March 2015
Sustainability Bulletin
Trashion Fashion Design Deadline March 23
Speaker: Bill Nye March 25
Terra Award Deadline March 27
Trashion Fashion Rehearsal March 30
Trashion Fashion March 31
Photo Contest Deadline April 7
Earth and Wellness Day April 23
Click here for the full calendar of events.
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RecycleMania
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Recycling Spotlight
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USGBC Speaker Series
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Office Composting Program
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The Terra Award
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Sustainability Classes
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Earth and Wellness Day
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Around Town
18 Opportunities Photo Courtesy of Gail Cameron
Cover Photo by Frida Lorraine
RecycleMania Madness
2015 marks UAlbany’s eighth year competing in RecycleMania, a friendly national competition among over 400 colleges and universities to see who can recycle the most. During the course of eight weeks beginning on Feb. 1st, schools across the United States and Canada report data on their recycling and trash, which then is used to designate rankings based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis, as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling. In total, UAlbany has diverted 134,010 pounds from the landfill, whizzing by our goal of 120,00 pounds in only 4 weeks! In the gorilla category, we rank 61st out of over 260 schools. On top of that, we are composting so much from Indian and State Quad Dining Halls that we are ranked 33rd out of 140 schools!
UAlbany took home the number 1 spot for the MyActions 3R Actions Challenge for the ReUse portion of the competition! Together, RecycleMania students have logged more than 10,000 waste reduction, reuse, and recycling actions! You can participate for the REDUCE challenge either on the web at campus.myactions.org or by downloading the myActions mobile app from the Apple or Android app stores.
Trashion Fashion Show Mark your calendars for UAlbany’s second annual Trashion Fashion Show! The show challenges students and staff to create wearable works of art using recyclable or reusable materials to win the top prize in one of seven categories: individual, student group, Greek organization, LLC, quad, campus office, and fan favorite. Each of the student categories is awarded with a $150 cash prize. The best design in the campus office competition will walk away with a complimentary breakfast celebration. Winning Designs will be displayed in the Science library during the month of April!
March 23rd Deadline for design submission form through MyInvolvement March 30th Dress Rehearsal March 31st Trashion Fashion Show Doors open at 8PM Show begins at 8:30
Recycling Spotlight: Textiles Did you know that every year New York State residents and businesses throw away almost 1.4 billion pounds of usable and recyclable textiles, including: clothing, footwear, belts, hats, handbags, throw rugs, drapes, towels, sheets and other linens. The potential market value of all these materials is almost $210,000,000 Did you know donations in any condition are welcomed by for-profit and non-profit textile collectors? This includes items with stains, rips, missing buttons or broken zippers. Textiles are a valuable commodity! Items that don't sell in a thrift store are baled and sold to brokers or graders who sell to overseas markets. In developing nations, used clothing and textiles supply local enterprises with materials to repair and resell.
What Can I Donate? It is estimated that 95% of all used clothing, footwear and other cloth household products such as sheets, towels, curtains, and pillowcases can be recycled! Even if items are torn... stained... are missing buttons... have broken zippers, etc., they can still be recycled. As long as the items are dry and oil/grease and odor-free (not stained with solvents such as gasoline) they can be recycled. Items can be any style, age or condition (even stained and torn items, but remember they need to be dry): Clothing: Shirts, pants, jackets, suits, hats, belts, ties, gloves, scarves, socks (even single ones) undergarments, handbags and backpacks. Footwear: Shoes, sandals, sneakers, cleats, boots, flip-flops, and slippers Household textiles: Curtains, drapes, sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, table linens, throw rugs, pillows, stuffed dolls and animals.
Environmental benefits: Textile recycling: Decreases the amount of trash we bury in landfills (saving landfill space.); Reduces greenhouse gases; Saves natural resources, including water and petroleum; and Reduces toxins. Cotton is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world.
Economic benefits: Textile recycling creates jobs! The number of jobs that would be created statewide if each NY resident recycled one additional pound of textiles per week is over 6,700! Keeping used textiles out of the trash reduces disposal costs for local government, businesses and residents.
Where Can I Take My Textiles for Reuse and Recycling? You can bring your reusable and recyclable clothing to: local charities; drop-off bins that are located throughout your community; private clothing recyclers; local transfer station; and special textile recycling events. Call first to make sure they are collecting.
You can also go to the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling website for more locations.
What Happens to the Textiles? Nearly 100% of donated textiles are reused and recycled!
45% are reused as clothing 20% are recycled into fibers 30% are reused as wiping cloths
What Can't I Donate? Rugs, carpeting, items stained with blood or grease/oil, or items that are moldy. More information on textile recycling can be found on the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles website.
Thursdays Feb.1stMarch 28th The Green Scene Team will be handing out prizes to as many ecoconscious individuals as they can “catch” recycling on Thursdays from Feb. 1-March 28th. If you’re “caught green-handed,” you will be entered in a drawing to win a $150 Visa gift card! This Caught Green-Handed activity is part of UAlbany’s participation in RecycleMania, the nationwide recycling and waste reduction competition universities. Sponsored by UAS.
USGBC Speaker Series Each semester the Office of Environmental Sustainability teams up with the Upstate Chapter of the US Green Building Council to bring a variety of speakers to UAlbany every second Tuesday of the month. This month’s event begins at 5:30 in Business Building.
April 14th: “Green Biz Toolkit” Speakers:
Speaker series events are free for UAlbany students, staff, and faculty (outside attendees have to pay a small fee). The sessions offer a great professional networking opportunity as well as free local food to enjoy during the presentation. Attendees can earn AIA credit, for Engineering PhDs and LEED Credentialing maintenance.
UAlbany MBA Students Krista Bentson Tom Wolcott
May 12th: “Yurts and Recycling Roads” Speaker: Heather Steffek
Office Composting Program The Office of Environmental Sustainability received a grant through NYSAR3 to establish an office composting pilot project, allowing faculty and staff on the uptown campus to voluntarily take part in composting food waste at work. We have 50 small bins available for staff and faculty to have in their offices or office kitchens. Compost program will only run during the fall and spring semesters.
Why Compost: Composting is a natural and inexpensive way to decrease the amount of waste UAlbany sends to the landfill. Although food scraps will break down in an airtight landfill, the anaerobic process creates a methane byproduct, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting food scraps, your office can serve as a model for students and fellow staff members for environmentally responsible practices.
Food waste that can be composted:
All vegetables
All fruits
Starches: pasta, rice, cereal, crackers, bread
Fiber: Shredded paper, cardboard, napkins, newspaper
Other: coffee grounds, tea bags (remove staples)
What cannot be composted:
Meat, fat, and greases
Dairy products
Plastic or plastic coated paper (such as glossy magazines)
How To Get Started:
Discuss with your co-workers the possibility of having a bin.
Request a small kitchen composting bin by emailing gogreen@albany.edu.
Insert compostable liner and add appropriate food scraps.
Prepare bin to picked up every Thursday morning by an Office of Environmental Sustainability student staff member or volunteer. If you are not available at this time, we may be able to arrange a separate pick-up time, if our office has enough volunteers. If not, you can arrange to drop off the compost yourself in our office in Business Administration 309. The food waste is then composted using a vermicomposting system or at one of the dining hall locations. If you have any questions, please email gogreen@albany.edu
The Terra Award The Office of Sustainability is now accepting nominations for the spring 2015 Terra Awards. The new award recognizes the persistent efforts of campus community members. Each semester, one faculty member, one staff member and one student will each be awarded with a Terra for demonstrating a commitment to advancing sustainable culture at UAlbany. The award is named for Terra, the Roman goddess of the Earth. The distinction will be decided upon a nominee’s work within the framework of CORE. The acronym identifies the four main areas in which a person can effect change in the area of sustainability: Curriculum, Operations, Research and Engagement. The accomplishments of the Terra recipient will be linked to which category they contributed to the most. The winner can be self-nominated or nominated by another party and can choose from one of two awards: either the leaf shaped statue made from 100% recycled glass or a carbon offset purchase of home usage or commuting. The Office of Environmental Sustainability is offering the carbon offset option to assist an awardee in being one step closer to living a carbon-neutral life. Although in our society we all rely on carbon-based resources daily, an individual may compensate for their greenhouse emissions by purchasing carbon offsets alternative energy credits. Submit this nomination form to gogreen@albany.edu by Friday, March 27th.
Take a Sustainability Course! The office provides a database of courses that have a sustainability element which students can browse prior to making their course selections. In conjunction with the AASHE STARS assessment, the Office of Environmental Sustainability has defined a Sustainability-Focused course as one that includes all 3 principles of sustainability: Environment, Social, and Economic. A Sustainability-Related course is one that includes at least 2 of the 3 principles of sustainability. Browse through the Fall 2015 Undergraduate Courses or the Fall 2015 Graduate Courses to find one that fits your interests!
The Sustainability Minor
The minor in sustainability creates a curriculum that will help students understand what sustainability is and how it is perceived within various disciplines. Students will take courses that specifically address the environmental, geopolitical or social aspects of sustainability. Students from any discipline may pursue the Sustainability minor. The requirements for the minor are as follows: Students must complete a minimum of 18 graduation credits (9 of which must be in coursework at or above the 300 level), including at least 3 credits in each of three categories: Natural/Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences/ Humanities.
Any questions about signing up for the minor may be directed to Dr. Carlos Balsas at cbalsas@albany.edu.
Earth and Wellness Day Photo Contest 1. This contest is free and open to all University at Albany 2.
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students, staff, faculty and alumni. Only photos taken with the criteria outlined in the Submission Guidelines are eligible for consideration. No exceptions. Up to three photos may be submitted per person. Photos must be submitted electronically to earthandwellness@albany.edu by midnight on Wednesday, April 7th, 2015. Photographers will retain original copyrights to their photos. Entrants grant the Earth and Wellness Day Committee permission to use photo(s) for display during, and in conjunction with, media and marketing related to the event. Only submissions that adhere to contest rules and submission guidelines are eligible to compete. All decisions by the judges are final.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CRITERIA: Images will be judged on their effectiveness to convey the topic of heritage, seeds, roots and culture. PHOTOS: Photos taken with a digital camera must be submitted at a minimum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels and in jpeg, bmp, png or tif format. Minor digital enhancement for cropping, red-eye removal, filters, and corrective functions are permitted, but images that have been judged to be significantly altered will be disqualified. Photographers are not permitted to place borders or frames around their images or to place watermarks, signatures, dates, or copyright notices on their images. Images MUST maintain the integrity of the subject as it was photographed. Please re-name images to include the photographer’s first and last name and a one word description of the photo separated by a period (ie. JohnDoe.stream.jpg)
SUBMISSION FORMAT: All submissions should be e-mailed to earthandwellness@albany.edu. All entrants must include the following in the body of the e-mail PER ENTRY (if submitting more than one photo, please send separate e-mails):
ENTRY FROM A STUDENT/ALUMNI: First and Last Name; Status (freshman/sophomore/ junior/senior/graduate); E-mail address; Phone number; Brief description of photo(s) submitted (ie. Squirrel in tree by State Quad) ENTRY FROM FACULTY/STAFF: First and Last Name; Department (if alumni, please list the Department retired from); E-mail address; Phone number; Brief description of photo(s) submitted (ie. Squirrel in tree by State Quad)
Wearable Art at Thatcher Nature Center Learn an easy and fun method to create a "tie-dyed" tee shirt without tying or dying on March 28th at 10AM. Design a personalized colorful tee using Sharpie markers and simple household supplies to create a tie-dyed look. Fee of $5 covers all materials including a white tee shirt. Feel free to bring a favorite shirt of your own if you prefer. Program is appropriate for ages 6 through adult. Please call 872-0800 to register. - See more info at this link.
Maple Sugar Open House Drop by Five Rivers Environmental Education Center for an introduction to maple sugaring, from sap to syrup on March 21st from 1:30-3:30. You’ll get to twirl a brace drill, pound a spile, inspect the sap flow in our sugarbush, enjoy the aroma of sap boiling down in our evaporator and take the maple taste test. A local maple producer will be on site to answer questions and offer a variety of maple products for sale. Organized groups are welcome but are asked to call Five Rivers at 518-475-0291 to register.
Solarize the Capital District Come out to Honest Weight Food Coop on Thursdays at 6PM to learn about Solarize. Solarize is a bulk purchase of solar equipment and installation services. By working together with many households interested in buying solar, we can get better prices on better equipment. This process has been used successfully around the US to dramatically reduce costs and make it easier for home and business owners, because the Solarize team does a lot of the hard work for you. This increases overall demand for solar, a true win-win for all local installers, for our communities, and for the environment. If you are interested in helping make this a reality for the Albany area, or putting solar on your property, please email Dave Hochfelder at dphochfelder@gmail.com.
Science Lecture Series: Is There a Low Carbon Diet In Your Future? Oliver S. Holmes, adjunct professor in the School of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, examines how all the choices we make in our daily lives - food, housing, recreation, and transportation - are interrelated and link our individual actions to climate change. Event will be held at the Albany pine Bush Discovery Center on Thursday, March 19th at 7PM. Register here.
Opportunities
C2C Fellows, NYC C2C Fellows sustainability leadership training, weekend workshop in NYC, March 27-29. C2C workshops are for current students and recent graduates who want high-impact careers that can change the future, in sustainable policy and politics, and business. Join C2C to learn the leadership skills necessary to succeed: how to develop a vision; know what you’re good at; tell your story; raise money; and build your network. The cost of the weekend trainings, including food and lodging, is $30. Graduates of our workshops are eligible for scholarships to become funded graduate students at Bard's Center for Environmental Policy, and Bard's new MBA in Sustainability. Apply now to join student leaders from across the country. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and only 60 participants will be accepted into each workshop.
Asia-Conference Student Research Conference With funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, Bard CEP is sponsoring a student research conference on Asia and the Environment April 1617. Sign up here for more information.