The Beginning of the End

Over the past 6 weeks, recycle mania has taken many steps towards living a more sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle. The restraints of our project included not purchasing anything, except for on-campus food, for the entire duration of the project. The focus of our project and blog was to reduce our impact and reuse and recyle our current belongings. We began by eliminating trivial items from our daily routines, such as straws, plastic bags, lids, paper towels, napkins, and utensils, to reduce our impact on the environment. These were all unnecessary items that we used simply for convenience and luxury to make our lives easier. Our group members were successful in eliminating those items and then proceeded to influence and persuade other members of the community to follow their lead. For example, when we went to eat with friends, we would explain the negative impacts of using a plastic bag that would sit in a land fill forever because it never degrades.

Our group also investigated the wasterfullness of college students, particularly with electronics, batteries and plasitc bottles or cans, and the efforts of Elon University to become a more sustainable campus. In the early 1980's, a student initiated movement caused an increase in campus recycling by 31%. Among the many items Elon reccyles for Elon students, batteries are a significant portion. Four battery recycle stations can be found in on campus in high traffic areas for the convenienc of students. With regards to electronics, such as computers, cell phones, ipods, and cameras, virtually every student has at least, sometimes more than, one of each. Many students also purchase a new computer, or other piece of technology, every year to ensure they own the latest model. This is an extremely wasteful practice that is a product of a media-advertisment influenced society that relays the message to people that they constantly must have the most up-to-date technology to function in society. This trend is exaserbated by the fact that people do not dispose of their "old" technology properly. Chemicals inside electronics have severe medical side-effects. Time magazie reported that 1, 15inch computer monitor could have up to 7lbs of lead.

So what's the moral of the story? Don't let corporate America confince you that you must have a consumerist lifestyle to be happy! Put away the credit cards and cash! Stop buying, buying, buying! Save money and time and put more effort into relationships and living a simpler lifestyle. Trust me, you'll enjoy having more time and money and living a less stressful life. If you must buy something, buy something made from recycable materials, or better yet, something that has been used by someone else. Reusing items is a great way to reduce your impact. Finally, after you've bought something and are finished with it, recycle it! Avoid an unnecessary contributor to landfills and chemical exposures by reclying items properly. Or just swap items with friends. What's one man's junk is another man's treasure!

Where is the whole “green” movement going to go in the future? One thing is for sure: if we do not either conserve our resources or find an alternate means for energy that is inexpensive and efficient, we are going to be headed down a long and sorry road. While the think tanks in the science department are working on a solution to that problem, regular people are going to need to take initiative to save our resources.

The first thing that I think will occur in the future is reusing what we can. Many products are being created so that they can be recycled or used as something else. Take for example the notebooks made out of recycled materials. It lowers the necessity to create new materials and is just as good.

Or, the company that takes old clothing and turns them into a rug. They are made from clothes that are too worn through for the Salvation Army but will sit in a landfill if thrown away. In our last blog entry was an article about clothing and shoes made from recycled materials. If other companies followed this example, we would never have to create new materials again.

This semester we examined several examples of campaigns making a difference. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute film narrated by Anne Leonard. The film shows the process of production, and the consumerism of America that fuels the overproduction trends of factories around the world. The waste of energy and resources were well illustrated in the film. Additionally, Leonard described how this trend produces vast amounts of waste that go to landfills, and gases harmful to the atmosphere, causing Global Warming. To end this cycle, individuals need to resist the “need” to constantly update their property.

Additionally, Chris Martenson’s Crash course illustrated the economic and environmental issues the United States are facing. He described these as predicaments. Unlike problems, these predicaments have outcomes. The United State’s economic predicament is a financial debt that is an unending cycle. The environmental predicament is the extreme depletion of natural resources. Skyrocketing industry is placing demands on the environment that cannot be withstood. According to Martenson, “the next twenty years will be nothing like the last”. This prediction will soon become a reality before our generation’s eyes, and the current issues of the housing crisis and retirement will be irrelevant as we cope with massive debt and seek completely different means to obtain energy.

Al Gore’s, an Inconvenient Truth, echoed this environmental issue as well. This movie illustrated the reality of Global Warming, and the drastic effects that will occur unless current trends are reversed. Unless steps are taken to reduce emissions damaging the earth’s protective atmosphere, the earth will undergo permanent changes that will be detrimental.

These three examples reveal a very important issue that needs to be addressed by our generation. It is not too late to start changing the trends that are harmful to the environment. The threat of Global Warming and a crisis of the depletion of resources can be combated. As we saw in Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, one person’s will and determination can make a difference. Maathai’s inspiring story is a wonderful example. The Nobel Prize winner overcame the expectations of her culture, and gained respect for women, protected the environment of her home, and aided democracy in Kenya. Her greatest weapon in this movement? Simply planting trees.

From these campaigns in the media, we can gather the importance of being environmentally aware, and encouraging others to do the same. It is not to late for our generation to start combating the problems we will inevitably face unless changes are made.

Our generation really must step it up in the coming years or else we will be in trouble with no resources left.

--RecycleMania

Fashionably Eco-Friendly

Do you know how much the average American spends on clothes each year? According to Visual Economics, the typical American spends

nearly $2,000 on clothes- every year.

This high number is likely driven by the consumer mentality described in Story of Stuff, the desire to stay current with the latest products. We live in a society that thrives on the new trends of each season; thousands of dollars circulate an industry that encourages women to update their wardrobe. This cycle, however, produces detrimental effects on the environment by placing an increased demand on factories. These factories use large amounts of energy and produce significant amounts of waste.
There are a few ways one can make a positive impact in reversing this trend. The first is shopping at Goodwill and the Salvation Army. These thrift stores provide the opportunity to reduce waste by purchasing gently used items, as well as support those in need who are employed at these stores.

The other day, my friend Steph and I noticed a girl wearing an outfit that follows a recent tend, the jumpsuit.

We complimented her and asked where she got her outfit, and to our surprise, she replied "Oh it was my grandmother's". This is a perfect example of how trends recur, and how vintage stores and second hand thrift shops are a great place to find unique pieces. To many Americans, their appearance and wardrobe is of great importance. This is not necessarily an issue of vanity, but one of professionalism. For example, mindtools.com, a communication skills training website, noted that a picture is worth a thousand words; at an introduction, how you present yourself is that picture. The competitiveness of our society's job market demands that you dress well in order to

make a positive reflection of yourself and your employer. This can be accomplished without sacrificing style by exploring your options at vintage and second-hand stores.

Another opportunity to dress in an way that reduces environmental damage is purchasing pieces from eco-friendly designers. These designers produce looks made from biodegradable material. Often, designers will use bamboo fabrics and organic cotton for their designs. The website She Knows Living featured the "Top 15 Hottest Eco-Friendly Designers":

Beau Soleil

Sworn Virgins:

Linda Loudermilk

Stella McCartney (has an organic line)

Enamore

Gaiam

Alternative Apparel

J Brand Organic:

Levi's Organic Jeans

Organic By John Patrick

Loomstate:

Saint Grace

Eco-Ganik

C&C California Organic

Bodkin:

Other designers are innovating interesting ways to work with the environment. This Ecotech Solar Jacket, by Zegna Sport, has sleeves are complete with solar panels that convert energy that can be used to charge your cell phone or ipod, or power a heating system in the jacket!

These shoes by Timberland have soles made from recycled tires:

Timberland partnered with Green Rubber, a Malaysian company, to make these Earthkeepers Boat Shoes.

Other ways to make your wardrobe environmentally friendly:

1. Share clothes with your friends, roommate, siblings

2. Get creative with your wardrobe, get the most out of an outfit by giving it completely different looks. You can do this simply by changing up your accessories. This is a great way to take an outfit from day to night.

3. Check out yard sales in your area for great finds.

With these changes, we can join together to start changing the trends of the American mindset and protect the environment.

Kacey Stark

We Can Do It!

Global warming is real. This drastic climate change is no longer just an issue of rising temperatures, but a problem that will affect every aspect of our lives. The global climate will be drastically changed within the century, unless humans do not take immediate action to mitigate the problem.

Rising carbon dioxide emissions from the progressive industrial movement decreases the sun’s ray’s abilities to escape the atmosphere, thus causing global warming.

Although we are the primary contributor to this cause, we are not the only victims of its effects. Greenland was predicted to not melt for up to two thousand years, but recent data reported that this could occur within two centuries, resulting in a rise of up to 40 feet in sea level.

Another resulting phenomenon of climate change is a global migration of species due to the loss of habitat, towards more polar climates. However, those species that already live in the most extreme environments are left with no alternatives. This results in a serious decline of arctic biodiversity and population.

As demonstrated by our semester long project, we have learned ways to live more sustainably. By electing to not purchase unnecessary items, and reusing resources already available, we have been able to save time, money, and reduce our carbon footprint. If our efforts were reproduced on a large scale, even on a national level, it would help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, thus lessening the effects of global warming.

Sustainable Living

How would you like to come home after a long day of work, put on your slippers, and sit down to relax in your favorite…garbage can?

No, this chair was not a recycled can that went to a recycling plant and got remade into a chair. This is a char made out of an actual garbage can. That’s right, while perusing the Internet to find some kind of cool “green” products I came across this site that takes old things and turns them into something new and useful.

Based in Vienna, Austria, the Gabarage Upcycling Design Company hires teams of artists and professional designers to recreate something beautiful out of garbage. Many of their products go to people who are in need of furniture and cannot afford new things.

Check it out other garbage products:

http://www.coolhunting.com/design/by-anna-carnick.php

Another cool website I found was for Eco-Kids Sustainable Art Products. These natural toys were created by a woman and her husband who wanted their kids to have safe, sustainable things to play with. The product that caught my eye was the “eco-dough.” It’s organic, rosemary-scented dough that doesn’t dry out and is edible! No longer shall a parent be afraid of the Double-Dog-Dare for their child to eat play-doh at recess again. It even comes in a gluten free version. Take that, Hasbro.

http://www.coolhunting.com/design/eco-kids.php

While I think that this is a bit excessive, “Eco Green Kids Organics” offers organic baby skincare. It uses pure, high quality ingredients that keep the baby’s skin hydrated. The packaging is environmentally friendly as well as their organic raw ingredients. Their program works directly with Pwo Karen hill tribe of Northern Thailand and Burma to help these people grow sustainable farms. All the materials are bought from them so the money goes directly to the tribe. The company, Erbaviva, holds a commitment to the environment and to the global community. Now that’s some powerful baby washer.

Check out the organic baby washbag and other “Eco Green Kids Organics” products here:

http://www.ecogreenkidsorganics.com/eb107.html

jenna

An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth is an indepth, emotional, yet scientifically supported argument from former Vice President Al Gore, the 45th Vice President of the United States, under the Clinton Administration. The argument attempts to halt global warming's devestating effects and publicize the common misconceptions and fallacies of the issue. Ultimately, this movie emphasizes that global warming is no longer a strictly political isssue, but is moving towards being the "biggest moral challenge facing our civilization today."
After watching this influential movie, the most powerful factor for me would most definitely have to be the comparitive photos of natural monuments such as Mount Kilimanjaro, in Africa in 1970 and 2000. The image clearly depicts a drastic decrease in the amount of of snow and ice covering the peak. Being able to visualize the dramatic difference between 2 specific times is so much more impactful, and clearly relayed to viewers, than members of society simply experiencing the change over an extended period of time. This concept is better explained by the frog and the boiling water example from the movie.
When a frog jumps into a pot of boiling water, it immediately jumps out so it won't get burned. However, if a frog jumps into a pot of luke warm water, and the heat is turned up, it won't jump out even when the water reachings boiling temperature. This concept comes from the movie and implys that a gradual change is more difficult to recognize and react to compared to one that can be observed at two completely different times.

To summarize the movie and my reaction, I can only say that change to reduce the impact of global warming must begin with an individual's personal decision to be a positive member of society and the ability of people to recognize a problem when there is one.



If you would like to visit the website for An Inconvenient Truth and read more about it visit
http://www.climatecrisis.net/

posted by Molly C.

ChevronToxico: The Campaign for Justice in Ecuador

Something has really started to bother me lately, especially with the news of this recent oil spill. The United States is putting an amazing amount of pressure on British Petroleum, the company whose oilrig sank and released over 200,000 gallons of oil into the water near our shore. While I am glad that this issue has gotten press, what bothers me is this is only now an issue because it is near our shores.

So many Americans are oblivious to the fact that this is happening in under-developed countries all over the world. Chevron, a major oil company, who merged with Texaco in 2001, has repeatedly chose “profit over people.” According to ChevronToxico , between 1964-1990 Texaco drilled in the Ecuadorian Amazon and purposefully dumped “more than 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater, spilled roughly 17 million gallons of crude oil, and left hazardous waste in hundreds of open pits dug out of the forest floor.” In order to save money, Texaco continually used environmental practices that were so poor; they were illegal in both the United States and Ecuador.

The results of their practices have resulted in one of the worst environmental disasters in the world. The toxic material contaminated their soil, streams, and groundwater resulting in major increase of stomach, mouth, and uterine cancer, as well as birth defects and miscarriages. Chevron never cleaned up Texaco’s mess and they also continue to poison the rainforest.

Today, over 30,000 people are taking Chevron to court in order to ordain justice. Some say that Chevron and Texaco is responsible for $27 million dollars. This lawsuit has been documented in the movie Crude, whose trailer is below.

For more information to see what you can go to help please visit http://chevrontoxico.com/.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmpFrtXVHOc&feature=player_embedded

-SS

Get Creative!

Ever think you could turn clothes into a rug? Or cardboard tubes into a bridge?

Well in fact, you can! As featured on the website, Ecoble, the Volksware company figured out a method to put clothes together into a carpet that can be cut to fit one's decor needs. The clothes used for the project can even include those that were not in good enough condition to donate to an organization such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

The website also featured a bridge capable of holding 20 people, made by architect Shigeru Ban. Ban was able to construct the structure out of 25o cardboard tubes. The stairs are comprised of recycled paper and plastic.

Another interesting company, Remarkable, markets products made from recycled material. The UK based company, founded by Edward Douglas Miller in 1996, was established to create innovative ways to recycle material. For example, some of Remarkable's products include turning a Sony Playstation into a writing pen, or a car tires into a notebook cover.

A major turning point for the corporation was in 2000, when at the Millennium Dome they featured the process of turning a plastic cup into a pencil. The company's goals are not only to make Eco-friendly products, but to encourage environmental awareness. Their products are definitely statement pieces, tracing the origin of each object.

According to the website, their principles include:

• "To develop technology and provide products that will be sensitive to the earth’s finite resources and environment through the use of recycled and sustainable materials.
• To promote energy-saving activities considering all aspects of the product’s life cycle in order to minimize the environmental impact of raw materials and components whilst conserving natural resources through waste reduction and the use of recycled and sustainable materials and components.
• To endeavour to meet or exceed all applicable environmental and safety regulatory requirements.
• To promote waste minimization activities, giving preference to recycled or renewable sources whenever practicable.
• To promote continuous improvement and methods for improving manufacturing processes that minimize environmental impacts.
• To encourage environmental awareness to all employees so that environmental factors are considered in all decision-making processes."

The company has partnered with 21 different organizations and corporations working to make a positive impact in the environment. Their website also features a blog of tips to live an Eco-friendly lifestyle. Many of these tips are featured towards showing kids how they can contribute.

Their products include bags, clothing, stationary, and outdoor objects.

These companies are all using creative ways to reuse resources and protect our environment. You can follow their example, and make your own contributions, simply by thinking outside the box. So this lovely Friday, I encourage you to start brainstorming what ways you can re-use what you already have, as our team has for the past few weeks. You might be pleasantly surprised to see how changes are easier than you would expect, and how little efforts can add up to a big difference.

Kacey S.

Invention or Innovation

It's official the first ever wind farm will be built off the coast of Cape Cod. The Cape Wind project has been in the making for about 9 years now. Reasons for the Cape Wind project being held up for so long stem from concerns on rising taxes to support the project, to environmental damage and a loss of a good tourist attraction.

Others who support the project stress how the project will save billions in energy while cutting back on carbon dioxide emissions. Whether you support the project or not the wind farm will be built, and on only time will tell if this was what the nation needed or another failure. Do we need to invent and create more things do be green or is it better for us to innovate and refine our current methods in order to make them more green? Hopefully in the upcoming years we won't hear anyone saying, " We must find a way to recycle these stupid windmills we built".

Check out these sites below for more information on Cape Wind.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/28/interior-department-poised-annouce-decision-controversial-offshore-wind-farm/

These 2 have a video:

http://www.capewind.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/29/cape-wind-project-video-t_n_556671.html

Riese N.

Carbon Neutrality

I may be stepping on the toes of the “You Are What You Eat” group, but after sitting in on a presentation during yesterday’s SURF day, I knew I had to write a blog post about it. The presentation was called “Quantifying the Carbon and Pesticide Footprints of Elon University’s Dining Services.” It was all about how what we eat on campus and how we get it here is adding to the carbon emissions in our environment.

Elon University plans to achieve a goal of total carbon neutrality by 2037. They worked with the ARAMARK, FreshPoint, and CA-CP companies to calculate how much carbon emissions we at Elon University are making. All the data was estimated, but it still gave an accurate account of how much. They found that we use an average yield of 1762 kgCO2/acre/year for each commodity used. Also, they took the number of tons of food traveled multiplied by number of miles traveled multiplied by a constant (0.3725 lbsCO2/ton-mi). This is how much carbon emissions we let off during transportation.

They discovered that we have many international distributors because we eat foods that are not in season. Our most used product is potato. This is because fries are the most eaten food on campus. They said we could switch to sweet potatoes, a locally grown product, but because they are grown by small farming companies they would not be able to provide us with the quantity we need. They also found that lettuce let off the most emissions. Imagine, the produce that seems like it would be the freshest is the source of the most carbon emissions.

At the end of the presentation they gave suggestions for what we can do to reduce the emissions and make Elon reach its goal. These include buying local products and only buy what is in season. For those foods that are out of season, buy them when they are in season and store them until fall. These speakers have presented their plan to Elon’s sustainability coordinator to propose buying food that is grown closer to the university.

What do you think of this plan? Do you think Elon will reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2037?

jenna ambrosi

Toothbrushes

When this project started, I thought not being able to shop was going to be extremely difficult. Unfortunately, I had to break the rules the other day and by a toothbrush (I lost mine while traveling). This purchase got me to thinking about how wasteful toothbrushes can be. Every single time I visit the dentist, I receive a free toothbrush as well as the reminder to change my toothbrush about every three months. While a toothbrush may seem small and insignificant, it is estimated that about 50 million pounds of them are added to America’s landfills every year. Luckily, there are solutions for those looking for way to recycle this plastic necessity.

In recent years, many companies have risen to the call and started many alternatives to the normal Colgate toothbrush. Some companies like Recycline Preserve toothbrush have a special design, where the handle is made from recycled Stonyfield Yogurt cups. This way, when the toothbrush reaches the end of its life cycle you can recycle it along with all of the other #5 recyclables. Alternatively, you can also send it back to Recyline in a pre-paid envelope and it will most likely be further recycled into another durable product.

Other ecofriendly toothbrush lines, such as Terradent, contain innovative toothbrushes with replaceable heads. So, when you have worn through those bristles all you have to do is change the head and minimize your waster. There are also other companies like Radius, whose toothbrushes are not made from plastic. Instead, they build their products out of cellulose, a natural substance that will disengage or can be composted.

Another idea that has become increasingly popular is toothbrush subscriptions. After paying a small monthly fee, subscribers can order toothbrushes and send them back after they are completed in order for the company to recycle them into other toothbrushes. Depending on the company clients can receive toothbrushes semi-annually or when ever they choose.

Lastly, some are even using toothbrushes to make jewelry. HGTV recommends making your child or even yourself bracelets after melting down the plastic. After about a minute in boiling water, you are able to remove the head and bend the handle in order to reshape the toothbrush. For full instructions click here.

Traveling Green

By the year 2020, it is estimated that more than 1.6 billion people will be traveling internationally each year. For those who are interested in sustainable travel this provides a certain dilemma. How can they protect the environment that they are traveling thousands of miles to see? Well, for those green globetrotters who do not want to leave a carbon footprint, there are some rules and tips they can abide by so that they won't have to have a guilty conscience during their vacation, which I'm sure happens to Americans alllll the time.

One thing that make a huge difference is the type of transportation that travelers take. Since planes and cars emit the most carbon dioxide, a greener way to travel is by either bus or train. Of course, this isn't always possible because flying may sometimes be your only option of getting to many destinations. When this is the case, you can revert to carbon-neutral travel. This is a relatively new phenomenon that is actually a very interesting way to justify flying in airplanes. In essence it is calculating your carbon footprint and then buying offsets, which are donations to help sponsor projects that produce energy without using fossil fuels or burning greenhouse gases. This green energy cancels out the carbon footprint that was created by the airplane. Some airlines now offer chances to pay for these carbon offsets to their customers. Passengers have the option of paying a fee based on the length of their flight that will go to projects that produce clean energy. For the people who are truly concerned with being more environmentally friendly, this is a great way to help out the environment without having to travel from North Carolina to California by car.

So now that you have done your part by flying carbon-neutrally, what about lodging? Most people think that the only way to stay someplace that is really eco-friendly is by living in a cabin in the woods for a few days. Now to me, this sounds awesome. But to someone who isn't very fond of sleeping right in the middle of nature every night this may not be the best conclusion that comes to mind. Luckily, there are other ways of green lodging that don't require flashlights and banging on pots that would surely be needed when camping out in the wilderness. Green hotels are starting to become more and more common around the world. What makes a hotel green is a number of things including composting their waste, containing gray water recycling systems, and being equipped with solar or hydro renewable energy systems. What makes these places even more amazing is that you don't have to sacrifice style. Most of them look just like any other hotel does, the only difference being that these hotels leave their customers with a clearer conscience. And a clear conscience leads to peace of mind, which is the one thing in this world that is truly priceless.


For more tips on traveling green, check out this website for a ton of great ideas.

http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=737&category=44


-Karl Lucas

Friday's Sunny Forecast

The Sunny Delight corporation is making great strides in corporate sustainability, according to Environmental Leader- Energy and Environmental News for Business. All six bottling plants have reached their goal of contributing zero waste to landfills. Their goal was completed well ahead of schedule, originally projected for 2013. The Mataro, Spain; Littleton, Massachusetts; and Anaheim, California plants all achieved this goal by 2009. Plants in Atlanta, Georgia; Sherman, Texas; and South Brunswick, New Jersey achieved the goal this year. The result of this achievement is 1,140 less tons of waste going into the communities where plants are located.

Bottling plants for Diageo have made significant progress in sustainability as well. The boiler utilized is being modernized, which will result in eliminating 173 tons of carbon dioxide a year. They are installing energy efficient light fixtures in the Relay, Maryland plant, as well as utilizing a new process at the Menlo Park, California plant that reduces landfill waste by almost half. The energy efficient light fixtures will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 489 tons. The Diageo plants are also implementing electric powered vehicles, and therefore reducing the carbon footprint by 10 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Clearly, these corporations are making a significant impact. Hopefully, other companies will follow their example, and continue to bring "sunny delight" to environmentally friendly progress.

I highly suggest checking out www.enviromentalleader.com to stay up to date with what contributions corporations are making to environmental sustainability.

Kacey Stark

Out with the old in with the new

So after watching the Crash Course by Chris Martenson, and going to the cultural event on campus that had Annie Leonard who is behind the Story of Stuff project, I began to think about ways we could cut back on stuff. The bottom line is people are always going to want new stuff. Why settle with the old computer, that doesn't do all the new cool things the new one does? This will always be the case because advances in technology are constantly made and will continue to progress. Annie Leonard's Story of stuff explains how 99% of our old stuff just gets thrown out. It is clear that we are running out of resources so I believe that all stores should adopt a policy that gives consumers more of an incentive to recycle there old stuff. Some sort of reward or discount should be given to the consumer in order to urge them to get rid of there old stuff for the new. This would make them want to recycle that old vacuum cleaner instead of just trashing it. No matter who the manufacturer is there should be a way to get rid of the old(besides just trashing it) while getting the new. For example, my father has an old lawn mower that has been sitting in the garage collecting dust for about 2-3 years since he got a new one. The old lawn mower doesn't work anymore and he doesn't know what to do with it. I think it would be great if he could return that old broken mower in order to get some sort of discount on the next one he buys. He did get plenty of use out of that old lawn mower before it eventually broke on him though. That is something our generation does not do much of any more, that is using things until they break not just until a new better version of it comes out. Out of curiosity I went to take a survey on what is the oldest thing someone owns. After asking a few of my friends and having them all tell me that it is something they got as a child and it is dear to them I decided to just trash the survey altogether. Ironically as I began to put my notebook back in my room I over heard one of my friends talking about getting a new phone. I asked him how old is the one he currently has and he told me it was under a year old. There are about 36 cell phones sold world wide every second! This adds up to be 1.15 billion phones bought every year! In the U.S alone 426,000 cell phones are thrown out each day. I see it as breaking even if we instead of discarding our old stuff traded it in for new stuff. This could maybe level off our consumption. Here is a website that lists a few swap sites that let you trade for free.

http://dealnews.com/features/Swap-sites-that-let-you-trade-for-free/282549.html

this is another website with more chances to swap in old stuff.

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/12/stores-that-recycle-your-stuff.html

If only all stores could adopt such trade in policies.

Riese N.

Ask Not What Your Past Can Do For You, Ask What You Can Do For Your Future.

Chris Martenson is not economist. He is not an energy specialist. He is not an environmental expert. He’s just an average guy who happens to know something about the “Three E’s.”

Economy, Energy, Environment. These are the big issues that are plaguing our nation, and they are issues we have to come to understand before we can fix anything. Here’s a brief overview of “Crash Course” (don’t want to give it all away for those of you who haven’t watched it yet).

Our economy and money is in “exponential growth,” or simply, speeding up. He used an example of how fast it would take Fenway Park to fill with water- 49 minutes. For it to be only 3% full where people could recognize a problem- 45 minutes. There is only a 4-minute period where a problem could be recognized and acted upon. This is the concept of exponential growth and speeding up. (When I heard those figures, all I could imagine was Madonna and JT singing “only got 4 minutes to save the world.”)

Martenson said that we are always in debt no matter what. We have a national failure to save and the government is trying to bail out companies with money they don’t have, to help other companies with inexistent money they are being loaned. It’s a cycle that never ends. He spoke about the difference between problems and predicaments where predicaments have outcomes. Our money predicament is that we did not save. It is terrible to think that we’ve gotten ourselves into this trouble because we live the lavish lifestyles we want with a failure to plan for the future.

Our energy predicament is one that we have been faced with for the past few years: oil. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. It is the same with our environmental predicament. Once our natural resources are gone, there is nothing left. It was an interesting figure to see how our copper supply has depleted over the years from a prius-sized chunk to a 2mile deep canyon filled with 0.2% copper. We are stuck in the cycle of money that must grow, oil that can’t grow because of shrinking surplus and depleting resources. In my mind, it is sad to think that we know about the trouble we are in with our resources, yet we don’t seem to be making an attempt to change.

Martenson’s most impactful statement was that “the next twenty years will be nothing like the last.” This is true. The predicaments we are facing currently, such as housing crisis, retirement, etc, is a completely different situation than the failure to save and massive debt we will face in the coming years.

I completely agree with his path, that we cannot fix anything until we understand the predicament. It is not enough to be aware, but once we understand, it will be easier to find an outcome. If we follow Martenson’s lead in “tuning out the experts” we may find that we can live a great quality of life with a lower standard of living. Who needs that giant 5-bathroom house and the latest iPad when you can surround yourself with the people you love in an environment where you have what you need to get by.

To learn more about Chris Martenson and his philosophy, visit:

http://www.chrismartenson.com/

This real life example is somewhat like the family in “A Year Without Stuff.” The man said he became much closer with his wife and daughter, became a better husband, father, and friend, all while saving the earth. They found that it is not their things that make them happy, although it pained his wife to give up so much, such as lights and certain foods, but the time spent with their family and friends.

In my effort to become more environmentally conscious, I would like to attempt something like this. Of course, not to the extreme that they did, but only using what I need to get by is a concept I would like to start.

--j.a.

Green Routine

I was serfing the web today looking for ideas for my next blog when I came across this page that gave tips to college students on how to lead a more environmentally friendly day. There was one tip in particular that caught my attention and that I hadn't thought of before and I have decided to write about. The 10th tip was to use and reuse the refillable binders instead of the plastic notebooks covered with plasic and held together by metal wiring. These notebooks are designed for one time use, unfortunately like many of the other products college students are accostmed to, and a more sustainable alternative is the 3-ring binder that a student can refill each time they run out of paper or change classes. This idea got me thinking about what are more ways college students in particular can be more environmentally friendly. I have already addressed the issuse of using plastic cuttlery in dinning halls and now that I carry around with me my own silverware it is no longer a negative impact. Another act I have started is carpooling more, even when everyone in the car is not going to the same destination. If I need to go to one store, like Target for example, that is on the way to the destination of the driver, then I ask to be dropped off on their way out and picked up on their way back. Its convenient for me because I don't have to drive and it reduces carbon emmissions.

Another practice which, as a college student, I am guilty of, is using and wasting countless numbers of those red solo cups. For the past three parties I have attended on campus, I have decided to carry with me my own drinking cup and not use ones provided by the host of the party. Not only did I use the same cup all night long, I washed and reused the cup for the following two parties. This reduces my impact on wasting unnecessary plastic cups and reduced my chances of accidentally drinking something that might have been slipped into a drink pre-prepared for me. I safely and environmentally responsiblly. I realize that these few measures I have taken in my daily life are not that extreme and might not safe the planet all by themselves, but think, if everyone were to bring their own drinking cup and reuse it every time, one college campus of about 5,000 students could save around 20 thousand cups a weekend! Now I'm just one humble college student trying to play a small role in the fight against environmental degradation.

To read about some ambitious college students making a huge impact in their community towards environmental justice visit the Tree Hugger Website and get some inspiration and motivation to do amazing things at your school!!

-mollyC

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai

This remarkable documentary recounts the story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai. She took a stand to protect the environment, human rights, and democracy in her native, patriarchal country of Kenya. All of this was accomplished by the simple task of planting trees and encouraging women all around Kenya to do the same.

Wangari’s story is unique and inspiring because she rose above a society that did not respect women, their system of government, and environment. She was able to change a major percentage of the countries view by the simple act of planting trees. Wangari had a special appreciation for the Earth and the many gifts that it gives us. In our society, that point of view is severely lacking. We seem to belong to a throw away society, that focuses on technology as its main resource instead of nature. Wangari wants us to know how important the environment is to us and learn the proper appreciation for it. What Wangari does so well is hold the women of Kenya accountable for their actions and for the fate of the environment.This story is the perfect example of how one person can make a difference. Wangari stood up in society where women were disregarded and ignored, she was able to speak her mind and advocate for those who were not able to advocate for themselves. She was able to defy social norms and be elected to Parliament. Wangari proves that solution does not always have to complicated and conveulted. Some times the answer is simple. Give back to the Earth.

For more on the documentary Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai please visit

http://takingrootfilm.com/about.htm. Also for more on Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement please visit

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

It is the people who must save the environment. It is the people who must make their leaders change. And we cannot be intimidated. So we must stand up for what we believe in."
-Wangari Maathai

-SS

Only The Cool Kids Go Green

I have always been a little pessimistic about the whole idea of "one person changing the world" type of thing. I never truly believed in it because the world is just too big of a place for one little person to really make a difference. But after a few weeks of reusing every thing I own and recycling everything I can, I have began to persuade my friends to do the same thing and they are actually starting to catch on to this new wacky idea of being environmentally friendly. And what I have started to realize is that this notion of "being green" is becoming the cool thing to do. Everyone seems to be drawn to the more eco-friendly goods and services and there is starting to be some competition between big time businesses and corporations about who can provide people with more green options. At this rate, going green will eventally be the norm and the people who don't do it would just be plain weird. Getting the majority to buy into recycling and reusing our resources has long been a goal and it is starting to become a possibility. This is great news not only for us, but more so for future generations. The drive to reuse our resources is becoming a nation-wide concept and becoming green is the new fad that is totally in right now.

With this project, I have become a part of this revolution and because of that, I have become optimistic that the world is indeed starting to change and hopefully will remain on the right direction. No longer is it an issue to have only one person do something new and exciting in an attempt to make the world a better place to live in. Maybe it started out as some outlandish idea that some person came up with. But it has become a phenomenon that is beginning to take the world by storm and it seems like everyone wants to get on board be part of this green movement. As long as being green continues to be the hot new sh......stuff, I believe that people will hang onto this idea simply for the fact that not only is it easy being green, but totally awesome to be as well.


-Karl Lucas

It All Adds Up

To be honest, I was never one to make an effort to recycle, except for re-using the back of printer paper every now and then. Turns out, as a result of this project, my habits are clearly changing. I have started recycling paper and water bottles, ( I typically don't drink anything that comes in an aluminum can or glass bottle anyway). Moreover, I have started not using straws and lids on my cups. Though this seems so small, this amounts to a large impact. Let's do the math.....

3 meals a day=3 lids a day

3 lids a day x 7 days in a week = 21 lids

21 lids in a week x 4 weeks in a month = 84 lids in one month or 4,368 lids in one year

Let's repeat that...4,368 lids in a year on average! That's alot of plastic for just one person!

So if just one class of approximately 30 people decided to give up plastic lids for a year, or ensure that they recycle the plastic lids, that would save 131, 040 lids from trashing the environment. If just those 30 people gave up straws too, thats would be 262,080 LESS items of plastic going into a landfill. Not only is this less waste, but less energy and gas to manufacture and transport these items.

So next time you think one person can't make much of an impact, think again. It all adds up.

Kacey Stark

Woooooowwww.... really???

So, I come back to my dorm after classes today and grab a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. After I was done with the water I proceeded to throw the bottle into the recycling bin my roommate and I have in the room( the recycling bin is just a paper shopping bag with a trash back in it, but whatever works right?). When I threw away the bottle I stood there for a minute and looked inside the bag to see what else we have in there. I thought to myself, "I wonder how much this actually helps the environment?, I'm sure it helps but how much of a difference is this really making? Well, I'm doing my part." I sat back down at my computer and began to look at how much recycling really changes the environment. All this time I have been recycling because that was what I was raised to do growing up, I never really asked why does this help nor did I care. After browsing some sites I stumbled on two really good ones that gave some meaning to my recycling habits besides them just being that, habits. As I read through the facts on these two websites, I was amazed on how much of a difference recycling really makes. The facts that I read just made me say "Wooooowwwww.... really?". For example, this fact was one of my favorites, The Hershey Company in the U.S produces about 20,000,000 kisses each day! The aluminum foil used to wrap all those little chocolates is equivalent to 133 square miles! But honestly, who recycles the foil after eating a Hershey kiss? I know I don't. Check out these two cites for more wooooowww really? facts.

http://www.enviroment-green.com/More_Recycling_Facts_and_Statistics.html
&
http://www.cityofinglewood.org/pdfs/pw/Recycling_Facts.pdf


Riese N.

Is Going Green Worth it?

Hello, friends.

Why don’t you take a break from all the studying I’m sure you’re doing this fine morning, relax with a nice cup of joe, and read this weeks post on RecycleMania. I would like to share an anecdote about my “green” experience.

It has been about two weeks now that I have stopped use on plastic lids and straws at the dining halls and taking plastic bags when they’re not needed. Yeah, I’m doing my part to save the world...

Well, last Thursday I decided, hey, why don’t I stop using lids on my tea cups as well? It’s bad enough that they are using Styrofoam cups, so why don’t I reduce the waste here. This so happened to be the day a bee wanted to chase me, causing me to spill hot tea all over my arm, leg, and backpack. Ouch! I cleaned up and got over it.

Later that night while getting dinner I only bought a sandwich, a drink (with no lid or straw, as usual), and a bag of chips. It was certainly not enough to warrant use of a non-biodegradable plastic bag. So I took my meal and started to walk to my room. Guess what? It was pouring! So my drink got watered down and my food wet. I was so mad.

So is “going green” really worth it if you’re going to be extremely inconvenienced and waste the food you spent your hard earned money on?

UH, YES. By limiting the waste we make now, it is leaving more resources for the future. I’m just a klutz and have to be more careful not to spill things or bring a reusable bag for those wary weather days. If we don’t, imagine this conversation with your future children:

“Mommy, why are there no more resources left? And why is our entire neighborhood and river filled with garbage?”

“Well sweetie, it’s because when I was young, my generation was too lazy not to do anything to help it.”

--j.a.

Reusable Items-Plastic Bags

I was in line at our grocery market store yesterday and was buying my dinner. It consisted of one drink, a bag of chips, bowl of pasta, and a pudding cup. I was having trouble carrying all of the items so I reached for one of the plastic bags placed so conveniently right next to the cash register when I remembered that I promised myself to give up plastic items like cutlerly, bags, straws and lids. I then managed to carry all of my items to my table and began to enjoy my dinner. I then proceded to watch another student buy only two items, a granola bar and a soda, and then place both in a plastic bag, walk to the dinner table, remove the items, then throw away the bag. This student could have easily carried her two items and done without the bag. Instead she decided to use a one-time use, non-biodegradable, bag that she didn't even have a use for in the first place.

So I'm on my second week of not buying anything and trying to reduce my impact on the world. This Sunday was my day off and I was allowed to go to the store and due some shopping. I really only needed to buy some shampoo and conditioner so I figured I would just go, buy it, and leave. I brought my reusable bag to the Walmart and went and got my two items. When I was checking out, I saw a man buy only two tomatoes. The tomatoes were placed inside the plastic bag from the produce section and when he paid for them he put them inside another plastic bag. The sheer inefficiency of this purchase was astounding. The man only bought two tomatoes when I could have bought more. Also, he double bagged the tomatoes when he could have used a reusable cloth bag. This really upset me but made me realize that the root problem of our negative environmental impact stems from our midset. People believe things are necessary when they aren't. The concepts of "needs" and "wants" hace become so skewed and overlapped so much that there no longer is a clear distinction of actual necessities compared to luxuries. Society's members need to redefine what they actually need to survive in their lives and what is just there for comfort and entertainment. Perhaps if people did this there would be less of such a huge environmental impact on the world with much less pollution and waste. In fact, I think if poeple did this there definitely would be a decrease in the amount of pollution disposed of. So next time you are doing an activity think, is this necessary for my survival? Am I just generating more waste for my own selfish entertainment?