After completing your second week of CAP you have had many opportunities to explore environmental issues surrounding our community. I would like you to discuss two or three issues that you are most passionate about, and how the issues could be addressed in our class through an action project. Remember that our class may choose to either expand upon a previous CAP action project or develop a project on a topic that is new to CAP at New Vista. If you would like to continue work on a previous project please discuss what our class would do in addition to what has been developed by former classes. Another factor to consider as you discuss potential action projects is the time of year that we will be completing our project. For example: if you choose a wildlife issue, what issues are most prevalent in our community during the months of September and October. We will be selecting an action project this week based on your journal responses, so please take the time to really consider what topics are of greatest interest to you and be able to explain why our class should choose one of these issues. All journal entries must be posted by the start of class on Tuesday, September 4 to receive full credit!
Alexi
The action project I most want to do is continuing on with the greenhouse project. Along with actualy building the greenhouse, we could work on getting things grown and informing students as to the good things about having a greenhouse. Other than that, I think we should do something along the lines of cleaning up local waterways. I think this is important becauase there is vary little clean water left in the world and it would be good to at least inform others on how to stop polluting the clean water that we do have.
RubyKF
The project idea that interests me most is the greenhouse. I love the idea of being able to provide locally grown, healthy, organic food for lunches. Also I think that it is extremely beneficial for people to see how the food they eat is produced because it gives them a better appreciation for what they ingest. Ideally, the greenhouse would inspire people to buy local and organic which is not only more healthy, but better for the environment. In relation to the building of the greenhouse, I find promoting “green” building techniques to be a fantastic idea. This is something that could go hand in hand with building the greenhouse. We could do something along the lines of talking to construction contractors or carpenters about using recycled building materials or making flyers explaining easy ways to build green. We could also work on making our school as energy efficient as possible using the building we already have. I also find reducing bottled water in schools and stores to be an interesting issue. The amount of oil we use to incase and transport our water is really ridiculous when tap water is readily available and free. Our project could be to eliminate bottled water from all school vending machines and provide filtered water dispensers instead.
ginny_w
The action projects that I feel most passionate about would include build a youth center for teens and the greenhouse. I think these are both equally important projects. The youth center would provide a safe place for teens and the greenhouse would be a wonderful idea to promote healthy eating and buying local/organic foods.
Both are wonderul ideas!
Bolivia67
I feel strongly about many issues brought up in the action projects. Many of the wildlife concerns I think are very real. However I think that trying to work on issues that are nearer to us is both practical and has a more enjoyable outcome. Also, I have done a action project that did not have a tangible outcome. This occurred for two reasons: the action project was not well enough defined, and the action project was to idealistic to complete in a quarter. For these reasons, I support either continuing the greenhouse project or converting the school to a more “greener” facility.
-Brian
lucky davis
I like the idea of working with the school to make it more environmentally friendly, low flush toilets, better light bulbs. It is am issue that is not only very close to all of us it is something that I think would be very doable. I also like the idea of working with the boulder community on the issue of bottled water. It is becoming a huge problem in our world. It is an issue that I think most people would be interested in changing there ways. I have a cool article I will bring in to class.
Alix
The projects that i am most interested in are continuing the green house from the other CAP class, creating more recycling containers in public areas, especially down town, and encouraging restaurants to use biodegradable plastic silverware plates cups straws (if they are that type of restaurant and not one that uses real silverware) or encouraging restaurants to use organic locally grown food.
The green house would be really achievable because we already have the materials necessary to build the green house and therefore could start right off the bat. Plus it seems like a good hard working and fun project!
The recycling would not be very difficult because boulder is already pretty good about recycling, so how would more be hard to get.
I know Boulder is very health conscience and supportive of organic foods, so if we could have more restaurants buying organic food (locally of possible) it would make even more of a difference.
Daniel
One topic I feel strongly about is the idea of alternative transportation. I think it is important to show other ways of transportation. Most gasoline based cars give out fossil fuels. When gasoline is burned, it lets out nitric acid and sulfur dioxide and when these chemicals combine, it creates acidity in the rain and clouds. Thus leading to acid rain eventually. Anyway, I would like to spread awareness to people about different ways to get around. Ride bicycles, public busses, walk, buy a hybrid or electric car…etc. If we could do a project about this, it could help change things quite a bit. We should do something on this.
tess
I am going to have to agree with most of the class, and say that the project I would like to carry out is the Greenhouse project. I think it will be exciting and rewarding to be able to grow our own food, teach others about what we’re doing, and inspire others to start something similar that benefits the individual, the community, and the environment. I think that since this is a project that has already been started, we will really be able to take it even farther and we will get to experience the results of the Greenhouse. Hopefully this will be an excellent contribution to our school and to our learning experience.
sara c
I knew from the start that we were going to end up completing the greenhouse for our action project, which I think is a good project, but I’m kind of disappointed that we didn’t come up with one on our own instead.
The project that I would have been most passionate about (in case you couldn’t tell) would be to stop the building of a hotel (or whatever it is) in downtown Boulder where the Farmer’s Market and the bandshell are, accross from the library. I think Boulder is changing its focus, which used to be more environmental and local, to become a more corporate, yuppie town which upsets and depresses me, because I’ve lived here for almost my whole life. I used to really love it here and now I CAN’T STAND IT! There are very few places and things that I still love about Boulder and the Farmer’s Market and bandshell are among them.
I would also have been really passionate about a project that somehow involved giving youth something to do and getting them involved in the community, because I feel like our entire generation in this city is bored out of its mind, and it doesn’t have to be!! There really aren’t many things for youth to do recreationally in this town (that we know about and have been brought to our attention) other than spend time on the Pearl Street Mall and smoke pot. And that’s what most youth in Boulder do. So I wanted to somehow build a youth center, preferably one with contacts all over the community and information about free classes, activities, volunteer opportunites, internships, etc. for all sorts of interests.
I’ve seen this town change so much, and mostly for the worse. It really sucks.
Sorry that my post is late, my life is REALLY crazy right now (in and out of school) and I forgot about this assignment.
sara c
Quote of the day for September 5
Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. -Frank Lloyd Wright