MILESTONE ASSIGNMENT

Overview: Choose one or two natural resources to focus on in order to make personal change from the general categories of animals, plants, water, air, soil, minerals, food, and energy sources. This assignment will go beyond recycling and packaging reduction to a real and significant lifestyle change. Choose one of the topics below or come up with a topic that will require a substantial amount of research and work to complete and will provide sufficient scope to address the three key sections needed for the final project: Section 1: History and Contemporary Viewpoint, Section 2: Local Real-World Applications and Specific Steps, and Section 3: Global Significance, Impact, and Applications. For the Milestone One submission, you will select the topic of your final project and provide a one-page outline for your final project.

NOTE: Instructors will approve topics for which they know sufficient research and information exists for the student to complete the final paper.

Topic Suggestions:

• Convert family to a strict locavore lifestyle (food, clothing, etc.), a strict organic lifestyle (food, clothing, etc.), or vegan lifestyle (food, clothing, etc.)

• Switch household to strict environmentally friendly cleaning products in all areas of the household or no-paper waste or renewable energy source (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal, or whichever source is best suited for your particular environment)

• Build a green home
• Switch to alternative energy or cleaner locomotion for all travel
• Switch household power energy requirements
• Construct a gray water system for household
• Install drought-tolerant landscaping throughout entire yard
• Build and manage a community garden
• Provide own food from garden, chickens, etc., and compost wastes
• Reduce water usage by 50%
• Eliminate all plastics from your household
• Raise domesticated animals (chickens, cows, goats, bees...)
• Work from home
• Eliminate chlorofluorocarbons (spray cans, refrigerator, air conditioner, etc.)
• Eliminate spending any money for 1 year
• Replace all appliances and light fixtures with Energy Star-rated ones

The following critical elements must be addressed specifically:

1. Briefly describe the topic that you have selected for your final project.

2. Provide a one-page outline for your final project, including a one-paragraph description for each for these three sections that you will research:

• Section 1: History and Contemporary Viewpoint. Research the historical development of the topic from inception through modern-day usages,both in American culture as well as the global culture, focusing on the most significant developments and contributors to the topic.

• Section 2: Local Real-World Applications and Specific Steps. Research and explain opportunities and challenges for addressing the topic.

• Section 3: Global Significance, Impact, and Applications. Compare and contrast local (i.e., local to you) versus global application of your chosentopic as well as the global significance and impacts for this type of change locally and globally.