Students with Solutions

brushbell:

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brushbell:

I wanted to make this chart to clearly outline the pros and cons of the materials we use every day.  Based on EPA’s facts about Styrofoam, Plastic, Glass, and Aluminum (and metals in general) here is a general rule of thumb for what you should use, and how often you should use it.

Styrofoam:
NEVER use Styrofoam.  It is 0% recyclable and breaks down in the environment into its chemical bases, which is a toxic form of pollution.  Now you can buy bio-degradable packing peanuts made from corn starch that dissolve in liquid, but still keep in mind that you should not use Styrofoam cups or take out boxes.  These are NOT biodegradable and if they are, they are coated in a plastic that will prevent them from breaking down. (because you don’t want your coffee cup melting in your hand)

Plastic: 
Plastic is a really incredible material, it’s light weight and “cheap.”  But plastic is made from the same stuff we put in our cars: Petroleum! If we want to conserve what’s left of our petroleum reserves we need to really cut back on our plastic use, especially the “one use plastics” like bags, utensils and cups.  A German scientist has invented a kind of plastic that is 100% recyclable.  “Cradle to Cradle” plastic. 

Glass
Glass is 100% recyclable, and it comes from a completely sustainable source: Sand! However, it IS heavy, and it IS breakable, but with the power of science many companies are providing lighter, break resistant glass.  Think about it, those starbucks frappuccino drinks come in glass bottles, so does old school coke.  Use glass when you can, and make sure to save it all for a Monthly or Bi-Monthly trip to a recycling drop off center, since most Curb Side services will not pick up glass recycling.

Aluminum, Tin, & Steel
These metals are incredible, like plastic they are light weight and durable, but they are 100% recyclable as long as they aren’t coated in plastic or wax. They are all 100% recyclable because they are a metal and easily melt down and can be reformed. The only down-side is that we get the raw material from mining, which can have a negative effect on the environment. Especially mountain top removal mining, which is the new “most efficient” method, but almost the most detrimental.  You’ll be surprised how many of the items you use every day are Aluminum, Tin, and Steel.  Just check the bottom and chuck it in the recycling bin. 

brushbell:

Easy Plastics to Avoid:
Plastic Utensils - Wash and Reuse a few, or use cheap metal camping utensils

Bottles: Especially water bottles, bring your own reusable bottles from home. They make really nice metal ones now, but if you do buy plastic make sure it’s BPA free.

Coffee Cups - The paper cup can’t be recycled and neither can the plastic.  It’s SO easy to keep the  Starbucks ceramic and plastic re-fillable cups in your car and use them.  Every coffee house is more than willing to use your cup.  (but not fast food joints)

Plastic Bags - These are the bane of the environment’s health. animals eat them, they can ruin a nice looking landscape, they clog sewer drains and cause flooding.  Buy a pretty cloth or plastic bag and keep them in your car. 

Good luck everyone! I promise that once you switch to these options you will not regret it.  It feels so good and it’s 100% easy and do-able even for the busiest person.

My solution is:  Their tuition should go to THEIR department

I’m no expert on College Budgets, but I do know that the art departments are always last in line for money, and as an out of state student who pays $30k a year, I get pretty annoyed when I find out we couldn’t buy new cameras because it wasn’t in the budget.  Do you know how many cameras you can buy with $30k? That’s 37 T2I’s! 

So people, let’s be mathematical about this.  Several departments could have plenty of money to run on and spare because they have lots of enrolled students, others do not.  There are other expenses too like janitorial services, and maintenance, advertising, Student Organizations, all that jazz.  

My solution is:  50% goes to our department.  30% goes to school needs.  20% to fun.  To help even it out between the various department sizes, there would be a budget cap.  Depts. with capital greater the budget allows gets divvied to smaller departments.  

My Solution is:  Students on the Board

I know that this is already in practice at some Colleges, but like most of the students I personally had no idea that my school had one of these Liaison Committees. 

See, the Board and the Department Heads make the big decisions.  The Student Liaison Committee is suppose to bring the student’s opinions and ideas to these big decision meetings, but if nobody knows about this outlet, how can it be effective?  

My solution is spread the word about these committees, implement them where there aren’t any, and give the students a real vote.  Not just a student who comes and reads off their ideas three times a year.  We pay good money for our education, and we deserve a say in it. 

For example: If the Board thinks they need to tear down the only all girls dorm to update the building, the girls who live in that dorm should get to vote whether this change is necessary.

One of my biggest things is respect.  If students don’t think they’re getting any respect, which I usually don’t, I personally feel less compelled to give any respect in return.  Higher Education should be about the love of knowledge. The Professors, Department Heads, and Students should work and learn together in harmony. 

Sorry about the preaching, I’ll try not to do that.  Read more about Liaison Committees at the link below or try and find one for your own school. 

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/about/gov/sslc.aspx  

The picture came from the Acumen Fund website. click on through to see the article.  

My Solution Is:  Let the x do the x

In High School and College nothing was more frustrating to me as an artist than when I saw the school pay big bucks for a professional to come in and do a job that their own students could have done for free, or at a fraction of the cost.  It would have been wonderful experience for us, and less of their budget spent.  So what’s the problem?

In College it’s the same thing.  We have a film and photography department, yet they always bring in “professionals” to do it.  

My Solution for education is just trust your students to do good work, train them to do good work, and everybody benefits.   

The photo is from a headline about an elementary school fundraiser. click through to see their story.  

My Solution is:  Mentors

I think the first step to really helping the world’s economy is to put stock back in education. 

My Solution for education is to have mentors and more hands on training in school.  Obviously there are more students than  teachers.  If you’re lucky you’ve got a 20 to 1 ratio, but even that can leave some students behind in the dust.  So why not have Seniors and Juniors helping out?  Something similar happens in tutoring, but usually that is for students who are already behind.  Let’s jump the gun, and not only give younger students the benefit of extra training, but the upper classmen some valuable hands on review and experience mentoring others—an aspect that will appear in just about any line of work.  

Original photo by http://dwarfboy81.deviantart.com/