Carolina Dining Services earned a Gold Medal from the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) for outstanding performance in sustainability outreach and education. In addition, CDS won the overall Grand Prize for Excellence in Sustainability for its Feeding the 5,000 event that demonstrated how frequently unused food products can feed thousands of hungry people. (The second annual, free-of-charge Feeding the 5,000 event will occur Tuesday, September 29, from 11-2 in the Pit and Top of Lenoir.) The NACUFS Sustainability Awards recognize and honor institutions that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in environmental sustainability. Carolina Dining Services offers sustainable menu items daily, including, but not limited to, “Meat ‘Less' Mondays,” grass-fed beef, organic yogurt, humane chicken and cage-free eggs, and healthy, delicious and nutritious vegan and vegetarian offerings.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015
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, September 29, and Thursday, October 1, from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, at the Administrative Office Building on Airport Drive. Register soon through Connect Carolina for “Workplace Sustainability 1,” space is limited. Read more »
UNC System Avoids Over $900 Million in Utility Costs
More than 425 clean energy advocates, including students, faculty, campus operations leaders, and university executives attended the 2015 Appalachian Energy Summit this past summer in Boone, North Carolina. The fourth annual summit recognized the efforts of the UNC System to cumulatively avoid over $749 million in energy costs and over $158 million in water costs since 2003. The University of North Carolina system aims to avoid $2 billion in utility costs by 2025.
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Carolina Installs New Solar Features
The FPG Student Union is now outfitted with a 19.8 kw solar array, donated by Strata Solar, North Carolina’s largest utility scale solar installer. Funding to install the panels was provided by the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee (RESPC), which allocates the $4 per student per semester green energy fee. You can see the panels from the top floors of Davis Library. A monitor will soon be installed in the Student Union to track the output of the photovoltaic panels.
Also new to campus are Powersol solar umbrellas installed near the Pit and at other spots around campus, including several residence halls. Affixed atop the umbrellas, solar panels power a charging station that offers three USB ports at each table. Take a seat and catch a quick charge on your electronic device. This project was also funded by the RESPC, as well as Carolina Dining Services and Student Stores. Read more »
BigBelly solar trash compactors were recently installed in high-traffic areas on campus including around the Pit, on Polk Place, and at the Medical School. These solar-powered, compacting trash cans and recycling bins increase the efficiency of trash collection. Each BigBelly station sends Grounds Services an email to let them know when the bins are full. Read more »
City of Raleigh Recognized for National Sustainability Excellence
Raleigh is the first community in North Carolina to achieve a 4-STAR Community Rating for national excellence in sustainability. “The City of Raleigh has a long commitment to sustainability with a focus not only on environmental stewardship but also on economic strength and social equity,” said Mayor McFarlane. “The 4-STAR Community Rating for national excellence is a culmination of the hard work and innovative ideas of staff and the community in not only promoting sustainable ideas but recognizing sustainable programs as a cornerstone of Raleigh’s future.” STAR is a sustainability rating system for cities, towns, and counties. Nearly 100 communities are actively using the STAR Community Rating System, with more than 60 engaged in the certification process.
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Clean Energy Forum
North Carolina policy-makers have been considering significant changes to the state’s clean energy policies during the 2015 legislative session. The Clean Energy Forum intends to put these discussions into context by providing an update on clean energy policies, outlining impacts of solar projects, and examining industry trends. Speakers at the Forum will include leading industry representatives, solar developers, state agency officials, and university experts. The forum will be held Friday, September 25, from 1-4pm at the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Please RSVP to swall@email.unc.edu and include Clean Energy Forum in the subject line. The event is sponsored by the UNC Institute for the Environment, the NCSU Institute for Emerging Issues, and the NC Clean Energy Technology Center.
Saving Pollinators at the NC Botanical Garden
Flowering plants, food, and our natural habitat rely on pollinators. The Saving Our Pollinators exhibition features 29 events, including workshops, exhibits, talks, and tours that highlight the acute plight of pollinators, including bees, birds, bats, and butterflies. Discover the importance of our pollinators as the NC Botanical Garden illustrates challenges and offers solutions to stabilize and secure their future. Events will take place from now until October 3rd.
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UNC Students Open a Waterless Car Wash
Students from UNC-Chapel Hill have started a business selling waterless car washes. "It saves 45 gallons or more per car wash, and most people don't realize how much water is wasted at a car wash," says Austin Helms, a student at the UNC Kenan Flagler Business School. Waterless Buddys will be opening to the public at University Place in Chapel Hill this fall. In the meantime, you can request an onsite car wash by going to their website.
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Local Sustainable Coffee Business Expands
For twenty years, Counter Culture Coffee of Durham has implemented practices of direct and fair trade with farmers, while selling wholesale to restaurants and specialty stores across the Triangle. The company, co-founded by Brett Smith, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler business school, chose to build and leverage relationships with farmers to implement sustainable and transparent practices that yield a better tasting bean. Counter Culture Coffee recently announced it will expand to the west coast.
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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.
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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.
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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
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Majora Carter Announced as Earth Day Keynote Speaker
Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist and social-enterprise pioneer, will deliver the Campus Earth Week Keynote Address on Wednesday, April 15, at 6pm, in Carroll Hall, room 111. Carter has redefined the field of environmental equality. She started in the South Bronx at the turn of the century and is now a leader in the local economic development movement across the United States. She is a visionary voice in city planning who views urban renewal through an environmental lens and with a focus on historically underserved and minority populations. Carter's confidence, energy and intensely emotional delivery make her talks themselves a force of nature. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Read more »
Make Your Voice Heard: Provide Input to UNC’s Strategic Sustainability Plan
To maintain its role as a national and international leader in sustainability, UNC-Chapel Hill is developing a Strategic Sustainability Plan to build upon the University’s many successful initiatives to date. The goal is to create a cohesive vision for embedding sustainability into the full range of campus activities, including teaching, research, operations, and engagement. The campus community is invited to participate in Town Hall meetings to provide input on current sustainability initiatives and aspirations for the future. Mark your calendar for an opportunity to participate:
- Tuesday, March 31: Campus Sustainability Town Hall, 12:30-2:00pm @ Toy Lounge, Dey Hall
- Tuesday, March 31: Student Sustainability Town Hall, 6:00-7:30pm @ Student Union, Room 3411
- Wednesday, April 1: Staff Town Hall, 9:30-11:00am @ Toy Lounge, Dey Hall
- Wednesday, April 1: Faculty Town Hall, 12:30-2:00pm @ Toy Lounge, Dey Hall
- Town Halls for a mix of students, faculty, and staff interested in specific themes will be held on Tuesday, April 21, from 12:30-2:00 and 3:30-5:00 at a location to be determined and Wednesday, April 22, Earth Day, from 2:30-4:00pm @ Student Union, Room 3206A/B.
- An open Earth Day Town Hall for all members of the campus community will be held on Wednesday, April 22, from 11:30am-1:00pm @ Student Union, Room 3206A/B.
Volunteer opportunities with our world-class consultants are available for students. Two to three students are needed to help with:
- Documentation of Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting, on March 18, 3:30-4:30pm in Graham Memorial 035. Photograph the Sustainability Advisory Committee working sessions and outcomes for inclusion in future Sustainability Strategic Plan-related updates and publications.
- Participate with consultant team conducting on-campus “intercept interviews,” March 18-19 Shadow consultant team during initial “intercept interviews” gathering student opinion on sustainability at UNC, and be trained to conduct additional interviews independently between 3/19 and 3/31.
Interested students should contact Amelia Aboff at amelia.aboff@burohappold.com or via text at 917-696-8677. Additional opportunities for involvement will be available in the coming months – for more information as these come up, please contact Cindy Shea at the UNC Sustainability Office at cpshea@email.unc.edu.
To find out the latest on the Strategic Sustainability Plan and upcoming events, read more »
To find out the latest on the Strategic Sustainability Plan and upcoming events, read more »
What’s the Big Idea: Food for Thought
The UNC Friday Center presents four lectures on food history, culture, sustainability, and regulation as part of the next What’s the Big Idea? series. UNC-Chapel Hill researchers Marcie Cohen Ferris, Alice Ammerman, and Barry M. Popkin will present research findings, and a special session with UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt will conclude the series with a preview of the new pan-campus theme, “Feeding a Hungry World.” The talks run from April 9-30, from 7-8:30pm at the Friday Center. Each session is $10 or attend the entire series for $30. Read more »
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 »
Sustainable Speaker Series at CCCC Pittsboro Campus
Students for Sustainability at the CCCC Pittsboro Campus work on environmental conservation and educational events. Learn about the economic and ecological benefits of the Haw River at “The Haw River is Our Home,” on Wednesday at 7 pm, on the Chatham County Campus in Pittsboro. On March 25, learn how NC Waste Awareness and Reduction educates and engages the public on clean energy at “Building People Power for Climate and Energy Justice,” also at 7pm, at the Chatham Community Library Mary Hayes Holmes Conference Room. Read more »
Bill Introduced to Legalize Third-Party Electricity Sales in North Carolina
North Carolina is one of only 5 states that prohibits third-party sales of electricity. Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, has introduced a bill that would allow renewable-energy developers to sell power directly to customers in North Carolina, bypassing the state's utilities. The “Energy Freedom Act” could enhance competition and consumer choice, increase development of renewable energy projects, and make the state an even more attractive place to work and live by contributing to a clean and healthy environment. The bill would take effect July 1. Read more »
North Carolina Wins 9 Good Food Awards
The Good Food Awards honors companies that create delicious and sustainable local food economies. Out of 1,462 entries, 14 different North Carolina products made it into the final round and nine were awarded the top honor. Picklers, cheese-makers, chocolatiers, distillers, brewers, butchers, coffee roasters and farmers across the state work together to make some of the highest quality food products in the nation.
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I-40 Pedestrian Bridge Good for Health and Business
Recent completion of the I-40 bike and pedestrian bridge joined the northern and southern sections of the American Tobacco Trail. Cyclists can now travel the full 21 miles from downtown Durham to Apex without having to share the road with cars. NC State’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education recently found that the trail’s completion contributed to a 133% increase in use. Many people use the trail to get to restaurants, grocery, and retail stores. Though the trail is primarily used for recreation and fitness, it could become an important transportation corridor as Durham grows. Read more »
Trial Treatment of Invasive Plant Proposed in Hillsborough
Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant that originally came to the US from Asia as an aquarium accessory, has been an issue for Orange County’s watershed. Hydrilla has several ramifications for ecosystems, including a disease that can infect water fowl. It also out-competes native vegetation, which endangers the habitats of many organisms and water quality. A statewide task force to combat Hydrilla found a chemical solution, which will be tested in a two-year trial with close monitoring before applying it to the rest of the watershed. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources is reviewing an environmental assessment for toxicity and the effects on humans, plants, and animals.
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The Guardian Launches Climate Change Series
In an effort to find a new narrative for climate change, the UK-based Guardian newspaper has launched a series of podcasts, images, films, and reporting to bring attention to climate change issues and engage and inform the public. The Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Alan Rusbridger, explains how climate change is the most important story in the world and challenges journalists to engage readers in a new way. Read more »
Register Now for Environmental LCA Workshop
Environmental life cycle analysis (LCA) is used in industry and commerce for gauging the environmental impact of a service or product. A hands-on workshop at NC State will provide attendees with an overview of LCA, and students will learn methodologies and commercial software. The workshop will be held from August 3-7, and registration is $1900. Space is limited. Read more »
Carolina in the News
Check out the recent media mentions of sustainability-related programs, practices, and people at UNC:
Startup Led by UNC Grad Brings Solar Services to Rooftops
A California startup co-founded by UNC-Chapel Hill graduate Alec Guettel is expanding to North Carolina. Sungevity is launching solar services for residential homeowners in partnership with Lowe's. The company offers solar equipment and related services, including proprietary estimating technology. Sungevity is a venture capital-backed startup and raised $125 million from investors in 2013. Read more »
New Discovery Could Change Sea Level Rise Predictions
Dr. Mike Willis of the Department of Geological Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill noticed something surprising while combing through satellite and GPS data: a hole twice the size of Central Park in a small Greenland ice cap. Willis and his colleagues determined that meltwater had been collecting in a subglacial lake until the whole thing blew out, sending the water out to sea and causing the ice above it to slump downward. The discovery suggests that water does not flow quickly between ice and rock and out to sea. Instead, it pauses on its rush to the ocean and heats the ice. This process could be important in understanding how Greenland will respond to climate change and contribute to the already 8 inches of global sea level rise since 1900. Greenland holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by 24 feet and its glaciers melt could affect projections of future sea level rise. Read more »
Study Suggests that Dense Development Would Harm Air in NC’s Triangle
New research from UNC-Chapel Hill challenges the idea that dense urban development is better for the health of residents. The study, published in the December issue of Risk Analysis, found that denser development would slightly reduce the Triangle’s air pollution on a regional level, but at a more local level, it would expose a greater number of citizens to “hotspots” of particulate matter, a harmful pollutant. “Our suggestion is not necessarily that density is wrong,” said Daniel Rodriguez, a professor at UNC’s department of city and regional planning and a coauthor of the study, “but that in itself, in isolation, it’s probably not going to be beneficial for people.” Theodore Mansfield, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. student at UNC, discussed the costs and benefits of city living. “There are a lot of great things that cities do,” he said. “But at the same time, the concentration of all those activities in a small space can have some negative health impacts.” Read more »
Lawsuits Challenge Agricultural Pollution
Federal lawsuits, supported by studies that link hog farming with air and water pollution, are challenging the livestock industry to change its ways. "Pork is cheap and cheap to produce in large factories because they don't pay for cleaning up water supply, and they don't pay for the asthma neighbors get. They don't pay for polluting downstream water that used to be potable, and they don't pay for the loss of property values," said Steve Wing, a UNC-Chapel Hill epidemiologist. In North Carolina, 10 million hogs produce as much fecal waste in a day as 100 million people, and Duplin County is the nation's top county for hog production.
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.
Green Tip
Spring is just around the corner! Consider starting it green. Mix your own natural cleaning products from water, vinegar, tea tree oil, and lavender oil. Plant the garden you’ve always wanted. Or start a compost bin for organic waste. Learn how at the Composting Workshop at the Carolina Campus Community Garden on March 18 (more details in the news section).
Read more green tips »
Sustainability Office Internships for Summer 2015
The Sustainability Office at UNC-Chapel Hill works with the campus community to catalyze the development and implementation of sustainable policies, practices, curricula, and behaviors. Interns will become familiar with the many sustainability practices and policies at UNC while receiving hands-on experience developing communication tools, supporting initiatives, and assessing sustainable practices. There are four internship positions available and all require an in-person interview. Apply by Monday, March 30. Read more »
Conserve Water and Energy on Campus, Win a Solar Umbrella
Throughout March, UNC’s residential communities will compete in a Utility War to reduce energy and water consumption. The community to reduce the most will win a solar umbrella charging station that can be used to charge personal electronics while sitting outside. The contest is sponsored by the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee and the Residence Hall Association. Read more »
Composting Workshop, Wednesday, March 18
A free composting workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 18th from 3 - 4:30pm at the Carolina Campus Community Garden. Muriel Williman, Orange County waste management educator, will cover composting basics and how to start vermicomposting with worms. The class will be held rain or shine and parking is available across from the garden. Read more »
Innovation Lab Offers Design Thinking Workshop, Thursday, March 19
ABAN, Ten Thousand Villages, and Tech Talent South will share insight and methodologies for business solutions on Thursday, March 19, from 6-8pm, at the 1789 Venture Lab on Franklin Street. The hands-on, interactive event is open to all.
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