Where We Go and What We Leave Behind:

Personal Trash Audit and 20-Minute Neighborhood Assignment

Portland FRINQSpring 2015Knepler
Americans make more trash than anyone else on the planet, throwing away about 7.1 pounds
per person per day, 365 days a year. . . . Across a lifetime that rate means, on average, we are
each on track to generate 102 tons of trash.Edward Humes, Introduction: 102 Tones from
Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash.
Due Dates:
20 Minutes Neighborhood Analysis (Part 1A): Due April 7
Personal Trash Audit and Analysis (Part 1B): Due April 9 (trash bag) and April 14
Draft of Essay and Analysis: Due in mentor session April 14
Final Essay, audit, notes, and charts & graphs: Due in class April 16
Readings:
To be completed by April 2:
TheRiseofthe20MinuteNeighborhood:http://www.icic.org/connection/blogentry/blogtherise
ofthe20minuteneighborhood
20-Minute Neighborhoods Analysis: Background Report and Analysis Area Summaries. Portland
Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. June 2012. Print and read pages 1-8 and 14-17, but download
the whole document onto your flashdrive and carefully examine the maps on the first 21 pages. This
document is available online at http://www.portlandonline.com/portlandplan/index.cfm?c=51427
Scroll down to Urban Form and download the first document listed.
TobecompletedbeforeApril7.
EdwardHumes,GreenCitiesandGarbageDeathRaysfromGarbology:OurDirtyLove
AffairwithTrash.NewYork:Penguin,2012.Availableond2l.
JonathanBloom,IntheUnitedStates,TheresaLotofFoodBeingWasted.TheWashington
Post,20June,2012.YoumightalsolookatBloomsblog,www.wastedfood.com.Links
availableond2l.
Introduction and Purpose
This assignment has two interrelated parts. First, you will learn about the concept of the 20-minute
neighborhood and analyze your own neighborhood in relation to this concept. Then you will take a look
at trash production, tracking both your own trash and participating in a trash audit of a building on the
Portland State campus. Using the knowledge gained from both the readings and the activities you do
over the first two weeks of the term, you will write an essay that examines the relationship between
personal habits, societal attitudes, urban design, and environment.
The goal of this assignment is to increase your knowledge and awareness of both consumption and trash
production, and to analyze the connection between personal resource use and other factors that impact
our use such as access, habits, availability, and urban design. You can also use this assignment to
connect your own use of resources to larger questions about consumption/waste, environmental
pollution, and urban design.
Assignment Objectives:

To examine our habits of consumption and trash production as an individual and as a society.
To develop quantitative skills through analysis of our individual and societal habits.
To develop further geographic literacy.
To develop further awareness of our own environment and the planning of that environment.

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To practice descriptive and analytical writing skills.

PART 1 (A&B): Personal Trash Collection and 20 Minutes Neighborhood Observation (30 %)
Part 1A: 20-Minute Neighborhood Analysis
During the first week of class, we will read and discuss the first 21 pages of the Portland Plan
Background Report on concept of the 20-Minute Neighborhood. You will then analyze your own
neighborhood in terms of walkability and access.
Process: First you should review to Portland Plan Background Report: 20-Minute
Neighborhood Report that we read for class. Then, using Google Maps or another mapping tool,
plan a route that begins at your home and requires you to walk for about 20 minutes. If possible,
try to find a route the passes several amenities (stores, schools, etc). Given the average walking
speed, the distance should be approximately mile to one mile. You can also choose to do this
task by bike, but that may make it slightly more difficult to take notes. If you use a bike, you
should choose a 1.5 mile distance.
Then, at your natural pace, walk the direction of the route youve chosen, stopping after
approximately 20 minutes. Then, walk back over the same route, stopping periodically to take
notes as you go. You should note both factors that impact the comfort and pace of your walk
(street connectivity, traffic and traffic signals, sidewalk conditions) as well as factors that impact
your enjoyment of the walk (scenic areas, design aspects, interesting things to look at). You can
also take photos of your walk and include them with your map and/or your essay if you choose.
Once you are finished, create a map of your route filling in the places you noted and that you
determine to be the significant places on your route. Be creative and feel free to use color and
other tools. I suggest you google the term hand drawn maps or hand drawn city maps to get
ideas. You will turn in both the map and your notes.
Part 1B: Keeping Track of Your Trash
Part 1B requires you to keep track of the trash you produce over the course of two days. On
April 7, you will receive a trash bag and further instructions for holding on to your trash. You
should put all of your own trash into this bag (outside of things that you deem too personal for
public knowledge), and bring it back to class with you on April 9.
You will use the form at the end of this assignment to weigh and record your own trash on April
9th. You must fill out the form as accurately as possible, and bring the form with you to mentor
session on April 14.
Based on the data you gather, you will make two visuals, which you will start in mentor session
on April 14. Using the data you have collected both individually and collectively, you will make
a set of visual that show the following:

What was the breakdown of the trash you collected yourself?

How does this compare to the collective trash of your mentor session?
How does this compare to the collective trash from the larger class audit on April 9?

Further instructions for creating the visuals and doing the analysis will be provided.

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PART 2 (70%)Essay and Analysis

Part 2 of this assignment requires that you write a 750-1000 word essay (3 to 4 pages). The essay should
analyze your own trash production and choices, as well as the environmental factors that might influence
those choices, and consider ways that you individually and we as a society can change our resource
usage.
You audiences for this essay are your peers, myself and the mentor, as well as members of a general
audience who might be interested in learning more about peoples experiences related to this topic. Your
essay should be focused and well-organized.You should develop an engaging introduction, clearly
defined paragraphs, and a compelling conclusion. Use descriptive and appropriate examples from the
readings and your experiences, and make good use of signal phrases. Also be sure to site your sources
using MLA format. In other words, don't just tell us what you did or what you counted. Consider how to
make your audience think about the issue of consumption and its implications.
Format:Youressaymustbetyped,doublespaced,using12pointTimesNewRomanfont.Allofyour
marginsshouldbe1inch,andyoumustincludepagenumbersinthebottomrighthandcorner.Your
name,thecoursenameandnumber,andthedateshouldappearintheupperleftcornerofallwritten
material.
Sources for Part 2: As noted above, you must use carefully chosen, specific examples from all of the
readings, as well your audit and your walk. You might also make use of the following sources to
supplement your reading:

The city of Portland Climate Action Plan, particularly the sections on Consumption and Solid
Waste, Urban Form and Transportation, and Food and Agriculture.

The Portland Plan Background Report on Food Systems.

Questions to consider as you draft and write: As you develop ideas for your essay, consider some of
the following questions:
How resourceful are your own habits, and how/where did you develop those habits?
What are some of the factors that lead to those habits and how are habits changed?
How might your home and neighborhood be different than others, and how might those
differences influence your resource usage and trash production?
How are neighborhoods here in Portland possibly different from neighborhoods in other places
or cities you know?
How do your own needs (getting to school or work, shopping, laundry) influence your usage and
your trash production, and how might they be different than others?
You should also consider larger questions about our overall consumption in the U.S., taking into
consideration why that consumption is relatively large and the impact that it has.
Keep in mind that you will not be able to address all of the above questions. Ultimately, these questions
should provide ways to brainstorm your ideas and guide your thinking on the topic.
What to turn in: Though Parts 1A and 1B will be due earlier, you should turn in all parts of the
assignment with your essay. This will include your audits, notes, graphs, and maps, as well as the first
draft of your essay.
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Grading Criteria for Where We Go and What We Leave Behind Assignment

__ 30% Part 1
Trash collection sheet and notes are thorough and the calculations are accurate
The visuals, including the two graphs and the map, are clear, creative, and easy to read
(e.g. does data or information stand out from the background?)
Visuals are clearly titled and labeled.
Part 2 (70% total)
___/20% Developmentofideas,includingthedevelopmentofyourthesisandclaims

Youdevelopcompellingideasthatdemonstratethatyouhavethoughtabouttheissueandconsidered
variouspointsofview.
Youressayisfocusedandyousustainyourfocusthroughouttheessay.

___/20% Integration of sources and compelling examples

Youusesclear,vivid,andappropriateexamplestobackupyourclaims
Theessaydemonstratesthatyouhavereadcloselyandcritically.
Theessaypresentsanabilitytoanalyzeandsynthesizeideas,andtoconnecttheideasinthesourcesto
yourownclaims.
Youuseactiveandappropriatesignalphrases/verbstointroducesourcesandideas.

___/15% Overall organization and fluency of observation

There is a clear logic to the structure of the essay and the flow of ideas.
The essay uses clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.
The essay has a strong introduction and conclusion, and an original title that reflects the ideas in
your essay.
Your paragraphs are focused and you elaborate on your ideas using specific examples to back up
your claims.
___/ 15% Writing style and tone, and grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation in
observation
The tone of your essay is consistent and appropriate for audience.
Your writing is concise (you emphasize quality over quantity).
You work to avoid errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, particularly errors that may
impede the readers ability to understand your ideas.
Your vocabulary is appropriate and varied.

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