Several of you have submitted
Open Blog # and #2. I am making this space available for OPEN BLOG
#3. Remember this is a space to reflect on any aspect of the class or activities you have taken part in that relate to the class
Thanks!
Autumn
Thanks!
Autumn
Living in the Green Quad has made me more aware of being sustainable. However, there are a few things that I don't fully understand or that I believe we could be doing better. To begin the water pressure. I understand that it saves water by reducing the amount put into the shower, however I have long hair and therefor it takes me about 15 minutes on average just to wash my hair. I feel like the extra time that the water is running cancels out the benefit of having a lower pressure head. I also think that the Green Quad should avoid paper as much as possible. As far as advertising events I think that emails, text messages, and word of mouth should be used rather than fliers. Also, if each door had a chalk board or white board on it then messages about events could be left on there. These changes could be funded by the RHA. They have a fund for renovations that can be used by the dorms when requested. I also think that money should be spent on using renewable energy. I'm not sure where our energy currently comes from but could Solar Panels be an option for the quad. A lot of steps have been made in the right direction, such as lower energy lights, and structures in place to keep the quad at a good temperature. However, these simple steps could make the quad even more sustainable and help South Carolina to jump on board with what has already begun in many places.
ReplyDeleteI have had those same thoughts about the flyers. Its seems no matter what college campus I go to, flyers are pervasive! Maybe a good extra project may be to go visit all the bulletine boards and removed old flyers and reclyce them
DeleteOne of the best things I did in relation to this class was to volunteer at City Roots. Hallie and I volunteered on friday for three hours and got to see many aspects of the farm. The tour was a great way to teach us about this local farm and everything they have going on. However, volunteering our tie and helping make them possible takes it to a whole new level. Actually taking the time to get involved brings the issues closer to mind and gives us a new passion for the cause. Robbie, Ben, Courtney and Eric are some of the people we met while there and they were always in high spirits and really enjoyed what they do. They loved reaching out to the community, giving tours and selling their produce to local customers. Their passion for sustainable farming, healthy local produce and the community is a fantastic example for each of us. These are people who have devoted their lives to the cause and work every single day to benefit the community. They don't make a huge profit but what they get out of it is satisfaction in knowing they have helped make a difference and bring to fruition the goals many of us only sit around and talk about. City Roots is one of the best places to volunteer and Hallie and I left there in such a great mood - unfazed by the manual labor! I really look up to the farmers, volunteers and interns who make City Roots possible!
ReplyDeleteHow great! I am so happy it was a rewarding experience!!
DeleteNo Impact Week Blog:
ReplyDeleteDay 1- this day was not only beneficial to the environment but to my wallet. I tend to shop alot so when my roommates went to the mall I decided to just go for the ride and look around. The only thing I bought at the mall was frozen yogurt which was allowed.
Day 2- this was a very difficult day because it is near impossible to produce zero garbage. I made sure that I didn't throw out notes or paper in class and instead just left them in my binders. Also, when I went to eat, I ate in the cafeteria instead of taking it to go because then I use reusable plates, silverware and glasses. The little garbage is what adds up the easiest like gym wrappers and tissues without you even realizing it.
Day 3- this was by far the easiest of all days. I don't have a car and neither do my friends so it wasn't a issue. I also never take the shuttle because I don't like waiting so my normal actions are actually green without me even realizing it. Normally I would complain about having to walk everywhere but for once it actually was beneficial in my eyes.
Day 4- ironically this day went much easier and better than expected. I went to food lion and bought organic and local fruits and veggies to have in my dorm. The food that is served in the cafeterias is out of my control but I tried my best to keep it local.
Day 5- This day was probably one of the hardest out of all of the days just due to the overall dependency we have on energy as humans. I lowered the heat in my dorm and just a small desk lamp instead of the two sets over bright overhead lights. I didn't turn on the tv but I still charged the phone and laptop because those were necessary. I didn't realize how subconsciously we waste energy by leaving lights on and elevator use etc so this day opened my eyes alot.
Day 6- this day was one of the easier days. I took a quick shower and didn't leave the water running while brushing my teeth, washing my face, washing my hands etc. this is another aspect that is over looked. I am normally diligent about using reusable water bottles so there is lack of drinking water waste for me.
Day 7- On this actual day I did not participate in any volunteer activities but I made plans to volunteer with Pets inc the following day.
Thanks Jessika- Please also use this as part of your report and possibly to generate discussion for your presentation about your Action Project
DeleteI am going to make my third open blog about my feelings on my Action Project, which was No Impact Week. I feel that overall, the schedule was well designed. However, some of the days had more meaning to me than others. One of these days had a goal of limiting water usage. I feel that this has a lot of meaning. No matter where someone is or what situation they are in, they will have to use water. There is no avoiding it. This day taught me and others ways of limiting water usage. I believe that even doing this for one or two days made a difference. One day that I personally did not feel was as important was the transportation day. While this day may have forced some people to change their lifestyles, it really did not affect me. I do not have a car, use the standard meal plan, and really have no need to go off campus. Since this day didn’t affect me, I felt that it is somewhat like a “wasted” day of No Impact Week (for me). A better way to run “No Impact Week” would be to give several options on what to do (or not do) for each day. This way, every participant could get involved on every day. Overall No Impact Week was a beneficial experience, but a few changes could have made it better.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on this course and my experiences as a student to this point I would say that my favorite aspect of the course has certainly been our many fieldtrips exploring the environmental challenges facing USC, Columbia, and the greater Midlands region. As an out of state student I was familiar with very little of the environmental history of the community surrounding our campus but through this course I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the many problems this area has faced/continues to face and even meet some of the dedicated citizens who are working to help solve these problems. I have been disturbed by the stories of blatant mismanagement and pollution as seen in the nuclear laundry, Columbia Organic Chemical Plant, and dumping into local waterways on numerous occasions. However, it is also encouraging to see that sites which were once too toxic for humans to safely visit have now been transformed into beautiful parks or at the very least cleaned up to the point of no longer placing the community at risk. I think our explorations in the community have taught me that an important foundation for environmentalism is being a vigilant, engaged, and active citizen to fight against environmental abuses in your own backyard. Although USC, Columbia, and the Midlands region still have a long road to travel on the path to sustainability and responsible management of their natural resources, I am confident that the future remains very bright.
ReplyDeleteI did not expect to get as much as I did out of No Impact Week. I began the project just to fulfill the Action Project requirement but ended up becoming more keenly aware of my habits and effects. Most eye- opening to me was how much trash I absent-mindedly create in a day and how easy it is to avoid doing so. In order to create less trash during the week, I budgeted my time to include eating in the dining halls instead of taking things to go. This sort of organization made my days more planned and efficient. Because I began bringing my own reusable water bottle into the dining halls, I also was able to fit more food on my meal plan since I was not buying a drink. All the environmental benefits aside, creating less trash improved my day to day activities! I also became aware of my American instinct to just go out and buy instead of searching for alternatives that can be re- used. For my volunteer day, I went to the watershed clean up which showed how careless people are with their trash and the room for improvement the campus still has. I think this project was one of the most enlightening I have had since being at USC.
ReplyDeleteI chose to write this open blog as a reflection on my involvement in No Impact Week. Although I did keep up with a daily journal, I will be presenting that with my action project. Here I want to write about the thinking that was stimulated by my involvement in No Impact Week. After completing Wednesday’s challenge, the goal of consuming local and seasonal food, I wanted to know where the food in our dining halls comes from. I went to the University of South Carolina Dining website to find out. I was pleased to see there was a Sustainability tab on the webpage, but after exploring it for a few minutes, I was still not convinced that our food is produced in an entirely sustainable way. I even watched the short video provided by Sodexo that explained the importance of bringing healthy, natural food to universities. This video contained statistics detailing the amount of deforestation caused by agriculture and the number of people suffering from malnutrition worldwide. Their idea to use local food in campus dining facilities is something they should be commended on, but there was no mention of how the food is actually prepared. I would really like to see if I could go into the kitchen some day and watch them cook our food, or better yet, go on a trip that follows the food all the way from the farm to the plate. I think that would be a revealing experience that I could gain a lot of information from. I think we could save so many calories and food waste if we were given the opportunity to season and butter our food ourselves. Although the broccoli you can get from Russell may be local and fresh, it is saturated with butter and seasoning, making me feel that it is not nearly as healthy as it could be. Every time I go for a healthy option, I feel that something else has been done to the food to make it less healthy. It is a everyday occurrence that I find frustrating, and hopefully we can work to change that someday. I was happy to see, after exploring the website further, that the composting facilities were included and that Sodexo has a commitment to reduce non organic waste, use food from local farms, and reduce the amount of water they use in food preparation and cleaning. I think our dining facilities are on the right track.
ReplyDeleteLast week I had the opportunity to interview Representative James E. Smith of Richland county for my Foreign Politics class. During my interview with him, I asked him what he thought about sutainability in South Carolina. He told me that South Carolina has played a huge role nationally in sustainable development. There has been a growing emphasis on environmental protection in the state, and the community has been very enthusiastic about utilizing farmers markets, urban farms such as City Roots, and other more green practices. This is important because there is a huge demand for sustainable development in foreign affairs. By implementing sustainable systems in developing countries, it helps more people receive basic needs and economic growth. By managing and sustaining these systems, we could see real improvements in Third World countries. In Smith’s experience, he saw USAID put many sustainable efforts into Afghanistan during the war, and he saw many positive benefits from this.
ReplyDeleteI want to dedicate this blog to describing my recollections of the field trips we went on in this class. My favorite fieldtrip that I attended in the Green Explorations class was definitely when we went to 701 Whaley St- to visit the South Carolina Voter’s Conservation headquarters. It was my favorite because of the intern and volunteer opportunities that were put in front of us relating to the political side of environmental issues. The people we got to hear from were very knowledgeable on their topic (since it is their career) and made the material easy to understand and pleasant to hear about. Another enjoyable trip was to City Roots. The field trip showed me the entirety of the farm, and I immediately felt comfortable in that setting. I went back to complete my action project there, and I am really glad I did. Also, the trip to the old chemical plant which is now a superfund site was informational, and I often tell people about it since it is a serious topic. I enjoyed going to the different spots along Rocky Branch Water Shed and hearing of the issues citizens in Columbia will have to take a stand for or against. Every single one of the field trips we went on in the class was enjoyable because of the information I learned from each individual experience.
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