November 19, 2008 at 11:23 am (LC, Sustainable Solutions, Water)
The issue that really hits home for me is water conservation. I am from New Mexico so we don’t get very much rain, ever! Yes I have seen snow (although most people are very surprised by this) but as a whole the southwestern region of the United States is drying up. The average rainfall in New Mexico is around 12 inches or less per year.
In New Mexico we conserve water, but places like Kansas and really wet (or rich) places seem to take water conservation for granted. Something that the University of Kansas can do is to have more efficient toilets, showerheads, and faucets in all of the dormitories and Greek housing. I personally love the beautiful landscaping and gardens that we have around campus, but I am sure we can have more efficient water use when it comes to lawn care and gardening. We don’t have to go as far as xeriscape, like we have in New Mexico, but just conserving even a little can help in the long run. We can still have the nice landscape but instead filled with many beautiful shrubs and plants that thrive with far less water than other species. Also I always see the lawns being watered when it’s really windy, or being watered too much and the water is running down the street. Shorter and better-watched watering times would help a lot too.
I know it is not a huge issue in Kansas, but it could be one day, so maybe the University of Kansas could start headstrong on this and lead our way to a brighter, wetter future.
- Julie
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
4 Comments
November 19, 2008 at 11:17 am (Energy, LC, Sustainable Solutions)
When you grab your phone from the charger every morning and lazily drop the cord back on to the desk, one would never suspect the wire to have any ulterior, darker motives behind charging your precious iphone. However, it is in fact, a vampire cord! Rest assured you have little risk in being attacked late at night by the charger, but it is making an impact on your life. Chargers and appliances that most all of us utilize on campus continue to use power even while not in use, unnecessarily burning fossil fuels and cash for your microwave to sit there.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that US consumers and businesses waste over 4 billion dollars annually from this needless standby power. Now some appliances may need to be plugged in continuously, in which case power isn’t necessarily being wasted, but your fans, chargers, microwaves, coffee makers, lamps, and neon beer signs don’t need to be sucking down extra power when you aren’t using them.
The simplest solution is just to unplug the stuff you’re not going to use for a while. Using power strips are a good way to consolidate electronics and allow you to unplug all your little energy thieves at once. Going the distance, you could also buy EnergyStar labeled appliances that meet strict energy requirements before hitting shelves, saving you cash in the long run with lowered energy bills. Unplugging wasteful vampire appliances can save up to 10% on monthly energy bills. Sometimes a little self-awareness is all people need to change their habits and become a little more sustainable.
- Joe
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
4 Comments
November 19, 2008 at 11:09 am (Green Building, LC, Sustainable Solutions, Water)
Campus gardens are beautiful. There is no argument there. It seems as though some kind of flowering plant is always in bloom, no matter what season. It’s here that the problem arises. Sustainable gardens incorporate plants and flowers native to the area. They flourish in their native environments, requiring little if no maintenance, fertilizer, and extra water. Sustainable gardens also include perennial flowers that do not need to be reseeded.
Looking around KU, I have seen many people working hard in the various gardens, shoveling fertilizers and compost into gardens, digging up dead annual flowers, and watering existing plants. With the size of campus, and the number of gardens that can be found, I really wonder how much time and money are wasted on these not so “green” gardens. Furthermore, I am also curious about the affects of the fertilizer on campus. Could this be contributing to the nasty surface scum on Potter Lake? I think so. If you are familiar with the Potter Lake Project, students working to make it less of an eyesore also reported it to be polluted last year. Or even just how much water we are wasting irrigating those flowers.
I can turn the water off while I brush my teeth for the rest of my life and it won’t even come close to the gallons of water KU would save with sustainable gardens. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that KU has taken steps for a more sustainable existence. But I think that we can do more. If we convert the unsustainable gardens as KU to gardens that integrate native plants, perennial flowers, and plants that attract insects beneficial to the environment, KU could save time, money, and most of all, the environment.
- Taylor
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
1 Comment
November 19, 2008 at 10:56 am (Green Building, LC, Sustainable Solutions, Waste Reduction & Recycling, Water)
I am a huge proponent of xeriscaping. Many people don’t know what it is, so I’ll define it as Webster does: xeriscape is defined as a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation). Basically, its returning the environment in your front lawn to what the environment would have been like before your house was there. I have been in the landscaping business for about four years, and have had enough experience to completely verify all of these statements. The basis of the argument for the use of xeriscape is that “turf” lawns require fertilizer, extra irrigation, and gas extensive maintenance. With the use of native plants, it eliminates the need for fertilizer and irrigation, and drastically reduces the need for maintenance. In southern Florida, there was a law put into place that made a lenient form of xeriscape mandatory. They found that this simple form of xeriscape reduced the water use for irrigation by half. The other benefits, of course, being less water pollution due to the negated need for fertilizer. The air will also be much cleaner, due not only to reduced gas consumption, but also because bushes and trees produce much more oxygen than turf grass. Here in Lawrence, I see many houses that run irrigation systems every day. They are being run to support these really thirsty lawns of fescue grass that, in reality, should not be used as a turf grass in any other place than Seattle. The use of xeriscaping in Lawrence could improve the water and fertilizer consumption greatly. In short, xeriscaping will provide a better local ecosystem and will be more naturally beautiful.
- Dan
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
1 Comment
November 19, 2008 at 10:06 am (LC, Sustainability Shift, Sustainable Solutions)
One misconception that I received from Debate in high school is that paper is cheap. I saw more paper wasted than I have seen trees. To prepare for speeches hundreds of articles were printed off from news sites by all teams from all schools. Most of these articles were never used because the process of obtaining them was random; we really did not pay attention to whether we truly needed them. However, I soon learned that this paper is not cheap; cutting down trees has many devastating impacts on the environment. By using recycling paper, we can cut down on deforestation; however, less than five percent of paper contains recycled fibers. Not to mention all of the paper industries emit the fourth-highest level of carbon dioxide among manufactures.
KU’s surveys have shown how much paper is used by staff and the amount of paper is required to be turned in by students. However, small steps can be made by not printing unnecessary items, such as syllabuses and research materials that can be saved and read on your computer, and to use double-sided printing when needed. Using a laptop is also an option for note taking. Always recycle any paper, and unlike the Debate teams, think before you print unnecessary items.
Super Shift: When paper is necessary, try purchasing recycled paper, it may actually work just fine, especially when the life of that paper will not be long. Try to decrease the amount of paper you use by fifty percent.
- Ashlee
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
2 Comments
November 4, 2008 at 9:25 am (Climate Change, Energy, LC, Sustainable Solutions)
Tags: electricity, Energy, Kansas, KU, Oklahoma, sustainability, University of Kansas, wind power
Growing up my parents would always tell me about how windy it was in Kansas, they would say that the wind never stopped blowing, and I didn’t believe them until I moved here. I also hear that it is windy in Oklahoma, but they aren’t letting all of that good wind go to waste, they are using it to power the campus at the University of Oklahoma. Starting in 2013, 100 percent of the campus electricity will come from wind power. As of today, the university is already receiving 10 percent of its electricity from wind power.
Now I’m not from around here, but I’m pretty sure the saying goes “the wind comes sweeping down the plain” and Oklahoma is gathering all of the wind for their campus. The wind also sweeps across our plains and hills and The University of Kansas should be harnessing it for our own use. Our university is environmentally conscious, putting recycling bins around campus and going tray-less at the dining halls, but this stuff is a no brainer. We are in the part of the country where the wind, a renewable resource, is unlimited and the university should be taking advantage of this.
The University of Kansas is proud to be champions on and off the field, but now OU is winning in the fight for the environment. KU needs to step up to the plate and get serious about this fight.
- Keri
Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series published by students in the Sustainability Learning Community at KU. Additional posts from this series can be found under “LC” on the Categories list.
Leave a Comment
October 13, 2008 at 5:15 pm (Climate Change, Energy, Generally Green, Sustainability Shift, Sustainable Solutions)
On October 9, KU participated in “Lights Out Across Campus”, a campaign encouraging faculty, staff, and students to shut off overhead lights and rely on the natural light streaming through the windows. In buildings where electricity use dropped for the day (compared to a day in September with similar weather), we saved 4,900 kWh of electricity, the energy equivalent of 15,327 bulbs burning for 10 hours.
When looking at a $12 million utility budget, the $300 saved by those buildings doesn’t seem like much. But add that up over the course of a year and get more people to participate, and we start to add some zeros behind that figure. And every little bit counts – not only for the power bills but for the planet.
Don’t want to sit around in the dark? You might be surprised just how much light you can get without flipping the switch. With the exception of a few rainy days in October, I get by just fine all year without a single overhead light. I have a lamp on my desk (with a CFL installed, by the way) that provides any light I need for reading, and if I move my chair closer to the window, I don’t even need that.
Give it a try and see what happens. Who knows, that pest down the hall may even think you are gone and leave you alone for a change!
Super Shift: Really?! What’s bigger than keeping the lights off all the time?
1 Comment
October 13, 2008 at 4:53 pm (Energy, Generally Green, Sustainability Shift, Sustainable Solutions)
This morning when I got to work, I did something not everyone does: turned on my computer. Seems like a basic step for all of us to get started with our work day, right? But it is only necessary if you turned the computer OFF the night before. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case with computers at work or in our homes. Whether for reasons of convenience (are you really going to get that much done with an extra 30 seconds?) or concerns that turning the computer off and on is hard on the hard drive, we seem to think the computer needs to be on 24 hours a day.
Here at KU, shutting down is recommended in the list of conservation measures sent out each year by the Office of the Provost. It was even enough of a concern that the Governor of Kansas included a statement in her Executive Directive on Energy Conservation and Management calling for computers to be turned off any time they won’t be used for a period of 4 hours or more.
So why are we still leaving them on at night? I recently plugged my computer into a device that measures how much electricity is flowing through the power cord. With my monitor on, it was running about about 100 watts. So walking away from the computer without turning it off is like leaving a 100 watt lightbulb burning all day in the closet. You wouldn’t do that would you?
So try saying “goodnight” to the gigabytes before you leave work or before you go to bed. You’ll be amazed at how saving a little extra energy at night won’t even slow you down the next day. And the planet will thank you for the good night’s sleep.
Super Shift: Already giving your CPU some Zs? Try shutting down anytime you are going to be out of the office for more than an hour and change your power settings to turn the monitor off after 5 minutes of inactivity and the system to go into standby (or better yet hibernate) after 30 minutes.
1 Comment
July 9, 2008 at 10:22 am (Climate Change, Sustainable Solutions)
Tags: big coal, Climate Change, climate plan, emissions, emissions reductions, partnership, planning
We are bombarded by contradictory opinions about how much we must reduce emissions globally, on what time frame and what the worst case scenarios could be . The potential consequences of poor – or even worse – no planning for climate change and emissions reductions leaves many people with a sick feeling in their stomachs.
The enormous numbers and ambiguous statistics used to describe climate change are usually unfathomable to the average U.S. citizen. They may see the problem as a function of big coal plants or other large industry. This type of reaction can result in apathy and, no doubt, the feeling that we’re all headed to hell in hand-basket. One might assume that thinking about planning for climate change holistically may entangle us in complicated details and the problem would remain a Class A disaster; however, this may not be the case.
By approaching the problem of climate change from a holistic point-of-view, we can sort out details that are easier to visualize, accomplish and yes, even plan for in advance. Discovering what problems can be solved through which people, building partnerships, and finding ways to make the plan attractive to all stakeholders are all part of a holistic outlook that takes a more humanized scale to this enormous issue.
We can’t force people to work out solutions to emission reductions in their daily lives, but we can try to ascertain what makes the issue relevant to their work, family, etc. Climate planning does not rely solely on retooling policies and working collaboratively with resource managers, although these elements are one crucial aspect.
We must plan to utilize every human resource as well. People dislike being generalized, and a rubberstamp solution or “band-aid” approach is not the ultimate solution. Organization of climate plans that incorporate flexibility, evaluation and re-evaluation are also fundamental to this solution. We must instill in average citizens a change from the norm to a new norm that invites participation, evaluation and flexibility. We must focus our efforts on a holistic strategy that can be adapted to the creative solutions which are applicable to the average person and made relevant to their lives. This can come in many forms from transit oriented development to urban gardens to showers at work.
Being overwhelmed by the enormity of climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is a scary prospect for many. The best way we can plan for climate change is to take a holistic approach that emphasizes flexibility, partnerships and support.
- Steph Mott
2 Comments
May 19, 2008 at 3:07 pm (Sustainability Shift, Sustainable Solutions)
Tags: beverage containers, bottled water, BPA, Chris Jordan, KU, reusable bottle, Sustainable Solutions
Author’s Note: This is the first in a series of “Sustainability Shifts” , challenging members of the campus community to make small changes towards more sustainable living – and share their experiences online.
Summer is on its way which means sunshine, swimming pools, and spending time outside. It also means working up a sweat walking to the office or even strolling down an un-air-conditioned hallway. To cool off in your cubicle, nothing says refreshment like a icy drink of H2O. But before you reach for a bottle of water, think about the environmental impact of that plastic beverage container.
Bottled water is far from being sustainable. For starters, plastic is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Currently we use about 1.5 million barrels a year to make disposable bottles, and that doesn’t include all the fossil fuels involved in shipping that water to local stores. Once the bottle is emptied, it is likely to end up in a landfill. Despite efforts to recycle at KU, less than 25% of plastic bottles are being recycled in the US. Even when they are recycled, they can’t be made into new plastic bottles but are “down-cycled” into other materials that may eventually end up in the garbage. To add insult to injury, the water in that eco-enemy probably isn’t much different than what comes out of the tap.
Image: “Plastic Bottles, 2007″ by Chris Jordan depicts the 2 million plastic bottles used in the US every 5 minutes.
A simple solution: bring your own bottle. For what you spend on water in less than a month’s time, you can buy a good reusable bottle or two and fill it up at the tap. (If you are not a fan of the flavor of the water at work, use a filtered pitcher or bring it from home.) The water from your faucet is much cheaper, it is produced locally here in Lawrence, and the process cuts down on the use of fossil fuels.
One note: With the recent hype about plastics that contain a chemical similar to the hormone estrogen, it may be best to opt for aluminum or stainless steel bottles. You can get these online and at sporting goods stores, and I’ve even seen them in the health food section of my local grocery store. You can also get plastic bottles made of HDPE plastic which doesn’t contain BPA – they are the ones that look more like the plastic used to make milk jugs.
So try to put a personal ban on bottled water. You may be surprised to see how much you save…beyond just the environment.
Super Shift: Already bringing your own bottle for water? Try not to buy ANY beverages in plastic bottles. Aluminum cans are easily recycled and can be back on the shelf as new cans in as little as 60 days. Do you really need 20 ounces of soda, anyway? You can even buy milk in returnable glass bottles at local grocery stores.
14 Comments
