Capstone projects '12

Service Learning in Belize: ANRI Seedling HouseAndrea Love, Tandie Bailey, Jessica House, Douglas Wolf

Capstone for Minor in SustainabilityDepartment of Agriculture, Food and Life SciencesDepartment of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences

ANRI The New Seedling House Sustainability• The Agriculture Natural Resource Institute (ANRI) is a secondary

education institution specifically focused around agricultural education. It is located just outside Dangriga, Belize.

• Managed System:• This system concentrates on the life cycle assessment of raw

materials to finished products.Th h ill h th l t d ti lif l Thi i

• Nine students from the University of Arkansas with various backgrounds worked together to plan, design, and build the new seedling house for ANRI.

• The location of the seedling house was determined by ANRI staff, which would be located behind their gardens and greenhouse.

• The school rests on 240 acres, in the midst of citrus fields and jungle and is about a thirty-minute drive from Dangriga down a bumpy, country road. They raise pigs, chickens, rabbits, and an assortment of vegetable crops, including okra, sweet peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes, and beans, all on just 30 acres of production.

• A functioning seedling house is important to ANRI because they use much of what they grow for school lunch They also send

• The house will enhance the plant production lifecycle. This is obtained by allowing to seedlings to be grown in an environment independent of pests and extreme weather. With an enhanced chance of survival, the reproduction is possible for many years, providing long term self sufficiency.

• The netting used on the house was also UV and pest resistant which will increase the health of the seedlings as well as eliminating negative externalities caused by the use of chemical pesticides.

• Four treated lumber posts were placed at the corners of the structure to ensure stability while additional posts and support beams were placed in strategic places to keep the structure sound.

• PVC pipe was used to build the concave-shaped roof, which would support the netting that covered the seedling house. The structure was fitted with the netting from roof to floor and secured in a manner so that it could be removed before severe weather, such as hurricanes.

• Gravel was placed inside the structure to level the floor and also atop of the netting on the ground to keep it secure from the wind.• A double door was constructed for further protection against insect infiltration.• Four tables were constructed to hold the seedlings off the ground. Each table holds ten seedling trays, totaling forty available trays for

plant production. The original seedling structure only supported eleven trays.

The Old Seedling House

use much of what they grow for school lunch. They also send some of the vegetables home with their students. • Built Systems:

• involves the design and construction of buildings, including related infrastructure, in connection with the use of natural resources and environmental health.• The materials used were locally available, relevant goods.• The structure was designed to maximize seedling protection in

several ways. For example, double door entrance and treated netting without the use of chemical pesticides.

• The floor plan design maximizes usable space in the structure.

Results

Completed table for the seedling houseBrady Long finishing up the

seedling house

• It took a week to complete the seedling house structure. It’s finished dimensions were fourteen feet wide by twenty-four feet long by eight feet high. They will be able to hold forty seedling trays compared to the eleven from the previous seedling table use from 2008.

p g p• The house was constructed in a way that the netting and the

seedling trays could be removed and kept from damage in severe weather conditions, thus preserving the usability of the structure for many years to come.

First day of work at ANRI constructing the support posts.

The Original Seedling House at ANRI

Reflections• In no other study abroad program are you as a student able to

learn through service or asked to look a global issue in the face and have the opportunity to solve it. Students are given responsibility and asked to step up as leaders.

• Sustainability is difficult to fully achieve. Getting everybody to agree on something takes constant communication and the ability

Since 2008, the students had been using a temporary structure made of rough lumber supports and a thatched roof. Because there were no walls, their small tray of seedlings were covered loosely in netting, held up by an unsteady piece of PVC pipe. This seedling table was insufficient for the school’s needs in several ways:

• The table was small and only held a limited number of seedlings.• The netting was not attached tightly to the structure so the

seedlings were still vulnerable to pests.

AcknowledgementsSustainability

g g yto compromise; however, the end results far outweigh the obstacles and complications.

• Dr. Jennie Popp advised the project.• Mr Derick Clare the principal of ANRI requested the seedling

The Ministry of Agriculture in Belize provided the basic design for the seedling house. It was our job to identify cost effective materials to build the structure and to create seedling boxes that optimized production of seedlings in the structure.

Completed seedling house being inspected by ANRI staff

Inside the house with the completed seedling tables

Completed house with all participating UA students and ANRI 3rd form class

• Social Systems:• involves the social behaviors, interactions, and dynamics in relationship to environmental sustainability.

• Most Dangriga farmers purchase seedlings from the government run Central Farm. Seedlings are costly, varieties are limited and sometimes

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• Mr. Derick Clare, the principal of ANRI requested the seedling house and worked diligently with the UA to see the project through.

• Mrs. Francelia Linarez, the Vice Principal helped the UA students with any issue they had and was incredibly helpful throughout the entire project.

• Jeff Lieberman and Hannah Huntley, the University of Arkansas’ Peacework Village Initiative representatives, arranged for the communication between ANRI and the agriculture team.

The Proposed Seedling House from the Ministry of Agriculture

Most Dangriga farmers purchase seedlings from the government run Central Farm. Seedlings are costly, varieties are limited and sometimes unavailable when needed.

• The seedling structure at ANRI directly serves students and faculty and also has the potential to benefit the surrounding community as well if ANRI chose to have a seedling market.

• The seedling structure is an appropriate, reliable space for sustainable agriculture learning to occur. Having such an experience in school could help young graduates of ANRI better manage their own farms, thus leading to better production, and possible social mobility.

• There is a community investment across the board, which leads us to believe that the seedling structure will continue to be useful to ANRI and empower the local community for many years to come.

INTEGRATED PASTURED POULTRY INFRASTRUCTURE

Carolina K. Proudfoot Capstone For Minor Sustainability,

Department of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences

I

Integrated sustainable agriculture needs experimentation

stations. Infrastructure must be developed and implemented to

execute this much-needed research. The integrated pasture

poultry infrastructure project created the infrastructure needed to

execute a pasture poultry system within an orchard. The

infrastructure and management system that were created will

allow for the long-term study of soil quality and fertility, as well

as the ability to determine whether or not this integrated system

can cut down on the carbon inputs needed in traditional orchard

management.

There are three types of chicken houses needed to conduct

this study a brooder house, for starting all baby chickens or

chicks. Once the birds are old enough to go out to pasture their

housing is determined by the purpose of the bird. Laying hens

and broilers have different housing requirements. The laying

hens will then go into a movable henhouse equipped with roost

and laying boxes. The broilers will go into a finishing house this

house has no floor so that the broilers manure is deposited

directly onto the ground.

Recycled materials were used on 75 to 80% of all of the

construction on the houses. The building materials were

reclaimed from conventional poultry houses that no longer met

industry standards. These recycled materials made the

infrastructure more affordable.

Electric fencing is easily moved around the pasture as well as

being the best defense against predators. The electric fence

charger is powered using solar panels. Solar panels will also

eventually be installed to maintain the 15 hour light

requirements for laying hens to achieve maximum production.

Unfortunately solar lighting is not an option for broilers at this

time the wattage requirements for heat lamps is cost prohibitive

to use solar panels to generate enough power required for the

heat lamps which are needed for the first several weeks of

growth.

Sustainable Agriculture

Freedom Ranger check 3 day old movable brooder house on pasture

Materials

Design and Building

Design is exceedingly important to the development of sustainable infrastructure. The first rule of sustainable farming is you must sustain the farmer this primarily means all infrastructure must be designed in a manner to allow the farmer to perform maintenance and managerial tasks as easily as possible.

The brooder house was designed to have easy access side doors for changing fears and waters. The brooder house can house

100 chicks for approximately 2 weeks. This house also doubles a breeding house that can hold 15 adult chickens. This house

was constructed on an old 6’ x 8’ trailer.

The finishing house was designed without a floor so that all the manure will be directly deposited on the ground. This reduces

the amount of litter needed as well as reducing the amount of time it takes to clean out the house. Once the chickens have

fouled the inside of the house the house can simply be moved to a new clean location. The light weight design enables one

person to do this, the finishing households approximately, 50 chickens for six weeks and measures 4 x 10’ at the base.

The laying hen house must be portable to avoid erosion issues and have easy access clean out doors to encourage good

management and sanitary living conditions for the chickens. Another requirement for the henhouse is that it is on wheels so, it

can be easily moved by three people. Laying boxes are located on the outside of the house for easy egg collection. This laying

henhouse was designed to house 75 laying hens and measures 6’ x 24’ it comes apart into two 6 x 12’ sections to make moving

it through the orchard trees easier.

solar powered fence charger Installation of caster wheels to frame of henhouse completed henhouse

Management Plan The management plan for the broilers consisted of two weeks in the brooder house. At two weeks of age the broilers moved into the

finishing house. Finishing house should be moved every morning and every evening. The fence should be moved every 2 to 3 days

depending on the amount of manure the broilers are producing. The broilers had 23 hours of light a day as well as 24-hour access to water

and an antibiotic hormone free conventional feed with a 28% protein content and compost.. The broilers butchered and eight weeks at the

D.A.R.P. processing facility in Tahlequah Oklahoma. The broilers produced a 3 ½ to 4 pound carcass.

Laying hens were allotted a 40’ x 40’ square around their chicken house. Laying hens should the let out at dawn encouraging them to forage

for insects while they are still in the top of the soil profile. Feed should be provided around 10 o’clock in the morning. Laying hens have

specific nutritional requirements so a layer feed should be used with at least an 18% protein content. The house should be cleaned out

weekly and moved biweekly along with the fence. Moving the chicken house and the yard will prevent the chickens from scratching the

ground bear leading to potential erosion.

Managing both broilers and laying hens have two separate benefits to the orchard. Broiler manure is higher and nitrogen, however laying

hens are more active potentially making them better at weed and bug control. Using both types of poultry could potentially lead to the

diminishment of chemical fertilizers and pesticides needed in traditional orchard management as well as increasing soil quality and fertility.

Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable agriculture will be the way of the future. Worldwide

populations continue to increase currently we are able to feed

everyone on the planet however, in the future the green revolution

will not be enough. Best management practices must be developed

to improve degraded soils, so that they can once again be

productive agricultural land to feed the world’s growing

population. As the US civilization moves into the future we must

find ways to do more with less agriculturally. The other major

problem facing conventional agriculture today is peak oil, as oil

prices increase so does the cost of most conventional agricultural

production methods. Systems as well as agricultural methods must

evolve so that current agricultural production levels can be

maintained using fewer fossil fuel inputs. This project is an attempt

to create the infrastructure needed to study an alternative

agricultural management practice that could prove to be highly

sustainable increasing soil quality and fertility as well as

decreasing carbon inputs needed in fruit orchard production.

Without this meaningful research we will not be able to develop

agriculture in a manner to sustain future population increases.

Future Plans Future system upgrades will consist of:

• rainwater collection system on henhouse and on brooder house

• solar panels for laying hens

The future soils research will be conducted over a two-year period.

The first soil samples were taken from the orchard before the

chickens were put into the orchard. This initial sampling will allow

for a baseline to compare with future soil tests.

Comparisons will also be drawn from the inputs to the orchard

before and after chickens. These inputs consist of fertilizers,

insecticides and overall fuel cost for application. Production

numbers will also be collected to determine whether or not the

orchard became more productive before or after the chickens were

added to the orchard.

Soil changes slowly over time this is why it is so important to

begin the studies now so that new methods can be developed that

will increase soil quality and fertility for future generations.

full-grown broilers broiler finishing house

University of Arkansas Vehicle Research Project

Clark Rogers

Capstone for Minor in Sustainability

Department of Agriculture, Food and Life Science

• I have gathered information from the UofA parking and

transit facility of all vehicles registered on campus from

the past 3 years.

• You will see that the student enrollment is continuously

growing each year. Which means more traffic and more

vehicles on campus.

• It is important to recognize that if enrollment continues to

grow then we will not have enough space for students to

park on campus.

• The graph below indicates that the student population

and the student vehicle count is steadily increasing each

year.

• Received an excel spreadsheet from the parking and

transit facility of vehicles registered on campus from the

past 3 years.

• Categorized each vehicle as either a Car, SUV, Truck or

no vehicle type for both students and faculty.

• Started building charts in excel and comparing numbers

of Cars, SUVs, Trucks and no vehicle types registered on

campus.

• Began analyzing the numbers and realized how can the

UofA reduce the amount of traffic on campus if the

student vehicle count continues to rise each year.

• To become a more sustainable campus I believe the UofA

in the future will have restrictions on who can park on

campus.

• Social Systems

• People tend to buy vehicles based on looks

or the size that best fits them.

• Students and Faculty will now have

different opinions of vehicles driven on

campus.

• Students and Faculty will think of taking

different types of transportation.

• People when purchasing a new vehicle will

now hopefully choose one with great fuel

efficiency.

• Vehicle count on campus is likely to

decrease due to the student enrollment

population.

• Restrictions on parking will be heavily

enforced since enrollment is increasing.

• I have realized not everyone is fortunate

enough to pick any vehicle out they desire.

Many students are handed down vehicles from

brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents.

• Sustainability is a bold word. You do not

become sustainable over one night. It takes

time and development to becoming a

sustainable community or person.

• By purchasing a vehicle with great fuel

efficiency you will save money and

reduce your carbon footprint.

• I have honestly enjoyed working on this

project and have gained more skills to

living my life sustainably.

• Within the last 2 years I have purchased a

bicycle and chosen to take the public

transit to class more often.

• Biking or public transit is fun and you are

not worrying about finding a parking spot

or awful traffic.

•It is obvious that over the past 3 years the majority of students and faculty drive a car compared

to a SUV or Truck.

•SUV’s however are the second largest vehicle driven on campus by students and faculty.

•We are unaware of 5% of the vehicle models registered on campus.

•I believe that the number of motorcycles and scooters is extremely low due to students and

faculty listing them by their make (ex. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki). What this means is that we

are unable to identify whether or not it is a motorcycle or scooter. By all means I believe we have

a lot more motorcycles and scooters compared to what the graph shows.

•The student vehicle count has increased 16.7% in 3 years. However, the faculty vehicle count

has decreased by 7.7% in 3 years.

•No matter the vehicle make, cars overall are the most fuel efficient.

•Gas mileage for SUVs and Trucks vary depending on the make and model.

•If gas prices continue to increase I am hoping to see more students and faculty driving cars.

•If campus were to have smaller parking spots it would allow more room for parking and also

decrease our amount of SUVs and Trucks.

Year

Fayetteville CampusCar Type Data 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Grand Total

Student Car Vech Count 6,659 7,484 7,875 22,018

Year % 36.8% 38.4% 39.3% 38.2%

SUV Vech Count 3,615 4,232 4,299 12,146

Year % 20.0% 21.7% 21.4% 21.1%

No Vech Type Vech Count 2,023 1,751 2,167 5,941

Year % 11.2% 9.0% 10.8% 10.3%

Truck Vech Count 1,615 2,149 1,825 5,589

Year % 8.9% 11.0% 9.1% 9.7%

Motorcycle Vech Count 7 7 17 31

Year % 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%

Scooter Vech Count 3 9 4 16

Year % 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Student Vech Count 13,922 15,632 16,187 45,741

Student Year % 76.9% 80.3% 80.7% 79.4%

Faculty Car Vech Count 1,833 1,568 1,628 5,029

Year % 10.1% 8.1% 8.1% 8.7%

SUV Vech Count 1,008 926 1,024 2,958

Year % 5.6% 4.8% 5.1% 5.1%

No Vech Type Vech Count 807 745 649 2,201

Year % 4.5% 3.8% 3.2% 3.8%

Truck Vech Count 536 602 559 1,697

Year % 3.0% 3.1% 2.8% 2.9%

Motorcycle Vech Count 1 6 7

Year % 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Scooter Vech Count 2 2

Year % 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Faculty Vech Count 4,187 3,841 3,866 11,894

Faculty Year % 23.1% 19.7% 19.3% 20.6%

Total Vech Count 18,109 19,473 20,053 57,635

Total Year % 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Car SUV

No Vec

h Type Truck Car SUV

Truck

No Vec

h Type Car SU

V

No Vec

h Type Truck

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

Facility Student

Faculty Vehicle

- 7.7%

Student Vehicle

+16.7%

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty Student Faculty

Chevrolet Ford Honda Toyota Nissan Jeep Dodge Hyundai General Motors Mazda

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

Student Enrolement 19,845 21,405 23,199

Student Vech Count 13,922 15,632 16,187

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

7 of Every 10 Students have a vehicle

Registered on campus

Parking on Campus

The Methodology

The Outcome Sustainability

Outlook

Top 10 most common makes of vehicles on

Campus

Reflections

DESIGN

The structure is designed built as a large room

with 4 identical compartments. Each one of these

compartments hold a Green Concrete slab each

with a different percentage of fly-ash in ratio with

Ordinary Portland Concrete aggregate.

Panel 1: 0%FA-

100%OPC

Panel 2: 25%FA-

75%OPC

Panel 3: 50%FA-

50%OPC

Panel 4: 75%FA-

25%OPC

The Compartments are designed to separate

each panel into its own thermal zone. Since the

entire inside will provide a control temperature

that will effect each compartment the same way,

the only surface that will be influenced individually

will be the concrete panel. The main room will be

kept at a constant temperature using a window

AC unit. It is constructed with a door and two

typical windows in order to imitate a typical

dwelling.

The structure is outfitted with thermocouples.

Thermocouples are a wired pair of different

metals that, due to the difference of resistance in

each metal, the temperature can be calculated.

Thermal Performance and Environmental Impact of Sustainable Concrete

Kyle Rookstool UA Sustainability Programs

THE PROBLEM Sustainable development involves maintaining our

current rate of development while leaving suitable

resources for later generations to continue developing.

The production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is a

resource- and energy-intensive process consuming

approximately 1.5 ton of raw materials and

producing approximately 1 ton of carbon dioxide

(CO2) for each ton of OPC produced.

Globally, the production of OPC accounts for

approximately between 5 to 7% of CO2 emissions

into the atmosphere.

There are three main reasons to use fly ash as a

substitute ingredient in concrete:

• First, the reduction of disposal into landfills of the

coal combustion products such as fly ash.

• Second, it creates significant environmental benefits

• Third, it improves the quality of the finished product

in terms of its properties.

THE PROJECT

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the thermal

performance of green concrete based on benchmark

developments related to this material. By measuring

the thermal resistance of concrete panels with different

percentages of fly ash, gathering, and analyzing the

data, we will be able to determine the thermal efficiency

of each panel and the contribution of this ingredient.

With that data, specifications can be made to better

inform the use of fly-ash in concrete. The project is

comprised of 3 stages:

1. Retrofit an existing structure for testing the panels.

2. Assemble and configure data-logging equipment for

structure.

3. Develop the structure into a pleasing design,

suitable for the public eye.

SUSTAINABILITY

This investigation and its product has significant

relevance to sustainability. The information,

design, and lessons learned will be disseminated

to a broad ranging audience.

The experimental building itself as an interface

with the public will stand as a demonstration and

example for the appreciation of fly ash as a waste

by-product.

• The building is designed and built in a cost

effective, sustainable, and appealing way in

emphasizing the sustainable built environment

• The data gathered will demonstrate the

reduced impact on the natural systems.

• The results obtained from this research will

indicate the recommendation guidelines

related to best practice of mix and application

of green concrete for lesser environmental

impact and preserved structural integrity.

THE FUTURE

This Project provides an environment to cater to

similar future investigations. Now, any sample

panel may be placed in and data gathered. Future

investigations may include:

• Fiber-reinforced fly-ash concrete

• Aerated fly-ash Concrete

• Insulated Panel with fly-ash concrete

The information from these experiments can

make headway in implementing fly-ash in

concrete for the future. With the thermal data on

fly-ash concrete the restraints of structure vs.

thermal can be refined. By narrowing those

restraints we can eliminate waste. It takes being

informed about a product to make the most

accurate decision. By providing this information

we may increase the implementation and use of

fly-ash therefore resulting in less waste, less

pollution due OPC production, and a better

environment.

This poster was prepared in partial fulfillment of SUST 4103 Sustainability Capstone

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Fly-Ash Landfill

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

Type T: Thermocouple

(copper–constantan)

These thermocouples will

be wired into a

multiplexer, this allows for

many thermocouples to be

run. The multiplexer is run

to the data logger which

gathers the information

produced from the

thermocouples and sends

it back to the computer.

Once the data is gathered

in the computer it is

calculated and put into

graphs that make it easier

to read as well as

organize.

The Structure was

made out of

Structurally-Insulated-

Panels (SIPS) which

made design and

building more efficient.

After erecting, the

sample concrete

panels are put into

place. These panels

are interchangeable for any future experiments.

Temporary appendages were built until further

building could be done. From there the final

construction sequence began.

1. Weather barriers were applied; house-wrap and

tar paper.

2. Roof profile was thickened and pitched.

3. Gutter was installed recessed as to not be seen.

4. Cedar rain screen installed.

The cedar rain screen

performs multiple tasks.

• Provides a ventilation

cavity for evaporation

• Provides a insulation

cavity.

• Provides depth to an

otherwise planar façade.

The Interior was wired with thermocouples, lighting,

and power.

The thermocouples are wired an many different

points. Currently, there are 3 on the outside of each

panel, 3 on the inside of the chamber, and 3 on the

main interior. However, the capability for running

more thermocouples exists for the future.

• (2) Standard

fluorescent lights for

interior space.

• (2) Standard 120V

outlets

• (1) Specialty AC outlet

• (27) thermocouple

runs

• Powered by external

Troy-Bilt 7000 watt

generator.

Courtesy UC/CITRIS http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/

http://cpcbenvis.nic.in

http://ecosmartconcrete.com

www.ombwatch.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thermocouple_circuit.svg

Longevity and Recycling:

The Effect of Existence Bias on Recycling Participation

Jordan Schanda Department of Psychology

PREVIOUS RESEARCH

Psychology can offer insight into the

mechanisms that drive environmental

consciousness, as well as provide techniques

for increasing participation in proenvironmental

behaviors, such as recycling. Research on

existence bias has demonstrated an increased

tendency for people to choose or prefer

something merely as a function of its existence

or longevity; I believe this could serve as an

effective way to drive environmentally

conscious behavior. Previous research

demonstrates that gender plays a significant

role in environmentalism, and specifically, that

women report higher levels of participation in

proenvironmental behavior compared to men.

Other research shows that behavior can be

predicted from issue-specific attitudes. For

example, if trying to influence or predict

recycling behavior, attitudinal measures must

target recycling specifically.

METHODS

Seventy-seven U of A students (57% female,

43% male) self-selected themselves into this

experiment, which was disguised as a study on

“advertisement techniques.” Participants were

presented with an ad for the University of

Arkansas’ recycling program and informed that

it had been around for either three years or

three decades. Participants received a

recyclable cup near the end of the study and

subsequently had the opportunity to recycle it.

Recycling behavior was recorded and

calculated in the form of percentages for each

group.

HYPOTHESES

I hypothesized that participants in the long

time in existence condition (three decades)

would exhibit a higher recycling rate compared

to those in the short time in existence condition

(three years). I also predicted that attitudes

toward recycling would be stronger among

women, and that these attitudes, regardless of

gender and condition, would correspond closely

with behavior.

SUSTAINABILITY

Everyday habits and decisions are having

a large impact on climate change; however,

it seems that these routine behaviors are the

most difficult to challenge. Recycling is a

fairly simple behavior that has the potential

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from

many sources including methane from

landfills and emissions produced by waste

incinerators.

Based on my research, existence bias

cannot be added to the list of techniques for

encouraging proenvironmental behavior.

However, contingent on further research,

informing men of a recycling program’s

“newness,” as conveyed by a short time in

existence, could lead to increased

participation in recycling by men.

FUTURE RESEARCH AND

IMPLICATIONS

The possible explanations for my findings

should be examined through further

research by gathering information regarding

attitudes toward recycling before and after

the manipulation of longevity. Use of a

control group would also offer a better

comparison between attitudes and behavior,

irrespective of longevity. Furthermore, a

control group would determine a baseline

recycling rate that would allow me to make

comparisons between groups and to draw

conclusions about whether recycling rates

increased or decreased due to the

manipulation of longevity.

However, I can make some theoretical

comparisons based on the recycling rate at

the University of Arkansas. According to the

recycling coordinator, the current recycling

rate on campus is 36 percent. Men in the

short time in existence condition exhibited a

recycling rate of over 62 percent, suggesting

that their knowledge of the recycling

program’s “newness” led to increased

recycling.


THE RECYCLING AD

Above is the ad used in the short time in

existence condition. Participants in the long

condition saw the same ad, but it claimed

that “the university’s well-established

recycling program is in its third decade of

operation.”

FINDINGS

Overall, the correlation between attitudes

toward recycling and recycling behavior was

not significant, r(73) = .07, p = .53. This

means that attitudes toward recycling, as

measured by a demographic questionnaire,

did not predict recycling behavior.

This supports the existence of an attitude-

behavior gap, despite the use of issue-

specific attitude measures. It is possible that

participants’ attitudes following their

exposure to time in existence could have

matched up with their recycling behavior,

and differed from their initial attitudes toward

recycling. In addition, time in existence could

have had an effect on participants’ opinions

without the increased favorability being

converted into action.

FINDINGS

A three-way ANOVA revealed a significant

effect for gender. Across conditions, males

recycled at a higher rate (45.5%) when

compared to females (22.5%).

A marginal interaction between gender

and condition was also present. Men in the

short time in existence condition had

significantly higher rates of recycling (62.5%)

compared to males in the long time in

existence condition (29.4%), F(1, 69) = 4.38,

p = .04. Women did not show a significant

difference, though their means tended to go

in the opposite direction (20% and 25%, for

the short and long conditions, respectively),

F(1, 69) = 0.12, p < .73.

As these means suggest, males who

were told that the recycling program had

been around for three years had the highest

rate of recycling compared to the other three

groups; a one versus three contrast

confirmed this, F(1, 69) = 7.79, p = .007.

Some objects and situations may be

preferred as a function of their perceived

short time in existence, including cars and

smartphones. Preference for novelty is found

most often when the object or behavior is

familiar to the individual. It is possible that

those participants who engaged in recycling

were familiar with the recycling program on

campus, or recycling in general.

DESIGN OF AN EDUCATIONAL WATER FEATURE FOR THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OF THE OZARKS Jason Corral, Dawn Shoemaker, Lauren Tessaro, Vanessa VanWilpe Senior Design Team 2012, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

The Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks was created by the

Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks (BGSO), a self

described homegrown, grassroots organization

established in 1994. The Botanical Gardens are located

on 100 acres of property at the south east edge of Lake

Fayetteville.

The Botanical Gardens provides lifelong learning with

workshops, lectures, and classes. The local school

children are offered programs at school and at the

Garden including a broad array of garden-related topics,

with wild plants, animals in the garden, health and

wellness, sustainability, and garden and floral design.

The Little Sprouts is offered for younger children.

The successful completion of this project will benefit the

Botanical Gardens, and it’s visitors by enhancing the

overall aesthetic and educational values of the Botanical

Gardens which are important aspects of the Botanical

Gardens’ mission statement. Learning centers and

community gathering places are essential to the social

aspects of sustainability.

The educational value of this water feature can have

ecological benefits to the managed systems by giving

people a greater understanding of the amount of work

required to generate even a small amount of energy. This

understanding could lead to energy conservation

decisions being consciously made by people who use this

educational water feature.

Engineers are taught to address the sustainability of built

systems while evaluating the life of their designs, and the

most efficient and friendly use of the materials available.


The first part of the system employs three power

components:

1) Human

Power in → kilocalories=813 kcal/day

Power out → Joules per second (watts)=63.01 Watts of

energy available as calculated.

From the estimated energy available* - 813 kcals/day,

with 20% usable for 2 minutes at a time, we get:

162.6kcal

day

day

3 hr

hr

60 min2 min = 1.8066 kcal

1.806 𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙4.185𝐾𝐽

𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙

min

60 sec

1000J

KJ=

315J

sec= 63.01 W

2) Bicycle

The human energy is converted to mechanical energy

losing 5% efficiency, when the child pedals the bike.

Power in → 63.01Watts

Power out → 63.01Watts x 95% eff. = 59.86Watts

The low estimate for revolutions per minute (RPM) input

to the pedals is 40 RPM from the child, with a gear ration

of 34:39 so, the RPM of the tire, as equal to the rear gear,

calculates as,

(40 RPM) (39/34) = 45.88 RPM

Using the power equation P=Tω, where P=power;

T=torque, ω=angular momentum, and T=Force x

distance, the force between the tire and the pump is

found as:

P = Tω = F ∗ d ∗ 2π RPM

60

Insert substitutions and rearrange,

F =P

d ∗ 2πRPM

60

Substitute values,

F =59.86W

(0.305m)(2π)45.8860𝑠

= 40.85N

The second portion of the system employs three

components also:

1) Reservoir

The water is pumped to the reservoir, and is considered

potential energy. This can be estimated by;

PE = mass x gravity x head

We have not calculated this yet as our final location is yet

undecided.

Introduction

The Project The goal for our senior design team on this project was to involve kids in learning about the production of energy. We introduce the basics of hydroelectric power, and propose alternative energy sources. In pursuing this goal, we must keep in tune with the aesthetic values of the Botanical Gardens where it is to be displayed.

In the United States, the primary source of fuel for electricity generation is fossil fuel. However, alternative forms of energy generation are gaining ground as a legitimate alternative to fossil fuel energy generation. If fossil fuel is to be largely replaced by alternative energy, the public must be aware of and support the efforts made towards that change. One method of accomplishing this is with an interactive, educational, alternative energy generator. With the input of Gerald Kilngaman at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks and Dr. Costello and Steve Green of the University of Arkansas, an alternative energy display was developed that uses human power as the initial input, and finally produces electricity.

In the final design, a child will ride a stationary bicycle that is directly connected to a positive displacement pump. Pedaling the bicycle will cause the pump to deliver water through a system of pipes that releases the water into a reservoir above a wooden water wheel.

When the water is released, the force of the water contacting the water wheel will cause the wheel to turn which will turn a generator. This generator will then power a series of lights to allow the children to see their muscle power manifest as electricity.

Entrance to the Botanical Gardens

Artistic rendition of proposed water wheel design for the Botanical Gardens.

System Components

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0 500 1000 1500

Power (Watts)

RPM

Power vs. RPM at Variable Heads

Head=1.244m

Head=1.816m

Head=2.235m

To find the RPM turning the pump shaft:

For the bike wheel (30.5cm radius) to the pump shaft

(19.05mm radius), with angular rotation (ω),

ω1 * r1 = ω2 * r2

Rearranged,

ω2 = ω1 * r1 / r2

So,

ω2 = 45.88RPM * 0.305m / 0.01905m = 734.56 RPM

To check power output using force and RPM found:

P = Tω

P = (40.85N )(0.019m)(2π )735.56

60 = 59.78W

The power calculation estimate is consistent with the

testing done on the pump at differing RPM.

Components and Testing

Force is applied from the tire to pump shaft.

Bike set up on trainer with pump attached.

Graph 1 shows power generated increasing exponentially with RPM, but not greatly affected by head at the values tested. Graph 2 shows flow increasing linearly with RPM. The water is pumped to a reservoir where it becomes potential energy.

3) Pump

We used a positive displacement pump, so the power

output is directly related to the RPM turning the shaft of

the pump.

Power in → 59.86Watts

Power out → 59.78 Watts (should equal power in here)

Power and flow test set-up with variable RPM motor input, then set up with bike power input.

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 2 4 6 8 10

Flow (Q) (gal/min)

RPM

Flow vs. RPM at Variable Heads

Head=1.244m

Head=1.816m

Head=2.235m

2) Waterwheel

When the sluice gate on the reservoir is lifted, the potential energy begins to create power as the forces of the water turn the wheel. The wheel transfers energy to the shaft as it rotates.

Outcomes Produced

3) Electric Power Generation

The shaft of the wheel turns the generator, lighting the LED light display.

Sustainability

While all the engineered components to the system have been prototyped, a complete, aesthetic design is still being finalized with input from our client.

The final outcome from the energy taken in as Calories will be an LED light display.

Future Enhancements Our team would like to see the addition of a solar pump to fill the reservoir. We would also like to incorporate a wind turbine into the design, as we feel these additions would greatly add to the renewable energy education we wish to provide with this feature.

Radio Conversations about Sustainability

Gavin Smith Civil Engineering Student

Why do a Radio Show? Sustainability is as vague as vague can be. It is an overused and often misapplied term. In the grocery store or really any commercial setting we are inundated by claims about the sustainability of different products. To understand the impacts of our choices we have to go far out of our everyday routines. Sustainability is a smart thing to choose, but how do we choose which dish soap is sustainable and which is not? Can something be more sustainable than another thing? What does it mean to be unsustainable? What happens when things collapse? Will it hurt? Questions are at the heart of the discussion. Anyone who's tells you definitively what sustainability means is either a time traveler, selling something, or both. A radio show is the perfect place to parse this subject ad infinitum. If you want to do something for the good of the planet and your fellow beings, as hard and as frustrating as it is, there is still a world of things to be done just by listening, asking questions, and talking.

What did I do?

The first episode of the show aired the

first week of the spring semester. The show

then aired once a week until week nine,

when scheduling problems moved in. At the

writing of this poster the tenth show is done

and there are four more shows planned and

scheduled. It is hoped another student will

continue producing the show in Fall 2012,

but even if no one picks it up the show will

be there and can always be picked up at a

later date.

There were several lessons learned while

producing the show. The main lesson was

that productive value is a function of

experience plus the time put into

preproduction planning and editing. The

show was a disaster several times from a

production perspective. There were times

when I froze up mid question, and times

when I gaffed the mixing board. All in all I am

proud of the mistakes I’ve made. How else

could I have learned?

UNIVERSITY

LOGO HERE

Need University

Logo here

How was this project

relative to the university

wide conversation about

sustainability?

This project addressed all four major

areas of sustainability studies as outlined by

the sustainability minor here at the University

of Arkansas. The show was produced from a

generalist point of view and as such we

dipped into the built environment with Dr.

Braham, Dan Coody, and Gary Kahanak,

into the managed environment with John

Sampiers and Sarah Dayringer, into the

economic with Sarah Dayringer, and into the

environmental with Dr. Boss, Dr. Alverson,

and Dr. Smith, and into the social with Dr.

Brubaker, Sarah Dayringer, and Dan Coody.

The project was effective and all my goals

were met, that being said my biggest goal

was just to show up and do it. Radio is, like

all public media, an invitation to vulnerability.

Losing your train of thought while

broadcasting live is a different experience

from doing the same in a private

conversation. Offending your guest goes

from a small bump in the conversation to a

public humiliation. I wanted to earn my spurs

for this seemingly perilous experience.

Whether or not the show was an effective

medium for advocating for sustainability or

impacting others in any way is up for

discussion.

The biology series was another small

segment that was produced on the

sustainability show. Only two segments were

produced. The series asked the question:

what can Biologist teach us about design. It

turns out that enthusiasm for the natural

world is what they have to teach us. In the

first Segment Dr. Andy Alverson shared his

love of diatoms and enumerated some of the

amazing facts surrounding this ubiquitous,

obscure, and highly important branch of the

tree of life. Dr Smith shared the story of the

reintroduction of the black bear to the

Ozarks. This poster was prepared in partial fulfillment of SUST 4103 Sustainability Capstone

GRAPHS

IT WOULD BE GOOD TO USE THIS

SPACE TO PROVIDE GRAPHICS THAT

MAY INCLUDE

TABLES

FIGURES

MAYBE YOU WANT TO PUT IN QUOTES

FROM STUDENTS AND OR PARTNERS IN

THE PROJECT

Sustainability Show #1

Dr. Edmund Harriss, UA Math Dept.

Direction and inspiration for the show


Dr. Steve Boss, UA Geology Dept.

Human environmental impacts.


John Sampier, NACA director

Waste water treatment


Dr. Robert Brubaker, UA History Dept.

What does Collapse feel like?


Sarah Dayringer, Policy expert

Rio+20 UN conference

GRAPHS

IT WOULD BE GOOD TO USE THIS

SPACE TO PROVIDE GRAPHICS THAT

MAY INCLUDE

PICTURES

TABLES

FIGURES

MAYBE YOU WANT TO PUT IN QUOTES

FROM STUDENTS AND OR PARTNERS IN

THE PROJECT


Dan Coody, former mayor

Sustainable building


Gary Kahanak, energy auditor

Home energy efficiency


Dr. Edmund Harriss, UA Math Faculty

Current state of the literature


Dan Dean, Architect, Farmer, and Activist

Dan Dean Did His Thing


Dr. Andrew Braham, UA Civil Engineering

Sustainability and Transportation

Podcasts for each episode can be found on the web at kxua.uark.edu, search the site for “sustainability”


WHAT IS THE ISSUE? Did you know the University of Arkansas has an office devoted to sustainable development? Did you know the University of Arkansas has led the SEC for 3 non-consecutive years in RecycleMania for waste reduction & increased recycling? Did you know you can opt-out of your physical junk mail from your residence at sustainability.uark.edu? I did not know any of these facts until I became an intern at the Office for Campus Sustainability (OCS). This office organizes great events, coordinates important projects, & the university as a whole has been recognized several times for its achievements in sustainability. However, much of this goes unnoticed. This is why I focused my project on helping the OCS leverage their social media to help effectively communicate all their efforts & the school’s efforts to the campus. This not only means furthering the reach of each message, but also building relationships with the members of this university & beyond. This would be represented by an increase in online presence overall.

THE PROJECT 1. Amendments & Additions Facebook, Twitter, & the blog had been established, but not used effectively. Google+ was added because of the growing amount of users on Google+. Then, an email campaign, or newsletter, was needed to help promote the office’s growing number of events, projects, & more. 2. General Strategy A general strategy had to be created to learn the foundation for using any type of social media. Online marketing is a new type of communication where traditional marketing methods usually do not apply. 3. Best Practices Guide & Detailed Plan Each outlet is unique & requires its own set of rules, thus a detailed action plan was created for each of the five web brands.

SUSTAINABILITY Social media is a free tool that can be used to promote the Office for Campus Sustainability & all the efforts of the university. By incorporating this guide into their program, there is potential to develop a greater online presence & campus presence. It is about shining a brighter light on what the students & faculty do here every year to help move towards a more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable institution. It is about using social media for social good.

Join the Conversation!

Text to like our Facebook Page!

Text “like uaocs” to 32665

BEST PRACTICES Each social media tool has its own unique ability to engage an online user as long as it is used correctly & consistently. Social media is also ever changing; therefore, preparation is key. For example, Facebook made a complete overhaul of their page layout on March 30, 2012 with the new Timeline. Users with a Facebook Page were notified in advance & provided an option to test it out. This gave the users time to learn about the new features and how to use them effectively before the official public launch.

The image on the right from social media expert Mari Smith attempts to explain every aspect of the new timeline.

Examples included in the OCS Social Media Best Practices: •Number of posts needed each day to actively engage readers on Twitter is much higher than Facebook •Optimize blog & website to mobile theme for easy viewing on cell phones •Consistently post blogs each week to keep reader’s interested. •Give people a reason to like the page, not demanding people to “Like now!” •Listen carefully, be transparent, be responsive, be authentic, & tell great stories

Promoting a Sustainable Campus Using Social Media

Office for Campus Sustainability

Sylvia Tran

WHY SOCIAL MEDIA? Americans’ spend 22.5% of their time on social networks & blogs, more than any other online site. People no longer surf the web for information, but they surf Facebook, Twitter, & Blogger. These web brands are now the center for information. The OCS can take advantage of this popular medium to engage people in conversations about sustainability. This is where we can provide information about our efforts & involve the campus in sustainable development.

GENERAL SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

1 Listen 2 Identify Goals The ultimate surveying tool is social listening.

•Find out what your audience is talking about. •Listen to their opinions, needs, & issues. •Determine how to best contribute to the conversation. •Tools: Google alerts, Twitter search, Facebook search

Form goals around the organization’s mission & what the audience wants.

•Define the organization’s objectives •Define success

o Increased online presence •Identify required resources, training required, & any barriers

3 Create Content 4 Content Delivery Plan What would the audience find intriguing?

•After listening to the audience, find content that would spark their interest. •Be innovative. For instance, a Google+ Hangout could be hosted about climate change attended by influential researchers. •Examples: Share facts, tips, promotions, ask for an opinion

When is the best time to send content & how often?

•Develop a timeline months in advance to effectively promote events. •Schedule out messages in advance using social media dashboards for efficient use of time & to consistently post content. •Find out what time of the day & what days of the week is content most viewed. •Tools: Google+ Timing, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Seesmic

5 Engage Users 6 Measure Effectiveness Focus on genuine interaction, not just largest reach.

•Traditional marketing’s main focused is broadcast media. •Social media is better utilized as an ‘engagement network.’ •It’s not just about reaching the most people, but listening, engaging, & empowering the audience with the quality & transparency of the content.

How is success measured? •Various tools for all social media is available to ensure efforts are moving towards achieving those previously set goals. •Measurements allows you to assess progress, revise or eliminate content, change timing of posts, & more. •Tools: Email campaign analysis on MailChimp or Constant Contact, Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, website traffic counter, Klout

RESULTS The measurement period is between January & April

when the strategy was put in place. This is only a portion of all the possible measurements & does not include all

five social media outlets.

Facebook

• The figure above shows a continuing increase in Total Daily Reach (sum of Lifetime Total Likes & Daily Friends of Fans—every single person who could potentially see the pages’ content).

Twitter • 258% increase in followers compared to

amount at end of December 2011 • Due to increased amount of average posts/day,

acknowledgement of new followers, & interactions with others

Blog • Avg 8.5% more viewers/month totaling 1,867

views as of April 17, 2012. • Due to consistent amount of blog posts per week,

sharing new posts on other social media, & content pertains to current issue & campus events

FACEBOOK UAOCS

GOOGLE +

SUSTAINABILITY.UARK.EDU

WORDPRESS.UARK.EDU/

UAOCS

TWITTER UAOCS

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

1/1/12

1/8/12

1/15/12

1/22/12

1/29/12

2/5/12

2/12/12

2/19/12

2/26/12

3/4/12

3/11/12

3/18/12

3/25/12

4/1/12

4/8/12

4/15/12

AmountofPeo

pleReachedDaily

DatefromStarttoEndofProject

TotalDailyReach

Girls Gone Green: Reducing Sorority Styrofoam Usage

Architectural Studies Student: Sara Turner SUST 4103: Capstone Project for Sustainability Minor

Faculty: Dr. S. Boss and Dr. T. Messadi

THE PROBLEM Did you know it takes 500 years for one Styrofoam

cup to dissolve? In the 21 weeks of the 2011 fall

semester Chi Omega Fraternity’s Psi Chapter used

approximately 40, 500 pieces of Styrofoam including

cups, bowls and plates. That number meant that on

average our chapter was using 276 pieces per day. I

knew that something had to be done. Components of

Styrofoam, such as Ethylene, Styrene, and Benzene,

have a very harmful long-term effect on the Earth’s

environment. Drilling for these components can lead to

land erosion, and burning Styrofoam in landfills

contributes to our already deteriorating ozone layer.

THE PROJECT

I had three key goals in mind when I set out to begin

Styrofoam reduction at Chi Omega’s Psi Chapter.

1, Inform the chapter as to the detriments of Styrofoam

usage.

2.Cease the daily use of Styrofoam cups by making them

unavailable to the chapter.

3. Find and implement an alternative to Styrofoam cups

that is more environmentally friendly, but is still within the

allotted budget.

The house mother provided me with the numbers that I

needed to convince the President, Housing Corps,

kitchen staff, and ultimately the entire chapter that

something needed to be done. After making an

announcement to the entire chapter the plan was created

an implemented within four days. From that point on I

worked with the kitchen staff weekly, monitoring the

amount of Styrofoam that was put out weekly.

SUSTAINABILITY

This project obviously relates to sustainability on

many levels. It is first and most importantly connected to

the sustainability domain concerning Social Systems. I

believe that using Styrofoam is a cultural issue.

Americans are all about things being done quickly and

easily, with as little effort as possible on their behalf.

Styrofoam fuels that mentality because it’s something we

don’t have to think about. We use it, and throw it away,

never considering the long term impacts of our choices.

This type of project has the potential to spark

campus-wide involvement. Imagine having all Greek Life

at the University of Arkansas working toward a common

goal of eliminating, or reducing Styrofoam usage.

Imagining the difference that could be made just by our

university is overwhelming. Reducing Styrofoam usage

at the University of Arkansas has so many inherent

benefits for students. Money saved by not purchasing

Styrofoam could be put towards other campus projects

and activities for students. Finances aren’t the only thing

that will be affected by the reduction of Styrofoam.

Evaluating the long term effects shows that we can

reduce emissions that are eating away at our ozone

layer. While we can’t stop the damage that has already

been done, we can certainly do our part to prevent more

from happening. I strongly believe that if students are

made aware of the actual numbers when it comes to

Styrofoam usage they will make a conscious effort to do

their part in taking care of our environment and planet,

and will being making more environmentally sustainable

choices.


GRAPHS

THE OUTCOME

Getting rid of Styrofoam for a chapter of 352

girls took some adjusting. While the plan was

adopted very quickly by the staff and executive

boards of the house, it still took the girls a

little convincing. Many times a day I heard girls

complaining about not having a cup to get coffee,

or not having a cup so that they could take their

drink to class.

I made a point to contact Jere Clune, the

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for

the company Ultra Green. The company special-

izes in biodegradable paper products that are not

only recyclable, but can be used as compost as

well. After several phone calls and emails I

realized that it was not possible to switch to such

a product without drastically increasing the budget

allotted for kitchen supplies.

The first 2 weeks there was absolutely no

Styrofoam put out at all. This was very good

news for the environment, but not for the

kitchen staff. No one was there to clean the

dishes all weekend so several girls that lived in

the house ended up having to clean it

themselves, which is against Housing Corps

policy due to the fact that using the kitchen

equipment without proper training is an

insurance liability. The house mother, kitchen

staff, and President came to the consensus

that Styrofoam would only be available on the

weekends to ease the responsibility of the

kitchen staff.

Although my plan to completely rid Chi

Omega of Styrofoam was not possible, I know

that a tremendous standard was set that will

impact not only the current members, but

future members as well.

FAY JONES

www.epa.gov/

Above: Chi Omega Fraternity, Psi Chapter

Below: Psi Chapter President, Kelly Lamb

PROJECT ANALYSIS

0.374

0.918

13.819

0.000

0.326

N/A

16.019

15.959

2.333

9.868

8.780

12.044

3.827

N/A

12.393

14.235

12.044

-

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

project 01: computer power management

project 02: campus building energy use …

project 03: district energy cogeneration

project 04: trayless dining

project 05: building energy dashboard

project 06: bicycle parking

project 07: ESPCs (educational & general …

project 08: ESPCs (auxiliary buildings)

project 09: increased recycling

project 10: food waste to compost

project 11: campus WVO to biodiesel

project 12: on-campus wind power …

project 13: on-campus photovoltaic array

project 14: forest sequestration

project 15: offsets for commercial air travel

project 16: offsets for commuter travel

project 17: waste oil to space heat

project 18: bicycle parking (phase 2)

project 19: convert buses to run CNG

project 20: clean energy from SWEPCO

project 21: on-campus photovoltaic array …

project 22: clean energy from area wind …

project 23: forest sequestration (phase 2)

project 24: renewable energy certificates

project 25: parking & carpool incentives

payback period of GHG emission reduction projects (yr)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS’S

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION PLAN David Bednar

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Foundations of Sustainability Minor

THE PROBLEM

University of Arkansas (UA) emitted 171,585 metric tons of carbon

dioxide (MTCO2e) into the atmosphere in 2011.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity contribute to

Earth’s climatic warming trend, changing our climate and weather,

raising sea levels, and as a worst case scenario, potentially

transforming Earth from a host to hostile planet.

Fossil fuel consumption is the main source of human derived GHG

emissions, yet the environmental burden can be minimized by using

conservation practices and alternative energy sources.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UA signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate

Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007 and intends to be climate neutral,

with a net zero sum of GHG emissions from campus activity, by

2040.

UA’s Office for Campus Sustainability (UAOCS) drafted the GHG

Emission Reduction Plan (GHGERP) which outlines 25 proposed

projects and quantifies GHG emission reductions and cost estimates

for each project.

THE PROJECT

This sustainability capstone project improved the GHGERP by

updating proposed project data and assumptions while also turning

the old static report into a dynamic economic analysis tool.

The new GHGERP can be quickly updated in Excel to keep all 25

project proposals and their associated calculations up to date and

valid.

Additional economic calculations like payback period have been

added to determine projects’ economic viability alongside the GHG

emission reduction, initial cost, emissions avoided per $ spent, and

net present value calculations.

Most projects accrue savings from energy conservation and efficiency

measures which can actually finance the initial cost of the energy

conservation project.

Projects that offer a short payback period are more likely to be

approved by UA as the project is economically viable as an

investment even if the GHG emission reductions are discounted.

Individual project descriptions can be seen in the table below and

project calculations are shown in the tables to the right.

RESULTS

Project 01, 02, and 05 are low cost, quick payback projects with a

combined GHG emission reduction of 4,700 MTCO2e per year.

After payback, in less than one year, the reduction in electricity

would save UA $390,000 on average per year.

UA has already undertaken Projects 07 and 08. These energy saving

performance contracts (ESPCs) which cost $52 million, save 29,000

MTCO2e per year, and will save $740,000 on average per year after

the payback period has been realized.

Project 03, although significant at $13 million, is less than the ESPCs

while offering a comparable payback period and emission reductions

of 20,600 MTCO2e per year.

Forest sequestration is attractive as well, but this project assumes that

emission offsets are being considered and would otherwise be

purchased and therefore savings would be realized.

Even if every single project in the GHGERP was implemented, UA’s

campus would still be a net emitter of GHGs as only 93% of current

emissions would have been eliminated or sequestered.

SUSTAINABILITY

This capstone project shows that these different projects in the

GHGERP, focusing on GHG emission reductions, also make

economic sense if you consider expenses and savings over the

lifetime of the project. This ties together the built and managed

systems of sustainability as newer power generation and building

technologies allow for cleaner energy to start with, then a more

efficient use of that energy, which if accounted for over the project’s

lifetime shows positive economic returns.

The natural systems of sustainability are a major factor in this

project as the main goal of the project is to reduce GHG emissions to

create a climate neutral campus.

The social systems of sustainability are also pertinent because

universities offer a stage where projects like these can resonate and

grow, reaching out and informing other groups about what is possible

and what is economically viable.

COMMENTS

Before I started this project I was under the impression that

sustainable projects, or green/environmental/restoration projects were

expensive but they were undertaken because of environmental

stewardship.

I now realize that many projects can be good investments when just

looking at the economics as long as you consider the flux of

payments over the life of the project.

Now give consideration to the environmental and social aspects of

these projects and the triple bottom line looks even more attractive

than the economics alone.


2,328.43

949.63

20,684.18

69.89

1,424.45

46.67

23,503.15

5,454.08

207.64

3.00

32.72

26.50

27.65

3,660.00

9,157.29

18,081.06

-6.18

46.67

141.55

8,027.56

276.55

18,992.69

36,600.00

14,244.51

-

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000

project 01: computer power management

project 02: campus building energy use policy

project 03: district energy cogeneration

project 04: trayless dining

project 05: building energy dashboard

project 06: bicycle parking

project 07: ESPCs (educational & general buildings)

project 08: ESPCs (auxiliary buildings)

project 09: increased recycling

project 10: food waste to compost

project 11: campus WVO to biodiesel

project 12: on-campus wind power generation

project 13: on-campus photovoltaic array

project 14: forest sequestration

project 15: offsets for commercial air travel

project 16: offsets for commuter travel

project 17: waste oil to space heat

project 18: bicycle parking (phase 2)

project 19: convert buses to run CNG

project 20: clean energy from SWEPCO

project 21: on-campus photovoltaic array (phase 2)

project 22: clean energy from area wind farms

project 23: forest sequestration (phase 2)

project 24: renewable energy certificates

project 25: parking & carpool incentives

GHG emissions avoided per year (MT CO2e/yr)

emission reduction project

initial

cost

annual

cost

net present

value

MT CO2e

avoided/yr

$/MT CO2e

avoided

payback

period (yr)

% towards CO2e

neutrality status**

campus policies: - - - - - - - -

project 01: computer power management $75,000 $0 $5,881,026 2,328.43 -84.19 0.374 1.33% c

project 02: campus building energy use policy $75,000 $0 $2,354,125 949.63 -82.63 0.918 0.54% c

project 25: parking & carpool incentives - - - - - - - d

conservation and efficiency: - - - - - - - -

project 03: district energy cogeneration $12,828,000 $450,732 $3,724,858 20,684.18 -6.00 13.819 11.78% c

project 04: tray less dining $0 $0 $421,393 69.89 -200.98 0.000 0.04% a

project 05: building energy dashboard $40,000 $4,000 $3,483,687 1,424.45 -81.52 0.326 0.81% c

project 06: bicycle parking $150,000 $0 $699,431 46.67 -499.56 N/A 0.03% c

project 07: ESPCs (educational & general buildings) $42,000,000 $0 $18,120,074 23,503.15 -25.70 16.019 13.39% a

project 08: ESPCs (auxiliary buildings) $9,700,000 $0 $4,251,309 5,454.08 -25.98 15.959 3.11% a

project 09: increased recycling $100,000 $28,000 -$482,151 207.64 77.40 #N/A 0.12% a

project 10: food waste to compost $8,000 $10,000 -$209,890 3.00 2332.11 #N/A 0.00% b

project 17: waste oil to space heat $12,500 $0 $126,020 -6.18 N/A 3.827 0.00% a

project 18: bicycle parking (phase 2) $250,000 $0 $599,431 46.67 -428.14 N/A 0.03% c

project 19: convert buses to run CNG $1,850,000 $27,500 $3,651,433 141.55 -859.85 12.393 0.08% c

renewable energy: - - - - - - - -

project 11: campus WVO to biodiesel $20,000 $3,000 $452,945 32.72 -461.44 2.333 0.02% a

project 12: on-campus wind power generation $26,164 $0 $41,611 26.50 -52.35 9.868 0.02% c

project 13: on-campus photovoltaic array $23,845 $0 $46,895 27.65 -56.52 8.780 0.02% c

project 20: clean energy from SWEPCO $0 $62,845 -$1,931,341 8,027.56 8.02 #N/A 4.57% e

project 21: on-campus photovoltaic array (phase 2) $425,477 $0 $281,926 276.55 -33.98 14.235 0.16% c

project 22: clean energy from area wind farms $0 $377,070 -$11,312,087 18,992.69 19.85 #N/A 10.82% c

sequestration: - - - - - - - -

project 14: forest sequestration $1,110,000 $0 $1,001,566 3,660.00 -9.12 12.044 2.08% c

project 23: forest sequestration (phase 2) $11,100,000 $0 $10,015,659 36,600.00 -9.12 12.044 20.84% c

purchase offsets: - - - - - - - -

project 15: offsets for commercial air travel $0 $91,573 -$2,747,188 9,157.29 10.00 #N/A 5.22% c

project 16: offsets for commuter travel $0 $180,811 -$5,424,317 18,081.06 10.00 #N/A 10.30% c

project 24: renewable energy certificates $0 $188,535 -$5,656,043 14,244.51 13.24 #N/A 8.11% c

totals: $79,793,986 $1,424,065 $27,390,371 163,979.70 93%

GHG emission reduction project descriptions (01 – 13) GHG emission reduction project descriptions (14 – 25)

Project 01 improves power management for IT systems campus wide. Software would manage computer servers, printers, monitors, and other components. Project 14 is to purchase a pine forest and sustainably manage it to sequester and offset campus GHG emissions.

Project 02 implements a building energy use policy that establishes uniform temperature set points and building use times for all general and educational use buildings. Project 15 introduces a direct pay-as-you-go payment by every department in the university that will offset GHG emissions for about $10 per MT CO2e.

Project 03 installs a combined heat & power (CHP) cogeneration system to produce electricity and heat for district energy use on campus. Project 16 introduces a direct payment for the university to offset GHG emissions caused by commuter travel for about $10 per MT CO2e.

Project 04, initiated by Chartwells in 2008, reduces food waste simply by removing trays from the dining halls. Project 17 burns used motor oil for space heat in the Bus Barn.

Project 05 installs Lucid building energy dashboards in the 20 residence halls on campus. Research shows dashboards make residents aware of energy usage and is effective in promoting conservation. Project 18 increases the number of bike loops on campus from approximately 1,500 to 2,000 at a cost of $100 per bike loop, and adds an additional covered bike shelter at a cost of $200,000.

Project 06 increases the number of bike loops on campus from approximately 1,000 to 1,500 at a cost of $100 per bike loop, and adds an additional covered bike shelter at a cost of $100,000. Project 19 replaces 10 buses of the Razorback Transit fleet with new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses costing $110,000 each. Initial cost also includes $750,000 towards a CNG fueling station.

Project 07 consists of 3 existing energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) which guarantee energy savings through building energy conservation and efficiency measures. Project 20 purchases clean energy from SWEPCO at an additional cost over fossil fuel derived power.

Project 08 consists of energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs)for Arkansas Union, Housing, and Athletics which guarantee energy savings through building energy conservation and efficiency measures. Project 21 installs 250 kW capacity of solar power on campus.

Project 09 increases campus recycled material from 430 tons per year to 500 tons per year. (Paper, cardboard, cans, & bottles) Project 22 purchases electricity from area wind farms at $.015/kWh more than electricity from SWEPCO.

Project 10 installs a composting tub for dining hall food waste and allocates a part time worker to collect food waste and maintain the tub. Project 23 is to purchase a pine forest and sustainably manage it to sequester and offset campus GHG emissions.

Project 11 began production in January 2009 and is processing waste vegetable oil (WVO) from the 4 dining halls into biodiesel to be used by university. Project 24 purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset GHG emissions and support regional projects that implement clean energy production.

Project 12 installs 25 kW capacity of wind power on campus. Project 25 will consider a wide range of parking and carpool incentives to reduce emissions from commuter travel.

Project 13 installs 25 kW capacity of solar power on campus.

*N/A: project does not realize a payback period in 30 year project lifetime.

status**: a - approved, funded, and underway; b - approved, funding pending; c - approval pending, funding pending; d - proposed, detailed research pending; e - external decision process

POSTER TEMPLATE BY:

www.PosterPresentations.com

Service Learning in Belize: Christ the King Water Fountain Megan Peters

Capstone for Minor in Sustainability Department of Industrial Engineering

Christ the King The New Fountain

Results

Sustainability

Reflections/Future Work

Acknowledgements

Megan Peters, putting together

the door to the box with help of

a student

Pumping station at

Dangriga’s water facility in

North Stann Creek Civil engineering student,

Chase Henrichs, filling the

first jug of water

A group of

engineering

students at

the school’s

dedication

of the

fountain

• The school had previously installed two water fountains located

outside the bathrooms in an area of the campus that could not be

seen from any classrooms or the principal’s office. The pipes

running underground were considered to be too close to the

septic system. School staff and parents considered it unsafe and

unsanitary, two aspects that violated the fountain’s social

sustainability.

• The fountain was vandalized on a regular basis and unauthorized

use became a problem. Christ the King is not located in a

residential area and is adjacent to a basketball court that is

frequented in the evenings. Because there was no protective

structure built to enclose the fountains, they were unsustainable

in the built system.

Old fountains

The Old Fountains

• Christ the King Primary School is situated on the coast of

Dangriga, Belize, next to the Caribbean Sea. Dangriga is the

largest urban area in southern Belize and is the capital of Stann

Creek District.

• About 210 students attend school at Christ the King in Infant one

and two and Standards one through six, corresponding to grades

one through eight in the United States.

• A group of six students, representing industrial, civil and mechanical engineering disciplines, built a new fountain in two days.

• The decided location was visible from most classrooms and the principal’s office. After the length for pipe was measured and the least amount of

pipe elbows needed was determined, the protective structure was designed.

• It was decided that a wood box would be constructed flush with the side of the building to enclose the fountain. The length and width of the box

would be two feet, while the height would be three feet, allowing for a vertical staff that would be two feet tall, so that a bucket could be filled. The

front of the box would open like a door and be locked in the evenings.

• A teacher at Ecumenical High School donated most of the tools and Peacework donated wood. Twenty-seven two-feet planks and four four-feet

posts were cut from the wood.

• Fifty feet of three-fourths inch PVC pipe was purchased at $1 BZ per foot. Four hinges, sixty-eight screws, a bottle of glue, a pipe cutter,

connectors, two valves, a spout and a lock were purchased at a total of $40 BZ, totaling $90 BZ for the entire project.

• A trench was dug alongside the building and around two corners from the water line connection to the fountain. The pipe was connected and glued

in the trench. Pressure was tested after the glue dried, and the trench was then filled.

• For the box, the four posts were placed in four holes that had been dug with a posthole digger and the top and sides were constructed. The door

was constructed and attached last.

• The project was implemented in a manner that solved the school’s financial boundary. It addresses all of the problems with the old fountains and

kitchen use.

• The principal expects the new fountain to last up to three years. She held a fountain dedication for the school.

Managed Sustainability

• The managed system of sustainability considers economic and

legal constraints to maximize return on projects.

• Vandalism and water theft should no longer be a problem for the

fountain. These activities are illegal in Dangriga, but remain an

issue.

• The project was constructed under a narrow budget. It was less

expensive for the group to execute the project than it would have

been for the school because labor was free to them and the wood

and tools were donated.

• The school will only pay for the water being used during school

hours and repair costs will be negligible.

• Materials were purchased locally, which supported Dangriga’s local

economic activity.

Social Sustainability

• The social system of sustainability focuses on people.

• The new fountain will be students’ only source of hydration during

school hours, an alternative to sugary juices.

• Students who attend Christ the King, but live outside of Dangriga in

rural areas, may not have access to clean water all year. Most

people living in Dangriga have piped water to their homes; however,

those living in the surrounding villages may have other methods of

obtaining drinking water.

Christ the King

Campus, taken

from the center of

the outdoor

courtyard,

showing the

fountain

Sustainability Built Sustainability

• The built system of sustainability includes the design and construction of structures in a manner that poses little impact on the environment and

takes into account location and surroundings.

• The fountain was built with minimal material waste. The donated wood was left over from another project. Only the necessary amount of pipe

materials and screws were purchased. The tools were loaned to the group so they would not need to be purchased.

• The protective wood box enclosing the fountain will discourage vandalism, and the lock on the door will prevent unauthorized use. It will also

protect the fountain from children playing around it and severe weather, which could cause damage.

• The trench was dug eighteen inches in the ground so that rain, severe weather and children playing could not damage the pipe.

• The pipe stands two feet tall so that a bucket could be filled for a classroom. This way, children will not have to continually disrupt class to fill their

cups and may drink more water.

• The fountain is not in an inconvenient location for anyone and is not near anything that could cause harm to the water quality.

Old fountains outside bathrooms

• The project provided first-hand experience in using knowledge and

skills learned in the classroom to implement a sustainable small-

scale project in a developing country in another region of the

world. The sustainability of projects such as this one is very

important to end-users, in this case, Christ the King.

• An interdisciplinary team of engineers worked together in the

design and construction of the fountain.

• Communication with local partners was vital in understanding their

needs and addressing those needs with the project.

• This project began interest in water situations in developing

countries, which has further developed into research in water

management and efficiency.

• Dr. Tom Soerens advised the project.

• Megan Peters, Courtney Hill and Ryan Hagedorn led the project.

• Mr. Derrick Jones, a teacher at Ecumenical High School in

Dangriga, loaned most tools.

• Mrs. Young, the principal at Christ the King, requested the fountain

project.

• Jeff Lieberman, the University of Arkansas’ Peacework Village

Initiative representative, coordinated initial communication between

Mrs. Young and the engineering team.

Diagram of old fountains with respect to campus and basketball court

• The school would have to pay to repair the damages regularly

and for unauthorized use of the water. For these reasons, the

fountain was not economically sustainable, violating the managed

system.

• The fountains were used for only two months. When the group

arrived, they were no longer functioning.

• In the time between use of the old fountains and the completion

of the new fountain, students brought cups to school and

accessed the only sink in the small kitchen for water. Children

would make messes in the kitchen because they were

unsupervised. This was an inconvenience to ladies working in

the kitchen. This method proved to be unsustainable in the social

system because it was disruptive and students were discouraged

from filling their cups more than once a day. It was unsustainable

in the managed system because the children were unsupervised.

Principal’s Office Classrooms

Classroom

Bldg.

Bathrooms

Basketball

Court

Principal’s Office Classrooms

Classroom

Bldg.

New fountain

Diagram of

new fountain

location

Data obtained from

2010 Belize

Population and

Housing Census

Capstone Internship Experience

Cabot Shores Tanner Freeman

Sustainability Minor Requirement

THE EXPERIENCE

My internship experience for

Sustainability Capstone was with the Cabot

Shores Wilderness Resort on Cape Breton

Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. My major in

Recreation Management with an

International concentration and the

Capstone requirement is what led me to

work at Cabot Shores last summer from

June 14, 2011 to August 11, 2011. My work

included a series of multidisciplinary projects

and jobs, although working in every part of

the Resort operation; I focused on

sustainable building projects, property

maintenance and upkeep of systems, and

the team leader for the implementation of

short-term and long-term plans and projects

for me and the current staff as well as

developing forecast plans and project

concepts for future staff to complete.

PROJECTS

Projects

The new additions to the lodge near the

beginning of my attendance at the resort

were recent which called for me to learn

about and maintain different projects like

examining the 32 sq ft solar hot water heater

with a clear day rating in ‘Category C’ at

about 8.9 kWh/day and 30kBtu/day made by

Thermo Dynamics Ltd.

addition and of two Cansolair solar hot air

panels on the exterior of the lodge was the

next project completed. When the sun is out

it provides a warm flow of air to heat the

main lodge Cansolair Solar Max 240

consists of a four by seven solar collector. It

has 15 vertical columns of cylindrical shape

which makes the surface exposed to the sun

greater. The same cylindrical shape allows

the Solar Max to receive solar radiation for a

longer period due to the angle of incidence

of the sun hitting the solar panel.

THE OUTCOME

WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF YOUR

WORK

UNIVERSITY

LOGO HERE

Need University

Logo here

SUSTAINABILITY

The Cabot Shores Vision of “Green

Resort”

The Cabot Shores Vision of being more

sustainable starts with acknowledging the

responsibility to be good stewards of the

land which Cabot Shores sits. The 55 acres

at the main Indian Brook location, 180 acres

at Breton Cove, and 6 acres at the Wreck

Cove property that all have fragile ecological

biodiversity issues. The two of the

properties that have buildings and

infrastructure are clearly not yet energy

efficient, but slowly getting there. The

properties have huge populations of moose

and a diverse amount of other delicate plant

and animal species. Respect and continued

stewardship and attendance to air quality

and water quality in the outstanding land and

pathways of Cabot Shores is very important,

as I learned quickly in my first week. For

example, while developing wilderness trails

that safely allow the guests and other visitors

to view wildlife and the magnificence of the

wilderness; we worked to mitigate the

degradation of the flora and disturbance of

fauna.

The benefits of learning a myriad of

multidisciplinary dimensions of sustainability

has had a profound impact on my view and

perspectives on the sustainability paradigm.

The take away skill sets, research abilities,

and systems understanding in which I now

hold due to my involvement with the

Sustainability minor curriculum at the

University of Arkansas and my invaluable

experience during my capstone internships

has been a positive stepping stone to my

future in my sustainability focused future

endeavors.


GOALs So the goal of the owners and all the staff is to foster a wilderness destination that provides “comfort” to its guests, staff and visitors, while being in ecological harmony with this special place Cabot Shores along Indian Brook, Church Pond, and the Atlantic. The goal is to retrofit the current buildings, structures and exemplify human activities to a more sustainable level. As well as to add additional recreation areas, more gardens, and better equipped building to make the experience more healthy and enjoyable to all. The future planned advancement toward the vision of a “Green Resort”

SKILLS

My entire project set that I was project leader

and was participant succeeded. The

multiple systems of sustainability that all the

projects were based on provided for

consideration of all planning and

considerations. I have the set plans for the

existing project initiatives and future projects.

I hope that future employees will tweak and

research more ideas and concepts to

improve upon the systems to further

increase the level of sustainability.

VISUALS

THE OUTCOME

I had little carpentry or structural building

experience prior to my internship. I had zero

experience with building foundations, laying

pavers, or planning and constructing natural stone

stairways. I had no prior knowledge to with

chickens or what needed to be considered when

building a chicken coop in Nova Scotia. I did not

know how to build an earthen plastered cob oven

or what was required of such a difficult

undertaking. I did not know anything about solar

panels, solar hot water heaters, or passive heating

systems in application or practice. I was clueless

to electricity values or concerns and did not

understand residential circuitry systems. Now I

know the foundation of all these concepts and

practices.

Internship Learning at The Sustainability Consortium Michelle Beckmann

Capstone Experience for Minor in Sustainability

What is Being Done to

Address Sustainability

within the Global Supply

Chain Network?

• The Sustainability Consortium was

established in 2009 with the goal of creating a

standardized measurement and reporting

system that will help quantify and

communicate the sustainability of consumer

products.

• The Sustainability Consortium is dually

administered by the University of Arkansas’

Applied Sustainability Center (Walton College

of Business) and the University of Arizona’s

Global Institute of Sustainability but consists

of over 75 members including suppliers,

manufacturers and retailers as well as

Government and Non-government agencies,

including Wal-Mart, Disney, Cargill, Tyson,

Dell and many more.

• The ongoing collaborative effort of TSC will

provide accountability, transparency, and more

informed decisions makers when dealing with

the supply chain system and consumer goods.

Capstone Experience

My time spent as a Research Assistant and

Editor to TSC’s Sustainability Measurement

and Reporting System database allowed direct

access to the dossiers of the Life Cycle

Analysis of the top 100 consumer products

currently being researched by the Consortium.

This gave me the opportunity to contribute to

this ambitious movement towards

sustainability within our supply chain

networks.

Sustainability Managed Systems:

The Consortium concentrates on promoting Life

Cycle Management throughout the Supply Chain

system with intent to reduce the Carbon footprint

of doing business, promote Sustainable

Consumption, Conserve Resources, Promote

Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production and

lay the foundation for Innovation.

Natural Systems:

The Consortium addresses Life Cycle Inputs

such as energy, water, herbicides, pesticides,

manure, and equipment as well as Outputs such

as GHG emissions, runoff, land occupation,

waste, solid waste, waste water, and fossil fuel

combustion. Also, addressed is how individual

consumer products or categories are contributing

to Climate Change, Eutrophication, Acidity and

Toxicity when it comes to Pollutants of the

Environment.

Social Systems:

The Consortium is addressing Social Issues

throughout the supply chain network by reporting

issues such as Worker’s Health and Safety, Safe

and Healthy Living Conditions, Social Benefits,

Social Security and Contribution to the

Economic Development of communities. Other

social issues that may be reported/addressed

include Child Labor, Suicide Tendencies, Fair

treatment, and Education and Training.

Reflections

Working with The Sustainability Consortium gave

me real insight into what it is going to take to

address Sustainability within the Supply Chain.

There is a real opportunity to make an impact on

the world if we continue to move forward with

sustainable practices from farm, factory, logistics,

distribution, retail and consumer.

I am unbelievably thankful for the opportunity to

have experience, knowledge and understanding in

the field of Sustainability thanks to this program!

Images courtesy of thesustainabilityconsortium.com


“Our vision is to advance science to drive a new

generation of innovative products and supply networks that address environmental, social,

and economic imperatives.”~ TSC

Sustainability Measurement

and Reporting System

•SMRS was launched in July 2011

•SMRS is the framework used to research

and report empirical data for consumer

goods. Within SMRS is a collaborative style

database that houses Life Cycle Analysis for

individual consumer goods.

•Each consumer product is given a page

within the Knowledge Base (SMRS database)

entitled Category Dossier which further leads

to Category Sustainability Profile.

• In the present time The Sustainability

Consortium is diligently working on the

Level 1 agenda which will lay the foundation

for the Level 2 goals in development (see

diagram above) .

•Each Category Dossier (SMRS) includes the

following:

•Introduction

•Category Descriptions (definition,

variations, exclusions, functions, units

measured).

•Tables of Life Cycle Inputs and Outputs

•Environmental and Social Hotspots

•Potential Improvement Opportunities

(Performance indicators)

•Discussion

Life Cycle Analysis

Contributions

Research Assistant and Knowledge Base Editor

Personal Research & Contributions to SMRS:

•Product Category Dossiers with most emphasis

on Food, Beverage and Agriculture Categories

•Introduction Narratives

•Product Category Supply Chain Descriptions

and/or Edits

Bananas

Beans (Legumes)

Beef

Sweet Corn

Citrus

Coffee

Cotton

Fish

Soybeans

Field Corn

Sorghum

Canned Soup

Baby Formula

Pet Food

Frozen Meals

Potatoes

Rice

Seed Oil

And more!

Camp War Eagle’s Organic Gardening Project Mary Beth Farrish

Sustainability Department

THE PROBLEM Camp War Eagle is a non-profit camp in Rogers, Arkansas

that reaches out to the children of Northwest Arkansas that

come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Part of the

mission of camp is to “foster an appreciation for nature and

the environment”, yet they had no established outlet to do

this that would be fun and engaging to kids while still

educational.

During the summer of 2011, the Director of camp, Scott

Richards, Matt Morton, who was in charge of the Nature

Center, and I, embarked on a project to implement a

conventional garden and an organic garden on camp

property. The goal was to build these two gardens in hopes

that the produce could be used for cooking classes, and the

gardens could be used as an educational tool to teach kids

how to grow a garden at home, or manage the ones they

have.

Sustainable agriculture methods are gaining popularity with

the new emphasis on organic foods today. The

establishment of both a conventional garden and organic

garden would give us a good comparison of how the

different agricultural practices work, and which one would be

more suitable for our mission at camp. More importantly,

the organic garden would give us the opportunity to teach

the kids sustainable practices and why sustainability is

important.

THE PROJECT

1) Allocating a spot by the settler’s barn based on 1) the

proximity to the Nature Center, 2) the proximity to the

animals (for compost), and 3) exposure to sunlight.

2) Dimensions of garden: 4 feet by 22 feet so that each

garden would have 88 sq feet per bed. We built them next to

each other with a walking path in between.

3) Soil testing by the University of Arkansas’s Soil Testing

and Research Laboratory. Soil texture was a sandy loam

with nutrients P, K and Zn below optimum.. In the organic

garden we added a compost mix of cow manure, humus,

hardwood fines, mushroom and lime to increase the soil’s

nutrients. In the conventional garden we sprayed the soil

with a chemical fertilizer that helps to build the soil back up

with nutrients.

4) We built the garden’s perimeters with cinder blocks, tilled

the soil, added the compost, tilled the soil again to mix it,

and then planted the seeds which varied according to each

garden. A list is located to the right of what plants grew in

each garden.

5) We used a sprinkler system that watered the plants in the

morning and we would water it with a hose for 30 minutes

daily due to the hot summer we experienced. During two

weeks of the summer, when temperatures were extremely

hot, we watered them twice a day for 30 minutes. (As seen

in red in the weather forecast graph)

(Location of the

Settlers Barn and

Gardens)

SUSTAINABILITY How does organic gardening contribute to the different

domains of sustainability?

Managed Systems: It focuses on agriculture and developing

foods that help satisfy a community. Organics are really

important today in developing new techniques within the

agricultural realm that are sustainable for our future, and they

also help produce healthier soil and food.

Social Systems: Our organic garden at camp involves and

teaches children of low-socio economic families on ways to

produce food, and be more self-sufficient in making their own

food which also teaches them a higher level of responsibility.

It’s an educational tool used to help develop their skills and

knowledge of nutrition and will hopefully open new doors for

them within the food realm and their accessibility to it.

Natural Systems: Large scale agriculture has a huge impact

on the climate change occurring today and the availability of

resources, and organic gardening is one of the many

alternatives that helps to cut back on that problem. Organics

will hopefully have a lesser impact on the Earth, and provide

more sustainable land and higher quality produce for our

future generations.

PERSONAL OUTLOOK

After completing my project at the University of Arkansas, I felt

like I had a better understanding of the steps it takes to

manage a garden. I learned both conventional methods and

organic methods and what each one contributes to the

garden, yet what a gardener needs to be aware of in both

gardening methods. Before this project I never would have

thought about having my own garden, but now that I’ve spent

a whole summer working with one it makes me want to start

my own garden at my house.

More importantly through the research I had to conduct before

we initiated the gardening project, I learned a lot about

agricultural and its effect on the environment and humans. My

perspective on the types of food I eat and where they come

from have completely changed. I have new respect and desire

to buy organic foods. I hope through the Nature Center’s

classes at camp, the children will have learned to appreciate

sustainable gardening as much as I did.

Regardless if I do end up making my own garden or not, this

project has really been a conversation starter with the people I

work with at Wal-Mart. I’ve been able to talk to three different

people about the organic gardens they have, and we have

traded different techniques and stories with one another. The

connection this project has given to me to other people who

share the same mindset as me has given me cultural capital I

did not expect the project to produce.

I’m excited to see if what I learned this past summer will

progress through out the rest of my lifestyle. Through my

courses for my minor and the project at Camp War Eagle, I

have really learned the importance of sustainability and how

important it is for our future. I sincerely want to be able to pass

that underlying importance on towards others through my

actions and conversation. I’m excited to see what I can do to

better make our practices and our earth more sustainable.


PICTURES Conventional Gardening: Uses synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to

enhance and control the growing environment of the garden

Organic Gardening: Organic is a label that indicates that the food has

been produced through methods that integrate cultural, biological, and

mechanical practices that foster cycling or resources, promote

ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers,

sewage, sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

(National Organic Program)

THE OPPOSITION

About mid-July our gardens took a turn for the worse. Rogers, Arkansas

was said to have above average temperatures at 97 degrees

Fahrenheit, with a maximum of 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Our plants in

both gardens felt the effects of the heat. We tried watering the plants

twice a day for 30 minutes with a hose instead of the usual one 30

minute session to help keep them more hydrated, but a large amount of

our plants still withered up and died.

Another big opposition to our garden were aphids, or plant lice. With our

conventional garden we used pesticides to help protect the crops, which

had a significant difference on the plants on keeping them alive from

insect invasion. On the organic garden we chose not to use any

chemical compounds on it which left it pretty open to insects.

Between the bugs and the heat we lost our cucumbers, zucchinis, basil

and some of our squash within the organic garden. Within our

conventional garden we experienced minimal damage to our garden

with jalapenos, the cantaloupe plant, and some of our tomatoes plants

dying.

GRAPHS

THE OUTCOME

We planted the gardens May 1st, 2011 and around June 13th our

plants started producing. We were producing enough zucchinis and

tomatoes for our educational program in the Nature Center to have

enough successful produce to cook with, and also our gardens were

in a good enough state we could have the kids come help in watering

it, picking produce, and pulling weeds and such. The kids got to make

different meals like salsa, zucchini bread, and omelets out of the

process which really taught the kids how to approach making small

amounts of food at home. As far as the educational program goes our

gardens were a success in teaching the children aspects of

sustainability, gardening, and cooking.

Camp War Eagle has decided to continue the project of maintaining

both a conventional and organic garden for the summer 2012. A

change in methods of maintaining the garden have yet to be

discussed, but we are more aware of what we need to fix, what we

need to fix, and what threats that gardens face and how to protect our

produce through both conventional and organic management.

Conventional Garden Plants Organic Garden Plants

4 50 Days Tomatoes 1 Basil

1 Lemon Tomato 2 Cucumbers

1 Husky Cherry Tomato 2 Zucchinis

1 Rosemary 1 Baby Grape Tomatoes

2 Red Bell Peppers 2 Common Green Bell Peppers

3 Jalapenos 2 Serrano

1 German Thyme 2 Squash

1 Common Sage 4 50 Days Tomatoes

1 Greek Oregano

1 Flat Italian Parsley

1 Cantaloupe

1 Cilantro

National Weather Service Weather Forecast

Data for Rogers, Arkansas

Month of July

Day 1:

98

Day 2:

100

Day 3:

100

Day 4:

92

Day 5:

97

Day 6:

94

Day 7:

100

Day 8:

91

Day 9:

100

Day 10:

103

Day 11:

101

Day 12:

101

Day 13:

86

Day 14:

95

Day 15:

97

Day 16:

97

Day

17: 96

Day 18:

97

Day 19:

98

Day 20:

98

Day 21:

100

Day 22:

101

Day 23:

100

Day 24:

103

Day

25: 95

Day 26:

102

Day 27:

102

Day 28:

101

Day 29:

100

Day 30:

100

Day 31:

101

Composting the Block Benjamin Hart

Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food, and Life Sciences

North Oakland Ave. •As a resident of an apartment complex on North Oakland Avenue, I have observed no on-site ways to recycle organic atrophy.

•Due to the large population in the surrounding N. Oakland area there is an ever increasing amount of recyclable waste that can be saved and converted into natural fertilizer and mulch.

THE PROJECT •The objectives of the project is to create a lasting system that helps reduce the community’s carbon footprint by returning organic waste as compost to the community.

• I placed two tumble-based compost bins in apartment complexes on North Oakland Avenue, and spread awareness by going door to door informing people of the new compost, as well as showing those who were interested how to use them.

•I built the box shaped compost bins with 2 recycled wooden pallets per bin, metal wiring, and chicken wire. First, Two pallets were disassembled and the wood panels were assembled into a 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft square bin. The leftover wood was then fixed on the top. This helped serve as an elevated base to allow for more aeration. Finally, in order to keep out small pests I used leftover chicken wire and straight wire to fashion a lid.

SUSTAINABILITY •Social System involved the social interactions and behavior towards an environmental project.

• Active participants had to learn how and why there is a need to compost.

• The bins are in active and easy to find locations in the apartment complexes.

• Community interest is key in order to leave the compost as a permanent asset for future tenants.

•Natural system involved the earth process of life and death.

• Healthy aeration of the compost helps increase the composting speed.

• Decomposition helps return organic material to the earth.

•Built system involved everything that was manually put together, and how it reacts with the natural world.

• The materials used to build this project was scrap wood, and cheap wiring. In total, this cost less than $100 and would have been cheaper had I not purchased an electric screw driver and unnecessary eye gate latches.

• The design plans maximizes the wooden pallets life, as they would be thrown away if they were not picked for the bins.

• The bins themselves are small enough to move to different locations , potentially increasing accessibility.

•Managed System involved assessing progress, need, and logistical life cycles of the compost bins.

• The finished compost gives the community free fertilizer.

Acknowledgements •Residents of Oakland Station, Oakland townhomes, and all other resident of N. Oakland Ave. for their support and waste.

• Dr. Tahar Masadi for technical assistance.

• Dr. Steve Boss for technical assistance.


Results After building the bins and placing them out for use, there was immediate help in adding compostable materials. However, as the project has worn on, the compost has been used more sparingly. The most noticeable difference from the beginning and the end of the project is the size of what is dumped in the bins, in the beginning there were a lot more “little” food scraps. By this I mean crust off of bread and egg shells. Now there is much more material that has started to rot before whomever bought it could eat it. The ultimate goal of this project was to create lasting compost bins that will serve the residents of N. Oakland for the foreseeable future.

What is Compost?

Comparing Apples to Oranges

Taylor McBride Walton College of Business

THE PROBLEM In today’s ever evolving marketplace

business are doing what they can to

capitalize on the changing wants and needs

of their consumers. An attribute that many

consumers are now demanding is that the

products be made in a more sustainable

fashion. But when you are bombarded with

claims of being more sustainable than the

competition how can you make a conscious

and informed decision?

This is the problem that the Sustainability

Consortium is trying to address. They are

working on a universal grading scale, similar

to a nutrition information chart, by which

consumers can compare different products.

This is necessary so that consumers can

find their way through the green washing

and determine if it is the “recyclable

packaging” or the “low-carbon production”

that make the product they choose more

sustainable.

THE PROJECT

During the Spring Semester of 2012 I

worked as an intern at the Sustainability

Consortium’s Fayetteville office in the

University of Arkansas Research Center. I

updated and edited the floating documents

they have on different product categories

ranging from beef to toilet tissue.

THE OUTCOME

The work I did and am continuing to do at

the Sustainability Consortium is to keep the

documents they constructed on the different

product categories updated, formatted, and

edited correctly. Since I am a business

student and do not have a technical degree I

was not working on the research and Life

Cycle Analysis of the different product

categories but rather helping organize and

edit the information the researchers brought

forward.

SUSTAINABILITY

The work that the Sustainability Consortium

is doing helps bring all three systems of

sustainability together.

They start by completing a Life Cycle

Analysis on a product category that identifies

the hot spots and describes the different

environmental impacts throughout its

production. All this information is crucial to

fully understand the environmental system

and how it is effected by the products’

production.

Next they compose a document for the

product category that highlights the hot spots

and discusses how these might affect

society. This document is made available to

all members of the Sustainability

Consortium. The availability of this

information is a huge step in aligning the

social systems with the environmental and

economic systems.

The economic system is the system that

the Sustainability Consortium has the least

direct impact on. They do not provide

economic differences on the different

production means but rather outline them

and provide the information needed to

determine what the costs might be.


Major Consortium Members

Major Consortium Members

Sustainable Opportunities for a Small Urban Landscape Matthew Ryan Neely

Geoscience Department

THE PROBLEM Wayne Zipperer and his colleagues

identify three principles to yield the best

land-use decisions. Their three components

of ecological, physical, and community

concerns are all aspects to sustainable

development. Following these core

principles should lead to a better

understanding of urban environments, and

result in more beneficial land-use decision

making for a majority of the public. This

project examines the potential of one space

using these metrics. The relatively small,

grassy corner-lot in the city of Fayetteville,

Arkansas, is located directly to the southeast

of the Leverett Street and Sycamore Avenue

intersection.

THE PROJECT

Since the plot could not hold more than a

small building, this space could be paved

over and used as automobile parking, but a

more useful designation could be for a small

dog park, or a communal garden. Planting

trees, and allowing local residents to grow

their own vegetables would provide a sense

of community for those involved in the

projects. The importance of trees in

mitigating urban temperatures and

increasing walkability is well documented.

SUSTAINABILITY

The lot is roughly equally distant in terms of

walking time from the three nearest parks:

Gregory Park to the east (closest, but steeply

uphill), Wilson Park to the south (farthest, but

along the pedestrian trail) and Asbell Park to

the west (flat ground, but past busy Garland

Avenue and without the aid of sidewalks).

By simply not paving over the area it will

continue to serve as a better water retainer

during heavy rains. Numerous studies have

related the percent of impervious surface area

in a watershed to the sudden occurrence and

increased severity of floods. Urbanization is

second only to agriculture for its effects

impairing streams, even though the total area

covered by urban land is small when compared

to the total agricultural area.

A dog park brings direct benefits to the

human community as well. Along with being a

green-space which is nicer to look at, a dog

park serves as a focal point for dog owners

and their friends to gather. Recreational park

spaces are hubs of activity on the weekends,

and being so close to many student residences

should ensure robust use. This argument

would apply equally well to the site being

dedicated to a children’s playground, a

community maintained garden, or simply

setting up a few benches and chess tables. It

could even generate revenue for the city if a

turnstile was installed at the entrance. The

utility of small public spaces should not be

discounted.


Contours and Easements

Flood Hazards

The city of Fayetteville annexed the property

containing this space in 1946, it would be a

shame to lose the opportunity to put it to good

use. Karra Friedli, a university student and

nearby resident, had this to say, "A dog park in

that area would be greatly beneficial. The trail

runs very close to it, and there are many people

just in my [apartment] building with dogs that

need a space to truly be free and run. The

nearest dog park is at least a fifteen minute

drive. When you have school, work, and an

internship, that extra thirty minutes there and

back is a huge obstacle to have."

Trails and lot Measurements

Existing park Locations

THE OUTCOME

The importance of the lot is ultimately only as

meaningful as what people decide for it. Situated

downhill from the University of Arkansas campus,

on a flat area prone to flood during heavy or

prolonged precipitation, it is a rather

unremarkable spot. The adjacent area consists of

two-story apartments and small residences. The

number of people living nearby who are

concerned with sustainability may be too few to

enact quick changes, but like any setting, what

it’s ultimately used for should still matter to the

community.

Climbing Management Plan for Lincoln Lake

Libby Nye Geosciences Department

MOTIVATION TO MANAGE

My project was to create a management plan for rock

climbing at Lincoln Lake.

This plan would be a specific assessment of possible

environmental and social issues centered around

climbing.

The intent was to weigh the benefits and possible

negative impacts of climbing for the area of Lincoln Lake

and to ensure longevity of the area to sustain humans

and the natural environment alike.

CLIMBING

For a thorough plan, initial information about Lincoln

was gathered. This includes an overview of the natural

area, the recreational activities Lincoln offers, the

ownership and current policies.

Then, every aspect of each style of climbing was

assessed for possible environmental and social impacts.

The three styles of climbing at Lincoln Lake are:

1.Bouldering

2.Trad climbing

3.Sport Climbing

Within each of these styles of climbing, the environmental

and social impact of the following aspects of the climbing

experience was assessed:

-The approach

-The staging area

-The ascent

-The summit

-The descent

This analysis was conducted through hiking to all of

the current climbing sites around the lake and comparing

them to standards such as Leave No Trace (LNT) and

other rock climbing environmental and social studies.

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Here are some examples of solutions for the impacts

of each of the aspects of rock climbing at Lincoln

Lake:

The approach- The approach can often be characterized

by “climber trails,” which are unofficial trails that deviate

from the main hiking trail system and can expedite

erosional processes of the land surrounding a boulder or

cliff band.

For high traffic areas, LNT advises establishing one

central trail to discourage further erosion and soil

compaction.

In low traffic areas, the method of dispersal when walking

does not create a trail system and keeps the area

minimally impacted by humans. (Leave No Trace)

Lincoln Lake

SUSTAINABILITY

Managed Systems- The creation of a management plan in a recreational area encourages the continuing use of the land while also protecting the natural environment from overuse. Social Systems- In order to have a successful management plan, open communication between all parties concerned must be encouraged. This means being educated in a holistic way, from the perspective of management and climbers. Natural Systems- It is possible to love our natural areas to death. In order to keep enjoying the environment, we must understand our surroundings and our impact on our ecosystems we frequent. Built Systems- Simple things like constructing a trail network, installing a permanent bathroom and new parking lots have to be evaluated in a deliberate way for these solutions to work properly.

STUDENT IMPACT

In doing this project, I have learned to organize my

thoughts in a way that helps an area I want to protect and

continue to use.

I have learned about the current management of

Lincoln Lake and opened a communication network

between myself and management.

I have gathered a holistic perspective that considers

possible negative impacts of an activity I greatly enjoy. I

have gained a the confidence to defend my point of view

when considering all sides centered around rock

climbing.

I have been equipped with an outlet for a cause I feel

motivated and passionate about. In the future, this will

give me a foundation to establish projects to better

society and the environment on a larger scale.


Tim Wixted Sport Climbs at Lincoln Lake

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

The Staging Area- The staging area is where the belayer or

spotter stands and where gear is placed at the base of a

climb. Along with erosion and soil compaction, this area is the

most susceptible to potential human waste because a

majority of the time spent climbing is spent in this area.

In the sport climbing area, the installation of a toilet in the

parking area would be a necessary solution. The places

available for a natural bathroom are not far enough away from

the lake for sanitary purposes.

In the bouldering area, proper LNT techniques should be

used. This can be encouraged by increased education

provided by LNT seminars in conjunction with climbing

organizations like The Access Fund and Arkansas Climbers

Coalition. Also, simply posting proper LNT guidelines at the

lake would encourage bathroom etiquette.

The Ascent/ Descent – This is the actual climbing or

descending of the rock face. This can be characterized by

permanent bolts drilled into the rock face, chalk stains and

the displacement of vegetation on rock.

Most of the problems with the ascent arise from visual

disruptions like silver bolts

and the contrast between the

natural rock color and the

white chalk stains embedded

into the quartz sandstone.

Because safety should be

first and foremost, the impact

can be lessened, but not

entirely diminished. Using

bolts with a dull luster and

chalk that is the same color

as the rock can help to blend

the visual impact.

Communication between

climbers and other patrons

should be fostered to

establish expectations and

encourage compromise.

An example of a chalked hold on a boulder problem at

Lincoln Lake.

The Summit- This aspect of climbing is mainly manifested in bouldering when concerning Lincoln Lake.

Typically, during bouldering, climbers will “top out” a boulder, or climb over the top of a boulder. This process can

disrupt the delicate habitats that are on top of boulders. One method that can be encouraged would be

“dropping off” (or not summiting) a boulder before climbing over the top, but this mindset may bot be widely

excepted due to the competitive standards of the sport. However, education of the plants indigenous to the area

and their sensitive nature can be encouraged along with a healthy communication network between the climbing

community and lake management.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS -Fostering open communication between climbers and management is essential. Studies have shown that

boulderers who communicate with management of bouldering sites and local climbing groups are more likely to

care for the natural areas the frequent (Frauman, 15-16)

- Sign in sheets that encourage feedback from all patrons of the lake are necessary for all groups to be

satisfied.

Renewed Perspective of Urban Revitalization: Siloam Springs Arkansas Addison W. Pritchard Capstone for minor in Sustainability

Fay Jones School of Architecture

Urban Revitalization Urban Revitalization is a movement to revitalize the

urban centers of our cities, specifically the downtown

districts where economic and cultural activity have

traditionally taken place. This movement is a reaction to

the urban abandonment which began in the early 1990’s.

Low oil prices and abundant natural resources aided

society in moving to suburban neighborhoods and strip

mall shopping center, creating masses of sprawl

development along highways and interstates.

Siloam Springs Arkansas

Siloam Springs Arkansas a small scale community of

15,000. It has historic and cultural importance to the area

and has served the smaller surrounding communities as

a destination place for economic trades, cultural and

community events, and higher education through John

Brown University.

Design Principles

1.) Provide a place for interaction with the natural elements of

Siloam Springs

a) Varying forms of access to the stream

b) Incorporation and connection of walking trail system

c) Restoration or renovation of springs access areas

d) Expand uses and activities within greenspaces

e) Introduction of formal elements abstractly representing

natural elements

2.) Enhance pedestrian and vehicular flow and mitigate

conflicts

a) Design a cohesive streetscape

b) Provide human scale elements

c) Provide round the clock safety and accessibility

3.) Create a pedestrian focused walkable downtown

a) Expand and enhance existing mixed developments,

restaurants, shops, service businesses, residential

b) Provide single overnight stay

c) Introduce alternative modes of transportation

d) Remove the need for vehicle use and limit the presents of

vehicles

4.) Revitalize and preserve the culture and history of Siloam

Springs.

a) Maintaining and restore existing historic features of buildings

b) New buildings to have facades with traditional historic

motif’s and design

c) Reuse and redevelopment of currently vacant buildings and

commercial spaces

d) Redesign of city park and twin springs park

5.) Enhance and expand Development for downtown Siloam

Springs

a) Infill of vacant building spaces

b) Redevelopment and amenities zoning goals

c) New development encourages mixed use spaces

d) Encourage new local businesses

Methodology

The project was conducted over two semesters under the

guidance of a Landscape Architecture faculty advisor with

additional input by other faculty and a third party serving

as project client.

• Literary research

• Precedence study

• Graphic and visual analysis of site

• Site design recommendations

• Written summary

Acknowledgements

• Kimball Erdman, Studio Professor

• Dr. Noah Billig, Faculty Advisor

• Meredith Bergstrom, Client

• Ron Drake, Client


Design Recommendations - The site have been completely

taken over by the vehicular dominance of the streets and

downtown development. Sager Creek is treated like a drainage

ditch with deep floodwalls and no celebration or activity around

the waterway.

Design Estimated Population

21,806 2040

14,872 2009 census

31.79% increase over 31 years

Transportation

8% walk

31% carpool

55% car alone

6% other

Downtown Units

128 units

+/- 20 units

62 units for housing

29 detached residential

Unit Density

9.63 acres

128 units

13.2 units per acre

Existing Population

14,872 as of 2009 census

37.2% growth since 2000

Transportation

8% walk

31% carpool

55% car alone

6% other

Downtown Units

128 units

+/- 20 units

62 units for housing

29 detached residential

Unit Density

9.63 acres

128 units

13.2 units per acre

Key Issues

• Strip mall development and suburban flight of economic activity

• Rural building and road codes in urban development

• Downtown located in low lying topographic area transected by

Sager Creek

• Engineered flood walls along creek bank to prevent flooding

• Spring and creek water quality levels unsafe for drinking

• Disregard and mismanagement of greenspaces

• Loss of sidewalk zone to vehicular street

Sustainability

Natural System

Sager Creek - Floodwalls widened to better mitigate flooding

and terraced with a series of planting containment levels which

would filter runoff and serve as a managed ecological buffer

zone.

Greenspaces - Introducing sloping levels and pervious paving

to park areas allows for greater percolation to occur and offset

storm water overload.

Social System

Streets - Larger pedestrian space enables passive interaction

to occur with the surrounding urban environment, greenspaces,

and other pedestrians

Built System

Streets - Redesigned streets will be shrunk down in width

and on street parking will be incorporated in order to slow

down traffic and create larger sidewalk space. In doing so,

street trees can be planted and room for outdoor interaction

and pedestrian activity is enhanced.

Buildings - Redevelopment of old buildings encourages

smart development practices and recycling of current

facilities instead of building out and causing more suburban

sprawl.

Social System (cont.)

Greenspaces - Enhancing site elements and restoring visual

and physical access to Sager Creek provides a sense of

place and direct connection with the natural elements

Section a – a

Existing Conditions - The site have been completely taken

over by the vehicular dominance of the streets and downtown

development. Sager Creek is treated like a drainage ditch with

deep floodwalls and no celebration or activity around the

waterway.

Design Recommendations - Twin Springs and the show

garden have been renovated, the terraced and expanded show

garden create a sequential experience with clear, strong views

of Sager Creek and Twin Springs.

Section b – b

Existing Conditions - Twin Springs Park has the portion of

floodwall which has the greatest elevation change from the

top-of-wall to top-of-water. Sager Creek is all but hidden from

sight until nearly at the floodwalls edge, this visual

disconnection also prevents a relationship to Twin Springs

from occurring.

Sectional Study of Twin Springs Park In addition to a master plan and other supporting documents a

sectional analysis study ensure successful resolution of existing

site conflicts and constraints. This aspect of the design process

represents the master plan in a visually familiar format.

Diagram Key.

Conflicting Subspaces

Incomplete Views

Water Percolation.

Successful Subspaces

Attractive Views

An observational study of recycling participation and habits at the Recycling Drop-Off Site in

Fayetteville, Arkansas Robert Robbins

Department of Biology

THE PROBLEM

•Very little is known about who is actually recycling;

what age, race and gender? Demographic studies help

researchers and leaders alike gain a better insight into the

population in question, this case, people who recycle.

•Landfills are unsustainable

•The city’s curbside pickup is limited to only #1 & #2

plastics.

•People outside city limits have no recycling pickup

•Most apartments have no recycling

THE PROJECT

This project was developed to gain insight into the

people using Fayetteville’s Recycle Drop off Center.

-The city’s recycle center can handle a wide variety of

material including plastic’s #1-7.

-This project looks at who actually goes out of their way

to recycle items at the center and why.

-The data used was gathered from voluntary, anonymous

surveys handed out at randomly assigned times at the

city’s recycling drop off center.

-The survey included age, gender, race, approximate

distance traveled, how often they came to the center and

why, also two questions were asked about their

perceptions of recycling.

THE LIMITS

-Small sample size allotted

-Only 45 participants were analyzed for the data.

-Participants were above the age of 18

SUSTAINABILITY

•People are the problem and the solution. The

overconsumption of goods is the main problem that

needs to be addressed to limit the amount of waste

bulking up landfills.

•The best and easiest solution is to reduce consumption

habits, buy in bulk and buy with sustainable packaging.

•Recycling mitigates the large amount of waste, post

production. The more raw materials that can be reused the

better.

•Recycling helps limit toxin escape into the land, water

and air

•Limits unnecessary harvesting of “virgin” materials.

•Human actions are drastically affected by the society we

live in. By understanding social interactions and the

dynamics of a population, we can address issues towards

a specific population to achieve best results.

•Managing and using recycled materials takes

cooperation from everyone from the producers of

materials, to those recycling the waste. Recycling rates

are on the rise and with the right knowledge we can

increase it to a more sustainable rate.

THE STORY

Throughout the course of this project I learned as much

about people’s recycling habits as I did about people. The

lack of college students recycling at the drop off center is

something that opened my eyes to the lack of awareness

and possible action from college age students.

There needs to be more awareness of recycling all things

that are recyclable, not just the items that are the most

convenient.


THE OUTCOME

-71% of the people recycling were older than 55 and very few

people were under the age 34.

-An improvement of recycling in younger ages is probably

needed. This project can help future researchers, and activists

learn about Fayetteville’s recycling habits and possible

improvement strategies .

62%

38%

Gender of Participants Recycling

males

females

12%

71%

Age of Participants Using Recycling Center

18-34 Years

35-54 Years

55+ years

17%

40%

60%

Who Do You Think Recycles More?

males

females

*Demonstrates that 60% of participants believe that

women recycle more.

THE OUTCOME

From the data gathered, the majority gender tuned out to be

male.

The results could be explained by the fact that men could

account for all the recycling from an individual household.

The ratio of males to females was almost exactly opposite of

people’s views, and shows there is inconsistencies between

people’s perceptions and reality, so a possible disconnect of

awareness programs may be loosing target audiences.

Recycling Drop Off Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Capstone projects '12

Technology

Transcript of Capstone projects '12