GE-STS | CHAPTER 2 Science and Technology in Everyday Life

Recycling Basis - Oxygen and carbon dioxide are

- the process of collecting and processing essentials for plant and animal
materials that would otherwise be thrown away respiration
as trash and turning them into new products. - Birds, insects, and other life can be
- Recycling can benefit the community and the found up to approximately 2,000 meters
environment. above the earth’s surface
- Plays a critical role in shaping the
Benefits of Recycling: biosphere by deflecting harmful
● Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills radiation from the sun and by
● Conserves natural resources determining weather patterns
● Prevents pollution by reducing the need to ● Hydrosphere
collect new raw materials - The aquatic part of the biosphere
● Saves energy (oceans, rivers, lakes, and other bodies
of water)
2.1 Environment and Society - Humans, plants, and any form of

Every day people interact with each other as well as animals need water to grow and to live

their physical environment for survival… ● Lithosphere

- The terrestrial part of the biosphere

Human societies exist in specific environmental consisting of solid land masses

contexts or the so-called natural world. Ecosystems (continents and islands)

highlight the relationship between humans and nature. - Supports a variety of life from bacteria to
large mammals and trees

Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services - Soil provides minerals and organic

Review of the Biological Levels of Organization: waste to support life

● Biosphere - Land provides shelter and protection for

● Ecosystem animals from weather and predators

● Community
● Population B. Ecosystem

● Organism - The Ecosystem is an interacting system of the

● Body System biotic and abiotic components of the

● Organ environment, in a relatively stable equilibrium, in

● Tissue a limited geographical location, and includes

● Cell various sizes and kinds.

● Molecules - Biotic Components: plants, animals, and

● Atoms microorganisms (fungi and bacteria)

- Abiotic Components: nonliving variables

A. Biosphere (wind, ocean, day length, rainfall,

- The Biosphere is the part of the Earth where life temperature, and ocean currents)

is found. It is composed of the atmosphere, - Play a vital role in maintaining

hydrosphere, and lithosphere, all of which the balance of the ecosystem

support life.
- It is the highest level of biological organization. Different Types of Ecosystems:

- It is also known as the “ecosphere” which refers ● Forest

to all available ecological systems existing on ● Grassland

our planet. ● Tundra

● Desert

Essentials of the Planet Earth: ● Freshwater

● Atmosphere ● Glacier

- The air surrounding our planet The two ecosystems dominated by the growing human
population are: agro-ecosystems and urban ecosystems.
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Ecosystems and Habitats: development of technology to come up with products

Provisioning Services that can be monetized and shared for the common good.
● Food, fuel, and fiber
● Genetic Resources Example: VELCRO
● Nutrients - A product inspired by the burrs (i.e., dry seeds
● Fresh Water with hooks or teeth)
- The brainchild of Georges de Mestral, a Swiss
Cultural Services Engineer, who in 1941 went for a walk in the
● Spiritual and Religious Values woods and wondered if the burrs that clung to
● Knowledge system, sense of place his trousers– and dog– could be turned into
● Education and inspirations something useful.
● Recreation of aesthetic values
Other Services provided by the Environment:
Supporting Services ● Geothermal Energy (e.g.Kawasan Falls)
● Primary Production - The potential energy of a waterfall
● Provision of habitat propels the operation of turbines and
● Nutrient cycling eventually brings electricity to power
● Solid formation homes
● Production of oxygen ● Carbon Sequestration (e.g. Tree Canopy
● Water cycling Cover Map of USC Talamban Campus)
- Urban forests and green spaces are
Regulating Services patches of vegetation that provide ‘free
● Invasion resistance cleaning’ services by absorbing excess
● Pollination atmospheric carbon dioxides in urban
● Climate regulation areas
● Disease regulation ● Medicine and Drugs (e.g. Herbal Liniment Oil)
● Natural hazard protection - The herbal liniment that you may have
● Water purification used may contain methyl salicylate (or
● Seed dispersal oil of wintergreen) which is naturally
● Pest regulation produced by many species of
● Erosion regulation aromatic-smelling plants called
wintergreens
The diversity of ecosystems excludes the ● Protection from Floods and Surges (e.g.
enormous biodiversity of species per ecosystem from Mangroves)
microorganisms to the large, visible plants and animals. - Coral reefs and mangroves can protect
coastal communities by lessening the
Biodiversity destructive impact of storm surges.
- The variability among living organisms from all Because of these free services, risks
sources including inter alia terrestrial, marine, could be minimized, a disaster avoided,
and other aquatic ecosystems, and the and lives and properties saved.
ecological complexes of which they are a part.
2.2 Food Technologies
Benefits of Ecosystems to mankind: Over human history and prehistory, food and sustenance
● Natural production of food are of primary importance for survival.
● Control of climate
● Support in terms of cycles A. Food Science
● Recreational benefits Food Science
- An applied science used to study the:
Technology and Ecosystem Services ● Nature of foods
Understanding how nature works confers some ● Causes of their deterioration
benefits to humankind. This is possible through the ● Principles underlying food processing
 GE-STS | CHAPTER 2 Science and Technology in Everyday Life

Food Technology ● Farmer

- The application of food science to the: ● Flavor Chemist
● Selection ● Food Scientist
● Preservation ● Food Stylist
● Processing ● Health Inspector
● Packaging ● Government Agency Administrator
● Distribution ● Microbiologist
● Use ● Nutritionist
of safe, nutritious, and wholesome food ● Packaging Engineer
● Plant Manager
Food Scientist ● Production Inspector
- Studies the physical, microbiological, and ● Research Analyst
chemical makeup of food ● Restaurant Chef
- Food Scientists may also develop ways to: ● Quality Assurance
● Process food ● Technical Writer
● Preserve food ● University Professor
● Package food
● Store food Job Prospects
● Job growth among food scientists should be
The Myths about Food Science: faster than the average for all occupations
- Food Science is NOT Home Economics ● Opportunities are expected to be good over the
- Food Science is NOT Only Nutrition next decade, particularly in food science and
- Food Science is NOT Only Cooking technology

Why Food Science? Where can you work?

The food industry is the 2nd largest manufacturing ● Food processors
sector. It produces more than $600 billion in retail sales. ● Ingredient manufacturer/suppliers
There are more positions available than graduating ● Academia
students to fill them. ● Self-employed/Consultant
Also: ● Government
● It is an applied science. You could see the ● Non-government organizations
product you worked on the grocery store shelf ● Foodservice
● It’s fun! Food scientists get to play with their ● Testing Laboratory
food.
● It’s exciting! Being a food scientist is not a boring B. Food Getting and Food Production
career. You may work in the lab, in the pilot Anthropologists have categorized how humans have
plant, or travel to different parts of the world. utilized the natural environment to acquire products,
In 2008: especially food, to respond to their needs as well as
● The lowest starting salary was $43,600 wants.
● The median salary was $59,520
● The highest salary was $104,520 Different Technologies Used by Different Societies:
Foraging Societies
What Kinds of Jobs are Available? - Also referred to as hunting and gathering
● Agricultural Engineer societies
● Agronomist - Exploit wild plants and animals in their territory
● Baking Technician for food
● Biochemist - e.g. Coastal Fishing Communities: gather food
● Chemical Engineer through fishing, and gathering of shellfish and
● Culinary Scientist other seafood
● Dietician
● Farm Product Purchasing Agent
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Horticultural Societies In underdeveloped economies where food preservation

- Utilized simple gardening tools in planting food technology is non-existent, food preservation takes on a
crops different approach and is done in the traditional way.
- They practiced shifting cultivation transferring ● Preservatives like salt or sugar are used to
from one plot of land to another to leave the land extend the shelf life of the food.
to fallow and regenerate its nutrients ● The process of drying excess catch of the day is
another form of preservation. The dried food
Pastoral Societies could be consumed at a later date (very
- Domesticated herds of animals not only for food common in the Philippines)
but also for other animal products including eggs ○ E.g. Cebu’s “bulad products”
from chicken, wool from sheep, and milk from
cows or goats D. Changing Food Technologies in the Modern World
- These societies are semi-nomadic as they do Modern technology is changing our food. Conventional
not settle in one place but transfer to other food processing methods which are lengthy and
places in search of greener pastures for their time-consuming are made to be easier and faster.
herds
Food preservation, food delivery, and food safety are
Agriculture almost done automatically in a flick of a button.
- Utilized more complex tools in both crop and
livestock production E. Comparison of Two Kitchens
- There was intensive cultivation of the land The kitchen has significantly evolved from what it used
following the private ownership of land to be. The architectural development of the kitchen as an
integrated unit of the house is directed to make it as
C. Food Preparation and Gathering sanitary (thereby avoiding contamination problems) and
Food must be pre-processed to avoid contamination as hazard-safe (thereby avoiding fire hazards) as
without sacrificing the nutritive value of food. possible.
● ‘Dirty’ Kitchen, Philippine Style.
For some foods (i.e. green salad) washing is already - The ‘old’ kitchen is what one calls a
enough. Certain vegetables are blanched before they ‘dirty’ kitchen today.
are eaten to maintain their nutritive value. - Most ‘dirty’ kitchens today have a simple
configuration where one does not need
The addition of spices, herbs, and natural colorings is electricity since there are no kitchen
done by the majority of cultures and societies to appliances to speak of.
enhance the visual and olfactory sensations of the food - There are probably two stoves made of
when cooked. cement with an iron grill to put the kettle
for boiling water or soup, or pan for
The mixing of major and minor (secret) ingredients in sauteing.
food is what makes the social function of food an - The kitchen is enveloped by thin
important component in today’s culinary experience by galvanized sheets to lessen the effect of
people from all walks of life. wind and rain.
- The legs of the ‘dirty’ kitchen are made
Food spoilage is a problem in developing nations located up of wood while the base is made of
near the equator. The warm-to-hot environment plywood with a layer of compact sand to
promotes the proliferation of microorganisms and leads avoid untoward burning of the plywood
to food contamination, food spoilage, or worse, food base.
poisoning. This is one reason why the refrigerator was
invented - to prolong the shelf life of food. ● Modern Kitchen
- Is packed with ultra-modern appliances,
Today, there are already existing technologies (by is more spacious, and most of all, needs
freezing, freeze drying, sun drying, salting, etc.) in food electricity to energize the appliances.
preservation for almost all food types.
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- In the Philippines, the basic appliances ● Scented Products

include the following: refrigerator, gas ● Perfumes and Deodorants
range, rice cooker, microwave oven, ● Pesticides
electric kettle, and many extra ○ Used inside and outside home
appliances such as coffee brewer, juicer, ○ Can be tracked into home from outside
fume hood, etc. ● Dry cleaning
- It is equipped with a fire alarm system ● CA Air Resources Board designated
that connects to the fire department. perchloroethylene (PERC) as a toxic are
contaminant
2.3 Household Chemistry ○ Alternative choice: hydrocarbon solvent
It is with chemistry that one understands the basic and wet cleaning
properties of the chemicals inside every household and ● Formaldehyde
learns how to predict, and explain how chemicals ○ Pungent, colorless, toxic, water-soluble
change as they react to form new substances. gas
○ Disinfectant
Levels in Homes ○ Preservative
● Pollution inside a typical home is 2-5 times ○ Ingredient of synthetic resins, dyes,
worse than the air outdoors plastics
● Levels may be 1,000 times background outdoors
after activities like stripping paint Sources of Formaldehyde
● Indoor air pollution is one of the top 5 most ● Building materials
serious environmental risks to public health ○ Pressed wood products
● 50% of all illnesses traced back to the home ■ Particleboard
■ Handwood plywood paneling
Sources of Pollutants ■ Medium density fireboard
● Average US household uses 40 lbs of chemicals ● Smoking
each year ● Household products
● Average household stores more than 60 ● Un-vented, fuel-burning appliances
hazardous products ● Manufactured products
● Loaded with fragrances and petroleum-distilled ○ Permanent press qualities to clothing
chemicals and drapery
● Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) ○ Component of glues and adhesives
● Paints, paint strippers, and other solvents ○ Preservative in paints
● Wood preservatives
● Aerosol sprays Formaldehyde Health Concerns
● Cleansers and disinfectants ● Watery eyes
● Moth repellents ● Burning sensation in the eyes and throat
● Air fresheners ● Nausea
● Stored fuels and automotive products ● Difficulty breathing
● Hobby supplies ● Shown to cause cancer in animals and may
● Dry-cleaned clothing cause cancer in humans
● Laundry detergents ● Eyes,noes, and throat irritation
● Phthalates ● Wheezing and coughing
○ Chemicals harmed hormonal systems ● Fatigue
○ Harmed reproductive organs in animal ● Skin rash
tests ● Allergic reactions
○ Make the scent last longer
● Chlorine bleach Mercury Sources
○ Also caused sodium hypochlorite ● Lighting
○ Caustic fumes ○ Fluorescent
○ Toxic if swallowed ○ HID
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○ Mercury Vaporr ● Make homemade alternative cleaning products

● Other using baking soda, vinegar, and soap
○ Thermostat ● Provide adequate ventilation
○ Kids Shoes ● Keep out of reach of children and pets

Health Effects Depend on: How do you make your home healthy?
● Toxicity od chemical ● Educate yourself
● Level of exposure ● Investigate and research
● Length of time exposed ● Make a lifestyle change
● Pathway of exposure ○ Be careful what you buy
○ Use natural forms of pest control
Health Effects: ○ Use less toxic cleaning products
● Eye, nose, and throat irritation ○ Buy curtains, carpets, furniture, or
● Headaches electronics free of PBDEs
● Loss of coordination/dizziness ○ Choose products free of suspect
● Nausea chemicals
● Damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous
system 2.4 Simple Machines
● Suspected or known to cause cancer in humans Simple machines that human societies commonly utilize
● Allergic skin reaction in their daily lives in various areas of social life.
● Fatigue
● Children born into households using toxic Work and Machines
cleaning products twice as likely to have Scientifically, work is done by a person who exerts force
wheezing on an object that causes the object to move across a
● Over last 20-30 years, level of toxins stored in distance. Here are some examples:
body’s adipose tissue (fat cells) have risen 1. Mario pushing a table from one corner of his
room to another
Health Concerns of Pesticides 2. Pedro climbing a flight of stairs or a coconut tree
Child in a household using home and garden pesticides 3. Juan throwing a stone on a lake
has 6.5x higher risk of developing leukemia 4. Teban lifting a barbell
5. Janet sweeping the floor
Health Effects of Pesticides
● Neurotoxins Work
● Irritants - Is done only when an object moves in the same
● Carcinogens direction of the force that is being applied
● Mutagens - No movement, no work
● Endocrine disruptors - Is not always done when a force is applied to an
object
Steps to Reduce Exposure
● Increase ventilation Simple Machines
● Meet or exceed any label precautions ● There are 6 basic types
● Do not store opened containers of unused paints ● Designed to make work easier by changing the
and similar materials size or direction of a force
● Throw away unused or little-used containers ● Have some moving parts
safely; but in quantities that you will use soon ● Can combine to form compound machines
● Never mix household care products unless
directed on label
● Follow label instructions carefully
● Use least toxic product that works for your
project
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Common Simple Machines Used - A double pulley makes work easier not only by
Inclined Plane changing the direction of the force but also by
- A straight slanted surface multiplying the effort
- It is easier to push an object up a ramp than it is - A single pulley makes work easier by changing
to lift the same object straight up to the same the direction of the effort force
height - When you pull down on the rope, the
- e.g. a ramp (a stationary inclined plane), slides, load moves up
wheelchair ramps, skateboard ramps, escalator
Wheel and Axel
Wedge - Is a simple machine that consists of two circular
- An inclined plane that is wider or thicker at one objects of different sizes
end than at the other - The wheel is always larger than the axel
- e.g. knife blade or axe (when moved, it is used - By getting more force from the effort put in when
to cut, split, or pry apart objects) compared to the amount of distance
- e.g. door knob, mechanical pencil, sharpeners,
Screw and electric mixers
- An inclined plane that is wrapped around a
cylinder 2.5 Information and Communication
- The amount of work for a screw depends on the In Sociology, social interactions are considered the
number of thread, which is actually the length of foundations of societies and cultures. It involves a
the inclined plane sequence of social exchanges between individuals or
- e.g. bottle cap/ water bottle and its cover groups which form the basis for social structure.

Lever Information Devices

- Made up of a bar that pivots at a fixed point Information devices are to help to send, receive, record,
called a fulcrum track, and manipulate information.
- The force applied to a lever is called the effort
- The object moved is the load Traditional:
- They are classified into three different groups ● Books
(The groups are based upon the location of the ● Journals
fulcrum, load, and the input force) ● Newspapers
- First class lever: the fulcrum is in the ● Internet sites
middle, load, and force on the ends (ex. ● Videos
see-saws) ● Audio
- Second class lever: the load
(resistance) is in the middle, force, and Smart Devices:
fulcrum are on the ends (ex. nutcrackers ● Laptop
and wheelbarrow) ● Smartphones
- Third class level: the force (effort) is in ● Kindle
the middle, the load and fulcrum are on ● Smart TVs
the ends (ex. baseball bat or fishing rod) ● Smart watch
- e.g. see-saw, shovel, scissors, wheel barrow, ● Mobile computers
bottle opener, and nut crackers. For the human ● Video game console
body, the biceps, elbow, and forearm act as a
lever How Information is Retrieved:
● Visually - through sight
Pulleys ● Aerally - through hearing
- A rope or chain wrapped around a wheel ● Olfactory - through smell
- A load is attached to one end of the rope and a ● Through touch
force is applied to the other end of the rope ● Through taste
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Use of Information in the Society Types of Mis- and Disinformation

● Economic Sphere: information is used daily to 1. False Connection: when headlines, visuals, or
influence behavior (ex. Advertising oil) captions don’t support the content
● Political Sphere: to influence the behavior of 2. Manipulated Content: when genuine
citizens (voting, government response) information or imagery is manipulated to deceive
● In Educator Sector: teaching, learning, and 3. Misleading Content: misleading use of
research information to frame an issue or individual
● In Health Sector: for patient care and drug 4. Fabricated Content: content that is 100% false,
prescription designed to deceive and do harm
● In Military and Security: for war, fighting, and 5. Sponsored Content: advertising or PR
protection from crime disguised as editorial content
6. False Context: when genuine content is shared
Information Disorders with false contextual information
● Misinformation 7. Satire or Parody: no intention to cause harm
- Is a false or inaccurate information that but has the potential to fool
is communicated regardless of an 8. Impostor Content: when genuine sources are
intention to deceive. impersonated
- Information that is false but the person 9. Propaganda: when content is used to manage
who is disseminating it believes that it is attitudes, values, and knowledge
true 10. Error: when established news organizations
- e.g. false rumors, insults, pranks make mistakes while reporting
- Falseness
● Disinformation How to Combat
- information that is false and the person ● Media and Information Literacy (MIL)
who is disseminating it knows it is false. ● Human Rights Literacy
- It is a deliberate and intentional lie and ● News Literacy
points to people being actively ● Advertising Literacy
disinformed by malicious actors. ● Computer Literacy
- e.g. false information which is intended ● Understanding the “attention economy”
to mislead, especially propaganda ● Privacy and Intercultural Literacy
issued by a government organization to
a rival power or the media Forms of Misinformation
- Falseness and intent to harm ● Lying
● Mal-information ● Mercenary News
- Information that is based on reality but is ● Propaganda
used to inflict harm on a person, ● Humor
organization, or country ● Alteration
- Intent to harm
● Fake News Identifying:
- The words “misinformation” and ● Fake News - refers to false information or
“disinformation” have often been propaganda published under the guise of being
associated with the concept of “fake authentic news
news,” which some scholars define as ● Bad News - refers to poorly reported news,
“fabricated information that mimics news which can be true but does not show the correct
media content in form but not in support to verify it
organization process or intent.” ● Media Bias - information that is unfair,
- False information that is broadcast or unbalanced, or incomplete in its discussion of an
published as news for fraudulent or issue
politically motivated purposes ● Editorial Perspective - every reporter, editor, or
publisher has a point of view
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● Satire - the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the

like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice,
folly, etc.
● Clickbait - a sensationalized headline or piece of
text on the Internet designed to entice people to
follow a link to an article on another Web Page

Characteristics of Fake News

● It can’t be verified
● Fake news appeals to emotion
● Authors usually aren’t experts
● It can’t be found anywhere else
● Fake news come from fake sites

Why Fake News Spread:

● Money
● Opinion
● Emotion

How to Avoid Fake News

● Check the Source
● SIFT (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace)
● Check the claims in the article
● Question everything
● Check any links that are in the article

Why to Avoid Fake News?

● Everyone deserves the truth
● Fake news destroys your credibility
● Fake news can hurt you
● Real news can benefit you
● Fake news will not help you make money or
make the world a better place, but real news can

How to Check
● Check credentials
● Content
● Domain & URLs
● Look for Bias
● Check the sources and references
● Be wary of Cites in CAPS and typo
● CRAAP test (Currency, Reliability, Authority,
Ability, and Purpose)
● Think critically
● Judge hard