Abstract

It is important to teach young children about being responsible global citizens at an early age when their brains are still developing and their habits have yet to be formed. Good habits are easily sustained throughout their lifetime if they are continually practiced and reinforced from an early age. Through our project of teaching a 1st grade class about recycling, my group learned that young children are eager and capable of learning of environmental education at a young age. My paper looks at the ways in which environmental education can be taught to children and why it is crucial to do so. The way to ensure that the future of the environment and ultimately the future of mankind is protected is to make sure that environmental education is taught earlier. The students of today are the key in ensuring a sustainable future.

-Atusa

Abstraction

What drives us to consume? This is a question that not too many people are concerned with, but they should. Consumption is one of the biggest problems that we deal with when talking about climate change and global warming. The thing is that few really address the issue because it is viewed as a lifestyle change and very few people are really willing to radically change their way of life. The discourse shaped by media today not only drives consumption but also promotes it. One way to curb consumption would to be limit it, but not by choice but rather through regulation. By slowing consumption we slow the down our impact on the earth, by doing this we will consume less natural resources and at the same time reversing climate change. Just regulating a few things will ultimately save us in the future.

-Blaise

Abstract

Green building is currently on the rise. As populations increase, the amount of CO2 emissions increases, thus playing part in global climate change. Green building is a way of building that is more energy efficient, resource efficient and contains less toxic materials. With groups such as the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, O’Brien and Company and the United States Green Building Council communicating the positive outlook on the concept, the general public is viewing it as a good thing to participate in. Different companies such as Seattle City Light are offering incentive programs for making a household more green. Different rating systems such as LEED, Built Green and Energy Star allow people to interact and be actively giving back to the environment. By using these rating systems, contractors and consumers are held liable for what they are putting into the environment. Due to the excellent means of communication by advocacy groups, companies and organizations, green building is a trend that will become a standard that more and more people accept.

-Danica

Abstract

Conventional industrial food production poses significant threats to environmental, societal, and individual health. The organic food movement has emerged in response to the dangers of conventional food production, and is slowly gaining popularity in the public sphere. Organic standards have been relatively successful at providing consumers with a level of transparency in food production that has not been seen in decades. However, lingering cultural fallacies defining organics as ‘yuppy” luxuries of personal preference, rather than a necessities for a sustainable future, are still a highly prevalent in the public sphere. In order for the organic production to compete with conventional industrial practices, a shift in public conceptualization of the true importance of organic food production must be achieved. This paper explores one method of expanding such contextual knowledge within a community, through the distribution of succinct yet informative pamphlets on the value of supporting local, organic food production in Seattle’s University district. To increase the viability of the pamphlet method of communication, descriptions of what a more high tech advocacy project might look like are provided, where the pamphlet is only the first step in a larger advocacy plan. Drawing on results from reader feedback, it is concluded that although the pamphlet was somewhat effective in increasing contextual knowledge on the importance of organic foods, it could be improved in certain structural areas, and would be significantly more effective if combined with a website.

-Mollie

Abstract for Paper

While the community should care about climate change, the damage has been done. Now it is moving on and dealing with the affects and educating people on the effects of climate change. Now people need to be aware and more caring about how they can help salmon. And why it is important to be conscious about climate change and its effects on salmon. There is a plethora of reasons and effects that climate change has done to the environment and primarily salmon. These reasons and effects are important to know and understand, especially how salmon effect many people in different ways. To name a few, it affects the local economy of the Northwest, local tribal groups, commercial fishermen, other species in the environment, entire ecosystems. The environment and ecosystems of salmon is very delicate balance and when something it thrown off by precipitation, rising temperatures, and so on. These scientific observations and direct affects, the public sphere needs to take this account and begin helping with restoration efforts and being more consciously Green.

-Mary Jane-

Some cool stuff

1. Some info someone sent me about a documentary screening-

EARTHLINGS: "Viewers will never be the same." -Carty Harill, 944 Magazine

When: Thursday, May 27, 7:00pm
When: HUB Room 106B
Admission: FREE
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121805137842368
http://www.earthlings.com/

Please join Campus Animal Rights Educators as we host a screening of Earthlings, one of the most controversial, eye-opening and powerful films of our time.

Narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR, WALK THE LINE), EARTHLINGS is a ground-breaking documentary focusing on humankind's absolute dependence on animals used as pets, for foods, for clothing, in entertainment, and for medical or scientific research. With the use of hidden cameras and some never-before-seen footage, EARTHLINGS chronicles the day-to-day practice of some of the largest industries in the world - all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. Powerful, informative, controversial and thought provoking, EARTHLINGS is by far one of the most comprehensive documentaries ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests.

An optional discussion will take place after the film, and there will be free Mighty-O Donuts.

This will be an event you will not want to miss,
C.A.R.E.

2. An article from the stranger about seattle's new organic butcher...

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/mystery-meat/Content?oid=4040872

Help rate my project... Take a quick quiz!

Hey anyone,

For my project, I made a pamphlet trying to convince people to support organic food production. If anyone would like to view the pamphlet and then take a quick survey evaluating its effectiveness, I would really appreciate it!

Here's the link to the pamphlet on flickr- http://www.flickr.com/photos/50242054@N06/

Here's the link to the web survey- http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCXH5XT

Please let me know if either of the two links isn't working for some reason. Thanks!

-Mollie