This thesis discusses the importance and impact of preserving Italian culture, food traditions, and local identity. Reflecting on a year spent in Italy during the 2021-2022 academic school year, the author explores the significance and preservation of Italian culture, food traditions, and local identities. The thesis identifies three compelling rationales for their preservation: the health benefits derived from traditional practices, the positive environmental implications of maintaining biodiversity and sustainable methods, and the societal advantages of connected communities fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Then, this thesis will examine how the nonprofit organization Slow Food, renowned for its commitment to preserving culinary heritage, raises awareness about the imperative need for preservation and education. The organization's core principles and ongoing initiatives serve as a model for championing these essential causes. Using academic analyses of the intersection between food and culture, this thesis establishes a comprehensive analysis of their connection and the significance of their preservation. This thesis draws on diverse sources, including the author's personal experiences during their study-abroad program in Italy. Through these lenses, the paper underscores the critical importance of upholding Italian culture and food traditions amidst evolving global food systems.

Cities in the Global South face rapid urbanization challenges and often suffer an acute lack of infrastructure and governance capacities. Smart Cities Mission, in India, launched in 2015, aims to offer a novel approach for urban renewal of 100 cities following an area‐based development approach, where the use of ICT and digital technologies is particularly emphasized. This article presents a critical review of the design and implementation framework of this new urban renewal program across selected case‐study cities. The article examines the claims of the so‐called “smart cities” against actual urban transformation on‐ground and evaluates how “inclusive” and “sustainable” these developments are. We quantify the scale and coverage of the smart city urban renewal projects in the cities to highlight who the program includes and excludes. The article also presents a statistical analysis of the sectoral focus and budgetary allocations of the projects under the Smart Cities Mission to find an inherent bias in these smart city initiatives in terms of which types of development they promote and the ones it ignores. The findings indicate that a predominant emphasis on digital urban renewal of selected precincts and enclaves, branded as “smart cities,” leads to deepening social polarization and gentrification. The article offers crucial urban planning lessons for designing ICT‐driven urban renewal projects, while addressing critical questions around inclusion and sustainability in smart city ventures.`

New Leaf was founded with the mission to address the environmental, health, and sustainability consequences of paper production today. We explored the sourcing and foundations of paper needs, supporting our assumption that paper can be created from agricultural waste. We solidified a business plan using agricultural waste after considerable sourcing research and expert and consumerism input. We determined that using forest foliage that is a potential fire hazard from a national forest could be used as a source to make alternative paper as well as contribute to sustainability efforts.