Project 4 – The Public Realm – UB Campus

Project 4 – The Public Realm – UB Campus
Introduction:
UB is a small city with a population of approximately 30,000. While UB Green works every day to create
a more sustainable campus and community, there is still much to be accomplished.
“With a longstanding history of environmental leadership that extends over several decades, the University at
Buffalo is committed to creating a better, more sustainable future for all of the communities we serve, locally
as well as globally. This commitment informs every aspect of our mission as a public research university, from
our innovative research and to our curriculum educational programs, our operations and built environment,
and our engagement with our broader communities.”-Satish K. Tripathi, President, University at Buffalo.
https://www.buffalo.edu/sustainability/about/state-of-sustainability.html
UB Environmental Stewardship Committee
In early 2007, President John B. Simpson signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate
Commitment (ACUPCC), adding UB to a list of 675 institutions of higher education nationwide leading
society’s response to global climate change. In November 2007, the Environmental Stewardship Committee
was created to direct UB’s effort toward fulfilling the commitment. Since then, the ESC created, submitted
and began implementation of a Climate Action Plan aimed at reducing UB’s net carbon emissions to zero
by 2030.
Objectives:
• To build awareness of the importance of stewardship and restoration in urban and landscape
design.
• Contribute to inclusive efforts towards improvements in the UB campus.
• To understand conditions and events surrounding a specific place via detritus.
Statement:
This project option involves approximately 4 hrs of volunteering to help clean up UB’s Campuses.
Deliverables: (5 pages + photographs + poster)
Please familiarize yourselves with the UB’s Climate Action Plan available at
https://www.buffalo.edu/content/www/ub2020/transforming_operations/transforming_initiatives/enviro
nmental_stewardship_committee/commitment/_jcr_content/par/assetcolumn/assets/relateddownload/file.
res/UB_Climate_Action_Plan.pdf
You may work in groups of up to three people for this assignment. NOTE: Do not work alone in a secluded area.
Find an area of the UB Campus that is full of litter and needs cleaning. Photograph the area. Make certain
to show the details of the litter. Clean up the area. Photograph the same area after your clean up.
Part 1
After your volunteer experience, prepare a brief written response to each of the following:
• What are the basics of the UB Climate Acton Plan?
• What caused the pollution in and around the area you cleaned? What are the effects of this
pollution? Who is most impacted?
• What actions have been taken by UB Green to restore this area? How successful have they been
thus far? What are university officials doing to help?
• How might protecting our UB grounds and waterscapes apply to diversity and design? Consider
how various diversity groups might affect the way we practice landscape/waterscape design.
Consider how landscape/waterscape design affects various diversity groups.
Part 2
While cleaning your area, photograph at least ten items that you found that are representative of the
trash that you’ve picked up. Write a speculative description of the events that produced this trash.
Think about: Who left this trash? Why? What were the circumstances? What are the possible consequences
of the build-up of this trash near or in this area? What actions could reduce or eliminate this trash buildup? Think of yourselves as design anthropologists or as part of a design forensics team.
Part 3
Design an 11” x 17” poster that contains the following information:
• Location of clean-up
• Before photo
• After photo
• Potent message about the importance of environmental stewardship.
Post poster in a high traffic area on campus. Provide photograph of poster in its UB location.
Example:
Deliverables:
Due Date:
Thursday, May 5 – Deliverables due date
Location: Red Jacket Quad Location: LaSalle Lake
THE CONSEQUENCES OF
CARELESSNESS