LiveWell
Supporting students in achieving a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
April/May 2011 wellness.ucsd.edu
Earth Week!
Jobs that make dollars and sense
(Pre) Occupied?
Find fulfillment now!
F
Green Careers:
O DO FRE OD AG CUME S FI RI E CR GH CU NT EE T LT AR NI : A UR Y NG D E ab O OC M AN out F U O FO M PR ND D DO IC AY FO 20 OD EN , OR E A OD th FI T TH P GH AR S century 5: O E RI C UL T, Y 30 P AT L 1 a T E PM N ER 8 UR AT E.
Sustainability at UCSD
sunday - april 17 EARTHFAIR at balboa park (10 am - 5 pm)
monday - april 18
e-waste collection meatless monday in dining halls food fight: a documentary
walk the talk: own your impact resource fair
tuesday - april 19
e-waste collection Farmers’ Market learn at lunch: campus green projects talk healthy cooking demonstrations vermicomposting demo Greenhorn film screening
wednesday - april 20 MT TRASHMORE e-waste collection fair trade expo sunset hike surf wax sculpture contest leave no trace campsite demo
earth we
thursday- april 21 Bicycle Commute Challenge begins bike breakfast tree planting wilderness navigation clinic
friday - april 22
environmental protection series free Tai Chi sustainability awards ceremony Muirstock moonlight kayak new technologies to combat climate change
sunday - april 23
grow your food: gardening demos and COMPOST WORKSHOP
visit
earthweek.ucsd.edu for more info and updates
ek 2011
Come see a free screening of Food Fight, a documentary by Chris Taylor, on Monday, April 18th in Price Center Theater. Learn how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the California food movement has created a counter-revolution against big agribusiness. Doors open at 5:30pm with complementary snacks. The movie starts at 6:00pm with a discussion panel following immediately after. This event is sponsored by The Zone, UCSD Housing and Dining, The UCSD 50th Anniversary Fund, The Sustainable Food Project, Slow Food UCSD, Slow Food San Diego, Muir College, Whole Foods, and Willow Creek Farms.
Hug a Tree WA
A LL DAY M T A S P E H K T L but when was the last time L
N
G . ..
E W
O
you really stopped to appreeciate a tree? Trees are a basic, essential ingredient in the recipe we call Life. They give us shelter and shade. Many trees also provide food such as nuts and fruits, along with paper, medicines, and fuel. Not only that, but you can climb a tree (carefully) when you need a quiet, peaceful place to think, read, or relax. Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves, stabilize the soil, and prevent erosion. They improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifiers and watersheds. In addition, they reduce noise pollution by acting as sound barriers. Most importantly, however, trees serve as air purifiers and oxygen-providers. A single tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year! Trees clean the air by filtering out dust and pollutants — and with large amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and other toxic gasses pouring into the atmosphere every day, trees are more important than ever in helping to keep this planet habitable for humans. In one year’s time, an acre of trees can absorb as much carbon as it produced by a car driven 8,700 miles (according to the International Society of Arborioculture). Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees in order to use the land for something else—parking lots, agriculture, housing tracts, or mini-malls. This “urban sprawl” has cost us precious habitat and biodiversity, while increasing aridity and soil erosion. Unfortunately, every year, one million acres of forest are lost to city growth.
tree planting volunteers needed!
Thursday, April 21st 9:00 - 11:30 am Help plant California sycamore trees on the east side of Sixth College Apartments and along Gilman Drive. All necessary tools, including work gloves, will be provided.
Free food and beverages! To volunteer, contact Sam Oludunfe: soludunfe@ucsd.edu
Top-notch One of our major environmental issues is that landfills everywhere are
running out of room, and the EPA estimates that roughly 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. That’s over 60 million tons each year! This material does not break down when tossed in with the regular garbage. Instead of adding to the trash heap, try composting.
From apple cores to egg shells, composting is a great way to turn food waste
into nutrient-rich soil. Organic compost loosens clay soils and retains water, suppresses plant disease and pests, and produces higher yields of healthier fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
o rm s w t ! ge
Live in an apartment? Worm composting, also known as Vermiculture, is a fun and easy method for year-round food scrap handling. Worm compost is made in a container filled with moistened bedding (often shredded newspaper, leaves, and a handful of sand or soil) and red wrigglers (also known as branding or manure worms). Simply add your food waste into the bin and the worms will munch away—eventually converting the entire contents into rich compost!
top-soiL : 1.
2. . 3 4.
WHY COMPOSTING WORKS
Get the Right Balance of Compost Materials: Getting the right mixture of brown (carbon) materials to green (nitrogenous) materials is essential. Excess carbon will result in a pile that takes a long time to decompose, (a rhyme to help you remember: “too much brown, won’t break down”), while too much nitrogen will make it stink. To optimize your mound, keep a ratio of 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. Turn the Compost Regularly: Add fresh air to your mix by stirring the pile about every two weeks. The bacteria that are working to break down the compost need to breathe! This can be made simple with a compost tumbler. Shred Material: Shredding or chopping your compost —especially the dry carbon materials— will help speed things along. It increases the surface area that the compost microbes work on and provides a more even distribution of air and moisture.
Add a Secret Ingredient: Toss in an activator such as alfalfa meal to provide much needed nitrogen and protein,and greatly expedite the compost process. You can find alfalfa meal in garden centers and online retailers. The results are remarkable! Other secret ingredients that help compost piles include fresh manure, bone meal, blood meal, comfrey, or even high-protein dry dog food.
health and
University health and wellness services ought to lead the way in the promotion of sustainability, as the connection between our wellbeing and environment is ubiquitous. Clean air and water, nutritious and abundant food, a temperate climate and fertile soil are all necessary to support our health. Yet, this connection is not a usual aspect of university health promotion, wellness education or health care practice.It should be!
According to the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human-caused global climate change will have devastating effects on our environment. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, heat waves, floods and storms have adverse consequences for health. Environmental contamination also poses problems for poor, underrepresented and young people, making environmental health a social justice issue.
Other aspects of our environment are known or suspected to cause health problems. Toxins in our soil, such as lead or other heavy metals, can lead to chemical poisoning through exposure. Pesticides sprayed onto our food
linked to leukemia, Parkinson’s, testicular cancer, reproductive health and birth defects. Our water systems, also polluted, are overused. Air pollution can have significant detrimental respiratory effects, especially for young people and those with asthma or other lung conditions. Over 60 chemicals in common use, such as Biphenyl A, are known to alter the function of the endocrine system and are related to breast cancer, fertility issues in men and women, early menses and male infertility. Our behavioral choices also effect the environment. Consumption of red meat has a higher carbon cost than a vegetarian or plant-based diet. Disposable water bottles, plates, and forks add plastic to the landfills. Eating from Styrofoam containers results in toxic waste, and the plastic products we use for our food storage contain carcinogenic chemicals like bysphenal A and PVC. Building materials contain other toxins like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint and adhesives, as well as formaldehyde in woodand insulation.
University health centers, wellness centers, medical centers, recreation departments, housing and dining services and student organizations are uniquely positioned to have an impact on healthy lifestyle adoption.
sustainability
Advocating for biking and walking paths, and providing incentives to use alternate transportation, can promote an increase in physical activity and a reduction in carbon emission from automobile use. Purchasing practices for healthcare products can be changed to reduce the use of potentially hazardous or carcinogenic materials. The use of sustainable building practices in health and wellness facilities should become routine.
  At LiveWell, we include Environmental Wellness as one of our 8 key dimensions. The Zone, our new wellness programming space, is built sustainably and is applying for LEED Gold certification with a particular emphasis on non-toxic materials and indoor air quality. We are educating the campus community about healthy building, and collaborating with student and staff groups who care about sustainability, broadening our reach and widening the conversation. We hope you will think about how your environmental choices affect your own wellbeing, and encourage you to take actions that promote health, both globally and personally.   Consider choosing organic produce, walking or biking rather than taking your car, using a reusable water bottle, taking steps to curb your use of greenhouse gases, talking to your representatives at the local, state and federal levels
about health and sustainability, limiting your exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, or just educating your self about the connection between your environment and health. It matters—to you, to me, and to the planet. - Jerry Phelps Acting Director of Student Wellness UCSD
UCSD’S PRINCIPLES OF
sustainability
• We are committed to the creation of a sustainable relationship between human societies and the natural environment upon which we all depend.
The ultimate success of the university, the well-being of its •We recognize that sustainability is a key part of our constituents and the surrounding mission, and that community, depend on our sustainability encompasses social, economic, and ability to achieve our research, cultural interactions set within a supporting education, and service missions ecosystem. while promoting sustainable •We recognize that UCSD can make vital behaviors and practices. contributions to sustainability solutions through its research, teaching, and operations.
The university, therefore, establishes and acknowledges the following Principles of Sustainability in order to establish sustainability as a foundational value of the university, equivalent to the importance of diversity, free expression, and open inquiry set forth in the UCSD Principles of Community .
• We encourage the development of academic programs to create sustainability solutions through research and experiential learning. • We encourage the incorporation of sustainability concepts in all academic disciplines and across all levels of education and campus operations. • We commit to conduct open, periodic assessments of UCSD’s progress toward sustainability to guide campus policy and decision making, and to openly communicate assessment results to the university community. • We are committed to the development and enforcement of policies that promote the fulfillment of these principles.
Sustainability Organizations on Campus
food:
The Neighborhood Community Garden | rishmish@gmail.com
The Neighborhood Community Garden is a student run collective which manages a gardening space on the UCSD campus (specifically behind the Che Cafe Co-op). The collective was founded in 2008, initially throught the Roots & Shoots organization in UCSD, but then emerged independently.
environment:
Roots and Shoots | jwickerh@ucsd.edu
Join the Roots & Shoots global network to promote awareness and alleviate problems in the three areas of Roots & Shoots: people, animals, and the environment.
alternative transportation
Biofuels Action and Awareness Network | biodiesel.ucsd.edu | baan-l@ucsd.edu
Working towards sustainable fuel. Built a biodiesel processor with A.S., G.S.A., Sunrise Rotary Club, and private funding, which uses waste from Canyon Vista dining hall. BAAN also pursues educational efforts to the UCSD community and Preuss School. Also pursuing the Greenline Project where buses at UCSD will eventually be 100% biodiesel!
FOR FULL LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS, VISIT: sustainabilityresourcecenter.ucsd.edu/resources/student-orgs/
alive
& well
Get your voucher from the Parking & Transportation Office and redeem it at the UCSD Bike Shop for a
FREE HELMET !
sponsored by UCSD Commute Solutions and LIVEWELL UC SAN DIEGO
oli.+1oli.+1
occupational W E LLN E S S
ocCUPATIONAL Wellness Month Kick Off:
Monday 5/2 from 1:30-3 pm @ the Career Services Center Plaza { SNACKS & FREE GOODIES! }
Careers in Wellness Panel:
Thursday 5/5 from 2-3:30 pm @ the Horizon Room at Career Services Center
Discover your Dream Career workshop: Wednesday 5/11 from 4:30-6:30 pm @ The Zone
Relaxation Techniques Before Interviews workshop: Tuesday 5/17 from 3:30-4:30 pm @ The Zone
“Career Check-Ups” Express Advising:
Wednesday 5/18 from 1:30-2:30 pm and Monday 5/23 from 2:30-3:30 pm @ The Zone
Managing Job Search Stress Workshop:
Wednesday 5/25 from 2:00-3:30 pm @ the Horizon Room at Career Services Center
what keeps you
(pre)occupied?
Your visions for the future might include a generous salary, big house, and flashy car. But if you haven’t tapped into what’s making you tick in the here and now—if you can’t appreciate life as it stands— then, inevitably, happiness becomes idealized, not realized.
When the idea of a life becomes more important than the reality of a life, an insidious gap is created—and through this crack slips peace of mind, contentment, and many other valuable assets. In spite of wisdom from the ages (and songs such as “Can’t Buy Me Love”), many people focus primarily on money—because modern society is structured around it. Consumerism is socially reinforced, designed to keep us preoccupied with the procurement of MORE.
This presents a nasty set up: our attention is drawn ever out and forward, always leaning toward the next, bigger, better thing. According to the immutable laws of physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction; this applies equally to the actions of thought and behavior.
If you find yourself dissatisfied, discontented, or depressed, consider your approach: taking care of your body and spending time with loved ones are shown to add more value to your life than any piece of paper—or anything paper can purchase. Realizing happiness starts with finding joy in where you are now: money or no money, house or no house, car or no car. Looking at Occupational Wellness with this in mind, consider the quality of what fills your thoughts and your time, being mindful of what you do, and the way you feel about doing it. There is a critical difference between being occupied and being fulfilled. If you are so (pre)occupied with the pursuit of x, y, or z that there is no room on your plate for the sweet things in life, then what’s the point? As you plan for your future career, think carefully about how you want to spend the moments of your life. If you’re just making money, you may go internally bankrupt.
got a minute? check out the
livewellblog a fun read that’s guaranteed to feed your mind
The LiveWell Blog is updated weekly with articles & news bulletins to keep you thriving! • Productivity & Time Management • Loving & honoring the real you • Maintaining a body that is healthy, happy, & strong • Balancing your budget • Living Green • Getting the most out of career resources & opportunities • Awakening to your purpose and passion • Cultivating healthy relationships & much, much more !
Want a Sustainable Career? Consider the Green Job Market!   Exercise social responsibility by turning your talents into a career that help the planet. From conservation biologists to green software specialists, there has never been a greater need for professionals with an eye for the environment.
Top Ten Green Jobs 1. Chief Sustainability Officer (Chief Environmental Officer/ Chief Green Officer) 2. Environmental Lawyer 3. Environmental Engineer 4. Climatologist/Environmental Meteorologist 5. Renewable Energy Manager 6. Environmental Specialist/Scientist 7. Senior Urban Planner 8. Commercial/Industrial Designer 9. Conservation Scientist 10. Senior Hydrologist
From interior design to food production, every occupation has the potential to
gogreen.
Words of Wellness “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.� --Thich Nhat Hanh
Office of Student Wellness Student Services Building 5th Floor, Suite 562 (858) 822-7618 wellness.ucsd.edu The LiveWell Magazine is published by the Office of Student Wellness Edited and written by: Natalie Wong, Gina Tang, Jerry Phelps