Tips of the Month

5 Easy Ways to Change the World

On April 22, people of countless backgrounds, faiths and nationalities gathered to celebrate Earth Day. But while it’s wonderful to set aside one day each year to have a positive effect on the environment, we need to incorporate Earth Day principles into our everyday lives. Here are five easy steps that anyone can take to help protect and restore our world.

1. PROTECT BIODIVERSITY
According to the Journal of Science, evidence suggests that the world is currently experiencing the “sixth major extinction event in history.” The last such event—65 million years ago—killed 16% of marine families and 18 % of land vertebrate families, including the dinosaurs. What can you do? Support projects working to save the species that are disappearing, projects like the Great Apes Survival Project (unep.org/grasp), an initiative to help save the endangered apes of Africa and Asia.  Pay attention to how your activities and your purchases are impacting the animals and plants that share our planet, and make changes. Like the old story about the man on the beach who was challenged by a passer-by as he was tossing the marooned starfish back into the ocean, “it made a difference to this one.”

2. USE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
Planet Earth isn’t an all-you-can-eat buffet. That means, first and foremost, recycle. It’s amazing how much of your waste you can recycle these days: paper, plastics, aluminum, steel— even electronics, from batteries to computers to cell phones. Compost food scraps, veggie peelings and flowers. Reuse paper and plastic bags at the grocery store, or, better yet, try fabric sacks, which can be used for many years. Keep a few in your car so they’ll be handy whenever you feel like shopping. Buy recycled products—even shoes. Nike recently introduced its Considered line, which boasts a more sustainable profile than its other shoes. The Considered Boot, for instance, uses 89% fewer solvents in production, hemp in the woven materials and recycled factory rubber in the outsole. The end result: 61% less waste and 35% less energy consumed during production compared to a regular Nike shoe.

3. DRIVE RESPONSIBLY
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the most important environmental choice you make as a consumer is the vehicle you drive and how you drive it. In California alone, automobiles account for a staggering 41% of the state’s global warming emissions, as every gallon of gasoline consumed puts 20 pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere. So what can you do? Aside from taking public transportation, the best option is to drive the most fuel-efficient car you can.  (See “Sites” for contact information on hybrid comparisons.)

4. WATCH WHAT YOU EAT
If you want to be a friend to the Earth, an organic diet is the way to go. Organic produce is grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, so the process doesn’t cause the amount of contamination that conventional farming does. Instead, organic farming reduces greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion, and promotes cleaner groundwater. But the process doesn’t benefit just the environment. It can also directly benefit your health. Between 1994 and 1999, the USDA Pesticide Data Program noted over 80% of conventional fresh fruits and 75% of conventional fresh vegetables contained residues from pesticides. Since organics are grown without using these potentially harmful chemicals, you can reduce your family’s exposure by switching to organics.

5. VOTE
Investigating the environmental stance of politicians vying for office is a simple step, but voting with your conscience is more difficult. According to a survey conducted by the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, 79 percent of those polled favor “stronger national standards to protect our land, air and water,” but only 22 percent voiced their concern at the ballot box. To save the planet, you must empower politicians who share your beliefs.

Definition of the month for Sustainability

• The use of ecosystems and their resources in a manner that satisfies current needs without compromising the needs or options of future generations.
  www.ianclasbey.com/portfolio/nmfs/glossary.php
• A goal, that aims towards preserving quality interactions with the local environment, economy and social system.
  www.genencor.com/wt/gcor/glossary

Your Suggestions

Following up: Diane Gronholt’s suggestion in the previous newsletter on making USD Go Green mugs available for purchase at coffee sites has been implemented! You can now buy your mug at Aroma’s, LaPaloma, the Market Place, and the Bookstore. Discounts for refills apply at each place.

I have noticed one thing we should implement here at the University is a battery recycling program.  I am sure that the campus generates a large amount of this type of trash. 

Greg Powers, Identity Technician
Network and System Operations (NETS)

(Task Force response: This is a great idea; some buildings have already begun battery recycling; readers who want to do the same should contact their building manager or facilities for battery bins.)

I’m a big fan of the “Be Blue, Go Green” hot drink mugs and I am hopeful that a similar option will be put in place for the soda machines. Is there a plan to offer reusable cups or an option to bring your own cup for the fountain soda available at many of the university dining locations?
Aimee Heytvelt, Executive Assistant, SOLES

To improve energy conservation, set the temperature higher in buildings and rooms that are air conditioned and where occupants have no control over the A/C. Most rooms are way too cold (Hughes, UC, Maher). It’s not unusual to find staff running electric heaters because it is too cold to work comfortably. I can only guess how much energy and money is being wasted. I hope you can do something about this. 
Rick Seaman, Admin Supplies Manager, Admin Info Services

One thing that should be considered is to turn off some of the lights. There a vast number of useless lights lighting up the sky, and spoiling our astronomy outings. On top of the Science and Technology building there appears to be 10kW of lights that are doing nobody any good, costing USD bucks, and ruining our astronomy outings. I have spoken to various people about it, but nothing has happened. Turn them off! James Pierre Hauck, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, CA&S

Instead of giving people a discount for using personal mugs, USD could charge people who need cups. Put the proceeds from the cup sales in a Sustainability Fund to finance the sustainability work on campus (to purchase recycle bins, reduce cost of travel mugs in bookstore, pay for awareness events, etc.). Also, do what you can to reduce the waste generated in our campus café’s. 
Tricia Bertram Gallant (SOLES ’06), Academic Integrity Coordinator, UCSD.

As our campus is growing to become more actively involved in sustainability efforts, the Residence Hall Association is eager to participate in helping promote this message. We have been gathering information and are interested in designing at-shirt with the Be Blue, Go Green logo to sell around campus. We need permission to use the logo. We are open to collaboration with any other organization on campus that might be interested. RHA is very enthusiastic about promoting the Be Blue, Go Green message! Emily McMahon, President for the Camino/Founders RHA Council.

(Task Force Response: See www.sandiego.edu/marketing/identify-marks-recycle.php to access logo and contact Anna Cain at caina@sandiego.edu for details regarding use.)

Green Leaders in the Spotlight (Diana Kutlow and Karla Alvarez)

This month we are saluting Program Officers Diana Kutlow and Karla Alvarez, and the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice as campus Green Leaders for their sustainability transformation of recent events, including the January WorldLink Annual Town Meeting, and the events surrounding Jane Goodall’s visit to USD.

Lessening the environmental impact of these events was the driving force behind the changes that were made. WorldLink students focused on the environment as the theme of their meeting, and were given canvas shopping bags as they left campus, after a day of enlightening lectures and discussions on all topics environmental.

For the Goodall visit, only vegetarian food was served at the events she attended (luncheon, dinner, reception).  In addition, no disposables were used such as paper napkins or plastic cups.  Gifts of reusable totes were given to dinner donor-guests. A live tree, donated by WorldLink patron Gloria Garrett, was planted by USD’s Anthropology Club to make sure Jane’s influence continued on campus into the future.

And perhaps most importantly, they connected Jane with the young people of WorldLink, regional high school student, and USD students, to make sure that her inspiring message was heard by those who will be in charge of dealing with the environmental challenges into the future.

The IPJ team fully intends to incorporate these changes into future event planning. Our thanks to you, Diane, Karla and the whole IPJ Team for serving as a shining example of how a USD organization can make a difference now!