Analyze

As outlined in this brief article by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy consumption by New York City alone has dropped significantly more than the surrounding areas. On a prima-facie observation, one could say the foregoing alleviates stress on the existing energy infrastructures. However, deeper analyses should consider the repercussions that demanding less energy may have on production, supply, and distribution, as well as transitions between larger and smaller electric microgrids. Given energy infrastructures in the United States are already vulnerable, can it be really said the pandemic alleviates stress on the existing energy infrastructures when everybody is connected to the internet and is generally using more technology at home?

During our visit, I was struck by the landscape around the mound. Vast prairie, with woods in the distance, together with the remote location of the site made space feel empty. This notion of emptiness or insignificance came up occasionally in our discussions as we walked through or looked at artworks of the landscape. However, Kim, in particular, resisted the idea that these ecosystems have nothing to show, but are beautiful in their own way.

I had to think of these conversations again when I looked through the slide show and found this image of the bird house. In contrast to the ongoing dispute about the clean-up at West Lake Landfill, the Weldon Springs mound is emblematic of the idea of remediation/restoration. During our tour, I remember being told that certain species were returning to the site or the surrounding woods (is that correct? what did they say exactly?). Birds are also interesting actors in regards to opening up and cleaning the landfill, which might increase their presence. They have been discussed as both a threat to the nearby airport traffic and a species to be protected from the radioactive wast itself by adding additional measures. 

Ebola Response Anthropology Platform is anthropologists from all over the world to providing advice by email, calls and web-based dialogues by those working for NGOs, government and international agencies. The platform help to engage with socio-cultural and political dimensions of the Ebola outbreak and build locally-appropriate interventions. There are some resistances of local culture and external health system to control the Ebola outbreak. 

Individual who care about the Ebola, organisations, and government might use the website platform. It could be doctors, academic, emergency staff, governmental agents and so on. 

The Ebola Response Anthropology Platform is funded by a grant which is from Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) Programme. It is overseeing, executed and managed by the Wellcome Trust and DFIF. As well as the platform is collaborate with other Ebola response anthropology initiatives, within Emergency Ebola Anthropology Network and francophone SHS Ebola Network. 

The platform offer many functions to audiences. The platform offer different ways to help organisations to solve propblem, such as email, calling and website-based dialogues. They will give suggestions by following the actual case. This website platform offer a space for people to put more news and opnions for helping Ebola outbreak. There are lots of case and papers can be read on website, comments and opinion can be posted, and also ask a rapid response question. There are also six sub-heading are sorted as Identifying and Diagnosing Cases, Management of the Dead, Caring for Sick, Clinical Trials/Research, Preparedness and Communication and Engagement. There are also tag on each resources to help reading. On the left side, there are five symbols can easily link to Facebook, Twitter, Printing, email or share in other ways. In addition, there is a column on the right side showing the latest resource, opinion and news. 

The platform is designed with several areas and different elements to offer audience a good visualized. It is within text, photos and symbols. Text are applied different fonts, colours, and size, which created a visualized information to audience. 

User can see six areas included Briefings and Guides, Background and Field Notes. When click into one of these sub-headings, you can see there are some case or news. Each title is obviously and the beginning of the papers, and user can see more information about it when click ‘Continue reading’. There are also tag under each case, and folders that the case sorted into. When click into the paper for more information, user also can download it as PDF. Besides, user can leave their information and comments under the reading.  In addition, there are also latest, opinion, news and tag could be read on the right side area. 

Different areas and sub-headings are linked to a new page, and show more information.  Resources are sorted to subtitle and tag. All the subtitle are work as a system, and linked together. 

The website platform is collaborate with other Ebola response anthropology initiatives in US, Europe and West Africa. As well as, the Emergency Ebola Anthropology Network and the francophone SHS Ebola Network.  These networks support to uploading papers and resources onto the Platform. Besides, the Royal Anthropological Institute is their non-academic partner.