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 * Describe how Natalie Jeremijenko has based her research on "new technologies are an opportunity for social transformation" to perform "small actions that can amount to a significant effect to improve local environmental health". (2 paragraphs)**

Natalie Jeremijenko is trying to revolutionize and redefine the field of health studies by introducing novel concepts of health. She is currently working at her lab in NYU, where she operates an environment health clinic. She suggests that in order to improve one’s inner health, they must improve the environment that surrounds them. For example, she suggests that we can improve our inner health by improving our environment and interactions with natural organisms which in turn will decrease diseases and conditions that are detrimental to our safety and health. She is trying to revolutionize the way clinics work by experimenting with her patients to come with environmental health concerns and leave with a ‘prescription’ or scheme of something that they can do to improve the environmental health.

A few of these examples of ‘prescriptions’ or ideas that she talks about include the product called ‘No Park’ and the interface of the human-bird communication. The ‘No Park’ idea removes the asphalt from a no parking zone and replaces the area with a micro-landscape. These landscapes are important as they cut off the toxins that would usually flow into the harbor. Before the implementation of such landscapes, pollutants would collect on these areas which would later wash away into the harbor. This model has positive outcome on the environment and thus decreases the pollutants such as carbon monoxide and impacts indirectly on the society’s health. In her example of human-bird communication she talks about a device on the side of buildings, which triggers a sound file that encourages passer-bys to feed the birds thus improving environmental health. Her design ideas show that using people and technology together, people can better the environmental health with small steps that can reap significant benefits in return.


 * Choose two projects on HowStuffisMade at [] and write about how they are made. (1 paragraph each/2 paragraphs)**

__How gelato is made__: The gelato or ice-cream made by Jon Snyder is made for order to many restaurants specific to Manhattan. The ingredients consist of the usual milk, cream, sugar, yogurt and corn syrup to the not so usual mint, mangoes and molten chocolate. The whole business is a family affair and is run by Snyder, his mother and his sister. The process starts at tearing the ingredients and pouring the dairy base into the batch freezer along with the flavor ingredients. After fifteen to twenty minutes, the gelato is ready in smooth and creamy form. Jon then fill containers and line then up while his mother hand prints the labels individually. The containers are then put into the freezer, ready for delivery to the restaurants where customers are waiting for these creamy goodness.

__How fortune cookies are made__: Fortune cookies are part of the novelty usually found after a meal in the Chinese restaurants. It is a distinctive cookie that is unusually folded and comes with a slip of paper inside them that reveals a fortune. It is made using four simple ingredients, which include sugar, flour, egg and water. This batter is then passed through an automatic machine that rotates and flattens the dough and is passed into an oven that bakes at 375 degrees. Once the baking is done, the papers containing the fortunes are slipped in by automated hand like machines. After the cookies cool down and harden, they are manually inspected by humans and once they pass inspection, they are packaged using machines and are set out for delivery.


 * Why is it important that we understand how stuff is made as part of our systems analysis and design process? (1 paragraph)**

It is extremely important to understand how stuff is made as without the understanding of the production process, it will be unfeasible for us to analyze and identify any negative outcomes, thus forgoing the chance to improve certain processes and its efficiency. Having the knowledge of the roots of the material used to create a product may shed light to a lot of valuable information that may impact the outlook of the consumers. For example, looking at the gelato process in the previous excerpt, knowing that it was a family based business may change the outlook of their products as something that is made with a lot of care and is usually of top quality. Also, having the process broken down into many divisions, that is division of labour, increases the efficiency of the production and betters the outcome. These examples teach us the fluid process that a design process requires and helps understand our own system analysis better.