Earth Week 2013 kicks off on April 15. The Earth Week committee has many great events planned including discussions, mini film festival, sustainable food workshop, a community clean up event and a spring yard sale. Each day between 4/15 and 4/22 you can find something going on around campus related to environmental sustainability. Please visit the site for more information and get involved! http://www.udel.edu/earthweek/
Missed a lunch? Watch the recording!
If you missed one of our last two lunch events you can watch the video recordings by clicking the links below.
In December Dr. McKay Jenkins shared with Green Liaisons his research related to toxins in the products we use in our daily lives. After hearing McKay’s presentation you may be inclinded to change your shopping behaviors! http://bit.ly/110NhOo
In March Anne-Marie Crossan, Assistant Director of Operations and Energy, discussed energy use on campus and energy meters which are available for Green Liaisons to check-out from her office. The meters can help campus offices determine how much energy is used by different electronic items such as printers, copiers, computers and more. By sharing the amount of energy each item uses with co-workers, we can hopefully encourage one another to unplug items when they are not in use. To learn more about the meters click: http://bit.ly/110NKzY and to borrow a meter please email Anne-Marie at A_Crossan@facilities.udel.edu
How to Properly Recycle
Please feel free to print this flyer created by the UD Green Liaisons Working Group and post in your office area.
Delaware’s Universal Recycling Law Workshops
DNREC to hold series of workshops on grant opportunity and
recycling requirements for Delaware businesses and institutions
DOVER (Jan. 31, 2013) – With recycling services now available to every Delaware resident, all commercial businesses and institutions will also be participating soon in the state’s comprehensive recycling program. To help Delaware’s businesses and institutions comply with their Jan. 1, 2014 deadline for the Universal Recycling Law, DNREC will hold a series of informational workshops in February throughout the state. Locations, dates and times for the workshops are listed below.
Delaware’s Universal Recycling Law establishes a comprehensive statewide system of recycling that, with full implementation, will provide efficient and convenient recycling programs for every Delaware residence, business, and institution. Universal Recycling is structured to maximize recycling rates and diversion of waste and support and stimulate job growth and new businesses in Delaware.
Business owners and Institution managers are encouraged to attend one of the workshops to learn about the growing recycling opportunities in Delaware. Materials commonly recycled in the commercial sector may include corrugated cardboard, food waste, scrap lumber and scrap metals, office paper, and various plastics.
DNREC staff will be available at the workshops to provide assistance tailored to businesses and institutions with discussion on legislative requirements, grant funding, commercial recycling toolkits, and local recycling success stories. Learn more at www.recycling.delaware.gov or call 302-739-9403.
The workshop locations, dates and times are:
Appoquinimink Library, 651 Broad Street , Middletown, DE 19709, Wednesday, February 13, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
DNREC auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, Monday, February 18, 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Brandywine Hundred Library, 1300 Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE 19803, Tuesday, February 19, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
George Town Library, 123 West Pine St., Georgetown, DE 19947, Thursday, February 21, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Lewes Library, 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes, DE 19958, Monday, February 25, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m
Newark Free Library, 750 Library Avenue, Newark, DE 19711, Tuesday, February 26, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Seaford Library & Cultural Center, 600 N. Market St. Extension, Seaford, DE 19973, Thursday, February 28, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Storm Water Collection
Did you know that storm drain water goes untreated and water collected in them drains directly to the river? Often times a lot more than rain water flows to the river including oil, soap from washing your car, cigarette butts, fertilizer run off (which includes nitrogen and phosophorus) and more. Jennifer Pyle of EHS spoke to the Green Liaisons in November about new technologies to reduce water flow to the storm drains. Some of these concepts include storm water ponds, detention ponds, rain gardens, porous pavements (such as the one near the pedestrian walkway near Delaware Avenue) and green roofs. While you may not have control over the use of these technologies, you can help reduce our impact by properly disposing of unused cleaning chemicals and used car oil, washing your car at the carwash (they recycle the water and dispose of it properly) or on the grass, pick up waste from your pets, minimize the use of pesticides and use fertilizer sparingly. All of these things will help to eliminate the amount of waste and toxins entering the water which dumps into the storm drains and ultimately the river.
To hear more about Jennifer Pyle’s presentation please visit: http://bit.ly/YqCDQZ
Green Roof Project
In 2008 the idea of “greening” the roof of Colburn took off as UD staff were trying to discover a way to mitigate the discomfort felt by many in the seemingly uncomfortable classroom environments. How does a green roof help? The green roof acts as insulation to help regulate the temperature of the rooms beneath it. Prior to the project a weather station was set up to monitor temperature changes before and then again after the project was finished. In addition to temperature regulation, the sustainable technology could also accomplish many other things including water collection and conserving energy. During the planning process many safety concerns and accessibility were taken into consideration. Aesthetics and actual visibility of the garden were also important considerations so that members of the campus community could experience and enjoy the garden. The close to four thousand square roof garden is made of drought resistant sedum and chives which were planted by volunteers from around the local community. What you may not know about the design is that the layout of the plants on the roof mimic the classroom space below with sections of plants acting as rooms and rows of plants acting as rows of classroom tables. Since October 2011 the green roof on Colburn has helped to conserve 6.5 gigajoules of energy, detailed 28800 gallons of runoff water (enough to fill a railroad tank car) and has prevented the emission of 2038 pounds of CO2. The energy saved is equivalent to a barrel of oil – amount of energy to create an automobile or a ton of glass. Additionally, it has produced a 3% energy savings for heating and cooling for average UD Classrooms. Volunteers and new team members are welcome to help monitor the impact of the Colburn Roof; please contact Chad Nelson at cnel@udel.edu to learn more and get involved.
To hear more about Chad Nelson’s Green Liaison presentation please visit: http://bit.ly/Wv7Vkg
Videos for Your Viewing Pleasure
Did you know that Green Liaisions record all monthly lunch presentations so you can view them on your own time?
Please feel free to visit the sites below to hear presentations from previous lunches. Our first Fall 2012 lunch will be Friday, October 19 from 1:15-2:15pm in Trabant 206.
A Best Practice Approach to an Environmental Sustainability Committee http://bit.ly/RCBv5D
The Newark Bike Project and Earth Week Events http://bit.ly/T0sI0M
Your Sustainability Plan http://bit.ly/U4dUA6
Backyard Wildlife Habitat http://bit.ly/WnnMps
The Theory and Practice of Green Purchasing http://bit.ly/Qs3PZC
UD Energy Efficiency Updates http://bit.ly/R9H9xm
Growing A Greener UD http://bit.ly/QrJ7Hf
Campus Sustainability Day Schedule
Campus Sustainability Day is coming up next week on Wednesday October 24th, so please mark your calendars with out exciting list of events. All events are free and open to the public…show up, learn about sustainability on campus, and enjoy!
- No-Waste Breakfast- Peter Krawchyk our University architect and campus planner will be on hand to discuss the new buildings and infrastructure on campus and their various forms of green design. The no-waste breakfast will feature hot tea and coffee and light breakfast options, all of which will be composted or recycled after the event. The breakfast will be held in the Perkins Gallery beginning at 8:30AM.
- Keynote Lecture: What’s Gotten Into Us: Toxic Chemicals, Our Health, and the Environment- Dr. McKay Jenkins, Tilghman Professor of English, will discuss his research concerning synthetic chemicals in the environment and how they invade in our own bodies. These are not just the toxins leaking out of industrial dumps–they are the chemicals leaking into us from the product we use everyday. Join us for this enlightening lecture to learn where these chemicals come from and how we may avoid excessive exposure to them. The lecture will be held in 004 Kirkbride, 11:15-12:00PM.
- Green Expo on the Green- Diverse groups from across campus will come together to showcase their sustainable actions at UD, network with other groups, and encourage sustainability at all levels of involvement. There will be sustainability-themed giveaways, interactive sustainability exhibits, green artwork by students from the College School, and UD Creamery ice cream samples. The expo will be held on the Main Green in front of Gore Hall, 12:00-2:00PM.
- Hands-On Composting Workshop- The UD Food and Garden Policy Committee will host a hands-on composting workshop at the English Language Institute Garden led by Jason Begany. Jason will run the composting demonstration at an active compost pile where he will discuss the evolution of composting in our society, the dos and dont’s of successful compost piles, and all the composting options for your home. The workshop will provide hot tea and coffee, which will be added to the compost pile at the end of the event! The workshop will be held at the ELI Garden, located at 189 W. Main Street, 5:15-6:15PM.
- Live Music at Laird- Students 4 the Environment will host outdoor evening activities featuring tye-dye (please bring your own clothing item), live music from UD’s own a cappella groupds, and a compact fluourescent lighbulb (CFL) giveaway. These activities will be held on Laird Turf, 6:30-8:30PM.
For more information about Campus Sustainability Day events and scheduling, visit our website www.udel.edu/sustainability/event.
Upcoming Events
Green Liaisons is teaming up with different student groups including Green Senate to spread the word about upcoming events. Some events include:
September 24 at 8pm – Screening of the movie Liquid Assets on the North Green (sponsored by Delaware Environmental Institute Student Programs Committee)
September 25 at 10am – Free webinar on Source Water Contamination in 202 Old College (sponsored by Delaware River Basin Source Water Collaborative)
October 6 from 9-11am – Fall Community Clean Up in the City of Newark. To volunteer contact 302.366.7033 x200 or email parksrec@newark.de.us
To learn more and get involved please email Danielle Troise at DTroise@udel.edu
Free Webinar on Delaware River Basin Source Water Protection
The Delaware River Basin Source Water Collaborative is hosting a free webinar dedicated to source water protection throughout the Delaware River Basin on September 25. Please see their website for more details: http://www.delawarebasindrinkingwater.org/events/webinar-contamiants-emerging-concern-delaware-river-basin/