Mini Proposal 1: Addressing “Food Deserts”
@Sean Yepez @Kevin Nicolas Haller
Enter a 1-paragraph Mini Proposal (<300 words) that describes: Food Oasis
- The Food Oasis is a prototype “food hub” with a community kitchen and three stalls for farmers to sell produce directly to consumers.
- The first Food Oasis will be constructed at University Ave. at Runnymede St, East Palo Alto, CA, USA. This location was chosen because it exemplifies a “food desert” as defined by the EPA.
- The purpose is to address the disparity in food resources on each side of the 101 highway, by supplying the freshest food and teaching residents how to prepare healthy and culturally appropriate food at home:
- Palo Alto, CA, USA, is wealthier and majority populated by mostly White (52.5%) and Asian (35.7%) - there are several weekly farmers’ markets exist in Palo Alto, as well as high-quality supermarkets like Draeger’s and Whole Foods
- East Palo Alto, CA, USA is mostly minority populated by Latines (59.9%) and Black (10.7%). There are four fast food restaurants, several taquerias, and convenience stores within a one mile radius of the proposed site.
- Resources from Dr. Ramírez:
- Mandela Grocery Cooperative in Oakland
- Project New Village - food hub in the making
- Food Shed Inc., San Diego
Mini Proposal 2: Farmworker Housing
Enter a 1-paragraph Mini Proposal (<300 words) that describes: Farmworker Housing
@Sean Yepez
- Farmworker Housing
- Mountain Mushroom Farm, Half Moon Bay, CA, USA
- Your General Objective / Purpose
- Whereas current accomodations include repurposed containers and broken down recreational vehicles, we seek to provide humane, safe, and cost-effective housing for farmworkers
- The structures would be high-density, easy to clean, and energy efficient
- The building would feature a community kitchen
- The walls would have antennas for strong WiFi access to reduce dependence on pay-as-you-go phone plans for migrant workers
- Tension between farmworkers and farmowners exacerbated and led to mass shootings in 2023 in this Half Moon Bay community
- Other effects of substandard housing includes increased sexual assults and illnesses from unhygenic kitchens
- Project draws upon $5M funds allocated for housing displaced Half Moon Bay shooting victims: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna87728
- https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy
- Effectiveness of H2-A visa program diminished due to requirement for compliance with housing standards standards for migrant workers:
Mini Proposal 3: Sustainable Farm Experience Center
Enter a 1-paragraph Mini Proposal (<300 words) that describes: Sustainable Farm Experience Center
@Eugenie Lee
- Your Space
The Sustainable Farm Experience Center will be established on a working farm, where cows will be fed seaweed, known to mitigate methane gas production during digestion. Additionally, the barn floor will be equipped with piezoelectric sensors, harnessing the energy generated by cattle movement as a form of sustainable power generation.
- Your Community
The center will be open to the public, attracting local community members and tourists alike. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience feeding seaweed to cows and witness firsthand the generation of electricity through walking on the barn floor. The center aims to stimulate economic activity in the surrounding area by encouraging eco-tourism and supporting local businesses.
- Your General Objective / Purpose
The main objective of the Sustainable Farm Experience Center is to showcase innovative and sustainable farming practices while reducing pollution generated by traditional farming methods. By raising awareness about methane reduction through seaweed consumption and self-generation of electricity from cattle movement, we aim to inspire both farmers and the wider community to adopt eco-friendly techniques. Furthermore, by promoting a positive image of the farming industry through its sustainable initiatives, the center seeks to enhance the community's perception of agriculture and its impact on the environment.
Mini Proposal 4: Cow Manure Processing
@Kevin Nicolas Haller
- Building feature / physical intervention
- Problem: Cow Manure bad for the environment and major pollutant.
- Greener Alternative to Factory Farms
- Consists of a Corn Field, A Cow Factory Farm with a grate system that allows manure to fall through, A Manure Processor, and a retrofitted tractor.
- Capture and process methane from cow manure to power tractors and make cleaner fertilizer.
- Manure processing utilizes the methane gases to create a usable product and not let escape into emissions, could save 26%(enteric fermentation)+10%(manure) of methane emissions
- Potential facilities located near several farms or a service to pick up manure from farms.
- Government funded and farm owners can get money back from their gas sales
- https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/documents/us-ghg-inventory-2021-chapter-5-agriculture.pdf
- https://ourworldindata.org/agricultural-land-by-global-diets
- https://www.iea.org/news/methane-emissions-remained-stubbornly-high-in-2022-even-as-soaring-energy-prices-made-actions-to-reduce-them-cheaper-than-ever
- https://www.epa.gov/gmi/importance-methane#:~:text=Methane is the second most,trapping heat in the atmosphere.