Urban Algorithm - Zach Rocchino

For my Urban Algorithm mini-project, I decided to check out the Pennypack Nature Preserve on Terwood and Creek roads in Huntingdon Valley. I wanted to take a look at the way in which people exert their effect on this peaceful, quiet natural place.

My rules were as follows:

1. Scan the ground for cigarette butts and walk over to them
2. Take a picture of the object/area that the cigarette butt was on or near
3. Multiple cigarette butts around an object means you must take multiple pictures

The first thing I noticed was that people seemed drawn to trees when engaging in their smoking and tossing of the butt. It is also interesting to note that most of these trees were oaks.

Smokers also seemed drawn to large patches of grass. Many butts were found scattered amongst the grass.
Also, smokers seemed drawn to places where one could sit down, as evidenced by the stump and picnic table.
Seeing how many cigarette butts were littered around the landscape made me realize how many people had been through the trails I was walking on. I found myself wondering what was going through their heads as their were smoking and what possessed them to influence this natural environment with something so unnatural and manmade. What does that imply? It's definitely something to think about.