Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC
Referendum on coal a success at UNC
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Seventy-seven percent of UNC students who voted in a recent referendum agreed with the UNC Sierra Student Coalition that the university should divest its $2.1 billion endowment from the coal industry. More than 4,200 of the students who voted supported the non-binding referendum. The coalition wanted to give university officials a clear picture about how students feel about the university’s investments in the coal industry, which the student coalition places at about $100 million.
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Thorp honored with first Nourish International Impact Award
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Over the group’s signature Hunger Lunch of beans, rice and cornbread on Tuesday, Nourish International presented its first Impact Award to Chancellor Holden Thorp of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The group honored Thorp, and co-founder Sindhura Citineni, as part of the celebration of its 10th anniversary. Thorp was recognized for his work with innovation and student entrepreneurs. Nourish International began at UNC as Hunger Lunch, founded by students Citenini and Joel Thomas in 2003. The students sold an inexpensive meal of rice, beans and cornbread and used the profits to fund a nutrition initiative in Hyderabad, India.
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Christie won't consider climate change in rebuilding after Sandy; scientists say he should (Blog)
The Philadelphia Inquirer
While scientists acknowledge that evidence doesn't yet exist to say climate change caused Sandy, they do know that sea levels are rising - maybe an additional four feet in New Jersey by 2100, according to a Rutgers University estimate. Research also shows that climate change may be making storms more intense. That means that, if there's another storm surge of the kind that swept houses off foundations during Sandy, even more water may rush ashore. All of this must be evaluated before the state rebuilds, scientists say. "How do you balance those issues, when there's intensive pressure to show that you're taking decisive action to help alleviate community suffering?" asked Gavin Smith, who runs the Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters at the University of North Carolina. "It's very difficult, but it happens routinely." Smith has worked on storm recovery for two governors and is sympathetic to Christie's plight. He knows that making "hazard mitigation" part of disaster recovery is "not as sexy" as repaving roads, reopening schools, and restarting electricity.
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Harnett County farmer uses hog waste to create renewable energy
News 14
Carolina
Farmer Tom Butler of Butler Farms, located an hour southeast of Raleigh, traps methane gas, a byproduct of hog waste, in order to create renewable energy. ...Most hog farmers keep the waste in open pits called lagoons, where the methane escapes. UNC professor Mike Aitken says the farm industry has not adopted technology to deal with this pollution. “We still manage most waste, including hog waste, in a way that we were dealing with human waste over a century ago. We have never entered the 20th century with animal waste management, never mind the 21st century," said Aitken.
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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.
