Difference between revisions of "Team:CU Boulder/Outreach"

Line 13: Line 13:
 
background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  #93d365 19%,#cce9af 40%,#93d365 66%,#c7eab3 98%); /* W3C */
 
background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  #93d365 19%,#cce9af 40%,#93d365 66%,#c7eab3 98%); /* W3C */
 
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#93d365', endColorstr='#c7eab3',GradientType=0 ); /* IE6-9 */
 
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#93d365', endColorstr='#c7eab3',GradientType=0 ); /* IE6-9 */
 +
}
 +
 +
.black_box {
 +
    background-color: black;
 
}
 
}
  
Line 21: Line 25:
 
<!-- Content goes between the article tags -->
 
<!-- Content goes between the article tags -->
 
  <article>
 
  <article>
−
<h1>Outreach</h1>
+
<h1>Call to Action</h1>
−
  <p>The Fact Sphere is the most intelligent sphere. The Fact Sphere is the most handsome sphere. The Fact Sphere is incredibly handsome. The Fact Sphere is always right. The Adventure Sphere is a blowhard and a coward. The Space Sphere will never go to spacer. Fact: Space does not exist. Spheres that insist on going into space are inferior to spheres that don’t. The Fact Sphere is a good person, whose insights are relevant. The Fact Sphere is a good sphere, with many friends. Whoever wins this battle is clearly superior, and will earn the allegiance of the Fact Sphere.</p>
+
  <p>In June 2015, a conflict began in Littleton, Colorado between a credit card
−
+
manufacturing center and residents of the surrounding areas. Allegations
 +
relating to unlawful naphthalene pollution jeopardizing community health
 +
brought fear to the community. The company struggled to maintain a good
 +
relationship with the community and to justify that there was no wrongdoing,
 +
while the community feared for the safety of their families. Our iGEM team
 +
saw an opportunity to step in and use the biotechnology we have developed
 +
to provide a resolution that would satisfy both parties.</p>
 +
 
 +
<h1>The Company...</h1>
 +
<p>CPI Card Group is an international company with headquarters located southwest of Littleton, Colorado. They
 +
specialize in production of credit, debit, and gift cards to supply to some of the world’s largest banks and
 +
distributors. Part of the manufacturing process includes printing the cards with ink that contains naphthalene.
 +
CPI is not alone in their use of naphthalene-containing ink. In fact, the majority of water-based industrial inks
 +
contain naphthalene or its derivatives as a component. CPI, while not disclosing specific methods used to
 +
manage naphthalene management, insists that their pollution levels are well within environmental regulation.
 +
</p>
 +
 
 +
<h1>...vs. the Community</h1>
 +
<p>The Ken Caryl Ranch community is a mid-sized neighborhood in
 +
Littleton, Colorado. Its 25,000 residents live among many community
 +
parks, schools, shopping centers, and a large business park. The business
 +
park hosts a wide variety of businesses, including many in the health and
 +
hospitality sector, several engineering companies, and only a handful in
 +
the manufacturing industry. Locals generally consider it to be an
 +
extremely safe and healthy environment, however some residents tend to
 +
disagree.</p>
 +
<p>CU Boulder iGEM interviewed two families, who wish to remain
 +
anonymous, that have claimed to smell naphthalene in the air sourced
 +
from the CPI headquarters buildings. Many are concerned about the
 +
threat of contamination in their community, as both families insist that
 +
the smell is too strong to be healthy. In an effort to rally support for their
 +
cause, they spread word throughout the community and requested a
 +
public forum with CPI in search of a response to their concerns.</p>
 +
 
 +
<!---------- images ----------->
 +
 
 +
<h1>Questions Unanswered at a Public Forum</h1>
 +
<p>Nearly 2 months after complaints began, CPI agreed to host a community meeting where local business owners
 +
and residents would attend to address allegations of naphthalene contamination. Several community members
 +
spoke, noting the concerns that naphthalene may have to their health, educating fellow residents about organ
 +
damage caused by the chemical. CPI acknowledged that they use naphthalene in manufacturing, but asserted
 +
that they measure their own pollution levels and have found them to be well within the EPA’s standards. CPI
 +
never disclosed the exact levels of naphthalene released, nor did they suggest they would change their
 +
behavior, leaving a sour-taste in mouths of attendees. Before abruptly ending the meeting, CPI declared that
 +
they will no longer entertain any further complaints or concerns regarding the issue. Both sides left feeling
 +
dissatisfied, both with unmet needs:</p>
  
 +
<div class="black_box">
 +
    <h1>A Unique Application of CU Boulder’s Fracking Biosensors</h1>
  
 +
</div>
  
 
</article>
 
</article>

Revision as of 05:29, 12 August 2015


<!DOCTYPE html> Team:CU_Boulder - 2015.igem.org

Call to Action

In June 2015, a conflict began in Littleton, Colorado between a credit card manufacturing center and residents of the surrounding areas. Allegations relating to unlawful naphthalene pollution jeopardizing community health brought fear to the community. The company struggled to maintain a good relationship with the community and to justify that there was no wrongdoing, while the community feared for the safety of their families. Our iGEM team saw an opportunity to step in and use the biotechnology we have developed to provide a resolution that would satisfy both parties.

The Company...

CPI Card Group is an international company with headquarters located southwest of Littleton, Colorado. They specialize in production of credit, debit, and gift cards to supply to some of the world’s largest banks and distributors. Part of the manufacturing process includes printing the cards with ink that contains naphthalene. CPI is not alone in their use of naphthalene-containing ink. In fact, the majority of water-based industrial inks contain naphthalene or its derivatives as a component. CPI, while not disclosing specific methods used to manage naphthalene management, insists that their pollution levels are well within environmental regulation.

...vs. the Community

The Ken Caryl Ranch community is a mid-sized neighborhood in Littleton, Colorado. Its 25,000 residents live among many community parks, schools, shopping centers, and a large business park. The business park hosts a wide variety of businesses, including many in the health and hospitality sector, several engineering companies, and only a handful in the manufacturing industry. Locals generally consider it to be an extremely safe and healthy environment, however some residents tend to disagree.

CU Boulder iGEM interviewed two families, who wish to remain anonymous, that have claimed to smell naphthalene in the air sourced from the CPI headquarters buildings. Many are concerned about the threat of contamination in their community, as both families insist that the smell is too strong to be healthy. In an effort to rally support for their cause, they spread word throughout the community and requested a public forum with CPI in search of a response to their concerns.

Questions Unanswered at a Public Forum

Nearly 2 months after complaints began, CPI agreed to host a community meeting where local business owners and residents would attend to address allegations of naphthalene contamination. Several community members spoke, noting the concerns that naphthalene may have to their health, educating fellow residents about organ damage caused by the chemical. CPI acknowledged that they use naphthalene in manufacturing, but asserted that they measure their own pollution levels and have found them to be well within the EPA’s standards. CPI never disclosed the exact levels of naphthalene released, nor did they suggest they would change their behavior, leaving a sour-taste in mouths of attendees. Before abruptly ending the meeting, CPI declared that they will no longer entertain any further complaints or concerns regarding the issue. Both sides left feeling dissatisfied, both with unmet needs:

A Unique Application of CU Boulder’s Fracking Biosensors

Team:CU-Boulder - 2015.igem.org