Posts

Columbus to do list event

For my last ENR event of this semester, I visited a couple new places on the Columbus to do list with some friends. Kevin, Kaleigh, Will, and I visited Glen Echo Ravine and the Audubon Center. The Glen Echo Ravine was beautiful. It is a restoration park with a spectacular creek and gorgeous waterfall. We saw a person going for a run while we there, but besides that, we were the only people. Although it was raining, and the trails were slippery, we still enjoyed our time exploring outside. It was nice getting to see some animals too. Squirrels scampered around the forest floor, and there was even a duck that followed us around for some of our time there. The highlight of the trip was getting to stand underneath the waterfall. Next we visited the Audubon Center. We were the only people here as well because of the rainy weather. The water made it more difficult to tackle some of the climbing obstacles but we persisted. There was also a playground there where we hung out for a while. The rain didn’t bother me, and I greatly enjoy being outside, so both of these locations were a lot of fun to see. We shared a lot of laughs and spent some time admiring the outdoors. Afterwards, we got a bite to eat at McDonalds before heading back to school to study for finals.

Month of Action: Mid-Point Check-In

Over the past couple weeks, I have taken steps to conserve energy at home and at college. Over spring break, while I was home, I checked to see what type of lightbulbs my family was using. I switched out the few incandescent bulbs we had for fluorescent instead. Before coming back to school, I unplugged all the electronics that I knew would not be used. Other things that I have done are take shorter showers and use less plastics. Back at school, I am making sure all unused lights are turned off. To go along with that, I am letting more of my laundry air dry instead of using the dryer. I am also making sure to use warm water instead of hot when washing clothes, and trying to convince my roommates to do the same.

It can be difficult sticking to the action plan, so I have written reminders to make sure that I am thinking about ways to conserve energy every day. The most challenging thing is to educate others about the issue. My plan is to create a poster or flyers with tips on how to conserve energy. Hopefully I can get some help from my roommates in spreading the word about energy conservation. We can do more together and helping the world conserve energy is a big deal.

Month of action plan

Here is a list of actions that anyone can do to help conserve energy.

  1. Use less electricity by turning off lights or other appliances when they’re not in use.
  2. Unplug appliances when not in use.
  3. Switch to compact fluorescent lightbulbs if possible as opposed to incandescent.
  4. Use recyclable and reusable products.
  5. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
  6. Let clothes air dry.
  7. Regulate thermostat to make sure room is not hotter than it needs to be.
  8. Use more public transportation.
  9. Educate others about the things they can do to conserve energy
  10. Take shorter showers.

From this list, I am committing to educating others about energy conservation and using public transportation because these are some of the root causes of high energy use. Cars emit lots of carbon dioxide, so using public transportation will reduce the amount of cars on the street and carbon emissions. I will also turn off lights not being used and unplug electronics to save on electricity, meaning less fossil fuels are being burned. Lastly, I will try to use products that aren’t packaged and don’t leave a lot of waste. Producing less waste is going to be important for a sustainable future.

I think it will be difficult trying to find ways to convince people to actually use less energy. I know it will be a challenge to remember to do all the little things that make a difference. However, starting good habitats of conserving energy will pay off and become easier to remember as time goes on.

Over the course of the next month, I hope to learn more about what I can do on a large scale to influence change. It is important to create and maintain sustainable habits, and I hope that I can help others do the same. I also want to learn what other people are doing to conserve energy and how the future of energy distribution will look.

References

https://www.uswitch.com/energy-saving/guides/free-energy-saving-tips/

Issue Exploration

There are many facets to the issue of energy conservation. Energy has become so important in the daily lives of Americans. It powers cars, buildings, and so much more. Since Americans rely so heavily on energy in their everyday lives, it is important to monitor how much we use and conserve energy where we can. Especially now, as the world population is growing faster than before, energy is going to become more scarce. It is also important to conserve energy because of where the energy is coming from. Energy is primarily generated from coal and other fossil fuels that emit harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. However, in the future, there is hope that countries will switch to more renewable sources of energy.

An important step in convincing people to reduce their energy use is to educate them about the problems surrounding energy. Energy is so commonly used in our daily lives that most of us probably never stop to think about where it is coming from. Another challenge in addressing the root problems with energy is finding an energy source that can provide energy to all the people that need it. Third world countries struggle without being able to use energy, and developing countries need energy to sustain their rising population. Finding and utilizing alternative energy sources rather than fossil fuels is another step in the right direction. Using cleaner, renewable energy is key to solving many of the world’s issues, and will play a large role in providing energy and electricity to everyone.

There are several policies that impacts on energy. There are taxes on energy use to try and make people as well as companies reduce their energy use. Tax incentives also encourage companies to invest in renewable, clean energy. Reducing oil imports, and becoming self reliant is another way to be energy efficient and economically smart.

Energy conservation is important to the Columbus and Ohio State community because the city and campus use a lot of energy. From the electricity to power all the lights and buildings, to the gas and fuel for busses and cars, energy powers the city. Without it, we couldn’t do many of the normal things we do every day. There are some organizations on campus, like the Sierra Club that have partnered with the city of Columbus and are pushing for the “Ready for 100” campaign, a campaign that is trying to encourage major cities to use 100% renewable energy by 2050. The Students for a Sustainable Campus organization pushes sustainability initiatives and works to make the campus and city more environmentally-friendly.

 

This Ted Talk gave a new perspective on the issue of energy conservation. He suggested how to address some of the root issues and gave examples of possible solutions. The idea of making cities sustainable is necessary for the future, and knowing how to do it is key. Some bias exists in this video because he is only giving his opinion, and using models that have estimates instead of actual data about the future. He also does not mention other possible solutions to the problem.

References

www.renewableenergyworld.com/ugc/articles/2015/04/a-guide-for-effective-energy-saving.html

http://aceee.org/portal/national-policy

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=about_energy_efficiency

http://www.nova.edu/gogreen/conservation/environmental_benefits.html

https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/08/21/3-energy-issues-no-ones-talking-about

 

 

Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is an increasingly important topic in modern society. As the population continues to rapidly increase, we will need more energy to sustain the needs of all people. The population is rising faster than it ever has before, and it is important to conserve energy so everyone will have access to it. Some other issues I considered exploring were pollution and recycling. Both of these are major environmental concerns right now as well. However, The reason I landed on energy conservation is that there are many different facets to it that can be explored, and everyone can do something to make a difference. There are plenty of everyday decisions we can make that will conserve energy, leading to a cleaner environment. Americans use a lot of energy and different types of energy every day. It is also an issue I want to dig into and learn more about. Doing my own research on the internet as well as speaking with professors will allow me to effectively investigate my topic. Energy conservation is a broad topic with many channels, so it could be challenging trying to focus in on one aspect at a time. I think it will also be difficult convincing people to change their habits, and living a more energy-efficient lifestyle. Americans heavily rely on many different forms of energy, so any effort made to reduce energy consumption is a step in the right direction. I hope to inspire others to be more energy conscious when making decisions.

References

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=us_energy_home

http://epenergysolutions.com/energy-conservation-reasons/

http://smartenergyliving.org/index.cfm/ID/4/Resources/

Columbus To-Do List Part 2

In the second part of my Columbus to-do list, I visited Goodale Park, Columbus Commons Park, Topiary Park, and Schiller Park. My favorite experience from this assignment has been seeing the city and learning more about Columbus. After visiting all the parks, my scholars and I grabbed a bite to eat at Late Night Slice Pizza. It was the first time I had ever tried it, and it was one of the best pizzas I had ever had. I learned the Columbus is a growing city and has a lot to offer. There are plenty of parks to explore and many good dining locations. I want to explore Columbus more and learn about the night life. Hopefully I can make it to a Blue Jackets hockey game soon. For someone taking on this endeavor, I would recommend hitting as many spots as possible. A lot of places are within walking distance and convenient to visit. Also visit a couple restaurants on the way.

Goodale Park was the first park we visited for the day. It was in a nice area on the outskirts of the city. We walked around for a while exploring the playground. There were a lot of fun things to do on the playground and we spent a lot of time there. It was an open area with lots of pathways and green space to run or jog. We took many pictures and had a lot of good laughs. It was a beautiful park. Many people were there walking their dogs and we said hello to a couple. I would recommend it to a friend because it was a lot of fun and free to visit. I enjoy being outside in nature and taking in the fresh air. The park was relatively quiet and not that busy which made it more peaceful and relaxing. I prefer the quieter parks with less people as opposed to crowded places. It was nice to learn that Columbus has a few of these parks, and I will be coming back to visit them, hopefully with more friends.

The next place we visited was Columbus Commons Park. This park was more in the city and felt smaller than Goodale Park. It had more of an urban feel to it, and did not feel as calming as Goodale Park. There was a cool stage for performances to take place, and on the other side of the green patch, a tall Christmas tree. A sleigh and reindeer were set up in front of the tree as shown in the picture. We took a lot of pictures in the sleigh pretending to be Santa Claus. There was not much to do there during the day time besides walk around and enjoy the scenery. I would not recommend someone go there unless there was some function going on. It would have been more fun if there were more interesting things to do. On the positive side, its location in the city is useful because there are a lot of things to do around the park. When we were there, we just had to make our own fun. That included spelling out O-H-I-O in front of the Christmas tree.

Topiary Park was the third place we visited on our journey. It was more secluded than Columbus Commons and had more shrubbery, giving it more of a nature feel. The bushes were trimmed into shapes and figures making it a very unique looking place. Most of the bushes and plants were trimmed to look like people. We tried to imitate the poses of all the trimmed figures in the park. It was also a good place for bird watching. One of us had a pair of binoculars that we used to watch birds. There were a couple neat species that we saw in the park. This park was also a popular spot for dog-walkers. A beautiful pond was near the middle of the park and was filled with swimming ducks. I would recommend this park to a friend because of how unique it is, and it was not crowded either, adding to its appeal.

The last location from the list I visited was Schiller Park. This was probably the most crowded park we visited. It seemed popular and had the most stuff to do. We also spent the most time at this park. There was a playground site, where we spent a good chunk of time swinging and looking at birds. There was also a spinning thing that we took turns on getting extremely dizzy then trying to climb the playground. It was likely the largest of the parks as well. I really enjoyed sitting on the bridge that went over the pond there. It was very serene and relaxing. I definitely recommend this park because there are several fun things to do and a lot of open, green areas. It is also close enough down town to be able to do something in the city. For example, we went to grab a bite to eat at Late Night Slice after our long day of visiting parks.

Career Exploration

There are multiple parts to the career planning process. Right now, I am in the stage of career exploration, meaning that I am learning about jobs and occupations related to my field of interest. I want to help make the world a more sustainable place, so finding a job with a company that has those same priorities is important to me. I hope to find internships that will provide me with the experience I need to evaluate my decision pursuing a career in sustainability. The next stage for me will then be reality testing, which involves interning, and diving into the work that goes with my career. After completing the RIASEC test, I realized that I am a S-I-R, or Social, Investigative, and Realistic. Working with people is something that I enjoy, and making a difference in the lives of others gives me pleasure. That is part of the reason that I am investigative. My desire to do good in the world, encourages me to think of new solutions to environmental problems. Lastly, I want a realistic job because I want to create real, lasting change. Dealing with abstract ideas or possibilities is too tedious for me. I’d rather find a practical solution and implement it as quickly as possible. The O Net website recommended a lot of careers in the medical field. This did not surprise me. Although I do not plan to go into the medical field, I did see other career suggestions in forestry and teaching about the environment. This was reassuring because I feared that I might be in the wrong major for my future career. My major in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability will line up well with my career path in my opinion. Being able to help the environment will also benefit people since they are interconnected. Hopefully, I get to work in business, where I can apply realistic solutions that benefit both company and planet. That would be the ultimate goal. As of right now, before all that, I will look for internships that can give me a glimpse of what my career path looks like. Also, I wish to study abroad, and possibly to research to once again test where my true interests lie. Once I know for sure, I hope to keep pursuing a fulfilling career, and changing jobs as I need to. The career search is always changing and evolving, but I believe that I am currently on the right path.

Columbus To-Do List Part 1

For this semester, I have chosen to do the Nature and Outdoor Recreation to-do list. I’m looking forward to exploring the parks in Columbus, and learning more about the environment and animals that live here. I enjoy being outside and going on runs through parks. I’m most excited to visit Hayden Falls Park. After completing this assignment, I hope that I can find some great places to relax and unwind, especially after a stressful day. The outdoors gives me a sense of peace, and I hope to learn more about the wildlife in Columbus as well. They are also great spots for cool pictures. I’ve already visited the Olentangy Trail. There, my fellow scholars and I took a walk along the river and relaxed after a long day. We saw a some squirrels and quite a few birds. I always like listening to the sounds of nature, and trying to see how many animals I can find. My favorite animal sighting was the fish in the Olentangy River. We saw a lot of people during our walk along the trail. Not surprisingly, there were many people biking and walking along the trail. It is a convenient trail close to campus, and a scenic place to exercise. I would recommend other people check out the Olentangy Trail, especially if they love exercising. It is a great way to get some fresh air and see the beauty of nature. I will definitely be going back soon, and bringing more friends with me to see more parts of the trail.

Mentor Meeting

There are many majors to choose from at Ohio State. My mentor had a tough time deciding what major to pursue. She said having an idea of what you want to work with or who you want to work with in the future is helpful for determining a major. She changed her major after her volunteer experience and realized that’s not what she was passionate about. When struggling with a class she advised visiting the TAs or going to office hours. Even though it might be uncomfortable, they are a resource to help students succeed. Finding a good place to study, like the Buckeye Grove or 18th Avenue Library is also helpful. Getting involved has many benefits to it. It is one way of finding out what you like and dislike and can guide your decisions regarding what you want to do in college and beyond. My mentor discovered that she did not like the path she was on after volunteering at a vet clinic. Volunteer positions are just as useful for finding out what you’re interested in as paid internships. Any opportunity to increase your network of people and meet new friends is good. Being in the ENR scholars program opened her up to a lot of the environmental issues going on in the world. It showed the political side of these issues and why they were a problem. She told me one of the great things about ENR is all the friends you will make. Everyone is nice and we get to do a ton of cool things like camping and backpacking. To make the most of ENR, get to know everyone in it and going to as many events as possible. My mentor has plans to get her Masters and PhD in Psychology. She wants to work with adolescents dealing with substance abuse or work overseas with military veterans. I aspire to dream big like her and use my education for the benefit of others. Having a backup plan is good and she wants to at least get her Masters in Psychology if not a PhD. College presents many new challenges and experiences. We agreed that the best way to stay organized and on top of everything is to utilize a planner. That’s a key to balancing academics and extra curricular activities.  Between classes and living in a dorm, it can feel like people are always around you. It is important to make time for yourself to relax and recharge. With all the new challenges that come with college, I learned that you are going to fail at some point. No one is perfect and you don’t have to be a perfectionist. One bad grade or bad experience will not define you. College is my first time living on my own and I have to figure out life. I might not have everything figured out yet, but that’s not a bad thing. Going through new experiences can be difficult and it’s normal to struggle at times. We aren’t fully grown up yet and college is a growing experience.

My top five strengths are kindness, forgiveness, honesty, humor, and love. Kindness is doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them. Forgiveness is about forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting others’ shortcomings; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful. Honesty is speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without pretense; taking responsibility for one’s feelings and actions. Humor is liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side; making (not necessarily telling) jokes. Love is about valuing close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing & caring are reciprocated; being close to people. The order of these outcomes is fairly accurate, however I would switch “love” to my third strongest trait, “honesty” to fourth, and “humor” to fifth to make it better. Prudence was my sixth highest, but I believe there are other things that should be higher than it like leadership and judgement. During high school I was involved in many service activities which demonstrates kindness and love for all people. It was a pleasure to interact with people who were different from me and learn their stories. I wish gratitude was higher on the list because I do think that it is important to take a moment every once in a while and consider our blessings. Loving is my favorite out of all the strengths. It is most representative of what I believe in as a person. The picture here is my mother and I attending a dance. She is the one who inspires me to be loving and kind.