Angela

This week focused on major production by all of the groups. Most worked on the group posters for the two events. Mary Claire and I looked a bit at the grant proposal for the NSF, and brainstormed questions that we could have Anezka answer that would help fulfill some of the grant qualifications. After that I helped her (the best I could) in setting up her camera in another classroom that we were using to interview Anezka. On the whiteboard walls we added some of the ideas which we had been going over in previous classes. We included design thinking, systems theory, pollution and the things which cause water pollution, plastics, microplastics etc, and drew the diagram of the earth day project set up. We also included the relationship diagram between LCCS, our Parsons class, and the Baykeeper. It worked as a nice backdrop for where Anezka would be interviewed.

During the interview, Mary Claire asked many of the questions from the narrative sheet she had sent me, including a few we had collaborated on. Overall, the conversation flowed nicely, and it was very informative for when I begin to write some of the grant proposal. I did ask a question regarding education technology, and how this class and design thinking promotes education technology. Anezka’s answer was really intriguing. She spoke about how there are many people who think education technology is one thing over another, such as apps or google products vs something more basic. There are a lot of opinions about what constitutes technology as educational, and what can fall into the category of educational technology. The sphere in NYC for ed tech is huge, I spoke with some developers last semester on their ideas of it and its seems as if her answer was correct in this assumption. What was most interesting about her answer though, was that ed tech can really include anything, and even things that are not completely ‘technical.’ Many of the products began as narratives, or drawings, and did not include elements of ‘technology’ at all. Her answer made me think of the discrepancies between technology and more simple resources that were once considered ‘technology.’ Can’t a pencil be considered technology? What vital technologies are pushed to the side or ignored because they do not contain an electronic element? How is this impacting what is considered educational technology, and if they are paid attention to, how can these technologies that are ignored may greatly aid in education, as they have before, once again? I began to fall into a rabbit hole of questions, all of interest, but ones that do need to be thought of within a overall conversation. These are interesting to think of for the future of education, and the future of ed tech.

Angela

I talked briefly before class with Anezka about my developing role in the class, and what I will be doing for Earth Day/Play Tech. We went over how to post in the blog for the remainder of the semester, how this will be utilized for the grant and the importance of the blog itself for the class development. Each group went over a bit of the progress they have made, and what they may need help in doing.

Mary Claire and I started talking towards the end of the class about different types of take aways for the kids/families to receive at the end of the parsons experience. Throughout the week we touched base on working through some of the questions she wanted to ask for her documentary and her story arch. I sent her back some feedback on her interview questions. We also spoke about possible facts to go on bumper stickers or buttons which we found out could be made on the 10th floor.  I sent her a list to look over so that we could collaborate on together on which facts would be both striking/informative/fun. It is a fine line to walk between wanting these take aways to be informative and scary (because the facts are) which promote immediate action, and still family friendly. (I posted the list below my observation to talk about in class if we have time).

Tammy and I spoke a bit after class about my role, and where help was needed. I agreed to make prototypes posters for the events, which will now be done collaboratively with the class.

 

list from my email with Mary Claire:

Riverkeeper: 

  • There are over165 million pieces of plastics floating in NY Harbor

Recycle across America: 

  • Recycling prevents waste from going into oceans – it is proven, when there is a strong recycling culture, there is less litter and less waste going into ocean
  • Americans throw away enough office paper each year to build a 12 foot high wall from Seattle to NY (a new wall every year). RECYCLE 

EPA website:

  • Over 5 TRILLION pieces of plastic currently litter the ocean
  • Plastics in the ocean effect 267 species globally
  • Plastics in the ocean effect 86% of the oceans Sea turtles, 44% of seabirds, and 43% of marine mammals 
  • Bring your own reusable bag when shopping!
  • Carry a reusable water bottle!
  • Say no to straws!
  • Each year 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles will entangle themselves in or ingest plastic pollution
  • Plastic waste makes up between 60 to 80% of total marine debris.
  • 97% of all of Earths Water is in the ocean and seas. 
  • 80% of the Earths surface is water 
  • Typically, bottled water costs 2000 times more than tap water, is actually less safe to drink, and loses taste tests in competition with tap water. 

Ocean Conservatory:

  • According to the Ocean Conservancy, six of the ten top contributors to marine debris are single-use (disposable) plastic products.
  • #OceanOptimism
  • Scientists estimate that more than 8 million metric tons of plastic is entering our ocean every year
  • Plastics pollute not only the surfaces of the sea, sea animals, and beaches, but also the seafloor and ice!
  •  Plastic has been found in 59% of sea birds like albatross and pelicans, in 100% of sea turtle species, and more than 25% of fish sampled from seafood markets around the world.
  • Marine debris isn’t an ocean problem, its a PEOPLE PROBLEM
  • Ocean Plastic Problems begin on Land
  • 275 million metric tons of the worlds waste is plastic waste
  • Join the International Coastal Cleanup on September 15th, 2018!
  • 228,919, 809 pounds of trash have been collected since 1985!
  • 12,160, 724 people have volunteered since 1985 to clean up the ocean!
  • the average person uses 1.6 straws per day
  • if 25,000 people pledge to skip the straw, we could save 5,000,000 straws!

National Geographic:

  • Instead of packing your sandwich and snacks in plastic bags, use reusable containers or cloth sacks instead.
  • Only 1 out of every 6 water bottles we use ends up being recycled.
  • Recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 6 hours! 

A lot of these are really depressing, but I think that may be what some people need as a wakeup call/education. But we could make some buttons happy like I’m a plastics warrior! or something like that? 

A cute resource:https://vimeo.com/35707347; I know we’ve talked a lot about plastic straws in class and the harm they can cause to aquatic life, I was thinking we could see if there could be an iPad set up, or a paper where people can take a pledge to fight against using plastic straws or bring their own bags places? Strawwars.org is a great resource, but is meant for businesses and restaurants to pledge, not individual people. (https://takeaction.oceanconservancy.org/page/20224/action/1?ea.tracking.id=18LPBCOAXXThis year’s International Coastal Cleanup is Saturday, September 15th, 2018.

Fact websites: from http://www.recycleacrossamerica.org/recycling-factshttps://www.theoceancleanup.com/milestones/https://www.riverkeeper.org/get-involved/minimize-your-impact/ https://www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/what-you-can-do-about-marine-debris https://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/index.html https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/plastic-pollution/#earth-day-pollution.jpg