Background Research
Let’s say you have this great
idea for a project you would
like to start on campus. In
order to know what you can do
with this idea, you must know
what you are starting with. You
will need to do background
research to gain a clear
understanding of how to make
your project successful. It is
important to not reinvent the
wheel, but to build upon what
your community has already
accomplished.
Checklist for Background Research
Who is your audience (UA, Tucson, Arizona, U.S., etc. )?
Has this project been tried before? Why did it fail or succeed? Is there any way to
expand on what has already been done? Visit the projects page to see what projects have
already been tried on campus. It is valuable to talk with UA Administrators, UA Faculty, local
and state legislators, and NGOs to learn more, because you cannot find everything online.
How will this project improve the sustainability of the UA campus, Tucson, Arizona, the
United States, and/or the world? Narrow down what specifically you want to make more
sustainable, and figure out how your project will have an impact. For example, water
harvesting on campus saves water that has to be pumped to Tucson, so it helps save energy,
conserve the Colorado River, and saves money in the long run because there will be less
irrigation installed and less water used.
What resources will you need to make your potential project successful? What people
will you need on your team to create enough momentum for the project? What type of
personalities do you work well with? What materials will you need?
If this is a technical project, look into how it should be constructed. What stakeholders
would need to be involved to get it approved in the city, state, or on campus? You will likely
need outside help to implement the project.
How will this project be maintained, and how will you ensure that students will
consistently work on the project? Will you need to pay students? Will you need to have a
department on campus take the project on long-term?
How much money will this project cost? Will there be any costs associated with
maintenance? Where will those funds come from? See the budgeting document to help you
determine the costs of your project.
It is also important to identify the broader significance of the project and to be aware of similar
projects in other places around the world. Be sure you are well informed on not only what has
previously been done in your subject area but the environmental impacts of those projects as
well.
Here is an example of background research for a project aimed at reducing the usage of
plastic bags in Tucson, Arizona:
Plastic Bags in Tucson, Arizona
Single-use, plastic bags are very harmful to the environment for various reasons. Plastic
production is extremely labor and resource intensive. Bags are often made from fossil fuels
or other non-renewable resources. They often are used for only a brief time and then
discarded. When discarded, plastic bags are often carried through the air and through
waterways to the ocean. In the ocean they get caught in gyres, big currents that trap the
plastic.
The largest and most studied
gyres are the North Pacific
Subtropical Gyre and the Great
Pacific Garbage patch. When
bags, plastics, and other trash
get stuck in these patches, they
photodegrade, meaning they
break down into small toxins.
Fish feed on the plastic thinking
that it is food. Since there are
almost 48,000 pieces of plastic
per square mile of ocean, it is
easy to understand why this is
becoming an issue in fishing
populations.
Plastic is made up of BPA and polyethylene, chemicals known to be harmful to humans.
When fish eat these, humans who eat fish are exposed to increasing levels of toxicity.
Although there is a need for plastic in society, single-use plastic is harmful to the environment,
especially since there are other means (canvas bags) to get the same task done.
Worldwide, many communities have banned plastic bags. Bhutan banned plastic bags as
part of their “Gross National Happiness” political philosophy. Ireland imposed a 22-cent fee on
plastic bags, allowing people to still have the option of using them. However the fee resulted
in a 90% reduction of plastic bag use.
In 2009, Tucson’s mayor and city council passed an ordinance requiring plastic bag donation
receptacles in most major grocers. In 2012, Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham presented
research on plastic bag related taxes, fees, and bans in all major cities in the United States to
Mayor and Council. As a result, Tucson passed a five-point plan requiring the city to record
plastic bag usage and revisit the issue in two years and Tucson established the B.Y.O.Bag
Tucson campaign.