Sustainability

Congratulations to Adi Segal of the Green Camp Initiative on his recent media coverage in The Jewish Standard!

The article lauds Adi for his success at implementing a recycling program, which uses bins with logos he designed; switching to greener cleaning products, light bulbs, and paper products, all at minimal cost thanks to his innovation; adding courses on eco-friendliness to the camp curriculum; and encouraging campers to bring their own reusable water bottles.

Read the full article here.

The college selection process is a rigorous one. As a rising senior, I know how difficult it is to search for a school that meets all your needs, be they class size, student teacher ratio, best dorms, or even best parties. Every little thing counts in order to make sure your four years go smoothly. But when cruising college campuses and digging through acceptance stats, how many of us stop to think about how a school best our meets ecological needs? I doubt most even have a clue how to tell just how green their dream college or university really is.

It might not be a top priority for some, but for those young men and women who are becoming increasingly environmentally aware, it is important for them to have this information at hand.

In fact, according to a Princeton review survey, “six out of 10 college applicants and parents say the environmental factor would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school.”

Groups such the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) have started to release rating systems which students and parents can use to narrow down or even expand their college choices. The SEI in Cambridge Massachusetts gives letter grades to at least 200 public and private schools with the largest endowments. It grades how well a school uses its funds to advocate for the environment, as well as green campus factors.

Among those colleges listed as “Climate Change and Energy Leaders” are: Amherst College, Arizona State, Cornell University, Duke University, Harvard, MIT, New York University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, University of Washington, Wesleyan, and Yale. To find out more about various other colleges and to see who else made the list, check out theSEI’s 2008 Report Card. And while you’re at it, read more about others’ takes on the sustainability reports.

Personally, I love the idea of the reports, and will definitely be factoring them into my ongoing search for the perfect college.

(Shame on you, Northwestern! Go Cornell!)

Dr. James Hansen, a leading scientist on climate change, has stated that he believes the top executives in oil companies such as ExxonMobil should be charged with high crimes against humanity and nature. This is not because of the fact that the CEO's sell oil, but because he believes that they tried to spread doubt about global warming and its effects, as well as obstructing action.

I believe that if this case went through, (correct me if I'm wrong) it would be the first time that someone was charged with a "high crime against nature." High crimes against humanity were used in the past more for war crimes and leaders that caused genocides. I guess one could argue that global warming, which in the end could cause massive extinctions, may be on par or even worse than genocides.

However, these CEO's are not solely responsible for global warming. They sell the oil - the public uses it. They don't force anyone to emit greenhouse gases. Additionally, though they may have tried to spread doubt about the process of global warming, the research was out for the public for many many years. The execs may have delayed the reaction to global warming, but all of us have some accountability.

Still, imprisoning the executives would not really benefit the situation currently occurring. Rather, it seems like a government's way of putting the blame away from itself. The federal government has its own top scientists and climatologists. If it had really wanted to act on global warming, it should have done so, knowing the oil companies have their own agendas.

Instead of looking to the past and trying to find scapegoats for the problems we are experiencing, the U.S. government should focus more of its time and energy on cutting down carbon/other greenhouse gas emissions (which we still don't have a satisfactory plan about).

Congratulations to Adi Segal, the Green Camp Initiative Coordinator, for all of his successes with Camp Ramah in the Berkshires!

Adi Segal has united with the staff at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires to form a commendable community-benefiting venture, which emphasizes the deeply-rooted Jewish value of environmentalism. The Initiative works to make the Berkshires Camp, and other sleep away camps, more environmentally sustainable through educating and leading by example. It raises awareness about environmental issues; increases conscious activism among staff and campers; and decreases the amount of waste (i.e. solids, water, energy, etc.) produced in the camp, thereby reducing its Eco-Footprint. It strives to reach all 600 campers and 200 staff members so that they will leave camp with a new eco-friendly mindset, bringing the message of environmentalism home to their communities.

Already, the Initiative has instituted a recycling program, introduced green cleaning products, replaced all light bulbs with CFLs, switched to post-consumer recycled paper, and reduced the plastic drinking cup usage by over 25,000. In addition, each age group will have programming dedicated to environmentalism; these eco-friendly courses will include Torah study, trash audits, and sustainable farming.

Camp Ramah in the Berkshires is the first camp to be inducted into the Green Flag Schools program and the Rutgers Environmental Cooperative Purchasing Agreement, which will allow Camp Ramah to buy green products at a discounted price. With the Camp Ramah's and Adi's combined dedication to sustainability, the environment is sure to continue to benefit!

Key factors can certainly influence people to eat at one particular restaurant instead of another: the eatery’s service, its sanitation grade, and above all, the quality of the food. But do you ever consider where you will eat based on how green a restaurant is? The next time you choose where to eat, check out izzitgreen.com. IzzitGreen provides online reviews for restaurants and other businesses, evaluating their degree of eco-friendliness. The site is driven by consumers like you and me because it is us who contribute our opinions, add the ratings, and inspire companies to become more environmentally conscious.

You read all sorts of ratings in your everyday life, but never have you come across a place that gives you the opportunity to judge something by their goodness and greenness (or lack thereof). IzzitGreen changes this exact notion. Here is a tidbit behind their reasoning: “If you care about the state of our planet, you need to know ‘is it good’ and IzzitGreen? Just like peanut butter and jelly or Pinky and The Brain, ‘good’ and ‘green’ are fine on their own. But when they get together…that’s when greatness happens.”

IzzitGreen asks you to ponder, “What goes in”, “What comes out”, “How’s it run” and “What [businesses] care about,” before utilizing your purchasing power. Although it is still in the beta version and only available in Boston, the site will soon expand and will definitely help individuals help each other make wiser lifestyle choices. Browse through IzzitGreen’s guides to learn more on what it means for various establishments (coffee shops, dry cleaners, florists, food, movie theaters, nightlife, restaurants, and yoga & gym) to be green.

Photo courtesy of Toshiba.

A new clothing line called Nature89 is now offering eco-friendly wear, both trendy and comfortable. The company sells a variety of products including tanks, hoodies, printed tees, polos, skirts and shorts. The style is classic casual with functional elements. Prices range mostly $from $15 to $35. Both men's and women's wear are offered.

All clothing is made from organic and pesticide-free cotton, eco-friendly dyes, and water-based inks. The entire collection is certified 100% organic.

Nature89 was founded by apparel entrepreneur Tariq Huq and a team of designers. They are committed to fair trade and to the environment. Besides being eco-friendly, the clothing line does not use any child labor, and all adult workers are provided a fair wage. 1% of its sales is donated towards the preservation of nature.

I really like the look of the the short-sleeve Elsa Hoodie, pictured above. This adorable hoodie, with cute rhinestones on the chest and front kangaroo pockets, is available in three colors and four sizes (S-XL). I think it looks trendy and very wearable.

The Essential Krista Camisole is another piece I like a lot. It's made of organic light-weight cotton and available in two colors (rose and violet). It looks like something I could layer with another top and wear to the mall, and something comfortable enough to put on for a pajama party.

There are many other cute pieces of clothing on the website, www.nature89.com. Click the link to make a purchase or to learn more about Nature89.

Are you an avid bottled water drinker? Do your H2O drinking habits have you go to the grocery store or put change into a vending machine? If so, you should stop and rethink the way you are getting your source of water. Bottled water takes a tremendous toll on the environment – the manufacturing and transporting of plastic bottles burn up oil, create pollution, and emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Not to mention, all the plastic waste they will end up becoming!

Many people may feel the need to choose bottled water over regular tap water because they think it is tastier and healthier. However, it is the bottled water corporations that have made you believe in this false notion. In fact, 40% of bottled water in the U.S. and Canada comes straight from the faucet! Bottled water is essentially the same as tap water! That’s right, the math is clear: municipal tap water + hefty price + environmental damage = bottled water.

So, save yourself some money and do the planet a favor. Take the Think Outside the Bottle Pledge: “[I opt] for public tap water over bottled water; and [support] the efforts of local officials who prioritize strong public water systems over bottled water profits.”

• As an activist, direct your local officials to cut city spending on bottled water and invest in strong public water systems.
• As a restaurant owner, serve tap instead of bottled water to encourage more sustainable eating habits.
• As a student, raise public awareness by organizing events, such as the Tap Water Challenge and the World Water Challenge. You can get support from Conscious Lifestyle for it.

Do your part to challenge the corporate control of water, for the environment, for your health.

Photo courtesy of Corporate Accountability International.

With the presidential campaign well under way, many issues have been debated and discussed such as Iraq, gas prices, and foreign policy. One of the lesser addressed areas is each candidate's stance on the environment and animal rights. However, Obama's and McCain's views on this matter should be taken into a greater consideration for the decision of who should become the next leader of the country.

Obama has a variety of environmental goals and successes. He has organized inner-city recycling, introduced bills to reduce mercury and lead levels, and supported national parks. Much of his effort is focused on environmental racism and educating the inner cities and the poor.

He does not support the storage of nuclear waste in Yucca mountain, and instead promotes green technology and fuel efficiency.

The Humane Society gives him a score of 60%. While Obama supported bills against dog/cock-fighting and signed a letter asking for more funds for the Animal Welfare Act, he did not vote for the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act or the Downed Animal Protection Act.

John McCain received a 40% from the Humane Society. He only supported the bills involving the prevention of horse slaughter for human consumption and exportation.

McCain believes that the economy and the condition of the environment are not "mutually exclusive, but intrinsically linked." Therefore, he advocates sustainable use of resources and the preservation of wilderness areas.

He co-sponsored many bills on protecting natural parks and wants the EPA to become a cabinet department. He does support Yucca Mountain and using nuclear energy.

So, the two candidates do have some overlapping opinions, especially on the subject of national parks and sustainability. Obama has a slighter better track record in the eyes of the Humane Society, but both candidates don't seem to be hardcore animal rights supporters. The major area in which they disagree is the storage of nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain.

Obama seems more of an "activist"; he has actually gone into the cities, interacted with the people; physically done more for the environmental cause. McCain, on the other hand, has supported a lot of legislation in Congress that protects and preserves nature.

Both candidates seem to do fairly well from the environmental standpoint. At least they each acknowledge the problems that the world has and have advocated methods to alleviate them. Hopefully, no matter whether McCain or Obama wins, our country will start making eco-friendly decisions for a sustainable future.

The image is from www.time.com

What do underwear, the environment, and poverty have in common?

On the surface, not much, but Pants to Poverty is changing all that.

Pants to Poverty – the group's name may sound absurd, but their premise certainly isn’t. By selling their unique brand of organic underwear, Pants to Poverty uses the money raised to promote their “Make Poverty History” Campaign. What started in Edinburg, London has prompted mobilization all over the country towards this grand cause.

In their first year, Pants sound about 11,000 pairs of underwear, but wouldn’t stop there. They took their innovative idea much further and are now selling pants through a network of ethical and independent shows, through both their website and student groups.

But what exactly do ethics have to do with underwear? Well, Pants to Poverty is no ordinary brand. Their efforts are rooted in educating consumers and keeping them away from bad pants made with pesticides, excesses of water, or unethical factory conditions. Pants to Poverty makes sure their underwear consumes as little CO2 as possible while they continuously innovate to find new sustainable and real ways to benefit the environment.

Thousands of average people have joined the “Pants Crusade.” Infact, just recently the group set the world record for the most people ever gathered in their Pants! 106 people donned the organic underwear in Glastonbury, England to show support for the cause and Pants hopes to make it happen again as soon as possible.

Pants to Poverty is a true pioneer for environmental justice, and I recommend that you check out their siteto learn more about their mission and future goals.

With a B.S. in Environmental Geosciences from Boston College, Merril Putnam plans to put the skills she learned in college to work in the world beyond campus. At school, she served with four others on the board of the eco-friendly BC group Ecopledge. For growing the group from nine to several hundred members, and for promoting environmentalism through such programs as the Recyclemania Competition, Clean Energy Project, Think Outside the Bottle Campaign, organic vegetable garden, Bulb Brigade, and now annual Harvest Fest Celebration, the school newspaper honored the board as "Person of the Year." During her time at BC, Merril also contributed to the establishment of Sustain BC, a group composed of student, faculty, and staff that studies how to make the campus more sustainable and the administration more receptive of environmentalism; the creation of the Office of Sustainability; and the promotion of awareness of environmental issues to Facilities Services, BC Dining, and ResLife. This summer, she is interning for Au Bon Pain, working specifically on environmental sustainability issues. In September, she departs for Copán, Honduras, where she will study eco-tourism and water sanitation for a year. She hopes to help find a way to develop the city's resources so as to "maximize the extent of community involvement, improve health and education, and retain the region's cultural integrity." Post-Fulbright, Merril will pursue a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture with a focus on Environmental Planning. In her search for a school to attend, she is only considering those with programs that have a sustainable component in their vision statements. She hopes to focus her studies and eventual occupation on designing with the existing environment in mind; redeveloping brownfields and revitalizing cities; and curbing sprawl by designing smart neighborhoods with common green spaces, reduced pavement, and mixed-use features. Overall, Merril hopes to improve people's environmental health and safety, regardless of income, race, or age. Congratulations to Merril and the entire BC Ecopledge venture!