Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The Chapel Hill and Carrboro Police Departments accept unused or expired medications for safe disposal. Pharmaceuticals should not be flushed down the toilet where they can contaminate the water supply. Read more for Drug Drop Box locations »
Genome Sciences Building Wins Sustainability Award
The U.S. Green Building Council North Carolina Chapter recently awarded UNC’s Genome Sciences Building the 2013 Thomas Edison Award for Sustainability. The new Genome Sciences Building and Bell Tower amphitheater provide a vital link between north campus and the medical school and were built on a former surface parking lot. The LEED Gold building features energy efficient lighting, high-performance glazing, special concrete for thermal performance, integrated shading devices, non-potable water supplies, chilled beams in the laboratories, and a green roof. Read more »
UNC Sophomores Launch Electric Car Shuttle Service
Launched by two sophomore business students, Joey Skavroneck and Parker Draughon, Buzz Rides provides free, late-night transportation to UNC students using a fleet of four, small electric cars. Parties of four or more students can use the taxi-like service for rides to destinations that are within two miles of campus. The founders obtained advice from the 1789 student business incubator and investors funded the vehicles. Buzz Rides also provides mobile, interactive advertising. Read more »
UNC Charlotte Opens Football Stadium as “Zero Waste Facility”
Three games into its inaugural season, the new stadium has achieved an estimated 85-90% waste diversion rate. Guests are allowed to bring in clear, empty water bottles that can be filled at water bottle filling stations and concessions sold at the stadium are either recyclable or compostable. The only available trash cans are located in the stadium restrooms. Read more »
Duke Energy Proposes Clean Energy Purchasing Program
Tech companies with energy intensive data centers in North Carolina, such as Apple, Facebook, and Google, asked Duke Energy to help them meet their climate commitments by selling more renewably sourced electricity. Duke Energy submitted its Green Source Rider to the North Carolina Utilities Commission in November. Large customers will be able to purchase up to 1 million megawatt hours of green energy by paying a premium for the power. Duke Energy Carolinas owns primarily nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas, and hydroelectric plants. The Green Source Rider is expected to accelerate the demand for solar energy projects, which are falling in price. Read more »
Department Of Energy Dedicates Clean Energy Research Center
A new Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) will help manufacturers, utilities, and researchers overcome the challenges of integrating clean energy technology into the current energy infrastructure. Located on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus in Golden, Colorado, the ESIF is the nation’s first major research facility to focus on clean energy grid integration and wide-scale deployment. Read more »
UNC Publishes 2013 Campus Sustainability Report
The 2013 Campus Sustainability Report was presented to Chancellor Folt and the UNC community on November 15th, at the Campus Sustainability and America Recycles Day event. This comprehensive assessment of sustainable policies, practices, curricula, and behaviors highlights Carolina’s adoption of sustainability as a core value and strategic planning tool. Key findings include:
- Energy saving measures resulted in a 33% reduction in energy use per square foot since 2003.
- Investments in reclaimed water, harvested rainwater, and water efficiency have reduced Carolina’s potable water use by 60% per square foot since 2000.
- Two new laboratory buildings- the Koury Oral Health Sciences Building and the Genome Sciences Building- are certified LEED Gold.
- Over 330 undergraduate and graduate courses offer sustainability-related content.
- Expanded recycling and composting programs and a growing number of “Carolina Green Certified” events are reducing the campus waste stream.
- The first pan-campus theme, a three-year focus on “Water In Our World,” encourages collaboration and engagement to address the many dimensions of water in our lives.
- $778 million in research funding provides more opportunities for students and faculty to address the greatest challenges of our times.
- 25% of food purchased by Carolina Dining Services (CDS) is obtained within 250 miles of campus or is third party certified.
The full 2013 Campus Sustainability Report is available online through the Sustainability Office website. Please email the Sustainability Office if you would like to receive a hard copy of the report.
Clinton Global Initiative University
The Clinton Global Initiative University engages the next generation of leaders to develop innovative solutions to global challenges. The 2014 conference will take place at Arizona State University in Phoenix, AZ, from March 21-23, 2014. The final application deadline is January 17, 2014. Read more »
C2C Fellows Climate Action Leadership Workshop
C2C Fellows is a national network for students and recent graduates aspiring to sustainability leadership in politics and business. Interactive weekend training workshops cover communication, entrepreneurship, environmental and climate science, media, and other topics. Apply now for the Southeast Regional Workshop, March 21-23, 2014, at the University of Florida - Gainesville. Read more »
Agricultural Innovation Prize
Launched by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the 2014 Agricultural Innovation Prize encourages students to develop innovative solutions to food systems challenges. The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students across all academic disciplines. Apply by February 28, 2014. Read more »
Carolina in the News
Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC:
Report: Polluted farm runoff linked to toxic green algae slime in U.S. waters
The Washington Post
Toxic algae is the byproduct of the same types of pollution that causes dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay — phosphorous and nitrogen from livestock manure and chemicals sprayed on crops that spills from farms into waterways during moderate to heavy rains. The effects of polluted runoff are made worse by the changing climate, said Hans Paerl, professor of marine and environmental sciences at the University of North Carolina. “Global warming and intensification of major storms and droughts play major roles in the spread of toxic blue-green algal blooms worldwide.” Read more »
Green energy pays for itself in lives saved from smog
New Scientist
Switching to clean energy might seem like the expensive option, but it would pay for itself almost immediately, according to a new analysis. By 2050, 1.3 million early deaths could be avoided every year by switching to clean energy. From estimates of how much society values a human life, researchers deduce that new energy supplies should be worth the cost. "The work strengthens the case for these new regulations by pointing out the air quality and health benefits," says Jason West at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who led the analysis. 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.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
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