Final Blog: Reflection

During this project we have learned many new things about the environment.  We learned that our wonderful school used to be green pastures, and now is a busy campus.  We learned that Mother Nature is not to be tempered.  We learned that there are extreme ways to go green, then there are those easy, everyday ways.  We learned of alternate sources of energy that work just as well as the current ones.  We learned of some of the greenest campuses in America, go Elon!  We learned simple and cheap ways to save energy. 

We've also learned that big time companies that fuel the economy, can make big time mistakes that hurt the environment.  We've learned that not everyone wants to go green.  We've learned that words can deceive people who are not educated in the ways of a "Green" world. 

And we've taught.  We've taught the people who have read this blog what we've learned.  And most importantly we've learned that we can make a difference.

       Signing off,

        The Green Musketeers

Oil Watch: Day 6

New developments on the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico:

1. The cutoff valve that was meant to prevent oil from spewing out of the earth has been said to be unreliable... Great.
2. The BOP or Blowout Preventer that should clog the spill have been found unreliable at other spills since government regulation has gone down in the previous years
3. The containment dome has been lowered into the water to stop the spill!
4. Coast Guard continues to burn the oil

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/oil-spill-map.htm

Claire                                                                                                               

Energy Calculator

Hey Y'all!

So I found this really cool website that Chevron has created called, "Energy Calculator." This site is really helpful in order for the public to actually see the importance and the positive reuslts of saving energy. The site does this through a dynamic website that shows the different things that one can do if they save x amount of energy or do a certain thing only a certain number of times a week.

For example, the site states that if a person carpools with a friend only one time a week, you will save enough energy to re-charge your laptop 115 times! It then says that if 1,000 people did the same the amount of energy saved would equal the energy that a car uses for an entire year!

Chevron believes that this is a creative way through which people can learn about energy consumption. They also believe that this is a proper educational tool because it shows the different equivalents of energy consunption through different things that we use on a daily basis.

I encourage all of you to take a look at this site. You will definitely be surprised at the amount of energy a simple thing like chargin a computer takes!

Here is the site: http://willyoujoinus.com/usingenergywisely/energygenerator/?gclid=CIOt97ybw6ECFddR2godqg5b-A

Peace man,
Fiona Alfaro

get involved

Now that we've become more environmentally aware, it is time to take action and get involved. We can preserve our environment individually or through group efforts, and every little bit counts. Here are five easy ways from thedailygreen.com to jump start your new green way of life:

1. Always use reusable bags when shopping, not only does this help the environment but it looks better too! No more ugly, breaking paper or plastic bags, and on to well designed, stylish, and reusable bags. Also, when running errands make sure to do them all at once in order to conserve fuel. Maybe try a store with everything you need rather than driving to several different locations.

2.  Cut down on your energy use. Learn to relay on sunlight during the day, unplug appliances and other electronics when they aren't in use, and make sure to always turn off the light when leaving the room. By saving electricity, you're also going to save a lot of money.

3. Use less gas. Again by saving gas, you're also saving money. Make sure you're car is in good shape, and avoid extra acceleration and breaking. Cut down on your car travel, walk and bike if possible.

4. Try to eat locally. By eating locally produced foods you are not only helping local farmers, but also are eating fresher foods, and you're cutting down on the fuel used for transportation.

5. Last but not least, adopt a reusable water bottle. Most tap water is proven to be just as clean as bottled water, and again, by not buying plastic water-bottles you are saving more than just the environment. SIGG makes a line of colorful and cool stainless steel water-bottles that keep your drink ice cold!

Hopefully these tips seem doable! Good Luck!

--Steffi

Oil Watch: Day 4

Crews are still trying to stop the oil from spreading in the Gulf of Mexico, so here are new developments:

1. BP plans on drilling "relief wells" under the current well that is spewing out gallons and gallons of oil each day in order to relieve some of the pressure.
2. A possibility that the oil spill will drift toward the Atlantic Ocean - a "nightmare scenario"
3. Total amount of oil spilled each day increased to 210,000 gallons, which equals 21 tracker-trailers carrying oil

The President has put all the clean-up efforts on BP (The owner of the drill that exploded and caused the disaster)

For articles on the Oil Spill visit:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-05-01-oil-spill_N.htm?csp=obinsite
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-04-26-oil-leak_N.htm?csp=obinsite
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/04/oil-spill-could-sink-obamas-offshore-drilling-plan/1?csp=obnetwork

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/oil-spill-map.htm

                  -Claire

Global Warming Is Here To Stay

     Global warming is here and it is here to stay until we as humans decide to finally do something about it. It is a known fact that our temperatures are rising due to the high amounts of greenhouse gases emitted into our atmosphere each and every day. This human-induced climate change has many detrimental consequences that we are facing. As members of our planet, it is our responsibility to commit ourselves to helping this problem. We have developed the technology that can aid us in this problem, but we need to dedicate ourselves before anything can improve. If we want our future generations to enjoy the quality of life that we have been able to, we need to make sacrifices to ensure this opportunity.

Oil Watch: Day 3

Here's an update on the GIANT oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico:

1. SUCCESSFUL CONTROLLED BURN OF OIL!!!!!
2. The Giant "100-ton contraption" to funnel oil out of the hole in the earth's crust where it's spewing is in transit from 50 miles away on a barge!  The problem, this is only a short-term solution :(
3. Obama says that BP is in charge of the clean up
4. "The Pentagon on Tuesday said it would approve mobilizing up to 17,500 National Guard troops to help Gulf Coast states with the oil spill."

USA Today Article
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-05-04-oil-spill_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Here's a progressive picture of the spill:

For more pictures like this visit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/oil-spill-map.htm

Claire                                                                                                  

Great Study Aborad Programs also Equals Great Carbon Emissions

      Yesterday in class we discussed the concept of a "carbon offset". A carbon offset is when someone or a group attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Frequently, carbon offsets are purchaseds by large companies or governments in order to compete against the "caps" of which are set on their carbon emissions. Additionally, it is common that individuals or companies will purchase carbon offsets in order to offset their greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as transportation, or even electricity use in general. 

      It is common that an individual may buy carbon offsets to offset their greenhouse gas emissions from travel. This is greatly connected to Elon due to the vast amount of students who study abroad. The current statistic for the number of students who study abroad at least once before graduating is currently at 71%. Now, let's not forget the fact that this number does not account for the many students who study abroad multiple times during their time here. With our January term option, it makes for more opporunities for study abroad, and therefore even more students traveling than from the average university. Should Elon start thinking twice about their study abroad options in order to decrease our carbon emissions? Or is there something else we can do to offset these large emissions? 

Wow

Wow. All of this stuff is overwhelming—the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the bomb threat in Times Square, the record rainfall in Tennessee, U.S.’s revealed 5,113 nuclear warheads, and lets not forget the whole issue of global warming presented to us just recently in “The Inconvenient Truth” along with these other current, disastrous events. It gets hard to take in, especially for a college student. And with all of this in front of our faces we also have the added pressure to be Green?!?!

A month or so ago, I probably would’ve asked this same question with even more sarcasm and attitude (actually, it probably would’ve never even crossed my mind). But that was a month ago. I can honestly say that in these few weeks, I have become SUCH a different person. I’ve become more aware, more educated, and more active. I’ve learned to become citizen not only of my country, but of the world—a global citizen, of course.

In these few weeks I’ve learned how even the littlest of things (I can do) can help bring about a greener, better future, and although I agree with Steffi on how I really don’t understand how just I can make a difference, after following these projects and seeing how fast these “little things” spread, I’m starting to see the difference. Also, writing and following these blogs have made me realize exactly how many people are actually making a difference…and there are a lot! We just have to be open to them and uncover them for ourselves. It’s really not that hard. Actually, it’s a lot easier!

With this mindset, and a little patience and dedication, we have nothing else stopping us but ourselves. And right now, we have no choice but to start doing something because there will be a time when it will be too late.

I stumbled upon this quote a while back and now I think I understand exactly what the person was trying to say. It’s the harsh truth and nothing more:

“And Man created the plastic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away that which had no further use.  And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried:  "Look at this Godawful mess." 

~Art Buchwald, 1970

It just shows that we need to:

stop,

realize,

accept,

and take responsibility

of our own “mess”.

That is the only way we can change for good. 

On a lighter note, I came across these political cartoons that basically sum up what I said but in a more humorous, hopeful way:

So when we do walk away from this class, let's not forget this!

- Nia

Oil Watch

Yesterday I posted about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, well here's an update:

1. Winds are helping crews keep oil off shore
2. "Chemicals" are being added to the water which appear to keep the oil from surfacing (What these chemicals are doing to the ocean remains to be seen)
3. The effect on wildlife seems to be taken are larger role - more fishing waters have been closed causing damage to the already fragile economy of the gulf coast who is still recovering from Katrina
4. Estimted 210,000 gallons of oil released each day...

To see USAToday Article on the spill:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-05-03-oil-well_N.htm

To see a map of the progression of the oil spill click here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/oil-spill-map.htm

            Claire

New view on the Environment

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is becoming quite a threat to the southern coast of the United States, making land fall on Saturday.  There are two ways to look at this situation:

1. The oil in the water is ruining the fishing industry for most southern coastal towns, causing the water to be inhospitable for marine life
2. Look at all that spilled oil that could have been put into my car, darn it

Hopefully throughout the past month that we have been blogging, the readers of this blog look at this situation the first way.

200,000 gallons of oil a day have been released by the oil rig that exploded on April 20.

As more oil reaches land, it seems that the South is being beaten by a two-sided sword.  Heavy rains have caused major flooding in Mississippi and Tennessee, leading some residents to recall Katrina (2005).  So what does this have to do with Elon?  Isn't that what this blog is suppose to be about?  The point is not where there is an environmental challenge, the point is to make sure that the world knows how to fix these problems.

Here at Elon, we know that we should walk places that are close by, recycle, turn off the lights.  Well in Mississippi and Louisiana, they need to take different actions to fix their environmental problems.

It will be difficult to change Burlington to be a more green society, because of the distance between buildings; however, to reassure my group member who blogged before me, a little bit can help a lot.  Just do your part, and you'll help the earth.

To read more on the article of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico visit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-05-02-obama-spill_N.htm

  Claire

Greener me

        After countless class discussions, videos, and articles I've begun to feel a bit discouraged about the state of our planet and my efforts, or lack thereof to preserve it. There is so much that can be done - that needs to be done, but the idea of an individuals significance in a battle like this one is a mindset I can't seem to break away from. We've watched videos like No Impact Man and the Yert trailers, and seen what extremists are doing to contribute to the preservation and betterment of our environment, but to what extent is the average individual supposed to contribute? Is it enough to simply recycle, should I plant a garden, only eat foods from a farmers market? For me, and most college students, leading a "green" existence on campus proves to be quite difficult. With cafeteria food, prepackaged meals, disposable everything, and the pure lack of consciousness all lead college students to dump on the environment constantly.
       Although my frustrations are mounting, because I want to do more, and would love to lead a greener life, I have learned a great deal, and personally become much more conscious of my habits, and those of the people surrounding me. I've begun making small changes, like recycling my plastic cereal containers and cutlery at meals, turning off the water while brushing my teeth, shortening my shower length...but honestly,  making these small changes has made me realize how far I am from a green individual. There are so many other small, and large things in my life that'd I would have to change, and as a college student they simply aren't realistic. However, as this school year wraps up, and I head home for the summer, where I have more control over my food intake, and other aspects of day to day life, I plan to continue making small changes, to lessen my carbon footprint. I'm doing my best to not get discouraged by the valiant effort of the most committed green citizens of the world, and take baby steps towards becoming a greener me.
--Steffi

Shopping Green

Well hello there!!!

I hope you all had a very green week during Earth Week! So, for my team's final project, we decided that each team member would focus on a room in the typical house, and try to recreate a model of how that room would look like in 2020. Completely green and sustainable of course! I stumbled upon this really cool website called "Tree Hugger". This website is great because not only does it go into vast detail on everything green, ranging from architecture to travel and nature, but it also shows ways of life that are completely green through green shoping lists, and the basic rules of going green. This website is perfect for our group becasue it shows us actual household items that can be purchased at green places. Who ever knew that there are green laptops and sofas???

This is the link: http://www.treehugger.com/buygreen/?campaign=th_nav_buygreen

In my opinion, websites that offer green shopping lists are the critcal for a green movement to seriously take place. Many consumers would like to turn green, but do not know where to find the products that they are looking for. Thanks to websites like these, it is easy to make a difference. Hope you all have fun shopping green!

Peace,

Fiona

North Carolina Land Trusts

Today we learned in class about land trusts and it got me thinking to just how many land trusts are out there? While I didn’t research every state, I looked up how many are here in North Carolina. It turns out that there are 25 and they have a website…


http://www.nclandtrusts.org/

When looking at the website it shows a map with the location of each land trust scattered throughout North Carolina and I noticed a trend. Apart from 2 trusts that are decently close to the shore, all of the trusts are on the western – middle area of North Carolina.

Talking about one of the key aspects of land trusts, they are indeed useful in showing and providing economic growth and sustainability while protecting our environment and natural habitat. So then why wouldn’t North Carolina sanction for one near the coastal areas? Is it because of the coasts popularity in tourism and economic growth? In my last blog, and in class we have also discussed the importance of politicians behind your cause. I think that if a land trust was set up somewhere along the coast, encouraged and supported by politicians and local communities North Carolina could really become a pioneer in changing the face on tourism, economic growth, and sustainability all at the same time.


These land trusts remind me of how Elon is in a similar situation. It’s great that we have the land trusts throughout the state, but they are only concentrated in one area and do not pertain to any of the coastal regions. Elon University is in a similar situation. They just built Linder which was a great “green” building, but what about all the other buildings on campus that are not certified and do not compost/recycle to their full abilities? How do we make changes more widespread and permanent to cover a whole range of issues?

Over and Out

-Janice

Recent Oil Spill

On April 20, 2010, just last week, there was a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although research is being done to determine the cause of the oil spill, it has not yet been determined. Many people were thrown overboard from ships and pronounced dead. The oil spill is affecting many living organisms as well as our environment.
     To this day, the oil spill is reportedly leaking an estimated amount of 42,000 galloons of oil per day. This oil spill poses as a threat to all wildlife but especially birds and whales of which reside close to the source. Marine life near the coastline could also suffer massive effects from this spill. The Coast Guard is working hard to control the oil spill as well as find tactics to stop it. The cause of the spill is still unknown.
     Today, the Coast Guard began to burn some of the area of oil in order to prevent anymore environmental damage than has already happened. They tested this tactic by burning a 30 mile radius of the spill. This technique will allow to physically remove the oil once it has been ignited. This is seen as less of a threat to the environmental because it can actually be taken away, as opposed to remaining there. Hopefully the decision to burn off some of the oil will prevent damage to our environment and help others see the importance of prioritizing our environment.

The Stericycle Awareness Campaign

For those who weren't (and were) there to watch the wonderful speaker Anne Leonard, she discussed how people in this town of Elon already have been working to help better our environment. It is called The Stericycle Awareness Campaign. This campaign is pushing Stericycle Inc., which operates the largest medical waste incinerators in North Carolina, to stop polluting North Carolina air and to switch to non-incineration technologies for all medical waste not required by law or regulation to be burned.

This incineration of medical waste creates very serious public health and environmental problems. It pollutes our air, our waters, and our soil with a toxic stew of pollutants (dioxins, mercury, particulate matter, heavy metals, nitrous oxides and more). Yet 90% or more of this waste could be safely diverted from incineration. Alternative treatment technologies are available and approved by regulatory agencies. These technologies (eg, autoclave, microwave) provide a much healthier alternative to incineration.

Why is it that this is the first time I've heard about this? This just comes to show how more aware and educated we need to be about the problems and campaigns that are happening right down the street! So please, go and spread this around. And if you want an even closer look, check out this video: http://bredl-medwaste.org/videos.htm. Heck, or just go visit it yourself!

Why Elon?

The current increase of shopping centers and stores in Burlington and Elon makes me wonder why Elon?  Why is Burlington fast becoming one giant strip mall?

Burlington is appealing because it is close to Greensboro but with cheaper land.  As one of the first major shopping centers in Burlington, Alamance Crossing was estimated to cost $2.3 Million for 840,000 square feet that is $2.73 per square foot.  For the Friendly Shopping Center in Greensboro, the estimated cost was $7.4 million for 1,244,078 square feet, that is $5.95 per square foot.

The land in Burlington is cheaper because there was no major appeal to come to the city before Alamance Crossing.  But now, since the shopping center is in place, people have a reason to stop in Burlington, which will no doubt cause land cost to rise.

Well, what if instead of many people driving to Alamance Crossing, there was public transportation.  Think of the people that commute to Greensboro for work and play, and think about all those cars.  Well if there was a train system going directly from Burlington to Greensboro that ran multiple times a day, think of the gas that would be saved.

Most major cities have means of public transportation, and since Burlington is becoming a larger city, it's time that the major cities of North Carolina are connected.  The train could run west to east from the Triad area through Burlington through Chapel Hill, and to Raleigh.  This would make travel to the airport much easier as well for college students without cars, and who fly when the BioBus doesn't travel to the airports.

Greensboro Transportation System Logo

North Carolina Department of Transportation Logo

Claire

Elon Stays Strong

I previously blogged about the increadible rate at which the Burlington area is being built up and commercialize. I touched on how this new facelift put on Burlington has been at a great cost the environment, and at what cost students at Elon can now enjoy a delicious meal an a plethora of restaurants.

What I did not mention, however, is the impeccable job which the small community of Elon is doing at remaining traditional, and fairly environmentally friendly, in comparison to its neighbors. As a mostly residential town, Elon has avoided the craze of box store build up and blacktop parking lots. Similarly Elon has also steered clear of too much new housing. Though there are a few subdivisions in Elon, they are compact and by no means excessive.

The town of Elon collects garbage twice a week, and recycling every other week. By staying the same quaint college town that has been here for many years Elon has not fallen as heavily into the environmentally destructive pattern that Burlington has. Hopefully Elon can stay strong, and maybe even take steps towards a greener pasture in years to come!

Happy Weekend!

-Steffi

We Recycle!- The real solution to recycling appliances

Hey there!!

I was looking at current green news earlier today on CNN, and I stumbled upon this video link:
                                           
                                                  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/04/22/n_green_jobs_we_recycle_electronics.cnnmoney/

The video is called "Appliance shredder rips it up", and it presents a whole other side of recycling that I had never given thought to. The link presents the company, We Recyle! which is a a sustainable appliance recycling facility, with its headquarters located in New York. The company has processing plants in both New York and Conneticutt, and has been in operation since 2003.  We Recyle! is one of the few companies in the world that is dedicated to the proper treatment and recycling of electronic appliances.

Most people believe that by dropping off appliances at a recycling box you are doing your job. According to We Recycle! this is a mistake. Appliances must be properly separated and recycled accordingly each in their own groups. The company recycles about 100,000 pounds of used appliances every year, but the process of recycling these appliances is certainly not easy. The company uses special color sensors, magnets, sorters and other technologies to divide the appliances into their different parts, plastic types and resins, and other categories. The diffrent parts then go into a shredder where they are turned into tiny parts of a once appliance. These parts are now ready to be melted and reused into new appliances.

In my opinion, this article is very important because it gave me insight on how selective and carefuly recycling actually is. There is a whole procedure and rulebook when it comes to recycling, and we must learn it well in order to recyle in the right way.

   Here is the company's link for those of you that are interested: http://www.werecycle.com/index.asp

Peace man,

Fiona Alfaro

                                                                  

It's Not Easy Being Green...Or is it? Effects of a Growing Fad

It's Not Easy Being Green, Adrienne specifically wrote a great blog yesterday about "green light bulbs".  The impact of incandescent bulbs and how even changing one can make a huge difference is something I can relate too.  Last year I convinced my household to switch and not only do these light bulbs save money as the group pointed out but they save energy and last longer. 

Not to knock the It's Not Easy Being Green Group but I found a great article today in response to earth day, called Green Shopping Won't Save the Planet....

http://www.newsweek.com/id/236722/page/1
This article is a comment on something I never had even considered.

Going Green is becoming a fad.  Consumers are now more concerned with buying green and although that helps growing consumerism and waste is what got us here in the first place!  Even though these products are made with less plastic, less harmful chemicals, they still are processed in a factory that use electricity and factories that pollute.  The article highlights that the only real way that change has been acquired in the steps of legislation and very few people lobby for legislation because they are changing their lightbulbs and recyling and "going green". 

The article has a key quote that says...

"The problem with the emphasis on changing individual behavior is this: it makes too many of us believe we have done our part."

 

To me this is the complete truth.  I recycle my bottles, plastic bags, all types of things.  I use fluorescent lightbulbs and I believe that this project, and going green in general is a GREAT thing.  But I have never planned to, or even thought about lobbying for change in the environment.  He talks about humans and how we reach "virtuous" quota.  If we "green shop" then we are doing our part.  Heather Rogers has even wrote a book entitled Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy is Undermining the Environmental Revolution.

 

As It's Not Easy Being Green and other groups, including my own continuing on this blog I challenge you all to really think about what it really means.  Are we really going green?  As I said before, I recycle and consider myself to be a fairly green individual.  Yet I am writing this blog on my laptop, with the light on, the fan running, and my roommate is watching TV.  I ate a lunchable for dinner and although I recycled the cardboard it came in I still had at least 4 pieces of trash that were used to individually wrap the things.    

 

So I guess what this article has left me with is a sense of wonderment.  Where do we go from here?

 

"It's easy being green, but hard being effective."

- Janice

Earth Day!

     
     Tomorrow, April 22nd, is Earth Day! This year we will celebrate the 40th Earth Day. Earth Day was created in 1970 by a Harvard Law student named Denis Hayes. Denis Hayes and his many supporters of Earth Day have chosen career paths with a common goal of further saving our planet. These people are passionate about the Earth and realize our future is going to be compromised if we do not make a difference, and fast. 
     Denis Hayes says that one important aspect of Earth Day is that it is an opportunity to bring people together. In a recent article about Earth Day, Hayes is stated claiming,  "I'd like Earth Day to play some important role in getting us to think like a planet." His point is that we have such a global issue, and it is clear we need to come together in order to make progress with it.
     An important step our generation has already taken is that we are all becoming educated on the topic. Environmental science courses and majors are now offered at almost all high schools and college, and students are taking genuine interest in the topic. As long as students like Denis Hayes continue their determination for this cause, that is a vital step in the process to save our planet.

Happy Earth Day!

The Most Energy Efficient Home

After watching segments of The Crash Course in class, and seeing how Chris moved from the "perfect, American" home to one that was completely opposite, I couldn't help to wonder which home was the most energy efficient. I googled it and came upon this really neat video of a Green architect named Charlie Szoradi, the man who built this green home. He brings up a lot of important points that we've all discussed in class such as overpopulation, the depletion of fossil fuels and depleting resources, the saying of "thinking globally by thinking locally", and our scary future. What he did, his story, is truly amazing!

And it also highlights the theme of the power of one, and the difference that person can make.

Take a peek at it HERE. :)

And have a happy, GREEN day!

Stars go green, you can too!

         Today I was watching TV and some interesting commercials came on that I thought were worth noting. The television show Scrubs proposed going green in a funny manner sticking to the reality of the show. The Disney Channel is attempting to aim going green at a younger audience by suggesting friends team up together to change the world. And IBM looked at going green from a business stand point in which saving money attracts the “People upstairs.”

Scrubs go Green commercial – Save energy whenever you can
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwS5Gb2L00c

Disney – Kids coming together to make big changes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT6XkP27sU8
       The website mentioned in the video:
           www.Disney.com/friendsforchange

IBM – Go green to save money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSNFE6eUjfY

        So with all of these advertisements to all sorts of people, is there a change in the way Americans consume and use products?
        Statistics point to yes! The USA Today recently reported that “more than eight in 10 said a company’s environmental record should be an important factor in deciding whether to buy its products. And 78% thought spending several thousand dollars to make their homes more energy-efficient is a good idea.” (To see the full article click http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070419/1a_cover19_dom.art.htm).  So IBM is doing a good job at appealing to people who think going green is a good idea, and to those who think that saving money is a good idea, even if it means going green.
       However, the article mentioned that most Americans want to go green, but that old habits die hard. What a cliché, but it is true. “Only about half of those polled thought they do a good job personally of protecting the environment. Less than 10% rate their efforts as ‘excellent.’” (USAToday).
       So if people don’t want to be inconvienced or get rid of old habits, what can they do to go green? Well start with Clorox Greenworks. These cleaners, used in homes, are everywhere other Clorox products are sold and are just as easy to use. Also with a programmable thermostat, it can be programmed to an energy-efficient setting and then it can be forgotten. And if it is time to buy a new appliance for the kitchen, just buy an energy star appliance. These appliances are exactly like the appliances people are used to, but they run much more efficiently.


       Claire

Atlantic Garbage Patch

As we all know from our class discussions, Trash Island is a disgusting pile of floating plastic that sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered by scientist Charles Moore in 1997, however now, a similar garbage patch has been discovered in the Atlantic Ocean. Anna Cummins, one of many, is doing her best to spread the word of what horrible effect plastic ocean pollution is having on our planet. She and many other scientists and activists are looking to inform people about the dangers that this ocean pollution can have on not only ocean creatures, but also the harm that it is inflicted upon us. The most shocking part of all is that the majority of the plastic that is floating in the ocean is virtually invisible. These small pieces of plastic that still contain mystery chemicals that prevent them from ever being completely broken down, float in the water that we get water from, eat fish from, our trash is coming back to get us. One scientist even said, "Humanity's plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than its carbon footprint.” There is really no way of getting rid of these enormous piles of trash that float in our oceans, but what we can to is stop adding to it. By recycling and using as little of this harmful material as possible we can try to lessen the problem that has already been created.  

"Taking Root"- a lesson to us all

Well hello there again!!

Today, I will focus my discussion on a very special lady, Nobel Prize award winner Wangari Maathai. After viewing a documentary on her for my Global studies class, I was blown away by her actions within Kenya, as well as her overall attitute towards life and mother nature. It is only right that a portion of our blog be dedicated to her.

Wangari was born in Kenya, during a time when European colonization was starting to develop in Africa and a natural and humble appreciation for the earth and its bountiful gifts still existed. Wangari epxlains in the documentary how her mother told her never to touch this big fig tree that existed near her house. Wangari of course didn't and epxlained that this tree was a gift from god. In my opinion, this is the kind of mentality that is lacking in our societie's today. As our societies devleoped from being Native American to modern, technologically advanced nations, our appreciation for nature waned, just like it did when colonization started taking force in Africa, especially Kenya. It is sad to see how we rape our lands, the utter most form of disrespect towards our great mother nature. It is until we re-learn our retrograde ways, and accept a sense of repsonsibility and humility towards nature that our de-huminizing effects will reverse.

Another big lesson that can be learned from Wangari is that in order to preserve and solve some of the ecological problems we are faced today, sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective ones. Wangari started, "The Green Belt Movement" in which she and fellow Kenyan women hekped the environment by doing the most simplest thing: planting trees. Most of us believe that we need to invent these new revolutionary solutions and technologies that will magically solve our problems. But, in reality, what are Earth needs are simple and natural solutions.

Wangari is a revolutionary woman in every sense of the word, and I personally have gained alot of respect for her after seeing her acomplishments in Kenya.

To see more about this extraordinary woman visit:

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

Peace man,

Fiona

How Green Is It Really?

Steffi wrote a great article about “green universities” and how we can learn from following their example, and I completely agree. The problem is though that going green is about more than college campuses it’s about changing the behaviors of the community and a lot of things are not as they appear. I personally know a girl from Colorado and when I asked why she didn’t go to University of Colorado her instinctual answer surprised me. “They smoke so much there, and I hate smoking.” While her choice was riddled with other reasons it struck me as odd that this was even one of them because I had never heard that. While Colorado the state is among the thick of all 50 in smoking rates around 17.6% but has decreased since the late 90’s where a whopping 23% of the state was lighting up. When talking about trash, and recycling and going green many people don’t even think of smoking as an option but its impact on the environment is huge.

Did you know that in 2004 a study was done and showed that the air pollution from cigarettes is 10 times greater than pollution from diesel fuel? So by lighting up one pack a week (conservatively) you’re polluting the air more than driving around in a big old pick em up truck.

While it’s unrealistic for me to ask everyone in the country to stop smoking I hope that people at least dispose of their buds properly because according to national data cigarettes are the number one thing littered in America each year. The problem with that is cigarettes are NOT biodegradable and these buds will linger either dirtying up the ground or wash away and find a way to make it into our water supply, if they don’t catch something on fire first. I don’t know about you all but I do not want my water to be processed after it’s been mixed with old used cigarettes. So what can we do to promote behavior change that will ultimately help the environment? Here’s where Colorado comes back into play, below is a link to an article + youtube video about how the University has voted against banning smoking on campus and instead has decided to “encourage” students have healthier behavior. For the leading school in the nation on green innovation, wouldn’t they encourage all aspects of protecting the environment? If this change cant even come on a progressive leader on campus, how can we expect these changes to flow to the outside community and generations to come?

http://www.coloradodaily.com/cu-boulder/ci_14494875#axzz0lE78lwDY

-Janice

                                                                                                   

The Power of One

     After focusing on the power of one and the difference that just one person can make to a global problem, I decided to focus on how an individual's actions can make a difference in terms of sustainability. I discovered a program that targets environmentally responsibilities on school campuses. The popular program I researched is known as "Go Green Inititiave".
Go Green Initiative addresses what environment responsibilities each person on a school's campus has. Although the program focuses mainly on elementary schools, their goals can still be applied to other types of schools. Go Green Initiative involves all members that are active on a school's campus-students, parents, faculty, and staff included.
     The program involves a large amount of general education regarding the topic of the environment. Students who attend schools involved in the program have the opportunity to show what they have learned and gain incentives for being environmentally responsible.
Go Green Initiative has five main principles that they live by. These goals spells out the acronym "GREEN". The "G" stands for generate compost. This teaches everyone about the importance of recycling through a natural process. It also involves information about ecology, biology, and waste reduction. The "R" stands for recycle. This provides people with the knowledge they need to know what is recyclable, and what can be saved through recycling. The first "E" stands for educate. This includes general environmental education about how to live environmentally on campus. The goal is for these steps to eventually become lifestyle changes for the people in the community. The second "E" stands for evaluate. During this step, the people of the school evaluate their environmental impact of everyday activities. They then work to find ways to reduce activities that use up excess energy. The "N" stands for nationalize the responsibilities of paper consumption. This aims to promote internet communication as much as possible in order to avoid printing excess paper.
     These five principles are implemented throughout the program. Currently, there are schools in all 50 states, 14 countries, and 4 continents who are following along with the Go Green Initiative program. The website gives helpful tips that can help each person reduce their carbon footprint, especially in a school setting, bit by bit.

Changing the world one corporation at a time...

Over spring break, my friend Juli and I went to California and got to experienced the "Hollywood" lifestyle; we got to walk down Hollywood Blvd, the Sunset Strip, and not forget Rodeo Dr. While strolling down Rodeo Dr, a shopping district with the most ridiculously expensive shops and boutiques, we were approached by a man who was a part of Greenpeace. Oh, God. I thought to myself. Not another one of these annoying people asking us to be a part of whatever organization they are in and give them a whatever sum of money that they probably will never put to good use. But as I started listening to him, I realized how much of a great cause it was.

What is Greenpeace? Greenpeace is a worldwide movement of committed activists and supporters who fight to save the planet from the threat of global warming, destruction of ancient forests, deterioration of our oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster loom large. He began to tell us things they have actually done and accomplished over a few months, weeks. One of these things that really caught my attention was how they made Clorox convert all of its U.S. factories that use chlorine gas to safer chemical processes over the next few years. This has and will therefore eliminate catastrophic risks to more than 13 million Americans living near their facilities and will also eliminate all risks posed by the transport of 90-ton rail cars of chlorine gas to their facilities and suppliers.

Exactly how did they do this? In February (2009), Greenpeace wrote Clorox CEO, Donald Knauss asking for a meeting to discuss ways to eliminate these risks. Check out the letter here! Greenpeace sent similar letters to Dow and DuPont. Soon after, Knauss responded and invited Greenpeace to a meeting with him and other executives at their Oakland, California headquarters in May. At the meeting Knauss unveiled their plans and explained the economic, security and safety benefits that executives factored into their decision. Following the meeting, Greenpeace was also given a tour of the Fairfield, California plant, which will be the first Clorox production facility to convert.

Take a look at the new greener Clorox commercial here.

This is just one example of the drastic changes they've implemented on huge corporations by doing the simplest of things. And by doing so, these huge corporations have influenced other corporations to convert also. It just shows how one change can literally make a HUGE difference and that if we just listen to what these organizations and small groups have to say, it will widen the difference even more.

Anyone can join Greepeace. They actually encourage college students most to join their organization and become an Green activist and supporter. To find out more about the great, "green" accomplishments Greenpeace has done or just get information, go to their website at http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/

Have a "green" day!   :)
PS. Check out my blog comment about how Greenpeace has made Dove soap stop taking palm oil and save the Paradise Forests of South East Asia! (Watch the video, also!)

-Nia

Capitalism 3.0

In Capitalism 3.0: A Guide to reclaiming the Commons, Peter Barnes mentions the different phases of the American Economy.  He varifies that these stages are in fact true by stating that the affects on the environment are obviously due to the way people treat life.

Some Americans have the attitude that they can do whatever they want.  But how did we get to this point, to the place where we can get, use, buy, throw-away, whatever and there are no consequences?

Barnes explains that after WWII the American economy boomed (like the baby-boomers).  With this expantion came a surpluss of goods, rather than a limitation.  Supply and demand changed, and there were now enough goods for everyone (who could afford them), but that's the best part, prices went down so that everyone could afford them!

This idea of "I want, I need, I buy" has led Americans to be wasteful in their spending.  Not only in spending but in discarding have Americans done harm.  This loose attitude American have, has caused harm to the environment, and until that changes, the environment will suffer even more.

The house that I have lived in all my life was built in 1925, that’s 85 years old, and is still standing today. Back then, houses were just houses; however, today new houses being built are mondo-mega-masterpieces. What I found researching was that most websites stated how to build energy efficient houses. Well, what if you don’t want to tear down a perfectly good house to make it green? I did a little research and found the answers. And yes, if you want you can add solar panels to the roof of your house, and transition to LED Light bulbs, but we’ve heard all of this before.
First of all, most old houses have an attic in the pitch part of the roof. A simple solution for rising heating or cooling prices is to add more insulation to the roof (that’s the easiest to reach, rather than tearing out the walls of your house.)
Another problem we have in our house is the windows. On the main floor the windows are original to the house, meaning that when the wind blows, they rattle a little. So people’s solution would be to paint the windows shut, but if you want to be able to open the windows, a cheap and surprising solution is bubble wrap. I know it’s not the nicest looking solution, but hey, it works!
As the earth moves, so do buildings and houses. Cracks are naturally bond to appear in walls ceilings as the year’s role on. The best way to make them seamlessly disappear is to fill them. Not only does this make things look nicer, but it helps insulate your house!
I’ve been talking a lot about insulation, and keeping the heat/cold inside your house. Well, that’s not the only solution to a more energy efficient house. In my house, we still had the original toilets. These toilets used 3.4 gallons per flush which is a ridiculous amount of water used! Toilets today can use as little as 1 gallon (think in terms of buying a gallon of milk).
Considering new carpets? Bringing nature inside is a nice way to say, “Hey, my house is built, not on this earth, but with this earth.” An easy way to do this is to install straw, wool, or seagrass, carpet. All of these materials are natural and depending on the company providing the material, harvesting in an environmentally friendly way. http://www.surfacethreads.com/natural-fibers.php. Of course, buying a carpet made out of recycled carpets is a nice way to reuse.
Speaking of recycling, yes we can all do it. Is it really going to kill you to have to bins, one for trash and one for recycling? No. So just do it, I know you’ve been told 4 billion times to recycle, so just do it.
For the gardeners out there, keep a pitcher by the sink, and instead of pouring that almost empty glass of water down the drain, pour it in the pitcher, and use that to water your plants. Also, collecting rainwater in a bin outside is the same idea, just on a bigger scale.

I hope some of these ideas you hadn’t thought of, and will put into use. It’s easy to find other energy-saving ideas on Google, but here are a few websites that I found particularly useful!
http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/20030508a1.asp.
http://energyboomer.typepad.com/energyboomer/2008/09/how-to-make-a-drafty-old-house-into-an-efficient-comfortable-home-part-4.html.

Hope these help!

    Claire

Eco-Enlightened Universities

Universities and colleges all over the United States have begun taking the initiative to “go green.” Sierra magazine comes up with a list of the most eco-friendly schools every year, and I decided to check out what some of these top schools have been doing in order to become ranked. Hundreds of schools across the nation are judged based on a questionnaire that scored (1-10) the institution in eight categories: efficiency, energy, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, and administration.

-The University of Colorado at Boulder

Academics: 8

Administration: 9

Efficiency: 9

Energy: 3

Food: 7

Purchasing: 8

Transportation: 10

Waste Management: 10

Bonus: 5

            Score: 100

With the highest rank of all the colleges in the US The University of Colorado at Boulder has put its best foot forward in order to be green. CU-Boulder has always been one of the leading “green” institutions, with the first ever student-run environmental center and collegiate recycling program. Along with this CU provides a plethora of low impact transportation options to its students, and all need buildings being build on campus meet the LEED Gold standards.

-The University of Washington Seattle

Academics: 8

Administration: 10

Efficiency: 8

Energy: 9

Food: 7

Purchasing: 8

Transportation: 8

Waste Management: 8

Bonus: 2

            Score: 98

Tied for second place with Middlebury University, the University of Washington Seattle puts a large emphasis on local organic and natural food on campus, and all of its new buildings meet the LEED Silver standards. The UW also strongly supports the use of alternative transportation for its students and surrounding community members, and also has only alternative fuel, hybrid, electric and biodiesel-powered vehicles and trucks for on campus work.

As we develop as a green community I think that Elon can learn from the examples of both CU-Boulder and the UW Seattle about how we can obtain an even higher standard of sustainability on our campus. If you’d like to see Sierra’s full list of “Eco-Enlightened Universities” you can find it, along with some of the worst ranked schools here: http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200909/coolschools/

-Steffi

Alternate Sources of Energy-The Key To our Survival

Well hello there!

Today, I am taking a different attitude towards our world's environmental problems. As you all know, I love to criticize our existing situation as well as the measures we are taking. But instead of merely talking about the problem, I should be contributing, or at least making people aware of the alternatives that are ourt here today that can really make a difference to our future.
Renewable energy sources are definitely a viable solution to our globe's environmental porblems. While researching I stumbled about this website called "Alternate Enery Sources for A Flourishing Future" that presents cool ideas, as well as factual information and helpful links for different alternative energy sources.

http://www.alternate-energy-sources.com/

These were three alternative energy sources that are both realistic and viable, and are ones that the common individual can apply to their homes:

Solar Energy
Different Types of Solar energy:


1.Energy from the sun

2.Thermal energy
3.Electric energy

4.Stand-alone
5.Grid connected
 
Here is a link that will teach you how to create your own solar energy:
http://www.hatcreekpublishing.com/?hop=yellagonga
 
Wind Energy
 
Wind energy a renewable source that is created by the motion of wind. It is easy to get and very available (wind is a common thing).
 
Here is a link that will provide you with the starting points for your new wind powered home:
http://www.alternate-energy-sources.com/how-to-build-a-wind-generator.html
 
 
 

Let's Look Ahead

My group members and I have talked about what Elon is like right now and what some of our “green” efforts around campus are. Claire and Steffi were able to dig up photos and archives on what Elon looked like back before this consumerist construction boom and we’ve established that Elon has really built up from what it was. Now I want to look at the options for designing a green community and show some examples of what other communities are doing to become so.

Above is a picture of a house in the trails at Cranberry Springs in Boone, North Carolina these communities are


“dedicated to serving the next generation with integrity, trust and respect, and a pledge to preserve the environment we all share. Each homeowner is encouraged to implement sustainable and renewable energies. We have chosen Building Performance Engineering as our consultant to guide our customers through the process of building a perfect, environmentally friendly home. All homes are designed, engineered and built with the environment and your family's health in mind. During construction, the selected builders practice sustainable site measures and resource conservation strategies. Once the home is completed, a "green certified home" (EnergyStar, North Carolina Healthy Built Home Certification) is more efficient, uses less energy and water, and creates less pollution. Each home is built to meet strict performance guidelines and undergoes third party verification to ensure durability and efficiency.”

http://www.greenecocommunities.com/
 
But does environmental change stop at the construction of houses? While its implied that many of these houses will recycle it got me thinking into what other elements instead of building can they implement? So I found this website and it has thousands of tips for all types of going green, including fashion, food, home and garden, travel etc.
 

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-furniture/green-furniture-basics.html

How do we encourage green all around? Recognizing that one aspect is not enough is something that needs to be encouraged and lobbied for on a local, state, and national level. All of these websites have valuable information that can be presented in accordance with a growing plan for bringing Elon into the future. But who should make these plans, and once they are made where do we take them for their ideas to be initiated?

Janice

      In thinking about one of the areas students consume the most amount of electricity at Elon, I came to the conclusion that it would probably be in our dorms or living areas. In our living spaces, we are all constantly using our computers, TVs, iPods, and other technology that has become the norm. I thought it would be interesting to look at the amount of electricity we have consumed this year compared to the amount we consumed last year.
     To access this information I used Elon's sustainability dashboard (http://buildingdashboard.com/clients/elon/). Although Elon is trying to take drastic steps to improve our sustainability, our energy consumption has still not shown any improvement. In fact, so far this year, we have used more electricity every month than we did last year. For the month of January in 2009, Elon used approximately 1600 megawatt-hours of electricity. However, in 2010, Elon used 1810 mega-watt hours of electricity-a 9% increase! For the months of February through April (so far), our campus has increased our electricity consumption by 5% for February, 3% for March, and 4% for April.
      Additionally, I looked at the times of day of which people are using the most electricity. These charts show that we are using some sources of electricity all day, every day. Additionally, the energy usage during the hours of 2 am through 6 am are not significantly lower than those during the hour of 11 pm or 9 am. Why is so much electricity being used at these hours on a daily basis?
     Although the amount of energy consumption may not have drastically increased this year, it is still clear there is an increase. Even if these numbers are small, they are still there, meaning we are not decreasing our energy usage in any way, despite how many efforts to improve are publicized. To easily view comparisons of this, visit the sustainability dashboard. This dashboard is also a useful tool for viewing the energy usage in specific buildings on campus including all residential halls and main academic buildings. It is interesting to see the times of day of which we are constantly consuming energy, as well as which locations use the most of it. It may inspire you to simply unplug more of your technology before going to bed in order to use less of our energy at 5 am!

Water, water everywhere!

After hearing about and finally seeing the aftermath of the "Great Flood of 2010" in my home state of Rhode Island, I couldn't help but wonder about, well... (storm)water! It made me curious about what the town of Elon and Elon University does in regards to stormwater and how "green" they are when it comes to maintaining and conserving it.

Here is a little glimpse for you guys who didn't get to witness the Great Flood of 2010 (Warwick, RI):

This is our mall now.

A better view. Crazy, huh?

Since water was on my mind this whole weekend I was home, I researched the stormwater treatment in the town of Elon (on their town's website) and found some interesting facts.

Did you know? The Town of Elon is facing the problem of stormwater runoff as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Phase II Stormwater Program, commonly referred to as the Phase II Rule. The Stormwater Program is a comprehensive two-phased national program for addressing non-point sources of stormwater discharges which in turn affect the quality of our nation's waters. The program uses the NPDES permitting mechanism to require the implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful pollutants.


Did you also know? Polluted stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet water quality standards.

And... Over land or via storm sewer systems, polluted runoff is discharged, often untreated, directly into local water bodies. When left uncontrolled, this water pollution can result in the destruction of fish, wildlife, and aquatic life habitats; a loss in aesthetic value; and threats to public health due to contaminated food, drinking water supplies, and recreational waterways.

The Phase II Rule sets forth the following three primary requirements for the Town of Elon and adjacent urban areas: 
1. To develop, implement and enforce a stormwater management program designed to minimize the discharge of pollutants into receiving waters
2. To ensure that the program includes provisions to address six minimum measures to promote pollutant load reduction: Public education, Public participation and involvement, Illicit discharge detection and elimination, Construction site runoff control, Post-construction runoff control, Pollution prevention and good housekeeping.
3. To identify appropriate BMPs with measurable performance criteria


How has the Town of Elon implemented these rules?  The town of Elon done many things to control the stormwater and improve the quality of it to make it less harmful for us. Some of these solutions and improvements have been to perform outreach to the citizens of Elon on how to control stormwater runoff, enforce a sediment and erosion control program for construction activities, and implement a program with the goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operation (as Claire has discussed).


VIDEO - here is a video link to give you a much more in-depth look on the Elon Water Quality

However, Elon can only do so much. We have to take it upon ourselves, not only as residents of Elon but as citizens of the world, to STOP polluting our waters with harmful bacteria that can easily spread through runoff stormwater and even to our bodies. As we discussed in class, water is an example of "tragedy of the commons" and has been abused and taken for granted exponentially.

Elon is making great attempts in conserving our water and making the act as green as possible. According to our Elon Sustainability website: "Numerous plumbing fixtures have been replaced with low flow models including toilets, showerheads and faucets... and campus dishwashers and washing machines were replaced with Energy Star rated units in 2005"

Now it is up to us to take advantage of these Green alternatives and maybe make up our owns!

I'll leave it on that note. Happy Tuesday!

Nia :)

In the previous post, I mentioned Alamance Crossing, the new shopping center in Burlington, NC finished in 2007.  I found a few statistics that are a little eye-opening.  The shopping center is 855,000 square feet(http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2007/07/30/story8.html?ana=from_rss) with 2,700 parking spots for 70 stores.  A plus side of Alamance Crossing is that instead of wasting gas driving to Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, or Raleigh, people are now shopping near home.  However the down side is that the shopping center covers over 145 acres of land that use to be grasslands (http://cblproperties.com/pag.nsf/ByAlphaAllInfoforWebNew/Alamance+Crossing?opendocument).

Claire