Note: there is no final exam (transformation is hard to test for)

The title of this blog is what Bill wrote on the Weekly Lesson Plan for our last week of class, and it sort of struck me. It’s true: how does one measure for personal change? Well, I suppose you reflect.

Experientially, I’m glad I was able to participate in the group project for Bloomington South. I learned so much about the dynamics of school politics, and had the opportunity to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, including everyone from energetic teenagers to skeptical cafeteria staff to responsive (but budget-focused) district administrators. And the recycling project drew me out of my comfort zone, going door to door for surveys.

Blogger and Twitter were totally new/alien ways for me to express my ideas. I honestly never thought I would use either of these, and was extremely skeptical in the beginning. I’ve definitely warmed up to Blogger; it’s a great way to incorporate a variety of media to get your point across in an interactive way. But Twitter is just entirely too hard with its character limit. I’m a long-winded graduate student, give me a break! :)

Do these things represent transformation? Maybe not entirely. Do I feel different? Actually, yes. I had the chance to not just read, research and regurgitate sustainable development concepts, but read, research, experience, expand upon, disagree with, question, persuade, and create within the realm of sustainable development. There are so many levels on which sustainability can be implemented (local, regional, national, global), but I very often overlook the personal/introspective level.

One of the “sci-fi” readings in Wheeler spoke of a “continuous relearning” of an environmental ethic. Although it might be argued that such an ethic is in some ways instinctual (biophilia for one), it is of no real use if it is not made into mindful, deliberate, day-to-day operations. This is especially critical now in this industrialized, high-tech world where it is so easy (and sometimes encouraged) to be completely removed from natural things.

Richard Bach (American Author): Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you.

So I continue to (re)learn, to (re)absorb, to (re)discover as much as I can along the way. But it’s important to remember: thoughts lead to words, words lead to actions. It’s easy to get stuck in the thoughts and words, and not follow through. Maybe that’s what transformation is: action.

Personal Project: Final Update

Goal: To get recycling at my apartment complex.

Process: Give out surveys to assess tenants’ interests. Speak with landlord to request recycling. Get estimates from City and Hoosier Disposal. Research financial incentives.

Results: Hoosier Disposal never called me back with the estimate. They had mentioned that they might not be able to tell me since I wasn’t the owner. The City doesn’t give out bins for apartments with more than 4 units. There aren’t a lot of financial incentives for landlords to do recycling, besides using it as a marketing tool. There is the SuPar GrantProgram, but if I couldn’t even get the landlord to respond to my calls I didn’t see him filling out an application for funding. I spoke to him that one time on the phone, and that was it.

A total of 11 out of 13 tenants filled out and returned the surveys (I got three more after taping surveys to their doors). The survey was perhaps the most encouraging portion of the project. Everyone showed interest. One of the people that live above me is actually on the Bloomington Environmental Commission! Small world. Another tenant had been collecting his recycling dutifully, bagging it, and then throwing it in the dumpster! Bless his heart, he’s an international student and I don’t think he understood the system. The updated (and final) survey results are below.

The good news is we have recycling! I put out bins for the first time on Friday for glass, cans, cardboard/paper, and plastics. Lots of signage; you could see it from the other side of the lawn! I sent out a mass email to the tenants to let them know on Thursday morning, so not a lot of notice. BUT I was surprised to find the paper/cardboard bin full to overflowing, ½ full bin for plastics, and 2 cans. :) I’ll be collecting again this Friday and then weekly (every Friday) starting on January 13^th.

While the library lets you check out cameras for free, you have to buy a disk to save the pictures. So no visuals on the setup, sorry guys. The best I can do is satellite. Both buildings are part of the complex. In red are the dumpster and my apartment, so you can see that it’s right along the way to throwing out your trash. 

Reflections: It’s really empowering to do something good and productive. And to be honest, I was completely surprised at the positive response from tenants. Living near the stadium there’s a lot of irresponsible students (I’ll say it, undergrads) that don’t really respect public areas. What you can’t see in the satellite image is the big grassy area east of us that is covered in trash most of the time. And then after a football game, well, you can imagine. But when you get people right where they live, and make them sign something, and show that you care and are willing to put out some extra effort yourself, I think it makes a difference in their behavior and attitudes. So MAYBE I'm a bit less cynical about people as a result of this project.