Terracycle March 19, 2009

Two Princeton students started Terracycle back in 2001. It started as a business model to sell organic plant food with no waste (recycled packaging etc).  The company is now a huge operation that collects all sorts of product waste (cookie wrappers, drink pouches, cell phones) and turns them into new useable products. A great site for school kids especially since they would gather the materials (chips bags) then once they have a certain amount they send it in using the free postage, and 2 cents for each wrapper goes to the non-profit of their choice (could be their own school). It appears that brands/companies have to agree to this – so only certain wrappers are accepted (for example Nabisco is one of the collaborators). So, certainly there is some advertising involved. That’s part of the company’s M.O. though, they’ve labelled it “eco-capitalism”. The site is a good educational tool too. They give a simple overview  of our current system of capitalism and 20th century indutrialism then give their theory of eco-capitalism instead. An interesting site overall. We bought a birdfeeder from them last spring and decided to look up what else they made- they’ve become quite a large enterprise.

I am hoping this will inspire my business majors as well!

Interview by Yale 360 March 18, 2009

http://www.e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2130

This is a link to an interview that  addresses the disconnect between the science and findings on climate change - politics (esp. policy)- media/journalism- and the general public. I admit it’s a bit long, but I think it’s an underdiscussed topic and the journalist being interviewed  gives a good overview of the situation and how it’s broken and the consequences of the lack of integrated communication.

I get frustrated with the lack of REAL information out there about climate change or more generally the need to dramatically change our practices to sustainable acts- from manufacturing to daily consumption. I know our media is perpetually charged with fear-mongering (and rightfully so)- but at the same time, somehow, our news can’t seem to get across to the general public the immediacy of the environmental crisis. I’m constantly trying to figure out what elements cause us (me included) to dismiss our own responsibility in an unsustainable system- how we got here and how we can change. Is it a general sense of personal acts not having impact in such a large global system that’s gone awry? A lack of a sense of agency in the face of enormously powerful corporations? Is is because we don’t experience the immediacy of the crisis in the same way we experience the impact of the economic crisis? Is it because we’ve become so aware of the media’s function as “entertainment”- flashy graphics, polarizing “debate” shows that dumb down real issues….and on and on — that we dismiss all reporting as overblown rants and raves for ratings? Is it the politicization of the issue- identifying issues of sustainability with “liberal” politics- the “bleeding-heart liberal” who wants to save the rainforest so they can be seen a a “do-gooder” ? Is it that we just don’t want to give up the luxuries we have- even the small, seemingly inconsquential ones like taking a couple extra minutes to rinse out a plastic container and putting it in a recyling bin or remembering to bring a cloth bag when we shop or choosing to walk across the street to the next shop rather than drive? I am just as guilty as the next person- I threw out a plastic container the other day because I didn’t want walk downstairs to scrub it in the ladies bathroom and put it in a bin down the hall from my office- complete disclosure here (ugh, I’m seriously embarrassed even though I KNOW i’m not the only one). Or maybe it’s that general mentality: if so-and-so’s not going to do it, why should I bother? Or: will I look like a weirdo or be labelled a tree-hugging, self-righteous hippie- what if I don’t want people thinking I am a member of that sort of “club”. Or maybe it’s just fear of change, or lack of desire to change. for example: it’s a blast to open a bunch of new sparkling presents on your birthday- the tradition and childhood memories of ripping open the paper and opening up the box of the newest, coolest toy out there, that shows that these people got together and went out and bought you stuff because you’re special and deserve the best- to be treated like a king/queen for a day. I give this example because I’m struggling with Cooper’s pending birthday. I don’t want him to connect happiness with being showered with the newest toys and set that expectation for every birthday. And yet, I know the complexities of trying to expain this to others: there is the possibility they’ll be insulted :”You have had lots of wonderful toys that we – parents, grandparents-aunts and uncles and friends– sacrificed to buy for you. Now you’re saying that that is “shallow,” “less than” what you want for your own child”. There is the fact that I can’t tell others what to do- they all have their own unique relationship with Cooper and have a right to give him what they want. There is the concern that others feel I’m pushing my own ethics/ ways of living on them if I were to request no store-bought gifts for Cooper’s bday. It means denying others something they find pleasurable- seeing Cooper do the things their kids, cousins, neices and nephews and siblings did. And yet, we’re becoming increasingly aware that these things– our ways of living over the past 100 years – have contributed to destroying the very ecosytems we need  to continue to live on the planet. So couldn’t we just find a new way to recreate these feelings of happiness? or are we REALLY that tied to traditions that require buying new stuff? These are my questions. How do we change? And, how to convince others to change as well- because it can’t just be the choice of a few people, it has to involve everyone changing to meet the needs of everyone that comes after us- not some far off ancestor either- our children and our children’s children. I know this sounds heavy handed and dramatic, how do we get over the fact that it IS this dramatic? It’s not “just” a war – or an economic downturn- as dramatic and destructive as these things are, we know that future generations and the human race survive these sorts of devastation. But if we continue to trash the earth, there’s no “coming back” from it.

I know, this blog sucks. A big fat downer. There are days I can feel excited about the little things I see going on around me that seem to be addressing these concerns and creating “change”. But some days, I’m just frustrated, unsure what to do next. I’m in a lucky position that my career allows me to teach about these issues, as I teach students how to find the language and communication skills to share their own findings with more people.  My scholarly writing is another outlet which allows me a chance to explore and research these areas (frontier literature has a deep connection to the American movements of conservation and environmentalism- although often ironically). I don’t think the AIG news is lifting my spirits either. To see that scale of greed and lack of conscience is devastating. I thought once the Bush era was over I’d be less addle -brained from shaking my head all the time, but the headlines of corporate greed and destruction with no sense of responsibility or guilt are numbing. Ok, next post: something hopeful, promise.

Student Sustainability Project Proposals March 13, 2009

Today was the last class before Spring Break and my students submitted their research project proposals- and I’m excited about many of their proposals! Before giving you an outline of the assignment I’ve given them I suppose some general information about how I teach composition is in order. They have had 2 papers prior to this project; I try to add new layers of composition skills on to each assignment as we move through the course

I teach composition with a broad focus on critical reading and writing skills, with an inclusive concept of what is meant by “composition”. Most of my class is made up of freshmen and includes a broad spectrum of majors as well as  those categorized as general liberal arts or “undecided”. So, I choose to teach them reading and writing skills that are  applicable broadly across their needs as students, citizens, and  eventual employees (and/or employers). For example, their first paper was a critical analysis of their perspective of some aspect of the university (types of classroom settings, application processes, dorm life, balanacing of academic and social activities, purpose of college etc…) . They use their own direct experience to support an analytical claim about some larger issue or debate surronding college/university life. Many of my students enter college without ever having written an analysis that was not just a regurgitation of other’s ideas. So this unit really focuses on a whole new critical awareness for many of them. In addition, the idea of analyzing the world they live in , as it affects them directly, often seems a foriegn concept. Their second paper is focused on visual literacy. There are a bunch of conflicting stats out there on how much of our information is gained through images- but one thing that is consistent is that it’s a BIG number, and yet most people are not taught how to “read” these images or think critically about them in the same way we are taught about written and spoken language. So,  I teach them strategies for reading images as multi-layered, communicative compositions and then they choose their own image –often Ads, magazine covers, or webpages – and do a close reading of its visual elements and how they work together to create its message(s) or claim(s) and respond to the images messages with their own critical argument. This has brought us to their research project. Now that they have worked on their analytical skills (in both text and images) they will  extend that and include other’s ideas into their arguments and search out additional information. This is the first time I have used “sustainability” as an assigned subject for their projects and it is also the first time I have allowed for such vast choices in how they choose to compose and communictae their research to others. Their areas of research come out of their individual interests and activities (academic or personal). Then, they must come up with research questions about the issues of sustainability surrounding their chosen interest/activity. Some things I asked them to consider were their college majors and future career interests/ hobbies and extracurricular activities/ Campus and community living – daily life activities. Once they’ve discovered the “problems” of sustainability (or unsustainable systems) connected to their area of interest they must then also come up with potential solutions and alternatives. They must then decide on an appropriate audience to share their findings with in order to enact change. They  may use ANY composotion format that they think will be the most persuasive considering their topic and audience. This includes, websites, editorials, brochures, powerpoint presentations, scholarly articles for publication, writing campaigns to companies or government, How-to demonstrations, short videos, lesson plans for El Ed or secondary classrooms, or anything else they can think up. Those who create projects that are not already writing focused will also hand in an analysis of how they made their composition choices and why,  as well as an overview of their research and how it shaped their project.

So here’s a  list of some of the proposal topics:

Tecahing environmental Lit to adolescents (Sec. Ed. English major)

Reasearch onsustainability of pre-school materials & activities as well as how to teach sustainability to pre-schoolers

Coffee production and consumption (with a particular focus on our campus)

Sports equipment

Use and dependence on oil in air travel (physics engineering major- wants to go into aerospace engineering)

Computers, common household usage and waste, what happens to dead computers, and a business model for rehabing old computers (computer science major)

Fashion (works in a clothing store)

SUNY fredonia’s green movement- what they doing, what can students do to help

Campus cafeterias

facebook and other social networks- carbon footprints

“green” products, are they worth buying?

Chocolate!!!

Renting movies

Consumerism and happiness (psych major)

Musical instruments and rare woods (violinist)

Books (harry potter books specifically:-)

Art Materials  & sutainable art (art major)

Hollywood films (tv/digital film major and film fan)

Bottled water (environ. science major)

Sports events and clothing

Baking (chocolate and sugar)

Running and air pollution

farm Raised fish and cooking

Fuel economy and travel

Music recitals and receptions

Tim Horton’s (employee)

Gun ammo and shooting sports (gun enthusiaist)

Thrift shopping

Cell phones

Dorm life- esp typical college products: plastic crates, mini fridges etc

Cosmetics

kids and recycling

Video gaming

 

Suprisingly, nobody chose toilet paper: I’ve seen so many articles on toilet paper the last couple weeks.

Also, nobody chose vampires: sorry Kasey.

Day 2, Discussion Readings March 11, 2009

It’s a busy week for me, I have a second set of papers (60) to grade before spring break arrives at the end of the week. So, for now I’m going to just post the 3 articles I had the students read for today’s discussion. They’re all short and center around  the intersections between education the economy and sustainability- as well as defining the sustainability movement.  So far discussions have been engaging and diverse. No one seemed to place Annie Leonard (The story of stuff) high on the “likeability” scale, but many had positive things to say about other aspects of the presentation. The students are handing in their research project proposals on Friday. I’ll have a more lengthy post later onwhat their projects entail.

 

Article 1: University Leaders for a Sustainable Future

Higher education is beginning to recognize the need to reflect the reality that humanity is affecting the environment in ways which are historically unprecedented and which are potentially devastating for both natural ecosystems and ourselves. Since colleges and universities are an integral part of the global economy and since they prepare most of the professionals who develop, manage and teach in society’s public, private and non-governmental institutions, they are uniquely positioned to influence the direction we choose to take as a society.

Article 2: Worldchanging.com: “New School Sustainability: Majors Making a Difference”

To make the transition to a sustainable world, we’ll need an army of sustainability-minded revolutionaries. We’ll need scientists to record what’s happening in the forests and oceans, prairies and deserts, to plan for the future and to work on restoring and conserving what’s left. We’ll need builders and designers to help reconstruct our cities and their systems. We’ll need mechanics and engineers to construct new technological and energy systems. More than ever before we’ll need a team of people working on social justice, humanitarian rights and fairness issues, holding the world to a higher level of accountability. And last but not least, we’ll need hordes of artists, musicians and creative types to paint life with that delectably unique human essence.

Article 3: NY Times (Thomas Friedman): “The Inflection Is Near?”

What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it’s telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall — when Mother Nature and the market both said: “No more.”

Oh, and some additional items bought to add to the “Stumble List”: Computer memory, encasement for hard drive, and a sink attachment ($80!!!) for the used dishwasher we got o n Craigslist.

Composition Unit on the Environmental movement March 3, 2009

I expect I’ll be posting a little more frequently on this blog for the next month since I am starting a unit in my composition class on the “Green” movement. Although I teach a research unit every semester, this is the first time I’ve had the students focus on what we’re generally labeling “Green” issues. Our discussions and their papers will be directed by their individual interests, so I am intrigued to see what directions they take. I supply the initial discussion material- which will certainly shape their intial investigations and discussions- but after our introductory discussions each student has the freedom to gather information and write on their own concerns and interests. They are currently finishing a unit on visual literacy in which they learn to read and analyze images. One of my students brought in this past issue of Vanity Fair with Roberts, Gore, Kennedy and Clooney on the cover. We had a great discussion analyzing the photo, many of the students are very excited to get a chance to develop a vocabulary for analyzing and giving voice to the feelings and intuitions they are having in the barrage of information and imagery rapidly developing around environmental issues. Our unit starts Friday. I’ll post more then.