Primary elections are coming up fast...you better vote! Now more than ever is it imperative that we put in Washington elected officials who will stand for the environment, especially on the big issues of climate change, energy use, and our national parks and public lands. So do two things.
First...Register to vote! (the link goes to Rock the Vote!, cause they're all hip and stuff). After you've registered, be sure to get an absentee ballot if you'll need one...some quick googling should get you some instructions, but do it sooner rather than later, there are serious deadlines and you may have to pick it up in person.
Second...Inform yourself! Grist.org, the excellent environmental news website, has where the candidates stand on the environment. Here's where they stand on climate change and energy, and here's where they stand on all environmental issues.
Oh yeah, there's one more thing for you to do...VOTE!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
January 6 e-waste event!
The Lower East Side Ecology Center is holding another e-waste recycling event on January 6.
Sunday January 6, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Union Square Park - North Plaza
Broadway & E 17th Street
Be sure to drop off any e-waste you may have after the holidays!
Sunday January 6, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Union Square Park - North Plaza
Broadway & E 17th Street
Be sure to drop off any e-waste you may have after the holidays!
Contact!
Have a question about EarthCo. or the environment? Contact one of our friendly coordinators...
Campus and Community Action:
Talia: ta2188@barnard.edu
Prospero: pjh2111@columbia.edu
Earth Tutors:
David: dp2344@columbia.edu
Jason: jmp2150@columbia.edu
Or, you're always welcome to our meetings every Monday night at 8pm in Hamilton 413!
Campus and Community Action:
Talia: ta2188@barnard.edu
Prospero: pjh2111@columbia.edu
Earth Tutors:
David: dp2344@columbia.edu
Jason: jmp2150@columbia.edu
Or, you're always welcome to our meetings every Monday night at 8pm in Hamilton 413!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Lerner Recycling Center
If you've walked through Lerner lobby recently, then you may have noticed a big black recycling center. Here's what Bwog said. It looks good, right? Well, not exactly.
EarthCo. met a number of times since the beginning of the fall semester with the folks at the Office of Environmental Stewardship about implementing a recycling center in Lerner, and we've had some important requirements for what this center should do. Specifically, it should be able to collect basically every recyclable item (within reasonable size), while also serving as a one-stop center for recycling information. Unfortunately, it does neither of these.
Right now, the center accepts batteries, light bulbs, books, and miscellaneous e-waste. We want it to accept, in separate containers, the following:
-"regular" waste items: paper, plastic/metal/glass, trash
-batteries: small batteries, computer batteries
-light bulbs
-misc. e-waste (cell phones, wires, etc.)
-print cartridges
-plastic bags
-books
-eyeglasses*
*eyeglasses are already collected in Lerner lobby, we're hoping to incorporate this service into the recycling center
Furthermore, we want there to be information at the center about recycling. The displayed information is paramount to the success of the center as most of Columbia's recycling problems simply stem from individuals not knowing what, how, or where to recycle. We hope to include at the center how to recycle, what to recycle, how Columbia recycles, how New York City recycles, where waste goes, etc.
The Office of Environmental Stewardship told us in the fall that they would inform us when the bins in Lerner arrived so we could work to ensure that all of our requirements were met before the center was set up. Although they did not at all do so, (which is no problem...it's better to have something immediately than nothing at all), we are looking forward to working with them in the spring to modify the current center so that it more adequately fits our needs.
EarthCo. met a number of times since the beginning of the fall semester with the folks at the Office of Environmental Stewardship about implementing a recycling center in Lerner, and we've had some important requirements for what this center should do. Specifically, it should be able to collect basically every recyclable item (within reasonable size), while also serving as a one-stop center for recycling information. Unfortunately, it does neither of these.
Right now, the center accepts batteries, light bulbs, books, and miscellaneous e-waste. We want it to accept, in separate containers, the following:
-"regular" waste items: paper, plastic/metal/glass, trash
-batteries: small batteries, computer batteries
-light bulbs
-misc. e-waste (cell phones, wires, etc.)
-print cartridges
-plastic bags
-books
-eyeglasses*
*eyeglasses are already collected in Lerner lobby, we're hoping to incorporate this service into the recycling center
Furthermore, we want there to be information at the center about recycling. The displayed information is paramount to the success of the center as most of Columbia's recycling problems simply stem from individuals not knowing what, how, or where to recycle. We hope to include at the center how to recycle, what to recycle, how Columbia recycles, how New York City recycles, where waste goes, etc.
The Office of Environmental Stewardship told us in the fall that they would inform us when the bins in Lerner arrived so we could work to ensure that all of our requirements were met before the center was set up. Although they did not at all do so, (which is no problem...it's better to have something immediately than nothing at all), we are looking forward to working with them in the spring to modify the current center so that it more adequately fits our needs.
Community Gardening
In Spring '08 EarthCo. teamed up with the Food Sustainability Project to create a community garden on campus. It was implemented by the end of that semester, and continues to yield delicious, local produce for the Columbia community!
Earth Week
Earth Week is our biggest event series of the year, and is a really awesome time. For the entire week, from April 16-April 22 (Earth Day), we hold lectures, dinners, games, movie screenings, and more.
Last year, the keynote address was held in Low Library and delivered by Dr. Peter Eisenberger and Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky. They discussed the possibility of a global thermostat to regulate Earth's temperature and the policies necessary to bring developing and developed countries together to fight climate change in a mutually beneficial way. The week also included a screening of Cane Toads! An Unnatural History...the greatest movie every made about an invasive amphibian species. The week was capped off with the annual Earth Week Battle of the Bands co-sponsored with Bacchanal Special Events and featuring student bands along with CU Public Safety's very own Michael Layne.
We start planning our events for Earth Week early in the semester, so come to our meetings (Mondays, 8 pm, Hamilton 413) soon if you'd like to help out (although you're of course welcome at any time in the semester!). We're looking forward to a great Earth Week '08, and we'd love you to be involved!
Last year, the keynote address was held in Low Library and delivered by Dr. Peter Eisenberger and Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky. They discussed the possibility of a global thermostat to regulate Earth's temperature and the policies necessary to bring developing and developed countries together to fight climate change in a mutually beneficial way. The week also included a screening of Cane Toads! An Unnatural History...the greatest movie every made about an invasive amphibian species. The week was capped off with the annual Earth Week Battle of the Bands co-sponsored with Bacchanal Special Events and featuring student bands along with CU Public Safety's very own Michael Layne.
We start planning our events for Earth Week early in the semester, so come to our meetings (Mondays, 8 pm, Hamilton 413) soon if you'd like to help out (although you're of course welcome at any time in the semester!). We're looking forward to a great Earth Week '08, and we'd love you to be involved!
Sustainable Seafood
One of our big successes this semester was our Sustainable Seafood campaign, spearheaded by Hannah Perls, CC '11. We emailed the friendly folks at Dining Services, and after one meeting got almost all our demands met...it was a great, and easy, success.
More specifically, we presented Joe Heavey, executive director of Dining Services, with a list of unsustainable seafood and various more sustainable alternatives. He then implemented a switch in John Jay's menu and purchasing to conform with our lists. These lists can be found here. For more general information on sustainable seafood, check out this website, and go here for wallet-sized guides for seafood choices.
The only fish not included in the switch to sustainability was salmon, and unfortunately salmon is one of the worst of seafood choices for the environment, unless one buys wild Alaskan salmon, which is expensive. We hope to work further with Dining Services to find a solution to this issue next semester. We also hope to extend this initiative to Hewitt dining hall. UPDATE: THEY'VE SWITCHED TO WILD ALASKAN SALMON. YAY!!
In the meantime, take care in knowing that the seafood you eat in John Jay, with the exception of salmon, is sustainable!
More specifically, we presented Joe Heavey, executive director of Dining Services, with a list of unsustainable seafood and various more sustainable alternatives. He then implemented a switch in John Jay's menu and purchasing to conform with our lists. These lists can be found here. For more general information on sustainable seafood, check out this website, and go here for wallet-sized guides for seafood choices.
The only fish not included in the switch to sustainability was salmon, and unfortunately salmon is one of the worst of seafood choices for the environment, unless one buys wild Alaskan salmon, which is expensive. We hope to work further with Dining Services to find a solution to this issue next semester. We also hope to extend this initiative to Hewitt dining hall. UPDATE: THEY'VE SWITCHED TO WILD ALASKAN SALMON. YAY!!
In the meantime, take care in knowing that the seafood you eat in John Jay, with the exception of salmon, is sustainable!
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