*** Reminder*** For class on Monday 9/17/12- we will have four Sustainable Carolina staff members here to speak with you. Please review the websites and prepare a question for each speaker
Speakers:
Carter Cox- Green Leadership, Program coordinator
Malte Weiland- Campuswide Programming, Community food systems
Margaret Bounds- Housing, Ecoreps
Larry Cook- Recycling Programs
Blog #6- For each website, describe the specific program that you find most interesting and explain why you find it interesting. Plus, create one question for the speakers based on the Sustainable Carolina websites.
Speakers:
Carter Cox- Green Leadership, Program coordinator
Malte Weiland- Campuswide Programming, Community food systems
Margaret Bounds- Housing, Ecoreps
Larry Cook- Recycling Programs
Blog #6- For each website, describe the specific program that you find most interesting and explain why you find it interesting. Plus, create one question for the speakers based on the Sustainable Carolina websites.
On the Sustainable Carolina website, I found the Sustainable Food Team program interesting. Before looking at this, I had noticed, just by eating there, that the dining center at Russell House had some green practices (for here or to go options, recycling containers, etc.). I never knew that there was an actual program behind all of this. I also found it interesting because it isn’t a traditional way to help the environment. Normally, dining is not thought of as an important way to contribute. It shows that just by being environmentally-conscious during daily activities, you can help the environment. On the University Housing website, I found the recycling program to be interesting. I noticed that there really is a noticeable effort to recycle here on campus, as there are many different locations. I also noticed the wide variety of materials that can be recycled. This is different from many places, which can only recycle some things and cannot recycle other things (only certain types of plastic, no cardboard, etc.). On the AASHE website, I found the STARS program very interesting. It was interesting to look at a rating system to see how sustainable a college or university really is. In the past, I have just thought of sustainability as a thing that needs to occur, not as something that can be measured. I also noticed that USC received a gold rating, which was not achieved by most colleges. This shows that USC really is sustainable compared to other places.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
1. How does the Green Leadership program get “green” ideas across to students?
2. What policies have been implemented in dining centers to decrease the negative effect on the environment?
3. How are green practices implemented in the residence halls and buildings that are not considered green?
4. What is in place to increases campus recycling and decrease garbage amounts?
After looking through the links for this week I was pleased to see so many campus sustainability efforts and green projects, there were even a few I hadn’t heard about before. I thought the Sustainable Carolina program to improve the sustainability of on campus dining (Carolina Dining/Sodexo) was very interesting and important for many reasons. I see a lot of waste and poor practices as a student every day from Carolina Dining and I think this project team can hopefully work to raise issues with dining services leadership and hopefully lead to sustainable solutions. As a resident of Green Quad I already had an idea about our green housing projects, but I am particularly pleased to see USC taking the initiative to begin renovating many old dorms on campus and in the process upgrade them to modern levels of sustainability to the point where many have even earned LEED certification for sustainability. In regards to recycling within residence halls I think it is great that USC provides recycling facilities within all resident halls. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that USC not only provides for basic recycling in dorms, such as plastic bottles and aluminum cans, but USC also provides recycling for other things such as paper and cardboard recycling. As a proud member of the GLC (Green Learning Community) I have a pretty unique perspective as I read about the GLC online, my main comment would be that I am very happy that we have a specific community of students committed to both learning about, AND living sustainable lifestyles. I found the AASHE’s campaign for Environmental Literacy funding to be the most interesting project from their site because I think that educating the public to environmental issues and terminology is an important early step in changing how we treat our environment for the better.
ReplyDelete1. Although USC obviously has many green practices and programs in place now, there is still plenty of for improvement; are there currently any plans for future green projects?
2. Would using a to-go cup from Carolina Dining, which is labeled as “green” for being degradable, be more or less sustainable than simply using one of the plain reusable cups which are washed at dining facilities?
3. What efforts are made to encourage smart energy use by residents of on-campus residence halls?
4. Are there any programs which attempt to educate students on recycling? Such as why it is important and what can and cannot be recycled?
After reading through the websites, I was shocked to learn that there are many more Sustainable Carolina programs than I realized. I didn’t realize that there were actual boards that managed the recycling, transportation, campus dining etc. On the Sustainable Carolina website the program I found most interesting was the “Green Dorm Room Certification”. I found the idea of ranking and rewarding students for their actions in their dorm very pleasing. I think that students will aim to get that darker green badge proving their devotion not only because they are competitive but also they truly want to help the environment. On the housing website, the area I found most fascinating was the variation of green adaptations that the buildings have. The light shelves and the pervious pavers are both out-of-the-box ways to conserve energy and water. On the AASHE website the STARS program stood out to me. It is an easy way to compare different universities and their respectable sustainability efforts. The fact that USC has a gold star rating just validates the hard work of the faculty, students and community here at USC.
ReplyDelete1. How did the idea of a GLC come about and have the student’s goals met the expectations that were set for them and their work?
2. What precautions are taken rather to prevent the waste of the physical food itself?
3. With all of the unique green aspects that USC dorms have to offer, do you feel like they ever negatively effect the students, like for instance lack of hot water or dim lights?
4. Your website says that you can recycle things like mixed paper (post it notes). How do you differentiate between what types of paper goods are acceptable to recycle and which to trash?
Each website was informative in different ways, but I thought some were more interesting than others. I was interested in the Campus Food Team on the Sustainable Carolina website because I have always been a healthy eater and believer in the motto “you are what you eat”. I think it’s neat how the Food Team focuses on gardening, sustainable dining, food issues, and composting. I think it is necessary to make healthier options more available on campus as well as composting more available to students who don’t only live in the Green Quad. On the Sustainable Carolina Project Teams page, I was attracted mostly to the Experiential Learning Team because of its focus on personal growth in the natural world and exploration of green careers. I can definitely relate to personal growth while being in nature and largely because of nature, so I think that would be something of value discussing and reflecting on. I also want my career to be “green”, whatever job I may have, so knowing which “green” jobs are available would be of upmost convenience! I also thought the Green Leadership Team sounded inspiring. I would love to go to the Powershift conference and the Southeastern Youth Food Activist Summit where likeminded people can connect and work together towards this common cause. When I explored the Green Housing website, I was surprised to learn of our carbon dioxide detectors for when large crowds of people are in a small space. I also didn’t know that the Honors Residence and Patterson Hall were also eco-friendly dorms. As far as recycling goes, I think it’s important, of course, to recycle all that we can, but a more important goal is to simply reduce the amount of “recyclable materials” we use every day so we don’t have to resort to recycling. Recycling is good, but using less trash is better. I also think there should be a place on campus to recycle things like batteries. When I visited the AASHE page, I actually signed up for their newsletter so as to be informed about what’s going on. I also thought it was cool how students from other universities could enter “student diaries” to tell everyone what is being done to promote sustainability on their campuses!
ReplyDeleteSo, after looking through all these websites, my question is one related to food and Carolina’s dining. I’ve noticed just how much trash we produce solely by eating on campus. Many restaurants on campus gives the customer a personal paper bag, paper napkins, and plastic silverware. My question is, why can’t we use compostable paper products (if we must use paper products at all)? Why aren’t there composting bins in every food location? Why can’t USC, as a requirement at orientation for example, show some sort of introductory film of Carolina’s sustainability efforts and practices, such as composting at The Russel, or perhaps forcing students to bring their own reusable bags with the consequences of buying one if they don’t? If our habits changed regarding the way we served our food and received it, it would eliminate a lot of trash.
After searching through the Sustainable Carolina website and looking through the different projects teams associated with it, I was happy to see all the efforts to make us greener as a campus. I honestly was very unaware of how many programs existed here. I knew that USC was one of the more environmentally aware campuses in the nation, but I did not have a good idea of how many different teams went into making USC that way. From the Sustainable Carolina website, I found the Food Team the most interesting. I was impressed that the dining services were actually making an effort to be more sustainable and contribute to things like the campus-wide composting program. I see people throw away water bottles and other recyclable materials in the dining halls all the time, so I’m pleased that there is an effort being made to work on these things. On the University Housing website, I thought the page about the residence halls themselves was the most interesting. I wouldn’t think of the buildings themselves as a way to improve the green standard of the university when sustainable living comes into mind. I guess my first thought is always trying to get students to recycle more and things of that nature. I was impressed to see the effort the campus is making with simple solutions to conserve energy. Things like using recycled materials in the construction process and the light shelves are solutions that wouldn’t come first to my mind, so I’m happy we have people here that are coming up with these great ideas for our campus. And lastly on the national campus sustainability website, I thought they had a lot of great resources on their publications page. I like that you could access sustainability blogs and see what campuses across the country are doing to reduce their impact. I also thought the inclusion of a “how-to” guide was a handy tool for colleges to use and students to see. This way, universities that are trying to be greener and those trying to encourage their students to be environmentally aware will have a place to start. I can see how it might be intimidating to start efforts such as these, so the AASHE website is a great place to start.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
1. Why aren’t there more recycling areas/bins in Carolina’s dining areas? I have noticed the one recycling slot by the dish return area, but what options are there when students receive paper plates or to-go dishes? I can only find trashcans throughout the Russell house dining area, and I haven’t really seen any in the cafes.
2. Why can’t students choose their portions? I realize that many of the dining halls are buffet style, so we are not portioning our food ourselves. I don’t know about others, but I always receive more food than I can eat and I end up throwing it away, which I’d much rather not do. If that much food doesn’t have to be cooked in the first place, it would save energy and waste.
3. What is being done to increase students’ knowledge about the importance of recycling? There are plenty of recycling areas in my dorm, but what about those people who are unaware or don’t care? They may not recycle because it’s easier to throw everything in one can.
4. Is anything being done to try and make students off campus live in a greener way?
The number of programs offered by the University of South Carolina was extremely exciting to me. It offers the opportunity for students to become involved and more passionate about sustainability. I was very interested in both the leadership group and the food group. I had not really paid attention to the "green practices" that are used in our dining areas. In high school I was extremely involved in leadership roles and I think it would be a good connection to become involved with the Green Leadership group. I also thought the students taking action was very motivating. In the introduction video a student discusses building ledges outside of cafe verde to help make it a more sustainable area. The fact that students are able to get such a hands on experience and stay close to the cause is exciting! They are not just sending money or talking about helping, but these students are getting down and dirty and as a result are seeing a change in our community. The green quad dirt roof is very interesting as well. I did not know that Patterson and the Honors dorm were also considered sustainable dorms. I think that as a community we need to keep improving the dorms and having them meet the sustainable standards. Although the excitement on campus makes me happy it is also nice to know that we are part of a bigger picture. The website about the AASHE was also movtivational. It was a reminder that the work we are doing here is not just for us. It is for the Earth and we are working together as a larger organization to reach a common goal. With that being said I would be curious to know what can we do as a school to help more. How can we encourage students, faculty, and community members to become educated on the facts and become involved in making our community a better place.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was very innovative for the Sustainable Carolina team to have a ranking system for individual dorm rooms to be held accountable. Going through the requirements, especially for the lower 'Mist Green" certification, seem like extremely achievable goals that my roommate and I can uphold in order to obtain a greener standing of living. By enumerating the requirements for each level of merit, this program makes students more aware of the daily tasks they can easily make more environmentally efficient as well as giving incentive for doing so. I told my roommate about it earlier today, and she seems on board for applying for a certification and await a scheduled time with an EcoRep!
ReplyDeleteThe Local Environmental Action Project Team peaked my interest because I have a sometimes worrisome desire to want to take immediate action. Even though the curriculum teams and creative thinking groups are essential, I think this particular project team would suit me best especially with my high school experiences in mock trial combined with my interest in environmental science.
I was surprised to learn about all the green things being done in my own building! I love in Honors and never fully grasped how lucky I am to live in the newer, more sustainable buildings on campus. I browsed the Honors handbook, and it pointed out features I never took notice of such as the dashboard kiosks, and lighting shelves. This research helped me appreciate my humble abode even more.
I appreciated the refresher on recyclable products in the recycling website. Recycling facilities are uncannily easy to access on my hall, so it is nice to have a compact lesson on how to use it to its maximum capacity. On the room recycling guide, I also appreciated the program that takes all unwanted items to charity at the end of spring semester so that students didn't throw it all away.
The AASHE has a program that connects students from over 200 sustainable campuses to talk about any issue related to environmentalism under the sun using the Open Space Conference Call Line. Being in this class, I find an outlet for discussion on such topics, but afterwards and even for extra enrichment, this seems like a valuable resource. The Webinars also appear to be potentially helpful for extra enrichment and detail to the curriculum.
1. What would you recommend a first- year freshman do to begin in Sustainable Carolina? Where should we start? How do we know where we can most readily be useful?
2. Is it better to recycle a disposable cup or use the water and energy to wash a real cup?
3. How can we continue sustainable living habits if we move off campus in the future?
4. What can be done to improve the sustainability of other housing facilities on campus?
The specific program that stuck out to me on the Sustainable Carolina website was the Green Quad Living. The reason why this stood out was because, by converting one whole residence hall into a green community it helps make people become more aware. As a sophomore transfer at South Carolina I wish I had been more aware of the availability in this hall since I would have enjoyed living there for a whole year. Changes on campus like this really help broaden students in ways of helping not only their campus but actually becoming more involved on and off campus. The various project teams that Sustainable Carolina offers are great ways to make a difference. The garden team under the third campaign is one that caught my attention and that I am interested in possibly joining is the garden team. The garden team is paired together with the food team to both help each other research different sustainable foods as well as help the dining services on campus. By having their own garden it makes students feel more comfortable knowing that South Carolina really cares about how well their students eat on a daily basis. I would like to join this team because I have had experience with growing different types of vegetables in my own back yard since I was a child. The AASHE recourse center recognizes how much so little around a particular campus can make such a difference. The recourse center has so many ways to help get the information one needs to connect with their campus. I found this website to very helpful and informative to students that want to actually reach out and help around their community. The only question I would have to ask is that in the future having the green quad become very successful, would you branch out and turn more living halls on campus into green communities?
ReplyDeleteThe thing that sparked my attention the most on the sustainable Carolina website was the link on how to "green" your dorm room. My roommate and I already do a good bit of the things that were listed on the checklist. I feel that getting the certification would not be that hard, and it would be fun! Knowing that we are taking a small step might influence others to do the same. On the website for the list of project teams, I found the most interesting to be the local environmental action team. It is essential that people are informed about different things going on in the community.The local environmental action team promotes people to take action and become educated on local environmental issues. I was shocked to learn that there are four "green" dorms. I thought that West Quad was the only dorm. It is very pleasing to know that the University of South Carolina offers these dorms and their aspects to students and it not only provides housing, but also education and promotion of keeping these "green" ways of living. On my hall in my dorm, I am one of many who recycle! I did not think that many people (especially the guys) on my floor would recycle, but we always have piles of broken down card board, and there are never any glass or plastic bottles in the regular trashcans. Most all of us separate these things out, and once again, it is the small steps that will help make a difference! Although I am not in the green learning community, I am in the healthy Carolina learning community. We actually have a community garden and I am very excited about the vegetables that we have planted and will actually get to eat!
ReplyDeleteA question I have is: For someone who has never been exposed to a lot of different aspects of the "green" living style, where and what are good ways to start off on the path to living life with "green" aspects?
On the Sustainable Carolina website, I was interested in the Community Garden Team. I think it is a great way to get involved in the 'green' community and also a fun hobby. It requires students to work together, be dedicated and use their time for a project in which they can see (and eat) the fruits of their work! I was surprised to see on the University Sustainable Housing site that there are multiple "green" dorms and buildings on campus. Patterson was renovated into a beautiful dorm, but more importantly, it is a 'green' building. It is great that USC is focusing on creating green buildings as they continue to update the dorms. Students can enjoy beautiful new dorms while making a better impact on the environment. The Campus Operations Resources link on the AASHE website is a fantastic tool for colleges and universities to use for a practical list of ways to 'green' their campuses.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
Carter Cox: What is the one program/project freshmen should get involved with?
Malte Weiland- What are some ways students can 'eat green' on USC campus?
Margaret Bounds- WHat is the next dorm to be rebuilt into a green building?
Larry Cook- What more can students do besides recycling their own trash to encourage the campus?
All the different programs offered for USC students is truly a blessing. I didn’t know that Carolina has so many options when it comes sustainability and communal green learning. When exploring the first website, I found the Environment and Sustainability program to be quite interesting. I’ve been considering a switch in majors, and this link gave me all the information I need to make the right decision. Also, the program plainly listed related organizations, such as SAGE, that students can join in order to help spread knowledge of sustainability. University Housing contributes so much to creating a greener atmosphere for housing residents! There is a complete guide that discusses important topics, and describes the benefits of utilizing free recycling centers. This is interesting to me because I am excited to hear my school actually does a lot for sustainability. Also, for those who are not as environmentally friendly, half the task of recycling is virtually done for you because you have the recycling bin and there are sorting centers everywhere around campus. I didn’t know much about the GLC before exploring the links, and this is something I have wondered about since the beginning of our class. The websites provided helped explain the concept of the GLC. On the AASHE website I found that the STARS program most interesting because I get so inspired to know USC is actually a really “green” campus. The STARS program is a way to compare/contrast schools sustainability ratings. USC has a gold star rating!
ReplyDelete1. What is being done to try and persuade students to join the various green programs offered on campus? How can we make the GLC appeal to more students?
2. Is there technology/resources on hand that can expedite info about sustainability to students whom are unaware? Or create a more conscientious green atmosphere on campus?
3. When discussing the food programs, what is being done to reduce waste in the dining halls? (food and plastic) Can we not use more reusable or recyclable products for things like condiments, etc? Encourage the students to use less disposable items unless they are carrying out?
4. What can be done to encourage more sustainable transportation on and around campus? Although the bus system is highly effective, can something be done to encourage more mass transit?
When one thinks of the University of South Carolina, they usually don't think of the term "green" with it. It is a fantastic school known for its top business school and incredible baseball team, but it has a surprisingly high-functioning sustainability program in place. On the AASHE website I was happy to see that USC had earned a Gold ranking on the rated STARS institutions. The housing and recycling websites were helpful, I learned more about the features and awards Green Quad has, along with the info on where to put cardboard (I had been throwing it away because I didn't see a spot for it). It was fun reading about the Campus-Wide Programming team and how they are really 'campus-wide'. I also like that the Food team is working with a big name food supplier industry like Sodexo in order to promote sustainability.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
Carter Cox- Have there been initiatives to set up recycling programs in big off campus communities for students like Woodlands and Copper Beach? Or are those places out of the University's control?
Malte Weiland- Do receipts need to be printed off and handed to each customer?
Margaret Bounds- How is the University working towards making other dorms "green"?
Larry Cook- Could recycling bins for plastic cups be placed at the exit of Russel house to help cut down on trash?
From the Sustainable Carolina website, I found the Green Dorm Room Certification to be the most interesting because I think that it is an awesome way to help encourage all students, not just the ones who live in Green Quad, to become more aware of sustainable habits. The certification has 4 categories and its overall goal is to reduce the amount of energy used, waste created, and chemicals put into the environment through more sustainable life practices. Of the next website, the list of Sustainable Carolina’s project teams, I found the EcoReps team the most interesting, probably because I am one! The EcoReps Team is made up of students participating in a leadership program that aims to educate and engage students in sustainable living. EcoReps are student peers who promote and expand sustainable practices in Residence Halls. The University Housing website has a wonderful overview of the LEED certified buildings currently on the USC campus. I think that the implementation of the “Waste Warriors” has been a huge part in facilitating recycling campaigns in residence halls. As a current GLC member, I love the pairing of community and hands-on learning through field trips and community service. It is nice to live in an environment where people share the same ideals as you do, and it makes planning activities much easier, thus promoting learning.
ReplyDeleteAASHE website tab titled “Online Resource Center” instantly caught my attention. When I clicked there I was definitely impressed by the thoroughness and accessibility of this resource center. It serves as a comprehensive source of information on sustainability for higher education. The Resource Center on the AASHE website provides administrators, faculty, operations, students, and other campus members with the tools, information and help they need to lead the sustainability transformation. Topics include sustainability blogs (hey!), campus sustainability organizations, discussion forums, resources for students, sustainability events calends, and publications on sustainability, to name a few.
Housing question (Maragret): Are Waste Warriors in every res hall or just the certified green ones?
Larry: I know many people have this question, but why aren’t there more recycling bins in main campus buildings such as the Russell house?
After reading through these websites, I wasvery impressed to see all the different green and sustainable programs we have here at USC. My favorite resource on the AASHE website was the STARS program, which rated different universities on their sustainable programs and "greeness" as a community.I was really proud to know that USC had gotten a gold star. On the housing site, I was impressed to see that their are multiple green dormitories on campus. Buildings such as West Quad and Patterson are not only desirable places to live because of asthetic reasons, they are also sustainable! On the Sustainable Carolina Website, I was mostly interested in the Sustainable Food Team Program. I think its important to give students and diners the opportunity to be green on campus, and to reward them for doing so. Such as meals costing less when students chose to use cups an plate for "here" insteading of using styrofoam and plastic to take meals home. I also thought the gardening team was awesome because when living on campus you dont have much of a chance to grow your own food. As a junior, I wish I knew about this program sooner because I would have gotten involved when I lived on campus.
ReplyDeleteQuestions
What are some ways we can eat green on campus to support the Sustainable Food Team?
I live off campus, and there are no ways for us to recycle because our apartment complex only collects trash, and does not provide recepticle or pick up for recycling. Is there a way to involve off campus living in Sustainable Carolina programs?
Are there any more ways to reward students for living in a sustainable manner?