UNIV-391 / HNRS-391 / PSC-391 / UNIV-491 / PSC-491
Pete Schwartz, Cal Poly Physics:, Pete’s Webpage: pschwart@calpoly.edu
Our group’s Sustainability Research
Office hours: Office hours: M(11:10), T(10:10), W(5:10), R(12:10), F(11:10)
Pete Schwartz, Cal Poly Physics:, Pete’s Webpage: pschwart@calpoly.edu
Our group’s Sustainability Research
Office hours: Office hours: M(11:10), T(10:10), W(5:10), R(12:10), F(11:10)
General Appropriate Technology Website for all Past Classes, and in particular Last Year’s Appropriate Technology Class
Course Syllabus and Course Timeline. Please pick a book to read for this class from The Book List
Self Interventions: Just add to the top of the past Don’t Throw Away Page, Empathy Intervention, and Self Intervention Page, Class feedback week 5 Nov. 2 Talk Feedback, Nov 7, 8 Feedback
If you think your project is something you’ll pursue over the coming year, consider applying for up to $25,000 from VentureWell
Description of what to expect for this year’s final exam
Last year’s Final Exam
This quarter’s class quizz questions
Post your exam questions here.
Student Eval for this class.
Initial detailed project descriptions
| Link to webpage Link to Video |
Description of the topic | Helpful Links, References | Names, Emails of students | |||
| Drip Irrigation with Burro | Our initial aim was to develop an affordable micro-scale gravity fed irrigation system that could be sold through Burro (https://www.burrobrand.biz/pc/) to farmers in Ghana. We collaborated with students at Brown University to better understand the system being designed, and met with a Ghanaian women to gain insights into the cultural considerations in Ghana. Ultimately, we learned about the influences on human centered design, the pitfalls and triumphs of collaborating with different entities, and the different environmental and social climates of Ghana. | nheston@calpoly.edu www.burrobrand.biz Brown Team Intro |
Eli S. Ricardo L. Ariana Brandao |
|||
| Cooking with Solar Electricity Webpage |
After hearing from and seeing the implementation of solar cookstoves in Uganda, we have altered the design to fit the needs and the community culture of Teococuilco de Marcos Perez, Oaxaca, Mexico. | Solar Research Solar Cooking Research |
Aditi Vepa aditi.vepa@calpoly.edu Denise Garcia dgarci46@calpoly.edu Kalena Hermes kmhermes@calpoly.edu Nick Crawford nrcrawfo@calpoly.edu Nick Wagner |
|||
| Solar Ice | We’re designing a freezer facility that will use solar power to produce ice. This will be especially beneficial for communities without affordable or accessible energy or refrigeration. Using solar energy, the system could also power a charging station, LED lighting, solar cooker, or aquaponics systems. This has the potential to solve food production and security issues. By pairing with the Aquaponics facility (below) we will produce food on-site, and also use the thermal properties of both to increase the efficiency of the system. We are continuing to search for potential communities that could benefit greatly from this technology. |
nheston@calpoly.ed Solar Research Solar Ice SJState Solar Ice Project Solarpedia Solar Ice |
Harrison Waschura Miranda Mills Megan Braun Petra Knapp |
|||
| Aquaponics
Kick Starter Video |
Aquaponics is an energy and water efficient agricultural practice that uses a system of water tanks filled with fish to grow plants for food. We’re researching foreign and domestic applications for an aquaponics facility, particularly as horticulture therapy at a prison. | PolyPonics FB Page | Madu N. mnataraj@calpoly.edu Christian Barreto Robert Gray Elizabeth Russell Elise Barsch elise.barsch@gmail.com |
|||
| Pumping Water With DigDeep | 80,000+ Navajo Tribal members living on the Navajo reservation are without clean, running water, and are living on less than 10 gallons of water per day. The non-profit DIGDEEP wishes to support the Navajo nation by raising awareness of this tragedy as well as digging a deep water well to provide water to this forgotten people group. | DigDeep Proposal Project Description DIGDEEP Water george@digdeepwater.org Last year’s solar garden |
Meagan Redstone Kaelyn Rohm Daniel Stewart Alejandro Montenegro |
|||
| Urban Agriculture | Growing and cultivating food within more public areas and cityscapes. Not only does it enhance a local food supply, it can work to better the air quality. Some options would be vertical farming, rooftop, aquaponics, home compost etc. Can be used within landscaping to be aesthetically pleasing as well as healthier for the community. | Sustainable Ag | Sarah Mete smete@calpoly.edu Ari Burton aeburton@calpoly.edu Gracie Nino gnino@calpoly.edu Nick Russell narussel@calpoly.edu |
|||
| The Homeless | We are working to help create sustainable employment opportunities to better the lives of the homeless community. | Allison Tuso altuso@calpoly.edu Kyle Cherry cherry@calpoly.edu Nikhil Thakar Eva Brundage Day Gudmundsson dgudmund@calpoly.edu |
||||
| International General Education | Our mission is to provide supplemental education for high school students while employing local teachers in Cape Town, South Africa. We intend to provide supplemental tutoring for school material as well as job advising for students entering the workforce community after graduation. | https://oneheartsource.org/ | Sahil Oberoi Sandy Shane Olivia Caesar Joey Pasche Lezah Winick |
|||
| Unchosen Projects Below | ||||||
| Organic fertilizer for Sub-Saharan Africa and Organic Ag Education | Fertilizer distribution systems are currently ineffective in meeting farmers needs in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, fertilizer use in these areas are low, contributing to the insufficient crop yields. Low crop yield is also due to lack of knowledge regarding soil nutrients, crop rotation, and optimal management techniques. Can they make their own organic fertilizer and learn how to farm effectively? |
(Skim pages 9-14): Integrated Nutrient Management, Soil Fertility, and Sustainable Agriculture |
||||
| Use Eucalyptus to make charcoal rather then hardwood | South African countries experience the 4th highest deforestation in the world. They use a majority of this hardwood for the production of charcoal, which is used for warmth and cooking. Rather then cutting down trees, Eucalyptus scarps are abundent and can be used to make even better charcoal. | |||||
| Carbon Education | Plan for a more global understanding of carbon dioxide emission problems and education of how to counter this issue through different agricultural practices. | http://thesoilstory.com | ||||
| Crop Insurance | Agricultural insurance is common place in the United States — it helps farmers take risk and invest in their crops. This form of insurance could help farmers all around the world improve their operations, from small scale to large scale. Listen to this Planet Money podcast (3:42) to learn more about a study done which helps show that this kind of insurance can make a real difference in peoples’ lives. | |||||
| BSFL Feed | Black Soldier Fly Larvae are a sustainable form of protein-rich feed for fish and chicken. They digest almost all organic scraps from cooking and farming, and can even work with manure. and duckweed — a fast-growing aquatic plant often used as an additional source of food for fish. | A blog on BSFL DIY projects | ||||
| CSA Cal Poly Grown Food | Cal Poly Fruit & Crop Science department includes conventional farming, organic vegetable farming, and fruit orchards. Real Food Collaborative operates CSA to allow the students and community to buy these products. Currently the program is looking to expand more thoroughly on campus, offer more food, more often, and spread more knowledge of the program. | |||||
| Open Defecation | Sanitation is a very important part of development. Please see the TED talk from SOIL | NPR Article on OD | ||||