Green Observer Earth week 2018

The Green Observer Magazine

The Green Observer Magazine

READ GREEN LIVE GREEN

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The Green Observer Magazine

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Hello our dear readers, Welcome to the Green Observer’s Ear th Week 2018 Is-

this example and moved online. The students of the

sue! We have an exciting announcement to make:

ing awareness about environmental issues, but also

from now on, the Green Observer magazine will be

exclusively

online. That’s

right!

We

are

offi-

cially going to be a digital publication. This Ear th Week 2018 issue will be our last printed issue.

The Green Observer has transformed in many ways throughout the years; from a newspaper of Students for Environmental Concerns to being a stand-alone magazine. We have had changes in our layout and content, as well as structural changes within our organization. With every new generation of GO members, the changes within our magazine reflect the changes and growth of the student body, the university,

and

the

Champaign-Urbana

community.

With digitization in nearly every field, it seemed more

Green Observer are not only passionate about spreadstrive to practice sustainability and conservation. We decided that becoming a digital magazine was the best way to honor our passions as well as the environment.

Although the Green Observer will always be a dynamic organization, we will also always have two constants. One, the members of the GO will always be dedicated,

cause-driven,

and

passionate

students

who strive to shed light on environmental issues.

And two, we will always be endlessly grateful for you, our readers. Thank you for changing and growing with the Green Observer - we hope you will continue to change and grow with us for many years to come.

You can find all of our content and future issues g r e e n o b s e r v e r. n e t .

and more appropriate that the Green Observer followed

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The Green Observer Magazine

N CO 6 STORAGE

PRODUCTS T O S AV E YOUR FOOD AND THE E A RT H

8-9 MAINTAINING

7 WHAT’S

ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT

13

12

10-11

HOT TAKE: CIGS ARE MAD LAME

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE YMCA

A MINIMAL AND SUSTAINABLE WARDROBE

T

AN ODE TO THE GREEN ONION

MEET THE GO TEAM

ZACK FISHMAN Copy Editor

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AYDA ASADNEJAD

NOAH SIMON

ABBI PSTRZOCH

Web Master

Fundraising Chair

Art Chair

EN 14-15

FORAGING AS RADICAL

The Green Observer Magazine

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FORAGING GUIDE

18-19

E PA : E N D O F PROTECTING ANIMALS

20-21

TS 17 GIY

SUCCULENTS

DIBBS S AV E F O O D , DO GOOD

22-23

BIOENERGY RESEARCH FOR A CLEAN FUTURE

24-25 ABBOT POWER PLANT

DONNA DIMITROVA

LAURA SCHULTZ

DANIEL LIN

Layout Editor

Copy Editor

Layout Chair

HUSSAIN KURAWADWALA

ELISE SNYDER

MATTHEW MARTINEZ

YMCA liason

Treasurer and Social Media Chair

Distribution Chair

ANA MENDOZA Advertising Chair

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The Green Observer Magazine

STORAGE PRODUCTS T O S A VE Y O U R FOOD TAIYA TKACHUK

Think back to earlier today and try

storage products can be convenient and are

also leach into the food they store, which

counting how many plastic bags or pieces

considered mainstream in American society,

means they can harm consumers.

of plastic wrap you have used to transport

it is important to consider the effects they

and store your meals. How about yesterday,

have on the environment and human health.

last week, last month, last year, or over the

Plastic is incredibly toxic to the earth, as it

course of your lifetime? Each year about 20

takes more than 500 years to break down

million plastic sandwich bags ended up in a

and contains harmful chemicals that pollute

landfill in the U.S. alone. While plastic food

the soil. The chemicals in plastic bags can

Due to these dangers, plastic food

storage alternatives are a wiser choice, as they safely store food and are more environmentally sustainable. Here are a few green substitutes that can replace your current plastic food storage products:

CHICOBAG:

STASHER:

BEE’S WRAP:

ChicoBag’s Produce Stand bags are a

The futuristic-looking clear Stasher bag

Bee’s Wrap is a plastic wrap alternative

great sustainable option for carrying fresh

is made out of pure platinum silicone, a

fruits and vegetables home from the grocery

safe and natural material to store snacks

store. They come in three versions made

in. Stasher is the first and only self-sealing

with different types of recycled materials,

plastic bag in the world and comes in

so they are able to store a variety of foods

multiple sizes. It is also microwave-, oven-,

at the appropriate humidity levels and

and freezer-safe, letting you ditch tons of

are about the size of the plastic bags you

single-use aluminum baking pans for one

would find in the grocery aisle. The bags

reusable bag that can be used for baking,

are also machine washable and reusable,

boiling, freezing, and microwaving food as

significantly reducing the amount of plastic

well as storing other objects. Stasher’s clear

wasted while grocery shopping. ChicoBag’s

mini snack bags are $9.99, the larger sand-

official website sells a complete starter kit

wich bags are $11.99, and the half-gallon

for $16.99 that comes with three different

bags are $19.99 on the Stasher Bag official

kinds of bags fit for storing different kinds

website.

of produce, and includes a clippable carrier case to store them in.

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AND YOUR PLANET

made out of a natural mixture of cotton and beeswax and infused with a blend of organic jojoba oil and tree resin. The wraps are handmade in Vermont and are washable, reusable, and completely compostable. Plus, they come in adorable prints with drawings of bees, bears, and honeycombs, selling for $11.00 per 13” by 13” wrap on the company’s website.

The Green Observer Magazine

WHATS ALL THE BU ZZ ABOUT? LAURA WHIPPLE

The new Beekeeping Club at

learning useful skills at the same time,”

keeping tools. Common Ground, a local

the University of Illinois has been causing

said Ferriss. “I couldn’t believe that there

food co-op in Urbana, is sponsoring the

quite the buzz around campus. This new

wasn’t a beekeeping club at UIUC al-

club in return for “cooking with honey”

RSO was founded in the the fall of 2017

ready, so I decided to start one with some

classes taught by the club members. Fun-

by freshman Daniel Ferriss. The past six

friends,” Ferriss explained. I asked about

draising events are also in the works: club

months have served as preparation for the

current and future plans for the club.

members hope to have a sticker sale, run

club’s first set of hives. Starting mid-April,

“Right now we are buying bees and pre-

a pancake bar on the quad accompanied

paring for a successful first season. In

by a variety of honey toppings, and host

the future, we would like to host more so-

a homemade bee-beauty product class.

cial events and harvest tons of honey.”

Those interested in getting involved with

In addition, the Beekeeping Club has been

the club can attend meetings every other

engaging with the campus in a variety of

Wednesday at 5pm in room 302 in the Ar-

ways to raise money for their new hives.

chitecture Building, follow the club on

Recently, the club received funding from

Facebook @beesatuiuc, or email beesa-

the Student Sustainability Committee to

tuiuc@gmail.com for more information.

the Beekeeping Club will begin maintaining two hives at the Student Sustainability Farm. With some luck and phenomenal beekeeping, the club will have locally produced honey for students by spring of next year.

I sat down with Daniel Ferriss to learn more about the reasons why he decided to start the Beekeeping Club.

“It’s a great way to keep up a hobby while

purchase hive materials and general bee-

“J O I N T H E H I V E!”

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The Green Observer Magazine

MAI N T A I N I N G A MINIMAL AN D SUSTAINABLE WARDROBE SOWMIYA RAJU

Wi t h t h e fas hion ind ustry be ing the second lar g est p olluter in the wor ld and a g rowing nu m b er o f

pe o p l e a d op t i n g the minimalist lifestyle, s hifting to a mor e minimal and env ironmentally sustainable w ard ro b e c a n n ot on l y greatly re d uce our ind ividual neg ativ e env ironmental imp act b ut also help r educ e st ress ca u s e d b y c l u t t e r and allow us to make more conscious decisions ab out what we wear. So, her e’s a list o f t ip s to h e l p c re a t e a nd maintain a more minimal and sustainab le war drob e:

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DON’T BUY SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT BUY AT FULL PRICE

I f you w ou ld n’ t buy a prod uct at it’s full

pri c e , you p rob ably d on’ t nee d it. As a resu lt of o u r f e a r of mi s sing out on the oppor tunity to b uy some t h i n g a t a cheaper rate, we’ re programmed

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BUY HIGH QUALITY CLOTHES THAT LAST

to w a n t to b u y things s imply becaus e they’ r e on sa l e . A h u g e p a r t of ke e ping a minimal wardrob e i s re s i st i n g t h a t urge.

long time for a higher price, as opposed to multiple clothes that wear out faster, help s you sav e mor e money in t h e long r un and is much mor e env ironmentally f rien d ly.

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BUY CLOTHES THAT YOU CAN WEAR ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS Wh e n you buy a pie ce of clothing or an ac-

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P urchasing clothes and shoes that will las t yo u a

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CONSIDER THRIFTING Par ticip ate in clothing swap s:

Env ironmental

Concer ns,

a

student

Stud en t s f o r or g a n iz at io n

ce ss ory, b e s u re you would use it multiple t imes

at the Univ er sity of Illinois, hosts a clothi n g s w ap

a n d c a n w e a r i t in d ifferent kind s of s etting s.

dur ing Ear th W eek ev er y year at the YMCA . Par t ic i -

Th i s w a y, you d ecrease the numbe r of clo thes

p ants b r ing in clothing they no long er use an d are

you n e e d b y n ot having to buy separate clo thes

ab le to swap clothing with the other p ar tic ip an t s .

for s e p a ra t e oc c as ions.

One p er son’s trash is another p er son’s t reas u re!

The Green Observer Magazine

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LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PIECES YOU OWN OF A PARTICULAR ITEM

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WHEN IN DOUBT, SAY NO.

H ow ma n y s hoes d o you re ally nee d ? If you al -

If you find your self standing in a sto re, h o ld -

r e a d y h av e a p air of running s hoe s, why buy another

ing something you mig ht want to b uy b u t yo u ’ re

p a i r? D o you h ave one too many black s car v es?

not entir ely sur e, that’s p rob ab ly a sig n t h at yo u don’t need it or that you’r e not 100% sur e t h at it ’s what you want. Either way, don’t b uy it. Yo u m ig h t

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REFRAIN FROM BUYING ENTIRE OUTFITS. B u y c l ot h es that you can wear with many of your

find b etter op tions elsewher e.

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REWEAR OUTFITS.

ot h e r c l ot h e s . Try to create multiple outfits with a

Thoug h celeb r ities mig ht mak e new s f o r

l i mi t e d n u mb e r of clothe s. Whe n you’ re s hop p ing , tr y

wear ing the same haute coutur e dr ess at t w o

a s k i n g you rs e l f, “H ow many outfits can I c r eate with

p ub lic ev ents, p eop le nor mally don’t not ic e w h en

w h a t I ’ m a b ou t to buy and what I alre ad y hav e in my

you r ep eatedly wear the same p iece of c lo t h in g .

w a rd rob e ? ”

You can also consider wear ing the same p iec e o f clothing in var ious ways.

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CHOOSE COLORS AND DESIGNS THAT MATCH YOUR WARDROBE. N o on e k n ows your taste s bette r than yo u do. Don’t

l et s oc i e t y p re s s ure you into buying clothe s that entir e l y a re n’ t ‘ you ’ a nd that you might never end u p wear ing .

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READ ABOUT SUSTAINABILIT Y Fa sh i on a nd lifes tyle magazines are constantly

p u b l i s h i n g a r t icle s on the d evelopments of ecofr i e n d l y c l ot h i ng and acces sories . Various or g anization s a n d c a u s e- d rive n brand s have social m edia sites

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SET LIMITS ON CLOTHING MATERIAL. Limit your self to b uying clothes ma d e f ro m

sustainab le fab r ic such as or g anic b am b o o an d Tencel. Consider b oycotting some mor e h arm f u l mater ials such as nylon and p olyester. ( vis it o u r web site for mor e on sustainab le and eco - f rien d ly fab r ics)

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NARROW DOWN THE BRANDS YOU’RE WILLING TO PURCHASE FROM

th a t p u b l i s h mo re information on what they stand for.

Consider p urchasing from b rands and m an u -

Fol l ow i n g t h e s e brand s can not only inspir e you, b ut

factur er s that stand for causes such as an t i-

k e e p you w e l l - informe d and guid e you to ot her b rands

child lab our, zero-waste desig n, p rom o t io n o f

an d c omp a n i e s that are d riven by caus e s th at you car e

local cultur es, and up -cycling (g iv ing m at erials

ab ou t .

a second life b y conv er ting old and disc ard ed mater ials into new and b eautiful p roduc t s ) .

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The Green Observer Magazine

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE

UNIVERSITY YMCA LAURA SCHULTZ

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As a publication, the Green Observer has gone through a

been completed at minimal to no cost.

One big measure thatMagazine remains The Green Observer

number of phases over the years — from newsletter of Students for

is replacing the windows in Latzer Hall, which are old, cracked, inef-

Environmental Concerns, to being called Environmental Resources,

ficient, and can’t be opened, according to Kasey Umland, the YMCA’s

to becoming a newspaper and then a magazine, and now to moving

Associate Director. Though it’s not the most exciting step to take,

entirely online. We have grown in size and the focus of our writing has expanded. However, one of the things that has remained constant about the Green Observer is our home: the University YMCA. The YMCA has provided us with meeting spaces, resources, support, and inspiration for years. It has served as a guiding example of environmental stewardship and sustainability, not just to us, but to the community as well.

The YMCA was established on the campus of the University of Illinois in 1873, and it moved into its present building on Chalmers and Wright in 1937. As the university and its needs evolved, so too did the YMCA. Originally, the Y served as an informal student union, but in the 1960s, students began to approach the YMCA staff seeking help and

Umland says that getting new high-quality, energy-efficient windows would have a particularly high payoff for the YCAP measures.

She also says that they are in the process of moving towards powering the building with renewable energy, most likely solar. But although there is a lot of excitement about getting solar panels, the project has been stalled by a prior need to replace the section of the roof that would most likely hold the panels. However, once the roof repair has been funded and completed (likely in 2019), and it has been determined that solar power is in fact the most sensible renewable energy source for the YMCA, we can expect the Y to be solar powered soon! As Umland said, “Our building is one of our biggest assets… so it also needs to be reflective of our values in regards to the environment and the natural world.”

resources to become student activists — something that the university itself was discouraging. The Y responded when the university did not

Within the building, curious explorers might notice that Clark Lounge

and became a meeting place for many social and political causes.

is home to a vermicomposting bin, which is a composting system that uses worms to break down the waste. This composter cannot

One of these groups included the very first members of Students

process all of the waste from the building, but it is enough for the

for Environmental Concerns, which has since become the oldest and

staff’s personal waste, and will soon serve as a useful demonstra-

largest environmental organization on campus, and has been meet-

tion for visitors. Longtime YMCA patrons might remember that there

ing at the YMCA for 50 years now. SECS has had many significant

used to be a Pepsi vending machine, but it was removed not long af-

accomplishments, such as fighting to save Allerton Park from the

ter the 2009 energy audit determined it to be too wasteful of energy.

Oakley Dam, putting air pollution scrubbers on the burners at Abbott Power Plant, and beginning the campaign for the student Green Fees

New sustainable policies for the building are currently being

that the Student Sustainability Committee now manages. Almost every

discussed. These include a sustainable purchasing and sourcing

student-led environmental movement or effort on campus has started

policy for products used at events the YMCA hosts, with the goal of

at the YMCA, and it remains the heart of environmental activism at the

reducing the amount of waste that events produce. Options for this

university today. But what is the Y itself doing to protect the planet?

policy include a larger dishwasher for reusable goods, a larger indus-

Well, as it happens, quite a lot, both in the organization’s events and in the building itself. One of the YMCA’s biggest annual events is the Dump & Run, which has been held for 17 years. Each spring, about six semi-trucks worth of unwanted possessions are collected from the university dormitories and donated by the community.

After being sorted over the summer, they are sold in August as students return to campus. Dump & Run saves about 25 tons of items from the landfill each year through this recycling model. Other environmental programs that have taken place include last semester’s “Building a Better Environmental Movement” Friday Forum lecture series and the current “Art @ the Y” Exhibition, Dust In Their Veins.

As for the YMCA building, the Sustainability Committee of the Y has drawn up a “YCAP,” or YMCA Climate Action Plan, that has identified many features of the building for sustainability improvement.

Based off an energy audit conducted in 2009, the YCAP calls for many energy cost reduction measures, most of which have already

trial composter, or restrictions requiring certified sustainable products.

As for more visually exciting potential projects, the front lawn of the YMCA might soon transform into a rain garden or vegetable garden — or both! The idea of a rain garden to divert basement flooding has been tossed around for a few years, while more recently, the Urban Agriculture subcommittee of SECS has sought to plant raised vegetable beds on the lawn.

Undoubtedly, the YMCA will continue to strive for continued environmental stewardship and sustainability. Environmental Protection is one of the four pillars of the YMCA’s mission, and this is clear from a conversation with any of Y’s employees and members. As Associate Director Umland explained, “There’s just so many other parts of our personal and spiritual growth, and our existence as humanity, that it’s necessary to protect the Earth for. And since the Y cares about all of those things, we also care about the Earth.” There is much work left to be done, but as long as the University YMCA is around, it can always be trusted to lead the way in ensuring environmental progress at UIUC.

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The Green Observer Magazine

HOT TAKE: C IG S ARE MAD LA ME ABBI PSTRZOCH In my younger

butts allows for rapid bioaccumulation of these toxins in our

years, when my

environment, posing a huge threat to wildlife and ecosystems

family would vaca-

as a whole. In addition, the filters can take up to ten years

tion in Florida, I ada-

to fully decompose. They are far from a temporary problem.

mantly stayed on the beach and made sandcastles while my sisters swam in the Atlantic. Having watched Jaws monthsbefore, I knew what predators swam in the ocean, so I was perfectly content to stay on land, safe and sound. I remember combing the beach, searching for seashells and cigarette butts to decorate my sand mansions, finding plenty of both with minimal effort. As a mindless adolescent, I didn’t question why there were so many discarded cigarettes in the sand, and I most certainly didn’t spend my time wondering how they affected the environment.

While reusable e-cigarettes produce a substantially lower volume of waste, when they are disposed of, their metallic components can pose a far greater risk to the environment.

Discarded batteries, coils, and even the vapor emitted can introduce heavy metals such as lead and lithium into fragile ecosystems and the atmosphere. E-cigarettes also produce waste in the form of cartridges, which typically still contain small amounts of nicotine and other chemicals when they are disposed of. Without proper instructions for safe discarding, cartridges end up in waterways and natural spaces, further exacerbating our catastrophic ma-

At twenty years old, I still often look past cigarette

rine litter problem, while simultaneously leaking toxins.

butts because they are so prevalent, and seeing them

I know what you’re thinking: Can you really put a price on

scattered on the street has become normalized. Even on our campus, where smoking combustible cigarettes is banned, it is not uncommon to see butts strewn on the sidewalk or in the grass. They are almost a permanent part of the landscape; their presence is expected.

social acceptance and a killer nicotine headrush? The answer is yes; I can and I just did. Now, there’s also a possibility that you’re thinking, “Well damn, if I can’t puff-puff-pass my cigs (or e-cigs), then what can I do?” Excellent question.

When I first began writing this article, my intent was to curate a piece of work dedicated to bitching and complaining about electronic cigarettes. Maybe I’m tired of my younger

TENTATIVE LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN DO BESIDES SMOKE NICOTINE PRODUCTS:

sister vaping into every cup I drink out of, or maybe I’m sick of being asked to “rip” juuls by have-nots at the bar. Nonetheless, despite my strong opposition to e-cigarettes and the like, I felt that I would be doing a great disservice to readers if I were to omit the environmental impacts of traditional cigarettes.

Now, let’s get to the dirty facts. The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation estimates that up to 36% of all visible litter is comprised of disposed tobacco products, which is a frightening statistic when you consider the overall toxicity of cigarettes. The noxious cocktail contained in each cigarette includes nicotine, lead, arsenic, and even formaldehyde. While each individual cig only contains trace amounts of these poisonous substances, the sheer mass of disposed

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1. Go to church 2. Call your grandma 3. Develop another self-deprecating habit: -eat a Doritos Locos Taco™ at every meal -don’t look both ways when you cross the street 4. Pick up a new hobby: -gardening -woodworking -taxidermy -sword-swallowing 5. Move to Colorado and smoke better things, legally

The Green Observer Magazine

AN ODE TO THE GREEN ONONION ION

MICHELLE AWAD

WHO ARE YOU COUSIN ONION? WITH YOUR GENTLENESS IN YOUR LACK OF DEMAND FOR MY TEARS W I T H YO U R LO N G L I M P L I M B S E V E R Y D E TA I L S O P E D A N T I C A L LY P L A C E D D E C O R AT I N G P L AT E S F R O M E G Y P T T O M E X I C O, Y O U R V E R S AT I L I T Y A S T O U N D S M E I N T H E D E S E RT, W H E N I H A D N O W AY O F C O O K I N G , Y E L L O W A N D W H I T E O N I O N S L O O K E D AT M E W I T H DISGUST B U T Y O U W E R E A LW AY S T H E R E , A LW AY S R E A D Y Y O U R B R I G H T N E S S I S T H AT O F S U N L I G H T S H I N I N G T H R O U G H T H E W I N D O W S I N G R A N D M A’ S H O U S E WITH SMELLS OF OLDER TIMES W H E N W E T O L D O N E A N O T H E R T H E D AY O F T H E WEEK WE’D VISIT INSTEAD OF THE HOUR YOU ARE THE GARNISH I DREAM OF WE DON’T DESERVE YOU, GREEN ONION W E A R E O N LY B L E S S E D B Y Y O U

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The Green Observer Magazine

FORAGIN G AS RADICAL SARAH COLEMAN

G row i n g up, my backyard always s e emed

yar ds. But, they should g et mor e eng ag ed with

to b e a n e x t e n sion of my home , with no bound -

what’s g rowing in their yar ds and lear n ab out

ary b e t w e e n w he re my back porch e nd ed and

the op p or tunities that ar e ther e.” A nd I ag r ee,

m y b a c k ya rd b egan. I s pe nt mos t d ays pe er ing

eng ag ing with our b ack yar ds and our env iron-

u n d e r roc k s , searching for worms, d igging up

ment mor e could only hav e a p ositiv e imp act

wi l d on i on s a n d nibbling on crab apples . It was

on our health, well-b eing and our communities.

na t u ra l f or me to use all of my s ens es . Notice

th e d a n d e l i on’s bright yellow, feathe r- like shap e

ing for edib le p lants may p rov ide, eating the

s w a yi n g g e n t l y in the bre e ze . Fee l the d ande -

finding s can g r eatly imp rov e one’s health. For

l ion’s s moot h s te m agains t your fingers and

examp le, eating dar k g r eens, such as g ar lic

h e a r a q u i e t ‘s nap’ as the s te m is plucked from

mustar d, can p rov ide a multitude of v itamins

th e g rou n d . F i nally, sme ll the ear thy fragrance

and ar e a g r eat source of p otassium, calcium,

o f t h e d a n d e l i on’s ped als and try to tas te their

mag nesium, selenium, cop p er, iron and mang a -

b l a n d b i t t e rn e s s with the tip of your tong ue.

nese as well as omeg a-3 fatty acids. 1 Most col-

Me mori e s sp e nt in my backyard had nearly van -

leg e students’ diets ar e lack ing in the nutr itious

i s h e d f rom my m ind until I attend ed a work shop

fr uits and v eg etab les they need and forag ed

at t h e R e d H e r ring lead by JP G ogue n, a wild

edib le p lants can b e a wonder ful sub stitute

e d i b l e p l a n t s e nthus iast. As he spoke ab out

to the second cup of ramen noodles at dinner.

th e w i l d e d i b l e plants in Champaign- Urbana, I

r e a l i z e d I h a d f orgotte n about the ar t of forag -

nect p eop le with seeming ly op p osing values

i ng . I c ou l d n’ t reme mber the las t time I sp ent

and b eliefs. . A s JP r emar k ed, “It’s difficult

th e d a y i n my yard , and I could n’ t re me mb er

(for me) to hav e a conv er sation with p eop le

wh e re t h e w i l d onions in my backyard g r ew.

who walk around with A K-47’s in their tr unk ,

A f t e r J P ’s lecture, I was le ft wond er ing

b ut you k now what (I) could talk to them

“ wh e n d i d my b ackyard be come such an unfamil -

ab out? ‘Hey, when’s the last time you went

i ar s p a c e ? ” , A n d how d id s ome thing as simple as

mushroom hunting ?’” It is so imp or tant to b e

fo ra g i n g f or w i ld ed ible plants see m s o foreig n?

ab le to hav e conv er sations with p eop le you

O f c ou rs e , f o raging for wild e d ible plants

disag r ee with, esp ecially as our countr y b e -

d oe s n’ t me a n that I roll around on my lawn

comes mor e and mor e p olar ized. W hat’s mor e

an d e a t ra n d om plants that I find in my yar d.

neutral than talk ing ab out dandelion forag ing ?

A s J P e x p l a i n ed , “I’ m not te lling people that

th e y sh ou l d j u st go and eat things out of their

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A side from the simp le enjoyment forag -

Forag ing may also b e a way to con -

The Green Observer Magazine

Not only is forag ing a way to connect with o u r en vironment and other p eop le, b ut it is a way to ref u s e to p ar ticip ate in consumer ism cultur e. Dur ing o u r in t er v iew, JP sp ok e ab out the differ ence forag in g f o r w ild foods can hav e on our society. “W e hear abo u t p eo p le g oing to liv e off the land, b ut what if just 5 % o r 1 0 % of your calor ies came from your yar d? That c o u ld b e p r etty p ower ful.” Instead of b uying all of ou r f o o d an d ev entually throwing away p lenty of our g ro c eries, w e can tak e small step s to stop this cycle and b eg in to chang e our comp lete dep endence on con s u m erism .

Forag ing for local wild edib les not o n ly p o si-

tiv ely imp acts the indiv idual r eg ar ding h ealt h an d well-b eing , b ut if we mak e a collectiv e effo r t , it c o u ld also cr eate a noticeab le imp act on our co m m u n it ies .

Her e ar e some step s you can tak e to b ecom e a w ild edib le p lants enthusiast.

1.

2.

3.

Read Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas or The Forag er ’s Har v est b y Samuel Thayer.

Join a Faceb ook g roup such as Midw est Wild Edib le and Forag er s Society.

Pick an area of your yard and get rid of your grass. Till the soil to exp ose the n at ive s eed

stock that ar e alr eady ther e and see w h at h ap p ens. You’ ll g et some dandelion and vio let s t h at just p op up p r etty much ev er ywher e.

4.

Stay Safe! a. A lways cross-r efer ence - Mak e su re t h at yo u hav e found a coup le sources that h ave sim ilar descr ip tions of the p lant you ar e a b o u t to eat , and state that it is indeed edib le. Use t h e b o o k s I mentioned ab ov e. b.

Be awar e of your env ironment an d lo o k f o r sig ns of p esticides and other har mfu l c h em ic als .

“I R E A L I Z E D I H A D F O R G OT T E N A B O U T T H E A R T O F F O R A G I N G .”

5.

Finally, hav e fun! Cut out the zine on t h e b ac k o f this p ag e and g o exp lor ing ! a.

Check out Kick ap oo State Recr e at io n A rea, the For est Glen P r eser v e, a p atch of w o o d s o r your own b ack yar d.

IMAGES BY JP GOGUEN

15

The Green Observer Magazine

CUT OUT

16

FORAGING GUIDE

GREEN IT YOURSELF

The Green Observer Magazine

ANA MENDOZA

SUCCULENT PLANTS:

which are not to be confused with cacti, are excellent house -

plants that only require minimal water and plenty of sunshine.

They are arid climate plants

that retain water inside their leaves and come in several colors and designs.

However, like any

other plant, they can die if they are not cared for properly. Simply over-watering the plant is enough to kill your deser t friend, but luckily for you, they are easy to propagate (re-grow from the original plant’s leaves).

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to grow your own baby succulents.

MA TER

IAL

S 1. An adult succulent.

2. Leaves must NOT be rotting!

3. Individual cups 1.

G a t h e r a l l of your mate rials and s e t them

4. Soil, enough to fill ¾ of the container 5. Spray water bottle 6. Magnifying glass l) a ion t p (o

i n a c omf or t a b le working are a. S oil can g et me ss y, s o b e s u re to work outs id e or in an ar ea th a t c a n e a s i l y be cle ane d up.

2.

T h e f i r s t s t e p i s t o c r e a t e y o u r p l a n t ’s n e w home. Fill the container or individual bea-

kers ¾ full of soil. Make sure the soil is not too damp, as this could breed mold instead of baby succulents.

3.

Next, we are going to collect and plant

the

actual

succulent

babies.

These

next

few steps are crucial to success — be sure to

read

all

the

steps

before

beginning!

A.

Using the adult succulent, we are going

C.

If done successfully, the whole leaf should

come off without tears or anything stuck to the stem.

Do so for as many leaves as you want.

twist off the leaves one by one. Make sure the leaves themselves are not moldy or rot-

D. Place your newly ‘cut’ succulent on top of

ten,

as

the soil.

Do not bury the leaves in the soil.

B.

Twisting

E.

the

they

extremely

will

not

off

delicate

produce

the process.

any

leaves

plants. is

an

When

do-

Using

with

water

daily

ing so, get as close to the base of the suc-

sunny

location.

culent

culent

should

as

possible

and

lightly

wiggle.

spray

bottle,

and After

start

place 2-5

growing

spray

the

in

consistently

a

weeks, small

your pink

leaves suchairs.

17

The Green Observer Magazine

TRUMP S EPA: END OF PROTECTING ANIMALS MAISEY SCHMIDT

Since the Trump administration took power in 2017,

created by the United State Department of Agriculture to

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has over-

regulate animal welfare. Recently, the USDA removed public

turned many long standing policies. Though the full ad-

access to scientific reports and other documents that detail

visory board hasn’t met since August of 2017, their con-

the animals’ treatment in zoos, circuses, and animal trans-

tinued rollbacks on fossil fuel conservation, oil drilling

ports, according to the Science Magazine. Many animal

and many more that the EPA allowed begs the question

advocacy groups were dependent on such information in or-

— are they interested in the protecting the environment

der to keep businesses responsible for the way they treated

at all? With all of these threats to land and sea, animals

their animals. The information can only be acquired through

have taken the brunt of the abuse. But how exactly are

Freedom of Information Act requests, a significant obstacle.

they at risk in the hands of the Trump administration?

Perhaps the most harm done by these restrictions are in

Many smaller bans that protected animals across the

pet stores. In seven states, pet stores are required to buy

US have been quietly overturned by the Trump administra-

from breeders with clean USDA inspections, according

tion, mostly in the name of protecting business. For exam-

to the Tribune, but this becomes nearly impossible under

ple, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act has protected over 1,025

these restrictions. Under FOIA, the government will accept

species of birds from unnatural deaths for over one hundred

or reject requested information in twenty days time, but

years as they cross the US. This act states that business-

the records may not be produced as promptly. Again, the

es must pay for any bird deaths caused at their expense,

only group that benefit from this are companies that house

whether it be because of electric wires or wind turbines. En-

these animals, whose actions are now going unseen by the

ergy companies are regularly penalized for killing migratory

public eye. The administration claims that they want to be

birds, and due to this, the administration called it a threat

transparent to the public while maintaining their privacy, but

to businesses. Back in 2010, during the BP oil spill, this act

the removal simply grants privacy to further abuse animals.

was responsible for claiming over 100 million dollars for

Lastly, there has been major changes to hunting, fish-

the estimated 600,000-800,000 birds that were killed as a result. As it is, there is an estimated 64 million bird deaths a year due to high tension power lines alone, and with the act being dismantled, business will not be held accountable.

The act has been key in protecting birds from energy corporations, but with the act recently repealed by the administration, their deaths will go unavenged in the hands of the EPA.

18 18

ing, and poaching regulations under Trump’s Environmental “Protection” Agency. First and foremost, the administration took big steps to remove animals from the endangered species list. Animal populations like the Yellowstone Grizzly, which has been protected since 1975, has significantly grown due to the lack of human interference in its natural habitat. But according to groups like the Sierra Club and

The EPA isn’t the only department that is working against

the Center for Biological Diversity, though the population

animals and their advocates, however, due to new obstacles

has been able to reestablish itself, the decision to remove

The Green Observer Magazine

them from the list is premature. The species is now suscep-

years. Now that the ban has been lifted, there will be no

tible to hunting and therefore, a more rapid path extinction.

repercussions for reckless fishing off the West Coast,

In Alaska, Trump similarly overturned restrictions on hunt-

with turtles and whales suffering the consequences.

ing predators, specifically bears and wolves, on wildlife ref-

But perhaps the largest restriction that could be coming

uges where they were meant to be protected. Many hunters

to an end is the ban on poaching elephants overseas. In No-

oppose the competition that bears and wolves pose of the

vember, Trump announced that he would repeal the Obama-

game they are trying to hunt, and therefore support lifting the

era ban, that would then allow trophy hunters in Africa to

ban. The state itself argued that they should have the final

collect their game freely. Sudden public backlash from both

say on lifting these restrictions, but the administration was

Democrats and Republicans led Trump to then call poach-

adamant on being able to eliminate the hunters’ competition.

ing a “horror show,� promising to reinstate the ban. This de-

But land animals are not the only ones suffering from

cision did not last long, however, because just two weeks

rollbacks on restrictions. According to the New York Times, fishing season has been drastically opened up, allowing fisherman to capture the sea creatures much more abundantly. A rule that also once protected endangered sea turtles and whales on the West Coast from being tangled in nets offshore has now been removed, with the administration claiming the rule was unnecessary since so little were harmed. Many groups, such as the National Oceanic

ago announced that poaching overseas would be considered on a case by case basis, according to NDRC. Trophy hunters are responsible for over 33,000 elephant deaths a year, and this number will skyrocket without the restriction that were in place before Trump took office. Elephants play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, and as poaching increases, we could see African ecosystems crumble.

This administration tasked

to protect the flora and

and Atmospheric Association, argue that many of these

fauna of the earth has completely failed for over a year.

deaths were prevented because of the restrictions that

With hundreds of thousands of lands and sea creatures

were put into place. Formerly, under these restrictions, if

at risk, it is essentiential to question the motives of our

two turles or whales were hurt or seriously injured within

government and protect the species that will become

a two-year time span, the fishery would be closed for two

helpless without advocacy from the American public.

IMAGE BY EMILY CHEN

19

19

The Green Observer Magazine

DIBBS SAVE FOOD, DO GOOD HUSAIN KURAWADWALA

GO: Can you talk mor e ab out DIBBS and h o w it star ted?

SO: DIBBS is a r eal-time p latfor m to connec t ex cess food from g rocer y stor es, which would o t h er wise hav e b een thrown away, to ag encies lik e f o o d p antr ies and soup k itchens for food donat io n s .

DIBBS star ted in Januar y last year. Initially it w as an ap p that allowed user s to p urchase foo d f ro m r estaurants for a r educed p r ice near closing t im e.

It chang ed its b usiness model in June. -That’s w h en I came on b oar d, and now we focus on wor k ing w it h

I n a n i d e a l w orld , our food sys te m would be 100% ef fi c i e n t , me a n i ng all the food that is prod uced would a l so b e c on su me d . H owever that is not the r eality ev e n i n U.S . , one of the most d eveloped nations i n t h e w orl d . Accord ing to nonprofit food-waste tra c k e r R e F ED , about 63 million tons of foo d waste i s p rod u c e d a nnually, 85% of which is produced b y b u si n e s s e s l i k e grocery s tore s , re staurants and h ome s. A l l t h i s was te is prod uced d es pite the fact

20

g rocer y stor es and food assistance p rog ram s . Ou r p ar tner s include p antr ies such as UniP lace C h ristian church, W esley Food Pantr y, and Jub ile e C af e and g rocer y stor es lik e Common Ground Food C o - o p and Fr esh Inter national Mar k et A s of today we h ave donated two thousand p ounds of food.

GO: Could you tell me a b it mor e ab out the en viro n mental imp act of food waste?

th a t 1 i n 7 A mericans is food insecure

SO: 40% of food in the U. S is wasted each ye ar, an d

To b ri d g e t h i s g ap betwe e n hunge r and food waste,

is extr emely difficult to decomp ose and ac c o u n t s

s e n i ors a t t h e Univers ity of Illinois Kath leen Hu,

for 20 % of methane emissions p roduced in t h e

Soh i n e e Osw a l and D evaki Be lwalkar hav e come

wor ld. Methane has a g lob al war ming p oten t ial o f

tog e t h e r to f or m a s tar tup calle d D IBBS . To lear n

mor e than 30 times that of car b on dioxide, m ak -

more , t h e G re e n O bs e r ver caught up with Sohinee,

ing it a much mor e p otent g r eenhouse g as. Fo o d

th e p re si d e n t of S tud e nts for E nvironme ntal Con -

p roduction and g etting the food from far m to t ab le

c e rn s a n d C h i ef Comme rcial O ffice r of D IB BS.

r equir es many r esources and inp uts such as w at er,

Soh i n e e’s a n s w e rs are ed ited for clarity and b r ev -

ener g y, fer tilizer s, p esticides and other typ es o f

i t y.

p rocessing . If the food is wasted in the last st ag es

most of it ends up in landfills. Food in lan d f ills

The Green Observer Magazine

o f t h e sys t e m, such as groce ry store s, all the in -

my team and our p ar tner s k now that if we g rad u -

p u t s re q u i re d to prod uce that food are technically

ate and decide to mov e onto other thing s, we w ill

wa s t e d , b u t t he environmental impact o f those

need an equally p assionate team of student s to

in p u t s a n d a c tivities is still felt.

r ep lace us if we hav e to mak e a long ter m impac t .

GO: W h a t h av e bee n some of the main challeng es t h a t you h av e face d as a s tud e nt star tup?

W e will b e activ ely r ecr uiting for underclassm en who ar e inter ested in hung er r elief, food wa s t e, technolog y and entr ep r eneur ship . Using t h eir

S O: On e of t h e main challenges that we hav e faced

sk ills to help solv e a r eal wor ld p rob lem of t h is

h a s b e e n to make this id e a s calable. It h as b een

mag nitude will b e a fantastic exp er ience for t h em

d i f f i c u l t to g e t s ome grocery stores on boar d as

and will also help us continue our wor k in t h e

t h e re i s h e s i t ation that the food may not b e g ood

Ur b ana-Champ aig n community. For other un iver -

to e a t p a s t t h e expiration d ate . That is d efinitely

sities as well, we will b e hav ing student r ep r e s en-

not t h e c a se , as even if the e xpiration date has

tativ es on camp us as they will help us facil it at e

p a ss e d i t d oe s not always mean that the food has

the initial donations b y b r ing ing each side ( f o o d

g on e b a d . Ex p iration d ates s uch as “be s t b y” and

r etailer s and emer g ency food p rov ider s) on b o ard .

an d “se l l b y” are ofte n mis lead ing and d o not of -

They will also b e instr umental in raising aw are -

t e n me a n t h a t the food is actually e xpire d. W hen

ness ab out the ap p on camp us, and if they are

t h e f ood i s s t i ll good and is d onate d in good faith,

alr eady involv ed with the hung er r elief commu n it y

ac c ord i n g to the Bill E mers on G ood S amar itan

they can use this tool to conv ey the infor ma t io n

A c t , i t c a n b e d onate d at no liability to the donor.

in r eal time. Students ar e the futur e and ar e t h u s

Ma n y g roc e ry stores d o not know about this and,

cr itical in mak ing this wor ld a b etter p lace w h ere

as a re s u l t , t h rowing out the food s e e ms lik e the

food consump tion is equitab le and waste is n o t

b e s t op t i on .

the nor m.

G O: Wh a t i s t h e future of D IBBS ?

Dib b s is hir ing . To k now mor e ab out avail ab le

S O: W e a re f o cused on expansion. O ur end g oal

p ositions p lease contact them at

is to c omp l e t ely e liminate food was te and com -

g mail. com

Dib b s. u iu c @

p l e t e l y e l i mi n ate hunge r, and for us to that we wou l d l i k e to expand through a Univers ity model.

W e h av e h a d s ucces s on the Univers ity of Illinois as w e h av e b u ilt a network with the hunger r elief c ommu n i t y a n d local grocery s tore s here.

G O: C on s i d e ri ng the Unive rsity cente red ap p roach o f D I B B S, h ow would d o you think you can mak e D I B B S a s u s t ainable tool that remains long after you g ra d u a t e ?

S O:

C u rre n t ly our grad uating te am memb er s,

in c l u d i n g me , will be involved with D IBB S p ostg ra d u a t i on a s it is d e finite ly some thing we ar e

Vegetables donated through DIBBS

r e a l l y p a s s i onate about. H aving said that, b oth

from Common Ground to Jubilee Cafe

21

The Green Observer Magazine

BIOENERGY RESEARCH ZACK FISHMAN

AN INTRODUCTION TO CABBI

An organization of scientists based at the University of Illinois recently began agricultural research that might someday fuel a

22

crops, and the Carl R. Woese Institute of Integrative Biology (IGB) with its dedicated labs and facilities for biological research.

more sustainable society. The Center for Advanced Bioenergy and

At the core of CABBI is a vision to redesign agricultural plants

Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), which launched on February 1 with

and processes that yield a greater variety of useful products while

funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is developing

maintaining an awareness of the environmental impact. The re-

new biological tools in the form of genetically engineered crop

search is an interdisciplinary endeavor, with researchers hailing

strains that will have lower resource demands and greater eco-

from departments of biology, agricultural sciences, and several

nomic value.

flavors of engineering.

As one of the four bioenergy research centers supported by the

A primary concept in CABBI’s approach is dubbed “plants as

DOE, CABBI is a large-scale project that involves partnerships with

factories,” according to Evan DeLucia, CABBI Director and profes-

17 different American universities and labs. However, most of the

sor of Integrative Biology. His plan is to take the resources that a

research occurs on the Illinois campus. The bioenergy center col-

crop normally uses to produce sugars and “redirect it into making

laborates with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environ-

other high-value compounds, for example fatty acids, oils and lip-

ment (iSEE), which provides space at the Illinois Energy Farm to test

ids,” he said. Rather than trying to break down sturdy plant sugars

FOR A GREEN FUTURE

The Green Observer Magazine

into fuel — a process that is energy-intensive and currently limits

synthetically produced such as alcohols, acids and even jet fuel.

current biodiesel production — CABBI instead wants to redesign

This long list of possible products could make agriculture a more

plants to make easy-to-harvest molecules. These new compounds

flexible and stable industry.

aren’t normally made by the crop; the scientists are instead working to manipulate its genetic code to produce these never-beforeseen changes.

The vision CABBI promotes functions within the larger goal of sustainability, as the scientists look to develop crops that could facilitate fossil fuel replacement and more responsibly treat agri-

CABBI’s scope extends beyond plants and into microscopic

cultural land. Currently planned research includes improving pho-

organisms. Its biologists will work to recruit particular microbes

tosynthesis efficiency and crop resiliency in plants like sugarcane

to convert these new plant compounds into an even greater vari-

and other high-yielding grasses. Beyond minimizing damage to

ety of products. As DeLucia described, “The conversion theme

the environment, DeLucia also hopes that these crops can even

is about training microbes to convert one form of compound into

heal their surroundings damaged by decades of harmful farming

another in an economic and efficient way.” By digesting and trans-

practices. “Can we use bioenergy and bioproducts to improve the

forming material gathered from crops, engineered bacteria would

environment and heavily damaged agricultural landscapes?” he

provide a greener source of many compounds that are usually

asked. “I think we can use these crops to restore carbon that’s been lost through cultivation, to have less nitrogen demands so we have less of a nitrogen contamination problem from fertilizer use.”

CABBI scientists have already begun their research, with plans to begin crop-planting mid-April. With ambitions high, the bioenergy center’s first major step will be to initially demonstrate its core “plant-as-factories” concept. “CABBI hopes to create a plant that produces a novel, high-value compound it doesn’t traditionally make,” said DeLucia. “That will be a pretty big breakthrough.”

ILLUSTRATION

BY DONNA DIMITROVA

23

The Green Observer Magazine

ABBOTT POWER PLAN T: NOAH SIMON

M O R E T H A N W H AT MEETS THE EYE

In the 2010 Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), the University set

The 2010 iCAP led the University to “perform a study to evalu-

their sights on transitioning Abbott Power Plant away from coal by

ate the possibility of ending use of coal and alternative means

2017. In the last two fiscal years, Abbott has purchased 30,000 tons

for generating and distributing thermal energy.” These ques-

of coal to fuel the plant (Larson, M. 2018). The Green Observer met

tions, among many others, were answered when the university

with Mike Larson, Director of Utilities Production at U of I Facilities

hired an AE (Architecture/Engineering) firm. These firms pro-

& Services, to learn more about the University’s plans for the opera-

vide services for industries involved with infrastructure devel-

tion of the power plant — and whether it will ever move beyond coal.

opment. The firm proposed that the University should “operate and maintain coal assets for the remainder of their useful life.”

Throughout its 77-year lifetime, Abbott Power Plant has been the staple energy provider for the University of Illinois. It powers nearly all University-owned buildings between Pennsylvania and University. Abbott functions a lot like the conventional power plants:

Rather than transition from coal, the study recommended sustaining presently operational equipment and investing in other renewable energy projects outside of Abbott, like the solar farm, that offset environmental damage caused by burning coal.

burn fuel, heat water, produce steam, turn a turbine. However, there a some key differences that the University has put into place to

Larson made it clear that Abbott prides itself in its fuel versatility.

lessen Abbott’s footprint. First and foremost, Abbott is a cogenera-

The ability to quickly adapt the fuel mix between coal, natural gas,

tion power plant which means that each turbine has a heat recovery

and fuel oil to variables like market pricing serves the economic in-

generator that captures exhaust from the turbines which provides

terest of the university. This also allows for the uninterrupted sup-

heating for the majority of campus buildings (University of Illinois

ply of steam and electricity that powers our campus year round.

Facilities and Services). Using combined heat and power, Abbott

With regards to curtailing coal use further, Larson stated that de-

is able to utilize heat that would otherwise be lost during power

commissioning the fully operational coal boilers would sacrifice

generation. This technology is in place for Abbott’s natural-gas

reliability. At this point, it would be a huge financial misstep to get

fired turbines as well, which account for approximately 80 percent

rid of functional coal boilers. They are “viable assets” and getting

of the plants fuel mix. The remainder is powered by coal (Larson,

rid of them would rid Abbott of its highly coveted fuel flexibility.

M. 2018). Additionally, Abbott employs multiple wet scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators which reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide and remove excess particulate matter respectively. Thus, lessening the amount of harmful pollutants emitted from the plant.

To people in the environmental community, Abbott’s inability to phase out coal may seem like another act carried out by greedy administrators. Although 86% of the student body that were poled by UIUC Beyond Coal voted in favor of terminating in-

24

The Green Observer Magazine

Instead of attacking the University and Abbott for their non-committal attempt to phase out coal, something more conducive to progress is necessary. On campus, this means making real commitments to move beyond coal and natural gas. Off campus, the University has a responsibility to address the impacts of our fuel sources.

Knight Hawk Coal, LLC trucks coal from Percy, IL to Champaign - and brings coal waste by-products from the Abbott Power Plant back (Purchase Summary). Coal ash from Abbott contains toxic contaminants like arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, selenium, and thallium, which can pollute water supplies (Gottileb, et. al. 2010).

This is particularly harmful because the vestments in coal, Abbott was unable to reach their 2010 goals (Students want to end UI investment in coal, 2013). Thus, straying from the valuable mission of crafting a sustainable future for our campus community. Nevertheless, the push to move beyond coal was initiated before the impacts of natural gas were well known. Not only does the process for natural gas extraction — hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) — pose serious risks to wa-

coal mining process creates conditions that may lead to rapid contamination of adjacent groundwater. When coal ash from Abbott is dumped into unlined mine pits at Knight Hawk mines, it could diffuse into groundwater unimpeded. Although this process is currently EPA approved, it is critical that our forward thinking University set higher standards. Choosing to lead our nation into a sustainable future rather than simply following the crowd.

ter supplies, but the notion of natural gas as a transition fuel to carbon-free energy has been debunked. While natural gas gives

The future of Abbott is more complicated than moving be-

off 50 percent of CO2 emissions as compared to coal, methane

yond coal — and our environmental impact is more complicated

emissions from natural gas trap heat 105 times more effectively,

than Abbott alone. While the University sets its sights on devel-

outweighing many climate benefits of gas. Moving beyond coal

oping carbon capture technology for Abbott’s coal systems,

might not have the environmental benefits we once thought.

using more power and prolonging the harmful impacts of coal mining and waste disposal, moving forward might require, at

From a facilities management perspective, it makes sense that Abbott has not taken action towards something that would be unreliable. To the University, eliminating functioning coal assets is essentially the same as throwing their capital down the drain. In order to keep campus functioning smoothly, Abbott is intent on maintaining their reliability.

minimum, a real commitment to the goals of the 2010 Illinois Climate Action Plan: ceasing all investments intended to extend the operating life of coal-fueled systems at Abbott Power Plant.

ILLUSTRAT ION

BY ABBI PSTRZOCH

25

The Green Magazine The GreenObserver Observer is a student publication of the University YMCA

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