College Sustainability Report Card

Alright let's face it: Western is known as a hippie school. Anyone that thinks that we are not one of the more liberal, laid back, environmentally and socially conscious schools around needs to wake up and smell the patchouli... In terms of sustainability, WWU has a lot to be proud of. Every single bit of Western is powered by alternative energy sources, and WWU is the country's 4th largest buyer of green energy (among academic institutions). Our dining services is one of the top three recyclers of food scraps in Whatcom County, and all coffee served on campus is certified as Fair Trade. WWU led the nation as one of the first universities to ever have an on-campus recycling program back in the early 70s. All of this is just a few of the examples of the constantly expanding efforts that Western applies towards being sustainable.

After learning all of this, I was curious to see how the other schools around compared to WWU, especially those in Washington State. After all, those other schools are dealing with similar environmental variables as well as the same state politics that play a factor in a school's ability to focus on sustainable programs (budget cuts... enough said). Turns out, Western is in pretty good company and I was pleased to learn about some of the efforts that our neighbors have put forth in doing their part to be sustainable.

I came across the "College Sustainability Report Card", which provides detailed information for hundreds of schools in the US. Each school has a "sustainability profile" and is assigned a letter grade based on how sustainable the college is overall. University of Washington earned an A- and is ranked as one of the leaders in the US of overall college sustainability. Washington State University had the lowest grade in the state and was ranked lower than last year with a C. Whitman College earned a B- and the University of Puget Sound had a C+. I've included the link to the site at the bottom of this post for anyone that wishes to see the details of any of the profiles. They are really quite in depth and take into consideration a number of factors such as administration, climate change and energy, food/recycling, green building, transportation, student involvement, etc.

All in all, it is nice to see that other schools around us also realize the massive impact (either positive or negative) a college community can have on the environment and are taking steps to minimize the damage. Although Western was not officially graded, by comparing our efforts to other schools, I would guess that we would probably earn an A- at this time. Pretty legitimate bragging rights... :)

Link: http://www.greenreportcard.org/

WWF (no, not wrestling...)

I have a cousin who is one of those kids that has every toy any kid ever thought they wanted, even if they only wanted it for a fleeting second. I'm not kidding when I tell you she has toys in her closet from last Christmas that have yet to be opened, used or played with. It boggles my mind the sheer quantity of crap (sorry but there isn't a better word, only worse...) that she has. And like any kid that has been flooded with stuff her entire life, there is little or no appreciation of the majority of the items once they've been unwrapped. It's simply on to the next one. This has posed a problem for me and anyone else that balks at the idea of contributing to one kid's ability to cram to the brim her own personal landfill. Obviously we want to still be able to share gifts with her but without compounding the issue...

I finally found a solution for her birthday this year that makes me happy, and wanted to share it on here in case anyone else likes the idea. This year, I "adopted" a snow leopard in her name through World Wildlife Fund (WWF). My cousin loves animals, and this enabled me to get her a gift that would also actually do some good. For a donation made to WWF, you can symbolically adopt a critter of your choosing. I chose a leopard because she used to have a pet cat and I knew it was something she would like. There is a quite a number of options though and I'm confident you could find an animal for anyone, child or adult. On WWF's site, there is a way to search for animals alphabetically, by popularity, threat level, or region. Donation amounts range from $25 and up. When you adopt an animal, you receive an adoption certificate, a photo and a species fact card about the animal. If the donation is greater than $25, a stuffed animal representing the one you just adopted is also included. The money that WWF receives goes towards various projects such as habitat protection and restoration, environmental education programs, protection of endangered animals, lobbying against poaching, etc.

My cousin adored the idea that somewhere out in the world there was a snow leopard that was "hers". We framed the adoption certificate and people give her mildly funny looks when she tells them about her pet. I was equally happy to have the chance to talk to her about how amazing these cats are and how tragic it will be if they become extinct. Together, we spent tons of time on WWF's website, looking at all the different animals and the challenges they face to remain on our planet.

Next time you are scrambling for a gift idea, perhaps it's an opportunity to get someone their very own personal panda, or rhino, or 3 toed sloth, or kangaroo (I think you get the idea)...

WWF's Website: http://www.worldwildlife.org/home.html

Checkpoint...

This week I needed to re-evaluate my ecological footprint and take a look at how well I have been adhering to my goals that I laid out in the beginning of the quarter...

My first goal was to reduce the amount of driving that I did; consolidating errands so that I wasn't making lots of short trips throughout the day. While not perfect, I have been decently successful with this goal thus far. I am not sure exactly how much less driving I am doing, but by planning my errands and not backtracking all over town, I have gone from using about one tank of gas a week to a tank lasting approximately ten days. So this is a noticeable improvement, especially if it is maintained over time. Also, one of my really good friends is also my neighbor so she and I have started running errands together so that whenever possible there is only one car on the road instead of two. I do still drive to class and to training 5 days a week, but right now I know it isn't realistic for me to change this. So I am doing my best to still minimize the harm I contribute with my driving and will continue to focus on this goal.

My second goal was to switch the heat lamp in my bathroom that was standard with my apartment to an energy efficient light. I took care of this a few weeks ago and am pleased that I was able to reduce the amount of energy wasted. I didn't need or want the heat lamp and don't miss it. Since I needed to replace that particular lamp, I made sure that all the other lights in my apartment were energy efficient at the same time. I don't know yet the effect this will have on my power bill, but I'm hoping it will be a little less while reducing my ecological footprint through conserving more energy. It has also prompted me to make it a point to go talk to my landlord when I pay rent this upcoming month. There are lights throughout the parking lot (which is great) but I have noticed they are on for a few hours of daylight as well. Perhaps the timers on them could be adjusted so that they aren't on during the day and come on only when the lighting is actually needed. Then the whole apartment complex could be a little bit more energy efficient.

My final goal was to switch to using an environmentally friendly and reusable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles. This goal by far has been the biggest challenge for me to stick with. I got an aluminum water bottle, but still find myself drinking from plastic water bottles throughout the day as well. I need to really buckle down and make it a point to just continue to refill my own water bottle instead of grabbing a plastic one while I'm out and about. It should be just as easy for me to refill my water bottle than buy a plastic one, and probably more convenient and less time consuming at the same time. Hopefully I can make some more improvement with this goal... Building off this, I drink coffee almost daily. It would be great for me to start using a washable travel cup/mug instead of Starbucks cups every day. Even though their cups are partially made from recycled material, it would be better for me to not have to use one at all. Honestly, the thought of a used travel cup sitting in my car all day until I get home to wash it out kind of grosses me out but I can try and get past it or take a few seconds to rinse it out when I'm done using it without waiting to get home. So once I master the water bottle issue I can tackle the coffee one!

While I have no intention of letting up efforts on any of what I have mentioned above, I can also make one more small change to continue to reduce my ecological footprint. I don't have any of my electronics on power strips and a lot of them stay plugged in and on throughout the day. Primarily, my cell phone charger and laptop always seem to be plugged in lately, 24 hours a day. This has become a new goal to take care of. This week, I'll go get some power strips so that I can easily shut everything down with one switch. While it's a really minor detail, I believe over time it can also make a significant impact. It's always a good feeling to know that you are trying to affect what is within your power to do so...

"It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility" ~ Rachel Carson

Green Products Expo 2009

I recently came across an article about the Green Products Expo 2009 that took place in February this year, written by Dan Macsai. Macsai expressed that walking into the expo was similar to walking into an episode of the TV show Lost, where in his words "You know everything’s supposed to serve a higher purpose, but when you’re initially exposed, a lot of it just seems…awesomely weird." Although there were over 70 different exhibitors participating and featuring their green products, there were some that merited special attention.

A company called SodaStream makes homemade soda using tap water in 30 seconds. The machine itself is about $80 and the flavors required to make the soda are about $5 per bag. The idea behind the SodaStream is that the average American drinks about 600 cans/bottles of soda each year. If more people made their own at home, it would save having to deal with all the discarded cans and bottles!

For those that prefer beverages that are not just soda, another fun green product is 360 Vodka. The bottle itself is made from 85% recycled glass, the labels on the bottles are 100% recycled paper, and when you purchase it (around $24 per bottle) a prepaid envelope is included so that the empty bottle can be returned and reused. Every time a bottle is returned, the person sending it earns $1 towards a local environmental organization. When someone purchases 12 bottles, they are even shipped in a recycling bin.

Finally, there is a product called JuicedHybrid Kiwi. It connects in to a car's diagnostic port and provides the driver with drag, acceleration and deceleration patterns. From there, the product gives you a "Kiwi Score", which equates to your fuel efficiency. As your driving improves, so does your score and the JuicedHybrid Kiwi provides you a read out in actual dollars the amount of money you are saving on gas, which is certainly an incentive to continue to drive better.

At the expo, there were also fun products like dinner plates made from leaves, and a seed lined drink coaster that when thrown out into the backyard, the coaster itself biodegrades and grows flowers in it's place. While some of these products can seem a little more whimsical than realistic, it demonstrates that with the focus on green products over the past couple years, it is possible to find products that meet a consumer's needs while still being sustainable. Green products have moved past building materials and cleaning supplies, a consumer just has to be willing to look for them! While on that search, clearly there are lots of fun products to find along the way!

Links to article:http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/dan-macsai/popwise/green-products-expo-2009-fantastic-four

SodaStream: http://www.sodastreamusa.com/

360 Vodka: http://www.vodka360.com/index.php

Bamboo: Not Just for Pandas?

A friend of mine is in the process of remodeling a relative's house and it sparked a conversation about the bamboo flooring that he is laying down throughout the house. While bamboo flooring looks beautiful, it is also a much more ecologically friendly choice than wood flooring, and is one of the strongest building materials available. There are a few different reasons why bamboo can be a wonderful choice as a sustainable resource. First of all, bamboo has an impressively short growth cycle, growing at a minimum 1/3 faster than the fastest growing tree. Because there are over 1000 different species of bamboo, it can grow in many different environments across the globe. Within reason, it can be harvested every 3-5 years instead of the standard 10-20 softwoods require. Additionally, bamboo helps to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and generates more oxygen than it's equivalent in trees.
However, the popularity of bamboo as a renewable resource in recent years has threatened that man will harvest it faster than nature can replenish it, even with it's amazing growth cycle. It will cease to be an option as a sustainable and renewable resource if it is depleted. This year, a company called Boo-Shoot Gardens that is located in Mt. Vernon, WA may have found a solution. Boo-Shoot is a biotechnology company that has successfully been able to engineer a way to rapidly multiply bamboo plants based on "tissue-culture"science, after investing 7 years into this research. Using this technology, they are able to provide over 1 million plants to wholesalers per year. This could be an excellent alternative to harvesting bamboo grown naturally, while utilizing it as a wonderful sustainable and renewable resource...

Fun fact: Dell developed a bamboo desktop that is 80% smaller than other desktops while using 70% less energy... Check it out: http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2008/04/30/dell-develops-an-ecological-bamboo-computer/

Boo-Shoot Gardens, LLC. : http://booshootgardens.com/Homepage.cfm

Would you like some chemicals to go with your soft skin?

Personal Care Product: Hempz Herbal Skin Care Body Butter

Ingredient List: Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut ) Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Theobroma Cocao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Polysorbate-20, Emulsifying Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trideceth-6, Ceteareth-20, Cannabis Sativa (Hempseed) Oil, Cannabis Sativa (Hempseed) Extract, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Yellow 6, Yellow 5

Results: According to the http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/, my lotion is ranked as 6 out of 10, or moderately hazardous. Of those included in the database, 62% of moisturizers are ranked as being less hazardous than this body butter. Ingredients in the lotion have been linked to concerns as serious as cancer and developmental and reproductive toxicity. The majority of the ingredients used to make the product are linked to less serious but still potentially concerning effects as well. The most troubling are the ingredients stearyl alcohol, paraffin, methylparaben, and glycerin. All of these have indicated varying levels of cell mutation or tumor formation in animal studies and in vitro tests, as well as shown endocrine disruption. Well over ten other ingredients are possibly associated with organ system toxicity. Most of the remaining ingredients (the “less harmful” ones) are associated with allergies and skin irritation depending on the user’s sensitivity and the quantity and frequency with which the body butter is used.
When I read these results, I admit to being shocked. This is a product I have used almost daily for about 7 years now! Although I realize it is often used as a marketing ploy, and should certainly know better, I had assumed that because the body butter was “herbal”, that it would be less harmful than many other available products. I was aware that it would be better if the manufacturer did not include pointless and harmful ingredients like yellow numbers 5 and 6 and fragrance, but I had no idea about the more seriously harmful ingredients that were in the product. Over time, I have used gallons of this product that has these ingredients that have been seeping into my skin. I am not susceptible to allergies or skin irritation, but frankly am more concerned about cell mutation and tumor growth! It blows my mind that if there are these many ingredients that are included in this body butter that are toxic and it is ranked as only “moderately” hazardous, what on earth is going on with the products that are ranked as even worse?!
I do not want to stop using lotion as a part of my personal care ritual. However, it is most definitely possible to replace this one with something that I like equally that is significantly less harmful. I am confident I can find a lotion that I like that is more natural and not made with so many toxic ingredients so that I am not gambling with serious health concerns in pursuit of soft and moisturized skin!

Radishes from your Rooftop?!

Article: Sky Vegetables: Taking Green Roofs to New Heights
Author: Joel Makower

The title of this article is what first caught my attention, and I wasn't disappointed. A few weeks ago at a conference concerning various sustainability topics, Makower (yup, the same guy that wrote our book "Strategies for the Green Economy") was approached by a recent college grad named Keith Agoada. As it turns out, Agoada had one heck of a pitch, and an even better new company...

His last year in college, Agoada created Sky Vegetables, a company that creates green rooftops. I'm sure many of us have seen or at least heard of gardens that are built on top of buildings, but Sky Vegetables takes things a couple steps past a bench on a roof. Using the same technology as environment-controlled greenhouses, hydroponics and aquaponics equipment, Agoada discovered that not only is it possible to grow various herbs and vegetables on the roof, but that it can be done in an environmentally friendly and very sustainable way. The herbs and vegetables are then sold in the local community, and Sky Vegetables is even turning a profit. The company rents roof space and covers all the costs of converting it into the green garden. There are no pesticides or herbicides used on the produce, and nutrients for the plants come from paper and food waste from the building beneath the garden. Thus far, the gardens have been limited in size to approximately half an acre but Sky Vegetables is in the process of seeking out the appropriate location for it's first "major" garden.

The impact that this can have over time is awe inspiring. Think of how many cities and communities don't have the area devoted to local gardens and import the majority of it's produce; if those gardens can simply be placed on already existing rooftops, it's a win for everyone involved. It allows people access to healthy and environmentally friendly food choices while supporting local economies, without requiring any new space!

I think Agoada and the people behind Sky Vegetables have stumbled onto something brilliant and I really hope the company is able to maintain and magnify it's success on a larger scale over time. So keep your eyes on the rooftops; you never know when you will have the chance to make a salad with vegetables from right up the fire escape...


Source: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/10/07/sky-vegetables-taking-green-roofs-new-heights

As Kermit said, "It ain't easy being green..."

Well, I have officially spent one week trying to be more aware of my environmental impact and living more "greenly" (if that isn't a real word, it is now...).

I have had some mild successes, and also some definite failures. I did actually go to Lowe's and swap out the heat lamp in my bathroom for an energy saving light; I was happy to have followed through on that. While I was there, an employee told me that sometimes Lowe's has an event where they team up with Puget Sound Energy and for every standard light bulb you bring into the store, you can exchange it for an energy-efficient one instead, for free! What an awesome idea! It eliminates people saying that they don't want to spend the money changing their lighting; it's simple and makes a difference. I had no idea there was anything like this, which makes me wonder how people find out about it. Perhaps a promotional opportunity there because that is a wonderful program that the entire community should be a part of...

I also did better this week at consolidating all my running around so that I drove less. By just taking a couple minutes to think about what I am trying to do that day instead of making multiple trips I was able to map everything out into one or two drives per day. Not only is this better from an environmental standpoint, I even ended up feeling less scrambled, which is always a plus!

My one huge failure for the week is that I have to confess I have not gotten a reusable water bottle yet. Even though I refill them and then recycle the plastic water bottles, I know that they are still terrible to use. I honestly am not completely sure why I didn't accomplish fixing that this week; I think I just have to switch my mind set. I am so used to just grabbing a plastic water bottle and it's easy for me, which isn't a sufficient excuse to not make the switch...

So that's my one big goal for this next week; to find an environmentally friendly water bottle that I can get myself in the habit of using. So cheers to success and wish me luck!