Professional Foundations | Week 3 Milestone Worksheet

Week 3 Milestone Worksheet

Instructions: Provide responses to all items in the boxes. The worksheet

consists of Sections A-E. Work on this worksheet one section at a time
throughout your week, and return to Savanna after each section for the
next set of content and further instructions.

SECTION A: Problem Statement

Step 1: Your GCGO
Which Grand Challenge or Great Opportunity (GCGO) do you want to play a part in
addressing? (Pick one.)

As a reminder, the GCGOs are:

● Urbanization ● Agriculture

● Education ● Natural resources

● Infrastructure ● Arts, culture, and design

● Healthcare ● Tourism

● Climate change ● Empowerment of women

● Governance ● Regional integration

● Job creation ● Wildlife conservation

GCGO: Climate change

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Step 2: Describe Your Problem

You are going to take a first pass at briefly describing your chosen problem. This can
be any problem that speaks to you, as long as it is a real-life occurrence that is
clearly linked to your chosen GCGO, that occurs in a certain place and for certain
people (and/or animals), and that it can be clearly defined.

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For example, if you chose wildlife conservation as your GCGO, you might first state
your chosen problem as:

There are very few white rhinos left in Kenya, and they are in danger of becoming
extinct.
Another example is if you choose infrastructure as your GCGO:

Residents of major cities in South Africa endure prolonged periods without

electricity, significantly hampering their ability to generate income.

Note that this is just your first attempt at stating the problem, and you don’t need to
quantify it yet. In order to get to your official problem statement (which does need to
be quantifiable), first answer the following questions. The more specific your answers,
the better. You may also ask Google, Wikipedia, ChatGPT, and/or other reliable online
sources to help you. Please be sure to cite (give credit to) any sources that you use.

Describe your problem using What/Who/When/Where/Why/How….

1. What is the problem? What is reality like because of this problem? What will
the reality be like if the problem continues?

The problem is the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events
like hurricanes, floods, and droughts, all intensified by climate change. Today's
reality includes the widespread destruction of homes, loss of livelihoods, and
displacement of communities. If the problem persists, the reality will be even
more severe, with rising sea levels submerging coastal cities, food shortages due
to disrupted agriculture, and more conflicts over dwindling resources.

2. Who does this problem impact, directly and indirectly? Who contributes to
the problem?

This problem especially affects vulnerable populations such as low income

communities, farmers, and coastal residents who are not well positioned to

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manage climate change. Indirectly it impacts everyone by disrupting the

economy, through more migration, and shortages of food and water on a global
scale. The contributors to the problem are industries that rely on fossil fuels,
deforestation activities, and unsustainable agricultural practices, along with
those with high carbon footprints.

3. When did this problem begin? When does it occur?

This problem started with the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, when
greenhouse gas emissions began to soar. But its effects have been more
pronounced in recent decades because of accelerated warming around the
planet. There are extreme weather events for all seasons, but they seem to be
happening more often and with more intensity during certain seasons — hurricane
seasons, dry spells, etc.

4. Where is this problem occurring? What is the context in which it occurs?

It's a global phenomenon, but it is affecting certain areas more than others. Thus
small island states like Maldives are existentially threatened by rising sea levels
while sub- for example Saharan Africa experiences extended drought. Native lands
are not isolated from this context of geographic vulnerability, economic inequities,
and differences in preparedness to prevent and adapt to climate change.

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5. Why is this a problem? What are the pain points or gaps? Why do you
personally care about this problem?

Unsustainable nature loss and degradation is an issue because it undermines

ecosystems, human lives and global stability. Pain points include poor
infrastructure that can’t withstand extreme weather; insufficient funding for climate
adaptation in developing countries, and sluggish global policy responses. Because
this issue lies closest to my heart; it is one that disproportionately impacts the most
vulnerable of us all, one where I firmly believe action is critical for the future health
of our planet and subsequently future generations.

6. How would reality be different if this problem were solved? (This can be
your opinion.)

Were this problem to be solved, reality would look much different. We would be
better able to weather natural disasters, food and water security would be greatly
enhanced, and biodiversity would flourish. Global economies would settle down,
and the cooperation between nations would increase to keep Mother Earth thriving.
Personally I dream of the world in which we live and coexist with nature, and in
which the future generations inherit a healthier, fairer planet.

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Step 3: Understand and Quantify Your Problem

Next, you will conduct some basic web research to better understand, define, and
quantify your problem. You will do this through a combination of Google search,
Wikipedia, credible web sources, ChatGPT or other AI research tools, and your own
synthesis of information from these sources. Be sure to give credit to your sources,
and paraphrase (use your own words) rather than quoting directly.

7. What is the historical context for this problem? What happened in the past
that contributes to the problem now?

That historical context of climate change is rooted as far back as the Industrial
Revolution in the 18th century, when the mining of coal, oil, and gas was first used to
release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere on a
large scale. Industrialization, deforestation and agricultural expansion have vastly
increased emissions over time. The failure to act or acknowledge the problem until
further along allowed the issue to expand without inhibition, resulting in today's
environmental disaster.

8. What are the possible economic (money-related) reasons why this

problem exists and continues?

These include: economic factors such as fossil fuels, which dominate energy use in
much of the world, as they have higher energy density and are easily accessible
than green energy. Industries like oil, gas, and manufacturing value profit more
than sustainability, and switching to cleaner options usually needs big initial
money investment. Furthermore, (financial) resources may be lacking to invest in
technologies for climate mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.

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9. What are the possible political reasons why this problem exists and
continues?

Politically, fossil fuel industries lobby policymakers to keep policies from getting too
restrictive on the environment. Countries with conflicting national interests
sometimes prioritize economic growth over climate protection. Moreover, various
international treaties such as the Paris Agreement face difficulties in
implementation and require agreement on targets.

10. What cultural beliefs and/or social norms possibly contribute to this
problem?

Consumerism is responsible for climate change in many different ways - such as

the high levels of resource production and waste which go with it. In some cases,
people are simply unaware that their everyday actions have an effect on the
environment. They might burn a lot of unnecessary energy or find themselves using
single-use plastics rather than carrying around more permanent containers for
liquids. Also, certain cultures hold to practices like deforestation in order to carry on
agriculture .

11. Who are the people potentially responsible (directly or indirectly) for
creating and/or maintaining this problem?

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Directly responsible parties include fossil fuel companies, industrial

polluters, and individuals with high carbon footprints. Indirectly responsible
parties include governments that fail to enforce environmental regulations,
consumers who prioritize convenience over sustainability, and industries
that rely on unsustainable practices.

Now that you have the preliminary information you need, you’ll continue your web
research to find some numbers, or quantifiable information, to help describe your
problem:

What numerical data can you find that is relevant to your problem? Be sure to use
your own words and also cite (give credit to) your sources.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) asserts that global

temperatures have risen by approximately 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era,
mostly due to human action (IPCC, 2021).

According to the World Bank, climate change could cause a further 100 million
people to fall into poverty as of 2030 with no changes in policy (World Bank in
2020).

In 2022, the total global emissions of CO₂ reached 36.8 billion metric tons, led by
China, the United States and India among emitters (Global Carbon Project, 2022).

Example 1:

According to Chat GPT, there are about 880 white rhinos currently living in Kenya.
This population is very small, and they are critically endangered.

Example 2:

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Johannesburg has approximately 5.8 million residents (per ChatGPT) and had
approximately 4.7 million international overnight visitors in 2019 (according to the
South African Tourism Annual Report for 2019/2020).

12. Approximately how many people (and/or animals) are directly impacted
by this problem? Explain.

The increase in sea levels is likely to displace the population of more than 1 billion
residents of low-lying coastal areas. Equally, millions of farmers stand a chance
of losing their crops to failed rains and livestock through inconsistent weather
changes. Even wildlife has not been spared as polar bears and coral reefs are
facing extinction due to habitat loss and ocean acidification.

13. Approximately how many people (and/or animals) are indirectly

impacted by this problem? Explain.

Indirectly, it affects almost every population of humans in the world through

economic instability, shortage of food and water, and increase in natural
disasters. As an example, disruption of agriculture may lead to high prices of food,
thereby affecting billions of people in the world.

14. What other numerical data can you share that is relevant to your problem?
What can you find out about its size and scope? What can be measured?
(For example, the amount of trash produced in Nairobi each day, the
number of people without access to clean water, etc.)

Whereas the Arctic is warming at a rate twice as fast as the rest of the world,
there has been a 13% decline in Arctic sea ice per decade. (NASA, 2021)

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In 2020 alone, natural disasters accounted for $210 billion in economic losses
globally, many of which were climate-related. (Munich Re, 2021)

About 11% of the world's population, or around 800 million people, are presently
vulnerable to the various impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat,
flooding, and drought. (IPCC, 2021).

Step 4: Describe Your Solved State

Without having to come up with how to solve the problem, describe what the desired,
solved state looks like. Please use numbers wherever possible, and make your solved
state-specific and measurable.

Example 1:

There would be a population of 10,000 healthy and protected white rhinos living in
the wild in Kenya.

Example 2:

All 5.8 million residents of Johannesburg would have affordable and consistently
available power from clean energy sources, 99.5% of the time.

15. If the problem were addressed/solved, what would reality be like?

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If climate change were resolved and hence overcome, reality would most
likely shift on many positive fronts:

● stable climate-the Earth's climate would stabilize, not experiencing

the extremity of weather events like hurricanes, floods, and
heatwaves. This in turn will make living easier and less precarious for
everybody everywhere in the world.
● Healthier Ecosystems: Biodiversity would be preserved, and
ecosystems would recover and thrive. This would not only be a boon
to wildlife but also to human societies that depend on healthy
ecosystems for food, water, and other resources.
● Improved Air and Water Quality: The consequent reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions would further cut down air pollution,
improving respiratory health and reducing the rate of premature
deaths. Cleaner water sources would also emerge from reduced
pollution and better land management practices.
● Lower Economic Costs: The economic costs of rebuilding from
climate-related disasters or relocating communities would decrease.
New industries in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and
green technology would emerge, along with increased jobs and
entrepreneurship.
● Global Cooperation: Success with taking on climate change will
require unprecedented global cooperation-which may just lead to
better international relationships and a more concerted approach to
solving other global problems.
● Social Equity: Besides, tackling climate change would also involve the
addressing of social inequalities, as it is the vulnerable communities
that bear the most significant brunt of climate impacts. Solutions
would likely include measures to ensure fair access to resources and
opportunities for all.

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16. Are there other benefits that would come from your problem being solved?
Name at least one.

Another critical extra advantage that would be considered added value to

the resolution of climate change is energy independence and security.
Transitioning into renewable sources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric
power, reduces dependence on the fossil fuel sources concentrated in
politically unstable regions, thereby improving national security and
lessening the chance of wars over energy resources.In general, a zero-
climate-change world would be more sustainable, more equitable, and
more resilient, offering a quality of life that is better both now and in the
future.

Step 5: Clarify Your Problem Scope

You are more effective at solving a problem when you know where its limits are. That
is, when you know what is “in scope” and “out of scope.” For this reason, it is
important to list what is out of scope, or NOT included as part of your problem
definition.

Example 1:

The scope of the problem does not cover any other animal species besides white
rhinos. It does not include white rhinos outside of Kenya.

Example 2:

The scope of the problem does not include any businesses or people outside of the
legally-defined Johannesburg city limits. It does not apply to tourists or visitors
staying for less than 1 year in Johannesburg.

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17. What is NOT in the scope of your problem?

The problem's scope is specified not to include the following:

● Climatic events in history that took place prior to the Industrial Revolution -
these were mainly natural and not due to human influence.
● Personal individual choices pertaining to lifestyle, which are too small to
affect the global level of emissions, such as the use of personal transport in
a sparsely populated area.
● Impacts of climate change on other planets or bodies, as only Earth is taken
into consideration.
● Advanced technologies are still at an experimental stage and not yet
applied to large-scale uses, including geoengineering solutions.
● Local environmental problems unrelated to global climate change, such as
small-scale deforestation not related to industrial activities.
● Political or economic systems in countries which contribute minimally to
global greenhouse gas emissions, unless they are directly affected by
climate change impacts.

Step 6: Areas for Learning

What do you not know or understand that you would like to know more about? This
can be anything related directly or indirectly to your problem. Let your curiosity run
wild!

Example 1:

I’d like to know where most of the demand for rhino horn is coming from. I’d like to
know who are the primary buyers and who is behind the trafficking of rhino horn. I’d
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like to know how long the average rhino’s lifespan is. I’d like to know how many
babies a typical female rhino has, and how many babies typically survive into
adulthood. I’d like to know more about what diseases impact rhinos. I’d like to know
more about the kinds of habitats that rhinos thrive in. I’d like to understand what
international organizations do the best job supporting wildlife conservation and
what their practices are. I’d like to know what models of community involvement
have been most successful in keeping wildlife safe and thriving. I’d like to
understand how much land is available in Kenya for rhinos to roam.

Example 2:

I’d like to better understand the utility company Eskom and its history. I’d like to
understand why Eksom has failed to plan properly to update its infrastructure. I’d
like to understand the relationship between Eksom and the South African
government. I’d like to know if there are private utility companies providing
competition to Eksom. I’d like to know what the latest breakthroughs are in solar
power. I’d like to know what other possible energy sources might be made available
in Johannesburg. I’d like to know how much energy tourists and temporary visitors
use. I’d like to better understand the process of how limited energy supply gets
allocated to people and businesses. I’d like to better understand the economic
impact on people and businesses of not having power.

18. What else would you like to know or understand better? (It can be anything
related to your problem.) List 5-10 things.

Here are areas I’d like to explore further related to climate change, ranging from
technical and scientific aspects to social, economic, and political dimensions:

● Behavioral Change: How does individual and collective behavioral change

happen in the case of climate action? What triggers psychological, cultural,
and economic ways of encouraging people to be more sustainable?
● Renewable Energy Storage: I’d like to learn about the latest advancements
in energy storage technologies, such as batteries and other methods, to
address the intermittency of renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

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What breakthroughs are on the horizon?

● Climate Justice: I would like to understand how climate change affects the
poorest and most vulnerable sections of society, and what policy or
framework has been most efficacious in the pursuit of equity. How do we
make sure climate solutions are fair and inclusive?
● Economic Transition: I’d like to learn more about how economies dependent
on fossil fuels can transition to green economies without causing
widespread unemployment or economic instability. What are the best
practices for a just transition?
● Climate Communication: I’d like to understand how to effectively
communicate the urgency of climate change to diverse audiences,
including skeptics. What messaging strategies are most impactful in driving
action?
● Role of Indigenous Knowledge: How can indigenous knowledge and
practices meaningfully help to contribute toward the climate solution?
What are some key things to be learnt from their indigenous land
management and conservation practices?
● Impact on Oceans: How is ocean ecosystems' health being impacted due
to climate change, such as in coral reef degradation, marine biodiversity,
and ocean acidification? What are the most efficient ways to safeguard
and restore health to oceans?
●
● Global Governance: I’d like to learn more about the role of international
organizations, treaties, and agreements in addressing climate change.
What are the biggest barriers to global cooperation, and how can they be
overcome?

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Step 7: Problem Statement

This step is the culmination of all you have done in Part A. You will synthesize the work
you have done above to create a problem statement of 150 - 250 words. This should
be in narrative form, 2-4 paragraphs, and should NOT use bullet points.

Your problem statement should:

● Provide a succinct description of the problem in the first sentence.

● Indicate the specific population affected

● Explain the impact (cost, time, environmental, personal) and why the problem
matters.

● Explain what reality would be like if the problem were solved. The gap between
present reality and the desired outcome should be clear.

Please cite (give credit to) where your information came from directly in your
statement. Avoid word-for-word quoting and instead paraphrase (use your own
words), as modeled in the example. Also, list your sources and their URLs (web
addresses) at the end.

Example :

Kenya’s white rhinos are in critical danger of extinction. There are currently about
880 white rhinos in the country of Kenya, per Wikipedia. According to Chat GPT,

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Rhinos are considered a keystone species, meaning they have a disproportionately

large impact on their ecosystem compared to their population size. Rhinos help
shape their environment by influencing vegetation growth and acting as seed
dispersers, which creates habitat for other species (per ChatGPT).

The extinction of white rhinos would have cascading effects on other plant and
animal species in their habitat. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, rhinos’
presence in reserves and parks brings millions of tourists each year, contributing to
local economies and supporting conservation efforts. Once a species goes extinct, it
is gone forever. The extinction of rhinos would represent the loss of millions of years
of evolutionary history and unique genetic diversity that science has yet to fully
understand and benefit from (per ChatGPT).

My problem would be considered solved when the population of wild, white rhinos in
Kenya reaches 10,000, and when all imminent threats to their population including
poaching and habitat destruction are not present. If this were the reality, it would
create ecosystem balance, create large revenues from ecotourism, preserve
important cultural symbols, and allow for genetic diversity that could benefit
humanity in ways we may not yet fully understand.

Sources:

Kenya Wildlife Services Annual Report 2017, https://www.kws.go.ke/content/annual-

reports

ChatGPT, https://chat.openai.com/

“White Rhinoceros”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rhinoceros

19. My problem is statement is:

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20. Please list all sources that you used to form your problem statement:

Please go back to Savanna and continue with your learning

content. You will be prompted on when to return to complete
Section B.

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SECTION B: Research Questions & Hypothesis

IMPORTANT: Complete this section AFTER completing the Savanna Modules Asking
Effective Questions and conducting web research.

Step 8: Research Questions

Based on what you have learned so far and on ‘Step 6: Areas for Learning’ from this
worksheet, come up with 3 research questions. Research questions should be
complex enough that they can’t be answered by a single Google search. If
appropriate, form a hypothesis that your research may confirm or reject. (As a
reminder, a hypothesis is a prediction of how you think your research will answer your
research question. It is your best guess. If you truly have absolutely no idea, state “not
applicable.”)

Example Research Question #1:

What are some ways can we increase rhino populations?

Hypothesis:

Rhino populations will increase by creating more open spaces for them to roam,
increasing their protection, increasing international interest in them, and for other
reasons, I have yet to uncover.

Example Research Question #2:

Which organizations have been effective at wildlife conservation and what practices
do they use?

Hypothesis:

Not applicable; I don’t know.

Example Research Question #3:

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How many babies can a typical female white rhino have in her lifetime, and what
are the reasons a female may not have high fertility?

Hypothesis:

A typical female white rhino can have 5 babies in her lifetime, and fertility may be
affected by diet, amount of grazing territory, poaching, stress, mate availability, and
other reasons I have yet to uncover.

21. Research question #1:

Hypothesis (if applicable):

22. Research question #2:

Hypothesis (if applicable):

23. Research question #3:

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Hypothesis (if applicable):

Please go back to Savanna and continue with your learning content.

You will be prompted on when to return to complete Section C.

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PART C: Peer Activity Report

IMPORTANT: Complete this section AFTER completing the Savanna Lessons “Hub
Activity: Problem Statement” and “Hub Activity: Web Research.”

Peer Activity #1: Problem Statement

Please report on your process of getting peer feedback.

24. Who reviewed your problem statement (item #19)? (Give the first and last
names of your 2 peers.)

25. In brief, what feedback did they give to you?

26. Was their feedback useful to you? Did it feel kind? Why or why not?

27. Who did you give feedback to? (Give the first and last names of 2 peers-
they may be the same or different peers from above.)

28. Do you feel that you gave useful and kind feedback to your peers? Why or
why not?

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After you updated earlier parts of the worksheet based on your

feedback, please go back to Savanna and continue with your
learning content. Return to Part E prior to submitting your
milestone.

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PART D: Daily 3 Challenge Report

Please answer the following questions honestly. There are no wrong answers! This is
your opportunity for self-reflection.

29. How many days out of the past 7 did you do 20 minutes of movement?

30. How many days out of the past 7 did you write 3-morning pages?

31. Overall, how do you feel you are doing on building your Daily 3 habits?
Explain.

32. What is your biggest barrier to staying motivated?

33. If you have been practicing at least some movement and/or morning
pages:

A) What effect (if any) have you noticed on your mood, focus, and

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productivity?

B) What helps you stay motivated?

34. If you haven’t been practicing any movement and morning pages, what
would motivate you to get started?

Once you have completed this worksheet:

1. Export/convert to .pdf.
2. Rename it per the instructions.
3. Upload to Savanna as your Milestone 3 Submission.
4. Celebrate a job well done!

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