The Trail- Volume 16 Issue 2

Page 1

HOW SUSTAINABLE IS HARVEST IFNH?

WHAT IS A BIOPLASTIC ANYWAY?

CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENTS ON THE RISE

BOB DYLAN, TALKING HEADS, AND MORE

PositiveClimate News VOL 16 ISSUE 2 The
TRAIL
TRAIL'S FIRST
THE
EVER PLAYLIST
APRIL 2023
Contents StellaCampbell BounceForward:Lessonsfrom theNJCC'sClimateChange ResilienceTraining 14 MeetourStaff 2 SpotlightonSOFROSoaps: EnvironmentalCentered Selling EmilySullivan 9 NewYorkCityisTackling GlobalWarming,Brickby Brick MirandaMa 24 InflationReductionActand theOpportunitiesitBrings toRutgers SantiagoVarela 16 HarnessingthePowerof WaterwithMicroHydro ChrisMcLaughlin 22 AfricanForestElephants andCarbonSequestration: ANaturalSolution 27 LeaCerini ARecordBreakingSurgeof CleanEnergyInvestments KhushbuPatel 6 TravelSpotlight:Amsterdam PriyalPatel 19 AnalieseHaag EatWell,LiveWell: BioplasticsatHarvestIFNH 34 GettingYouReadyfor Autumn'sHarvest EvanDeAngelis 30 ArtxEnvironment+Trail Mix MultipleArtists 37 Writers'Team WorksCited 58 InterestedinjoiningTheTrail? Emailusatepibtrail@gmail.com TableofContents The TRAIL 1

Meet Ou S ff

Graphic Designer Amanda Spinweber Graphic Designer
TableofContents
Amillia Keagle Photographer
The TRAIL 2
Designer, Editor & Columnist

Meet Our Staff

Analiese Haag Writer & Editor Emily Sullivan Writer & Editor Evan DeAngelis Writer & Editor Chris McLaughlin Writer & Editor
The TRAIL 3 TableofContents
TableofContents The TRAIL 4
Me Khush Writer & Editor

Me

Shan Chen Priyal Patel Designer, Writer & Editor Graphic Designer Santiago Varela Writer & Editor Stella Campbell
The TRAIL 5 TableofContents
Writer & Editor

A Record Breaking Surge A Record Breaking Surge of Clean Energy of Clean Energy Investments Investments

In2022,globalinvestmentsfor cleanenergysurgedto$1.1trillion,a 31%increasefrom2021.Forthefirst time ever, this means that clean energy investments roughly match investments in coal, oil, and gas. According to Bloomberg NEF, the shift toward investment in clean energy is unlikely to be reversed: "Investment in clean energy technologies is on the brink of overtaking fossil fuel investments, and won't look back," said Albert Cheung, head of global analysis at BloombergNEF. Milestones were achieved: “Nearly every sector covered in the report - from renewablepowertobatteriestoheat pumps to carbon capture technology - hit new highs. Investment in renewables, such as windandsolar,grew17percentlast year, reaching $495 billion, while investmentinelectricvehiclesgrewa staggering 54 percent, hitting $466 billion” (Yale School of the Environment2023).

However, the question still remainsofwhoandwherethesenew investmentsarecomingfrom.

First, let's broadly cover the sectors for investment. Then, we’ll break down the major financiers by country and the organizations withincountries.

The majority of clean energy investmentsareinrenewableenergy technologies, such as solar/wind/geothermal, which have become increasingly competitive with traditional fossil fuel-based energy sources (more than 350 gigawatts of assets built) Besides renewable energy, the other largest investment sector was electrified transport (such as clean electric vehicles), with sales of over 10 million electric vehicles globally (Bloomberg NEF 2022) Other energy investments include electrified heat, energy efficiency improvements, energy storage, sustainable materials, nuclear, hydrogen, and smart grid technologies It is expected that global investments in clean energy will continue to increase in the coming years, driven by growing concerns over climate change, governmentpoliciesandregulations,

TableofContents
The TRAIL
6

andthedecliningcostsofrenewable energytechnologies.

Whenitcomestocountries,the largestcleanenergyinvestorbyfaris China,whichinvested$177.6billion in 2020, according to BloombergNEF's "New Energy Outlook 2021" report. This accountsforabouthalfofthetotal global investments, particularly in steel recycling and the renewable energy and electric vehicles sectors. Clearly,Chinahasconsistentlybeen the world leader in clean energy investments for several years. Following China, the United States made the second-highest clean energy investments with $73.3 billion in 2020. Europe as a region alsomadesignificantinvestmentsin clean energy with a total of $142 billion in 2020. Within Europe, Germany,theUnitedKingdom,and Francewerethetopcleanenergy

investors.Othercountriesthatmade significant clean energy investments in 2020 include Japan, India, Australia,andSouthKorea.

Withinthesecountries,theclean energysectorisfundedbyadiverse range of investors including governments,corporations,utilities, and financial institutions. In recent years, corporations have emerged as major investors in clean energy. According to BloombergNEF's "CorporateEnergyMarketOutlook" report, corporations globally signed contracts to purchase a recordbreaking23.7GWofcleanenergyin 2020, an increase of 18% from the previous year. In addition to corporations, financial institutions such as banks, pension funds, and asset managers are also increasingly investing in clean energy projects. Governmentsalsoplayacriticalrole incleanenergyinvestments,

The TRAIL TableofContents
7

particularly in driving policy frameworks and financial incentives to support the growth of the clean energy sector. In many countries, governments have implemented policies such as renewable energy mandates,taxcredits,andsubsidiesto supportthedeploymentofrenewable energytechnologies

Largetechnologycompaniessuch as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have been particularly active in investing in clean energy to power theirdatacentersandoperations.To break the corporations down ever further, here are a few examples of corporations that have made significant clean energy investments: Amazonhascommittedtobecoming carbon neutral by 2040 and to poweringitsoperations with100%renewableenergyby2025. Googlehasbeencarbonneutralsince 2007andhascommittedtooperating

on 100% renewable energy by 2030. Microsofthascommittedtobecoming carbon negative by 2030 and to removing all of its historical carbon emissions by 2050. Apple has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and to powering its operations with 100% renewable energy Walmart has committed to sourcing 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2035 and to achieving zero emissions by 2040. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Walmart have all invested in several renewable energy projects, including wind and solar power, and have signed several power purchase agreements(PPAs)totalingbillionsof dollarstosupportthedevelopmentof newcleanenergyprojects.

However, “despite this milestone, spending on energy transition technologymustimmediatelytripleto meetthetargetofnet-zero emissionsby2050tocombat climatechange”

(BloombergNEF2022)

Tomeetinternational climategoals,investments inrenewableenergymust continuetoincrease.

Contents The TRAIL Designby ShanChen
8

Spotlight on Soaps:

Environment Centered Selling Emily Sullivan

OnevarietyofSOFRO

Inthepastfewyears,environmentallyfriendlybusinesseshavebecome increasinglypopular.PriortotheCOVID-19pandemic,differenttrends hadbeencharacterizedbyenvironmentallyconsciousimages.Forexample, the VSCO girl aesthetic was characterized by metal straws and reusable water bottles. Cottagecore trends display sustainable fashion and consumptionthatplacesmoreemphasisonthebeautyinnaturalholistic products.Tosome,theboominenvironmentallyfriendlybusinessesand consumptionmayseemlikeitcameoutoftheblue,butbusinessesthatare environmentallyfocusedhavebeenthrivingformanyyears.Theincreasing popularityofsustainablebusinessesisrecognizedinternationallyasmore benchmark statistics are being met. For example, according to Harvard Business Review, almost all of the world’s largest companies publish sustainabilityreportsandover2,000havesetacarbontargetthatisbacked byscience(Winston,2021).Whatdoesittakeforcollegestudentstomake asustainable,environmentally-friendlybusiness?IspokewithAnaMa,an environmental analyst for the New York City Department of EnvironmentalProtectionandownerofSOFROSoaps,tohearherstory.

TableofContents

Soaps'product.Imagefrom AnaMa TableofContents

The TRAIL
9

Step1:Looktosolveanenvironmentalproblemin yourcommunityandbeinspired.

SOFROSoapsisabusinessthatusesreclaimedoilstocreatesoaps.Thisminimizes thecookingoilsthatenterthewastewatersystemsandlandfillsinNYC.Decades ago, when Ma started her journey to creating this business, she recognized a problemthataffectedpeoplearoundherwhileshewasworkingwiththeDivision ofWastewaterPollution.

Shesaid“peopletendtoflushthings[anything!]downthetoiletandbecausethey no longer see it, to them it’s been taken care of,” which is a common misconception.Shecontinuedbysaying,“nothingcanbefurtherfromthetruth. Thereisanentireteamofpeopletryingtocleanthatwasteandreturnthewater backtonatureinthemostcleanwaypossible.”AnaMaandSOFROSoapsare among them, creating a small but valuable difference within their NYC community.

Step2:Acceptandfacethehardchallenges.

OneofthebiggestchallengesthatSOFROSoapsfacedwasovercomingthe disgustsomehavewithsecondhanditems.Ma said “peoplethatareenvironmentallyconscious immediatelythinkofany‘upcycle’enterpriseas somethingsuperinnovativethatcansolve manyproblems.”

TableofContents
The TRAIL 10
"Patchouli&YlangYlangKaleidoscope" soap.Imagefrom AnaMa

Butpeoplewhoarenotasenvironmentallyconscious“tendtoturntheirnoses uptosecondhanditemssuchasclothing,ortheclearancebinatthefarmer’s market.” SOFRO Soaps faced and prevailed in this marketing challenge. To overcome this hurdle, “ we [SOFRO Soaps] participate in a few fairs/events whereweareabletoexplainhowsimplechemistryproducessynergeticproduct. Usuallyafterexplaininghowthesaponificationprocessoccurs,mostpeoplewe encountererasetheimagethattheywouldbepouringdirtycookingoilontheir bodiesiftheyshowerwithoursoap."

Ma said they faced further challenges like closing down their storefront and smaller decisions that affect the business. Ma kept her passion for the environmentandinspirationinmindwhenfacingthedailybusinesschallenges likedeciding“tolookforcompostablealternatives,”evenwhenwrappingsoaps in plastic “would be much cheaper.” When facing challenges within an ecoconscious business, keeping that clear vision and inspiration in mind can be helpfulinmakingthosefinaldecisions.

OneofthebiggestbarriersthatMafacedwaspessimism.Shesays“youhavea visionandyouwanttoshareyourvisionwiththoseyouloveandrespect,but sometimestheyjustcan’tseewhatyouareseeingsoclearly.Orperhaps,theyare afraid that you’d get hurt if you fail. And many at times, you are your own enemy.Inmycase,IplaytheroleofDevil’sAdvocatesowellthatittookme forever to actually make my vision a reality.” Pessimism is a major barrier for peopleinenvironmentally-centeredfieldsgenerally.Maalsogavemuchcreditto her daughter, Miranda Ma, a Rutgers student, for being the cheerleader that helped her continue to transform passion into reality. Ma emphasized the importance of emotional support as a way to make this difference. She says, “havingemotionalsupportissuperimportant.Idon’tthinkSOFROwouldexist haditnotbeenformydaughterwhocheeredmeon.”Withtheclimatechanging andtheconstantfluxoftheworld,itcanbeinournaturetosayourabilityto makelastingpositivechangesisnegligible.Maaffirmstheopposite.

TableofContents The TRAIL 11

Step3:Goaboveandbeyond!

Runningasuccessfulbusinessthatbalancesproductionandsustainabilitycanbe intensiveanddoubtingone’sabilityismucheasier.Eveninatimewhereeverything seemsunpredictableandunknown,positivechangescanbemade!Goingaboveand beyondtofightfortheenvironmentandwhatyouarepassionateaboutcanmakea difference. Ma talked about her experiences beyond the business. In addition to goingtofairstoexplainthescienceofmakingthesoaps,SOFROSoapswentto Perutoteachwomenhowtomakesoap.Masaidthatwomenonlyneededtobring theirownusedcookingoilandreturnwithsoap.Masaid“Iwouldliketothinkthat thewomeninthatshantytownfoundawaytobettertheirlivesusingtheskillswe sharedwiththem.”

TableofContents
The TRAIL 12
"Patchouli& ActivatedCharcoal" soap.Imagefrom AnaMa

Youcanmakeadifference!

Ana Ma had specific advice for those who have an interest in selling sustainable products.Shesays,“don’tloseyourpassion.Inyourtwenties,youthinkyoucan changetheworld.Indeedyoucan.Don’tdoubtthatyou,infact,CANchangethe world.AtaminimumyoucanchangeYOURimmediateworld.Takehelpwhenitis offered; you’ll think back and regret not having accepted that helping hand. Surroundyourselfwithlikemindedpeople,buttrytoengagewithotherswhodon’t thinklikeyou.Don’tdwellonthingswhentheygowrong,butdon’tforgetthem.” Shefinishesoffbysaying“pleaseknow,Iamrootingforyou.”

Building a business with passion and inspiration surrounding sustainability and protectingtheenvironmentisnosmalltask.However,asMasays,itisworthit. Buildingbusinessesinanenvironmentallyconsciouswayistheonlywaytoavoid environmentalcatastrophe.Withsomuchofthefutureforourenvironmentbeing unknown,buildingasustainablebusinessiskeytobuildingasustainablefuture.

TableofContents The TRAIL 13

Bounce Forward: Lessons from the NJCC's Climate Change Resilience Training

On January 26th, 2023, the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center hosted its first Climate Resilience Training at Rutgers University. Presentations by the NJDEP, NJ DepartmentofCommunityAffairs,NJOffice of Emergency Management, NJ Office of Planning Advocacy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and academics from Rutgers demonstrated that New Jersey is taking an “all hands on deck” approach to climate resiliency. Observing the dynamics of this training taught me that governance communication and exercising a cohesive vision for climate action is a skill in and of itself.

Interdisciplinary coordination and collaboration are fundamental to effective climate governance. The issue of climate changecanbedescribedasa “meta-problem”, featuringsubstantialinterdependenciesamong multiple systems and actors, and having redistributive implications for entréenched interests(Trist,1983;Rayner,2006).InNew Jerseyweareuniquelyvulnerabletothethreats ofclimatechangeasameta-problem.

In the Climate 101 portion of the training, storm surges, moving salt fronts, droughts, heavyrainfall,andextremeheatwerecitedas

climate related pressures and shocks to infrastructure. Policymakers must understand,anticipateandprepareforthese shocks and strategically plan such that our systemscanabsorbtheseshocksandbounce forward.Resiliencebuildingcanbethought ofthroughanecologicallens.Tobuildstrong communities, social cohesion must be realized through diverse partnerships across stakeholders.

Resilience building is multidimensional. No onecommunityfacesthesamevulnerabilities as another. Throughout the training it was emphasized that “risk has a history and a geography”.Thehistoryofdevelopmentand growthinNewJerseyhasdisproportionately

TableofContents
The TRAIL
14
Stella Campbell

burdened marginalized communities especiallyblack,brownandpoorpeople. Historic externalization of environmental and public health detriments requires adaptiveriskplanningwithclimatejusticeas a central pillar. The state of housing, transportation systems, social justice and social capital predicate the capacity for communitiestomitigatehazardsandadapt to risk. Planning for adaptation therefore needstobecommunity-centered.

Furthermore, when policymakers seek to understand the unique needs of communities,theconceptofavulnerability matrix illuminates where and how climate inducedpressuresandshocksareabsorbed. Criteriaforassessmentincludebasicneeds

Considerations within the matrix can be classifiedasbiophysical(wholivesincoastal regions) and social (who lacks resources). Identifying vulnerabilities and capacities allows for tailored risk reduction strategies. The vulnerability matrix reinforces the importanceofholisticsystemsplanning.

Interconnected Climate Change Planning Considerations (University of Waterloo)

Overall, the training communicated what it meanstobounceforwardinthefaceofclimate change. The shift in the resilience paradigm away from the concept of “bouncing back” markstherecognitionthatbouncingbacktoa that “degrades the environment, reenhouse gasses, and widens illonlyundermineresilienceinthe Holling,n.d.).

ceforwardistopursueandachieve that is “sustainable, equitable and (Holling, n.d.). Diverse nalperspectivescomingtogetherto silienceatRutgersprovidedinsight t interagency collaboration looks systems thinking frameworks tocreateresiliencyinNewJersey.

The TRAIL
15

Inflation Reduction Act

Whenpeoplethinkofclimate change, they imagine something that is so grand that there is nothing we can do about it. Some people think climate change is natural and humans are not to blame. Others see climate changeasanurgentproblem whichthegovernmentshould domoretocombat.

The Biden administration believesthatclimatechangeis anurgentmatterthatmustbe addressed to prepare current andfuturegenerationsforits impacts. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law in August of 2022. The act promotes the investments in and implementation of green technologytotackleissuesin

and the Opportunities it Brings to Rutgers Santiago Varela

climate change, environmental justice, and publichealthissues.Thereare incentives in the bill for households, local, state and nationalinstitutionstoinvest ingreentechnologytoreduce carbonemissions. Thisisextremelyexcitingfor higher education institutions that are working to reduce theircarbonfootprint.Before implementing the IRA, universities were not eligible fortaxcreditsforpurchasing electric vehicles for transportation.NowtheIRA allowsuniversitiestoreceive

TableofContents
The TRAIL
16

tax credits in the form of loans or grants. One billion dollars will be allocated towardsbusesforeducational institutions,andotherheavyduty vehicles. For vehicles weighing under 14,000 pounds, the tax credit is $7,500.Forvehiclesweighing over 14,000 pounds, the tax credits will be 40,000 dollars (Earthjustice,2017).

For Rutgers University transitioning to fully electric buses will be a rewarding investmentinthelongrun.In a research paper by former Rutgers student Timothy Lee, he proposed that the Universitytransitiontoclean energyforitsbuses.Fora

12-year period, if Rutgers opts to keep their biodiesel vehicles,theycouldsaveover $12,000 in total operating costs. However, the initial costswillbegreaterinanallelectric system. The cost for introducing 40 electric buses will be $33,440,000 compared to biodiesel buses costing $31,050,000 (Lee, 2017). With the IRA the difference in cost could be minimized. If Rutgers elects to transition to fully electric buses,theUniversitycouldbe creditedupto$1.6million.

TableofContents The TRAIL
President Joe Biden (right), who passed the IRA with British prime minister Boris Johnson (left) at a climate conference. Image from Flickr
17

The concern with the legislation is that inflation will be an issue in the economy because of the luxurious funding that is made available by the IRA. Conservatives are worried that the demand for clean energy will cause a rise in pricesintheenergysector.To counterthatpoint,manyjobs will become available in the clean energy industry which maybringitspricedown.The University of Massachusetts estimates that 912,000 jobs will become available in the clean energy sector over the next10yearsduetotheIRA

(Sahay, 2022). While the Inflation Reduction Act is a great step towards cleaner energy, it is important to distinguish that the IRA is not a legislation that puts an end to fossil fuel usage, but rathercreatesanopportunity for green technology to be invested in at a competitive cost.

The United States governmenthastakenahuge step towards addressing the globalissueofclimatechange. TheInflationReductionsAct isasubstantialinvestmentfor sustainableenergyuse,which willgreatlyreduceourcarbon footprint. To encourage change on a global scale, domestic policies must be implemented in the United States,settingaprecedentfor othernationstofollowwhich is critical to mitigate climate change.

Designby MiaWeinberg

TableofContents The TRAIL
18

TravelSpotlight: Amsterdam

Oneoftheworld'smostsustainablecities PriyalPatel

Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is internationally recognized for its picturesque canals, historic architecture, accessible alternative transportation, and progressive attitude toward sustainability. The city has been a trailblazerinsustainable

living for many years, implementing a range of innovative measures to reduce its environmental impact.Duringmy

springbreak,Iwasluckyenoughtosee thecityformyself.AssoonasIlanded,I was filled with excitement. I was starstruck to see the vast amounts of offshore wind turbines that the city utilizes.Oncewedrove

into the city, I immediately realized why it is one of the most environmentally concernedcitiesinthe world. They do not have vast lots for parking. Most of the streetsarefilledwith

transportation in the city,andthehas cycling.

TableofContents
The TRAIL
other modes of transportation like bikes, mopeds or motorbikes, trams, andtrains.Ifyoudohappentotakea taxi,thedriverdoesn’thavetopullinto any specially designated parking. They onlyhavetogoovertheroundedcurbs whereverspaceisavailable.Thecanals canalsobeutilizedasaform oftransportation forlocals; however,itismostlyusedfor tourist tours. It was fascinatingtoseethe idfference in how the world works in Amsterdam versus New Jersey. Amsterdam's most noteworthy sustainability initiative is its extensive network of bike lanes and pedestrian streets.Bicyclesareafavoredmodeof aroundthecity.This has reduced air pollution and traffic congestion and promoted an active and healthy lifestyle. The city tries to decreasetrafficand 19

congestion so much that cars are prohibited from driving into some streets. People are more likely to bike aroundandusethetramsthananyother modeoftransportation.Anotherpivotal sustainability measure being taken in Amsterdamisthecity'scommitmentto renewable energy. The city has set the ambitious target of becoming carbonneutralby2050andhasmadesignificant strides in achieving this objective. Amsterdam has invested in offshore wind turbines and solar panels to generate clean energy, and many of the city's buildings have been retrofitted with energy-efficient technology. Amsterdamisalsodedicatedtoreducing waste and promoting circular or doughnuteconomicprinciples.Thecity

has implemented an all-encompassing waste management system comprising recycling, composting, and waste-toenergy facilities. The garbage collectors gooutalmosteveryotherdaytocollect the trash from the multiple trash bins locatedonalmosteverycitycorner.The cityofAmsterdamhopesthatthiswill motivate its citizens to reduce their waste by offering incentives for compostingandrecycling. Finally,Amsterdamhastakenmeasures to encourage sustainable tourism. The city has launched a "Clean City" campaign to urge visitors to behave responsibly and reduce their environmentalimpact.Amsterdamhas also implemented a tourist tax of3 euros a day to finance sustainability initiative and has encouragedvisitors to explore the city by bike or utilize public transportation. Some of these sustainability initiativesinclude

The TRAIL
20
PhotoCredit: AshleyZaikov

making the city climate adaptable to rising temperatures, increasing water levels, and other unpredictable storms. Amsterdamistryingtheirbesttocreate rooftopwaterstorageaswellafteryears of some water quality issues, increasing greenrooftopsaswellsolessfoodhasto be shipped into the main cobblestone city. In conclusion, Amsterdam is a leading example of a city that has embraced sustainability and implemented innovative measures to reduce its environmental impact. By prioritizing renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainable transportation, andresponsibletourism,Amsterdamhas become a model for other cities worldwidetoemulate.

PriyalPatel
Designby
The TRAIL 21
TableofContents

Harnessing the Power of Water with Micro Hydro Chris McLaughlin

You've decided to escape the hustle and bustleofregularlife,getawayfrompesky technology, and live a more wholesome life;you'regoingoffgrid.Sohowwillyou get your electricity? The go to for many offgrindersisasimplesolarsystem.Buya few panels, hook them up to some batteries and an inverter and boom the lightsareon.Ageneratorworkstoo,but thatcomeswithlugginggascansaround andtheconstantbuzzinthebackground. Whataboutamicrohydrosystem?

Microhydrosystemsharnessthepowerof flowing water to generate electricity. These systems typically consist of a turbine,agenerator,andacontrolsystem. Water is diverted from a stream or river andchanneledthroughapipeline,where it turns the turbine and generates electricity.Theelectricityisthenstoredin

batteriesorusedtopowerappliancesand other devices.Micro hydro systems have become increasingly popular in recent years as an efficient and reliable way to generatepowerforoff-gridliving.

With the rising cost of energy and a growing interest in sustainable living, manypeopleareturningtomicrohydroas analternativetotraditionaloffgridpower sourceslikesolar.

TableofContents
The TRAIL
22

Setting up a micro hydro system can run you as little as $2,500. You do need a reliablewatersource,awaytocapturethe water,andgettheenergytoyourhomebut if you can check all these boxes you ' ve harnessedthepowerofwater. Theycanbeusedtopowerawiderangeof appliances and devices, including lights, refrigerators, and even washing machines. They are also relatively easy to install and maintainifyou'rewillingtogetyourhands

around10-20percent.

Butmicrohydro,justlikesolarpower,has its drawbacks. If you ' re living in an area withfourseasons,aconstantflowofwater can be hard to come by in the winter months. There are also fluctuations of rainfallthatcanaffecttheoutputofyour micro hydro system. Many off-griders opt to supplement their micro hydro energy withsolarorviceversa.

Micro hydro provides a practical solution forpeoplewhowanttoliveindependently of the electricity grid, while also reducing their carbon footprint and living a more sustainable lifestyle. With the right planning and management, micro hydro systems can provide a reliable source of powerformanyyearstocomeforyouroff gridneeds.

dirty, making them a practical choice for peoplelivingoff-grid.Microhydrosystems are also highly efficient, with conversion ratesofupto90percent,whichmeansthat verylittleenergyiswasted.Thisisfarbetter thansolarwhichonlyhasconversionrates

TableofContents The TRAIL
23

NEW YORK CITY IS TACKLING GLOBAL WARMING, BRICK BY BRICK

Miranda Ma

NewYorkCityisknownforbeinga city of great creativity and innovation.Assuch,itsgovernment is continuously working towards sustainability and the implementation of green practices. This became especially apparent on November 15, 2019, when Local Law97becameeffective.Thislawis part of New York City's Climate Mobilization Act and is one of the boldestclimatelawsinthecountry.

TableofContents
The TRAIL 24
TableofContents The TRAIL 25

carbondioxidethatisreleasedfrom the gas boilers and cool it into a liquid.Thecarbonisthensenttoa concrete factory in Brooklyn to make concrete bricks for construction. This new form of concrete is called “calcium carbonateconcrete”andwascreated by Professors Ippei Maruyama and TakafumiNoguchiattheUniversity offTokyo.

This system has had a major effectincapturingTheGrandTier’s CO2emissions(around60%).This reduces their emissions by 25% which is enough to meet the limits set by Local Law 97. This system was appealing to Glenwood Managementbecauseitwastheleast invasivetoresidentsofthebuilding as it hardly required any renovations. Glenwood Management senior vice president Josh London even said, “I’m not sureanyofourtenantsevennoticed when we put the carbon capture system in. Whereas if we had to rewirethebuilding,well,wedoalot ofdisruptivestuff.”

Using the system has also created a potential business opportunity, especially with Governor Murphy’s recentsigningofBillS287.Thisbill incentivizes the use of calcium carbonate concrete and other lowcarbontechnologieswithin

construction and improvement projects in order to lower carbon emissions from New Jersey’s building sector. Incorporating thisnew type of concrete into the production of infrastructure is not onlygoodfortheeconomyandthe environment, but the residents of the buildings as well. This is because, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the carbonation curing of concrete (adding carbon dioxidetoconcrete)willimproveits mechanical and durability properties, making it longer lasting and sustainable. Innovative technology like this benefits not only the environment but also the economy. Accounting for both the environment and economy is becoming more popular as society moves into an era of environmentalism and concern for climatechange.Aspeopleshiftinto implementinggreentechnologyinto their lifestyles, policy and governmentsoonfollowandadopt regulations that keep the environment in mind without comprising the economy, creating potentialforagreenerfuture.

eofContents
The TRAIL 26

African Forest Elephants and Carbon Sequestration:

A Natural Solution

Lea

Carbon sequestration is the removalofcarbondioxidefromthe atmosphere. When a tree grows healthy and strong, it can store morecarbonwithin.Thisprocessis integral to slowing global warming by curbing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Unknown to most,Africanforestelephantsplay an essential role in the carbon sequestrationprocess.

Elephants that live in the tropical forests of Central and West Africa are different from the well-known Savannahelephants.Astheyforage for fruits and plants to enjoy, they consequently step on smaller trees, which allows taller and stronger treestothrive.Bydiminishingthe smallerplantsandyoungtrees, slow-growingtreescan prosperbecausethey receivemore

nutrients, thus capturing more carbon. If all elephants were to disappear, projections show that carbonstoragewoulddeclinefrom between 6 and 9 percent. This unique service the forest elephant provides is quantifiable down to a single elephant, leading directly to the carbon market. It is estimated thatasingleelephantcanencourage thecarbonsequestrationof26tons per hectare. A monetary value can beassignedtolivingforestelephants by determining the amount of carbonsequestered.

Unfortunately, African forest elephants are critically endangered duetopoachinganddeforestation. Over the past 200 years, the population of elephants has decreasedfromover25milliontoa fewhundredthousand.Couldmore awareness of forest elephants’ importantroleincombating

TableofContents
The TRAIL
27

climate change lead to their protection? The illegal practice of poaching is common in rural communities that live alongside wildlife. The value of the illicit poaching for ivory is estimated at $400,000, while a living forest elephant is valued at $1,700,000. Bothofthesepricesarerising.There continues to be a demand for ivory and a crucial need for the carbon services the elephant provides. Although there are penalties for poaching,itcontinuestohappen.

Alivingelephantisfarmorevaluable to our planet than a dead one. As estimated above, the evaluation of themonetaryvalueof elephantsisfundamentalinmaking thecasetoruralcommunities thatalivingelephantcan providethemwith permanent,legal financialsecurity.A proposedsolutionis debt-for-natureswaps. Whenacountryisindebtedto another,thedebtis forgiveniftheborrower countrylooksafternature forcredit.ByvaluingtheAfrican

forestelephants,thevalueofthe debtcanbeforgivenifthey maintainorincreasetheir population.Toensurethe elephantsareprotected, if an elephant dies, representing a decreaseinpopulation,thecountry hastopaytheworthofthe elephant.

Itisessentialtorecognizethat themonetaryvalueofthe elephantreflectsonlythe servicetheyprovide,notthe costoftheelephant.Elephants provide other vital natural processes, such as spreading seeds through their dung. The debt-fornatureswapssolutionseeksto

TableofContents
"If all African elephants were to disappear...carbon storage would decline from between 6 to 9 percent."
The TRAIL 28

restore the balance between humans and wildlife. The local ownership of forest elephants translatestoamarketaroundliving elephants rather than dead and provides communities with meaningful employment. Local ownership of elephants is an incentive that can change a communities behavior towards elephants.Thissolutioncanalsobe reflectedinothernaturalresources such as mangroves, seagrass and whales,astheyallprovideessential carbonsequestrationservices.

Materialismdrivesthedemandfor ivoryandtheslaughterofAfrican forest elephants. In a world with capitalistic intentions, it is absolutely necessary to support economicgrowththatincorporates nature rather than depletes it. Sustaining the health of natural ecosystems ensures the sustainability of our homes, cities and livelihoods. As the climate crisis worsens, it is essential to implementobtainablesolutionsto mitigate its effects before it is too late. More research and education can expose the world to the importance of elephants and the “interconnectionbetweenanimals, plantsandclimate”(Chamietal, 2020).TheEarthcanhealitselfif wegiveittheopportunityand encouragementtodoso.

TableofContents
Designby MiaWeinberg The TRAIL 29

Getting you Ready for Autumn's Harvest

As the Garden State, we have a unique reputation for being the original breadbasket, the state that fed Washington’s continental army in the War of Independence. As the nation expanded west we lost our place as the great food producer, but rich soil and rich traditions do not so easily die. So, many gardeners, myself included, follow the paths of our predecessors and have our own farmer’s calendars.

SPRING:

Start your fussy/long-term germination seeds like: squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, chillies, etc… indoors on International Kalevala Day (Feb. 28th).

Fun Fact:

Plant early crops (peas, radishes, and baby spinach/ lettuce greens, etc… and direct sow your seed potatoes) outdoors on Saint Patrick’s Day (Mar. 17th).

Kalevala Day celebrates the national epic of the Finnish people, which served as the inspiration for JRR Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings and his related works taking place in “Middle Earth”. Vainamoinen, the main character in the Kalevala, is cited as his inspiration for the wizard Gandalf.

TableofContents
The TRAIL
30

Pullyourearlycropsandaddyour pre-started summer crops (Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers/chillies, and squash. (As well as oats, other grains, and big leaf lettuce via direct seeding) on Easter Sunday. Remember to bury your tomato stems deeply to encourage root development. To ensure that pests do not girdle the stem,makesuretoplaceawooden dowel next to the young tender stemsforthefirstfewweeks. (Apr.10th)

Start pinching off your squash and tomatosuckers(tertiarybranches)on WorldWorker’sday (May1st.)

Fun Fact:

After the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland officially moved the U.S. celebration of Labor Day to the first Monday in September, intentionally severing ties with the international worker's celebration for fear that it would build support for communism and other radical causes. (May DayHistory. (n.d.).)

Amendthegardenwithcompostor fertilizer (and plant marigolds with your tomatoes for repelling nematodes)onEarthDay.Youcan feedmarigoldpetalstochickensfor abrighteryolk. (Apr.22nd.)

TableofContents The TRAIL
31

SUMMER:

On the week of the May full moon is the best time to cut down trees if you want to strip the bark for baskets or do cabin building. If you cut a silver birch, scrape out the inner bark and roll it in sugar to make some easy wintergreen/birchbeer flavored candy.

(the Full Flower Moon is on May 5th)

Harvest soft neck garlic on the 4th. of July (or when bottom leaves die and the scape (edible flower stem) grows long and curls. (Jul. 4)

Mulch your garden with dry straw, woodchips, or pine needles mixed with broken eggshells on the week of the “strawberry moon” to hold back the summer weeds, slugs, and snails.

(Strawberry Moon is Jun. 4th)

On the week of the Full Harvest Moon, harvest and pull up the last of your summer crops (except for your oats or grains) and add the greens to your compost. Harvest your squash with long stems and leave them out to cure in the sun. Then plant garden clovers and peas for a fall crop and a natural nitrogen supplement. (Date varies by the lunar calendar.)

TableofContents The TRAIL
32

AUTUMN:

Bring your squash inside on the night of the Hunter’s Moon and harvest all your herbs to hang up and dry (Second full moon of October).

Hoe the peas and clovers into the soil, plant garlic bulbs (soaking in water and fish fertilizer prior is optional) and cover with the threshed grain stalks for winter (Nov. full moon).

This month is the time to pull sassafras roots for boiling sasparilla which when mixed with sugar or maple syrup can be used to flavor root-beer or as a sweet tea.

Harvest your oats and grains on Halloween and hang them up dry (Oct. 31st).

WINTER:

Thresh your grains on Veterans Day. Store whole for long term preservation, and mill into flour for short term preservation (Nov. 11th).

From the end of January through the second week of February (cold nights and warming days) is the best time for tapping Sugar maples. This is also the best time to finish eating your winter squash, because the longer they cure, the sweeter they taste.

TableofContents The TRAIL
DesignbyPriyalPatel 33

EatWell,LiveWell:Bioplasticsat HarvestIFNH AnalieseHaag

Plastichere,plasticthere,plasticeverywhere-especiallywhenitcomestothefood industry. There has been a significant emphasis on banning plastic straws in the pastafteravideoofaseaturtlewithaplasticstrawstuckinitsnosewentviral.In May of 2022, New Jersey made it illegal for businesses to distribute plastic bags, minimizing the use of another product that has proliferated with the single-use plastic industry. Still, plastic is everywhere in the food industry: utensils, packaging,andtake-outcontainers.HereatRutgersinthevariousdiningfacilities, you can find salads and sandwiches wrapped in plastic. Knowing the environmental impact of plastic - how it is made from oil and gas, never decomposes,threatenswildlife,andreleasesharmfultoxins-itcanbedisheartening toseestudentsbeingincentivizedtogiveintotheon-the-goconsumerculturethat demands the use of this product. As a freshman living on campus, forced to purchasea210-mealplan,Iunderstandthestruggleofwantingtoeatsomewhere other than the dining halls, but it felt like there was nowhere to go where the packagingwasnotanissue. fromthetypicalwaysoftheindustry - something innovative in both their packagingandtheirmeals.Then,ata Rutgers Gardens volunteering event, I heard the lore that a place called HarvestIFNHmightbeopeningback upforthefirsttimesinceCOVID-19, andIwasintrigued.

ImadeitpartofmyRUcketlisttotry everyplacethattookmymealswipes, butaftergoingonce,Ioftenwouldn’t return because it always took somethingoutofmetothrowoutthe container. For my first semester, Henry’sDinerwastheonlyplacethat took meal swipes where I could reliably avoid the moral dilemma of plastic. But, with the horrifying commutethatanLXpresentsandthe long lines at this restaurant, it was impractical to eat there often. In a place with so many young minds, thereshouldbearestaurantdiverging

TableofContents
The TRAIL
34

Therumorsturnedintoreality,andHarvest has opened up this semester and accepts meal swipes. I saw people enter class with their sandwiches and knew I had to go to the restaurant. Finally, one Friday afternoon,Itookthefive-minutewalkfrom the Cook Student Center and entered the lobbyofTheNewJerseyInstituteofFood, Nutrition,andHealth(IFNH).Totheleftis the largest living wall in New Jersey, with over 5,200 plants of 46 different species covering1,320squarefeet(“RutgersLiving Wall,”2023).Totherightwasastudentjazz band playing music to set the mood, and straightaheadwasHarvest.

Theseatingareawasfullofstudents.Both those meeting with friends and those studying on their own seemed to be enjoying themselves. The cafe was filled with fresh, locally sourced options containing minimal preservatives and many vegan meals. There are different entrées every day, such as the warm harvest bowl (vegan) and the cold noodle and salad bowl (vegan). Other hot entrée options include freshly baked pizza and hot sandwiches. In addition, one can browsethesoupstation,coldsandwiches, all-night oats, a smoothie bar, and graband-gosaladstations.

MostHarvestmealsarecustomizabletomeet thecustomers'needs,andallHarvestmealsare packed with nutrients that will prepare students for a long day of classes. Instead of chemical-filled soda options, there is an aqua fresca station that makes one appreciate the delights of natural flavors. With a unique restaurant model, mixing self-serve to enable ease of purchase and chefs packing the meals there for you to minimize food waste and facilitate the customizability aspect, this restaurantistrulyinnovative.

TableofContents The TRAIL
35

Moreover,mostofthepackaging-includingtheplates,bowls,utensils,napkins,straws, andlids-ismadeofbioplastics.Ratherthanusingcrudeoil,naturalrenewablesourceslike starches and vegetable oils are used, reducing petroleum production. While plant based materialsarenotaswidelyusedasplastic,makingtheproductioncostly,itisbeginningto beusedmoreoften.WithmorestoreslikeHarvestprioritizingplanethealthoverprofit, bioplasticscantransformthesingle-useandwastemanagementindustry.

Moving to the checkout station, workersaskcustomersiftheywanta lid, making people consider if they can minimize the waste production associated with their meals. In essence, Harvest has implemented manypracticesthatmakethisplacea pictureofhopeforthefutureofthe foodsector.

EventhoughHarvestiswonderful,therearesomedownfallsandlogisticsthatyouwill needtokeepinmind.Oneblaringdrawbackisthatwhilethepackagingiscompostable, RutgersUniversitydoesnothavearobustcompostingsystem.Thustheseproductsare mixed with garbage and likely end up in landfills. This limits the possibility of biodegrading.Moreover,thecafeisonlyopenformealswipesfrom12:30pmto2:00pm onweekdays,restrictingstudents'accesstotherestaurant.Auniversity-wideeffortwill berequiredifthereistobealarge-scalechangeinstudents'relationshiptofoodandits environmental impact. Furthermore, a meal swipe does not include all products- like coffee, desserts, and bagged snacks. Despite these limitations, the Harvest meal swipe options are a great value. With one meal swipe, one can either choose to have a hot entrée (pizza, sandwich, grill station entrée) and a fruit or a cold meal (sandwich or salad)andsouporafruit.Bothoptionscomewithabeverage:Dasaniwater,aquafresca (watermelonmint,cucumbermind,orpassionicetea),orAhaseltzer.Followingspring break,themealswipepolicyhasbeenexpandedtoincludesmoothies,smoothiebowls, andovernightoats.Insummation,HarvestIFNHoffersdiningforRUstudentsthat promotes personal and environmental health, taking a step towards change that will enablepeopletoeatwellandlivewell.

TableofContents The TRAIL 36

art x environment

Photography, music, and poetry

37 The TRAIL
TableofContents

The Power of the People

Woodbridge Gas Plant Protest at Rutgers University

February 15th, 2023

38 The TRAIL TableofContents
Photographs by Amillia Keagle
The TRAIL 39 TableofContents
40 The TRAIL TableofContents
TableofContents 40 The TRAIL

Clickhereto listen tothe playlist

Trail Mix: A Playlist About Environmental Optimism

Theenvironmenthasbeenthemuseofmusicforcenturies. In the past few decades, as attention on environmental awarenessandadvocacyincreases,themajorityofthesongs related to environmental issues have been bleak. This trend aligns with the environmental news habitually focusing on thedoomandgloom.ThisIssueoftheTrailaimstohighlight thepositivesoftoday’senvironmentalclimatewiththetheme of“environmentaloptimism”.Hereare10songsthatbring environmentalhopeandappreciation:

TableofContents The TRAIL
41

Song:Magenta Mountain

Artist:King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard

Justinthelyricsofthefirstfew verses:“Lookpastthedyingtrees/ Beyondwaterlessseas/Atopthe horizon,adjacenttothesun/Give mywordthatit'sthere/Magenta mountain”.Theselyricscouldbejustthepsychobabbleofavivid dreamoritcouldbetheepitomeofenvironmentaloptimism.The “Magentamountain”andthejourneytoitcouldbeseenasan allegoryfortheenvironmentalsolutionsthatarehiddenbeneath theenvironmentaltragediesandinjusticesoftheworld.Thereis roomforimprovementandtobacktrackfromthedegradation; there’shope.

Song: Shelter from the Storm

Artist: Bob Dylan

Folk music and social activism are synonymous with the name “Bob Dylan”.Mr.Dylanisfamousforhis lyrical genius and has even won a Pulitzerforhisbrilliance.[Iamabig fan!]HispoetryinShelterFromThe Storm,canbetiedtothehuman-

TableofContents
The TRAIL
42

mother nature relationship. “Now there’s a wall between us, somethingthere’sbeenlost/Itooktoomuchforgranted,Igot my signals crossed/ Just to think that it all began on an uneventfulmorn/“Comein,”shesaid/“I’llgiveyoushelterfrom the storm”. When interpreting “she” as being the Earth and its resources, this song highlights how human activity can be thoughtless, taking things for granted (think Shel Silverstein’s TheGivingTree).Butasthesongsuggests,Earthisresilientand ifwerecognizeourunsustainablewaysandmakechanges,wecan createamorehealthyrelationshipwiththeplanet.

Song:This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

Artist:Talking Heads

ThisisoneoftheTalkingHeads' mostfamoussongs.Thesound isveryhappyandupbeat,aninstant moodbooster.Therecanbe parallelsdrawnbetweenthelyrics ofthesongdescribingthe comfortsofhavingahomeand areciprocatedloveforthe environment.

Honorable mention:“(Nothing But) Flowers”

Thetalkingheadshavementionedenvironmentalthemesintheir othersongsaswell.“(NothingBut)Flowers''isanenvironmental post-apocalypticsongthatdescribeswhattheworldwilllooklike aftertheanthropocene.[Itwould’vebeenperfectforlastissue's

TableofContents The TRAIL
43

(Volume16,Issue1)themeof“Crossroads”,asitdealswiththe crossroads of wanting to support the environment while also longingforthecomfortsoftheindustrialage.]

Song:Mother Nature's Son

Artist:The Beatles

Thisisasimpleyetpeacefulsong abouttheappreciationofnatureand itsintrinsicvalue.Itwaswrittenby JohnandPaulaftertheBeatlesmet Indianguru,MaharishiMaheshYogi. Heinspiredthemtowriteasong abouttheunityofmanandnature.

Herearesomecutephotosofthemtogether:

bleofContents
The TRAIL
44

Song: What a Wonderful World

Artist: Louis Armstrong

One of the greatest “feel-good songs ” of all time; Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" had to be included in this listofenvironmentaloptimism.The songdescribesthebeautyofnature inawaythatmakeslife’sproblems seem inconsequential. Armstrong’s rich vocals mixed with the delicate instrumental makes this song a staple in your “Sunday Morning” playlist.

Song: One of these Days

Artist: Paul McCartney

Another peaceful song about nature. This is the type of song thatyoucouldlistentoonawalk outside,earlyinthemorning.The lyrics,“Seewhat'sright,seewhat's there/Andbreathefreshair,ever after” actually does make the air feel more crisp and fresh so be suretoplayitonyournextnature walk.

TableofContents The TRAIL
45

Song: The 3 R's

Artist: Jack Johnson

JackJohnsoniseducatingtheyouth (and general population) on the importance of the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse,Recycle)inthisfunsong.Is there anything more optimistic than environmental education? Enjoythisgroovytuneandshareit with your favorite environmentalist-in-training!

Song: Wildflowers

Artist: Tom Petty

Thissongisalittlemoreonthesad side(TomPettywroteitforhisexwifeaftertheirdivorce).Butforour purposes, it is a beautiful song about finding inner peace among nature and, as Petty encourages, “amongthewildflowers”.Takethe time to go outside and immerse yourselfinthewilderness.It’sgood forthesoul.

TableofContents
The TRAIL
46

Song: High on a Rocky Ledge

Artist: Moondog

More people need to listen to Moondog.[Icanwriteessaysaboutthis legendary New-York-City-viking!] In thistrulybeautifullovesong,Moondog describes a love comparing her to an Edelweiß, a flower that grows high up intheAlps.Takethelyricsliterally,and you can see the journey to find this flower and the beauty of the natural scene.Thepianocomposureisdelicate, yetrichandplayfulmakingtheodeto theSchnee-Mädel-Edelweißabeautiful listeningexperience.

Song: Here comes the Sun

Artist: George Harrison

Thissonghasalwaysbeenafavorite ofmine.Itisthecounterparttothe

Beatlespopularsong,“HereComes

The Sun”. George Harrison highlights the value of the moon with this peacefully sleepy tune. Regardless of it not providing the lifenecessitiesthatthesundoes,the moon has its own intrinsic beauty and deserves a song as well! Spend sometimewiththemoon.

Designby MiaWeinberg

TableofContents
The TRAIL
47

Liquid Gold

Supposedly the world is nothing without oil

It will be nothing soon if this goes on any longer

I watch as the earth comes to a slow boil

Lands are stolen, people displaced, wars are waged

Rich people sit at a table and deals are made

Supposedly the world is nothing without oil

Meanwhile, the oceans are warming

And once lively coasts become water

I watch as the earth comes to a slow boil

Cities built for cars and not people

Babies found with plastics in their lungs

Supposedly the world is nothing without oil

A dark cloud of regret looms over head

Will there be a storm or is it just smog?

I watch as the earth comes to a slow boil

How valuable is life on this planet

If we ’ ve been trading it for some “liquid gold?”

Supposedly the world is nothing without oil

I watch as the earth comes to a slow boil

The TRAIL
TableofContents 48

Khushbu Patel

Slaughteredtrees

Uptonogood

Inacarpetofleaves

Slaughteredtrees

Lostbabiescrying

Inacarpetofleaves

Theirmothersaredying

Lostbabiescrying

Saygoodbyetohome

Theirmothersaredying

Theyaimlesslyroam

Saygoodbyetohome

Uptonogood

Theyaimlesslyroam

Heapsofwood

TableofContents The TRAIL 49
Designby ShanChen

Gray Town

Khushbu Patel

Someareasseemlikedreamlands

While others are riddled with povertyandviolence

And all you can see are gray buildings

Andgrayskies

Bynofaultoftheirown

Butbythefaultsofhistory

Theyaregraytowns

Withnofood, Nospace, Nojobs

Nogreen.

Once, Bad men had left nothing but strangefruit

Therewasbloodontheleaves

Andifyoulookcloselyenough, Itisstillthere

Whenthepeoplecoughinunison andonlybloodcomesout

The bad people had drained the livelihood and wealth out of the town

Andthecolorneverreturned

Today,theyscatterthetownwith weeds

In the form of industrial pollutants

Powerplantsthatnoonewanted intheirbackyard

Landfills and filth that had nowhere else to go, according to politicians, Making it difficult for anything toevergrowagain

Still, Through the cracks of the pavement, Therearesmallsproutsofgreen

Waitingtoonedaytakeoverthe graycity

Restoring it with everything it wasrobbedof

TableofContents
The TRAIL
50

PAY HER IN GREEN

KHUSHBU PATEL

WhereisWaldo?

WhenWaldogoesintonaturetofindhimself, Wandastaysathomeandfindsherhatredfor thepatriarchy

Unlikehim,sheneverhastheluxury

Tositinnatureanddonothing

Becausesheisbusycookingandcleaning

Forwhichsheisneverpayed

Notasingledollar

Notasinglepenny

Untilnow,shecouldnotfrolicandruninthe tallgrasses

Shewasbusyrunningafterthechildren Andcleaningupafterherhusband

Doing his laundry after he came home coveredindirt

From his adventures that she could never have Inaway,

She was like the land people walked all over Thelandhasbeencommodifiedandused, Butneverpaiditsdues

TableofContents
The TRAIL 51

Itcleansupandabsorbedthemessesofthemasses, Butisneverappreciatedforitswork

Itisstolenland, Likestolenwomenandgirls

Thelandhasseveredtrees

LikeWanda’ssevereddreamswhenshemarriedWaldo

Theoncefertilelandhasbeenplowed

Developed,industrialized,andgouged

Allwithoutasecondthoughtforthelanditself

Forthelifeinsideit Forher

Itwasneverpayedortakencareofeither Justbecauseshecangrowagarden, Doesnotmeanshemust Andifshedoes, Payherforit

TableofContents

The TRAIL 52

The First Day

Rutgers faculty, staff, and students strike for the first time in the university's history following unanswered demands for a new labor contract.

April 10, 2023

Photographs by Mia Weinberg
53 TableofContents The TRAIL
TableofContents 54 The TRAIL
TableofContents 55 The TRAIL
TableofContents 56 The TRAIL
Like Comment Share Save FOLLOW US TO STAY CONNECTED Instagram @thetrailnewsletter The TRAIL 57 TableofContents

"ARecordBreakingSurgeofCleanEnergyInvestments"

GreenEnergyInvestmentTops$1Trillion,MatchesFossilFuels Barron's., from https://www.barrons.com/news/green-energy-investment-tops-1-trillion-matches-fossil-fuels01675168813

AgenceFrancePresse (2023,January31)

Bullard, N. (2023, January 26). Green Energy Investment Sets $1.1 Trillion Record in 2022. TIME., from https://time.com/6250469/clean-energy-investment-sets-1-1-trillion-record-matching-fossil-fuels-for-the-firsttime/

CleanEnergySawasMuchInvestmentasFossilFuelsfortheFirstTimein2022.(2023,January27).YaleE360., fromhttps://e360.yale.edu/digest/clean-energy-investment-record-fossil-fuel-parity Fernández,L.(2023,February8).Cleanenergyinvestmentworldwidebymajorcountry2019.Statista.,from https://www.statista.com/statistics/799098/global-clean-energy-investment-by-country/

Green Energy Investment Tops $1 Trillion, Matches Fossil Fuels. (2023, January 31). Barron's., from https://wwwbarronscom/news/green-energy-investment-tops-1-trillion-matches-fossil-fuels-01675168813 Home. (2022, November 20). YouTube., from https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/11/20/investing-inrenewables-sector---a-look-at-the-largest-renewable-energy-companies/?sh=534580273ff1 NewEnergyOutlook2022.(2022).BloombergNEF.,fromhttps://about.bnef.com/new-energy-outlook/ Recordcleanenergyspendingissettohelpglobalenergyinvestmentgrowby8%in2022-News (2022,June 22). IEA., from https://www.iea.org/news/record-clean-energy-spending-is-set-to-help-global-energyinvestment-grow-by-8-in-2022

3chartsfromtheIEAshowrecordrenewableenergyinvestment.(2022,July7).TheWorldEconomicForum., fromhttps://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/global-renewable-energy-investment-iea/

Who is the Largest Investor in Renewable Energy? (2022, November 2). AltEnergyMag., from https://www.altenergymag.com/news/2022/11/02/who-is-the-largest-investor-in-renewable-energy/38488/

"SpotlightonSOFROSoaps-EnvironmentCentered Selling"

Rosenstadt,W.(n.d.).CouncilPost:Eco-FriendlyBusinessesArePavingTheWayToward EnvironmentallyFriendlyTechnology.Forbes.RetrievedMarch28,2023,from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/12/30/eco-friendly-businessesare-paving-the-way-toward-environmentally-friendly-technology/?sh=78a422124ac5 SOFROSoaps,LLC.(n.d.).SOFROSoaps,LLC.RetrievedMarch28,2023,from https://sofrosoaps.com/ Winston,A.(2021,December27).SustainableBusinessWentMainstreamin2021.Harvard BusinessReview.https://hbr.org/2021/12/sustainable-business-went-mainstream-in-2021Citation

WorksCited The TRAIL 58
TableofContents

"BounceForward:LessonsfromtheNJCC’sClimate ChangeResilienceTraining"

Holling, C (nd) Bounce Forward: Urban Resilience in the Era of Climate Change Kresge Foundation Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://kresge.org/sites/default/files/Bounce-Forward-Urban-Resilience-inEra-of-Climate-Change-2015.pdf

Rayner S. (2006). Wicked problems: Clumsy solutions. Retrieved from http://eureka.sbs.ox.ac.uk/93/1/Steve%20Rayner%2C%20Jack%20Beale%20Lecture%20Wicked%20Problems. pdf

TristE.(1983).Referentorganizationsandthedevelopmentofinter-organizationaldomains.HumanRelations, 36,269-284.Crossref.ISI.

"InflationReductionActandtheOpportunitiesitBringsto Rutgers

TheUnitedStatesGovernment.(2022,August17).Factsheet:Inflationreductionactadvancesenvironmental justice The White House Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://wwwwhitehousegov/briefingroom/statements-releases/2022/08/17/fact-sheet-inflation-reduction-act-advances-environmental-justice/ Glavinskas,V (2022,September6) Theinflationreductionactisavictoryfortheclimate here'swhatcomes next. Environmental Defense Fund. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.edf.org/article/inflationreduction-act-victory-climate-heres-what-comes-next What the inflation reduction act means for the climate. Earthjustice. (2023, March 10). Retrieved March 20, 2023,fromhttps://earthjusticeorg/brief/2022/what-the-inflation-reduction-act-means-for-climate Mohr, L., Gradman, G., & Gries, K. (2022, November 17). Inflation reduction act: What higher education institutions need to know now. Baker Tilly. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.bakertilly.com/insights/inflation-reduction-act-higher-education-institutions Sahay,R.(2022,November2).HowtheUSinflationreductionactwillimpacttheeconomy.WorldEconomic Forum. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/how-new-laws-meetclimate-goals/

Lee, T. (2017) Go Electric: Analysis of an All-Electric Transportation Fleet at Rutgers University. Rutgers University.http://ruei.rutgers.edu/images/PDF/TLee REI Energy Innovation Contest 2017.pdf.

Diaz,M (2022,September6) Inflationreductionactof2022:IncentivesforCleanTransportation Retrieved March20,2023,fromhttps://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN12003

NewsMedia (2022,August17)

BlueBirdlaudstheUS inflationreductionact SchoolBusFleet Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10179132/blue-bird-lauds-u-s-inflation-reductionact#:~:text=The%20Inflation%20Reduction%20Act%20builds,the%20US%20Environmental%20Protection%20 Agency

"TravelSpotlight:Amsterdam"

CityofAmsterdam (nd) Householdwaste-CityofAmsterdam CityofAmsterdam RetrievedMarch20, 2023,fromhttps://www.amsterdam.nl/en/waste-recycling/household-waste/ CityofAmsterdam (2017) Policy:Cleaningandwaste CityofAmsterdam RetrievedMarch20,2023,from https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/policy/policy-cleaning/

UniversityofWaterloo.(n.d.).3a.Vulnerability,Resilience,Mitigation,andAdaptation.Waterloo.Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://contensisuwaterlooca/sites/courses-archive/1191/GEMCC-652-PLAN-674topic48/lecture-content/week-3/3a.aspx TableofContents

WorksCited The TRAIL 59

"NewYorkCityisTacklingClimateChangeBrickbyBrick"

CarbonQuest. “Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.” CarbonQuest, 2023, carbonquest.com/carbonutilization

Chen,Stefanos,andWinstonChoi-Schagrin.“What’sHoldingupNewYork’sClimateProgress?Apartment Buildings” The New York Times, 10 Mar 2023, wwwnytimescom/2023/03/10/nyregion/greenhouse-gaslaw-nyc.html.

Li,Zhen,etal “ThePerformanceofCarbonation-CuredConcrete”Materials,vol 12,no 22,Nov 2019,p 3729,doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12223729.

NYC Sustainable Buildings “Compliance - Sustainable Buildings” Wwwnycgov, 2019, www.nyc.gov/site/sustainablebuildings/requirements/compliance.page#:~:text=Local%20Law%2097%2C%20 which%20became.

Office of Governor Murphy. “Office of the Governor | Governor Murphy Signs Legislation to Incentivize Decarbonization of Concrete Industry.” Www.nj.gov, 30 Jan. 2023, www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562023/20230130d.shtml.

Plumer,Brad.“AHugeCityPolluter?Buildings.Here’saSurprisingFix.”TheNewYorkTimes,10Mar.2023, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/10/climate/buildings-carbon-dioxide-emissions-climate.html? searchResultPosition=4.

UniversityofTokyo “RecycledConcreteandCO2fromtheAirAreMadeintoaNewBuildingMaterial” ScienceDaily, 7 Oct. 2021, wwwsciencedailycom/releases/2021/10/211007122058htm#:~:text=the%20construction%20industry-

"AfricanForestElephantsandCarbonSequestration:A NaturalSolution"

Chami,R,Fullenkamp,C,Cosimano,T,&Berzaghi,F (2020,September) HowAfricanElephantsFight ClimateChange–IMFF&D.IMF.https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2020/09/how-africanelephants-fight-climate-change-ralph-chami#:~:text=Although%20there%20is%20virtually%20no

D’Souza,J.(2023b,February24).HowElephantsareDoingTheirParttoSlowClimateChange|HappyEco News. Happyeconews.com. https://happyeconews.com/2023/02/24/how-elephants-are-doing-their-part-toslow-climate-change/

"GettingyoureadyforAutumn'sHarvest"

MayDay-History.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch27,2023,fromhttps://www.history.com/topics/holidays/historyof-may-day

MayDay-History.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch27,2023,fromhttps://www.history.com/topics/holidays/historyof-may-day

Staff,F.A.(2023,March2).Gardeningbythemoon:Plantingcalendar.Farmers'Almanac-PlanYourDay. GrowYourLife RetrievedMarch27,2023,fromhttps://wwwfarmersalmanaccom/calendar/gardening

The TRAIL 60
WorksCited
TableofContents

WorksCited

"EatWell,LiveWell:BioplasticsatHarvestIFNH"

Bioplastics.Bioplastics-anoverview|ScienceDirectTopics.(2016).RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/bioplastics

HarvestIFNH Harvest(RutgersNewJerseyInstituteforFood,Nutrition,andHealth}) (2023) Retrieved March5,2023,fromhttps://ifnh.rutgers.edu/harvest.html

ING (2019,December) Assetsingcom PlasticPackagingintheFoodSector:SixWaystoTacklethe PlasticPuzzle.RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://assetsingcom/m/5d2942da1fbe6ec9/original/ING EBZ plastic-packaging-in-the-food-se ctor.pdf

Maddyleigh (2019,May21) Theturtlewithastrawinitsnose:ThestorybehindTheviralvideo Texas A;MToday.RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://today.tamu.edu/2015/11/18/the-turtle-with-a-straw-in-its-nose-the-story-behind-the-viral-v ideo/ Piano,S.D.(2016,January20).HarvestBringsHealthyEatingtoCollegeDinersatRutgers.Rutgers Today.RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://www.rutgers.edu/news/harvest-brings-healthy-eating-college-diners-rutgers Roads,S.(2023,January14).BringingPaperBagsBackforN.J.GroceriesonHoldAfterUproarOver BagBandwindles.nj.RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://wwwnjcom/news/2023/01/bringing-paper-bags-back-for-nj-groceries-on-hold-after-uproa r-over-bag-ban-dwindles.html

RutgersUniversityNJInstituteforFood,Nutrition,andHealthLivingWall Greenroofscom (2018, November9).RetrievedMarch5,2023,from https://wwwgreenroofscom/projects/rutgers-university-nj-institute-for-food-nutrition-and-healthliving-wall/

TableofContents

The TRAIL 61
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.