Progress Blogs

WEEK 6

Tues 9/29

I have made little progress or direction in the area of design and construction of green spaces I want to innovate. However, the progress I did make was good, in that it gave me ideas and inspiration that I want to also capture in my designed spaces. I have been with my partner, watching a lot of interior design shows and following interior designers on social media, reading blogs in the field of interiors and design discussing sustainability. So there’s some progress I can make out. My schedule has recently changed between work, but hopefully after this week I can get adjusted to my new normal and spend some dedicated time researching and developing my project more substantially.

WEEK 7

Sun 10/4

I watched videos and documentaries on green spaces and living that incorporate the methods and practices of sustainability and eco-friendliness to the environment. I have make steady progress in the direction of where I want to go in my project, which is green living that can be adapted to existing spaces in the form of green boxes, but also eventually propose an idea of green spaces and homes that could be a natural way and style of living for many.

WEEK 8

Mon 10/12

I began the initial research into the scope of my project, which revolve around the topics of sustainability, eco-design/eco-friendliness, and energy efficiency. I looked into eco-homes and or green spaces that implement practices and new materials to shape the way humans live and consume energy today. It was interesting to learn about how simple changes can be made to existing structures with the help of making it aware to occupants their usage, but also how some of these energy saving and eco-friendly materials and methods, possible and available today, are being under utilized and not incorporating it into the construction of homes. A part of this change to become more conscious and aware of the harm we cause the environment is in educating others about that causal relationship, which is crucial in changing the perspective and mind set people in society have about eco-homes and the way life. I hope to learn more about how to make this separation between the two, a balance that can one day achieve a natural and friendly coexistence of the natural environment and people. One of the references I found was very insightful in understanding the relationship between eco-homes and people is attached below. I hope this can be helpful to you in some way as well!

WEEK 9

Five-minute presentation on capstone project!

WEEK 10

Sun 10/25

I have been deeply researching into the topics of sustainability and eco-friendliness from different angles and perspectives that have widen my view, which can improve not only the environment, but the quality of life for the individual making this lifestyle choice. I’ve transcribed and analyzed the subtle nuances that are in this topic and how to go about mediating the issue, but ultimately a combination of tactics and methods will be needed in order to efficiently and effectively tackle the problem. Overall, the process has been good with a few uncertainties here and there, but it has been definitely an eye-opening activity and I can’t wait to learn more, so that I can make a finish product that will address the goals and concerns I have set out at the beginning of this project, which of course can be subject to change, but ultimately I would still like to make a positive impact on the world.

WEEK 11

Fri 10/30

Here are the questions/statements from the exercise we did as a class on Tuesday 10/27. These are related to my capstone project the Green Box, but also some are just generalized concerns I have as a person, regardless of what I’m working on. Anyways here they go:

Questions|IDEAS 410

WEEK 12

Sat 11/7

My attempt to gather some in-person insight and information on urban sustainable farms around Chicago-land fell short as I was unable to get into contact/meet with anyone at these locations in order to talk about methods and equipment they use to achieve sustainable and eco-friendly balance with the environment. I went out to areas such as the Peterson Garden Project on N Broadway and a couple more around the Edgewater neighborhood to scope out what these areas look like and the people who tend to them. My next steps since this didn’t work out as plan is to hopefully get in touch with these places through the linked websites, which provides their email and phone number. I hope to get into contact with someone using these alternative methods as they could lead to new breakthroughs and insights into my project Green Box. Just taking each step of the project one day at a time, given the on-going situations the world is in.

WEEK 13

Sat 11/14

Last week I sent out emails to different urban, sustainable farms around Chicagoland, in hopes of getting into contact with someone from one of these organizations, in order to talk and gain insights that might help me in developing and structuring my project. I heard back from 3 organizations so far, one had declined or couldn’t help unfortunately, but sent over a useful pdf all about what they do and what they’re about, which I congest into a google doc. The other two, fortunately, agreed to help me in my quest to understand and build a sustainable and eco-friendly product. I have a zoom meeting with the founder and director of TUGI, on Tuesday at 3, and the other from Plant Chicago, which is still in the process of being set up. I’m appreciative that even during a time like this, where it makes it hard to be in sociable areas and in public that I’m still able to get in contact with people all over to learn about something new, cool, and interesting to me. I hope that my meeting goes well, I have prepared some questions to ask in advance some general ones about sustainability and eco-friendly ideas and principles and others about the organization and their goals. I’m working on constructing another set of questions to send along to the people at Plant Chicago, in hopes of getting some answers back and/or meeting with someone through phone or video call. Anyways, things are looking up during a time when things always seemed to go down. I just hope that at the end of all this I achieve what I set out in the beginning, it doesn’t have to be the original vision I had, but something around it would be just fine. 🙂

WEEK 14

Mon 11/23

Tuesday of last week I had a phone call interview with Megan Chen, director of TUGI, in which I wrote down and recorded our conversation so I could later transcribe and implement the points we discussed later into my project, green box. In that same day, I finished up questions I had for Plant Chicago and emailed it to someone I was in touch with, and got a respond back that said they would answer my questions as quickly as possible. Further into the week, I had heard back from Taylor Street Farms agreeing to help with my project, but haven’t been in touch with anyone further since my response back in order to set up a date to meet over phone or video chat call. In general, my progress with the project is steady, right now I’m working on developing and crafting a user-friendly guide to coincide with the green box. I’m limiting down, picking methods and products that make sense for the user base and the climate issue I’m designing for with top priority being sustainability and eco-friendliness at the forefront of the product’s purpose and goals. Overall, I hope I’m able to get in contact with the other organizations that work in the field of sustainability and being eco-friendly to the environment, but if not, I will use the information I currently have gathered and the phone call interview I had with Megan, in order to construct a user-friendly guide that can be use in accompaniment with the green box.

WEEK 15

Mon 11/30

Approaching into this finals week of my last fall semester of 2020, I’ve got to say, it has been a heck of a journey and ride. It has been a long and ever-growing process thus far coming into the rough finalization stages of some project concepts I’ve been working on. For example, the user-friendly guide I’m constructing to go along with the green box product I’m also working on. Adding this element to the item will hopefully, in turn, encourage more people to live sustainability and eco-friendly with ease and accessibility that becomes second nature. I want this product to overtime instill these habits and lifestyles choices that start to become more adapted and recognize by society in large as a necessary change. I believe this can be done if one starts to take the steps toward the right direction, it just takes one domino to tip all the others. Of course, persuading people, climate change, and making sustainable products can in no way be compare to the simplicity of dominos as these are complex and delicate issues, nor can this product be the save all that does it, but I think if this product is able to bring some good at least to the people who want to become more eco-friendly and sustainable and does so by actually making an effort to be sustainable and eco-friendly to the environment and its users then I say a job well done. But anyways, back to the topic at hand, I’ve been delving back into research notes and the interview transcripts that I’ve accumulated this far into the process of my project, with the exception of a few places I have left to hear back from in regards to my questions about sustainability and eco-friendliness. I’m compiling and filing down to important concepts, materials, items, and ideas I want to incorporate into the green box so then I’m able to construct a user-friendly guide from there. I have a rough outline sketch of the contents within the guide that will help people unfamiliar with sustainability and eco-friendliness become more comfortable and aware. I plan on fleshing this more out during the winter break as I will have the ample amount of time and care I want to fully incorporate into making this concept/idea a possible or maybe an actual product, who knows life is crazy. Anyways, I hope you guys had a great holiday and weekend break and enjoy this upcoming winter break as well. Stay safe and take care 😛