Ferris state now has an RSO that is helping the environment. It is called ferris recyclers. they are a group that wants to keep the campus clean and help the environment. they have there own webpage and you should go check it out for more information.
LINK:http://www.freewebs.com/ferrisrecyclers/
MB
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Poem: How Green is Our Borough
How Green is Our Borough
Eve Taylor
How green is our Borough? Is it barren and bare?
Is it stripped of its beauty? Do we really care?
Dereliction and eyesores mount up everyday,
Made worse by the rubbish that we throw away.
In each empty garden or plot of waste land,
We could plant flowers to make it look grand.
Don't fill up our air with car fumes and smoke,
It's polluting the atmosphere, which isn't a joke.
Global warming, right now, dominates the news,
So stop and look at the items you use.
Is it CFC free?....... Is it harmful to man?
Just read all the labels, it helps if you can.
Lovely young trees line the road to the strand,
Put there for our pleasure, and all open planned.
They'll look so attractive, if allowed to grow,
If they are not damaged by children we know.
Our Borough is changing so much day by day,
So if we all help in our own little way,
By keeping the environment clean and protected,
We'll reap the rewards, just as expected.
About this poem
In the year 2004, the Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council of the United Kingdom held a poetry contest for World Environment Day (5 June). Everyone in the community was invited to write poems that commented on various aspects of the local environment. One of the winners of this contest was Eve Taylor, whose poem How Green is Our Borough focused attention on maintaining a clean, healthy and beautiful environment.
http://www.ecology.info/how-green.htm
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Fuel Efficiency and Automobile Pollution
Fuel Efficiency is a big factor in the worlds concern for global warming. 90% of pollution is caused by automobiles. When you increase your vehicles fuel efficiency you decrease the amount of fuel that you use at one time. In the U.S. we consume the most fuel and if we were to cut back on the amount of fuel that is consumed this would also cut back on the amount of pollutants that are going into the atmosphere such as: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic hydrocarbons. These pollutants also starve the body of oxygen. They agitate asthma, are carcinogens, and can possibly lead to death. The uses of trains, buses, subways, and carpooling will decrease the amount of pollution in the air by allowing multiple people to ride in one vehicle. Hybrids and hydrogen vehicles are also good alternatives because they use less harmful alternative fuels to power the vehicles.
http://www.nutramed.com/environment/carschemicals.htm
http://pic5.piczo.com/fuelfacts/?g=32007212&cr=5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDcx3mYfpDg
http://www.nutramed.com/environment/carschemicals.htm
http://pic5.piczo.com/fuelfacts/?g=32007212&cr=5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDcx3mYfpDg
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Are you knowledgable on ways to save energy. Test your Knowledge on energying saving tips.
To take quiz click on link.
http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/going-green/quiz-going-green.html
Posted by Krista Helder
To take quiz click on link.
http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/going-green/quiz-going-green.html
Posted by Krista Helder
Benifits of Geothermal Heating and Cooling
According to the department of energy geothermal heat pumps use 25-50 percent less electricity than conventional air cooled heat pumps. they also can reduce energy emissions by up to 72 percent when compared to air cooled heat pumps and electric resistive heat. Other benefits include better zoning control and humidity control.
The department of energy also said that the current level of geothermal heating and cooling we currently have saves over one million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year. Also these units help save the ozone. these systems come factory sealed and almost never leak refrigerant that could damage the ozone. This also help reduce the amount of green house gasses introduced into the atmosphere photo from the University of Virgina Tech
American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment
American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment
We, the undersigned presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities, are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. We recognize the scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans. We further recognize the need to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by 80% by mid-century at the latest, in order to avert the worst impacts of global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.
While we understand that there might be short-term challenges associated with this effort, we believe that there will be great short-, medium-, and long-term economic, health, social and environmental benefits, including achieving energy independence for the U.S. as quickly as possible.
We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to minimize global warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate neutrality. Campuses that address the climate challenge by reducing global warming emissions and by integrating sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society. These colleges and universities will be providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to address the critical, systemic challenges faced by the world in this new century and enable them to benefit from the economic opportunities that will arise as a result of solutions they develop.
We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs, attract excellent students and faculty, attract new sources of funding, and increase the support of alumni and local communities. Accordingly, we commit our institutions to taking the following steps in pursuit of climate neutrality:
1. Initiate the development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.
a. Within two months of signing this document, create institutional structures to guide the development and implementation of the plan.
b. Within one year of signing this document, complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions (including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and update the inventory every other year thereafter.
c. Within two years of signing this document, develop an institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral, which will include:
i. A target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible.
ii. Interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality.
iii. Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students.
iv. Actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality.
v. Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.
2. Initiate two or more of the following tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed.
a. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.
b. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist.
c. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for by our institution.
d. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution
e. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources.
f. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our institution's endowment is invested.
g. Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures to reduce waste.
3. Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available by providing them to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for posting and dissemination.
In recognition of the need to build support for this effort among college and university administrations across America, we will encourage other presidents to join this effort and become signatories to this commitment.
Signed,
The Signatories of the American College & University
Presidents Climate Commitment
http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/index.php
Posted by Krista Helder
We, the undersigned presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities, are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. We recognize the scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans. We further recognize the need to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by 80% by mid-century at the latest, in order to avert the worst impacts of global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.
While we understand that there might be short-term challenges associated with this effort, we believe that there will be great short-, medium-, and long-term economic, health, social and environmental benefits, including achieving energy independence for the U.S. as quickly as possible.
We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to minimize global warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate neutrality. Campuses that address the climate challenge by reducing global warming emissions and by integrating sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society. These colleges and universities will be providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to address the critical, systemic challenges faced by the world in this new century and enable them to benefit from the economic opportunities that will arise as a result of solutions they develop.
We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs, attract excellent students and faculty, attract new sources of funding, and increase the support of alumni and local communities. Accordingly, we commit our institutions to taking the following steps in pursuit of climate neutrality:
1. Initiate the development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.
a. Within two months of signing this document, create institutional structures to guide the development and implementation of the plan.
b. Within one year of signing this document, complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions (including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and update the inventory every other year thereafter.
c. Within two years of signing this document, develop an institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral, which will include:
i. A target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible.
ii. Interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality.
iii. Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students.
iv. Actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality.
v. Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.
2. Initiate two or more of the following tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed.
a. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.
b. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist.
c. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for by our institution.
d. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution
e. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources.
f. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our institution's endowment is invested.
g. Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures to reduce waste.
3. Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available by providing them to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for posting and dissemination.
In recognition of the need to build support for this effort among college and university administrations across America, we will encourage other presidents to join this effort and become signatories to this commitment.
Signed,
The Signatories of the American College & University
Presidents Climate Commitment
http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/index.php
Posted by Krista Helder
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