Monday, April 22, 2013

Moving out? Cleaning up? Donate unwanted items instead of ditching them. When moving out of your residence hall or apartment, drop your gently used items off at the donation collection station in your residential community. Donation stations accept still-usable items such as clothes, books, appliances, household items, unopened food, school supplies, electronics, computer equipment, and furniture. Donation stations will open on Friday, April 26. Read more »

Carolina Recognized as "Green College" by Princeton Review

"The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2013 Edition" recognizes Carolina as a national leader in campus sustainability. This free downloadable guide, published in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), highlights colleges that scored at least 83 on its 99 point scale. Carolina’s Green Rating of 95 recognizes investments in high performance infrastructure, advancement towards climate neutrality, and student engagement in green initiatives. Twenty-one schools made the Green Rating Honor Roll by attaining perfect scores.

NC Botanical Garden Conservation Director Honored For Work With Imperiled Plants

Dr. Johnny Randall, assistant director for conservation at the North Carolina Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina, recently won the 2013 Star Award from the Center for Plant Conservation. The award honored Randall’s work with rare and imperiled plants and his expertise in restoring plants in degraded habitats. His dedication to a science-based, considered, and pragmatic approach is clear in his guidance for local, regional and national plant conservation issues. Read more »

Piedmont Farm Tour

Learn about the Triangle’s local and organic farm and food scene from 1-5pm this Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28. Load up a car with friends and family and visit your favorite sustainable farms. Don’t forget to take a cooler so that you can take home some of the farm fresh products for sale! Read more »

Carbon Bubble May Cause Economic Crisis

The world could be heading for a major economic crisis as stock markets inflate an investment bubble in fossil fuels to the tune of trillions of dollars, according to leading economists. The so-called "carbon bubble" is the result of an over-valuation of oil, coal, and gas reserves held by fossil fuel companies. According to a recent report published by the London School of Economics and the think tank Carbon Tracker Initiative, at least two-thirds of these reserves will have to remain underground if the world is to meet existing internationally agreed targets to avoid the threshold for "dangerous" climate change. If the agreements hold, these reserves will be in effect unburnable and so worthless – leading to massive market losses. The stock markets are currently betting on countries' inaction on climate change. Read more »

Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture Offers Summer Training in Peru

The Certificate in Global Agroecology and Local Food Systems program equips a new generation of agrarians and food justice activists to rebuild the global food system through sustainable innovation and ancestral knowledge. Training is held in Peru, from June 24 to August 18. Applications are due May 17. Limited need-based scholarships are available. Read more »

Cherokee-McDonough Challenge Supports High Impact Environmental StartUps

The Cherokee-McDonough Challenge identifies, funds, and develops high-impact environmental business ventures. Ventures will receive $20,000 in seed funding and an invitation to participate in an intensive three month accelerator. Apply by April 30. Read more »

Scholarships for Marine Sciences Students

The Marine Aquarium Societies of North America seek marine sciences students for their 2013-2014 scholarship program. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply by June 21. Read more »

Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC:


New Orleans levee risk studies by Corps already outdated; new studies could guide future improvements, engineer says 

The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.) 

Complex risk studies developed by the Army Corps of Engineers to govern the rebuilding of the New Orleans area levee system in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina already are outdated, a civil engineer told the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East on Thursday. ...“It’s time to redo it,” said Rick Luettich, an authority member and a University of North Carolina marine sciences professor who helped design one of the surge models used by the corps. Read more » 

Crabs, supersized by carbon pollution, may upset Chesapeake’s balance 
The Washington Post 
It is the dawn of the super crab. Crabs are bulking up on carbon pollution that pours out of power plants, factories and vehicles and settles in the oceans, turning the tough crustaceans into even more fearsome predators. ...“Higher levels of carbon in the ocean are causing oysters to grow slower, and their predators — such as blue crabs — to grow faster,” Justin Baker Ries, a marine geologist at the University of North Carolina’s Aquarium Research Center, said in an recent interview. Read more »

Greenbridge: A look back as the town looks ahead 
The Chapel Hill News 
Approved by the Chapel Hill Town Council in 2007, Greenbridge came to emblemize long-simmering tensions about race, growth and affordability in the community. ...“Timing was a disaster,” said Emil Malizia, a UNC professor of city and regional planning. “They built the project at the peak of the market and tried to sell it at the bottom of the market.” High-density, urban-style development is environmentally sound,… It is as “green” a concept as features like solar panels and locally sourced building materials. It prevents suburban sprawl and automotive commutes for things like groceries, Malizia said. Read more » 

Thanks to UNC News Services for finding these great stories AND compiling the summaries! You can find more UNC media coverage and stories online at http://uncnews.unc.edu.

UNC Sustainability Office – Summer Internships – NC

City of Burlington – Water Resources Department – Environmental Specialist – NC

Billings Forge Community Works – Director of Community Building, Director of Development, and Director of Youth Development Positions – CT

Bard College – Program Associate – MBA in Sustainability – NY

Colorado College – Sustainability Manager – CO

Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) – Field Staff Position and Summer Internships – NC

Carolina Campus Community Garden – Summer Internship – NC

Contact clorch@email.unc.edu if interested.

Bonner Leaders Program – Senior Internship – NC

Contact lwlewis@email.unc.edu if interested.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle – Field Gleaning Internship – NC

Contact Lindsay@foodshuttle.org if interested.

University of North Carolina – Duke Forest Research Internship – NC

Contact paynec@live.unc.edu if interested.

RTI International – Information and Communications Technologies – Summer Internships – NC

Tar River Land Conservancy – Land Stewardship Internship – NC

Contact aedge@tarriver.org if interested.

Food Recovery Network (FRN) – Summer Internships – DC

Syracuse University – Ecology Fieldwork Internship – NY

Contact lnegoita@syr.edu if interested.

The Nature Conservancy – Grassland Bird Technician Internship (Job ID #40655) – MN

The Abundant Table Farm Project (ATFP) – Farming and Food Justice Internships – CA

Rice University – Tropical Forest Ecology Internship – Guam, Saipan, and Rota

Contact haldre@rice.edu if interested.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Earth Week Events at Carolina

Celebrate Earth Day with more than a week of activities! Earth “Week” events kick off Saturday, April 13, at the NC Science Expo on the UNC campus and continue through to a “Celebrating Earth Day” lecture on April 21 at the NC Botanical Garden. Activities include a HOPE Gardens Art Walk, a Quad Swap Shop, a Hard-to-Recycle Drive, a farmers’ market, multiple exhibits on the quad, and more. Carolina celebrates Earth Day, Friday, April 19, from 11am-3pm on Polk Place with live music, games, and snacks. Stop by to learn about the University’s many programs, student groups, and departments that advance sustainability. While you’re there, stop by the Sustainability Office table to take the Carolina Green pledge and pick-up one of the coveted Carolina Green water bottles, while supplies last. Take the pledge in advance to skip the line. Check out the full list of activities now to start planning! Read more »
It’s spring cleaning season! Consider keeping soil and water clean by choosing eco-friendly products when scrubbing down your home. Avoid cleaners with phosphates, bleaches, and other harmful chemicals and use concentrates whenever possible. You can also make your own green cleaners and polishes using do-it-yourself recipes. Happy cleaning!

Campus Sustainability Scavenger Hunt

You won’t need to look far for sustainability features at Carolina - they’re all around you! Learn about sustainability programs and operations in an interactive scavenger hunt hosted by the Sustainability Office, Tuesday, April 16, at 5:30pm. Navigate campus locations and visit as many checkpoints as you can in one hour. Then return to Polk Place for food and prizes! The event is free and open to the public. Registration requested. Read more »

UNC Genome Sciences Building Awarded LEED® Gold Certification

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance, green buildings. The Genome Sciences Building achieved LEED Gold certification for incorporating a variety of sustainable strategies to reduce energy use, conserve and reuse water, and source sustainable materials. The Genome Sciences Building is the first on campus to receive Gold certification. LEED certified buildings save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a healthier environment. View the Genome Sciences LEED Scorecard to learn about the high performance building features.

Sludge-Based Fertilizer May be Causing Human Illnesses

Treated municipal sewage sludge—the solids from sewage treatment—may be causing illness in people up to a mile from where it is spread on land, according to findings from researchers at the Department of Epidemiology at UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. The study involved residents from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina who live near fields where sludge is applied as a soil amendment. More than half of the people interviewed reported acute symptoms such as burning eyes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after sludge had been sprayed or spread. Read more »

Watershed-Based Environmental Education Mini-Grants Available

Projects that engage students in outdoor watershed environmental education in the Southeast US region are eligible for mini-grants funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Education. Proposals are due April 30 at 2:30 pm ET. Read more » 

Apply Now for the Natural Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Program

The National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Program is currently accepting applications for Campus Ecology Fellows. Fellows engage and educate their campus community on climate action solutions. Monetary fellowship grants are awarded to students working with faculty, staff, or administration on projects that help address climate change impacts and protect wildlife and habitat. Applications are due April 14. Read more »

Sustainability and Energy Workshop and Lecture Series

The Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy (SISE) is a two-week intensive workshop and lecture series on sustainability and energy. Participants will engage these issues through lectures, panel discussions, collaborative research projects, networking opportunities, and tours of sustainability and energy related sites in the Chicago area. The program runs from August 5-16. Applications are due by 5pm on July 1. Read more » 

ReCharge Retreat Now Accepting Applications

Each summer, Focus the Nation selects and funds 20 clean energy leaders from across the country to spend one week, from August 11-17, on Mt. Hood, OR. Retreat participants collaborate and develop skills that enable commitment to clean energy through the entirety of their careers. Students with a passion for clean energy may apply by April 15. Read more »

Scholarships Available for Unique Summer Study Abroad Opportunity

The 2013 Sullivan Foundation Summer Overseas Programs in Prague and Panama foster social entrepreneurship initiatives and teach change agent and leadership skills. Students who submit scholarship applications by April 15 will be given priority. Read more »

Apply Now for Student Training for Environmental Protection (STEP)

Students learn essential skills in environmental advocacy and organization at the STEP program. Two training sessions will be held this summer, in Prince William Forest, Virginia, from June 2-7, and in central Wisconsin, from June 20-29. Participants will learn how to coordinate effective environmental campaigns. Applications will be accepted until program is full. Read more »

Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC: 

Can a divestment campaign move the fossil fuel industry? 
The Guardian (United Kingdom) 
US climate activists have launched a movement to persuade universities, cities, and other groups to sell off their investments in fossil fuel companies. But while the financial impact of such divestment may be limited, the campaign could harm the companies in a critical sphere — public opinion. ...But enthusiasm for divestment, already high on college campuses — student referenda at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, for example, showed 72 and 77 percent support for divestment, respectively — is leaking into the outside world. Read more »

Creatures in Alabama coastal marshes mostly unaffected by BP spill, according to study (Blog)
Al.com (Alabama) 
A three-year study of an Alabama marsh suggests the 2010 BP spill had little effect on the number of juvenile fish, shrimp and crabs living there before and after the disaster. ...The marsh work bolsters research conducted in the grass beds of the Mississippi Sound by Ken Heck, who is one of the coauthors of this study, and Joel Fodrie, a University of North Carolina researcher. They conduct trawl surveys of seagrass meadows along the Gulf Coast. Recruitment of snapper, speckled trout, cobia and other offshore species appeared to be about normal during the year of the BP spill, according to that work. Read more » 

Fracking health study results likely years off 
The Associated Press 
The Geisinger health study cited by leading environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as pivotal in helping persuade Gov. Andrew Cuomo to hold off on plans for limited gas drilling is likely years away from conclusions about whether the technology involved is safe, according to the project's leaders.... Cuomo's health commissioner, Dr. Nirav Shah, mentioned the Geisinger study among three health reviews that could influence Cuomo's decision. The others are an Environmental Protection Agency study, due for completion in 2014, of potential effects of fracking on drinking water, and a study recently announced by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in collaboration with scientists from Columbia, Johns Hopkins and the University of North Carolina. Read more » 

“Animal Factory” forum to examine river water quality issues 
The Sun Journal 
The continued negative impacts of industrial meat-producing facilities such as hog and chicken farms on the quality of the Neuse River are among the topics for an environmental forum in New Bern. ...UNC-Chapel Hill Epidemiology professor Steve Wing will talk about the public health effects of air and water emissions outside the communities where animal production facilities are located. Read more » 

Thanks to UNC News Services for finding these great stories AND compiling the summaries! You can find more UNC media coverage and stories online at http://uncnews.unc.edu.

Warren Wilson College – Facilities Management – Director Position – NC

Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute – Odyssey Internship Program Manager Position – NC

University of South Carolina – Sustainability Education and Outreach Coordinator Position – SC

University of Maryland University College – Environmental Sustainability – Adjunct Faculty Position – MD

Georgia Institute of Technology – Sustainable Business – Professor Position – GA

Western Kentucky University – Diversity and Community Studies – Assistant/Associate Professor Position – KY

University of Minnesota, Morris – Environmental Studies – Temporary Position – MN

Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications – Sustainability Science Communications Position – NY

Paul Smith’s College – Environmental Studies – Assistant Professor Position – NY

Merrimack College – Philosophy, Environmental Studies, and Sustainability – Visiting Professor Position – MA

Bowdoin College – Environmental Chemistry – Visiting Professor Position – ME

College of Menominee Nation – Sustainability Coordinator Position – WI

College of Lake County – Instructional Designer – IL

Oberlin College – Director of Energy Management and Sustainability – OH

Oberlin College – Sustainable Technology Research Fellow – OH

Kansas State University – Campus Planning and Facilities Management – Assistant Vice President Position – KS

Creighton University – Sustainability Engineer and Assistant Program Director Position – NE

Arizona State University – Sustainability Officer Position – AZ

University of Puget Sound – Spirituality, Service and Social Justice – Assistant Director Position – WA

Kwantlen Polytechnic University – Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Position – Canada

Self-Help Credit Union – Commercial Lending Team – Education Policy Internship – NC

Environmental Protection Agency – Office of Sustainable Communities – Sustainable Communities and Communications Internships – DC

Contact kackar.adhir@epa.gov if interested.

Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit – Summer Field Technician Internships – PA

Contact mmcdill@psu.edu if interested.

Citi – Corporate Sustainability Unit – Sustainability Internships – NY

Yale University – Office of Sustainability – Summer Research Assistant Internships – CT

Purdue University – Department of Forestry and Natural Resources – Summer Field Technician Internships – IN

Contact jenkinma@purdue.edu if interested.

University of Minnesota Duluth – Project Baseline Seed Collection – Summer Field Technician Internships – MN

Contact sope0007@d.umn.edu if interested.

Boston University – Flight Behaviors of Bats – Summer Field Technician Internships – TX

Contact nwfuller@bu.edu if interested.

Sierra Club – Best Internship on Earth – CA

Sierra Nevada Research Institute – Yosemite Environmental Science Research Training – Research Experience for Undergraduates – CA

Michigan State University –Tropical Ecology Field Assistant Internship – Puerto Rico

Contact umanamar@msu.edu if interested.

Stony Brook University – Tropical Botany Field Assistant Internship – Ecuador

Contact bweinste@life.bio.sunysb.edu if interested.

AHA Bolivia – Sustainability/Social Responsibility Internship – Bolivia