James Zimmerman

For my one time challenge, I researched alternatives to cement. Cement is used for lots of different things and was quite broad to research alternatives. I chose to focus on one specific area of cement, which was parking lots. I chose this because of how it closely relates to my major of Sustainable Landscape Design. I have attached two examples of alternatives to cement parking. The first is using grass instead cement in the areas not run over frequently. This is more carbon sequestration reduces the urban heat island effect that cement can cause. The second is a picture of a stone parking lot. This parking lot has cracks in between the stones that allows the water to enter the ground and enter the water table. This helps reduce the carbon produce by cement by using a different paving, as well as mitigate storm water runoff.

 

COVID-19 has forced me to return to my hometown in Sylva, NC. I have been doing walks around the neighborhood here. It is really crazy to see the differences in the timing plant blooms from Knoxville to here. It seems that since it is cooler here, that the bloom period is not started until later in the year. 

I have still been getting most of my walking time done through plant walks in the UT Gardens for my Plant Id class. I have also begun to walk around Main Campus some to learn more about it. Soon, I plan on walking around other areas of Knoxville to get a better understanding of Knoxville as a whole, not just campus.

So far, I have managed to walk 15 minutes a day, whether to and from class, or going on plant walks in the UT Gardens for my Plant ID Class.