Razors EDGE enables U of A students to reduce their footprint on campus.

A new program  seeks to help students and community members understand what type of sustainability efforts are taking place on campus.  The website is known as Razors EDGE. This website should be a big help for the people on campus in two ways. First, it will let them know when work is being done in their building, what the work involves, why it is being done and when it will be finished. Second, it will help give people a stake in these improvements. It will help explain how to properly use the new technology in each building and how using these improvements will save both energy and money.

 

 

 

 

Mike Johnson
Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management
University of Arkansas

Energy Systems is a group that is in charge of designing and installing facility improvements to reduce energy consumption throughout the Fayetteville campus. By entering the energy performance agreement, the University is committing to ensure energy savings over a 13-year period will cover the cost of building improvements. It is estimated that ESG will reduce the University’s total annual energy consumption on campus by 30%. Included in this percentage are efforts to renovate the buildings to incorporate energy efficient lighting, systems to improve the heating and cooling of buildings, water management, and the coolest thing of all the potential installation of a solar powered heater for the swimming pool in the Health Education and Recreation building.It is with the purpose of informing students and faculty of upcoming changes that the ESG developed the RazorsEdge website.

ONMI U of A to host screening on the impact of corn infiltration in our food products.

One local organization is taking an eyes on approach on sustainability. OMNI, an organization dedicated to the promotion of peace, justice and ecology seeks to promote its movie night program aimed at raising awareness  about the sustainability movement by hosting open discussion.  This week they hosted a movie titled ” King Corn”, a film that talks about the   infiltration of corn into the majority of our food products. A discussion will follow the screening. I recently spoke to Gladys Tiffany, one of the coordinators of OMNI about the role of the organization in building a sustainable community.

Ana:When was OMNI created?

Tiffany: It was founded  in 2001
Ana:What sparked your interest in sustainability?

Tiffany: I realized that global warming was a peace issue, and millions of people were already suffering from its effects.  Trying to live as sustainably as I know how is the only way I can live with myself .  Many people in OMNI feel similarly.
Ana: What is your mission?

Tiffany: Our mission is to educate and empower people to actively create a nonviolent, sustainable and just world.
Ana:What type of programs/events do you use to educate our community?

Tiffany: For instance, this evening we held Video Underground, where we show movies.  The selection was simply named “Home.”  It’s a gorgeous movie of beautiful scenes of the earth, and gentle discussion about how careful the balance is, how it’s imperiled,  and what some people are doing to be sustainable.  It’s an inspiring movie.

Another thing is to participate in the annual Fayetteville Springfest. We use it as a venue to talk about environmental issues.  The teen group also works on sustainability issues a lot.  They just finished a section on local food systems, and cooked pea soup on a friend’s solar cooker. It concluded with a visit to Wattle Hollow, a retreat center in the woods down here.  They enjoyed the outdoors and a locally grown dinner.

Ana:What do you find is your biggest challenge you face?

Tiffany: The biggest challenge is that so many people are oblivious to the critical nature of climate change.  Since we’re not suffering much in Arkansas, or the US, we can pretend it’s somebody else’s problem.  That means that legislators don’t hear enough from constituents for them to feel compelled to do the right thing quickly.

Ana:What legislative action is taking place?

Tiffany: National energy legislation is ready for Congress.  It’s the biggest chance ever for major changes in the responsibility our nation has taken for greenhouse gases and climate change.  On the state level small things were done last year, but everyone is waiting for national-level legislation to see what happens.  Kind of like immigration issues.
Ana:What are some of the basic ways people can contribute to sustainability?

Tiffany: We just had this conversation at the movie.  There were lots of good things people do.  OMNI members seem to be trying to take up green practices.  Turn down the heat at home, turn off the lights, use CFL lightbulbs, don’t drive unnecessarily, ride bikes, buy locally grown food, share with your neighbors instead of all buying lawn tools…

Also people are excited by the possibility of public transportation, which isn’t going away, even though it’s still a long way off.

And the possibility of options to retrofit our houses to use green energy sources – solar and wind mainly – is expensive now, but may get cheaper in the future.

Ana:Are green jobs reaching Arkansas? What initiative have you taken to promote green jobs?

Tiffany: I hear that NWACC is gearing up to do green jobs training next year.  Haven’t seen the precise programs though.  There may be other options too.  Everything is slower then we’d like.  Central Arkansas is gearing up too, but there are a few things operational already.
Ana: How can the student community get involved?

Tiffany: Could we show this great movie “Home” to your class?  That’d be a good start.  We’re all educating ourselves right now.  Students are interested in how to have a world they can survive in.  It’s a movie that’s sobering, but inspiring.

Maybe there’s another group who’d like to see it.  It’s available in 15 languages, so one of them should be Spanish.

Ana: How can our community follow up with OMNI and its sustainability initiative?

Tiffany: We’d love to include people on our mail list.  Our newsletter has monthly updates on activities and news.  Also we send out alerts on issues that need citizen attention.  Opportunities to write or call your elected officials about peace, justice and environmental issues, like immigration, for instance.  People could join that list by writing me at ‘gladystiffany@yahoo.com‘ for now.  Our new website will do it, but not yet.  Then the public is invited to attend many OMNI events, where they can learn what’s happening in our community on a range of interesting issues.  Those come out on the email list too

Fraternities take part in the Green movement at the U of A

The Interview with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

The Alphas Go Green: Sustainability 101

The initiative to push forward the sustainability movement on campus, one particular fraternity embarks on the journey to educate the student body of the practical ways to Go Green. The distinguished men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. have coordinated an event to called ” The Alphas Go Green: Sustainability 101″ to help students be aware of their footprint on campus. In an interview with the chapter president of the fraternity, Jonathan Bryant, I learned of the reasons why they decided to be at the forefront for campus organizations.

Ana:What led you to focus on sustainability?
Bryant: “Our chapter was lead to focus on sustainability as a result of a national initiative that our Fraternity started at our last National Convention in New Orleans last July, called Alpha Phi Alpha Goes Green.”

Ana:How did you come about to hosting this event?

Bryant: “Our chapter came about hosting our program because we wanted to aid in the efforts that many have urged regarding sustainability.”

Ana:How important is this topic for you?

Bryant: “This topic is a very important one for my Fraternity.  Since, its inception members of Alpha Phi Alpha have been at the forefront of positive change.  My chapter and Fraternity as a whole places emphasis on the sustainability issue because the reduction of the effects of global warming is something that everyone can benefit from.”

Ana:What were some of the highlights?

Bryant: “Sophia Stephenson, an Environmental Educator from the Washington County Environmental Affairs and Recycling office presented a presentation on how landfills were made and what types of products were placed in landfills.  She also conducted an interactive presentation where participants were each given a recyclable object and they had to match it up with what the recyclable object was recycled into.”

Ana:What was the outcome of your workshop?

Bryant: “The Alphas Go Green: Sustainability 101 program was a successful program that allowed those who attended to become educated on various means of sustainability and the different ways that things are recycled.”

Ana:Do you know of any campus measures taken to improve the U of A’s sustainability?

Bryant: “We are aware of various measures that are being taken by the U of A to aid in sustainability efforts, such as recycling programs and various paperless systems that are being used by various campus departments.”

Ana:Are you the first fraternity taking on this initiative? if so, what does this mean to you?

Bryant: “We are happy to be apart of a worthy cause on the University of Arkansas campus.”

Nutrition and sustainability: Farmers Market!!!

When it comes down to nutrition and sustainability there is a clear image that comes to mind: farmers’ market. While many residents know that Fayetteville hosts its farmers market on Saturday mornings in the town square there are folks that have yet to immerse in this unique experience. After all, with all the news of the dangers of pesticides and the development of diseases such a E.coli on produce, you want to be able to trace back the source of your food and what better way than to buy locally. I was able to sit down and interview a friend who has entered the business of the farmers market. Mauricio Gonzales is a Senior at the University of Arkansas majoring in Business Administration and is a young entrepreneur when it comes to selling produce. He reveals that farmers markets are a place where young and old can reconnect with the fruits of the their harvest.

Interview:

Ana: What made you get into the being part of the farmers market and when did you start?

Gonzales: I started two years ago and they way I started off was because I was talked into it. My girlfriend and her parents are farmers and they grow produce. I saw it as an interesting way to get hands on experience in conducting good business. Plus, I like the atmosphere. It promotes a community atmosphere. Ana: Where do you grow your produce? Gonzales: I have a farm on the west side of Gentry.

Ana: What do you usually grow?

Gonzales: I grow lettuce, spinach, habanero peppers, and even peanuts.

Ana: What was your initial experience like?

Gonzales: It was a good experience. I saw it as a community gathering more than business specially in a time when it is so impersonal to sell a good. The way this runs is that on Friday I do the manual work which is to pick the produce and clean it and package it to be ready for Saturday morning. On Saturday, I get up by 4:30am to get to the farmers market by 6am and set up for the days work.

Ana:What makes you different from other vendors?

Gonzales: When I first started, I had the idea of making ourselves different than the competition by making sure that the booth was neat, we would offer hand sanitizer for the folks that walked by, we would focus on the visibility of the produce and would try to keep it as fresh as possibly by spraying it. Plus, with my ability to speak Spanish I was able to reach a market that others couldn’t.

Ana: What does it mean to grow organic?

Gonzales: It means that we don’t grow our produce with pesticides. Although it is a great risk, we decide to cope with the results because in the end this is what is more nutritious. Sure we lose some of our crop to bugs like june bugs that eat the leaves.

Ana:How do you feel farmers markets are contributing to the economy and to sustainability?

Gonzales: I feel that farmers markets help communities obtain a sense of identity given that people are able interact and ask questions about where their food was grown instead of just buying a produce that is out of season that cannot compare to the authentic taste of growing organically. I do feel that farmers markets are contributing to the economy of the state because the money is kept within the state and doesn’t flow out. I would promote people to grow their own gardens if they are interested in doing their part to increase sustainability. This would also help people obtain a sense of how much hard work goes into harvesting the food that will nourish them.

Ana: Do you find that you can thrive amongst competition?

Gonzales: Against corporations, no. But we have community members that go to grocery stores and buy the produce and sell it at the farmers market claiming that it was grown locally. This technique is frowned upon by many farmers, but as competition drives up people will find ways to stay ahead of the curve. We have farmers currently scouting the farms to make sure that they are growing what they are selling.

Sustainable food…”Hungry for Change?”

Food Inc.

Ever wonder the process it takes to put our food in the table? Well, if you are too busy to do the research yourself, but are still committed to finding out, there is a film that you must see: Food Inc.
Produced by Robert Kenner,this film was created to answer that specific question: “where does my food come from and what is in it?”
It is an in depth investigation of how our eating behavior has changed significantly in the last 50 years to be more dependent of fast food, corn fructose syrup, and high doses of salt, all which have led to health problems.

I watched the film over the weekend and needless to say it opened my eyes to a new concept: the health detriments of the current food production methods. Food, Inc. is an astonishing film as it exposes America’s industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers’ rights. It explores the issues of farming factories, pesticides, food borne illnesses, the environmental impact, cloning, farmers’ rights, requesting nutritional index in restaurant foods, and genetic engineering.

The movie stresses the importance of buying local organic goods given that there have been multiple cases of food poisoning such as the example of salmonella outbreak. In the movie, we meet a heart broken mother,Barbara Kowalcyk, who lost her 2 year old child to E.coli poisoning after eating a hamburger. Her distress came about because the meat company would not withdraw the contaminated meat from the market exposing more families to the danger. In a recent study, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from food borne illnesses. The movie presents a current legislation known as Kevin’s law, one that would require meat packaging companies to shut down production and remove contaminated food of the market if outbreaks are found. Seven years after her child’s death, Barbara continues to fight against multinational corporations and relentlessness will to agree to Kevin’s law. Although Kevin’s law is not pending in Congress right now, there are other important national food safety legislation pending in which you can take part in. Help raise awareness of our nutritional needs. Help support the Child Act Nutrition Re authorization and help mothers across the country establish healthy eating guides in public schools. Studies conclude that 1 in every 2 children born after the year 2000 will have diabetes. Many people will question, how can this be? I’ll tell you how. Our high sugar sedimentary lifestyle is what is leading many families to inherit this disease and needless to say this statistic is growing faster among minorities. One-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. By signing the petition Child Act Nutrition Re Authorization you will be helping get the message across Congress that kids should be served healthy meals and not be bombarded by junk food.

Is sustainable progress reaching Arkansas?…

After many proposed talks by our state leaders, many people begin to wonder whether sustainable progress is being made in Arkansas. This question intrigued me so much that I decided to research where Arkansas stands in terms of eco friendly measures. Now, let us explore the recognition granted to our area to determine whether we are in the right track to reducing our foot print.

Last week, I stumbled upon an article by the Democrat Gazette recognizing one particular town in Arkansas for its exemplary work towards achieving sustainable progress. The commission to Keep Arkansas Beautiful granted the city of Van Buren was granted the Arkansas Shine Award for its commitment to creating a more sustainable community. Also, as I began to do a little more research I stumbled upon recognition in our own backyard. As Green building becomes a stronger force in addressing sustainability two local buildings have been nationally recognized for their innovative design and ability to embrace ecosystem. The Duncan Avenue Apartments were granted the Green Globe certification by the Green Building Initiative. The Green Building Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the environment and reducing the waste associated with the construction of new buildings.The question lies in what makes these apartments so great in the eyes of the Green Building Initiative? Aside from its environment friendly construction, these three story apartments incorporated energy sufficient lighting, reduced the water consumption, provided high air quality for its residents, and delivered comfortable thermal conditions making the Duncan Apartments the first apartment building in the U.S. to obtain Green Globes Certification.

Another landmark that came up is our own Fayetteville Public Library. It has been certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) , which in essence is a rating system development by the Green Building Council.What makes this so exciting is that LEED is internationally recognized building system that certifies the building improvements to shift a buildings structure to become more sustainable in areas such as energy and water efficiency, environmental quality, improvement of air quality, and education on individual contributions towards managing a better work environment. After reading these articles, I’d like to conclude by asking you to do your part and research the improvements done in our community so you can judge. In my personal opinion, I think progress is coming slowly but surely…

Fayetteville Public Library

October 24th is Climate Action Day

October 24th marks the celebration of the International Climate Action Day. As towns all across the world gather to rally, Fayetteville is no exception. This Saturday, Fayetteville residents will be joined by folks from around NWA to march as a means to call for action. The march and rally will start off in Dickson Street at 2:00pm and will culminate at the Fayetteville Square. and Fayetteville is one of over a thousand cities around the world that will host a rally. The event is hosted by several environmentally friendly organizations such as 350.org , 1Sky and Clean Air Arkansas. If walking is a problem for you, don’t worry! Alternative transportation such as scooters or electric vehicles are encouraged for the march.

In a press release, the coordinators said the event is one of more than 3,500 rallies in more than 160 nations. The event is held in order to raise awareness to our legislators and world leaders of the need to take immediate action on global warming issues. Maggie Bailey, the creator of Clean Air Arkansas said that this “is the first global campaign ever organized around a scientific data point: 350 parts per million CO2 is the safe upper limit for the atmosphere according to the latest scientific data. ” In commemoration, St. Paul’s Church in Fayetteville has agreed to ring its bells 350 times starting at 1pm on Saturday.Yet Fayetteville is not the only city in Arkansas participating in this rally, Eureka Springs, Little Rock, & Conway are also hosting a rally in support of the Climate Action Day. For those of you interested in attending, there will be plenty of entertainment as the event will be full of music, speakers, and tons of information on how you can do your part.

The concept of Greenwashing and the importance of conscientization.

Since the 1990s, when people started to jump on the environmental wagon, corporations have implemented a strategy to please the concerned masses. This stragegy is widely known as “greenwashing” and it refers to the practice of false advertisement on a product that claims to be eco friendly but in reality is not.  In today’s marketing world, companies spend billions of dollars in Green PR or green marketing that is why it is easy to fall prey to false advertisement. We are constantly bombarded with commercials or online ads about a company’s green strategy, whether it may be a commodity  like a fuel efficient car or a basic cleaning product, consumers often fall prey to these false advertisements. Yet one way to escape being spoon fed false propaganda is to do your own research. With technology as fast as what we now call a 3G network consumers can become savvy shoppers.  But if time is an issue simply  visit one of these websites:]

http://stopgreenwash.org/

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenwashing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/10/bmw-activehybrid-x6

There are countless of helpful websites and these are among a few that I found interesting.  Keep in mind that these websites have been conveniently created to provide a conscientious approach on whether a product is eco friendly or just a false illusion.As consumers we must take the initiative to investigate a corporation’s claims of sustainability.  Some of the steps you could take to prevent being fooled by PRIf we choose to disregard this, it may lead to devastating damage to the earth. If we allow corporations to continue putting on a PR show on sustainability without holding them accountable for deceiving the public we are doing more harm not only to our environment but to ourselves. In 2007, one company set out to dismantle the false claims of corporations and their behavior. The  company is widely known as  TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc and throuhout it’s research it came across the “six sins of Greenwashing”.  These sins are:

1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off: which states that a producer claims sustainability aspects of product based only in one sustainable attribute and disregards missing areas.

2. Sin of No Proof: It is based on the environmental claim that a product is sustainable but the producer has no proof.

3. Sin of Vagueness:  A product’s environmental factors are presented vaguely.

4. Sin of Irrelevance:  This refers to an environmental claim that is of no relevance to the product.

5. Sin of Fibbing: False propaganda.

6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: This refers to an environmental claim that may be true but distracts consumers from the underlying factor or lack of sustainability.

Come learn about sustainability…

I was astonished when I heard the news of a University of Arkansas campus organization joining forces with other community organization to put together what is called the OMNI 5th Annual Omni UA Peace Festival!!! Now you may be asking yourself, what is this and why is it exciting? Well, allow me to elaborate.

Throughout the past four years,  the OMNI Project for Non-Violent Social Engagement  has hosted their annual Peace on Earth Music Festival and this year is no exception. The event will take place Friday October 16th from 12-8pm at the Greek Theater. The event is free, open to the public and will feature Fire Dancers, Free locally-grown food, and live music. The theme of the event is “Peace through awareness”. One of the most exciting parts of the event also comes from the fact that students and community leaders will have the opportunity to learn from interactive displays   and workshops that are oriented towards sustainable lifestyles.

For example, the organization is pushing forward the “SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOURCING & COOKING EDUCATION PROGRAM”. This program helps students work alongside professional, vegetarian cooks from local sustainable businesses by learning to prepare delicious, nutritious, sustainably and locally sourced vegetarian dishes. The dish ingredients will come fresh from the farmer’s Market and Ozark Natural Foods store. This program seeks to re-invent the concept of low-cost nutritious & delicious meals, while addressing obesity and nutrition issues.

This program is a collaboration between UA students, local sustainable farmers, local sustainable restaurants participating in farm-to-chef distribution circles, UA RSOs. It has been organized by the Omni Project for Nonviolent Social Engagement (RSO), GroGreen, the Omni Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology, Fayetteville Farmer’s Market Growers, and local Americorps Vista workers. Food will be served in ceramic bowls provided by the Arkansas Ceramics Enthusiasts RSO, therefore making for a low or no waste program.Another exciting aspect of the event is that people will have the opportunity to witness the construction of Fayetteville’s first ELECTRICTY-GENERATING BICYCLE RACK by courtesy of Jonathan Gibbs.

I will incorporate pictures of the event throughout the weekend for those of you that are not able to attend but nonetheless try to make your way…it will be a tremendous experience you won’t want to miss. Plus, learn how you can contribute to help the environment!!!

University of Arkansas commitment to Sustainability: Interview with Director of the Office for Sustainability.

In an interview with the the Director of the Office for Campus Sustainability, Dr. Nicholas Brown, I was able to understand the University of Arkansas commitment to move towards sustainability. Dr. Brown explained the role of the Sustainability council and the seven pillars it uses to guide its work.
The Seven Pillars Working Groups are:

1. Academics & Research
2. Energy
3. Water Resources
4. Food, Agriculture & Forestry
5. Land Use & Development
6. Pollution Prevention & Waste Minimization
7. Social & Community

Interview:
Ana: How did you come to take  the initiative for sustainability?

Dr. Brown: In February 07, then-Chancellor John White signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/), which binds us (by honor, but not legally) to : 1) make a public commitment to become a climate neutral (or carbon neutral) institution as soon as it is practical, 2) conduct and issue a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and 3) develop a climate action plan that serves as a blueprint for meeting the goal of climate neutrality. They hired me as director of campus sustainability in December 07. We’ve completed all three of these tasks.
Ana: What are some of the challenges that you face with the concept of sustainability?

Dr. Brown: ” More than anything, sustainability is an issue of successfully addressing climate change, which makes it an issue of energy conservation and efficiency, and of moving to non-carbon, renewable forms of energy. I’ve attached our climate action plan, which commits us to reduce campus energy use by 50% by 2021 and to become climate neutral by 2040.”

Ana: What is the Sustainability Council?

Dr. Brown: ” The Sustainability Council is in charge of leading the University in becoming a carbon neutral institution, pursuant to our pledge as a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.”

Ana: When was the council formed?

Dr. Brown: “The Sustainability Council was organized and approved by the UA Executive Committee in Spring 08.  The Sustainability Council develops, coordinates, and recommends campus-based projects and policies that move the campus toward sustainability and mobilizes resources to realize research and applied projects.

Ana : Who makes up the Council?

Dr. Brown: “The Council is comprised of students, staff, faculty, and representatives from the community. Working groups of the Council include academics & research, energy, water resources, pollution prevention & waste minimization, land use and development, food agriculture & forestry, and social & community affairs. Students, faculty, and staff with interest and expertise in these areas are invited to participate in working groups of the Council. The Council is co-chaired by the president of the Associated Student Governments, the associate vice chancellor for facilities, and the director of the Applied Sustainability.”

Ana: What type of programs has the University adopted?

Dr. Brown:” The University has adopted over 100 projects and programs that are going on all over campus. It’s quite impressive!”

Ana: Is there a budget for the programs the University has adopted?

Dr. Brown: “The climate action plan proposes 23 projects that will address our carbon footprint. Among these, 18 or 20 are new. We’re already working on the largest of these (energy savings performance contracts, $52 million in building energy conservation and efficiency). We need the support (monitoring, insistence on funding and progress!) of students to aggressively implement these projects.”
Ana: What are your expectations in the development of these programs?

Dr. Brown: “I’m not very optimistic about funding for many of these projects. It’s proving difficult to get even $75K to install new bicycle racks on campus.”

Ana: How can students and the community get involved?

Dr. Brown: “This is a very tough question. Much of the work in the short term (2010 – 2014) is based on building energy conservation, which is accomplished by Facilities managers and engineers. The two areas that can involve students and the Fayetteville community more than anything else are 1) improving our support of bicycling, ride sharing, and other transportation issues, and 2) recycling. Active participation and honest, aggressive monitoring of campus sustainability by students and other campus users is critical to the long-term success of our work.”

Ana: Thank you so much for joining this talk on campus sustainability.