Assignment:
Consider your personal habits and various initiatives in your community for your research paper (sustainability, environmental quality, climate change). You need to identify and describe the various sustainability initiatives in your community, the most pressing environmental quality issues in your community, and the most significant climate change impacts your community may experience in the future. Keep in mind that you can define your community. For example, I live in a small town and would have difficulty writing about the specifics of the community in which I live. However, if I instead think about nearby towns or my county or even in some cases the state of Indiana, I could more effectively complete this paper.
Sustainability and Conservation:
Sustainability involves using resources in a way that allows future generations can also utilize the resources in question. Conservation involves using only what is needed. What kinds of sustainability and conservation measures do you take in your personal life (i.e. recycling, composting, etc.) and what types of opportunities are available in your community, for example, ISU has an Institute for Community Sustainability. Your community may have different programs, like Tox-Away or E-waste Days for the disposal of toxic substances, educational opportunities (schools, libraries, museums, parks), or evaluation services (i.e. energy audits). In your paper describe as many of these programs/opportunities as possible. Also describe what you knew about before your paper and if the additional opportunities/resources will change your personal behaviors.
Environmental Quality:
You should describe what you think are the most pressing environmental quality/pollution issues your community faces. These issues can be related to environmental public health, air or water pollution, and/or other types of activities that impair air or water quality. For example, perhaps there is a coal mine (or other industry) that is not in your community or is not active today, but mining activities impact water quality in your area. Many communities are still dealing with pollution that occurred decades ago, so be creative and think about what has historically occurred in your community.
Climate Change:
You should look for predictions about how global climate change will impact the area where you live. Do not simply describe what you think will happen, actually find information about what is predicted for your area. Describe how these changes may impact resources availability, public health, pollution, or any other aspect of your community you think is important.
Requirements:
· Papers should be double spaced in 12 pt font with 1 inch margins.
· At least 750 words
· Your paper should have a title (a title page is not necessary)
· Introduction - here describe your community and introduce the general topics of the paper (sustainability, environmental quality, climate change).
· Body - describe the various opportunities/initiatives in your community and any things that are lacking or could be improved.
· Summary statement that wraps up your paper.