Each student in my calculus class is collecting data on a 3-D related topic. These include amount of recyclables they produce each day, amount of water used in a shower, amount of electricity used. They will then be analyzing the data using calculus and writing a blog about their project.
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Name: Ian Bedford
Major: Undecided
For my Three D project, I collected data on how much water was used in my household per day for thirty days for various tasks such as washing the dishes and showering. I discovered over time that, apparently in conscious response to the basis of this project being to “nurture nature,” the trend of water usage in my house decreased on average over the course of the thirty days of data collection. The function of the linear regression that I fitted to a scatter plot compiled from all of my data had a negative slope, indicating a decrease in amount of water used over time. Although I would have to imagine that the linear regression would reach a limit after days and weeks past my research, this project is still an effective tool in noting how water is used/abused in households and also how it can be used minimally to the most effective extent.
Sarah Vegter
3D Blog
In the spectrum of all things “green” water consumption seems to be on the low end. Yes, drinking water out of water bottles is a big no-no, but there isn’t much emphasis on other water consumptions such as showers vs. baths and how long the water runs while you are brushing your teeth. In an effort to bring forth the “little guys” of the green world, I decided it would be interesting to time my showers. It was out of sheer curiosity to see if this not-so-green individual could actually decrease her shower time. Yes, I admit, I am not the greenest person in the world. I have been known to drink out of a plastic water bottle or two (or more) and not recycle it. I thought this project might help push into a little more greener world.
To accomplish my little experiment, I attached a stopwatch to the handle of my shower door and timed from the moment the water was turned on until the moment it was turned off. Since my showers usually occur at the early hours of the morning when I’m not fully awake, attaching the stopwatch to my shower was necessary. For about 30 days I tested how long my showers actually were. Some days I was fully aware of how long I was in there while other days, I’ll admit, I was too tired to care. Overall, the results showed that I did in fact decrease the time I was in the shower.
Now why did I choose to do this type of project? Well, I remember back in the day when I was in grade school and “being green” (though not the term used back then) meant turning the water off while you were brushing your teeth, taking baths instead of showers, and making sure you turned lights off when you left the room. We have come a long way since then. So to be a little nostalgic, I thought I would go back to the time that water consumption was a big concern and see if I could actually change my not-so-green ways. Perhaps, being green is simpler than people think. It was nice to take shorter showers and have a few more moments in the morning to get ready, or just sit and take a breath. Perhaps, this little experiment has made me more aware. My next step: buying a reusable water bottle.
Student requested name be withheld.
Tossed Technology
Since we live in a fast-paced world where technology is constantly evolving, people find themselves throwing out last year’s model and purchasing the new, hottest product. For instance, cell phones are always changing and getting outdated, by next year the consumer will upgrade to a new and better phone and toss out the old, outdated one. In similarity, ink cartridges are getting thrown into the garbage once they are empty, which today is fairly often since we constantly use the printer for everyday needs. So for 30 days I will record the quantity of technology related objects we throw out. I will collect the data from my own household as well as two other relatives of mine to obtain the necessary amount of data needed to get adequate results.
After collecting the data, I found that the most common technology related product we dispose of is paper. Over those 30 days, 507 sheets of paper were thrown out. Other items such as CD cases, CDs, ink cartridges, and floppy disks, were commonly thrown out as well. One way to reduce the amount that we throw away is using both sides of a piece of paper instead of just one. CD cases can be saved to store other CDs that you make in the future. CDs can be saved to make art, for instance, laying them out bottom side up and placing them in a picture frame to create piece of artwork. Finally, ink cartridges can be saved by refilling them, instead of throwing them out once they are empty. Overall, there were several opportunities to avoid adding garbage to our landfill, but those opportunities were not taken, until now. By collecting this data, it has opened my eyes to how much I throw out and how much I could be recycling and reusing.
By: Anonymous
I have always pondered this question: How long does a shower need to be to get clean? (Excluding, of course, extenuating circumstances that require more scrubbing.) I think people might conserve more water if they knew how much was enough. I’m sure there is a point of diminishing returns. Sounds like a project for a learning community of economists, statisticians, and health care advocates.