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Spring 2018: Issue Selection

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I remember reading an article that stated, by weight, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050. That shocked me. Living in a landlocked state is a new concept to me, and I wanted to focus on a type of pollution that impacts both the ocean and water found within land masses.

 I thought about pollution that might eventually travel to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. I conducted a bit of research on the Ohio River and its extensive history of pollution. To effectively explore my issue, I think I will need to complete a few steps.

 

1.      Successfully define the issue and explain its relevancy.

2.      Identify steps people can take to combat the issue.

3.      Provide resources for people to continue educating themselves (and eventually others) on the issue.

 

Because Ohio is not exactly near an ocean, I decided to focus on a certain type of pollution that affects a range of water entities: nonpoint pollution.

 I have been enamored with marine life for as long as I remember, so I wanted to focus on a topic that involved water and/or animals in some way. The relevancy of nonpoint pollution, especially because of Ohio’s runoff and agriculture-related problems, impacted my final decision. I also wanted to learn more about a type of pollution with which I am not extremely familiar.

Nonpoint pollution, also known as diffuse pollution, stems from runoff and is often varied in both where it stems and what it damages. The pollution can come from vehicles used for transportation, agricultural systems, forest areas, and an array of other sources. Basically, nonpoint pollution does not originate from a specific location; in turn, this can make it difficult to track and regulate.  Adversely, point pollution stems from a solitary source, such as a drain pipe, and is directly embedded into a body of water.

 

As for challenges I may encounter, there are a few I have thought of thus far. Nonpoint pollution contributes an enormous amount of damage to water sources, and the pollution can stem from a wide variety of entities. I hope to make the information relatively easy to understand without overwhelming people, and I also hope to provide people with practical ways to combat the issue. I may have trouble condensing information and finding ways for people, especially college students, to act in sustainable manners.

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References and image source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/20/by-2050-there-will-be-more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-worlds-oceans-study-says/?utm_term=.784500ce40aa

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pollution.html

http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/nps/index.aspx

https://theoec.org/clean-water/ohio-river/

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6261

https://www.lakeforest.edu/live/image/gid/138/width/454/height/411/13479_point_and_nonpoint_source_pollution.jpg

 

Columbus To-Do List: Part 2

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My favorite experience was probably the Hot Times Music Festival. I enjoyed the warm weather, variety at the festival, and the chance to see a different part of Columbus. From the project, I learned Columbus has distinctly different areas. The different neighborhoods I got to view due to traveling around the city each had slightly different architectural styles and setups, and I like viewing the varying styles found throughout the city. I do want to visit more Columbus parks, and I want to attend more festivals. For anyone who must complete the same task, I recommend finding something that sparks your interest even a little bit, because you never know what may experience and learn as a result.

I would also suggest the Hot Times Music Festival and visiting a Metro Park or two, such as Goodale Park.

I visited Goodale Park with Maddy. The bus ride took us about ten minutes to arrive, and the park was a short walk from High Street. Maddy absolutely adores Christmas, so she was quite thrilled when she spotted the park’s bust adorned in a few Christmas garments.

I did not realize how close Goodale Park was to the Ohio State’s campus. The park was larger than I imagined, and the abundant, wide green spaces hosted a nice selection of trees good for climbing. I think the Park would be a nice spot to have a picnic, and I suggested that my suitemates and I utilize the park’s area for such an event.

I had visited Graeter’s once before, but I took the bus with some people from my floor and other ENR Scholars during this excursion. The shop was about a 15-minute walk from the stop, and the weather was warm and a little humid that day. I sampled some ice cream and sorbet, but I eventually decided to eat ice cream. The ice cream was extremely rich and creamy, which made me think of my animal science class, butterfat and milkfat content, and Jersey cows. I would probably go back to Graeter’s eventually, but I am not a huge ice cream fan and prefer to stick with slushies or other ice-based treats instead of dairy-based ones.

 

 

I did not expect the lights at the Columbus Zoo to draw such a large crowd. There were people of all ages at the Zoo, so that was a nice little factor to see. I like walking at night in the open air, which helped me enjoy the experience, and I am glad I could see some of the animals living at the Zoo. I was a little surprised that the central light show was not set-aside as much as I thought, but lights covered every part of the Zoo I saw. I would probably attend this event in the future, but I would try to find a time when the Zoo does not hold such a high capacity.

 

 Thank you, Columbus!

Columbus To-Do List: Part 1

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I haven’t yet decided on one list, so I have chosen to draw locations from a few different lists until I figure out what list I want to follow. I am most looking forward to visiting unfamiliar places and doing things I’ve never done before because of selecting items from the lists. This semester, I hope to find places I genuinely like and may want to visit again as a result of this assignment. I also want to be able to navigate Columbus with greater ease and know places to visit and recommend to others off the top of my head.

 

North Market (+farmer’s market)

right before leaving for the market

Kaleigh, Claire, Brooke, Mallory, and I visited North Market together in September. I knew there was a sort of farmer’s market held on certain Saturdays of the year, so the five of us ventured over to check one out. My favorite things about the trip were the wonderful weather and bread I bought from a bakery in the actual market. I had visited North Market a few times before, so I knew what bus to take to get there, but I had fun going with the group. I would visit the Market and seasonal stands again, and I have already recommended North Market to a few people.

 

Hot Times Music Festival

The same day I visited North Market with a group, Kaleigh and I visited the Hot Times Music Festival. We initially visited for Sierra Club tabling, but we did spend some time walking around the grounds looking at booths and checking out some of the food stand and truck offerings.

I used to Route Planner on COTA’S website to figure out which route(s) we needed to take to arrive at the festival, and Kaleigh and I had a bus ride totaling about 20 minutes. Because of the bus’s route off High Street and slightly away from campus, we ventured a little ways east. We even found two streets near the park grounds with Kaleigh’s last name (Bryden). The festival had some funny oddities, such as cars completely covered in plastic figurines and bumper stickers. There were clothing booths, a potter booth, a poster booth, and live music. A stage also sat near a park entrance, and a Kaleigh and I saw part of a number from a dance troupe.

noodles Kaleigh and I shared at the festival

Overall, I would go back to the festival again, and I would recommend it to a friend. Although, I would tell them to check the festival’s schedule.

 

Olentangy (River) Trail

Bryce and me on the Trail

 

I have been on multiple Trail walks, and I greatly enjoy them. I have gone alone, with Claire, and a bit with Bryce. Claire and I walked about six miles one day, and we passed a few river bridges and a few well-groomed parks. My favorite thing about the trail is probably its accessibility. I like its proximity to my dorm, but I also like the variety of scenery it runs past. I would go back and recommend it to a friend.

 

About Me

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then

now

Hello! My name is Ansley Watkins and I’m a freshman majoring in animal sciences. Homing from metro Atlanta, I chose the Ohio State because of its seemingly endless, exciting opportunities and the chance to learn about myself while growing academically. Presently, I am thinking of switching to the forestry, fisheries, and wildlife major, but we will both have to see where things go from here.

 

When I’m not working on something strictly related to my academics, you can probably find me cooking, reading, watching a film, or playing with my pet conure. On an easygoing day, it is not uncommon to find me re-reading Julius Caesar or reading about ancient Egypt. Even though I am quite introverted at heart, I love learning about people and their perspectives on different topics by conversing with them, and I love working with kids.

 

During college, I hope to find ways to incorporate what I truly enjoy into something I can continue to work on in the future. Undecided about what exactly I want to do in the future, working at the Centers for Disease Control or for the National Park Service currently pique my interest the most. I love being outdoors and conducting field research, especially if it involves animals, and I would love to work abroad. Exploring unfamiliar places through outdoor activities like tubing or hiking are some of my favorite ways to learn, and meeting an area’s native animal species is always a treat to me.

 

This year, I am thrilled to absorb as much information as I can and use it to better myself (and hopefully others) as I begin my journey at tOSU. I am pumped to be an ENR Scholar, and I hope to learn and grow from the information I learn and the people with whom I work. I hope to leave this place better than I found it, and I’m excited to see what I can make of this year.