GREEN BACK TO SCHOOL LIST

this isnt a groundbreaking list, but it hits the basics. mm

Environmentally Sustainable Back-to-School Supplies for College Students



NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Before she graduated from Smith College in May, Jessica O’Hare developed an environmental sustainability back-to-school shopping list for the students who come after her.

“Environmental sustainability is an integral piece of student life at Smith,” wrote O’Hare in prefacing her list. “As an incoming student, you can start your contribution to the community by keeping a few sustainable purchasing tips in mind.”

The list developed by O’Hare, who earned a bachelor’s degree in government, is available in the new-student orientation booklet and online.

Dano Weisbord, Smith environmental sustainability director, noted that asking students to think about the supplies they bring to campus is an area where O’Hare thought Smith could have a “big impact.”

“It demonstrates to students both that environmental sustainability is important here at Smith,” said Weisbord, “and that we need their help in accomplishing our goals. Environmental sustainability is a collective effort.”

What to bring:

1. Cloth bags to tote your purchases from downtown shops and grocery stores.

2. A bicycle. Northampton is a bike-friendly city, and bikes are a convenient mode of transportation.

3. Your reusable mugs. Some coffee shops offer a discount for bringing a to-go mug. Dining Services doesn’t provide any paper "to-go" cups.

4. Tupperware to tote food cuts down on unnecessary waste. Dining Services does not provide "to-go" containers.

5. Energy Star appliances. Stereos, televisions, printers, computers, lamps and other appliances are all available in Energy Star models, which reduce energy use significantly as compared to other models.

6. Power Strips. Power strips cut down on vampire loads – the power drain that occurs when an electronic device is turned “off” but still plugged into the electrical socket. Plugging such electronic equipment as cell phone chargers, stereos and computers into a power strip that can be shut off at night or when you are in class, saves energy.

7. Compact fluorescent bulbs, an energy-saving alternative to incandescent bulbs.

What not to bring:

1. A refrigerator. Many houses have shared fridges in kitchenettes.

2. A computer printer. There is no shortage of printing centers.

3. Incandescent bulbs. They use three times the power of compact fluorescent bulbs.


Smith College educates women of promise for lives of distinction. One of the largest women’s colleges in the United States, Smith enrolls 2,800 students from nearly every state and 62 other countries.

Assistant Professor Global Environmental Governance

Jeffrey Sachs--former World Bank (and shock therapy) economist and current Columbia prof and UN adviser argues--quite convincingly--that one of the four biggest challenges facing us in the 21st century is "global cooperation" and interdisciplinarity is critical for this. The job position below reflects both these trends, and its in Amsterdam! mm


The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Global Environmental Governance (starting date 1 January 2010).

The position
The successful candidate will be expected to spend about 20 percent of her/his time on teaching at MSc level and the remaining time on research projects. In particular, the successful candidate will be the core researcher in a new three-year research programme on ‘Explaining the Role and Relevance of Transnational Rule-making Organizations in Global Sustainability Politics: Contributions to a Theory of Transnational Governance’, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. This project will develop a theoretical framework on the scope conditions for transnational rule-making organization and examine a set of hypotheses derived from institutional and organizational theory. An outline of this project can be obtained from Tineke Reus at tineke.reus [at] ivm.vu.nl.

NYC TECH prep course for green roof test

Green Roof Test Prep Course

Prepares students for the Green Roof Professional Accreditation Test offered by the independent non-profit organization called Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
Date:
July 16, 2009
Time:
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
College:
New York City College of Technology
Address:
300 Jay Street
Brooklyn
Building:
Howard - 25 Chapel St.

excellent essay on brilliant urban ag program in milwalkee

Will Allen, a farmer of Bunyonesque proportions, ascended a berm of wood chips and brewer’s mash and gently probed it with a pitchfork. “Look at this,” he said, pleased with the treasure he unearthed. A writhing mass of red worms dangled from his tines. He bent over, raked another section with his fingers and palmed a few beauties.

Bigshot Vermont Workshop examines sustainability for future

Experts in fields ranging from economics to religion gathered Tuesday in Burlington for a three-day workshop designed to nudge the United States toward a more sustainable future.

A series of panels in the film theater at Main Street Landing gave the public a glimpse of what lay ahead: a jigsaw of economic, political and cultural strategies.

Newsom Makes Eco News Again With Ambitious Sustainable Food Policy

This definitely two up's the stringer proposal.  mm

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently made waves in sustainable city news with the new mandatory recycling and composting initiative and yesterday proclaimed San Francisco as the epicenter of electric vehicle technology in the latest installment of what might be called the ’sustainability wars’ between San Francisco and Portland.

Continuing in that vein, Mayor Newsom yesterday issued an Executive Directive outlining San Francisco’s first comprehensive regional food policy. The press release reads:

“The stark reality is that hunger, food insecurity, and poor nutrition are pressing health issues, even in a city as rich and vibrant as San Francisco,” said Mayor Newsom. “From the alleviation of hunger, to the need to support local and sustainable agricultural practices, these recommendations form a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing pressing needs in all sectors of the food system.”

In making the announcement, Newsom was joined by California Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, representatives of the United State Department of Agriculture, Bay Area farmers, and members of local food advocacy groups such as Roots of Change at West Oakland Woods Farm, one of the several community urban gardens run by City Slicker Farms.

• » See also: Wonky Veggies Welcomed Back Into the EU
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Among the elements of the new food policy:

• Requiring all city departments to conduct an audit of land under their jurisdiction in order to inventory land suitable for gardening
• New health and sustainability requirements for food sold by vendors under city permits
• A “healthy meetings policy” requiring the purchase of healthy, locally produced foods for city meetings
• A call for a new law to be made that would require food purchased by the city to be grown regionally and sustainably

The directive calls for these to be completed with in 6 months. And within two months, Newsom says he will send an ordinance to the Board of Supervisors mandating that all food served in hospitals, homeless shelters, jails, and community centers be healthy.

The announcement is the culmination of collaboration between the city and local food advocacy groups. The directive includes several recommendations resulting from that collaboration, including a proposal for connecting regional food growers to local San Francisco restaurants and food purchasers as well as an initiative to help residents who use food stamps buy food at local farmers markets.

This plan is not only a first for San Francisco, it is also certainly one of the most ambitious and comprehensive sustainable food policies in the nation. Let the sustainability wars continue!

Read the mayor’s full press release of the regional food policy.