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I’m currently in the middle of my second week of my Earth Month Action Plan. The first week, focusing on saving electricity, went quite well. Here is a list of things I did to accomplish this task:

• I kept watch of charging my electronics so I wouldn’t leave them plugged in for too long after fully charging. (Also, it’s bad for your electronic’s battery life to keep it plugged in after fully charging.)
• I had to do laundry this week, but like usual I kept the setting on cold water and at a normal spin cycle, and I hung my clothes to dry them instead of using a dryer. Next year I definitely want to get a drying rack for my room because normally my loads are very small compared to the dryer. Also, I save a little bit of money in the long run.
• I took the stairs more than the elevator. I already always take the stairs down in Morrill, and I took the stairs up most of the time. (There were a few exceptions here. I went up when I saw people from the my floor going up, and one or two times I was just too tired to walk up the stairs.)
• I kept the lights off when possible. For example, if I wasn’t staying in a room but just picking up something from it and there was some light filtering in, I kept the lights off. Normally in the morning I leave my desk light on when I go to get ready in the bathroom, but instead I would turn it off. I unplugged and turned off lights as much as possible while also being considerate to my suite mates.

For this second week, I am making three Facebook posts about climate change. I already posted my first one earlier today about why climate change is a very real and legitimate issue and how previous environmental legislation has worked to fight its effects.

I’m not sure right now what I could really do differently to help with my actions. I might try to make my next two Facebook posts stand out more with pictures or a graph. I’ll see what I can find.

So far I have learned that it is actually not too hard to make some changes to reduce my effect on global warming. This has encouraged me to find new ways to make positive changes for the Earth.

One challenge I forsee in my other two weeks of the challenge is that I might not be able to attend the Columbus March for Science anymore. Unfortunately the event is in the morning during my usual work shift, so if I can’t find someone to cover for me I can’t go. I’ll have to think of an alternative task for this week. I’m hoping that I don’t run into trouble with my vegan week, but I definitely will have to make sure I know what I can and cannot eat and pay attention to food labels and ingredients.

I am having a lot of fun with this project, and I am excited to see how the rest of it plays out.

During Earth Month, I am going to be focusing on activities I can do to fight global warming, which is my main topic for this semester. Since there is a large variety of things I can do to accomplish this, given that global warming has many causes, I am going to do four pretty different actions each of the 4 weeks of April.

Week One: Focus on saving electricity
I consider this the easiest of the actions I have chosen for Earth Month. Right now, I do normally try to remember to turn off and unplug as much as is convenient. This week, I’m going to try other methods of saving electricity besides unplugging. I plan on taking the elevator less, especially when I am going to be the only one on the elevator, maybe remind others to unplug and turn off lights when they leave a room, and being more conscious of my usage of my laptop and cellphone so I don’t have to charge them so much. These tasks shouldn’t be too difficult because I already take the stairs down and occasionally up in Morrill and I can be easily conscious of my technology usage. I just might have some trouble reminding others, like my suite mates.

Week Two: Facebook Posts
For the second week, I want to make at least three Facebook posts about different aspects of global warming to share with people I associate with on this platform. I think Facebook is an effective platform when it comes to sharing information to a wide variety of people. I will just need to do some brainstorming on what I would like to share and gather some facts for the posts. Troubles here would be to remember to make up the posts and making them relevant to my friends on Facebook. I am also a bit uncomfortable with sharing social change posts on Facebook because I prefer to keep a low profile, but I think this action could also be quite important.

Week 3: Attend the Science March in Columbus on Earth Day
I learned about the various science marches that will occur on Earth Day earlier this year, and as great as it would be to attend the march in Washington, DC, that is probably not likely. I am highly interested in attending the local march, however. Since I have never marched for anything before, I am nervous and not exactly sure what to do. I will also want to find someone with whom to march so I am more comfortable. I am excited because the environment is something I am passionate about and we need accurate, peer-reviewed science to properly fight it.

Week 4: Vegan for a Week
While I have been a vegetarian for five years and have experimented in veganism, I still think this will be tricky given that I mostly eat on campus and there are not as many vegan options. I also sometimes forget to check labels to make sure that food items are properly vegan, or absentmindedly grab something vegetarian but not vegan. Factory farming is an immense contributor to global warming, so I would like to experiment in taking the next step to reduce the carbon footprint of my diet.

All of these actions, except Week 3, will require me posting reminders to myself that I am engaging in a certain action that week. My main concern is largely remembering the action at hand and being willing to go the extra mile to accomplish it.

My view of social entrepreneurship has definitely changed after hearing Kenny speak at last week’s class. Initially I was pretty nervous about the prospect of getting involved with social enterprise. Anything with the word ‘social’ in it, though, just makes me nervous in general. I would not say that I am used to getting out in public and reaching out to people to make anything happen, let alone change. However, after last week’s presentation, I feel a bit more confident, if not inspired, to get involved with social enterprise. Granted, I will most likely not actively try and become a social entrepreneur, but I may try to volunteer or work with social enterprises to enact change. At the very least, I will try to support more social enterprises through my patronage.
Additional things I may want to consider regarding this lens is looking into how much change is enacted by social enterprise, whether one is devoted to its charitable works, and what kind of change or charity is conducted by a social enterprise. While I support many kinds of social charity, with my issue of global warming I would like to focus more of my involvement in social enterprise with environmental change.
My biggest takeaway from this presentation, both from Kenny and the TEDTalk on Hot Chicken Takeover, is that change won’t happen and issues won’t be addressed unless people get up and do something about it. One way to do this is through social enterprise, which can be effective because it gets more than the social entrepreneur involved. It involves the employees and patrons of the enterprise, and it has the possibility to grow into something large and prominent.
Personally, I mainly want to get involved by patronizing social enterprises, at least initially. I would first have to do some research into local ones or other common large scale ones that I can support, since I do not know of many right now. At some point, I may also want to get involved with social enterprises by working in one, so hopefully I get the chance to do that in the future. Either way, I certainly would like to get more involved with social enterprises in the future.

Social enterprises are companies that work to benefit various humanitarian or environmental causes along with their normal course of operation, typically operating equally for both profits from their business and for their philanthropic or cooperative work. Also, social enterprises typically use commercial/business practices to advance their social or environmental goals.
Ways that I can get involved in my issue through social enterprises is by directly supporting their business by buying their products, spreading word about their work, and donating if that is an option. Challenges that may occur involve the inability to support a social enterprise by purchasing their products or donating because the products may be more expensive and one has a limited budget. Many social enterprises are not exactly too widely known and may be difficult to advertise. Another challenge is determining the validity of a social enterprise. Some companies that advertise their activism may actually do very little social work and just exaggerate their cause to get more business. It is also important to know the difference between companies that evenly split their resources devoted to making profit and supporting social change, a true social enterprise such as Indiegogo, compared to those that are largely-profit based and devote only a little bit of their resources to social or environmental change, such as H&M.
Something important to consider when viewing the issue of climate change through a social enterprise lens is the scope of the operation (local, national, global, etc.) and that there are many different ways that social enterprises can fight climate change or spread awareness.
Another thing to consider just with all issues in all lenses is that there are limits on what certain tactics of change can do, and that using different lenses to varying degrees expands the reach of efforts for change.
Work that is done by social enterprises that consists of various levels of the justice-oriented citizen model includes knowing about social/environmental movements and how to affect change, challenging systems that perpetuate social/environmental injustice, and exploring strategies for change involving root causes of the problem.
The TED Talk I watched for this lens was presented by Jason Clay and called “How big brands can help save biodiversity”. Even though it was made in 2010, I think it is still very relevant to social enterprise today and the methods discussed by Clay are definitely ones that have been and will continue to be developed to better our environment through big businesses. Clay talked about how he and his associates coordinate roundtables with similar businesses to discuss sustainable production and to then develop sustainable standards for their production. Clay emphasized the principle of producing more with less resources to match our increasing demand for products without destroying more ecosystems where this production happens. Through his research, he has found that by having 25% of the companies dominating the production of a certain commodity, they can encourage another 40-50% of companies in the same area to adopt sustainable practices as well. Lastly, he left off with a quote that definitely relates to not just social enterprise and climate change, but with other lenses and issues: “The issue isn’t what to think, it’s how to think.”

Link to TED Talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jason_clay_how_big_brands_can_save_biodiversity#t-1149939

After hearing Councilmember Brown talk about political involvement, I have become more inspired to work on my issue of climate change through this lens. As she discussed her experiences as a local politician, she showed how advocating for change and policy, even on a smaller level, can definitely have a considerable impact. Her discussion also gave me more confidence to actually go and try to make change. This is important because climate change is one of those issues that can really only be enacted effectively through government policy, so I need to actually feel capable of looking to some level of the government to encourage change in this area.
Additional things I might now consider while continuing to explore my issue are going to council meetings that are open to the public and researching how effective various types of lobbying are on influencing environmental policy.
My biggest takeaway from the discussion with Councilmember Brown was that local-level politics are important and can affect the lives of many people and issues, even if it is just the citizens or institutions in the immediate jurisdiction (of which there may be a lot). Also, local politics can in fact influence state and national politics with the proper circumstances. Local politicians can fight against (or encourage) legislation and executive orders made at the national level and help influence change on a larger scale. This is a very inspiring fact to me.
After doing the preliminary assignment on political action and listening to Councilmember Brown, some things I would now like to personally do to take action include going to a public council meeting (and maybe asking a question on environmental policy in Columbus), going to one of the Scientist’s Marches on April 22 (there is one in my hometown of Cleveland), becoming involved in an environmental student organization at OSU, and spreading information about climate change on social media or in other ways. As I continue researching the issue of climate change, I hope to come up with other ways of getting involved and making change.

Politics and governance definitely impact my issue. In fact, it may just be the most impactful factor of climate change. Politics impacts climate change for many reasons, not least because it is the only way to effectively accomplish policy combatting climate change around the world. While there are efforts on a smaller scale fighting the impacts of climate change and lobbying for a better response to it, we cannot achieve any massive gains in this area without national intervention. National governments working with each other can coordinate shifts in production, economic workings, et cetera to solve this problem.
Actions that people working in policy and governance are taking to confront this issue include lobbying for stronger climate change legislation, coordinating with other large firms or various levels of government to enact environmental policy, and protest against backwards-looking changes in environmental policy that unfortunately has been seen more in the past month.
Other people, including myself, can take political action to get involved in fighting climate change by writing, emailing, or calling government officials who may be uninterested in action against climate change. We can also participate in protests to get the attention of government officials, such as during the March for Science that is happening in numerous locations around the world on the 22nd of April this year. I certainly hope to participate in that, because (peaceful) protests can be very effective in getting messages across. Other forms of lobbying can also be effective in enacting political change.
There are, of course, many challenges to influencing policy, especially on such a hotly debated topic like climate change. There are numerous skeptics in the government who are blocking important pieces of legislation and refusing to cooperate globally to solve the problem. Lobbying and other forms of action on the citizen level are also not always effective in changing the opinions or actions of policymakers, so that is also a formidable challenge.
Important things to consider when looking at the issue of climate change through a political lens include knowing that policy is not the only way to fight climate change. While it is an important aspect, as I stated earlier, there are other methods through other lenses that can be effective in enacting some change. It is also important to consider that other people who view the same issue through a political lens may still view it in a different way. For example, a policymaker, while looking at the issue of climate change through a political lens, may find it useless to pursue solutions to the problem because they feel that any change through the political system is practically impossible, or that it may not be beneficial to their political position and career to support fighting climate change, and will therefore stay quiet.
A TED Talk that I found relating to the issue of climate change through a political lens was presented by Christiana Figueres, called “The Inside Story of the Paris Climate Agreement”. (The link is inserted below.) Figueres brought up many great key points, including the fact that the Paris Climate Agreement was a historical agreement in which all the countries of the world signed an agreement confirming that they would make shifts in the workings of their economies to combat climate change effectively. She discussed how the road to this agreement was bumpy, but through a gradual process of incremental growth of broader action fighting climate change brought about the success in Paris, starting with general technological improvements in the effectiveness and cheapness of green technology, and followed by shifts in national economies, growth of broader participation in smaller groups, and eventually national and multinational cooperation. She emphasized that while we have a long ways to go before we reach our greater collective goal to intensely reduce our environmental impact, the countries of the world have the potential to enhance their cooperation to create solutions to the issue of climate change.

The three environmental issues I narrowed down to explore are water, wildlife, and climate change. I value each of these issues very much and believe that positive changes in these categories would greatly benefit the world.
Water is of great importance because it is essential to all life on Earth. Plants, animals, and humans need it to survive. Unfortunately, many areas, mainly in third-world countries but also in developed countries, have trouble getting access to clean water. If they don’t have access to clean water, they can’t grow crops, clean themselves, stay hydrated, et cetera. I think water is the most important resource that we have, and it is integral to our survival to protect water resources and ensure worldwide access to clean, fresh water.
The diversity of wildlife is also a big issue. Besides the beauty of ecosystems rich with plant and animal life, we need several species to keep balance in the natural ecosystems from which they come. Without grey wolves, elk would overpopulate the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and cause problems such as ecological damage. The collective health of the Earth’s ecosystems are important to the general health of the Earth. It will be beneficial for us now to protect wildlife and the ecosystems they inhabit for the future good of the species themselves and the Earth.
Of course, the issue of climate change is of the utmost importance. Despite the few stubborn naysayers, climate change is a very real and serious issue and is caused by humans. Though it has already caused many environmental issues, it is still possible for humans to change their harmful habits and slow the effects of climate change. There are many different things we as humans can do on personal, business, political, and global levels to combat this serious issue that has an impact on all of us.
After some thought and research, I have decided that the issue I am going to focus on is climate change. This is for several reasons. First, it is the easiest and has the widest reach of my three final options. It would be difficult for me to personally make a change for wildlife conservation outside of lobbying for bills to protect wildlife or sharing information about the issue. Water is a close second, because there is plenty I can do (and already do) to personally conserve water. A problem with this is trying to widen my scope on the water issue. It is not necessarily easy for me to extend the lesson of water conservation to, say, larger companies consuming a lot of water or to extend my services to communities experiencing water shortages. This is easier to work with than the wildlife issue, but still tricky. This leaves me with the issue of climate change. Since there are so many different factors that affect climate change, I can hit more areas with this topic. From recycling to going vegan to driving less, and everything in between, I can make a lot more choices to at least reduce my own carbon footprint. Also, since the topic has so many diverse roots, it is easier to spread the word to others and encourage them to at least choose a few key points to focus on to reduce their effect on climate change. Overall, the message is much easier to spread and has many entry points on which anyone can start to make change. So, with all of this in mind, I figure focusing on the general issue of climate change and reducing my carbon footprint is the best issue on which to focus.
Climate change covers the three P’s of sustainability very easily. First, climate change involves the changing of the climate of the whole planet, and thus affects everything on the planet. For people, people are the ones who have caused climate change and are also the ones who can stop it. Lastly, climate change has to do with profit for a couple reasons. First, many large-scale companies who have quickened climate change may have done so because more environmentally friendly options in their businesses were not profitable, and therefore were not practiced. Also, some new companies may actually make profit off of developing or manufacturing environmentally friendly methods to decrease climate change.
As the weeks go on, I hope to explore the many ways I can alleviate the effects of climate change on a personal level and perhaps also on a more public level. I expect I may run into issues with communicating the issue to other people and figuring out ways to expand my reach of change, or that I may find some methods of reducing my carbon footprint not enjoyable or particularly easy, but I hope that I will be able to move past these issues and become a more environmentally conscious and friendly person, and to make some change in the world.

I finished the rest of my Columbus To Do List for the German Village/Brewery District on November 11 and 29, visiting Schmidt’s Sausage Haus (and Fudge Haus) and Scioto Audubon & Schiller Park, respectively.

On November 11, I visited German Village with fellow ENR Scholar Hailey MacArthur-Senediak. We decided the central focus of our visit would be Schmidt’s, both the main restaurant and its fudge store. At the fudge store, which is on the corner adjacent to the restaurant, I got a piece of sea salt caramel dark chocolate, a dark chocolate-covered pretzel, and a pecan snapper, and they were all SO good. I was also super excited to go the restaurant itself, because I had heard about it on Man vs. Food, a show that I LOVE. It wasn’t that hard for me to eat there, even though I’m a vegetarian, because I saw on the menu that some of their meat dishes (which consisted of most of the menu) had vegetarian options. However, I went cheap and got two sides: mini potato pancakes and red cabbage, but they were delicious. Hailey and I also split an appetizer, mini pretzel bites with honey mustard (SOOO good) and a dessert, Schmidt’s famous half-pound vanilla cream puff. I also loved the cozy, German pub atmosphere and will 100% go back again with family and friends.

We also met this super sweet and lovable cat while walking the streets of German Village. It made the trip more special because I was really missing my cats at home.

On November 29, I visited the Scioto Audubon (pictures above) and Schiller Park (pictures below) with my ENR Scholars Mentor Claire Rosenbaum. We also had a special guest with us: Konda the dog! We had a limited amount of time to go through both of these places, but the visits left me interested enough to definitely want to return at a later date. I have to say, after hearing a lot about the Scioto Audubon in class, I was pretty excited to see it, and it did not disappoint. I got to take a look at the rock wall and the playground (I have this thing with playgrounds), and then Claire, Konda, and I walked up to the visitor center and on some of the boardwalks over the marsh. Claire and I discussed how impressive it was for the Columbus Metro Parks to create this incredible bit of green space so close to downtown, the attention to detail of planting native marsh species in the area, the huge amount of area it covered, and the many types of recreation activities that can be done there. I certainly intend to come back and explore this park more thoroughly.

Schiller Park was absolutely gorgeous, and it’s sort of tucked in the middle of a bunch of brick, Victorian-ish style houses. I think the park is quite picturesque and idyllic, with all of its picnic tables, towering trees, duck pond, and pavilion. The pavilion looked especially beautiful with the vines (I think it was wisteria) growing over the trellis and the columns. There was also a playground here, and Konda got very excited watching me on the swings. I will definitely visit Schiller Park again.

I am not sure what my favorite experience is, because every time I have gone to German Village I have had a lot of fun and seen many cool things, and these past visits have encouraged me to come back to this neighborhood to explore more.

The Columbus To Do List has taught me about the rich history and culture of one of Columbus’s oldest neighborhoods and that I can probably expect such richness in its other neighborhoods. This has definitely inspired me to explore other neighborhoods of Columbus that may be hiding my new favorite restaurant or park. It has also shown me how accessible different parts of Columbus are by many different methods of transportation. My recommendation to others wanting to check out German Village or any other neighborhood is to experience these places both alone and with people. While alone in German Village, I felt unrestrained and was able to do a lot of private reflection going through some of the locations. However, experiencing it with friends was also exciting and I created some great memories.

I definitely look forward to exploring more of German Village and other areas of Columbus.