E-journal #4

 

Innovation in our Daily Life

 

    The word “innovation” is a new thing or a new method of doing something, which brings general change to human life. Innovation can be occurred in scientific or medical fields etc., systematic innovation can be also included. In Korea, this prominent systematic innovation took place in 2004, has been expanded until these days-Public Transportation Transfer System. Lee-Myung-Bak, the former Korean president, first introduced this transfer system to Seoul city just for the public buses when he was the Mayor of Seoul, gradually has expanded it for subways. Nowadays, it becomes effective almost in every regions in Korea. Introduction of this system follows to the considerable decreases of transportation expenses, redistribution of the wealth and income, furthermore, to an effective solution of environment problems.   

    Introduction of public transportation transfer system is important because it significantly decreases transportation expenses. In the past, before the introduction of the system, people must pay their fee twice when they want to transfer. However, after imposition, people can take public transportation for several times with only one paying. According to the survey by Seoul City in 2012, 70 percent of the users of public transportations have cut down their expenses for around 500$ per year through the free transfer, 91.3 percent of them replied they are satisfied with the transfer system.

    Another importance of this innovation is that it performs a role as a redistribution of income and wealth. Since the enforcement of the system, government has offered support funds to transportation companies. Although the funds are financed by the nation tax, considering that the upper classes people normally don’t use a public transportation as much as common people, it could be an efficient way of income redistribution.

    In addition, transfer system is one of the most effective ways of reducing and preventing environment problems. In 2011, Seoul city said that the amount of people using public transportations has been increased for 12.5 million after the introduction of the transfer system. The transport capability of the buses and subways are far much higher than cars. Therefore, using  public transportation can reduce car emissions significantly. Also, by cutting usage of energy consumption in transportation, it can prevent an energy scarcity problem which is expected to turn up in near future.

As a result, introduction of the public transportation transfer system can be called as modern innovation in Korea, because it lightens the burden of common people who use public transportations, brings redistribution of wealth, and solves the environment problems. In the 21c society, shifting dynamically, technical revolutions as well as systematic developments like transfer system are critical and essential.  

E-journal #3

Small Steps to save Earth

    Recently, eco-bags have been popular as a fashion item in Korea, and they have been loved by lots of people until now. This eco-bag’s appearance started at a purpose of reducing use of plastic bag. However, it is true that the amount of Korea’s plastic bag consumption is much more than other European countries. According to one survey searching for the amount of plastic bag consumption per person a year, in comparison to 70 pieces in Germany, 120 pieces in Spain, in Korea, one person uses 300 pieces of plastic bags a year in generally, which is four and a half times more than Germany, and three times more tan Spain. By reducing the use of plastic products like plastic bag, people can save crude oil, prevent ecosystem from destruction, and protect endangered species.

    Reducing the use of plastic products is directly related to saving significant amount of oil. Indeed, plastic product production demands using a lot of crude oil. To make one piece of plastic bag, 18.3ml of oil are needed. Among whole production of crude oil, 8 percent  is used for making disposable plastic. Especially, in the way that Korea only relys on import to have a crude oil, decline of using plastic products is economical.

    Another reason to reduce using plastic products is it helps to prevent environment from severe destruction. When people need to bury them in the ground, it takes 10 through 20 years, sometimes more than a hundred year to be rotten naturally. Then, how about burning them? When plastic products are burned, they emit a vast of Category1 carcinogens, which induces not only terrible destruction in ecosystem, but also skin diseases or respiratory diseases to human body. For example, one of the emission ‘dioxin’, is sort of pesticide, ensues both water and soil pollution as well as fatal to human. Dioxin is famous for its use in Vietnam War in the past. 

    Finally, reducing use of plastic bags can protect endangered species on earth. Plastic products production gives off a lot of CO2, results in global warming that causes ascending of average temperature. Increasing temperature devastates many kinds of animals’ inhabitancies. For instance, as the thawing of Arctic ice caps by global warming, the range of hunting areas which are available for polar bears decreases. As a result, the number of polar bears has constantly decreased from 2004 to 2010-from 1600 to 900.

     Decreasing the use of plastic products is a good way to ensure a sustainable future because it saves oil, prevents environment destruction, and protects endangered animals. Using eco-bag instead of plastic bag seems very small step, but it is important to take care of our earth continuously. By using less plastic products, we can ensure the earth’s health and protect many endangered species at the same time.

  

E-journal #2

Imagine? Make it Real!

Have you ever undergone ‘a special experience’? Most of people who are living in this busy era, wouldn’t answer to this question at easy. A hero of the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the person as same as them. He has been working for 16 years as photo editor in LIFE magazine company. One day, having a discontinuance of the LIFE magazine ahead, an accident of missing of the cover picture from Sean, a legendary photographer, occurs. If Walter couldn’t find the picture, he would be set in the risk of dismissal. So he begins journey to look for Sean, just with the information that he is now in Greenland, not be reached. Greenland is a very important element in the Movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty because of the story’s important events involve the island, and the events change Walter in big-outside and inside.

    In his journey to Greenland, looking for Sean, Walter encounters the things he initially just imagined, in real. He jumps into the boat floating on the ocean, climbs up the snowing mountain, runs away from erupting volcano, and all these wouldn’t happen for the ‘normal’ Walter Mitty lives in New York. During the adventurous journey, Walter’s dress becomes messy and dirty which was always in good order and clean. However, his face and his eyes seem more active and sparkle than ever. It happens because it is Greenland, no New York, no France, or no Japan, not any place in the world. Greenland, the wild located on the opposite side of the earth, turns chicken Walter into brave adventurer.

    The journey changes Walter’s inside as well as outside. Even though it was not an expedition he wanted by himself at first, Walter of before journey and of after journey are eventually entirely different. By variety of experiences and challenges, he alters his vision toward the world. Walter, living in monotonous and passive life, has been disappeared. There remains Walter who is much more relaxed and watches his own life with positive eyes.

    Living in this frenetic world, most of people all keep at least ‘one special dream’ in their mind. When they take it out and make it real, they could live far more abundant life. Whenever the ‘imagination’ someday visit you unexpectedly, are you ready to welcome it and start to make it real as Walter do?

 

 

 

 

Geotourism in DMZ

DMZ-Coexistence of War, Peace, and Ecosystem

 

Since their establishment, UNESCO has designated diverse spots as preserve area as part of protecting humanity’s invaluable heritages and natural environment. And Geopark, is one of the program. A tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of the place is called ‘geotourism’. In Korea, five regions-Chulwon, Yangu, Injae, Hwachun, and Gosung-located at the south of DMZ, the Korean Demilitarized Zone, have been appointed to ‘Geopark’ by UNESCO, which is called ‘Gangwon Peace Geopark’. Geotourism makes the tour program much more abundant, brings reasonable developments which revive the local community. However, there still remains a worry on destruction of well-preserved ecosystem by spread of tour programs.

    One possible effect of geotoursim in Gangwon Geopark is diversification of tour programs. While the previous DMZ tours have just included visiting of historical sites like battlefields or underground tunnels, geotourism provides tourists not only with visiting the sites, but also with traveling beautiful sceneries in the regions. For example, there is a big waterfall named ‘Zig-tang’ in Chulwon, Gangwondo, one of the regions in the park. An educated guide who leads the tour team explains the history or associated stories of the waterfall to the tourists. The day program includes trekking along the waterfall as well as experiencing the region’s traditional games and foods.

    Next, geotourism in Gangwon Geopark brings proper developments to the places which have been left behind and forgotten to people for a long time. Indeed, it benefits the local people economically, also. Ministry of Environment and National defense made an ecological park in DMZ, which is spotlighted by Korean and foreign visitors. The area’s ecosystem was terribly destroyed by severe battles during Korean War, and after the truce between north and south, the area has become an only site in the world where’s now going through a natural treatment by itself. Government put a number of telescopes at the bordering areas for tourists’ convenience and built several museums that exhibit diverse species living in DMZ. It enables tourists to learn more about the areas and to realize the importance of them.

    Yet, the main goal of geotourism is ‘making the site sustainable’, worries about desolation of the places still remain. Even though ecotourism is cautious to protect the environment, visiting of crowds of people could destroy the primitive ecosystem in DMZ. By the reason of long-term closure for civilians nearly a few decades, it is true that most of the places are very much vulnerable to visiting of humans. For instance, DMZ is a main habitat of varieties of endangered migratory birds. Therefore, if it isn’t preserved properly, drastic eco-problems will occur.

    Geotourism in Gangwon Geopark suggests a new vision of DMZ tour that initially stopped at the level of educating only the sense of security. Korea is the last divided-country on earth. DMZ, also, is the unique geographical figure of Korea. It means the possibility of the geotourism in the area is endless. If we strike to construct sustainable, future-oriented tour infrastructures more, we could make Gangwon Geopark as Korean representative geotourism course one day.

 

 

 

Gangwon Peace Geopark Homepage: http://dmzgeopark.com/



Who am I?

Who am I?

Hello, guys! I'm Danhae.  Let me introduce myself to you briefly.

I'm now a sophomore in Sungshin Univ., and I'm majoring in English and English literacture. I studied one more year for SAT, and I also had a year of gap in 2015, so I'm 23 years old. I love traveling, so last year, I earned money for 6 months and another 6 months, I traveled South Asia and entire Europe alone. The journey was gorgeous, even if  there were some terrible events, indeed. Especially in Cambodia, my passport was stolen and I needed to stay there over two weeks for new passport and visa. It was BORING. Last summer vacation, I become a team leader of a volunteering team which made with 14 people. An interesting point is, all team members came from 10 different countries-including Korea! We spent two weeks for volunteering progams in Busan, for example, mural painting, cultural  exchange with local children. After the camp, we all met in Seoul again and had a great time together.

I'm not used to writing an english essay and that is the biggest reason for me to choose this class. I look forward to learning many skills about it in the class, and I hope you guys will also enjoy the time. Thank you!