January 2008 Newsletter
In this Issue:
- Focus the Gator Nation
- Battle of the Halls
- Focusing Florida (IFAS)
- Recyclemania
- Wade on In
- Announcements
- Dining Goes Green
- FishPhone
Focus the Gator Nation
A day of education for climate change
On
Jan. 31, the University of Florida will participate in Focus The Nation,
an unprecedented teach-in on global warming solutions. “Today’s
college students are truly the greatest generation,” said Lewis & Clark
professor of economics Eban Goodstein, author and project director for
the national campaign. “No other generation has ever had to face
this kind of civilizational challenge. And we as educators would be failing
if we did not prepare them with the tools to meet this challenge. ”
The Focus The Gator Nation Teach-in will kick off with The 2% Solution webcast at 8pm on January 30th. This exciting chance to hear national experts like Van Jones and Hunter Lovins is being held at the Episcopal Chapel House on University Ave.
The UF talks begin at 3 p.m. on Jauary 31st, at Ustler Hall Women’s Studies Auditorium with a presentation by UF professors Stephen Mulkey and Paul Sotkiewicz on the science and economics of climate change. At 4 p.m., Gainesville Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks will discuss the state and local leadership opportunities and challenges for addressing climate change. In addition, they will discuss the climate challenge between the two cities.
“Mayor Marks and I are working hard in Tallahassee and Gainesville to meet our goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Gainesville and Tallahassee have kicked off an energy efficiency competition to see whether the ‘Orange and Blue’ or the ‘Garnet and Gold’ are most green,” Hanrahan said. “By synchronizing traffic signals, planting trees, saving land, growing transit ridership and curbing wasteful energy use, we not only help protect our global environment, we also create a more desirable place to live right here at home.”
After the Leadership for Climate Change Forum, the teach-in will continue with an energy debate at 6 p.m. UF faculty and industry experts on various energy sources, including coal, bio-fuels and nuclear, will debate the pros and cons of each option. Gator Dining is providing refreshments for the teach-in.
The teach-in will be preceded by the Climate Change Awareness Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Reitz Union North Lawn, coordinated by Gators for a Sustainable Campus and the Environmental Science and Policy Society.
As part of UF’s commitment to bring awareness of global warming solutions to the local community, UF is holding a climate change competition in conjunction with the Alachua County Schools. Elementary, middle and high school students may submit drawings, essays, poems or art work or they can conduct a carbon footprint analysis of their school. Entries are due Jan. 24. Local businesses, including Satchel’s, Indigo, Gainesville Regional Utilities and Adventure Outpost, are donating prizes for the competition.
For more information on the event, please visit: http://focusthenationuf.googlepages.com
Battle of the Halls
Residence Hall Energy Challenge starts February 1st
The UF Office of Sustainability is preparing to launch The Biggest Saver: Battle of the Halls Energy Challenge—a month-long contest to see which hall’s residents can reduce their energy consumption the most.
The contest is co-sponsored by Gators for a Sustainable Campus and the Department of Housing and Residence Life.
From Feb. 1 through March 10, all of UF’s residence halls will compete to become “The Biggest Saver” as measured in kilowatt hours per day, per student. The winning hall will receive a trophy and celebration featuring food and prizes.
The goal of the challenge, however, is two-fold. Not only are halls attempting
to reduce overall energy consumption, but also teaching students how to
implement sustainable practices in their everyday lives.
Focusing Florida (IFAS)
IFAS Extension hosts Focus the Nation
It ’s time to Focus The Gator Nation on climate change.
In addition to the event being held at UF, Focus the Gator Nation will have a presence elsewhere in the state as well, thanks to the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, statewide outreach arm of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“This fits in well with President Machen’s commitment toward sustainability,” said Michael Spranger, UF associate dean for extension, environmental and natural resources programs. “He was the first university president to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in October 2006.”
The extension service is extending UF’s commitment through county extension offices, which provide science-based information to help solve local problems, Spranger said.
“This is a grassroots, local effort,” he said. “Several of our extension agents have taken a leadership and coordinating position to bring this information to citizens, and help put it into a local context. It clearly fits into our theme of ‘Solutions for Your Life.’”
Partnering with this national effort gives people a chance to get involved at a local level, said Eleanor Foerste, a natural resources agent with the Osceola County Extension Service who’s helping connect UF/IFAS personnel to Focus The Nation.
Foerste is getting the word out to extension offices in all 67 Florida counties about the two-day event and the organization. Participation is up to individual extension faculty members, but the opportunities are almost limitless.
For example, Foerste and Devesh Nirmul, a regional specialized agent in urban sustainability stationed at the Pinellas County Cooperative Extension Service, are putting the finishing touches on a Web site dedicated to climate change information.
The site, hosted through the Bushnell Center for Urban Sustainability, http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/bushnell.shtml, will debut in late January and serve as a permanent resource for Florida residents.
Nirmul, representing the Bushnell Center, had already hosted a Tampa Bay Region version of the National Conversation on Climate Action (http://www.climateconversation.org) which took place Oct. 4, 2007.
To maintain momentum from this event, the Pinellas County Extension Service has established a Tampa Bay Region Climate Change Forum Web page on the Bushnell Web site, http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/bushnellclimate.shtml. The forum will enable ongoing education and collaboration around climate change action for both mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (reducing vulnerability to potential impacts of climate change).
When completed, the new and enhanced site will include scientific background as well as locally focused information to help users understand how climate change may create challenges—and opportunities—in their communities.
“There are three main economic areas in Florida that need to deal with possible impacts of climate change—tourism, agriculture and development,” Nirmul said. “We’re trying to put across consensus-based science (on this issue).”
Several county extension offices will offer screenings of the one-hour documentary “The 2% Solution,” which is available as a live, interactive Webcast Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. It will then be archived for online viewers.
One is the Sarasota County Extension Service, which is presenting the Webcast live, as part of two days’ worth of activities, said Robert Kluson, an agriculture and natural resources agent with the Sarasota County Cooperative Extension Service.
“We have a nice range of community partners involved,” Kluson said. “Extension is spearheading it, but we’ve formed a community-based effort. We’ve been able to organize our activities using different resource people from community groups. It’s amazing how fast it came together.”
Another is the Wakulla County Cooperative Extension Service, located in the Panhandle. Though the county is sparsely populated, local interest in sustainability issues is strong, said family and consumer sciences agent Michelle Adamski.
“Wakulla County is rich in natural resources—rivers, a national wildlife refuge, Wakulla Springs State Park, a big percentage of the county land is within the Apalachicola National Forest,” Adamski said. “So a lot of residents are interested.”
To help all Florida residents understand sustainable living, two UF/IFAS faculty members have published a pamphlet, “Be Part of the Solution.” Written in everyday language, the document is available online at http://sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/sfrc_extension/part%20of%20the%20solution%20final%20(2).pdf
It was authored by William Sheftall, a natural resources agent with the Leon County Cooperative Extension Service, and Martha Monroe, an associate professor of environmental education and extension with the School of Forest Resources and Conservation.
“We’re providing some suggestions for people who wonder what they can do to reduce their contribution of carbon,” Monroe said.
Perhaps most importantly, UF/IFAS extension faculty plan to continue work on climate change issues long after Jan. 31, Foerste said. A discussion group has already been established, and plans for future efforts are under way.
A session on climate change is scheduled for the annual all-extension faculty symposium May 28-30 in Gainesville. And UF/IFAS is coordinating a major conference, “Climate Information for Managing Risks: Partnerships and Solutions for Agricultural and Natural Resources” June 10-13 in St. Petersburg Beach, http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/CIMR.
It’s all in keeping with extension’s mission.
“We want communities to realize that while Focus the Nation is going on for two days, extension is here year-round,” she said. “Our agents are ready to help 365 days a year.”
For more information on Focus The Nation, visit http://www.focusthenation.org.
To identify local extension offices, visit http://solutionsforyourlife.com.
Recyclemania
UF participates in a national recycling competition
The
UF Office of Sustainability is pleased to announce the kick-off of its
2008 Recyclemania campaign. Recyclemania is a 10-week competition, lasting
between January 27 and April 5 between over 350 college and university
recycling programs.
The contest pits schools against one another in a variety of contests, ranking them on recyclables per person, pure tonnage of recyclables, amount of trash per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, and more. For more information about the contest, visit www.recyclemaniacs.org.
This is UF’s second year of participation in the contest. Last year UF placed first among SEC schools in per capita recycling, and third overall in gross tonnage of recyclables with a very limited publicity campaign. Not bad for our first year.
This year with the help of some great UF organizations and departments including the Gators for a Sustainable Campus, Gator Dining Services, Housing and Residence Education, the Physical Plant Division and the Inter-Residence Hall Association, the Gators have a good chance of beating out our biggest competitors.
Plans for the next ten weeks include Recycling Day, which takes place Tuesday, January 29 from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. on the Reitz Union North Lawn. The event will include a huge, eye-opening display to demonstrate the amount of recyclable material that gets thrown away every day at UF, as well as other interactive displays and information tables promoting recycling, waste reduction and more.
Other aspects of this year’s campaign include promotion in Gator Dining Services dining facilities, residence halls and home basketball games, as well as an aggressive, volunteer-run educational campaign. And since our volunteer force continues go grow as the campaign heats up, it is likely there will be many more creative campaigns to come.
And improving UF’s chances even more, the months following last year’s contest witnessed improvements and expansion of UF’s recycling programs. Since the end of Recyclemania 2007, the O’Connell Center, all Gator Dining locations, the Reitz Union and Sorority Row have all launched recycling programs.
Students interested in getting involved with the campaign should contact
recyclemaniaUF@gmail.com.
Wade on In
Learn more about local water resources
The Wader is a quarterly newsletter published by the Environmental Protection Department to inform citizens of water related programs. The Wader emphasizes environmental outreach efforts and includes a calendar of upcoming events so you can join them in protecting our water resources. To subscribe, click here.
Announcements
News, events, and opportunities
- January 30: Architecture 2030 Webcast, 7-8pm, University of Florida McCarty Hall C 100. For More information, contact gegarner86@gmail.com.
- January 30: 2% Solution webcast on climate change with Van Jones and Hunter Lovins, 8pm, Episcopal Chapel House-1522 West University Avenue. For more information, contact focusthenationuf@gmail.com.
- January 31: Focus the Nation at UF, A climate change awareness fair, an energy debate, and political forum are among the activities planned for this day. For more information, contact focusthenationuf@gmail.com.
- February 2 and 16: Indigo Green Store hosts Sustainable Living classes. For more info visit: www.indigogreenstore.com/.
- February 28-March 1: Public Interest and Environmental Conference, UF Levin College of Law, Free for UF Faculty and Students. More information at www.ufpiec.org.
- March 1: Winona LaDuke will be speaking at UF.
For more information, contact: arecvloh@ufl.edu.
Dining Goes Green
Efforts Focus on Conservation and Waste Reduction
Gator Dining Services (GDS) continues to move forward in its
efforts to become a more sustainable operation, with the latest
efforts focusing on conservation and waste reduction.
Establishing partnerships with local farmers, gardens, student groups, and the university, GDS is implementing a coffee grounds reuse program. A rich source of nitrogen, coffee grounds serve as an ideal additive to compost piles or as a nutrient-rich fertilizer for plants. With 18 locations on campus serving coffee, the impact of diverting these grounds from the landfill is great.
“Finding alternative end uses for items usually sent off to a landfill is a responsible and logical solution to cut down on waste,” said Susanne Lewis, Sustainability Coordinator for GDS. “We are excited about this program both for its ability to reduce landfill waste as well as to support local organic gardening, farming, and landscaping efforts.”
GDS has also begun distributing unused, edible food items to local groups around Gainesville. Despite planning and forecasting efforts, dining locations and catered events are often left with unused food at the end of the day. This effort has resulted in the donation of 1,500 pounds of food in the last month to the Campus Kitchens Project at UF, as well as local food banks and homeless shelters.
An education and awareness campaign has also been implemented for all GDS employees and customers. In addition to going through Sustainability Training at the beginning of their employment, GDS employees are now being exposed to repeated reminders to conserve resources in their daily lives and while at work. Conservation fliers stressing the need to reduce water, energy and paper consumption are strategically-placed throughout GDS’ locations.
With around 3,000 pounds of edible food thrown away in the U.S. every second, GDS has begun an awareness campaign to customers at the all-you-care-to-eat locations, asking customers to evaluate their food portions to reduce the amount of food waste they may leave after their meal. Partnering with Pepsi, GDS is now offering customers another means to help them reduce their daily environmental footprint. For $1.99, customers can purchase a reusable fountain beverage mug that comes with the first fill up and a Gator football t-shirt. Every time the mug is brought in, they receive a $0.50 discount on their beverage. These mugs are available at nine different locations on campus, including the Reitz Union, Hub, Racquet Club, Sun Terrace at Shands, and the law school.
“Our ultimate goal is to empower individuals by helping them realize the impact that can result from their daily actions,” said Lewis.
For more information about all the sustainability initiatives
at Gator Dining, please visit www.gatordining.com.
Fish Phone
Sustainable eating at your fingertips
Use Blue Ocean's FishPhone - the nation's first sustainable seafood text
messaging service! Text 30644 with the message FISH followed by the species
you're interested in. They’ll text you back with a seafood ranking:
Green, Yellow, or Red, plus contaminant information if there are health
concerns.
