Hero’s change = my change

I was invited to take part and help my classmate Hero implement her change project today. We took surveys at St John’s Buttery to see whether people are in favour of a no-meat day, once a week. By taking part in the questioning, hearing the facts, and then processing it in my head to see how I might present this succinctly during the survey, I began to ponder what questions people might ask me in response. As a result of this process, I have come to the realization that the one meat-free day can be achieved pretty easily in my life, though I must mention that coming to such a conclusion was unintentional. I’ve discovered that the value of the survey to me is not a matter of whether I begin following the standard Hero asked for (one meat-free day per week), but that I am now more conscious of the fact that when I choose my meal, I CAN choose a less carbon-intensive vegetarian meal, and yet I don’t need to feel bad for eating meat either. I am now more aware of the facts in my meal choices, and am wrestling with the choices towards eating a less environmentally impactful meal so that I can live happily informed, and not by bliss through ignorance.

Upon further reflection, I realize that by positing my efforts and progress on my blog, my friends have the chance to, hopefully, pick up the language of sustainable living, and that my blogging has been part of my role of change agent. Hopefully, my effort to step out of my comfort zone has had an incremental yet profound effect on their perspectives of what they can do. Furthermore, I hope anyone reading this would become more conscience about recycling, while fostering the idea of re-using as an attractive alternative like vintage clothing, realise the curb in consumption when people are tracking their behaviour(water bottles & disposal cups), and also be educated that eating meat, is generally more carbon intensive, hopefully encouraging effort in less meat consumption.

Advice from an Unlikely Source

The housekeeping lady, Heidi was just cleaning my kitchen and bathroom, and we started talking about pancake since I was having some. She noticed I collected all these cardboard boxes (pizza boxes) and she explained to me how it’s rubbish that Wolfson’s paper recycling is so inconvenient. She offered to take them by the main recycling bin for me, and I explained to her my change challenge. We struck up a great conversation, and I found that she use to work for Clare College, and they have paper recycling for each room. I asked whether she would mind having to carry a separate bag for recycling, and she was more than delighted as she’s practices recycling at home. She also mentioned that the housekeeping staff at Wolfson are generally accommodating. She in fact would prefer each student having their own paper recycling, and collecting it on a weekly bases similar to that from Trinity Hall. This paper-recycling project is materialising quite nicely.

Responses from Green Officers

So I’ve received 4 responses from other green officers:

• According to Steve from St. Catherine’s College their collection for paper recycling is in the kitchen, and student volunteers empty it.
• Michael from St. John’s said that his college gives a biodegradable bag to each student; the bedder empties the bag when it is full.
• Joan from Homerton said they have central paper recycling bins in their kitchen, and that it gets emptied into the college primary recycling bin twice a week where it is collected by the recycling company. She thinks the key is not to collect too much paper at one time in an open bin as it would present a fire hazard.
• Laurie from Trinity Hall said that each student has a separate bin to collect paper, and the bin is emptied once a week. She was able to convince the bedder that the students would be throwing the paper in the rubbish bin anyway, so there is no extra waste collected.
  

I believe there is something to be learned from each response. For one, having personal recycling bins in every room is feasible since it can be argued that there is not an overall increase of workload: students will be throwing paper away regardless if there is recycling. Thus, providing a recycling bin, gives students the option to recycle. Alternatively, a central recycling bin in each block could also work as examples taken from other college show that the fire hazard concern can be overcome. Now I need to set up the meeting with Saman, the bursar, housekeeping, and maintenance to present them with the three options for recycling paper; hopefully they will buy into the idea.

A New Hope

So, do you remember how I said the product exchange between students idea was dead in its tracks several weeks ago? Well, stand back, because it’s alive again. I love how things work themselves out sometimes. I told several people about my idea of to setting up a product exchange, and the problem of there being no feasible location. Well, Uven, a Graduate Student Representative mentioned the idea to the Student Graduate Union President, and the President likes the idea. In fact, a room is coming free by the end of the school year, and I am going to get a chance to speak with the president of the grad union to present this idea, help students get settle in for free (or much lower cost), while also reducing University of Cambridge’s carbon footprint. Hallelujah! Cartoon, [Friedman, D., 2008] http://www.ironicsans.com/images/anewhope.png

Possible Locations for Recycling

So today, I went to take pictures of the college. I never realized how unique each of Wolfson’s21 blocks are. There are about 8 unique floor layouts in Wolfson, and I went to collect empirical data by taking photos of where current recycling bins are located, and possible location to place new recycling. So far, I think there is a really good potential for each wing to have their own central recycling bin. This would also be good visual tool for the bursar and housekeeping staff to see where recycling bins can be placed.

The ball is rolling!

[Steinberg, 1963] http://www.cartoonbank.com/Assets/1/66286_s.gif
I found the contact for the green officer at Wolfson, Saman and sent him an email yesterday asking for an existing green project I can champion, and that I would like to help out in any way possible. He was extremely helpful as we met today to talk about ongoing green projects at Wolfson and my ideas for change. I told him that I am not trying to add to his workload, but that I would be happy to champion any of the existing projects on his list. Saman was very supportive of my ideas, and told me the personnel that I will need to get on-board are the bursar, housekeeping staff, and maintenance staff. This was extremely helpful information, and it also helped that he wanted to see these initiatives through.

I guess from this experience, I learned that if I was looking at the situation from the point of view of the people that I approached, I would have wanted the person approaching me to have looked into what green projects were already in place. I’d like to be approached by someone who came with a serving attitude, and was willing to learn about the system, instead of being the new guy with all the ideas and answers, who then leaves after 5 months. I think this also speaks loudly about the type of person you are, one that takes time to notice what good is already happening, and then add try to it by investing your time, ideas, and effort. This would be the kind of person I would want on my team.

From speaking with Saman, I discovered that I need to do a couple things to get these changes rolling. First, we agree that it would be better to have one person contact the bursar, housekeeping staff, and maintenance staff to get their buy-in before setting up a formal meeting. Saman has offered to do this as he has a working relationship with them. As for the paper recycling, there are several issues, the most important one to overcome is that it is a fire hazard. Currently, common recycling bins (glass, plastic, and cans) are placed in the kitchen or hallway. The argument against offering recycling bins in the kitchen is that paper in the kitchen would be a fire hazard. The second issue is that we might dramatically increase the workload of housekeeping if we place recycling bins in each dorm. Instead of reinventing the wheel, my first task will be to contact green officers in other colleges to find out how they overcome the fire hazard issue, and whether the housekeeping staff in other buildings are okay with collecting paper recycling from each dorm. Second, I will survey the entire Wolfson College campus to see if I can find at least one suitable location in each wing to place a central paper-recycling bin. As I mentioned before, there are only 3 places to recycle. I admit, during the past several months, I rarely made the trip out to these recycling bins myself.

February

Photos [BBC News, 2009]

I can't believe it's the second week of February in 2009!

Oh man, I think i realize the significance of this, as I have 4 more weeks of Lent term, and it's Easter! That means a TON of assignments, and a lot of catching up. I was just getting back into the grove of things, and I've stacked... and also readjusted my schedule so that it is more manageable. I've stop being as ambitious in attending all the classes i'm interested in. I've learned to take time for Sabbath, hanging out and having brunch, cooking and making crepes with straberries, blackberries, bananas, lime juice, pomegranate, nutella.... not all together of course... but it made a good friday into a wonderful friday!

So i'm finally feeling the squeeze a bit, and started picking up on my work :D I love and also hate how i work off emotions... when i feel the urgency, i tend to work so much more efficiently. And i've been more focus... so i hope i'm retaining more of the information i'm studying!

Furthermore, been getting to know a couple friends here my college... quite by chance to be honest... but God's put them in my life, and I'm completely grateful. I found a friend that I can relate to, and it's been wonderful. We've been helping each other out a bit in our walks too, coincidence ;) It's amazing how things work out. Anyway... life's moving and changing again... so i'll definitely try to keep up in my next post.

Assignment is due in a couple weeks!

Blame it on time management, or lack of ideas, but I need to get a move on this Change assignment. I need to come up with something where I can make more progress, I am going to pursue the paper recycling idea and see where I get.