Progress Report 1 Prompts and Reflections.

How did you decide on your project?

 

I want to make a difference not only in myself but with the help of others that will work with me on this. Project Cycle has been something I thought of a few months ago that I thought could be done here in SLC and the surrounding cities to help offset the raising carbon pollution made by its populations. My hope is that it will not only do that but also change, in some regards, our local minds and attitudes towards the decisions we make in our choices of transport and how they affect everything and everyone around us. It doesn’t have to be a major sacrifice but a working capable goal for everyone that will in many ways improve them as people and as citizens of this world. We have to expect as much of ourselves as we take from this world, because any less, will cause the scale to slip and guess who is likely to be the one that falls off? This way is the only way anything makes sense when it comes to transportation in my mind with how the way things are going.

 

 What are/ were you hoping to accomplish with your project?

 

In a sense I am tossing my glove down in challenge that I hope will be met. But without the metaphor: I hope that in some way this helps people see the need of bicycling and what benefits could be giving if we all make just a little effort in changing to that means of transportation. What the project’s overall goal is, is to provide someone willing to begin commuting to work a bike to do so at no cost to them. In addition to that to also provide the business that they work at a bike rack in front of their storefront, not only for that employee to use but also customers that may begin to bike there to shop or do business.

 

 

What problems did you encounter while working on your project? How did you troubleshoot them, if you did? What went according to plan and what surprises did you encounter? What still needs work?

  • ·         Getting volunteers to walk. We hope to advertise via radio and be persistent.
  • ·         Getting people in this class was not terribly hard because I knew that many would see how this could help and that there is a current problem simply by why they took this class over others.
  • ·         Working with the Bicycle Collective has proven difficult and may only be helpful to this project after giving a lot more time than expected with them. This was a bit unexpected and will need some extra brainstorming to render that problem not so.
  • ·         Keeping contact with other people or persons that showed interest or were key links for helping start this process either because of injury or schedules not lining up. To fix this simple patience and trying to find new ways to accomplish the small goals in question. Everyone is busy and that is something we need to work with so some aspects of this project will just come slower than others but that does not mean failure.
  • ·         Finding all the people that have the skills and knowledge to accomplish such a large project. This cannot just be something for one person to do but requires a network of people all working together to make this happen.

For prompts in mind map. The second half words I will be including are: habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change, habitat degradation

Prompts:

  • ·         Project Cycle in the end will decrease the number of cars on our roadways, which will decrease some of the carbon dioxide in the air adding to the greenhouse gases that have an effect on climate change.
  • ·         When bike lanes and paths are created instead of roadways there is less habitat loss as well as habitat degradation in surrounding areas of highly used roadways from the use of motor vehicles.
  • ·         With the decrease in need for fossil fuels so too will there be a decrease in habitat degradation to produce the fuel products and metals used to make the vehicles.

Progress Report 2 Prompts and Reflections.


These were the words we had to include in the PP or mind map.

3) Ecosystems and Altered Landscapes: ecosystem, habitat, ecosystem services, natural capital and at least one of the following desertification, deforestation, fragmentation

 

Prompt possibility 1: The Ecosystem services we focus on in Project Cycle are aspects of cultural services such as transportation, recreation and exercise. With the use of bicycles and introduction of more bike services in an area we can provide less harmful transportation options then the ones we currently use. The abiotic bike and the biotic human body factors are more natural and environmentally adaptable with far less destructive outcomes than the alternatives.

 

“The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine.” – John Howard  "And it’s this engine we should be trying to get running…"-me

 

Prompt possibility 2: In some ways Project Cycle can also assist in the spiritual aspect of cultural ecosystem services, improving a community’s mental health.  By experiencing an area more with personal senses (hearing the wind, smelling a place, feeling your effort push you forward, seeing something you would otherwise not have noticed) can stimulate the mind and good old fashion exercise has a number of benefits to both body and mind.

 

“Riding a bike is the best antidepressant drug and only has good side effects.” – Gunnar Rempel

 

What risks did you take in the project? Be specific.

I risked failing. There are a lot of factors that go into building a project/non-profit such as this financial, personal, community involvement, political, time management, general need of the area and a lot more. All or none of which can make or break an idea and process towards growth and completion of a project primarily based in a lot of them. Like it would be in any business venture you have to get back up and try to find a new way anytime something doesn’t go according to plan in order to succeed.

 

Evaluate your personal impact on a civic problem associated with your project. How did this experience, perhaps, make you question established systems? 

                We address in Project Cycle a number of civic problems. We take out the unwilling motorized transport arena and introduce a free method for willing adults to participate and local business to be involved. Donated by a community, for the community with willing volunteers, the Project can do a lot of good for a lot of people. As well as grow to every area wishing to see this more environmentally friendly change in transportation. It also fulfills the needs of those unable to afford other transportation with one that helps lesson their financial burdens.



                I question every day when riding my bike seeing the cracks in the streets, the congested roads, the money sink of the vehicles, and foggy skylines how this system ever intends on keeping up with population. It is illogical with holes, literally everywhere in its design.

 

“The cyclist creates everything from almost nothing, becoming the most energy-efficient of all…animals and machines and, as such, has a [genuine] ability to challenge the entire value system of a society…The bicycle maybe too cheap, too available, too healthy, too independent, and too equitable for its own good. In an age of excess it’s a minimal and has the subversive potential to make people happy in an economy fueled by consumer discontent.” – Jim MccGurn


Progress Report 3 Prompts and Reflections.

2) Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycles: energy, cycle, Laws of Thermodynamics, transformation, photosynthesis and/or cellular respiration, and at least one of the following Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Water


Prompt possibility 1: Biking can help the Carbon cycle regulate Earth’s atmosphere by assisting in reducing the amounts generated by motorized means which create greenhouse gases that affect climate change.


Prompt possibility 2: For every 4 mile roundtrip bike ride creates on average 15 pounds of pollutants including Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide. If a person instead biked that distance on average 5 times a week, they would save a total of 3,900 pounds of pollutants. Preventing the harmful pollution from entering our atmosphere and the carbon cycle which has a heavy impact on climate change.


 “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a bicycle and that’s pretty close.”-Anonymous saying


 12. Take a look at SLCC’s learning outcomes for General Education in the syllabus. Note that while no specific course helps students move toward achieving all of those outcomes, each Gen Ed course is supposed to help you make progress in achieving as many of those outcomes as are relevant to the course. Making specific references to your project, tell me how you have progressed toward achieving one of those outcomes.


Students develop the knowledge and skills to be civically engaged. 

We all breathe air. Developing Project cycle not only as a service-learning to build towards community transport for better environmental sustainability but also to raise awareness of it and to promote a collective action to take responsibility for everyday choice to bike instead drive. Leading in a project of this size and impact was nothing I ever thought possible prior, but after moving here, seeing the great need for this idea has helped me get over any social hesitance and step out of my comfort zone for the greater good. Through everything, project cycle has helped me to understand many civic skills and knowledge needed to accomplish it. These are: The natural need for this change to happen. The political arena that we have to work with in order to get anything done. The historical decline of the bicycle and how to address directly why we can no longer afford to stunt its renewing. The social collaboration it takes to get something like this off the ground. The economic benefits biking can contribute to the active parties choosing to make this improvement in travel.  As well as the local, national, and global gained benefits over time.


“Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race.”- H.G. Wells


“Think of bicycles s rideable art that can just about save the world”- Grant Petersen


“The cyclist creates everything from almost nothing, becoming the most energy-efficient of all…animals and machines and, as such, has a [genuine] ability to challenge the entire value system of a society…The bicycle maybe too cheap, too available, too healthy, too independent, and too equitable for its own good. In an age of excess it’s a minimal and has the subversive potential to make people happy in an economy fueled by consumer discontent.” – Jim MccGurn


18. How are your values expressed through your project?


I have never been one to simply let something go if I know it’s wrong or if I can improve something I see wrong with myself. I use to smoke, was even more overweight, and saw how much waste I personally created along with many other personal trials I have overcome. I even got over partially, my fear of heights by riding in a hot air balloon in Boise, ID. I changed a lot and when I see things around me that I know I can impact in a positive way I have to take that chance. The Earth needs all of our help in this. We can all do our part to help it and of this I am convinced. If conviction or proactive action is what I can contribute along with my ability to do my part with personal choices, sign me up. I wrote this in my yoga class and it applies here too: “Cogito, ergo sum, translated, I think therefore I am” (Descartes)…but I feel because I must and I know because I sought and I build because I am able and keep moving forward because I have hope. And I have hope I’m not the only one.                                                                                                                                                                                         



Final Progress Report Reflections and Revised Prompts.

To support an active and mobile minded community by gathering bicycles and equipment for distribution to those who want to see a cleaner, sustainable Earth.



Reflect on how you thought about your project topic and environmental science before you took this course and how you think about it now that the course is over.

·         My project applied to a lot of the levels this course went over which became evident throughout its process. Despite the fact that I didn’t think it would be as instigated as it is, now that it’s nearing some of the final touches of its first rotation, I think it will make a big impact as this class teaches is greatly needed for community sustainability.

Have any of your assumptions or understandings changed?

·         My assumptions were that it would not be possible to progress the project as far as we did. I understand now the complexity involved in making something like this happen.

Why?

·         Because I was not alone and after seeing the great need for this type of change in the class I think we were all pushed into action towards results and it went a lot further than anticipated.

How will you approach environmental issues differently in the future?

·         One step at a time, one personal change at a time, and as Heather put it ‘one bike at a time.’

 

 

Prompt 1 for word map

·         Project Cycle in the end will decrease the number of cars on our roadways, which will decrease some of the carbon dioxide in the air adding to the greenhouse gases that have an effect on climate change.

·         When bike lanes and paths are created instead of roadways there is less habitat loss as well as habitat degradation in surrounding areas of highly used roadways from the use of motor vehicles.

Prompt 2 for word map

·         The Ecosystem services we focus on in Project Cycle are aspects of cultural services such as transportation, recreation and exercise. With the use of bicycles and introduction of more bike services in an area we can provide less harmful transportation options then the ones we currently use. The abiotic bike and the biotic human body factors are more natural and environmentally adaptable with far less destructive outcomes than the alternatives.

Prompt 3 for word map

·         For every 4 mile roundtrip bike ride creates on average 15 pounds of pollutants including Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide. If a person instead biked that distance on average 5 times a week, they would save a total of 3,900 pounds of pollutants. Preventing the harmful pollution from entering our atmosphere and the carbon cycle which has a heavy impact on climate change.