Energy & Place
Essential Questions:
How does energy productions impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influents your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
How does energy productions impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influents your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
Project Reflection
For this project my humanities class and science class worked together to ensure I would understand energy and place. My class started by learning about environmental ethics, we did this by reading different articles, watching TED Talks, and having guest speakers come in and talk to us. After learning about environmental ethics we informed ourselves about environmental justice, fracking and nuclear power. We did this by doing nature writing outside, and reading different articles and town hall reports. Continuing to learn about nuclear power we also learned more about innovation as an ethic by reading through different debates along with looking at artist reactions to energy. After learning about different focus points we took all our knowledge and put in towards my sense of place essay.
In the beginning of writing my sense of place essay I had a lot of trouble with deciding on which one place to write about because I do have so many personal connections with the outdoors and nature. But after thinking very hard about it, there was one place in particular that I felt a very strong connection with, and that is where I choose to write my sense of place about. I feel like I have grown as a person because of how away I am becoming about my environment and how important it is to protect our land.
I am most proud of my visual piece because it really made me think more about how can I reuse items even more than I have already been doing. Turning used wine bottles into drinking glasses and a light really made me rethink about what I have been throwing away and how can I use it in a different way instead of just letting it sit in the landfill and hurt our earth. Also by going around to local wineries I inspired the wineries to look at how they are recycling their wine bottles, when they could be using them to create different useful items in their winery.
In the beginning of writing my sense of place essay I had a lot of trouble with deciding on which one place to write about because I do have so many personal connections with the outdoors and nature. But after thinking very hard about it, there was one place in particular that I felt a very strong connection with, and that is where I choose to write my sense of place about. I feel like I have grown as a person because of how away I am becoming about my environment and how important it is to protect our land.
I am most proud of my visual piece because it really made me think more about how can I reuse items even more than I have already been doing. Turning used wine bottles into drinking glasses and a light really made me rethink about what I have been throwing away and how can I use it in a different way instead of just letting it sit in the landfill and hurt our earth. Also by going around to local wineries I inspired the wineries to look at how they are recycling their wine bottles, when they could be using them to create different useful items in their winery.
Sense of Place Essay
Butterscotch Trees and Telephone Wires
A Reflection of My Sense of Place and Environmental Ethics
Eliana Rothwell
Abstract:
I am defining sense of place as both“commodified” and “rootedness” because my sense of place is not just one physical space, it is a very beautiful outdoor setting, but also it’s about the people I am with and experiencing these beautiful places with. My environmental ethic is that we need to protect these beautiful places in the natural world, and not destroy them because of our reliance on nonrenewable energy, especially when we have alternative ways to powering our homes and cities. This is shown with the quote: “The way that seeing the telephone wires cutting through my special place, that place in the woods I go to escape with my mom and sister, where the everyday distractions of cell phones and work disappear, made me feel reminds me that this happens to beautiful places all over the world. Realizing that we are dependent on the electricity carried through these telephone wires I think about how even though they are important in many ways, they are also very destructive. I wonder if they have caused harm to the animals that live there, or messed with the natural ecosystem on other ways. With this in mind, I also reflect on the ways that I contribute to this in the ways that I use electricity. It reminds me of what I have been learning about in Chemistry, alternative energy sources like solar panels.”
Essay:
My mother, sister and I jumped in the car. I looked back and checked to make sure the different bouquets and head pieces that filled the back were secured, as I knew we were going to be driving up Lower Lime Creek Road, a dirt road known for its bumps and washboarding. I had brought my camera along to take photos of my older sister, Danika, in a beautiful dress holding the bouquets and wearing the different head pieces, so we could put them onto my mom’s website. My mom had been hoping I could take some photos for her and thought it would be best if we did so in a natural setting. We decided to head to the mountains for this photoshoot, trying to take advantage of the beautiful day and opportunity to get outside. There is one place in particular that the three of us love to go to, my mom calls it our secret spot. Danika is excited, she is finally home from college and I can tell that she is looking forward to heading up into the mountains. I smile as we drive off.
We drive up north passing the ski resort driving towards Silverton. I look out my window watching all the trees flickering by and the cars zooming by. I notice that the mood in the car shifts to a happy the farther we head into the mountains. We laugh and giggle once we turn onto the dirt road, doing our best to avoid the giant potholes. After we drove on the dirt road for what felt like 15 minutes we pulled off to the side of the road and took a deep breath and looked around at our settings. The pine trees still cling to the drops of dew from the morning mist. Everything is green and lush. Danika runs up and smells the bark of one of the large pines, I laugh and ask her if the bark still smells like butterscotch- a decision we had made once as little girls and a joke we still laugh at. The blue sky is vibrant and the sun was warming our faces and souls. If you look west you could see a little waterfall and if you were to look east you could see the stream the waterfall connects too. I look over at the black rocks leading down to the waterfall, they remind me of charcoal. Danika and I walk down to the base of the waterfall, she takes her shoes off and squeals as she dips her toes in the cold, clear, snowmelt that makes up the water that rushes through the rocks and down the waterfall. I put my camera down somewhere safe and away from the water and join her. It reminds me of all the times we have been here before, and I look forward to all the times I know we will be back. We are surrounded by trees and many shades of green. The rocks are covered in soft moss and the forest floor is layered with pine needles and speckles of color appear when looking hard, indicating flowers.
After taking in the beautiful surroundings, we get Danika ready by placing a flower crown on her head and placing an extravagant bouquet in her hand. We then follow the waterfall upstream onto the black rocks surrounding the rushing water. I got on the other side of the waterfall to get a higher perspective where the camera lens was pointing down at my sister instead of either level or tilted up. I lay flat on my stomach focusing the lens and feel connected to the ground supporting me. After playing around with different poses and aperture settings I feel like I finally got the perfect photo. I meet up with Danika and my mom back at the car where my sister left on the flower crown but changed out her bouquet with a different one. This time we decide to walk up the hill instead of walking along the side of the waterfall.
On our way up to find a beautiful spot to take photos we come across a wonderful beautiful linnaea borealis. There was only one little flower blossomed with two buds. It was absolutely beautiful. I took a moment to reflect and think about what it is about this place that makes it so special and important to me, why it feels like my place. Overhearing my mom laughing at my sister who has managed to get herself caught in a tree, I realized that it’s not necessarily the place I am, but it is about the people I am surrounded by. Although I love the mountains and find the outdoors astonishing, what makes this my sense of place are the people I explore it with. I find that the outdoors become even more beautiful and meaningful when I am surrounded by the people I love and make me happy. Going into the outdoors by yourself can be a very spiritual experience but when you go with people you love and people that make you happy it turns into a very personal moment.
I took a deep breath making sure to breathe in all the fresh air I possibly could. I looked around taking in the beautiful surrounding and snapping a couple of photos, but then I realized something I haven’t noticed before. I could see a telephone wire over the little hill to my right, connecting for as far as I could see. At first I wasn’t phased by it, but then my mind started wondering, what if more beautiful places were turning less beautiful because of telephone wires and other industrial forms. Remembering this moment allows me to reflect on my environmental ethics. The way that seeing the telephone wires cutting through my special place, that place in the woods I go to escape with my mom and sister, where the everyday distractions of cell phones and work disappear, made me feel reminds me that this happens to beautiful places all over the world. Realizing that we are dependent on the electricity carried through these telephone wires I think about how even though they are important in many ways, they are also very destructive. I wonder if they have caused harm to the animals that live there, or messed with the natural ecosystem on other ways. With this in mind, I also reflect on the ways that I contribute to this in the ways that i use electricity. It reminds me of what I have been learning about in Chemistry, alternative energy sources like solar panels. And I wonder if the wires above me would still be there if we used less energy and also if we used forms of renewable energy like solar panels. Although solar panels have drawbacks like they cost a lot of money to install and it’s not always sunny out they are also very beneficial because they reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, and they are sustainable. I grab my camera bag and climb back into the car, we drive off headed towards home, and all I can think of is how beautiful this world is. Let’s keep it that way.
A Reflection of My Sense of Place and Environmental Ethics
Eliana Rothwell
Abstract:
I am defining sense of place as both“commodified” and “rootedness” because my sense of place is not just one physical space, it is a very beautiful outdoor setting, but also it’s about the people I am with and experiencing these beautiful places with. My environmental ethic is that we need to protect these beautiful places in the natural world, and not destroy them because of our reliance on nonrenewable energy, especially when we have alternative ways to powering our homes and cities. This is shown with the quote: “The way that seeing the telephone wires cutting through my special place, that place in the woods I go to escape with my mom and sister, where the everyday distractions of cell phones and work disappear, made me feel reminds me that this happens to beautiful places all over the world. Realizing that we are dependent on the electricity carried through these telephone wires I think about how even though they are important in many ways, they are also very destructive. I wonder if they have caused harm to the animals that live there, or messed with the natural ecosystem on other ways. With this in mind, I also reflect on the ways that I contribute to this in the ways that I use electricity. It reminds me of what I have been learning about in Chemistry, alternative energy sources like solar panels.”
Essay:
My mother, sister and I jumped in the car. I looked back and checked to make sure the different bouquets and head pieces that filled the back were secured, as I knew we were going to be driving up Lower Lime Creek Road, a dirt road known for its bumps and washboarding. I had brought my camera along to take photos of my older sister, Danika, in a beautiful dress holding the bouquets and wearing the different head pieces, so we could put them onto my mom’s website. My mom had been hoping I could take some photos for her and thought it would be best if we did so in a natural setting. We decided to head to the mountains for this photoshoot, trying to take advantage of the beautiful day and opportunity to get outside. There is one place in particular that the three of us love to go to, my mom calls it our secret spot. Danika is excited, she is finally home from college and I can tell that she is looking forward to heading up into the mountains. I smile as we drive off.
We drive up north passing the ski resort driving towards Silverton. I look out my window watching all the trees flickering by and the cars zooming by. I notice that the mood in the car shifts to a happy the farther we head into the mountains. We laugh and giggle once we turn onto the dirt road, doing our best to avoid the giant potholes. After we drove on the dirt road for what felt like 15 minutes we pulled off to the side of the road and took a deep breath and looked around at our settings. The pine trees still cling to the drops of dew from the morning mist. Everything is green and lush. Danika runs up and smells the bark of one of the large pines, I laugh and ask her if the bark still smells like butterscotch- a decision we had made once as little girls and a joke we still laugh at. The blue sky is vibrant and the sun was warming our faces and souls. If you look west you could see a little waterfall and if you were to look east you could see the stream the waterfall connects too. I look over at the black rocks leading down to the waterfall, they remind me of charcoal. Danika and I walk down to the base of the waterfall, she takes her shoes off and squeals as she dips her toes in the cold, clear, snowmelt that makes up the water that rushes through the rocks and down the waterfall. I put my camera down somewhere safe and away from the water and join her. It reminds me of all the times we have been here before, and I look forward to all the times I know we will be back. We are surrounded by trees and many shades of green. The rocks are covered in soft moss and the forest floor is layered with pine needles and speckles of color appear when looking hard, indicating flowers.
After taking in the beautiful surroundings, we get Danika ready by placing a flower crown on her head and placing an extravagant bouquet in her hand. We then follow the waterfall upstream onto the black rocks surrounding the rushing water. I got on the other side of the waterfall to get a higher perspective where the camera lens was pointing down at my sister instead of either level or tilted up. I lay flat on my stomach focusing the lens and feel connected to the ground supporting me. After playing around with different poses and aperture settings I feel like I finally got the perfect photo. I meet up with Danika and my mom back at the car where my sister left on the flower crown but changed out her bouquet with a different one. This time we decide to walk up the hill instead of walking along the side of the waterfall.
On our way up to find a beautiful spot to take photos we come across a wonderful beautiful linnaea borealis. There was only one little flower blossomed with two buds. It was absolutely beautiful. I took a moment to reflect and think about what it is about this place that makes it so special and important to me, why it feels like my place. Overhearing my mom laughing at my sister who has managed to get herself caught in a tree, I realized that it’s not necessarily the place I am, but it is about the people I am surrounded by. Although I love the mountains and find the outdoors astonishing, what makes this my sense of place are the people I explore it with. I find that the outdoors become even more beautiful and meaningful when I am surrounded by the people I love and make me happy. Going into the outdoors by yourself can be a very spiritual experience but when you go with people you love and people that make you happy it turns into a very personal moment.
I took a deep breath making sure to breathe in all the fresh air I possibly could. I looked around taking in the beautiful surrounding and snapping a couple of photos, but then I realized something I haven’t noticed before. I could see a telephone wire over the little hill to my right, connecting for as far as I could see. At first I wasn’t phased by it, but then my mind started wondering, what if more beautiful places were turning less beautiful because of telephone wires and other industrial forms. Remembering this moment allows me to reflect on my environmental ethics. The way that seeing the telephone wires cutting through my special place, that place in the woods I go to escape with my mom and sister, where the everyday distractions of cell phones and work disappear, made me feel reminds me that this happens to beautiful places all over the world. Realizing that we are dependent on the electricity carried through these telephone wires I think about how even though they are important in many ways, they are also very destructive. I wonder if they have caused harm to the animals that live there, or messed with the natural ecosystem on other ways. With this in mind, I also reflect on the ways that I contribute to this in the ways that i use electricity. It reminds me of what I have been learning about in Chemistry, alternative energy sources like solar panels. And I wonder if the wires above me would still be there if we used less energy and also if we used forms of renewable energy like solar panels. Although solar panels have drawbacks like they cost a lot of money to install and it’s not always sunny out they are also very beneficial because they reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, and they are sustainable. I grab my camera bag and climb back into the car, we drive off headed towards home, and all I can think of is how beautiful this world is. Let’s keep it that way.
Take Action Project
For my art piece I collected used wine bottles from local wineries and used the wine bottles to create a light source that can be used in restaurants, kitchens and homes. My mission for this project was to show people that by following just a few steps you can turn all your used wine bottles or empty beer glasses into a unique and beautiful light source you can use in house or other areas that are in need of light or an art piece. In order to complete my project I needed to cut off the bottom of the bottles, to do this I simply used cotton yarn, fire and cold water. On the way to creating my wine bottle light source I also realized that you can make multiple things out of wine bottles to use in your everyday life to help keep recycling. For example I learned that if you cut off the top of the wine bottle and file the edges down so they are smooth you will result in a nice glass drinking cup. Also you can use the wine bottles as a plant container, or even a lovely wind chime. For my art piece I wanted to inform my community on how if you just add a little extra time and energy into rethinking recycling, the results can make the world a better place, unique and beautiful.
For my action plan I want to show the Durango community that when you set your mind to taking recycled materials you can make something amazing to put into your home and actually use. In order to make my wine bottle chandelier work, I need to first go around to wine bars in Durango and collect as many wine bottles as I can. Then I need to figure out how I plan on hanging the wine bottles, either to the ceiling by a metal chain, a wire, or by attaching them to a wooden rack to hang them by. Then I need to cut the bottom of the glass off to make the light be more visible and useful. After that I need to figure out how to make the light bulb work and attach to an electrical socket in a house. After that I need to assemble it in a way that is useful to either my family or a business. My main issue I can see running into is being able to make the light actually work unless it is powered by batteries. The mission for my project is to help support positive recycling by transforming something that would go to the recycle center into another useful item to either put in a business or household. By showing what it takes to actually make a light out of using old bottles such as beer or wine bottles. For my final project I hope to complete a light source out of wine bottles, whether that is by a chandelier or by another source of light.
Reflection:
I choose to take action with completing a project inspired by the Upcycling community. I specifically choose to incorporate glass wine bottles because I have always been amazed how glass is much safer to be reusing yet we always seem to reuse plastic. With completing this project I wanted to inform my community about ways we can reuse glass in more ways than just one. I thought for this assignment it would be good to start small and then grow big with my idea, therefore I started with a small winery on Main St. called 'Four Leaves'. I asked them for used wine bottles and informed them about what other ways they could be using these wine bottles for instead of recycling them.
Completing this specific project it made me realize how we are constantly using plastic for majority of our days, we use plastic for food packaging, cups, soda pops, eating plates, microwaveable containers, ect. Thinking about this made me really question why do we use plastic as much as we do when we know it is not as healthy for us as using glass for cups, soda pop containers, eating plates, and microwaveable containers. This has made me more self conscious about human existence on earth and how we take care of our plant, and how we should be taking care of our planet.
Living in Durango where the community is already very rich in taking care of the our earth has shaped me as a human being growing up and learning the right ways to protect the land we love. This project specifically made me think extra hard about what more can we as a community be doing to reassure our plant a long healthy life. This project has opened my eyes more in seeing what ways we can be incorporating more reduce reuse and recycled materials into our everyday lives. This are practices I will continue to use for the rest of my life to ensure I am doing my part in keeping this plant alive and healthy
For my action plan I want to show the Durango community that when you set your mind to taking recycled materials you can make something amazing to put into your home and actually use. In order to make my wine bottle chandelier work, I need to first go around to wine bars in Durango and collect as many wine bottles as I can. Then I need to figure out how I plan on hanging the wine bottles, either to the ceiling by a metal chain, a wire, or by attaching them to a wooden rack to hang them by. Then I need to cut the bottom of the glass off to make the light be more visible and useful. After that I need to figure out how to make the light bulb work and attach to an electrical socket in a house. After that I need to assemble it in a way that is useful to either my family or a business. My main issue I can see running into is being able to make the light actually work unless it is powered by batteries. The mission for my project is to help support positive recycling by transforming something that would go to the recycle center into another useful item to either put in a business or household. By showing what it takes to actually make a light out of using old bottles such as beer or wine bottles. For my final project I hope to complete a light source out of wine bottles, whether that is by a chandelier or by another source of light.
Reflection:
I choose to take action with completing a project inspired by the Upcycling community. I specifically choose to incorporate glass wine bottles because I have always been amazed how glass is much safer to be reusing yet we always seem to reuse plastic. With completing this project I wanted to inform my community about ways we can reuse glass in more ways than just one. I thought for this assignment it would be good to start small and then grow big with my idea, therefore I started with a small winery on Main St. called 'Four Leaves'. I asked them for used wine bottles and informed them about what other ways they could be using these wine bottles for instead of recycling them.
Completing this specific project it made me realize how we are constantly using plastic for majority of our days, we use plastic for food packaging, cups, soda pops, eating plates, microwaveable containers, ect. Thinking about this made me really question why do we use plastic as much as we do when we know it is not as healthy for us as using glass for cups, soda pop containers, eating plates, and microwaveable containers. This has made me more self conscious about human existence on earth and how we take care of our plant, and how we should be taking care of our planet.
Living in Durango where the community is already very rich in taking care of the our earth has shaped me as a human being growing up and learning the right ways to protect the land we love. This project specifically made me think extra hard about what more can we as a community be doing to reassure our plant a long healthy life. This project has opened my eyes more in seeing what ways we can be incorporating more reduce reuse and recycled materials into our everyday lives. This are practices I will continue to use for the rest of my life to ensure I am doing my part in keeping this plant alive and healthy