February 2014 Blog Posts (154)

My favorite secret/tip was to talk to the people that have the problem and listen to what they say. I feel that to often a solution will be created and implemented and then fail because the individuals or organization did not learn about the culture or community being affected. You need to have the best understanding possible of the resources available and the people involved to be able to design something that will be used effectively.

In the year 2020, I will be celebrating Christmas and all the Christmas lights used will be powered by alternative energy sources. The lights on houses will collect energy from the sun during the day so they will have enough power to light up at night. Furthermore, the holiday lights inside homes will receive energy through hydroelectric power, wind power, and geothermal power.

The power player that I found is named Stephen Wood, who is an assistant professor at Florida Institute of Technology. Wood is working on creating Wing Waves, which can be placed under the sea and produce electricity from the water. It is estimated that one square mile of Wing Waves can produce enough electricity to power about 200,000 houses. In regards to possible negative impacts on sea life, it has been proven that the wings are environmentally friendly and will not negatively impact sea…

Next year, I think EVOKE should tackle the subject of drugs and other substances. This is a controversial and popular issue- especially with the current legalization of marijuana happening across the U.S. EVOKE should build new communities in Eastern nations, such as India and China. I would encourage all young adults to play season 2. The only thing I would change about EVOKE is the playing process. There are a lot of steps (accepting challenges, posting, getting posts approved, check posts…

This semester, I am without a car. For the most part, the bus system is reliable, though sometimes I need to ask my roommates to chauffeur me around. This transaction usually consists of me trading them food or favors for a ride. For example, I might need a ride to the doctor's office one morning. In exchange, I treat my roommate to coffee and breakfast.

On March 10, 2020 I will be eating dinner with my family. The meal will consist of a fresh salad with lots of locally grown vegetables, wh*** grain pasta with organic chicken, marinara sauce, and more vegetables, and finally a slice of the bread that I just made using my bread maker. We will finish our meal with some homemade ice cream that we made as a family.

In order to help create better food security for the people around me, I donate canned goods to my church each week. These goods are used to provide meals to the people who are facing an emergency situation and have nothing to eat.

One issue that I find plaguing my community is the "food desert" concept, which is characterized by urban environments that have few opportunities to buy healthy fruits, vegetables, and meats. Instead there is a heavy reliance on snack foods and highly processed ready to eat meals. These communities also tend to have major issues with obesity and diseases related to poor diets. One solution that has recently taken place is that there have been more markets opening in my community that focus…

The economic crisis in Greece has left many citizens in search of new ways to pay for and exchange goods. Volos has come up with a creative system of currency called TEMs. A play off of bartering, people earn currency by dong work for one another. After completing the job, they are credited Local Alternative Units (TEMs). These credits are tracked online and can be accessed though individual accounts. TEMs ca be used to buy goods or services throughout the town.

Ludwick Marishane invented DryBath, a lotion to help impoverished populations, stricken by Trachoma. Trachoma is a disease 100% preventable through face washing, though many of these populations have limited to no access to clean water. DryBath is a water-less bathing product that has become popular in third-world countries as well as the American suburbs (hey, some people just really don't like baths). This product not only saves lives, but it also saves water.

I tweeted a link to…

One of my friends has a watch that is solely powered by movement. Every time he moves his hand or wrist, the watch is able to power the gears inside. I think it would be neat to implement this type of power into cell phones. We are always on our phones (checking the time, texting as we walk, multitasking phone conversations while making meals). If we could add this feature of turning movement into energy, we would not only have longer battery life in our cell phones, but we would also use…

Joshua Mitchell, a Clemson University graduate student, has been working to bring clean water to a Haitian village. The Cange village and its people have recently fallen victim to a ch***ra outbreak. The lack of sanitation and water filtration only made the disease spread quicker. Mitchell and other volunteers from the Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries program have been working to implement a new water system to provide clean water for the 10,000 residents of Cange and surrounding…

There is a big income gap throughout America and, in turn, there is also a large gap for food security. Many Americans that receive federal aid or support also have poor health and nutrition. This is due to the small nature of the stipend and the rate at which it is handed out. Not only are the payments very small, but they are dealt out once a month. Because of this, Americans struggle to stretch the money throughout the entire month. This leads to less food as well as less-nutricious food…

In 2020, I will create a guerrilla-marketing style event to help draw attention to the importance of water. On World Water Day, thousands of volunteers will set up makeshift water stands across the world. These will look similar to childhood lemonade stands, but instead of providing a glass of lemonade for $1, these people will be selling gla**** of water for $100. These stands are sure to gain a lot of attention and publicity. At the stands, volunteers will also be handing out pamphlets…