Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Reflective - 308J Blog
Throughout the different writing assignments that I have had to do for 308J I feel as if I have only improved. At the beginning of the course I tried to write a lot, but it seemed like nothing was really being said. By the end of the quarter I feel like I have a much better grasp on how to stay on topic as well as a point to the whole essay. I remember my first blog that I had to post. It was a very standard, "by the book" kind of blog. I made sure I had the appropriate amount of words and covered every aspect of what the prompt wanted me to do. But as I did that, I noticed that I was only writing "by the book" and not freely. As the quarter went on though I was about to create ideas and use them to only better my blog posts. The posts have also helped me to analyze readings and articles better than I used to. I am able to pick up on more than just the obvious subject. I have gained the ability to pick out the authors ethos, pathos, and logos as well as think about these things critically instead of just one-dimensionally. One of my favorite parts of the class though was peer critiquing. The first time I did a critique for someone else in the class, I absolutely hated it. I thought it was a huge waste of time and left me without energy to edit my own paper. But the second peer critique that was done in class was so much better. I felt that it went way smoother than the first one. I was able to really help out the person I was critiquing. I do not know if because we had already done a peer critique earlier and so I knew what to expect, or if I really did just end up liking the process for a different type of topic. Over all I believe this class has been a great success for me and has improved my writing skills, as well as more confidence in my ideas.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Group project ideas
Both of these videos express the serious impact that global warming is having on the polar bears, but show it through humorous animation. The first video is a very literal animation of an "ice cap". The polar bears are sweating from the sun beating down on them and the hat made of ice that the one polar bear is wearing is actually melting. The second video is a cute video of two polar bears ice fishing. They are discussing the reasons why the ice is melting by blaming each other. One polar bear tired to blame it on the humans, but the other bear quickly disagrees as the ice floe they are sitting on cracks and a power plant is emitting fumes off in the distance.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ohio University Recycling - Reviewed for final grade 3/11/09
Ashlee Reynolds
ENG 308J Rouzie
Sustainability is a more powerful part of saving the environment than I ever knew and I sure there are many other people out there that don’t have a clue either. I chose to focus on how Ohio University and its fellow students have been a part of helping make recycling a more “cool” thing to do. The students and employees of OU have shown a lack of awareness. But there is optimism in the eyes of Mr. Ed Newman, the head of Ohio University recycling and refuse, who said there is only so much one person can do, it has to be a effort made by everyone.
Newman has been working with Ohio University as its Recycling and Refuse coordinator since 1990. His areas that he is responsible for in include compost, source and toxicity reduction, as well as return of the compost which create a revenue, just to name a few. He showed his great emotion and concern for the future of recycling at Ohio University during our interview, as he never stopped talking and had a number of ideas to improve the recycling effort. He commented that the effort is easier at Ohio University than at other schools because the staff works so much closer together and shares the same high hopes for their effort. Not many schools have that special bond and get along well enough to happily work with one common goal of bettering the planet.
The Recycling & Refuse Department (aka Campus Recycling) coordinates many campus recycling and waste-reduction activities throughout the academic year, such as annual move-in and move-out days at the residence halls, RecycleMania, Sponsor the Trash Dance, and giving presentations to students, faculty, and staff about campus recycling services. The office also coordinates with the Office of Sustainability on other recycling projects.
Ohio University has made great efforts to help promote recycling periods and even how to do it. The new student center, The Baker Center, has become the most “green friendly” place on campus. The Baker center has separate trashcans for easy recycling. Even in the dorms, the Residential Assistants make different bulletin boards dedicated to recycling. One of the most prominent dorm recycling comes when all the students move in and out. There are special areas for the students to put their old carpets and all the cardboard boxes they throw away. So instead of just being tossed in the garbage, the students, whether or not they know it, are helping save the planet, one cardboard box and one piece of carpet at a time. The Ohio athletes have also stepped up to the plate (punt intended). During home basketball games the teams have been going around to all the fans picking up their paper and plastic trash items, separating them, and recycling them.
One big question is how are we financing all these special recycling bins and other recycling waste units? Funny, the answer is trash, recyclables to be exact. Everything that the students recycle can be taken for money. Some of the bigger recyclables include leaves, construction and demolition waste. Eventually Ohio University wants all products to be biodegradable. For example, all the products that the front room uses to serve coffee in will soon be biodegradable.
The students have been a big part of the effort of recycling. There are many students that have done their homework and know how to recycle and what a positive thing it is. Other students have no idea how to recycle. Newman said there have been a lot of issues with the sorting. The students sometimes are not paying attention to what they are throwing away in the different trashcans. That is when the custodial staff and others have to step in a sort all of the toxins out so they can properly be recycled.
The main point for the future, Newman said, was to make all products, the coffee cups and lids for example, all biodegradable. Other goals for the future include getting the support of the community and school officials, educating the uneducated about recycling, reducing our carbon output, and hoping that students start taking initiative. The only one that can change is the person. Complaining is not going to help.
It is rather simple, if we do not start recycling and doing even more to help protect the environment, global warming is bound to doom us all. Newman urges all of us to get it together. It is imperative that we all take part in recycling. We must educate the ones who do not know how to recycle. Newman said it is real simple, “Either fix it or die.”
Sources:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/
Sources for power point:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/adoptagame.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/stickers.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/move_out.htm
Photo sources:
Most were taken by me and my friend who participated in the pictures, Matt Galante, Junior Communications major.
http://www.southern.ohiou.edu/pages/campuses/images/ous-recycle.png
Interview Questions:
Ed Newman, campus Refuse and Recycling Manager
Mission?
Goals?
Who is benefiting?
To what degree is your mission working?
What are successes?
Where do you believe your mission needs work? Problems?
Future planning?
Who is financing?
Follow up questions? Allowed to e-mail?
How long have you worked for Ohio University and how long have you been part of OU recycling? What made you want to go into this line of work? What exactly are your main roles?
What are the different recycling services provided on OU campus?
How are the recycling projects funded? (All the special trashcans, advertisements, extra time spent by sorting)
Have the different projects around campus such as moving in and out of the residence halls be a success?
What different projects have you been involved with?
Where do you believe the system needs to improve and what are the flaws?
What role does the students play in the recycling effort and have they actually helped?
What are future goals that you would like to accomplish?
How are we giving back to the community?
Anything else?
ENG 308J Rouzie
Either Fix It Or Die
Sustainability is a more powerful part of saving the environment than I ever knew and I sure there are many other people out there that don’t have a clue either. I chose to focus on how Ohio University and its fellow students have been a part of helping make recycling a more “cool” thing to do. The students and employees of OU have shown a lack of awareness. But there is optimism in the eyes of Mr. Ed Newman, the head of Ohio University recycling and refuse, who said there is only so much one person can do, it has to be a effort made by everyone.
Newman has been working with Ohio University as its Recycling and Refuse coordinator since 1990. His areas that he is responsible for in include compost, source and toxicity reduction, as well as return of the compost which create a revenue, just to name a few. He showed his great emotion and concern for the future of recycling at Ohio University during our interview, as he never stopped talking and had a number of ideas to improve the recycling effort. He commented that the effort is easier at Ohio University than at other schools because the staff works so much closer together and shares the same high hopes for their effort. Not many schools have that special bond and get along well enough to happily work with one common goal of bettering the planet.
The Recycling & Refuse Department (aka Campus Recycling) coordinates many campus recycling and waste-reduction activities throughout the academic year, such as annual move-in and move-out days at the residence halls, RecycleMania, Sponsor the Trash Dance, and giving presentations to students, faculty, and staff about campus recycling services. The office also coordinates with the Office of Sustainability on other recycling projects.
Ohio University has made great efforts to help promote recycling periods and even how to do it. The new student center, The Baker Center, has become the most “green friendly” place on campus. The Baker center has separate trashcans for easy recycling. Even in the dorms, the Residential Assistants make different bulletin boards dedicated to recycling. One of the most prominent dorm recycling comes when all the students move in and out. There are special areas for the students to put their old carpets and all the cardboard boxes they throw away. So instead of just being tossed in the garbage, the students, whether or not they know it, are helping save the planet, one cardboard box and one piece of carpet at a time. The Ohio athletes have also stepped up to the plate (punt intended). During home basketball games the teams have been going around to all the fans picking up their paper and plastic trash items, separating them, and recycling them.
One big question is how are we financing all these special recycling bins and other recycling waste units? Funny, the answer is trash, recyclables to be exact. Everything that the students recycle can be taken for money. Some of the bigger recyclables include leaves, construction and demolition waste. Eventually Ohio University wants all products to be biodegradable. For example, all the products that the front room uses to serve coffee in will soon be biodegradable.
The students have been a big part of the effort of recycling. There are many students that have done their homework and know how to recycle and what a positive thing it is. Other students have no idea how to recycle. Newman said there have been a lot of issues with the sorting. The students sometimes are not paying attention to what they are throwing away in the different trashcans. That is when the custodial staff and others have to step in a sort all of the toxins out so they can properly be recycled.
The main point for the future, Newman said, was to make all products, the coffee cups and lids for example, all biodegradable. Other goals for the future include getting the support of the community and school officials, educating the uneducated about recycling, reducing our carbon output, and hoping that students start taking initiative. The only one that can change is the person. Complaining is not going to help.
It is rather simple, if we do not start recycling and doing even more to help protect the environment, global warming is bound to doom us all. Newman urges all of us to get it together. It is imperative that we all take part in recycling. We must educate the ones who do not know how to recycle. Newman said it is real simple, “Either fix it or die.”
Sources:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/
Sources for power point:
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/adoptagame.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/stickers.htm
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/move_out.htm
Photo sources:
Most were taken by me and my friend who participated in the pictures, Matt Galante, Junior Communications major.
http://www.southern.ohiou.edu/pages/campuses/images/ous-recycle.png
Interview Questions:
Ed Newman, campus Refuse and Recycling Manager
Mission?
Goals?
Who is benefiting?
To what degree is your mission working?
What are successes?
Where do you believe your mission needs work? Problems?
Future planning?
Who is financing?
Follow up questions? Allowed to e-mail?
How long have you worked for Ohio University and how long have you been part of OU recycling? What made you want to go into this line of work? What exactly are your main roles?
What are the different recycling services provided on OU campus?
How are the recycling projects funded? (All the special trashcans, advertisements, extra time spent by sorting)
Have the different projects around campus such as moving in and out of the residence halls be a success?
What different projects have you been involved with?
Where do you believe the system needs to improve and what are the flaws?
What role does the students play in the recycling effort and have they actually helped?
What are future goals that you would like to accomplish?
How are we giving back to the community?
Anything else?
Reflective Statement:
I had a good time doing this project. I learned a lot as well as confirmed
things I actually already knew about recycling. Ohio University has made great
strides in helping clean up the campus. The interview with Mr. Newman was good,
but he had a lot to say and talked about a lot of things that were hard to get
my head around. He is defiantly very passionate about his job and his influence
on Ohio University and recycling. I tried doing something different than the
other students by going around and taking pictures of different ways to recycle
on campus and adding a song. My only downfall in the paper is the lack of
length. I tried to just focus on the different projects that OU has created for
the students to get them interested in recycling and I tried to steer clear on
doing just an overview of Ohio University recycling. Another downfall would be
my lack of presentation skills. I am terrible at speaking in front of a group of
people. That is why I chose to do a sideshow and music for half of my project
to better express what recycling at OU is all about than me just stumbling all
over my words.
Overall, it was a very informative project.
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