David Clauson

                This was one of the more difficult chapters to act on. While I might not buy as many things as some people, I am still accustomed to freely purchasing whatever random thing I think I might need from Amazon. Despite this, I did notice that I already center my consumption patterns around local businesses. Working at Mom’s Organic Market makes enables me to get all of my meat and whatever seasonal vegetables from local producers. I also only make a trip to the store when I work to cut emissions and wasted time. Another difficult task was curbing the use of packaging and the like. While I can get all of my produce without any sort of bag, or bulk nuts with a reusable container, the meat I purchase, and various packed food essentials are hard to get away from. It really helps you shift your mindset on how to get away from these things.

            This class is one thing that has brought me to interact with my community more. My service learning has brought me to a farm just 5 minutes from my house that donates its food to local food banks and educates grade-school kids as well. Giving my spare time to operations like this helps bolster the sustainability of my community. My deep passion has always been for food and farming is one way to integrate that. Another might be to cook/prepare food at a soup kitchen. Cooking and food go hand in hand so this would align with my interests perfectly.  

Chapter 2 Reflection

            In efforts to make my ecological footprint smaller, I think that applying ecological principles to my life would be a great foundation. First, the principle of energy flows, is important regarding diet and energy consumption. Animals require abundant amounts of grass or grain as feed, and there is a lot of energy transfer along this process. If I use this information to focus on eating more vegetables then there would be a positive impact. Additionally, utilizing solar panels to take advantage of the constant flow of energy from the sun, or geothermal from constant heat production of the earth, there would be a positive effect on my footprint. Networks can also play a pivotal role in one’s ecofootprint. If I could join a CSA, others and myself would be contributing to a farm together - creating a network to ensure survival of the farm while being provided with vegetables in return. The idea of nested systems I think has the greatest relation to reducing one’s environmental footprint. Considering that the Ecosystem is the outermost circle of the three E’s, contributing to its health and sustainability invariably effects the systems nested within. A smog free environment ensures healthy individuals. If I could be diligent on reducing various emissions, and increase the amount of money I put into the local economy, I could reduce my footprint while contributing to those systems within the ecosystem as well. 

Chapter 1 Reflection

From this course I would like to gain an understanding of how sustainability might be implemented in real world scenarios. As such, I would like to learn the many nuances of enacting projects, how to manage expectations with reality, and troubleshoot hurdles that might be crossed. Personally, I would like to be able to change my behavior as to be more accessible to others, or more effective at communicating sustainability goals and ideas, so that I can be an influence. As far as what I can contribute, I have a mindset geared towards business sustainability and think that keeping these concepts in mind would prove useful in the long term.

Chapter 8 Reflection

                In a truly sustainable future, the environment, economy and ethics of a city need to all be considered. The buildings need to be LEED certified, the landscape encouraging of biking, walking (and even kayaking as mentioned in Ecopolis) and investments made into green infrastructure. Ideally, all rooftops would be built with either grass/green roofs, or greenhouses, or solar panels at least. Anything other than asphalt tops that don’t add any value. Renewable energy systems will be built in first thing not simply added on. Technologies to make urban agriculture viable would have been invested in and would provide the citizens a local healthy accessible source of food. This would bolster the local economy, and foster an embedded economy as well. There would be a strong sense of community, with countless avenues of involvement and education of living sustainably. The government would be made more inclusive to the people, and industry would no longer be prioritized over them. Any industry within city limits that does not abide by the strict environmental, ethical, economic standards set forth would not be welcome to operate here.

                As most other students in our class, the major watershed of my area is the Potomac-Shenandoah and constitutes 5,702 square miles (13% of Virginia’s total area). Its major tributaries are the Potomac River, South Fork Shenandoah & North Fork Shenandoah. Additionally, it spreads across Maryland, Pennsylvania & West Virginia. In the Potomac River sub-basin, its land area is 33% farmland/pasture, 40% forested, and 27% urban. The Shenandoah sub-basin is 39% farmland, 45% forested, and 16% urban. Industries in the area that can contribute to its quality include: agriculture, forestry, chemical production, light industry, tech, fishing and construction. Overall, the number of groundwater sources (wells) greatly exceeds that of surface water sources; 497 and 143 respectively. More locally, around Aldie Virginia 20105, a majority of streams and lakes have gone unassessed. Of the 5 assessed bodies of water, 4 were polluted (Bull Run, Elklick Run, etc.) as of 2010 with 1 going unpolluted (South Fork Broad Run). Urban sprawl in northern Virginia is one of the most concerning issues to me in this area.

Chapter 3 Reflection

                After keeping a food journal for a week, I was most surprised about how infrequently I ate. Normal weekday schedules have plagued my eating habits since grade school and, while college and work schedules give someone more flexibility, it can still be difficult. I just began to drink 2-3 eggs every morning to beat the clock and get nutrients hours earlier than normal. It has been good for feeling satiated till lunch time. With being on campus, I will occasionally buy food there, but usually wait until dinner time as to spend less money and eat higher quality food. Outside food quality is a major factor in my choices to put off eating regularly. After only eating 2-3 eggs and maybe a snack I will usually eat a 1,200+ calorie dinner around 6 and snack until bed time. Coupled with caffeine consumption on so little calories this diet is not ideal for energy/mood levels. I would like to be able to change my habits by either meal prepping or find better places to eat out when I am at school. If I can dedicate one or two days to cooking for a few hours I could begin to change this.

Chapter 6 Reflection

In the suburbs of the DC Metropolitan area, while steadily getting better public transportation implements, the use of a car is typically the required mode of transportation. On the neighborhood scale, we are fortunate enough to have numerous sidewalks and interconnecting streets to make bicycling or running easily accessible. I personally enjoy riding my bike or walking around my neighborhood. For the County of Loudoun/Fairfax, I would have to say I rely solely on my car. Public transportation can be expensive as it is usually used as an alternative to be commuting in traffic and extra time would be needed if utilized. For the region, if I go into DC I will park at the metro and use that. Since it has been nice weather, I have been enjoying walking/biking to the grocery store that is around 2 miles away. Its good exercise, potentially interact with people along the way, and reduce emissions. 

The Gasland documentary is a great example of corporate interests creating environmental injustice / equity issues. Additionally, there is a disregard for the environment in the process of hydraulic fracturing that is alarming and has been going on way before this documentary came out in 2010. Lastly, the economics of the issue simply furthers the non-renewable sector instead of investing in sustainable alternatives.