David Nowell

Although large businesses may provide an easier access to the foods we are looking for at a bit of a cheaper pricing, the ability to support a small business often times is a better alternative as they are getting their resources from a different area, and potentially in a more environmentally friendly method than their competition. This week, I had the pleasure of being able to travel a bit, and in doing so I was able to try out various foods as opposed to cooking these dished on my own time. One notable place that was visited this week was the El Rincon del Taco Food Truck. Not only was the food delicious, but this process allowed me to support the family of individuals who came from Mexico looking for a better life. Their products are in tandem with the local farms in the area, since most of their produce needs are sourced from there. Providing a better environment for a family, but also enjoying well prepared food would make this a recommendation for anyone that happens to be in that area 

Although the concept of sustainability is a novel and unique one, the act of participating in the community hold a unique and rewarding experience. This week I participated in the non-profit organization referred to as SOLVE Oregon to help clean up an area of Portland to improve the quality of the city. In this instance we participated in the restoration of Springbrook Park. By helping out with these causes, not only is the area that you are cleaning able to be restored visually, but also the collection and reduction of trash in the are works to improve the ecosystem in more than just vegetation. Animals will be able to survive in these areas with less clutter and then have the ability to improve the quality of life in nearby areas due to simple effects such as pollination and the dispersal of seeds for new plants to grow. 

This week I attended the Oregon food bank for the ability to help process and assist individuals with the need for food items at this moment in their lives. With this process, I was able to assist with the community by distributing meals for those in need with aide of the organization. This process allowed me to learn how to prioritize the food distribution as well as learn about the sustainable aspect of the food bank community as they additionally seek to reduce waste all while providing the most nutrition to those in need from donations and sponsorship from private funding. In this day, it was explicitly mentioned that Oregon Food Bank achieved the ambitious goal of connecting area families with more than 52.5 million meals worth of food or 63 million pounds of food in all, with a focus on sourcing food from local farmers, manufacturers and distributors. 

When looking at an economical system, produce plays an important role in preserving the planet. Where and how food is produced alters the path of the carbon foot print left on the earth. This week, I visited a produce farm, which in this season is producing apples for pick and sale based on the amount of pounds you pick. This process contributes to sustainable living in multiple facets; This not only allowed me to gain the fruit and local produce for my own personal benefit of fruit, but also allowed me to support a small business here in the area that I live in. Although the fruit produced are not always the "perfect" looking items, they still contain the same flavor and satisfaction of anything bought in the store. Additionally through the process of picking my own produce, I can not only save the cost of packaging and shipment, but also it allowed me to use some of my re-usable bags as containers to hold the apples in after they were picked.  

One of the largest sources of CO2 emission produced in the united states is the release of carbon emissions by motor vehicles. This week I have attempted to reduce my foot print within the ecological community by doing less driving in order to commute from the Hillsboro area to Portland and instead substitutes for public transportation. This process allows me to travel to both work and school by this method all while saving the cost for gas for the vehicle. This process is somewhat cumbersome in the sense that the time that is needed to commute from where I live to Portland increases due to the stops needed to be met by the MAXline, however this tradeoff allows me to complete task such as homework assignments since I no longer need to focus on driving my vehicle.