Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media coverage of sustainability-related programs and practices at UNC:


How hard should we try to clean Houston’s smog? The TCEQ is, like, Dude! Relax! (Editorial)
The Houston Chronicle
How clean is Houston's air? To most people, the answer is a no-brainer: Not clean enough. ...A University of North Carolina study found that just one of those radical precursors — the formaldehyde released from flares — may contribute as much as 30 parts per billion to Houston's ozone problem. In other words, that single pollutant may account for as much as a quarter of the ozone in the air on our worst bad-air days. The TCEQ is wrong: Our air isn't clean enough. It's time for action — not time to breathe easy.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/6639208.html

Students Hold Toothbrush Drive for Malawi
The Gouverneur Times (New York)
...The toothbrush drive is an offshoot of the University of North Carolina Malawi Dental Project, the brainchild of Dr. Ronald Strauss, former chair of the dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill, who is now the UNC System provost. The Malawi Project is a student-driven initiative that deploys select students from the UNC School of Dentistry to provide free oral healthcare services and oral HIV/AIDS education to the people of Malawi.
http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6468:students-hold-toothbrush-drive-for-malawi&catid=60:st-lawrence-news&Itemid=175

Study to focus on work sites
The Chapel Hill Herald
NC Prevention Partners is launching the next phase of an innovative comprehensive work site wellness study with the N.C. Department of Transportation that integrates the assessment of policies and environments with individually targeted wellness campaigns. ..."We are excited to have Dr. Laura Linnan, a national expert on worksite wellness, and Dr. Michael Bowling, an expert in public health statistics and evaluation design, from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health join the study. They bring a level of scientific rigor that will benefit NCDOT and its employees, and will allow us to think about implications for employers throughout the state."
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-ORANGE+BRIEFS%20&id=3627192-ORANGE+BRIEFS&instance=main_article2

Drought returns, but worries don’t
The Carrboro Citizen
...But the key reason the utility is more comfortable heading into this drought is an impressive drop in water use by the University of North Carolina. “University consumption is down across the board,” Holland said. UNC is using about the same amount of water it used 10 years ago, he said. Ray DuBose, UNC’s director of Energy Services, said even though he’s been focused on the campus-wide efforts aimed at saving water, the numbers are still pretty jaw dropping, especially considering the school’s rapid growth over the past decade.
http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2009/09/17/drought-returns-but-worries-don%E2%80%99t/comment-page-1/

Wind farm deemed practical in waters off Southport
The Star-News (Wilmington)
Renewable energy, in the form of wind-generated electricity, could be flowing through Southport in as little as five years, according to UNC Chapel Hill professor John Bane Jr. He’s also the principal scientific adviser at Outer Banks Offshore Energy, a privately funded company created a year and a half ago to tap the wind energy in federal waters off the North Carolina coast. ...Commercially viable wind resources are about 40 miles south of Southport and 50 miles east of Pleasure Island, according to Coastal Wind, a nine-month study of the feasibility of wind resources off the N.C. coast by colleagues of Bane at UNC.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090918/ARTICLES/909189991/1004?Title=Wind-farm-deemed-practical-in-waters-off-Southport
Related Link:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090918/ARTICLES/909189986/1004?Title=Offshore-energy-to-be-subject-of-public-meeting

Sierra Club Helps Organize Protests Against Coal-Fired Plants on Campuses (Blog)
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Sierra Club and student activists have generated news lately through their protests against coal power on campuses. ...The article says a Sierra Club report has identified more than 60 institutions that have their own coal-burning plants or that rely heavily on coal, like Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University's main campus, Oregon State University, the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Virginia.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/6639208.html

North Carolina N.C. officials pitch wind farm plan
The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.)
Gov. Beverly Perdue, state Sen. Marc Basnight and state Rep. Tim Spear on Friday gave local residents their first opportunity to learn more about a proposal that would put up to three wind turbines in Pamlico Sound. ...The University of North Carolina is expected to sign a contract with Duke Energy Carolinas by Thursday to install one to three turbines seven to 10 miles from shore in the sound between Avon and Buxton. ...Harvey Seim, a UNC-Chapel Hill marine sciences professor who worked on a wind energy feasibility study, said in the presentation that turbines would be able to be seen in the distance from the beach.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/north-carolina-nc-officials-pitch-wind-farm-plan

Why UNC has (cling, clang, sss) steam heat (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill Herald
The neighbors closest to our campus have been incredibly patient as Carolina has undertaken projects to improve our energy infrastructure, including repairs to the steam tunnel that connects our cogeneration facility on Cameron Avenue to the rest of the campus. At the university, we are well aware of how important steam and our cogeneration plant are to our operations, but I'm not sure if that knowledge extends beyond campus. So let me tell you the basics of how we generate energy at the UNC cogeneration facility and how we plan to do that even more sustainably in the future. (Holden Thorp is chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/chh_holden_thorp

N.C. puts test fingers in the wind
The Charlotte Observer
After lagging behind other East coast states in developing wind as an energy source, North Carolina is preparing to plunge in with a test involving one to three wind towers in Pamlico Sound. Charlotte-based Duke Energy and UNC Chapel Hill are finishing the details of a contract that would have the company build the towers as early as next year. UNC researchers would monitor the towers to answer questions about environmental impacts, maintenance and other issues.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/969759.html
Related Link:
http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/basnight-offshore-wind-farms-needed-859822.html

UNC alums pitch bike rental kiosks
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Imagine stepping off one of Chapel Hill’s free public buses, swiping a card at a smartly placed kiosk loaded with bikes, grabbing one and riding off into the sunset. It could happen. Two recent UNC graduates are pitching a proposal for a subscription-based and pay-per-use bike rental program called WeCycles that would provide bicycle rentals throughout the town of Chapel Hill and the UNC campus. Hasan Abdullah and Ibraheem Khalifa said UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp already has expressed interest in the program, for which market research shows 60 percent of UNC’s students willing to pay an annual $40 membership to use.
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-UNC+alums+pitch+bike+rental+kiosks%20&id=3666363-UNC+alums+pitch+bike+rental+kiosks

Global health a boon for economy
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
...The forum also served to announce the launching of a new global health partnership. The Triangle Global Health Consortium, which groups Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and N.C. State universities, along with prominent local nongovernmental groups Family Health International, Research Triangle Institute and IntraHealth International, is designed to promote collaborative research on global health and attract new scientists and others involved in similar activities to the state.
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Global+health+a+boon+for+economy%20&id=3672548-Global+health+a+boon+for+economy

NC wants more information on drilling proposal
The Associated Press
...The governor plans to travel to the Outer Banks this week and attend a public meeting Friday in Buxton on the potential for coastal wind energy. It's expected to include researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who released a study last month showing potential for utility-scale production of wind energy off the North Carolina coast and possibly in eastern portions of Pamlico Sound.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090922/NEWS/909220335

OBX residents learn about offshore wind power
WRAL-TV (CBS/Raleigh)
North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue and other state leaders are on hand as an Outer Banks community is introduced to the idea of massive offshore wind farms. ...Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are expected to describe a new study that found parts of the coast and Pamlico Sound could generate industrial-scale wind energy. UNC researchers are expected to discuss the potential impacts of a wind farm on the coast's economy, quality of life, and environment.
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/6074632/

Awards will fuel scientists' work
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Three Triangle scientists have won prestigious awards to further their research. Tannishtha Reya, an associate professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University, and Joseph DeSimone, a chemistry professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State, both have received this year's National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer award. The award comes with a five-year, $2.5 million grant.
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/technology/story/114994.html
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2898/107/

Author to speak at N.C. Garden
The Chapel Hill Herald
Author Doug Tallamy will speak at the N.C. Botanical Garden's new Education Center at 2 p.m. Oct. 11 on the theme "Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens."
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-ORANGE+BRIEFS%20&id=3703855-ORANGE+BRIEFS

UNC research scientists honored
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Three scientists from UNC Chapel Hill have received prestigious awards from the National Institutes of Health aimed at encouraging “high-risk” research and innovation. Joseph DeSimone has been selected for a Pioneer Award, one of only 18 such honors handed out this year, while Klaus Hahn and Mark Zylka are both receiving Transformative RO1 Awards.
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-UNC+research+scientists+honored%20&id=3698447-UNC+research+scientists+honored
Related Links:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/triangle-scientists-win-nih-awards
http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2009/09/21/daily49.html
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2898/1/

State to residents: recycle, pretty please
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Public service announcements, fliers, and in Raleigh's case, corporate-sponsored gift cards, are all aimed at getting North Carolina households to do their part in complying with a state law kicking in Oct. 1 that bans plastic bottles from landfills. ...Katie Burdett, who wrote about plastics recycling as a requirement for her master's in public administration from UNC-Chapel Hill this year, said the state would need to require recycling and develop an enforcement strategy to maximize the ban's impact.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local_state/story/113648.html

-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/content/category/8/34/103/

Are you Carolina Green?

“Green” has come to represent a worldwide movement towards creating a more sustainable future. With dozens of ground-breaking programs in academics, research, engagement, and campus operations, Carolina is at the forefront of that movement. Carolina Green is an inter-departmental campaign to identify and promote university programs that support a healthy and responsible approach to the “green” issues of environmental integrity, economic prosperity and social equity.

Carolina Green offers an online directory of university resources, a range of committees working to improve campus practices, and resources to help individuals and departments have a “greener” impact on their world.

Also now available is the "Carolina Green Commitment" - a campus-wide pledge drive that encourages sustainable practices and choices. Are you Carolina Green?

Log on to http://carolinagreen.unc.edu/ to get informed and involved with all things green at UNC Chapel Hill !

Energy Conservation in Facilities

With the recently implemented Energy Usage Policy at UNC, energy conservation has taken a front seat in the Facilities Services Department. The September edition of the Facilities Services News is now available online, and includes information on the energy-saving performance contracting initiative that is being undertaken by the University, and the latest energy conservation update.

Did you know that energy conservation practices have now been installed in 54 buildings. These buildings have already shown reductions in energy use. For example, cooling requirements decreased by 28% in buildings scheduled for setbacks during unoccupied periods, resulting in more than $100,000 of savings in just 10 weeks.

Learn more by reading the Facilities Services News online at:
http://www.fac.unc.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6Zqg7oZKSBc%3d&tabid=165&mid=671

Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media coverage of sustainability-related programs and practices at UNC:

Education Center blossoms at Garden
The Chapel Hill News
Knock another jewel in our local crown. The new Education Center at the North Carolina Botanical Garden is finished. ...In addition to the founding donor, students donated through UNC's Renewable Energy Special Projects Funds, and more than 400 individuals gave to cover the $12 million budget. The 31,2000-square foot building center, located at 100 Old Mason Farm Road, was designed by architect Frank Harmon of Raleigh. It is a green building, designed to receive a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification.
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/features/story/51981.html
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2849/68/

N.C. Botanical Garden inaugurates new “green” education center with fall events
Expected to be the first public building in North Carolina securing the highest level of certification for green architecture, the new Education Center for the North Carolina Botanical Garden will open later this month. The center’s dedication is scheduled for Oct. 12, University Day, which celebrates the laying of the cornerstone of Old East, the first building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2849/68/

Offshore winds promise power
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
...Wind energy is not science fiction, already having been developed in Europe for years, with at least 13 countries operating or developing their own projects. ...A UNC study commissioned by the legislature and issued in June found 2,800 square miles suitable for wind development off North Carolina. It said tapping 15 percent of the state's offshore wind reserves could provide 20 percent of North Carolina's energy needs.
http://www.newsobserver.com/126/story/1677218.html

Hurricane Floyd’s Floodwaters Fueled Changes that Could Save Lives
WNCT-TV (CBS/Greenville)
We often learn valuable lessons in the wake of disaster and Hurricane Floyd is no different. The storm and its flooding spurred policy changes that could one day prove life-saving. ...But experts such as UNC-Chapel Hill associate geography professor Chip Konrad say even that may not capture the ferocity of the flood that forever changed the landscape of eastern North Carolina.
http://www2.wnct.com/nct/news/local/article/hurricane_floyds_floodwaters_fueled_changes_that_could_save_lives/52256/

Recycling Program A Success At UNC
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)
With the help of the Orange County Solid Waste and the UNC Department of Waste Reduction, students were able to recycle a large amount of plastic wraps and bags during move-in weekend last month. Amy Prebble, recycling and outreach coordinator for UNC Waste Reduction, says the event was a success by all accounts.
http://www.wchl1360.com/detailswide.html?id=11843

Roses and Raspberries (Editorial)
The Chapel Hill News
Roses to the North Carolina Botanical Garden, whose new Education Center is expected to be the first public building in North Carolina to earn the highest level of certification for green architecture. The Education Center, a new gateway to the garden's nature trails and display gardens, was designed as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum building.
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/opinion/story/52259.html
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2849/68/

Consider the (energy) source (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Electric cars cause more pollution than cars powered by gasoline. This doesn't have to be the case, but it will remain true unless we make major changes in our system of producing electricity. The problem is that electric cars run on batteries, and batteries have to be recharged. And the recharge -- people tend to overlook this -- comes from plugging the batteries into the electric power grid. (John J. W. Rogers is retired as the William R. Kenan Jr. professor of geology at UNC-Chapel Hill.)
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/columns/story/1691164.html

UNC honored for commitment to diversity
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was one of 53 colleges and universities nationwide that were honored recently for commitment to diversity. Dr. Archie Ervin, UNC’s associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs, accepted the award for the University recently from Minority Access Inc., a nonprofit education organization that supports academic institutions, government agencies and private businesses in improving the recruitment, retention and enhancement of minorities.
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2895/75/

Colleges Map Hazy Routes to Limiting Emissions
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Nearly 400 colleges are expected to submit their climate action plans this week, a major step in the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The heavily detailed reports, which took colleges many months to produce, map out strategies for limiting emissions for decades to come. But the hard work has just started. From here, institutions have to figure out how to transfer theory into action, which will present a whole new set of challenges. Chief among them: How to tackle ambitious projects when money is tight.
http://chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Map-Hazy-Routes-to/48378/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2865/68/

UNC submits Climate Action Plan as part of commitment to carbon neutrality
As the latest step in its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today (Sept. 15) submitted its Climate Action Plan to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. In 2007, Carolina was one of the first universities to make this commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its campus and offset all its greenhouse gas emissions. The pledge now has 650 signatories.
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2865/68/


-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/content/category/8/34/103/

UNC submits Climate Action Plan as part of commitment to carbon neutrality

As the latest step in its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today (Sept. 15) submitted its Climate Action Plan to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. In 2007, Carolina was one of the first universities to make this commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its campus and offset all its greenhouse gas emissions. The pledge now has 650 signatories.

Carolina has already adopted 60 percent of the tangible actions specified in the commitment by establishing a policy that all new campus construction be built to at least the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standard or equivalent; requiring purchase of Energy Star-certified products in all areas for which these ratings exist; and encouraging the use of and providing access to public transportation.

The ACUPCC also requires regular reports from all its signatories. Last year, Carolina completed and published a comprehensive inventory of its 2007 greenhouse gas emissions. This year’s Climate Action Plan updates this emissions inventory and uses that data, along with development plans and growth estimates, to project the carbon footprint of the campus under current practices. The document then presents a comprehensive plan for achieving the goal of climate neutrality by mid-century.

“The Climate Action Plan represents a set of tangible actions that help manage the invisible contributors to global climate change,” said Daniel Arneman, Ph.D., the UNC greenhouse gas emissions specialist who prepared the plan with input and feedback from across campus. “Only the highest impact solutions are described in this Climate Action Plan, but scores of others will allow for continuous improvement in a variety of UNC’s business processes.”

Near-term alternatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include increasing the efficiency of chiller plants, managing computer sleep and standby modes and improving teleconferencing facilities to reduce the need for air travel. The capture and destruction of methane gas from the Orange County landfill, slated to close in 2011, and the replacement of 20 percent of the coal with torrefied wood (a charcoal-like substance) at the University’s cogeneration plant are other strategies to decrease emissions by 2025. In the mid- to long-term, solar thermal panels, heat recovery chillers and a biomass gasification plant could provide additional carbon abatement, according to the plan.

UNC’s 2009 Climate Action Plan: http://www.climate.unc.edu/portfolio/
UNC’s 2007 Greenhouse Gas Inventory: http://sustainability.unc.edu/Portals/0/Documents/UNC_Chapel_Hill_GHG_Inventory.pdf

Energy Services contact: Daniel Arneman
News Services contact: Susan Houston

Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media coverage of sustainability-related programs and practices at UNC:

UNC recycling effort keeps 300 pounds of plastic out of landfill
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Call it the case of the incredibly shrinking waste stream. Make that shrink-wrap waste stream. During fall semester move-in weekend, Aug. 22-23, the UNC Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling partnered with the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department, the Harris Teeter grocery store chain and American Chemistry Council to recycle almost 300 pounds of plastic bags and shrink wrap from incoming students, saving almost 10 cubic yards of landfill space.
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-UNC+recycling+effort+keeps+300+pounds+of+plastic+out+of+landfill%20&id=3593403-UNC+recycling+effort+keeps+300+pounds+of+plastic+out+of+landfill

UNC Kenan-Flagler event to explore sustainability with Wal-Mart executive Sept. 25
A discussion of Wal-Mart’s approach to sustainability will be hosted Sept. 25 by the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2863/67/

UNC’s hurricane experts can help media coverage before, during and after storms
As the hurricane season reaches its traditional peak, faculty experts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can provide knowledgeable commentary on topics ranging from the current storm outlook to emergency response efforts. UNC researchers often are on the frontlines of such efforts when storms strike, and the University is a major center of hurricane-related research.
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2859/74/


-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/content/category/8/34/103/

Quantitative proof that a 4-day work week is possible!

Last summer when gas prices were on the rise, everyone was talking about implementing a 4-day work week. Even here at the University, several departments introduced new schedules to lessen the financial burden on employees. However, few large-scale, public organizations made the 4-day work week a core part of their scheduling and operations - except Utah!

That's right - for the past year Utah has had 70% of executive branch employees working 4/10 schedules (4 days/week, 10 hours/day). Does it work? YES! What are the benefits?

• Energy use has been cut by 13%, and working towards 20%
• $1.8 million was saved in operational costs in 9 the first 9 months, with expectations to increase
• Carbon footprint has been reduced by approximately 6,000 metric tons, not including the savings from fewer commuter drivers on the road
• Traffic has decreased, which has related health and environmental benefits
• 82% of employees prefer the change, with decreased health complaints, less stress, and fewer sick days taken
• It saves employees money on commuting, which leaves more money in the local economy

Wow! So what are your thoughts? Would you like to work a 4/10 schedule? Could a large, public university operate efficiently with a 4-day work week?

A First -- UNC Recycles Plastic Bags and Shrink Wrap at Student Move-In

CHAPEL HILL – During fall semester move-in weekend August 22-23, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling partnered with the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department, the Harris Teeter grocery store chain and American Chemistry Council to recycle almost 300 pounds of plastic bags and shrink wrap from incoming students, saving almost 10 cubic yards of landfill space. This recycling collection event was a first, complementing the annual mandatory effort at UNC student move-in to divert corrugated cardboard for recycling.

The pilot project was aimed at increasing recycling on campus and decreasing the amount of waste entering the landfill. It was targeted at south campus dormitories. These dorms have the highest concentration of incoming first-year students, who typically arrive with a large amount of packing material from furniture, including a significant volume of shrink wrap.

Because the Orange County Landfill is projected to reach capacity in mid-2012 and because UNC is aggressively pursuing waste reduction, UNC feels it is important to expand recycling efforts in this area. Further, this represented an opportunity to explore the feasibility of expanding collection of bags and shrink wrap campus-wide. It has already sparked interest from Carolina Dining Services in recycling the shrink-wrap surrounding their incoming food packaging.

The amount of plastic bags recycled at UNC over the weekend was 252 cubic feet, totaling an estimated 265 pounds. Staffers at the waste collection sites at dorms reported no problems in getting students to separate the plastic bags and shrink wrap along with their cardboard. Office of Waste Reduction Recycling/Outreach Coordinator, Amy Preble said, “We were pleasantly surprised at how well this worked and look forward to integrating it into move-in every year. While the weight isn’t much, volume is significant. Now all that’s left to tackle is block packing foam for us to achieve a close-to-zero waste move-in”.

At the end of the weekend, UNC staff dropped off the plastic bags and shrink wrap at a Harris Teeter grocery store. They were baled along with other shrink wrap and bags from the grocery chain and shipped to Trex, a company in Winchester Virginia specializing in composite lumber for use in decks, playground equipment and other products.

For more information about plastic bag recycling, visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org


Contact:
Amy Preble, UNC OWRR, apreble [at] fac.unc.edu

E-Readers vs. Books

About this time each year, we hear a lot of grumbling from students about the burden of having to buy so many expensive, heavy books that, in some cases, will never be read. The common argument goes: "Why can't we just get digital or online books? It would be less expensive, easier to update, and have less of an environmental impact."

While we might not be able to move to all-digital course readings in the near future, it is important to discuss the value and environmental footprint of printed books vs. digital books. A recent study by Cleantech Group made a compelling case in favor of e-readers.

According to CleanTech's website: "The new study finds that e-readers could have a major impact on improving the sustainability and environmental impact on the publishing industry.....On average, the carbon emitted in the lifecycle of a Kindle is fully offset after the first year of use.....E-readers purchased from 2009 to 2012 could prevent 5.3 billion kg of carbon dioxide in 2012, or 9.9 billion kg during the four-year time period."

E-readers of course are not entirely blameless. They consume energy and often contain a number of nonrenewable and/or potentially toxic materials. Like many aspects of sustainability, it is a balancing act.

Read about the CleanTech report at:
http://cleantech.com/news/4867/cleantech-group-finds-positive-envi

Read the NY Times excellent coverage of this issue:
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/are-e-readers-greener-than-books/

So what do you think? Would you rather have a paper book or an e-reader?

Carolina Green Commitment

Are you Carolina Green?

That's the question we'll be asking students, faculty, and staff all year long! If you think you’re Carolina Green, look out for special opportunities to make the Carolina Green Commitment both online and at "pledge tables" at select special events on campus. Everyone who makes the Commitment will receive a BPA-free, reusable Nalgene water bottle with the Carolina Green logo.* Check http://carolinagreen.unc.edu often for a schedule of upcoming events!

What is the Carolina Green Commitment?
“I pledge to make UNC and the world better for myself and future generations by living more sustainably. In my daily actions, I will strive to support environmental integrity, social justice, and sustainable economic prosperity.
I will reduce my energy and water use by: ____
I will reduce the waste I produce by: ____
I will share my commitment with others by: ____"

Pledge opportunities:

Thursday, September 24: 11:00 AM @ "Fit Wellness Into Your Day: Health, Fitness, and Academic Success Fair" in the Carolina Union's Great Hall

Tuesday, October 27: 11:15 AM @ "Campus Sustainability Day Celebration" in the Carolina Union Courtyard

*While supplies last. Must be a student or employee of UNC Chapel Hill.

Carolina in the News

Check out the recent media coverage of sustainability-related programs and practices at UNC:

Next-Generation Reporters Innovate on the Web
Reuters (Wire Service)
News 21, the national investigative reporting project with leading journalism schools, is making available a record amount of content - more than 60 multimedia stories and projects - to Web sites, broadcasters and newspapers around the country…Schools involved in the project included ASU, the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, the University of Southern California and Syracuse University.
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS188208+01-Sep-2009+PRN20090901

UNC planner becomes town's planner
The Chapel Hill News
Mary Jane Nirdlinger worked for UNC, helping to craft a plan for Carolina North. Now she's working for the Town of Chapel Hill, helping to make sure her old and new employers live up to the development agreement she helped to write.
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/front/story/51887.html

Non-Profit Fair On UNC Campus
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)
The 10th annual public service fair next week is a collaboration of the UNC Center for Public Service and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce… The event will take place next Friday from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the pit on the campus of UNC.
http://www.wchl1360.com/detailswide.html?id=11647

Walking and biking raise health and fitness levels
The Medical News
Incorporating even relatively short bouts of exercise into a daily commute appears to deliver significant rewards, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill…And men who walk or bike have lower obesity rates as well as healthier triglyceride levels, blood pressure and insulin levels, said study author Penny Gordon-Larsen, Ph.D., nutrition associate professor in UNC's Gillings School of Global Public Health.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090902/Walking-and-biking-raise-health-and-fitness-levels.aspx

Bus route gets warm reception
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Chapel Hill Transit officials don’t have hard numbers yet, but say the new public bus route from Pittsboro to Chapel Hill has been well-received. The “Chatham County Express,” as the new route has been dubbed, began Aug. 24 and was created to reduce the need for residents of Pittsboro and other parts of Chatham County to have to drive their cars into parking-challenged Chapel Hill. ...Chatham residents who work at UNC and UNC Hospitals are expected to be the primary beneficiaries of the new services. About 30 percent of the university’s and hospital’s employees live in Chatham and Alamance counties.
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Bus+route+gets+warm+reception%20&id=3487588-Bus+route+gets+warm+reception

UNC study: Rogers Road wells tainted
The Carrboro Citizen
Just weeks after being told their neighborhood wouldn’t qualify for a federal improvement grant, the Rogers-Eubanks community has learned from a new UNC study the extent of its well and septic tank failures. ...Preliminary findings from the study conducted this summer through a partnership of UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) indicate failing wells and septic tanks throughout the community.
http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2009/08/28/unc-study-rogers-rd-wells-tainted/#more-6859


-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/content/category/8/34/103/