ryan koppy

Apart from sequestering carbon/reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, biochar is a great resource to add to the soil to improve nutrient availability. Furthermore, it improves aeration in soil as well as soil water filtration. Biochar can be heavily utilized in agriculture to help nurture and grow crops more effectively and efficiently.

(Just to preface, I started a compost bin in week 6 of this quarter and have been putting all of my excess food waste into the compost bin). I think water waste motivates me the most to change my behavior regarding food waste. In terms of water waste, I always think about communities across the globe (as well as even some cities here in the United States) that lack easily accessible clean water. I find it so unfair that some people struggle to find clean water while so much water could potentially go to waste whenever groceries are uneaten/wasted.

When thinking about a sustainable community, I think the most important things that come to mind would be a stable economy as well as equal opportunity for all members of the community. It is important for everyone in a community to have their voice heard and impactful opinions when making decisions for a community. Furthermore, to create a sustainable community, it should have a plethora of ways that reduce the overall carbon footprint and create a more eco-friendly environment. To make this vision a reality, placemaking and laws need to be introduced that allow public opinions to influence decisions regarding their respective communities. Furthermore, policies should be made that incentivize community members to take actions that reduce their carbon footprint (trash/waste reduction, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.).

According to information and articles online, some key factors linked to meat consumption include income per capita as well as urbanization. Whenever incomes rise in a country, meat consumption also rises. This is due to meat being more expensive than other food sources like rice, peanut butter, oats, etc. As we eat more meat (hence, increased meat production), it leads to greater releases of greenhouse gases (like CO2 and methane) into the atmosphere. These gases prevent heat from escaping our atmosphere, likely increasing the risk of global warming. Furthermore, health risks of eating things like red meat include increased cholesterol levels/risk of heart disease. Mass meat production negatively impacts the planet's ecosystem by endangering our climate; so by pledging to eat at least 1 meatless meal per day, I hope to combat the amount of greenhouse gases released (even if it's just the slightest bit beneficial).

Over the past four weeks of this Spring Quarter, I have committed to walking at least 40 minutes a day throughout the neighborhood between my apartment and UCLA's campus. During those walks, I have enjoyed the peace of mind it gives me walking through a calm neighborhood where I can collect my thoughts and just appreciate being outside. On my walks, it gives me a chance to appreciate the trees, foliage, houses, and people around me throughout my busy days. However, I have noticed that on my walk to school, the neighborhood sidewalks on Le Conte Ave as well as Westholme Ave have parts of their sidewalks damaged. The elevation of some concrete slabs is far higher than others, and some of them have begun to break; potentially due to wear-and-tear, tree roots, or other circumstances. I think if it continues to worsen over time, these sidewalks are definitely something to be looked at so all of the residents can enjoy a comfortable walk around their neighborhood.

Some single-use items I have regularly used include plastic water bottles, plastic straws, as well as plastic bags. Since the beginning of last school year at UCLA, I have begun using only tote bags/reusable bags for all of my groceries. I have also avoided purchasing any plastic water bottles during this period; I bought a metal water bottle to use at home as well as a Hydroflask to take to my classes on campus. I always and will continue to try to avoid using plastic bags for groceries/anything I need to carry as they are incredibly wasteful (plus they cost ten cents extra per bag!).

Over this past weekend, I changed all 5 of the lightbulbs in my bathroom to LED lights (the white light LED bulb was originally there but I replaced the rest) to help conserve energy! My next goal is to buy more LED lightbulbs and replace my living room apartment with all LED lightbulbs (8 total) as well as invest in an energy-efficient lamp for my nightstand! I'll try looking for a nice LED lamp that conserves more energy than my current lamp.