1. What are three to six key points or impressions that you will take away from these stories?

          From reading a few different stories on Solutions U, I became aware of a variety of fascinating facts. One of these is that although it is possible to invent new products that can work to decrease pollution, it is often costly to implement their use. I realized that there had been many inventions, like the cement I read about in "Italy's Pollution Eating Cement," that indeed can make an environmental impact. However, most of these fresh creations are expensive and difficult to use. From the article, “The California Indigenous Peoples Using Fire for Agroforestry,” I took away that fires are not always disastrous, and controlled ones can be a benefit to the ecosystem. Indigenous tribes started creating small fires to increase the growth of the plants that were necessary for their everyday lives. I find it fascinating that they were able to figure this out so long ago. In the final article I read, "Can Ultimate Frisbee Save the World?", I discovered that solutions to conflicts could be as simple as encouraging children to play leadership developing games, such as ultimate frisbee. For example, the organization, Ultimate Peace, helps change the mindset of children by encouraging them to play ultimate frisbee. This helps bring peace between those who once in disagreement with each other

2. Write a 200-word reflection that engages, analyzes, critiques, expands upon, and/or questions what you read or listened to.

         In the article, “Half-marathon in UK bans plastic water bottles,” we learn of a marathon that will give Ooho pouches for hydration at three points along the route, rather than water bottles. Ooho pouches are water-filled spheres surrounded by a biodegradable seaweed-based membrane. These genuinely are innovative creations; however, I question if they will truly be of benefit in a 13-mile marathon.

          One of the first concerns I have is that these pouches are very small and that there are no water bottle refill stations along the route. Regular cups will “be available but only as a backup in case of exceptionally high demand.” This may discourage runners to drink more water when they truly need it, therefore putting their health in danger. Also, it will dissuade runners to bring their own high-quality reusable water bottles, which as the article says “seems counterproductive.”

          Another concern of mine is that runners are encouraged to throw the Ooho pouches on the ground when they are done with drinking the liquid inside. Although many foods are biodegradable, it is still not common to just leave them in the atmosphere for them to biodegrade. This practice might encourage people to do the same with non-biodegradable materials that can harm the environment.

3. Share your reflections on your experience reading, watching or listening to the solutions journalism stories. Did you learn new information; gain new understanding; see things with a different perspective than you had in the past? Did the stories reinforce an idea or thought you'd previously had? Did you meet new people, or learn about opportunities you were previously unaware of?

          Reading the Solutions U articles helped me become aware of issues from a different perspective. This especially applies to the article, “The California Indigenous Peoples Using Fire for Agroforestry.” Today, the primary dietary mainstays of the tribes near the Klamath River, salmon and acorns, are decreasing. Píkyav CQ Field Institute developed a curriculum for all grades of students to bring traditional foods into the classroom. This program also takes students outside of the school to listen to elder’s stories and to search for berries as their communities have been doing for centuries. Reading this helped shift my perspective of the proper schooling system. Instead of having strict rules in the school setting, and only allowing students to read about issues rather than seeing them for themselves, there can be more excursions for students like the one mentioned. Although Píkyav CQ Field Institute’s idea is not usual for the typical American school, it will definitely help students appreciate the beauty of their culture and environment. Not only does it help strengthen the Native American community, but it also is a benefit for agroforestry.

    This article also helped shift my views on something completely different: fire. I learned that the Karuk tribe used fire for centuries to encourage the growth of plants that they needed. Before, I viewed fires as entirely negative, having no benefit to an ecosystem. Now, however, I understand the great cultural significance that fire can have and no longer only consider it as a negative factor of the ecosystem. Something that I have never thought of before reading this article is that fires can increase the number of salmons in the rivers. This occurs by reducing the number of invasive weeds by the stream where they spawn. This helps keep their numbers up and is necessary for their health.

4. Were there other stories this week that you’d like to give an “honorable mention” -- that you enjoyed, but were not your top choice to share?

          I would like to give an “honorable mention” to the video titled “Italy’s pollution-eating cement.” I enjoyed watching this video because it proved that Milan’s pollution is genuinely affecting its population. The interviewer speaks to a woman who has lived in Milan her entire life. She says that when she is in the city, she has trouble breathing, but when she is by the beach, she can breathe normally. I enjoy that this interview was included because it serves as proof that the people are directly affected by the pollution, and there needs to be something done about this issue. In addition, I liked that it allowed you to see what the production process of this cement is like. At one point, there is a technical difficulty with one of the machines and the cement splatters on the floor. This moment proves that innovation is complex and it is challenging not to make any mistakes when experimenting. The added animations helped explain the scientific concept behind this product; this is vital especially because chemistry is often difficult to visualize. The video was not my top choice to share, however, because it is rather short and I believe that there is not enough information included in it.

5. What else would you like to share?

         I would like to share that I learned something from all of the articles and videos I watched on Solutions U. These articles were unique, so it was easy for me to be fully engaged in reading them. I will definitely continue to use this website to find interesting articles to read during my free time. Especially since I am interested in entrepreneurship, they can serve as inspiration for me when I embark on the journey of creating my own venture. It is positive to read about some of the solutions that humans have come up with to solve either significant problems or ones that may be easily overlooked.