Friday, May 8, 2015
Green Tip
Carolina Serves “Food for All” as Next Campus Theme
All areas of campus will come together at a common table to examine food and food studies as the 2015-2017 university-wide academic theme. “Food for All: Local and Global Perspectives” will examine wide-ranging topics including food cultures and nutrition, food security, world hunger, agricultural economics, resource management, sustainable development, climate change and international trade. “‘Food for All’ is the perfect successor to the ‘Water in Our World’ theme,” said Chancellor Carol L. Folt. “With alliances like UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Global Research Institute and the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, Carolina can leverage its world-class resources to guide our focus on food over the next two years. Through this initiative, we can bring our community together to address this global issue that plays a critical role across many facets of our society.”
A multidisciplinary committee including faculty, staff, students, and community partners will motivate conversation and research about food-focused scholarship and public engagement. The committee will also encourage and support food-related activities, such as new courses, digital humanities projects, film and documentary work, speaker series, scholar and artist-in-residence programs, performing arts events and local and regional service projects. The committee will be led by co-chairs Alice Ammerman and Marcie Cohen Ferris, both UNC-Chapel Hill faculty members with diverse experience and deep-rooted interest in food issues and food studies.
Read more »
Don’t Ditch It — Donate It During Student Move-Out
As you prepare to move out of your residence hall or apartment, you may discover items you don’t want or need to take with you. Consider donating used items to local non-profits. The Department of Housing and Residential Education (DHRE), Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling (OWRR), and Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) are partnering to collect usable items from donation stations in campus residential communities. TROSA will use the donations within their furnished residences and will sell surplus items to benefit their non-profit comprehensive treatment and work training programs. Check out the “zero-waste” move-out guide for more information.
Off-campus students can recycle many items at the Orange County Solid Waste Recycling Center on Eubanks Road, or contact Orange County Solid Waste Management to set up a collection area in your community. And for a list of organizations that accept household donations, click here. Donations support local non-profits, reduce your carbon footprint, strengthen the reuse economy, and preserve resources.
Learn more about local resources for recycling and waste reduction »
Learn to Lead Staff Sustainability Efforts
“Making the Workplace More Sustainable,” an interactive staff sustainability workshop, helps participants identify, measure, and promote sustainable change opportunities in their work areas. Participants learn about sustainability goals and initiatives at UNC, become “green events” certified, and learn how to conduct a Workplace Sustainability Assessment. The upcoming, two-day training will be held Tuesday, May 19, and Thursday, May 21, from 8:30AM – 12:30PM, at the Administrative Office Building on Airport Drive. Register soon through Connect Carolina for “Workplace Sustainability 1,” space is limited.
Read more »
Carolina Recognized as "Green College" by Princeton Review
"The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2015 Edition" recognizes Carolina as a national leader in campus sustainability. The free downloadable guide, published in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), profiles campus commitments to sustainability based on academic offerings, career preparation, policies, initiatives, and activities. UNC-Chapel Hill (#31) and Warren Wilson College (#17) are the only North Carolina schools to make the top 50. Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon ranked 1st. Read more »
New “Climate Stories” Multimedia Site from the Institute for the Environment
Climate Stories NC, a new multimedia storytelling project, documents stories from North Carolinians about the ways in which their property, business, favorite activities, or way of life is affected by climate change. The project raises awareness about the changing climate. Read more »
Carolina Supports the Northside Neighborhood Initiative
Carolina is making a $3 million, 10-year, no-interest loan to help stabilize the Northside neighborhood. Located north of Rosemary and west of Columbia streets, Northside has historically been the largest African-American community in Chapel Hill. The initiative is a partnership between the University, the town and two nonprofits, Self-Help and the Jackson Center. Self-Help, a Durham-based community developer, will manage the $3 million loan to achieve shared goals of helping longtime residents stay in their homes, attracting new residents from diverse backgrounds, and increasing the availability of housing and financing options for neighborhood properties. Read more »
Colorado State University Earns First-Ever STARS Platinum Rating
Colorado State University is the first campus to achieve platinum status, the highest possible achievement, under the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). “This STARS rating reaffirms that CSU is a national leader in building a sustainable, environmentally responsible campus community,” said President Tony Frank. Carolina submitted its second STARS report in summer 2014 and received a gold rating.
Read more »
Apply to Attend the Appalachian Energy Summit, July 13-15
The 2015 Appalachian Energy Summit (AES) is the fourth annual gathering for the University of North Carolina Energy Leadership Challenge. Campus leaders from North Carolina’s 17 public institutions, six private university partners, and select leaders from other states will gather at Appalachian State. North Carolina students from all disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Read more »
Carolina in The News
Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC:
The Characteristics of a Comprehensive Wellness Program
There are many health and business benefits to a comprehensive corporate wellness program. Only 7% of companies surveyed in a nationally representative study offer what Laura Linnan, a professor of public health at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and head of the CDC-funded Workplace Health Research Network, calls a “comprehensive program.” Linnan, who is developing a new national survey of the corporate wellness landscape, identifies five practices that define a wellness program: programs are practical and accessible, the work environment is health-conscious, wellness is integrated into the company’s structure, wellness is linked to existing support programs, and health screenings and education are offered. “You have to have an understanding of what your work force’s health needs are,” said Linnan. Read more »
Thanks to UNC News Services for finding these great stories! You can find more UNC media coverage and stories online at uncnews.unc.edu.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
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