Sustainability Grant
The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce a special grant funding opportunity for projects that focus on sustainability
Sustainability Grant Application (pdf)
Sustainability Grant Application (pdf)
This grant is offered in connection with the university’s Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) initiative, which was inaugurated this year. FOCIS will bring Wayne State University’s problem-solving resources to bear on issues that define both who we are and what we hope to become.
The main event of FOCIS this year will be a November lecture by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president of Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization that empowers 137 programs defending local waterways from polluters, and chief prosecuting attorney for Riverkeeper Alliance, which safeguards the ecological integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, protecting New York City’s drinking water. Since 1983, Riverkeeper has brought more than 300 environmental lawbreakers to justice. Kennedy is clinical professor and supervising attorney at Pace University School of Law’s Environmental Litigation Clinic, and was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet.”
But what exactly is sustainability, anyway? And how does it fit in with a lecture by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
Simply put, sustainability means humanely interacting with the environment and using resources in ways that enable us to maintain our desired quality of life indefinitely, instead of using up resources and replenishing them. Sustainable projects meet the needs of society now, without harming us – or the environment.
Remember: Not all environments are human. Consider the economy, wildlife conservation, biodiversity issues and earth-friendly activities.
Think Triple Bottom Line: People. Planet. Profit.
Here are some ideas to get your creative (and scientific) juices flowing:
Water
- The Great Lakes are at record-low water levels. Lake Superior has a record high temperature. Poor water quality has resulted in the periodic closure of some beaches. Do water issues affect tourism, which is Michigan’s second-largest industry? What can be done to protect and improve our waterways while still meeting the needs and wants of the public?
- Overfishing reduces stocks below acceptable levels and affects the livelihood of fishermen worldwide. High-tech equipment means fish can be caught faster than nature can reproduce and some experts warn that yellowfin tuna may be extinct in three to five years without controls. Will the Lenten fish fry at your local Moose hall become a thing of the past if perch is too expensive to serve or contains too much mercury? What is a solution to meeting the marketplace desire for fish while maintaining a safe and healthy marine ecosystem?
- How do online groups like The Freecycle Network reduce waste, save resources and assist members? What does it mean to think globally and act locally?
- Nearly 95 percent of automobiles are taken to scrap yards for reclamation of useable parts when they are no longer drivable. The metal is shredded or compacted, but what about other materials? Recycled rubber and safety belts have been used in fashionable handbags. Are there additional uses for polyurethane seat foam or windshield glass? How can these and other leftovers from Michigan’s largest industry be used to improve the planet? What are better ways to dispose of hazardous materials like antifreeze and motor oil so they do not pollute the environment? What uses are there for scrapped-out license plates?
- Can modern life adapt to environmentally sound practices? “Eating local” means buying food that is locally grown, which in turn reduces shipping costs, fuel use and toxic emissions, but is it better to buy organically grown (and frequently more costly) food which does not employ the use of synthetic, petroleum-based pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers? What is the financial impact on families who change their food–buying habits to better support the local economy? Do people improve their health by eating organic fruits and vegetables that are reported to have higher levels of vitamins and minerals?
- Michigan is one of only nine states with funeral providers who offer a “green burial,” which bans the use of formaldehyde-based embalming, vaults, and caskets that are not biodegradable. How do these types of burials connect or conflict with religious needs? How do they compare in cost to more common types of burial? How much energy is used annually on cremation and how could it be conserved and used in different ways? Are we losing trees for hardwood caskets, or is the wood coming from managed forests? Investigate artificial reefs created from cremated remains.
- Green clothing creation uses natural ingredients like soy, bamboo and wood pulp in combination with cotton, hemp and silk. How do fashion designers incorporate the desire for green clothing into a billion-dollar industry that relies on disposable styles and the constant desire for reinvention? Is wildlife impacted by the use of leather or fur? Check out Michigan businesses like baabaaZuzu (www.baabaazuzu.com) in Lake Leelanau, which sells clothing made entirely out of recycled fabric.
To apply for an undergraduate research grant for projects with a sustainability focus, click here for an application and requirements for consideration.
Application deadline is Nov. 21, 2007.
You may also submit your sustainability project for regular research grant consideration. The application deadline is Nov. 21, 2007 and requires a separate application.
Funding decisions will be posted on our Web site in December. E-mail your questions to undergradresearch@wayne.edu