For my semester project, I attended the Buck-I-Serv trip to Birmingham, Alabama. This Buck-I-Serv trip was dedicated to Habitat for Humanity and involved repairing, furnishing, and construction of homes in the Birmingham region. The trip spanned from December 17^th through the 23^rd, with four eight-hour work days and one free day to explore the city of Birmingham. Each day involved different types of construction work and labor, with thirty-two hours of service in total. I had many different expectations that were met and not met throughout the trip. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the trip was the work itself. Since it was a Habitat for Humanity trip, I was prepared to swing a chainsaw around, hammer foundation, and break down structures with a sledge-hammer. However, the work I found myself doing the most was simply painting. This meant painting walls, ceilings, doors, and trims resulting in a new found wait for wielding a paint brush. What I didn’t realize is that a huge aspect of home construction isn’t exactly the construction itself, but the furnishing, cleaning, and maintenance. Though these jobs were initially less enticing then using a miter saw to build foundation for home, I learned an immense amount of skills. I never knew how to tile a floor, or even pondered the concept, but during four hours of tiling kitchen floors in thirty-five-degree weather, I learned a lot. However, I think that perhaps the greatest thing I took away for this trip is my newfound perspective on service itself. On one cold Alabama morning, we were sent to a completely finished house, and were given the task of raking leaves and painting a back deck. I remember initially being upset that my task was so insignificant, that my labor and workforce should be used for something more fulfilling. As I started raking leaves for the old woman who lived in the house, I realized that this was still service in its own way, and most importantly: Somebody has to do it. And that is what was most fulfilling about Alabama, I learned that everyone can help in their own way, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

For my second year project, I plan to attend the Buck-I-Serve Habitat for Humanity trip in Birmingham Alabama.  This trip consists of helping to establish housing for the poverty stricken families of Birmingham. Though many people are not aware America is ridden with poverty, with some areas having comparable conditions to third world countries. Whether it is a case of people refusing to acknowledge this situation or a reflection of ignorance, poverty continues to cripple millions of Americans.  This Buck-I-Serve trip aims to help those suffering from poverty by providing houses and infrastructure. This experience will be extremely fulfilling and a way to donate my time to those in need. While I have volunteered before, I have never embarked upon a service mission of this length. The idea of serving for six days is extremely exciting, and only slightly daunting. I really enjoy the idea of donating my time to the people of my own country. I am not refuting the idea of other countries having issues, nor am I trying to discourage service in these countries. However, I do believe many people carry the notion that in order to help with poverty they have to travel to the slums of India or to an exotic yet underprivileged nation in Africa. America has problems that need attended to as well. Voluntourism is a real issue; and I believe that by being cognizant of the fact that the nation in which we reside has its own struggles can help tackle problem. I would like to serve the poor of my nation alongside my fellow buckeyes. I believe this will be an extremely beneficial opportunity by working among some of the poorest conditions of the nation. I have never seen true poverty, and I think it will not only be a humbling experience, but one I can use to spread awareness to others.  Poverty exists inevitably throughout the planet, and it is our choice to fight against it. This Buck-I-Serve trip is my opportunity to fight.

For my Columbus To List, I chose to the Nature and Outdoor Recreation.  The first park we went to was the Battelle Darby State Park. For the remainder of our destinations, however, I went to the Olentangy Trail (of course), the Franklin Conservatory, the Topiary Park, and Goodale Park.The Olentangy Trail is a blessing to have behind Morrill Tower. When the weather is permitting, I will always choose to run on the trail rather than a treadmill at the RPAC. This particular day pictured was a beautiful, sunshiny Saturday, one of the first of the semester. Maureen, Mady, and I brought food and blankets and made our way down the path.  We found a nice spot along the trail and set up for the day. We painted faces by the river and enjoyed the warm weather. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday, and I’m looking forward to many more living in Morrill next year.  This was by far the easiest destination to reach on the list.The Franklin Conservatory is a beautiful park filled with flowers, trees, and happy people. Maureen, Jake, Matt, and I decided to venture here first, since it seems gorgeous in the pictures. This proved to be true. We walked along the paths enjoying the scenery and open green space. The conservatory keeps bees, something I was not expecting but very excited to see. The only issue at the conservatory was the price to enter the Conservatory itself. Though it was only 10$, we opted out of paying and decided to enjoy the outside instead. I will whole-heartedly return to the Conservatory, and perhaps suck it up and pay the 10$ to go inside.When we decided to go to the Topiary Park, I was unsure of what it entailed. The answer is shrubs. The Topiary Park had shrubs. However, these shrubs were cut into beautiful works of art, featuring bush couples dancing, a happy bush dog, and even bush kids on a canoe. It definitely seemed to be a place for couples, but the four of us enjoyed the scenery nonetheless. The only difficult aspect of the Topiary Park was figuring out that it was also known as the Park for the Deaf. We were quite confused that google maps took us to a park for the deaf, until we saw the artistic shrubbery. If I’m in the area, I would definitely take a stroll through the park again.

The Goodale Park is located a bit off the Short North, and was the last stop for our list. This park was beautiful and open, with people playing music, children playing, and a plethora of happy dogs. Needless to say, this park was my favorite. I enjoyed the sense of community, as well as the huge green space for playing with dogs or tossing a frisbee. It featured a beautiful lake with a fountain and some overall good vibes. Since it’s only a short bike ride away, I will definitely be returning to this park with a book, some food, and good friends. (We tried taking the most awkward picture possible here)/

I enjoyed this Columbus To Do List theme. I was able to spend my time outdoors with friends, enjoying sunshine and happy times. One thing that surprised me was how accessible these parks are by car. We experienced little to no difficulty reaching each destination. It is definitely something I will take into account in the future. While driving to each park, I enjoyed seeing the houses and neighborhoods. This led me to want to explore the various neighborhoods of Columbus. This is feasible by bus and extremely easy to do with a car. For anyone who wishes to complete this list, I recommend using a car to arrive at each destination, and choosing days with great weather in order to truly enjoy the outdoors. Bring some good friends along too.

The Earth Month Challenge was a very interesting experience. While I understand this assignment is primarily intended to help the environment, the month became a reflection upon myself as well. My challenges were continuous, so after I started one each week, I continued it for the month. My first and second week challenges included using a reusable water bottle and tupperware. While these challenges were not particularly difficult, they proved a true test to my memory skills. My third week’s challenge was using a thermos for coffee. This challenge was not as difficult, since I could knowingly go without water or leftovers, but for some mornings coffee is necessary. Thus, remembering to bring my thermos was not a difficult task. For my last challenge, I composted my organic material. This was by far the most difficult challenge. While initially conceiving it, I was not worried about not throwing away my banana and orange peels. However, as I continued through the week, I became very aware about my organic waste production. Any unfinished food in dining halls was most definitely organic waste, yet I had neither the ability to take it home nor the stomach to finish it. It helped me become aware of the amount of food I put on my plate. However, perhaps the most important thing I learned is composting in a dorm, on a meal plan, is hard. Once I have my own house, as well as back home, it will not be a difficult process, but carrying around banana peels and my dining hall food is rather annoying.  So of these challenges, I plan to continue the first three, especially using the thermos for coffee. For the composting challenge, I plan to do it once I have my own house, as well as back home. I learned that these challenges are very easy to do, and therefore, helping the environment is not a difficult process by any means. Sure I’m not following a 100% eco-friendly lifestyle, but I’m doing my part to help the environment. If something drives me, such as my love for coffee, I can do most challenges. This is where I think going green can translate itself unto almost anyone; someone simply has to find their drive. Whether it’s a love for saving money or enjoying trying something new, the reason behind helping the environment doesn’t concern me. In the end, if energy and resources are being saved, I don’t mind the intentions behind people’s actions (as long as they aren’t hurting anyone). Thus, almost any person can help the environment in any little way they can, and I think Earth Month is a wonderful way to highlight that fact.

For my third Earth Month Challenge week, I started using a thermos to carry coffee instead of buying coffee at cafes. This was an attempt to reduce my waste impact from coffee cups. In addition to this, I continued to use tupperware as well as a reusable water bottle.  This week has probably been the best week thus far, in regards to being aware of my challenge. For both the water bottle and tupperware, the only issues I faced were remembering to bring my water bottle and tupperware. When I forgot, I simply went without the disposable item, such as a bottle of water, and used a water fountain instead. For this week however, I remembered my thermos every single day.  This became a reflection upon myself: I really have a drive to drink coffee. I knew if I did not bring my thermos, I would not be able to drink coffee. Unlike simply walking to a water fountain or refusing to take home leftovers, forgetting my thermos did not possess a simple solution. I knew I needed my thermos in order to get coffee, and therefore my thermos came everywhere. I think this discovery is very important as I continue my Earth Month challenges, and my personal life as well. I need to find what drives me. I can then use that drive to better myself, or the world around me. Though this impact is small, my drive to drink coffee ensures I will not use disposable coffee cups. Imagining this on a larger scale holds infinite opportunities. So far, the thermos led to an additional 99 lbs. of annual carbon emission decrease, and though it isn’t stated on oreoeco, a mug refill costs less than a medium sized cup of coffee! My last challenge this week is using compost, and I look forward to completing it.

For my second week challenge, I used tupperware.  I attend vegetarian workshop classes where the teacher allows us to take home left over food in Styrofoam containers. This week, I provided my own tupperware to take food home with me. This challenge was not initially difficult in any manner, since it only required me to carry around tupperware.  Once again, I see the issues I run into is based on my ability to remember my challenges.  Using Tupperware is easy; constantly remembering to bring tupperware with me is not. I know remembering to do such a simple task is not difficult, I just have to learn to maintain the habit.  This, I believe, is another reflection on performing simple tasks for a greener lifestyle. These task are not difficult, it is only the in process involved with instilling good habits where people struggle. I will strive to maintain this process of remembering to bring tupperware, as well as my reusable water bottle from the first week, in order to establish a habit of living an environmentally friendly lifestyle.  This directly ties in to my third Earth month challenge week, using a thermos at cafes instead of coffee cups. The only issues I foresee in this challenge is remembering to bring my thermos, otherwise I will not be drinking any coffee! Once again, these challenges are about learning to develop good habits.  This mentality of creating a better lifestyle by striving to remember to do simple tasks each day can help me in various other aspects of my life, such as studying, working out, and taking up new hobbies. Overall, my use of tupperware as well as the reusable water bottle saves 178 pounds of carbon each year. Though oroeco doesn’t state I have any financial savings, I’m fully aware using a reusable water bottle rather than buying water bottles would save the average person at least 5$ a week. I will continue my earth month challenges, and look forward to maintaining and establishing good, environmentally friendly, habits.

For my first Earth Month Challenge, I used a reusable water bottle.  This meant that if I forgot to bring my water bottle, I either found a water fountain, or refrained from drinking from any type of plastic bottle.  This is where I found my biggest difficulty, I forgot my water bottle a few times throughout the week.  Though I did not mind getting up to go to a water fountain (it helped me wake up if I was tired), a made a mental note of my memory skills.  Many of my challenges a memory based: I have to remember to bring my Tupperware, I have to remember to bring my thermos, I have to remember to save my compost.  The challenges themselves are not difficult, merely the process behind the challenges. Overall, I was successful this week. I refrained from using a plastic bottle of any sort, and only drank water from my reusable bottle or a water fountain. For this week’s challenge, I need to be extremely aware of remembering to bring Tupperware.  I will not use Styrofoam if I forget to bring Tupperware.  This leads into what I have learned about myself; I am a rather forgetful person.  Therefore, I find that this challenge will not only help with the environment, but with my personal responsibility skills.  Overall, neither this challenge nor waste and toxicity in general are difficult areas to cover.  With that knowledge in mind, I know that I can continue these challenges after the conclusion of Earth Month.  For my CO2 emissions, I am 57% below average.

For my Earth Month Challenge, I have chosen to work in the area of waste and toxicity. I plan to complete my four challenges cumulatively. For my first week (therefore the entire month) I plan on using a reusable water.  I don’t find this challenge to be too difficult, unless I forget to bring my water bottle.  As I sit here typing this at RPAC I have to keep going to the water fountain and refrain from buying a bottle of water (first world problems am I right?).  For my second challenge, I plan on using Tupperware rather than disposable products. I attend a vegetarian cooking workshop where we’re allowed to bring home food once the meal is complete. Instead of using the styrofoam containers they provide, I will bring my own Tupperware.  The only issue with this is carrying around the Tupperware, another first world problem. For the third week, I will start using a thermos for coffee.  I buy coffee at the cafes almost every day, and the cups are very wasteful.  I will start to use a reusable thermos instead.  The only issue I may face is remembering to bring the thermos, otherwise, no coffee for me! For my fourth challenge, I will save my organic waste to compost. Kandace told me she has access to compost so she will be helpful in this area. The challenges I may face here is simply carrying around banana or orange peels all day to put in my dorm compost bin.

For my Columbus To Do List, I chose the Nature and Outdoor Recreation theme.  Now that its second semester, the weather is improving and the days are lasting longer.  I absolutely love the outdoors, hiking, biking, and just overall exploring.  However, I am not a fan of doing these activities in the cold weather.  However, with the nice weather and overall good vibes of spring semester, I knew I wanted to go for a more outdoors style theme.  Therefore, I chose the Nature and Outdoor Recreation theme.  With this theme, I am most looking forward to Blendon Woods Disc Golf or Antrim Park.  I’m not sure if I will be able to achieve both of these activities, but I will happily settle for one.  Disc golf simply sounds like a goofy activity, but also a super fun day to spend with friends.  It would also provide some exercise and I could show off my Frisbee throwing skills.  I noticed Antrim Park provides fishing.  Though I am a vegetarian, I cannot deny that I really enjoy fishing (catch and release of course).  I would love to see the park and fish for a day with friends.  I hope this assignment provides me with a few days I can simply have fun with friends while enjoying the outdoors.  I also hope to find some interesting areas or sites that I will be able to return to.  I have already visited the Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park and it was amazing! I had no idea Ohio had a bison sanctuary, and they were magnificent creatures.  We also were able to hike alongside the river.  We collected some shells, skipped rocks, and got down in the dirt.  Unfortunately I don’t have the group picture Ris took, but I’m sure I can find it floating somewhere, and I can use it in my second post. To anyone visiting the park, I recommend wearing boots rather than water soluble tennis shoes.  Water is always a good idea for hiking afterwards.  Overall it was an awesome experience and I would love to return.

The earth month challenge I have chosen is Waste and Toxicity.  The reason I have chosen this area is because it seems to be the most prevalent issue I have witnessed on campus.  Every day I see enormous amounts of organic and inorganic waste being dumped into trash cans, or improperly placed in recycle bins. I believe this issue derives from the lack of information available on the subject, and the general apathy students on campus feel about the problem of waste.  However, there are several measures to take in reducing waste and helping solve the problem.

1. Use reusable water bottles. This is a simple measure anyone can take.  Plastic water bottles either take up space in landfills, or improperly placed in recycle bins.  Sometimes the bottles themselves are recyclable when the caps are not.
2. Buy food that lacks minimal packaging or doesn’t have any packaging. This will reduce the amount of inorganic and plastic waste associated with food packaging.
3. Compost inorganic materials. My roommate and I have been saving orange peels and old vegetables as a dorm compost bin, reducing the useful organic waste in landfills.
4. Use reusable cups rather than red solo cups. Though this is difficult to achieve, at tailgates or parties, simply using reusable plastic cups, or even maintaining the same red solo cups helps reduce waste.
5. Introducing more trash cans along the Olentangy Trail. Though this may be a more extensive measure to implement, I believe it’s very important. I run on the trail frequently, and I’m always amazed to find the scarcity of available trash cans.  This leads to the extensive amount of waste alongside the river.  This waste can be toxic for the surrounding wildlife.
6. Provide more information about recycling. It’s very common to see the wrong types of materials in recycling bins on campus.  If the bins directly stated what was able to be recycled I believe it would have an impact on students.
7. Use reusable utensils. I often take knives, forks, and spoons from the RPAC or libraries, and simply wash and reuse them.
8. Where clothes more than once. Unless they are workout clothes, chances are an article of clothing isn’t dirty after one use.  This will the impact of washing machines and the materials that relate to washing clothes.
9. Use scratch paper. Whenever I receive a flyer, or a grade back on a homework assignment, I reuse the back of the paper for chemistry practice problems or other homework assignments.
10. Use reusable grocery bags. Though this applies more to students who are not on a meal plan, it’s a measure they can take to reduce the amount of waste they produce.
11. Buy items in bulk. Rather than buying several small boxes of granola bars, a bulk amount will help reduce the waste associated with individual packaging.
12. Utilize thrift stores. Second hand clothing is not only reduce clothing waste, there are some really great steals!
13. Use a thermos at the libraries. Instead of using the cups provided at library coffee shops, bring a personal thermos that can be reused.
14. Don’t use disposable razors. This method is cheaper as well.
15. If someone has the extra time, homemade deodorants and soaps reduce plastic and packaging.

Some resources are available on campus and in Columbus.

1. Zero Waste Campus Recycling Program. This is a volunteer program for football tailgates to oversee recycling and waste. It provides direct contact with the issue, and volunteers are directly a part of the solution.
2. Compost Columbus is a city program that offers compost collection for 8$ a week. This may be more suitable for students living off campus, but they provide the service, and you provide the waste.
3. Ohio State provides Bike Sharing. The act of sharing bikes between students not only promotes healthy living, but also eliminates carbon waste.

Some helpful websites:

1. http://www.treehugger.com/green-home/11-easy-ways-reduce-your-plastic-waste-today.html

This website not only provides reducing, reusing, and recycling information, it also includes environmentally associated social issues that are in need of solutions, such as lack of clean water to poverty stricken areas.

2. http://www.diynatural.com/

This website provides hundreds of do-it-yourself recipes for commonly purchased items in order to reduce waste and save money.

3. http://www.rethinkrecycling.com/learn-educate/rethink-recyclings-community-education-toolkit

This website provides various sources on what can be recycled and what cannot be recycled.

4. http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/

This website provides a carbon footprint calculator based on household, based on state, energy consumption, diet, etc.  I think quantifying the carbon footprint will help raise awareness of the issue of waste, and how to help individually.