Black and Gold Go Green

2011-03-17T14:33:00.002-04:00

Good Afternoon SEACers,

Happy St. Patty's Day! Hope you're thinking GREEN today!

Continually thinking about the nuclear crisis in Japan? Here are some articles about responses in Japan, the U.S., and abroad.

-Latest in Japan

-U.S. Responses At Home

-Europe reconsidering nuclear plants

Environment In The News

2011-03-01T20:07:00.003-05:00

You care about the environment, so you try to eat organic foods as much as you can, right?

Well, new studies show that it is almost impossible for cows that produce organic dairy products NOT to consume genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Why? Corn is the culprit. Most of our corn in America is genetically modified. AND corn very easily cross-polinates.

Read and Listen to this NPR article to find out more.

Environment In The News

2011-02-17T09:46:00.003-05:00

Still having trouble believing climate change science? Maybe you've heard of shrinking coastlines, but perhaps it has seemed like a consequence too far in the future to worry about. Well Kiribati islanders, located in the central Pacific, are already planning for the disappearance of their tiny island due to climate change. Many have even moved off the island and are heading to Australia.

Read, watch or listen to this NPR article.

Environment In The News

2011-01-25T12:06:00.002-05:00

REMINDER!!

Be sure to tune in and watch Obama's State of the Union address tonight at 9pm. Pay attention to what Obama has to say about our energy policies for the future.

It will be on any and every news channel. Here is a list of a few...

CPSAN: Channel 6

CNBC: Channel 23

CNN:Channel 25

For more information on the SOTU, visit THIS WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE.

Environment In The News

2011-01-24T21:41:00.003-05:00

Good Evening SEACers!

Carol Browner, Obama's energy adviser, will be leaving the White House. Due to the Republican majority in the House, Browner believes that her most important goal, a comprehensive energy bill, will not be realized. For more information on this story and a list of Browner's achievements as energy adviser, READ this Politico article.

Here are two tips to help you stay updated:

1. You can LISTEN to NPR's "Hourly News Summary" anytime during the day. This literally takes 5 minutes max and gives you a quick summary of the most important news of the day. This generally includes some kind of energy/environment news. It is updated hourly, as the name indicates.

- click on this link: NPR Hourly News

-AND click "Hourly News Summary" in the upper right-hand corner of the page

2. Politico is a great website that succinctly sums up all the political news of each day. You can also either read or get an e-mail of Politico's "Morning Energy" which lists off all the energy news in Washington for the day. Visit THIS WEBSITE.

Environment In The News

2011-01-23T23:15:00.003-05:00

Welcome back and Happy 2011! After our first and very successful SEAC meeting of the second semester, it's time to start back up with the blog! I hope everyone kept up with environmental news over the break.

As for environmental news around the world, scientists have discovered a curious connection between climate change and the fall of Rome. I doubt very much that many of your professors pointed to tree ring data when discussing the numerous factors leading to the demise of the Roman empire. However, Science has just published a study suggesting that tree ring data from A.D. 250 to 550 shows unusual fluctuations in the climate that may have caused the instability of many of Rome's important natural resources. READ OR LISTEN to find out more.

In local news, the North Carolina Zoo is looking for volunteers to help out with tasks ranging from caring for injured animals to educating visitors about wildlife conservation. If you need a summer activity or want to learn more about volunteering, visit this Winston-Salem Journal link.

Environment In The News

2010-11-27T13:02:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone has been enjoying their Thanksgiving break! Did you do any grocery shopping before your turkey dinner? Did you use your reusable bags? New results have shown that reusable grocery bags contain elevated levels of lead, which has some consumers concerned.

The good news, however, is that the amount of lead in the bags is not really enough to contaminate your food. Also, companies who produce reusable bags are now working to eliminate lead from their products all together.

To decide for yourself if you will switch back to paper or plastic, LISTEN to/ READ this NPR article.

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-11-21T20:32:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving the Sustainable Way!

As we count down the days until Thanksgiving break, it is time to think about how to make your holiday more sustainable! No worries, it's simple and you won't be missing out on any delicious foods! Take these few tips to help our world, your stomach, and your life be more sustainable this holiday.

1. Shop Organic

Organic meat usually means the animal was raised more ethically and without pesticides or hormones. Try to have an organic turkey this year!

2. Shop local

Farmer's markets are the best places to buy delicious seasonal fruits and veggies. This will help add fresher ingredients to your Thanksgiving meal! Yum!

3. Cook what you'll eat

Try to make just enough food for those you are cooking for. Although it's tempting to cook massive amounts of food, cook the amount you know you will eat!

4. Love the Leftovers

If you do have leftovers, don't throw them away! Make delicious Thanksgiving meals in the days after Thanksgiving! Try creative meals like turkey sandwiches with all your fixins!

5. Use Tupperware

Put your leftovers in reusable Tupperware instead of plastic wraps and baggies. The best part is that you can fill Tupperware containers with your favorite foods and bring the leftovers back to school with you!

6. Choose to Reuse

Forget bottled water this year and switch to tap water in glasses. Not only does it look nice, but you reduce your waste. Put away those paper plates and plastic forks and choose to use nice dinner plates that you will use throughout the year.

7. Enjoy Thanksgiving!!!

See you all after the holiday!

Environment In The News

2010-11-17T14:58:00.002-05:00

Good afernoon, SEACers!

In light of the recent elections, I encourage you all to keep up with how the shift in Congress will effect our energy policies. For example, half of the incoming Republican freshman deny global climate change science. Think of the implications of this on climate change legislation.

At the beginning of the year, Republicans will take control of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This NY Times article and video takes a look at one of the candidates for chairman , John Shimkus, who has declared that biblical verses prove that human caused climate change will not harm our planet.

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-11-10T20:58:00.007-05:00

Reduce Food Waste

The situation is all too familiar: you enter the welcoming doors of the Pit and quickly find a premium seat. Your first choice is probably the high tables. Second, you may try a cushioned bench. And if you are highly unfortunate, you will be relegated to the loser corner of the Pit. Nonetheless, the wafting aroma from the southern kitchen station or the savory scent from the international grill force your salivary glands to work double time. In seconds you ravage through
the Pit and ultimately end up with three to four plates at your table--all for you.

The reality is, however, you are unlikely to finish all four plates. After your lengthy Pit-sit you collect your mound of plates and carefully balance them atop the moving dish room conveyor belt. Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the revolving plate-collector? Your food is most likely being thrown in the trash and then taken to the landfill via energy-costly trucks.

But it does not have to be this way. Next time you feel tempted by the extreme amount of options at the Pit, take a second and pick out your favorite food. Take one plate at a time and finish it before going back for seconds. This will significantly reduce your food waste!

Live off-campus or cook for yourself? There is an economic incentive to reduce your food waste as well. The amount of food going to waste in the US is astronomical. That means you are wasting money you use to buy food. Check out this article about a study conducted by leading scientists from the University of Arizona. Also, check this out for some easy tips to fix the problem!

Environment In The News

2010-10-28T12:30:00.004-04:00

Ever found yourself day dreaming about what it might have been like to live as a Native American before European discovery of North America? Likely you would have imagined yourself living harmoniously and peacefully alongside an untouched wilderness. Well, think again, because you've been duped by the pervasive and attractive ideology of the "pristine myth." The truth is that Native Americans vastly altered their local environments, just as we continue to do today. Even modern Native Americans utilize and exhaust resources in a way that can significantly degrade the natural landscape. However, there has been a recent attempt by some Navajos in Arizona to restore a degraded landscape to a more pristine state. Rather than using coal as the primary source of energy, the Navajos will utilize wind and solar power. Could this be an attempt to return to an internalized and adopted notion of the "pristine myth," or is this just a prudent economical move?

Decide for yourself after reading this NYTimes ARTICLE.

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-10-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

Eat Vegetarian for One Full Day per Week

In 2006 the United Nations stated that the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide. Raising animals for food contributes to deforestation, air and water pollution, land degradation, loss of topsoil, loss of biodiversity, climate change, and the overuse of resources including oil and water. Plant based food production is less of an impact and is a more sustainable use of our land. Of course, it is all about finding the optimal balance!

Switching from a strictly carnivorous diet to a vegetarian one is pretty daunting, but SEAC is here to offer some helpful hints! Try eating vegetarian for one full day each week. You'll find it's not so difficult! Here are some yummy options to try:

For the non-vegetarian eater:

Breakfast:

Cereal & milk (or soy milk/ almond milk), with fruit
Oatmeal with fruit and nuts
Bagel with cream cheese (or pb & jelly)

Lunch:

Pasta with any sauce (except meat!)
Salad with chickpeas & beans
Sandwich wrap with hummus instead of meat

Dinner:

Pizza
Pesto with cheese and tomato ciabatta sandwich
Baked sweet potato loaded with your favorite toppings

For the ambition vegetarian:

Breakfast

Breakfast burrito with tofu and grilled veggies
Oatmeal with fruit and nuts
Yogurt with granola & fruit

Lunch

Salad with chickpeas
Soup with quinoa and hummus
Tempeh curry with rice

Dinner

Peanut & ginger tofu pasta
Tofu stir fry
Quinoa with balsamic roasted mushrooms

The Fresh Food Company highlights their vegetarian options, making it even easier to pick out these foods! If you like to cook, Whole Foods has great vegetarian recipes! Good luck!!

Environment In The News

2010-10-24T17:06:00.003-04:00

In my last post, I mentioned that environmental issues can often be divisive political topics. Recent news regarding the upcoming elections has focused on the topic of global climate change and its place in liberal and conservative spheres. Though most scientists and the majority of Democrats adhere to the notion that human caused climate change is a fact rather than a belief, certain conservatives (specifically Tea Party members) are vocally resisting this notion. Whether a Democrat or a Republican, it is necessary to challenge and question the positions of our nation's policy makers.

Listen to this NPR interview or read this NYTimes article to learn more.

Environment In The News

2010-10-20T12:32:00.004-04:00

Good afternoon, SEACers!
I have recently posted articles regarding environmental issues and their place in politics. However, it seems that many people distrust environmentalism (and its activists) because it can function as a deeply controversial and divisive political issue. Though governmental policy or political activism is an appropriate approach to regulating human impact on the environment, there are other ways to convince people to care for the natural world. Religious doctrine, for example, can provide followers with moral guidelines regarding protection of the environment.

Check out this New York Times article to discover how religion has urged some Kansas residents to actively conserve energy.

This NPR interview discusses how religion and science can be compatible.

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-10-17T20:03:00.003-04:00

Take the Stairs

I often find myself at the bottom of the ZSR library stairs, standing there... debating... should I just take the elevator instead?

It may be tempting to skip stairs and opt for the elevator, but taking the stairs has quite a few benefits! Not only will you be getting a little extra exercise, you'll be reducing your energy use (yay).

Check out this awesome video! Could we make this happen at Wake?

Environment In The News (Follow Up)

2010-10-12T14:25:00.005-04:00

Remember the article about the Obama administration's new regulations on oil and gas operations? Well, the administration announced today that any company that meets the regulations may now drill once again in the Gulf of Mexico. Check out this article from NPR.

Environment in the News

2010-10-10T14:33:00.005-04:00

Ever been annoyed when you hear someone say the reason they don't recycle is that it is inconvenient? As we all know, most people need incentives to take steps towards a greener lifestyle. For example, maybe a family ensures that their home is built to be energy efficient because they hope to save money in the long run.

Well, apparently American consumers have decided that a disincentive to purchasing biodegradable food packaging is that it is TOO LOUD!!! Check out this article from The Wall Street Journal about Frito-Lay's decision to stop producing biodegradable Sun Chips bags. The company will stop producing them due to the offensively boisterous crinkling sound issued each time a hungry consumer reaches in to grab a chip.

Clipped from: online.wsj.com (share this clip)

Also, check out this CNN video about a toxic sludge spill in Hungary, which is one of the world's latest ecological disasters. This is an early video, but the sludge has reached the Danube River and now threatens countries outside Hungarian borders.

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-10-03T18:46:00.006-04:00

Conserving Water

As the weather is turning from the warm days of summer to the brisk, cool days of fall, it is often tempting to take longer, hotter showers. When the temptation to remain in the shower strikes, remember that a 5 minute shower uses 25 to 50 gallons of water! Yikes!

Not ready to make the switch to shorter, cooler showers? Here are some other simple tips to reduce your water use:

-only wash FULL loads of clothes with COLD water
-turn OFF the water while brushing teeth
-only run FULL loads for dishwasher

Interesting facts:
-97% of the water on Earth is salty
-2% of fresh water is locked under snow and ice
-That leaves 1% of freshwater available to grow our plants, cool our power plants, and supply drinking and bathing water for our households!

Environment In The News

2010-09-30T15:30:00.005-04:00

Hello, SEACers!

I will be contributing to the blog on a weekly basis by linking you to notable environmental current events. Before we can make an impact in our communities in terms of aiding the environment, it is necessary to be knowledgeable about the state of the environment and its place in world affairs. I like to keep updated by reading the NY Times "Science" page and NPR's "Environment" page. Check out the following article to learn about our government's new guidelines for oil and gas operations in response to "The Spill."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130241839

Also, The Economist magazine's latest edition is devoted to a special report on forests. Below is a link to one of the featured articles. You can read a hard copy of the entire issue in the library!

http://www.economist.com/node/17062713

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-09-26T16:34:00.006-04:00

Lowering Screen Brightness

Does your laptop battery only last an hour or two? Are you concerned your laptop uses too much energy?

Fortunately, SEAC is here to help you solve those two simple problems.

The brighter your screen, the more power it requires (meaning your battery life diminishes). When students were given laptops at the beginning of the year, the power setting were set so the computer screen is on max brightness! Luckily, there are simple ways to change the settings manually!

Reduce your energy use and make your laptop battery last longer by following the directions below:

1. Double click the battery on task bar
2. Under "Power Plan," click "System "settings"
3. Adjust movable bar under "Display brightness"
4. Click "Apply"

Or...

1. Hold "Function" ("Fn") key located on the lower left of keyboard
2. Press "Home" or "End" keys located on the upper right of keyboard to adjust brightness

In addition...

1. Right click battery on task bar
2. Place mouse over "Switchable Graphics"
3. Click "Energy Saving"

Sustainable Tip of the Week

2010-09-20T12:37:00.009-04:00

Double Sided Printing

Did you know that the average American uses 700 pounds of paper per year and 115 billion sheets of paper are used annually for personal computers?

Do your part to reduce paper consumption! Only print if you absolutely have to! When you do, make sure to use both sides of the paper.

Sometimes students are worried that professors won’t accept papers that are printed double sided. Most professors are in fact okay with double sided printing, but if you are unsure, just ask!

Just follow the instructions below to start living a more sustainable lifestyle!

1. Start Menu > "Settings"
2. Choose Printers & Faxes
3. Right click on main printer

4. Choose Printing Preferences
5. Choose Finishing tab
6. Check "Print On Both Sides"

7. Click "Apply" to set as default

Notes:
*Can uncheck settings for individual jobs if necessary:
Go to Print > Properties > Finishing

Kick Off BBQ Photos!

2010-09-12T15:19:00.001-04:00

GAME DAY RECYCLING for Men's Soccer

2010-09-09T08:26:00.005-04:00

Put your Green Team shirt on this Friday and come support men's soccer!

Thanks to everyone who helped make the first Game Day recycling tailgate a success, the soccer team now wants the Green Team too!! This Friday night the men's soccer team takes on Clemson at 7pm and we're looking for Green Team volunteers to help soccer fans recycle. The shift will run from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and responsibilities will include monitoring bins, having fun with fans, and eating FREE FOOD and listening to a live band! If you have a conflict for part of the shift, but still want to volunteer for part, that is fine!

Please let me know if you are interested (kingje7@wfu.edu),

Thanks!

Jenny

FIRST MEETING AND FIRST BBQ!

2010-08-30T21:21:00.003-04:00

Get excited! We'll be having our first SEAC meeting Thursday, September 9th at 7pm in Benson 407!!

We're also having our kick-off BBQ Sunday, September 12th at South Hall from 1-3 pm!

Make sure to bring your friends to both of these great events!

GAME DAY RECYCLING!

2010-08-29T20:55:00.002-04:00

Below is a message from Jenny, the new Game-Day Recycling intern at the Office of Sustainability! This would be a great opportunity for SEAC members to volunteer!

Recycling Finally Comes to Wake Forest's Tailgates!

We are extremely excited to announce that Wake Forest will finally have a recycling program at all of our 2010 home football tailgates. We will be kicking the program off this Thursday (9/2) at our game versus Presbyterian, and will continue throughout the season. Keep an eye out for our bins with the "Go Deacs, Go Green" logo and if you have any questions about what can be recycled, there will be people walking around in Green Team shirts to help! (*Note: Solo cups can NOT be recycled).

In order to make this a great success, volunteers will be needed to help set up, clean up, and excite and educate the fans. The shifts are short, you can still join in the tailgate, and we are offering $100 worth of incentives that can go to any organization you belong to. The money will be divided by the number of volunteers, so more people from your organization = more money! If any of you are interested in helping, please email me, kingje7@wfu.edu.

Shifts for this game:
#1 - 2:30-4:00 pm
#2 - 4:00-5:30 pm
#3 - 5:30-7:00 pm

Thanks!

Jenny King

SEAC 2010

2010-08-29T15:48:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back to the SEAC website. We are excited about the start of a brand new school year. SEAC has tons of great activities planned this year! We'll be at the Activities Fair (Tuesday, August 31st, 2-5pm, Mag Quad!) so make sure to stop by our table and say hello!

Check out our Facebook page, Twitter page, and Blog frequently for updates! We'll be emailing everyone on details of our first meeting! It will be soon!

See you soon,
SEAC

Senator Photo Petition Slideshow

2010-04-18T22:57:00.001-04:00

SEAC members took 145 photos at the Piedmont Environmental Alliance Earth Day Fair on Saturday. SEAC has composed a slide show of our community members and students holding signs with various environmental issues. We will be sending this slide show to both Senator Hagan and Senator Burr. We would like to thank everyone who took part and below is the slide show of all the photos.

DKEathlon

2010-03-25T09:47:00.002-04:00

Celebrate Earth Hour by turning off your lights.
Also, Ish Smith wants you to trade in your lightbulb for a CFL.

Earth Hour 2010 Saturday, March 27th 2010

2010-03-23T13:12:00.003-04:00

Greetings,

We just finished the promotional video for Earth Hour 2010 at Wake Forest University. I wanted to debut it on the blog. Enjoy!

smart (study) snacking

2010-02-27T13:54:00.004-05:00

Midterms are looming. The library is crowding. The pit and pizza are getting old.

Want to eat local, healthy and delicious as you cram?
Check out this tool!

Also, the standbys:
Mooney's Mediterranean (downtown, cheap, quick; falafel, hummus, tabouli, etc.)
Alex's Cafe (downtown edge, cheap, quick; expansive menu including lots of veg options)
Krankie's Coffee (downtown, free wifi, terrific lattes, ginger cookies, music)

Best wishes!

Green Disk

2010-02-11T11:29:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wondered what to do with your already burned CDs/cases/chargers/printer cartridges that you don't need anymore?

I was in the Copy Center at Benson today, and I learned that they have a Green Disk recycling box, which is awesome. Just bring your used CD and DVD disks, jewel cases, chargers, old cell phones, etc to the photo printing room at the copy center, and you can drop them in the box. It is important to recycle this "technotrash" (also known as "e-waste") becuase it has hazardous materials in it. Another benefit of using Green Disk is that they will destroy any information that you have stored on your electronics, so you don't have to worry about data theft. Check it out here: GreenDisk website. And don't forget to bring all of your technotrash to Benson!

Bikers

2010-02-02T15:26:00.004-05:00

The roads are icy. Be careful!

Did you know that Winston-Salem has an outdoor/adventure gear consignment store?West End W-S

Furthermore, these guys are building bike frames out of bamboo.

Coal Country Film Showing and Q&A

2010-02-02T09:33:00.002-05:00

Do you know where the incredibly cheap electricity to power Wake Forest comes from? Coal and coal from mountaintop removal.

On Thursday Feb 4, at 7:00PM in Annenberg Forum in Carswell, there will be a showing of Coal Country followed by a Q&A with the executive producer.

I have watched this documentary before and it does a wonderful job of examining all the issues relating to mountaintop removal and coal. Here's the trailer for the documentary:

Reusable To-go Containers: Wake Forest > Duke

2010-01-28T17:12:00.003-05:00

In case you are upset that Wake Forest won't be playing on our home court against Duke this year to show who really is the better team; here's a reason why Wake Forest is better than Duke: Reusable to-go containers.

Wake Forest launched its reusable to-go container program last week in order to reduce our waste produced by takeout styrofoam containers from the Pit and Mag room. In one day, over 700 students signed up for the program. They received either a reusable container to use immediately or a tag to trade in for a container at a later time. Furthermore, students can return their dirty containers at four locations across campus for a tag. Most importantly, this program is completely free to students and will soon include frequent user cards redeemable for discounts.

Duke also recently launched a reusable to-go container program. The first 200 containers they pass out will be free of charge, but after that $5 per container. They hope to have 350 participants in their program. Yeah, half the number of Demon Deacons that signed up for our program in one day.

Just another example that Wake Forest > Duke.

RecycleMania

2010-01-23T12:16:00.004-05:00

After trying for several years, Wake Forest has finally entered into the RecycleMania competition. RecycleMania is a 10-week recycling and waste reduction competition between colleges and universities. This year it runs from January 17th to March 27th. It’s a fun way to promote recycling and waste reduction campaigns across college campuses and to increase awareness about the schools’ policies.

Historically, Duke and UNC have had much higher recycling rates than Wake Forest, but this gives us a chance to directly compete with them. Also, Wake Forest will finally be measuring our waste and recycling rate, which is something the university has never had an accurate measure of in the past.

So tell your friends about RecycleMania, use the reusable to-go containers at the pit, cut back on take-out, recycle everything you can, and make sure your friends don't contaminate the recycling bins.

Zipcar Launch and Reusable To-go Containers

2010-01-21T18:06:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was very successful as many students have already signed up for Zipcar and around 700 students have signed up for the reusable to-go containers from the Pit and Magnolia Room. To register for Zipcar check out zipcar.com/wfu. For more info about the reusable to-go containers check out: www.wfu.edu/dining

Here is some of the local coverage from yesterday:

Solar-Electric Hybrid Shuttle

2010-01-13T21:17:00.004-05:00

Here's a video of the campus's new shuttle. It will be used to transport students around campus although the route has not yet been finalized. Currently, there are only 3 of these solar-electric hybrid shuttles being used in the world.

As you all know the campus has been dramatically increasing and improving the shuttle system on and off campus. Furthermore, the university will be launching 2 ZipCars next Wednesday. For more information and to sign up for the ZipCar program check out www.zipcar.com/wfu

Welcome Back

2010-01-06T15:15:00.002-05:00

Hey all,

Hope your winter breaks were peaceful, enjoyable and green.
Did abnormally low temperatures, blizzards or chatter of cap-and-trade trigger discussion about global warming, carbon emissions, etc. with your family and home friends?

Are you ready to cheer on Ishmael Smith and our deacs?
Will you carpool and take shuttles to the games? Recycle your aluminum cans and water bottles (and reduce their use by switching to nalgenes or thermoses?)

What were your new year's resolutions?

Cheers,
HCT

Green Studying

2009-12-07T16:47:00.004-05:00

Take your own (re-usable) coffee mug to Starbucks and Campus Grounds.
Buy local /organic / fair trade coffee and tea.

Turn off / "sleep" your laptop during your breaks.
Write / print on both sides of the paper.
Use blank paper rather than lined paper (or write in the margins).

Share your study guides online rather than printing excessive copies.
Carpool to the lib, Krankie's, Panera and your other study spots.

Feel free to suggest more below in the comments section.

Tips for a Green Christmas

2009-12-06T15:33:00.003-05:00

Here are some tips to having a greener Christmas from the Piedmont Environmental Alliance! With finals just (and I mean, just) around the corner, I thought it would be nice to get people into the Christmas spirit.

Enjoy the Holidays While Minimizing Your Impact on our Planet

Buy local – This term is getting a lot of press lately for good reason. Buying local reduces transportation costs while supporting your community retailers and farmers.
Buy used – There are many local consignment shops or other retailers that specialize in “gently used” items. Etc. Consignment Shoppe on Jonestown Rd in Winston-Salem is a great place to buy high-quality second-hand items at affordable prices. They carry a large selection of clothing, children’s wear, furniture, electronics, books, games, and more. PEA members receive $5 off your purchase. http://www.peanc.org/content/etc-consignment-shoppe
Plan your trips – A little planning will save you gas money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; combine errands, map out your shopping routes, and carpool to events.
Avoid disposables - Remember to take your own bags with you into stores when shopping; use washable utensils, glassware and plates and cloth napkins for parties.
Purchase an eco-friendly tree – buying a real tree is more environmentally friendly than a fake tree, but the best choice is a tree grown without chemicals. Our favorite local spot is Reed Island Farm, a “cut-your-own” farm one hour North of Winston-Salem. Since you’ll be driving, bring family and friends and make a day of it in the mountains. We aren’t aware of any places closer that are as eco-friendly. If you know of a place, let us know. http://www.reedisland.com/RIF/rif.htm http://www.mtrogersfraserfir.org/realvsfake.html
Re-use whenever you can - Cut off the fronts or inside messages from holiday cards you receive to make gift tags; wrap your gifts with newspaper, brown paper bags with a brightly colored ribbon, the Sunday comics, reusable fabric and cloth ribbons, or old calendars or catalogs.
Reduce waste - Send e-cards or set up a holiday blog, rather than mailing cards. Decorate with greenery, flowers, leaves, berries, nuts, pine cones, gourds and fruits instead of plastic, paper or electric decorations; compost your greenery after the holidays.
Green your meals- Buy local and/or organic whenever possible; consider vegetarian alternatives or purchase humanely and sustainably raised meat options.
Reduce energy - Consider forgoing electric holiday lights; or, if you enjoy lights, use LED lights that consume one-tenth as much energy as conventional holiday lights and last much longer.
Give gifts of charity– local eco-favorites include donations to PEA (of course!), Piedmont Land Conservancy and Yadkin Riverkeepers. Many non-profit organizations have gift memberships.

Another Election

2009-12-03T19:26:00.006-05:00

We'll be voting on two posts tonight... and looking forward to the next year.

Things to look forward to:

Copenhagen, of course
Clarification of the recently leaked emails
NASCAR is going green
the PEA Earth Day Fair (which will be held on campus again)
and ZipCar is coming to campus
another bike clinic
Earth Hour
Sustainability and Food Weeks
movie screenings
dirt tie-dye, local cotton shirts
NC Senate Race

And obviously a lot more. Bring your ideas, your enthusiasm and your friends!

Thanksgiving Goodness

2009-11-20T17:08:00.005-05:00

For those flying/driving home for Thanksgiving (and everyone interested), an unsettling NYT report titled "Paying More for Flights Eases Guilt, Not Emissions."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/science/earth/18offset.html

So some common-sense words of advice:
1. Carpool home if you can
2. Carpool to the airport
3. Carpool while you're at home

Also some tips for having a "green" Thanksgiving:

Buy an organic free-range turkey or, better yet, a tofurkey
Purchase local produce!
Emphasize vegetarian sides
Avoid individually packaged goods at the grocery store (buy in bulk)
Turn off the heat. Don a holiday sweater; help out in the kitchen
Recycle Thanksgiving decorations
Use all of your leftovers! Send some home with your guests, a local soup kitchen

Astound your family with these easy, exquisite veg recipes:
http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm

Free Bicycle Tune-ups (NEW LOCATION REYNOLDS 330)

2009-11-17T21:34:00.008-05:00

Do you have a bike? Need some minor repairs? Need your chain oiled? Need your seat or handlebars adjusted? Thursday's your lucky day!

Outdoor Pursuits will have a tent set up on Poteat Field from 2:00 to 5:00 where employees from Ken's Bike Shop will be available to perform free minor bike repairs.

Also, please take a moment to fill out this survey for any student at Wake who bikes/ owns a bike. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a drawing for one of two $25 gift cards to University Stores.

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Election Alert and More

2009-10-25T16:50:00.005-04:00

As promised, these photos are from Big Sweep.

By the way, yesterday was International Day for Climate Action. Members of this community brought awareness with signs on street corners, in front of book stores, coffee shops, etc. Watch a great slideshow of photos from events from all over the world here: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/day-of-climate-action. You can also learn more about the history of this momentous day at that link.

Be certain not to litter: your beer cans, cigarette stubs, Subway bags and napkins, etc. don't enhance the aesthetics of our Quad.

Also, fully utilize the BigBelly Solar Compacters which can now be found in front of the Pit! Read more about them here: http://www.bigbellysolar.com/.

Big Sweep!

2009-10-04T15:55:00.002-04:00

Was awesome per usual. Please check back later for a more in-depth report and photos.

Among our finds:
--an entire bicycle
--a dryer
--a tire (standard)
--diapers
--lots of plastic bottles (now illegal to dump)
--kids' toys

Blackle.com and updates

2009-09-28T15:37:00.004-04:00

Use it and tell your friends about it. One of the simplest ways to reduce your energy consumption.

Also check out the Old Gold and Black article about our campus's new shuttle (see below). Use it, too. http://oldgoldandblack.com/?p=1874

Finally, be certain to join me and many others for the W-S Big Sweep at 9am on Saturday, October 3rd. A truly fun and dirty way to clean up our community, it will get your blood pumping for the NC State game. Carpool details will be in a forthcoming email.

Cheers!

Solution to car congestion

2009-09-13T09:51:00.003-04:00

It recently came to my attention that many of my friends aren't familiar with Zipcar. I imagine that most of you have heard about it, used it and/or rave about it like I do; however, here's a list of a few schools which employ Zipcar. Hopefully we will join them in the near future.

UNC-CH (the flagship campus), Elon, Duke; Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford, Yale; Belmont, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins... view the full list of 100+ at http://www.zipcar.com/agencies?&return_url=/find-cars.

Meanwhile, have you all noticed an increase in biking on campus this semester?

Ecological Footprint

2009-09-07T21:28:00.002-04:00

So, this semester I'm taking Environmental Issues (ENV 201) as part of my Environmental Science minor. One of our first assignments was to calculate our environmental footprints using this website:

Ecological Footprint

Wow, this quiz was eye-opening! I consider myself a fairly environmentally conscious person. I recycle, try to conserve energy, take short showers, and don't drive very much. However, my results showed that if everyone lived like I did, we would need 3 planets to support everyone. Now I know that, although my actions are helping, I can still make a lot of improvements to my lifestyle. If you're interested, take the quiz for yourself! It gives a lot of good tips on how to reduce your footprint. It's hard as a college student, becuase a lot of things are out of your control (for example, I live in a dorm, so I can't buy sustainable furniture or renewable energy), but there are also a lot of smaller things you can decrease your footprint. Check it out!

Green Thumbs

2009-09-02T19:14:00.003-04:00

Learn about WFU's garden tomorrow night. There will be a meeting in Annenburg Auditorium (Carswell Hall) at 7pm. Also, if you're boycotting Whole Foods but craving locally-grown produce, check out the W-S Farmers' Market. The downtown location is convenient (parking is free), and the offerings are plenty. It's open 9am-2pm on T/TH, rain or shine. Find out more at the website: http://www.cityofws.org/Home/Nlnn/Articles/DowntownFarmersMarket. Cheers!

Introduction

2009-08-31T14:09:00.002-04:00

Hello! I'm Haowei Claire Tong, a junior from Winston-Salem. SEAC was one of the first organizations I joined on campus, and it certainly remains one of my favorites.

Witnessing the growth of environmental awareness at Wake Forest has been awesome. The blue recycling bins, free downtown shuttles and last semester's EarthHour are just a few improvements of recent months. Clearly, however, countless challenges still lie ahead. Cheers to everything green around the corner (and then some): ZipCar, LEED-certified dorms and the Habitat Green builds.

Freshman Move-In Day

2009-08-27T19:35:00.002-04:00

For the second year in a row, every freshman received a recycling bin and a reusable bag when he moved in last Thursday. SEAC members will be going around to freshman and upperclassman dorms in the coming weeks to answer any questions students may have about recycling on campus.

Sustainability Update

2009-08-21T18:50:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

I hope all the students enjoy their last few days of summer. Fortunately, there is so much Wake Forest sustainability news that Ill be making several posts over the next couple of days. First and foremost, Wake's new Director of Sustainability, Dedee Johnston, began her position on July 1st and is hard at work. She just finished a new sustainability website sustainability.wfu.edu. However, wfu.edu/sustainability is no longer redirecting to our blog and is now directing to the new website, so make sure you bookmark our direct domain (sustainwfu.blogspot.com). And make sure to check out the new Sustainability website.

Also, SEAC has created a Twitter account. There is now a twitter feed on the right side of the blog. Follow us at twitter.com/WFUSEAC .

Tomorrow, I'll be posting pictures of our freshman recycling bin pass out.

Majority of Americans Don't Believe Humans Responsible for Climate Change

2009-07-12T14:57:00.002-04:00

President Obama returns to the United States this week to start working hard on health care and climate change legislature. One problem is that only 49% of Americans believe that climate change is real and caused by humans. That may not seem too surprising because climate change is still widely debated by scientists; right? Not according to this Pew Poll: 84% of scientist blame human activity for climate change.

So why is there a discrepancy between the opinions of citizens and experts in this area? Let's not forget that 51% of Americans don't believe in evolution. So there is some evidence that the public and scientific communities don't always align in their views.

However, the public's opinion on climate change is more easily described by political affiliations. 64% of Democrats believe humans are causing climate change, while 67% of Republicans either deny climate change or attribute it to natural causes.

In the coming weeks, there will plenty of political debates about the cap and trade legislature. Republicans are already opposing it by claiming that it will tax everything and the poorest will pay the most. A pretty legitimate argument. However, when the health care debate comes up these same politicians claim the country can't afford this and we are forcing future generations to pay for the deficit. Okay.

Well why don't the Republican politicians apply their view on the deficit to climate change? Unless we start acting now, we will be leaving a debt to our children that no country could afford: a dead planet. Climate change should not be a partisan issue.

Summer Update from Washington DC

2009-06-23T14:59:00.002-04:00

I'm fortune enough to be spending the summer in Washington DC and every day I find new examples of sustainability in the city.

To start with, the Planet Green channel is available here. This is a fascinating channel that should definitely be available at Wake Forest. It's most well known show is Greensburg, the town which was destroyed two years ago by a tornado and is being rebuilt as a sustainable city. However, there are countless other shows that are very well produced and educational.

On another note, single stream recycling is found throughout the region. At first this seems like a great option because it simplifies the recycling process; however there are many "costs" associated with single-stream recycling.

Single-stream recycling allows cities to use regular trash trucks and allows residents to use single carts. However, the recyclables are not as useful. The process of separating the recyclables is usually automated, but not perfect. Therefore, the recyclables are not as valuable because they may be contaminated. Also, in some cases up to 25% of recyclables are disposed of in landfills. This basically eliminates the increase in recycling rates from residents.

Wake Forest has a two-stream recycling process which is more valuable for the recycling center, but is makes the recycling process more difficult for students. Also, 40% of recycling bins are contaminated by students and thrown out by facilities. Obviously, the recycling rate at the school would increase with single-stream recycling, but would it increase enough to offset the increase in disposal of recyclables at the recycling center. Currently, it seems the easiest options is to educate the student body and promote recycling with the current two-stream system.

Sustainability Week 2009

2009-04-11T20:41:00.004-04:00

This week, April 13-18, is Sustainability Week at Wake Forest! Sustainability week is an annual event that started last year. This year, SEAC and Student Government have been working together to plan events to increase environmental awareness at Wake. Here is the schedule:

Monday- Green transportation showcase, Mag Quad, 11 AM- 2 PM. There will be displays by facilities, the Biodiesel group, and a LEAD group which is working on a bike sharing program.

Tuesday- "Flow" documentary showing, 7:30 PM, DeTamble auditorium (Tribble Hall). Flow is an "investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st century- the world water crisis." It tackles issues such as governmental and corporate misuse of water resources, the debate on bottled water and water-related public health problems.

Wednesday- Sustainable dining featuring displays by Aramark and SEAC, 11 AM-2 PM, the Pit, and the TVs in the Pit will be showing Planet Earth

Thursday- Black and Gold Go Green panel discussion, 7:30-9:00 PM, Benson 401C. This panel will feature Jim Alty from facilities, Roy Biggers from Aramark and Drs. Wakild, Kondepudi, Browne and Hammond. We have a wide range of opinions and experience, but all panelists will be talking about sustainability at Wake Forest. Student questions will also be taken, so come out ready to participate!

Friday- Sustainable Seize the Quad

Saturday- Piedemont Environmental Alliance Earth Day Fair, Hearn Plaza, all day

Check out our Facebook Page!

Feel free to contact me by e-mail (freuca6@wfu.edu) if you have any questions, and see you this week!

American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

2009-04-06T23:42:00.006-04:00

We have began our student petition to President Hatch to show him our support for the Presidents Climate Commitment.

Here is an overview of the Commitment:

620 college presidents have signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, which recognizes the, “scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans.” By signing the commitment, the president of the university pledges to work towards a climate neutral campus. The commitment includes a number of intermediate steps toward carbon neutrality:

1. Initiate the development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.

a. Within two months of signing this document, create institutional structures to guide the development and implementation of the plan.

b. Within one year of signing this document, complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions (including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and update the inventory every other year thereafter.

c. Within two years of signing this document, develop an institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral, which will include:

i. A target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible.

ii. Interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality.

iii. Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students.

iv. Actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality.

v. Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.

2. Initiate two or more of the following tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed.

a. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.

b. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist.

c. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for by our institution.

d. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution

e. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources.

f. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our institution's endowment is invested.

g. Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures to reduce waste.

3. Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available by providing them to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for posting and dissemination.

Be the first to sign our petition, right here on the blog!

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Earth Hour at Wake Forest University

2009-03-29T14:55:00.006-04:00

In case anyone missed Earth Hour at Wake Forest, Fox 8 captured the lights going out on the chapel. Overall, the event was a success and I look forward to improving the event for next year.

Earth Hour - March 28, 2009 8:30-9:30 PM

2009-03-20T18:27:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry there hasn't been an update in a while, but I have some exciting news. Earth Hour, which is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, began in Sydney in 2007 and spread across the globe last year. This year it will be bigger than ever with tens of millions of people participating.

I am very proud to announce President Hatch has requested that Wake Forest University participate this year. The spot lights on the steeple of Wait Chapel will be turned off for the hour. Also, Wake Forest news service will be promoting the event, and faculty, staff, and students will be contacted about the event.

Sustainable Dorm Furniture

2009-02-12T23:19:00.003-05:00

Today Residence Life and Housing had a showcase of dorm and common room furniture. Ten companies showed off their newest dorm furniture. Fortunately, sustainability was a huge element of most of the furniture. With beds made of wood from sustainable forests, chairs made of bamboo, and green-certified couches, sustainability was every salesman's selling point. I was fascinated to see how quickly these companies had responded to colleges' sustainability needs, which shows just how important sustainability is to colleges nowadays.

More and more colleges now are only building LEED-certified green buildings. In order to receive a high LEED rating the dorm rooms must also have sustainable furniture. We must persuade Wake Forest Residence Life and Housing to also chose the most sustainable furniture. If they do not chose the correct furniture we may not receive the LEED Silver ratings we are aiming for in the new dorms.

Powershift 2009 Update

2009-02-02T13:22:00.002-05:00

Wake Forest is sending a dozen students to DC to attend Powershift 09. That's more than double the amount we sent last year. While at the conference, we will be attending workshops and panels and listening to a number of speakers. I am already excited about the workshop on how to run a bike share.

The conference is hoping to have more than 10,000 college students attend, and with 25 days left more than 6,000 students have already registered. We will hopefully update our blog while we are at the conference, and come back with many new ideas to create a more sustainable Wake Forest.

Volunteer for Earth Day Fair!

2009-01-14T22:02:00.002-05:00

On April 18th, the Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA) will host its annual Earth Day Fair at Wake this year! This means that many students can get involved as volunteers. Please let me know if you're interested in signing up as a volunteer working at any capacity. We can accommodate specific schedules. My e-mail address is robill5.

Wake Forest Replacing the Trees on the Quad

2008-12-17T11:57:00.003-05:00

When everyone comes back to campus in January, our quad will look a little different. The Wake Forest community has come to love the trees on our quad. "Rolling the Quad" has symbolized our community's joys and sorrows for decades. Turning the quad into a winter wonderland of toilet paper is truly a unique tradition at Wake Forest. Unfortunately, the trees have not aged as well as our tradition has.

For some history, elm trees were originally planted on the quad when it first opened in the fifties. However, these towering trees were eventually afflicted with Elm Disease and were replaced in the eighties with Ash trees. The Ash trees have had a disease for ten years, and are starting to look very unhealthy.

This has forced the university to take action and gradually replace the trees with Maple trees over the next three winter breaks. Approximately, ten trees every year with be replaced with 10-12 foot Maple trees. While this is hard news to take, and may impede our ability to roll the quad for a few years, in the end this will preserve the beauty of the quad for decades to come.

However, this must make other environmentalists, like me, wonder maybe "Rolling the Quad" has adverse effects on the trees. Still, this is one traditional that should not ever end.

POWERSHIFT 2009!!!!

2008-12-03T17:31:00.002-05:00

Registration is now open. Dates from February 27-March 2. SEAC is looking to take a few people this year, so let us know if you'd be interested in traveling with us!

http://www.powershift09.org/

new ASTM committee

2008-11-18T18:07:00.001-05:00

Here's an e-mail I received from one of my professors:

"New ASTM Initiative to Support Sustainability Goals
November 17, 2008

ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards development
organizations in the world, on Nov. 10 announced the formation of ASTM
Committee E60 on Sustainability. This new standards development
initiative results from the cooperative efforts of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and industry stakeholders who share
mutual goals for global sustainable development.
The trend toward sustainability -- achieving economic prosperity while
protecting the natural systems of the planet -- is an important issue.
New environmental, social, and economic challenges have heightened
global awareness of sustainability even further. While both the public
and private sectors have offered various programs that advance
sustainability, widespread support is still lacking across mainstream
markets.
Newly formed ASTM International Committee E60 will be the forum where
diverse stakeholders come together to create the consensus standards
that will promote and integrate sustainable development across multiple
industry sectors.
Mary C. McKiel, Ph.D., EPA Standards Executive, commented, "ASTM's
proven ability to produce globally used consensus-based standards in
environmental and sustainability areas make it well-suited to support
the goals of this new standards writing activity and the open process
needed to ensure its utility."
ASTM Committee E60 will build upon the standards that address various
issues of sustainability. Notable among these is the efforts of ASTM
Subcommittee E06.71 on Sustainability, which has contributed numerous
standards that support sustainability in the building industry.
The ongoing activities of E06.71, including a newly formed task group on
Green Meetings and Events, will now be coordinated by Committee E60. The
initial scope of Committee E60 will be driven by subcommittees on
Building and Construction, Hospitality and General Sustainability
Standards. E60 will also support and serve as a resource for other ASTM
committees in their activities that include sustainability issues.
The technical committee will hold its next organizational meeting in
April 2009 during the ASTM committee week in Vancouver, Canada."

Voices of Our Time: Lost Worlds

2008-11-06T17:40:00.002-05:00

Wake Forest will be hosting Bruce Beehler, ecologist and conservationist, on the 13^th at 7 PM in Wait Chapel as part of the Voices of Our Time series.

Here is the blurb regarding the event:
Dr. Bruce Beehler, a noted ecologist and conservationist who was recently featured on 60 Minutes, returns from his third exploration to the most remote mountain region in little-known western New Guinea just two days before coming to WFU. Dr. Beehler will share his fresh insights on a place the many people call the "untouched land" - occupying only a small fraction of the Earth's surface but home to nearly 10 percent of its species, many still undiscovered.

Campus Consciousness Tour

2008-11-03T11:34:00.002-05:00

November 12-
OAR and Reverb are teaming up to make this semester's fall concert not only sustainable but also educational!

At noon to 1 in Pugh, a panel discussion featuring a band member, a member from Reverb, a member from Oxfam, and a WFU student panelist (yours truly). All those that attend can enter in a raffle to win best-seat-in-the-house tickets to the concert (might even be ON stage)!

Immediately after the forum, a "Pimp My Clean Ride" exhibit will be shown. People can tour a biodiesel-powered bus and learn about biodegradable products, recycling, green cleaners, and other environmentally-friendly alternatives.

At 7, the concert begins.

90 minutes before the show, there will be an Eco-Village which will have a couple tables designated for on-campus environmental organizations. SEAC and VSC are likely going to have the tables. Biofuels will likely have a presence at the SEAC table. There will also be lots of other interesting exhibits at the Eco-Village including demonstrations, booths hosted by a couple of NGOs, free samples of Cliff bars and Silk soymilk, and a raffle for a signed guitar by OAR.

Invite your friends! See if you can get extra credit for volunteering or attending the panel discussion!

Contact: robill5@wfu.edu

Dorm Recycling Report Cards

2008-10-23T00:29:00.001-04:00

Here's a PowerPoint I created about SEAC's Dorm Recycling Report Cards. We really need help from volunteers to make this successful.

Sustainability Coordinator Candidates' Presentations

2008-10-17T16:55:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone is having a good Fall Break.

This Monday and Tuesday Oct 20, 21 and next Tuesday Oct 28 our three final candidates for Wake Forest's Sustainability Coordinator position will be presenting to the student body in Pugh Auditorium at 3:00 PM. All students are encouraged to attend.

For those of you who have not heard much about this new position at Wake Forest, I will try to explain what this job entails at many other colleges. The sustainability coordinator helps to bridge the gap between students and the administration. He talks to students about what sustainable initiatives they want at the university, researches these initiatives and presents them to the administration.

As Wake Forest implements our Master and Strategic Plans and initiates significant changes, the new sustainability director will hopefully guide the administration, faculty and student body towards more sustainable practices.

The Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) looks forward to working with the new sustainability coordinator and arranging forums with the student body to discuss Wake's sustainability initiatives.

Luke Russert debate watch.

2008-10-08T21:31:00.002-04:00

Luke Russert and NBC Nightly News was on campus watching the debate with us. Check it out... and watch closely to the 30 sec mark.

Sustainability Report Card

2008-09-24T22:55:00.001-04:00

2007-2008- D
2009- C-

!!!

Facilities (Jim Coffey notably) and Dining got a B, the highest grade on the report card.

ec-O-pinions

2008-09-24T19:28:00.002-04:00

One more success for us eco-heads on campus! We now have a space in the Old Gold and Black newspaper every other week called "ec-O-pinions." So far we've written two articles, and we are certainly looking for anyone else who wants to write. Contact me, Lacey (robill5@wfu.edu), if you want to get involved!

Things to look forward to on campus!

2008-09-17T13:50:00.003-04:00

Today and tomorrow, a number of WFU faculty, staff, and students are interviewing potential candidates for the Sustainability Coordinator position here on campus. Tentatively by the end of this semester, we will have an active, enthusiastic, and intelligent new member of the administration!

In other news, be on the lookout for e-mails and fliers about American Energy Security's first meeting of the year. A laconic review of the national organization: AES promotes education about and participation in exploring economically-feasible and environmentally-sustainable energy sources. We intend to host speaker events here on campus; promote and organize discussion with government representatives; relay relevant developments at WFU to local media; write grants and enter into competitions for campus R&D; promote discussion about on-campus initiatives; host a campus debate on sustainability that engages members from College Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians; promote campus improvement projects (e.g. biofuel shuttles to apartments); and promote discussion on relevant ideologies (e.g. environmental optimism). Certainly, any other input would be appreciated.

UNCG is hosting a "Politics, Energy, and Environment" forum on November 15-16. At 7:30 on the 15th, Amory Lovins is speaking!!! Hope to generate enough student interest, so we can carpool over there.

The WFU Biofuels initiative has hit the ground running this year. Just about every night, the executive members meet for an hour. We are working on the business/administrative side of things right now, and we hope to get the reactor on campus this year so students can become actively involved. No matter what your field of study, the biofuels plant will certainly prove useful. Interdepartmental cooperation on the student and faculty levels is one of our primary goals.

Alternative Energy Symposium

2008-09-14T19:35:00.002-04:00

Hosted by the WFU Babcock Graduate School of Management.
Friday, September 19.
2-5 PM.
Free and open to the public.

For more information, click this link.

Go Green Winston Salem: Sustainability Today and Tomorrow

2008-09-08T22:54:00.002-04:00

To be hosted the week of September 15th. Forums include: "Greening Your Business," "Green Building and Sustainable Community," and "Transportation: Initiatives, Ideas & Alternatives." All forums and exhibits are free but require registration.

LEED Certification

2008-09-03T21:25:00.002-04:00

Today Kyle, Brady and I went to a brainstorming meeting for the new admissions building. The planning committee wants to get the building LEED certified, so I figured I would take this opportunity to explain the LEED program a bit- not very many people know what it is!

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a program to encourage the use of "green" elements when building a new structure. Each green component used in the building earns credits, and the number of credits earned corresponds to a different level of LEED certification. There are 4 levels:
1. Certified (26-32 credits)
2. Silver (33-38)
3. Gold (39-51)
4. Platinum (52-69)

There are several categories in which credits can be earned. They are sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. For example, if the builder chooses to use water efficient landscaping, they earn 1.1 credits under the "water efficiency" category. The idea is to incorporate as many of these sustainable components into the building to maximize the number of credits earned and get the highest LEED rating.

The planning and certification process is really interested, so if you want to learn more I would recommend checking out these websites:

US Green Building Council
LEED

The goal for the new admissions building is a Silver certification. Some things that the architects will hopefully incorporate to get this are motion sensor lights, using recycled materials, maximizing the use of daylight, and getting energy efficient appliances. The building process is going to be really cool, so keep your eyes out for more info on it!

Princeton Review Green Ratings

2008-08-27T21:59:00.004-04:00

The Princeton Review is out with a new set of Green Ratings... And as you guessed Wake Forest is holding up the bottom. The ratings are out of 99. Think of them as final grades. 90 and above is a great grade, 80-89 is a good grade, 70-79 does not cut it in today's competitive world, and I don't even know if they gave out scores below 70.

The results of some North Carolina colleges (sorted by national rankings):

Duke University is ranked 8th nationally by U.S. News and World Report and its Princeton Review Green Rating is 93 out of 99.

Wake Forest University is ranked 28th nationally and has a Green Rating of 76 out of 99.

University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill is ranked 30th nationally and has a Green Rating of 96 out of 99.

North Carolina State University is ranked 83th nationally but still has a green rating of 9o out of 99.

In case you are still wondering, these ratings are pretty inflated also since 11 universities received perfect scores of 99 out of 99.

Wake Forest has a lot of work to do this year to become as sustainable as other nationally recognized universities. We need all the help we can get so make sure you join SEAC and become an active member.

For more information you can go to the Princeton Review Website.
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Listening to: Melissa Etheridge - I Need To Wake Up
via FoxyTunes

Freshman Move-In Day

2008-08-21T16:23:00.002-04:00

Freshmen moved onto campus today, while a new "green" tradition was started. I handed out about a thousand recycling bins and reusable grocery bags to every freshman. Many upperclassmen also wanted these recycling bins. Over the next few weeks SEAC will have tables set up outside the pit to give out the bins to any upperclassman who wants one.

Eco-friendly colleges

2008-07-18T23:36:00.002-04:00

Wake Forest gets some national attention for our efforts!

(and our friend, Quinn!)

Wal-Mart Actually Doing Something Good for the Environment?

2008-07-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

Check it

US and EU urged to cut biofuels

2008-07-07T16:31:00.001-04:00

check out the link for more info

Aramark and a greener Wake

2008-07-01T21:45:00.002-04:00

Today Kyle and I met with Roy Biggers, Director of Campus Services and Sophia Grice, Marketing Manger at Wake for Aramark. Admittedly, I went into the meeting a) not knowing much about Aramark in general and b) probably a little bit biased and a little unsure of how sustainable the corporation is. I left this meeting feeling extremely excited about the changes being made and reassured about the dedication to sustainability exhibited by our administration. Every question that Kyle and I had previously talked about was addressed. Either it is already being done or there is a reason that it cannot be done at the moment but will hopefully be done in the future.

Here are a few of the things we talked about:

- Trays are gone for good. A lot of people were upset about this because they have to "carry stuff". A ridiculous amount of water is saved by not having to wash all of those trays. We realize that NC is no longer in a drought and that 'the reservoirs are not dry'. This does not give Wake Forest free license to waste water (sending us more quickly into another water emergency). Additionally, a lot less food is wasted, as people tend to get things as they eat them, rather than loading up their trays and throwing it all away. Sure, one might have to make a few more trips but in the long run, the benefits greatly outweigh these few inconveniences.

- Work is being done to get composting on campus, which many other schools that use Aramark do. At this point, it is difficult for Wake to do this until Winston is on a route for a composting service. With such high amounts of waste, we can't compost until we have a place for it all to go. This is definitely a conversation being had and hopefully we will see results in the near future!

- The Pit is currently using 18% local produce, which will be labeled as such throughout the Pit in the fall. There are many health related reasons that make it difficult to increase this number. Local producers have to have a minimum of $5 million bond in order to insure safety. Obviously it is difficult to buy from just anyone, when hundreds of people are being fed and therefore put in danger if produce is not 100% safe.

- When we return to campus for Fall 2008, the Pit will have a lot more signage and information regarding healthy eating and nutrition. We now have a nutritionist on campus full time who is currently working with the chefs to re-do the menu. This will mean vegetarian options at every station, as well as separate cooking containers (pans, etc) for non-meat products- complete with color coded handles to distinguish them! Mr. Biggers gave a great example of the omelet line- many vegetarians have previously been deterred by the fact that their cheese omelet was made directly after a ham omelet. No longer!

- Without us even mentioning it, Ms. Grice brought up Recyclemania, which is really exciting because this is something that a few of us in SEAC have been talking about getting Wake involved in. The most important part of this will be getting student awareness/support/excitement! This will probably be one of the main issues that SEAC tackles this year, so if anyone has any suggestions, please let us know. The goal would be to participate in Spring 2009, so lets get ready!

- As far as other sustainable practices- the Pit recycles its grease, giving it to a company that does various things with it such as making soap or created Biofuel. If anyone is currently on campus, you may have seen large stacks of cardboard outside on the loading dock. These are going to be recycled as well. One of the most important things going on is education of all employees. Employees are being trained about recycling practices, etc so that there is a better understanding of WHY recycling is important. This educational process is so important and is often left out in the effort to appear more 'sustainable'. This does not make for sustainable sustainability (har har).

- We asked about being allowed to fill up our own containers in the Pit- waterbottles, etc. This too is a health issue, as our current drink dispensers use that silver lever to make the soda/juice come out. Pushing against this lever with a cup brought from the outside, and not those provided by the Pit, is called cross-contamination and will cause our sanitation score to plummet. A request has already been filed for Wake to get the soda machines that use a button, rather than the lever, next time they replace the soda machines.

- Some people have been asking about the renovations in Shorty's as well. For those of you that don't know, they are adding a kitchen so that Shorty's will be able to serve all kinds of delicious food! Right now they are working on what kind of dishware to use: whether it will be chinaware that will then be washed and reused, or biodegradable dishes/flatware. Its great that this decisions is being made with the utmost care and a lot of research.

- Similarly, although there is not as much that we can do with it, the Starbucks will be as green as we can make it. As explained by Mr. Biggers and Ms. Grice, their cups cannot be compostable, as they contain a thin plastic lining. This is there so the cups can handle the extreme heat of the coffee. The alternative to this is sleeving or double cupping. Adding the plastic lining, while making them non-biodegradable, decreases the amount of waste. Their cups are made up of 15% post-consumer material, which is a start! Starbucks also has a deal where one can buy a mug and then re-use it for a 10 cent discount. This isn't as much of a discount as Campus Grounds gives, but its a Starbucks policy and one that we cannot change at WFU.

A lot of these changes were put into place during Sustainability Week this past semester. As I was abroad, I missed this but am excited to see lasting effects. Although the class that was behind Sustainability Week has dispersed, its our job to make sure these changes continue!

I know that was a lot but it was a really great meeting and Kyle and I left feeling so excited about the changes being made. It is becoming more and more apparent that there is a strong push for sustainability in the administration, as well as a great deal of excitement about it. Right now we have to get the student support and equal amounts of excitement! In the fall, SEAC will be on hand at freshman orientation to speak with the freshman about these new changes, as well as talk about recycling and sustainability practices at Wake. Also, each freshman is going to be given a small blue trashcan for recycling. It seems like every new class is more environmentally inclined and aware, which points towards great advances at Wake in the upcoming years.

If anyone has more questions or any suggestions for additional things SEAC/Aramark/Wake can be doing, please let us know!

P.S. Now that Pizza Hut has left (of their own accord), look forward to REAL pizza in the Pit!

Theme Parks Going Green

2008-07-01T20:30:00.000-04:00

Mario's Footprint

2008-06-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

Highly upsetting news from BBC.

ethanol?

2008-06-18T15:47:00.001-04:00

compliments of my brother

Summer Update: Starbucks in ZSR

2008-06-08T13:48:00.002-04:00

The blog has gone dormant over the past month; however there is some important news on campus.

And the bad news is that against all of the student input and recommendations a Starbucks is being constructed in the ZSR Library (now known as the Z. Starbucks Reynolds Library). The administration made this decision due to the lucrativeness of a Starbucks relative to Campus Grounds. They have acknowledged that this will anger students but are hopeful that apathy will overcome the student body after the initial weeks. Furthermore, the announcement has not officially been made yet in order to curb student response. In the fall, Wake Forest will have four shops serving coffee (Starbucks, Campus Grounds, Shorty's and the Bookstore).

We students who are trying to promote sustainability, should be concerned about this for several reasons. The most basic is that students will have no say in turning Starbucks green. The store will begin using biodegradable cups when the entire corporation decides it is profitable and no sooner. Furthermore, Starbucks offers the most minimal discount for using your own mug. Also, their line of coffee is not fair trade.

The more overarching concern is that the adminstration is directly going against the will of the students. OUR library is being commercialized AGAINST OUR will. WE pay their salaries. OUR sustainability movement cannot gain footing unless the adminstration acknoweldges that Wake Forest is OUR university. If the administration believes that the students are so apathetic that they can impose their desires on us, we will never have OUR own sustainability movement.

In the fall, it is necessary that we show our discontent in the most attention getting and vocal ways. I imagine that Lacey will help coordinate our protests. We must eliminate the apathetic nature of student body which the administration has condemned, while taken advantage of. Most importantly we must force Starbucks off campus and embarass the adminstration who has contradicted itself in the search for money. If Pizza Hut "went out of business" and it had a monopoly on pizza on campus, how are four coffee shops suppose to remain in business?

I look forward to any input or suggestions on this issue.

Sustainability in Fast Food

2008-05-02T10:41:00.003-04:00

Taco Bell is implementing sustainability into its franchises. No more guilt in ordering bean burritos at midnight during a late night of studying! Article compliments of Wesley Johnson.

Green Theory and Praxis

2008-04-30T23:08:00.002-04:00

Journal of Ecopedagogy

Just skim and be amazed.

Vivian Fulk Review

2008-04-24T16:04:00.002-04:00

Hey all,
I know it's been a couple of weeks since Vivian Fulk came to speak to us on campus, but I thought I would write a review/summary!

So, she did a couple of great things as people were coming in. First, she wrote a bunch of useful websites up on the whiteboard for us to visit. This was an especially good idea since many people were there for a class and had their computers to take notes, so they could go right to the sites and check them out on the spot. Secondly, she played music- good songs like "Waiting on the World to Change" by John Mayer. I think this was very welcoming and upbeat! The slideshow presentation itself was also interesting. I remember most of the slides from the movie itself, but it was very cool to see in person. However, the presentation got a little long toward the end. I was worried that the audience would lose interest. Then, she played the Blue Man group video and got the audience excited again. I think if the presentation had more stuff like that, it would be really good for college students. Personally, I wasn't bored, but people who were less interested in all of the science of global warming probably were.

Overall, I was really glad that she came! We had a pretty good turnout- about 20 people, but there were a lot that I haven't seen before. It's also Sustainability Week at Wake Forest (sponsored by the Entrepreneurship class on sustainability), which is exciting. Happy belated earth day, and as always, leave a comment!

Environmental Direct Action

2008-04-22T17:14:00.002-04:00

Greenpeace....and a hang gliding dinghy

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention that Elizabeth Haight discovered the article on algae as an alternative for traditional oilseed for biodiesel production.

New Biofuels Discovery

2008-04-20T21:27:00.002-04:00

Algae for biodiesel

Green diet

2008-04-20T20:24:00.003-04:00

A great way to "green" your diet

Sustainability Week

2008-04-17T09:37:00.002-04:00

!Hola!

Now, it could be just beacuse I am in Spain and not on campus, but I haven´t gotten many e-mails nor seen much about Sustainability Week, which I just happened to read about on the trusty Student. The part that made me the most excited was the following:

¨To raise awareness for sustainability, ARAMARK will begin using “to-go” materials made from biodegradable materials in place of Styrofoam.¨

I would assume that this is a permanent change, as I can´t imagine them using them just for the week, so that´s awesome! I know that many students, myself included, really enjoy the ´to go´ option and are also more likely to eat when we can just pop in and grab some food to go. Those styrofoam containers were horrible, though! Its also important that we work with ARAMARK and outside organizations so that it is not just our campus that is looking towards a ´green´ future, but also all organizations that we work with and are affiliated with.

I also wish I could see the possible electric golf carts and really hope that those are implemented. Facilities Management really is great and they are so into the sustainability movement!

I hope everyone participates in these events and really gets involved in these lectures, etc. We have support from the administration, it is the student support that is lacking!

Piedmont Earth Day Fair

2008-04-16T11:17:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, April 19, from 10 am- 5 pm, there will be a huge Earth Day fair in Winston-Salem! It is sponsored by PEA (Piedmont Environmental Alliance). The event will be held at 4055 Robinhood Road, and admission is FREE! There will be many things to do, including listening to Earth Talks, finding environmental solutions for your home and everyday life, eating delicious food made by professional chefs, and learning about eco-transportation. There is also a new section this year, specifically for children! The Eco-kids area will have crafts, games, and displays for kids to learn about ways they can save the earth. I urge you to come on out on Saturday, because this fair is so much fun. I'm really excited about it!

Earth to America

2008-04-13T15:26:00.000-04:00

Blue Man Group ::: Earth to America

Carbon Dioxide: Good For Something?

2008-04-10T18:34:00.002-04:00

The author of this article discusses innovative uses for CO2.

Powershift 2008

2008-04-08T21:04:00.001-04:00

Powershift 2008 might just happen after all!

progressive job forum

2008-04-08T15:59:00.002-04:00

When: 6:00 pm, April 17th
Where: Greene 162
What: Panel discussion featuring representatives from environmental and progressive non-profits. Discussion about post-grad experiences and opportunities.
Sponsors: SEAC, Students Pro Humanitate

The organizations represented are not strictly environmental, so come on out if you're at all interested in working for any sort of progressive non-profit group. It's going to be sweet!

Vivian Fulk speech

2008-04-07T13:38:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, April 10th, Vivian Fulk will be coming to canvas to give her take on Al Gore's climate presentation (from An Inconvenient Truth). She has been trained by Al Gore himself! Her presentation will target specific things that we as college students can do to help. This should be a fantastic event, and I have been advertising directly to student leaders. I hope we get a good turnout- see you there!

new campus organization

2008-04-06T18:08:00.000-04:00

American Energy Security (AES) is a nascent organization on campus dedicated to improving US economic strength and stability by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and promoting the development of new energy alternatives. Its two main tenets are the following: 1) economic viability of energy technologies and 2) environmental soundness of energy technologies. In my correspondence with Adam Mayer, the founder of the Wake Forest AES chapter, he emphasized that solutions to the energy crisis should primarily be economically viable because economic viability is often consistent with sustainability. He said, "...absolutely solar, wind, geothermal, etc., but only as soon as they are economically feasible. Trying to be completely renewable now will put too much strain on the US economy and on US taxpayers. The trucker strike is a prime example of the fact that we need cheap fuel now." WFU AES hopes to host and promote various activities such as a national energy conference, communication with government representatives, and campus improvement projects like running biodiesel shuttles to off-campus apartments. For more information, contact Adam Mayer.

Black and Gold Go Green

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Environment In The News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Environment In The News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Environment In The News

Environment In The News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Environment In The News (Follow Up)

Environment in the News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Environment In The News

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Sustainable Tip of the Week

Kick Off BBQ Photos!

GAME DAY RECYCLING for Men's Soccer

FIRST MEETING AND FIRST BBQ!

GAME DAY RECYCLING!

SEAC 2010

Senator Photo Petition Slideshow

DKEathlon

Earth Hour 2010 Saturday, March 27th 2010

smart (study) snacking

Green Disk

Bikers

Coal Country Film Showing and Q&A

Reusable To-go Containers: Wake Forest > Duke

RecycleMania

Zipcar Launch and Reusable To-go Containers

Solar-Electric Hybrid Shuttle

Welcome Back

Green Studying

Tips for a Green Christmas

Enjoy the Holidays While Minimizing Your Impact on our Planet

Another Election

Thanksgiving Goodness

Free Bicycle Tune-ups (NEW LOCATION REYNOLDS 330)

Election Alert and More

Big Sweep!

Blackle.com and updates

Solution to car congestion

Ecological Footprint

Green Thumbs

Introduction

Freshman Move-In Day

Sustainability Update

Majority of Americans Don't Believe Humans Responsible for Climate Change

Summer Update from Washington DC

Sustainability Week 2009

American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

Earth Hour at Wake Forest University

Earth Hour - March 28, 2009 8:30-9:30 PM

Sustainable Dorm Furniture

Powershift 2009 Update

Volunteer for Earth Day Fair!

Top 10 Green Stories of 2008

Wake Forest Replacing the Trees on the Quad

POWERSHIFT 2009!!!!

new ASTM committee

Voices of Our Time: Lost Worlds

Campus Consciousness Tour

Dorm Recycling Report Cards

Sustainability Coordinator Candidates' Presentations

Luke Russert debate watch.

Sustainability Report Card

ec-O-pinions

Things to look forward to on campus!

Alternative Energy Symposium

Go Green Winston Salem: Sustainability Today and Tomorrow

LEED Certification

Princeton Review Green Ratings

Freshman Move-In Day

Eco-friendly colleges