habitation.  I would have never thought of an owl and a duck sharing a concealed environment. 

The water levels in Florida have dropped DRASTICALLY!!! This used to be a lake filled with water with wildlife observation. Now it stays dried up hoping for rains and water levels to rise again. 

The wolves were so quiet and comfortable in their habitat.  There were a bunch of children in a group in front of us calling at the animals and none of them seemed to be phased by the noises. 

This bob cat was curling up for a nap!  The animals in this museum have become so accustomed to the interaction from visitors that it would be very dangerous for them to ever be released. 

A panther :)

a H-U-G-E black bear! 

More views of the dried up lake.  I used to go to a camp that was connected to this museum as a child.  And we would kayak through this area to a cove.  It's very sad to see how different it looks today. 

This alligator didn't move an inch the whole time we were here.  I know they typically stay still and motionless to distract their prey, but we couldn't even see him breathe!

P-U! Skunk

This was the best thing at the museum! A baby alligator!  I got to hold him and he was about 8 lbs. 











He was 18 months old and has a jaw capacity to bit down up to 100 lbs!