Archive | February, 2010

Climate Refugees

By on February 26, 2010 in Current Events, Sustainability General

by Beth Gray

A new phenomenon is sweeping across the globe and affecting millions of individuals and their communities.  The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently announced that some 50 million people have become climate refugees, displaced from their homes due to dramatic climate changes.  As droughts, water shortages, and natural disasters increase in direct relation to climate degradation over the next several decades, scholars have estimated that by 2050, the world could have as many as 200 million climate refugees. 

The 50 million already facing displacement due to climate changes come predominantly from developing nations where climate changes are coupled with already existing war and poverty to intensify the situation.  The map below was originally published on the UNEP website and concisely depicts the areas of the world most prone to climate refugee problems.  Though predominantly a problem associated with developing countries, the map draws attention to the fact that no area of the world is immune from issues of climate change and the refugees who may need assistance as a result. 

fifty-million-climate-refugees-by-2010

… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Is Bottled Water the Best Option?

By on February 24, 2010 in Sustainability General

by Missy Thompson

There has been much debate over the commonly accepted perception that bottled water is superior to tap water.   While a large majority of Americans drink bottled water, studies illustrate the imperfect and often misleading picture water companies are painting for public consumption.

Most Americans believe that bottled water is safer than tap water due to more stringent filtering procedures.  In actuality there is no guarantee that that is the case. 

In the United States tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which is responsible for enforcing strict quality standards for public tap water.  Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The FDA interprets EPA clean drinking regulations and applies them selectively to bottled water.  While the FDA requires bottled water sources to be “inspected, sampled, analyzed and approved” there are limited inspectors on hand.  As a result, the water industry performs inspections internally and the current FDA regulations do not prevent those bottling companies from drawing water next to industrial sites, underground storage tanks, or waste dumps.   There have been cases reported in which people have become ill from the contaminants in bottled water.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 1 }

How Green are U.S. Teenagers Compared to Teenagers in Other Nations?

By on February 22, 2010 in Sustainability in Higher Education

by Beth Gray

In a November 2009 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, the publication offered a graphic that seems to suggest that American teenagers are not as “green” as teenagers in other countries.  Citing data published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD)Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the graphic shows that the United States ranks behind 21 other nations in terms of how green the nation’s teenagers are.  The implications of this information are far reaching, especially as the Obama Administration attempts to devise an educational plan that will prepare America’s young people for green jobs.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Little Changes, Big Results: How Small Changes in Your Daily Life Can Make a Big Difference

By on February 19, 2010 in Sustainability General

by Jennifer Lefebvre

New Year’s Resolutions are typically made with the best of intentions but sometimes fall by the wayside as the year progresses.  If one of your resolutions for 2010 is to live a greener lifestyle, there are several ways you can do so without revamping your entire life.  Maybe you aren’t planning to make huge changes in your life, but want to want to make some sort of effort to be friendlier to the environment.  It doesn’t take much and those small changes can make a big difference.  Our daily activities have an impact on the planet, whether they are good or bad.  Going green is not only about how to save the planet, but also about living in a healthy environment and nurturing a healthy environment for others.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

A Helpful Sustainability Resource: AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Perspectives Blog

By on February 17, 2010 in Sustainability Resources

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is an extraordinary resource for institutions of higher education that are seeking to promote a greener future. The organization’s website is packed with helpful information. The organization also hosts a blog on its website on which AASHE staff and campus sustainability community members “report on their work, on conferences they attend, and on ideas they have for moving campus sustainability forward.” With categories including Community Engagement, Curriculum, Transportation, Research, Financing, and Grounds, institutions seeking guidance for moving forward with green initiatives can find a wealth of worthwhile information.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Dewberry Provides Sustainable Design for American Public University System’s New Academic Center in Charles Town, WV

By on February 17, 2010 in Uncategorized

Dewberry Engineers Lisa McCauley, PE, and Laurel Dumene, LEED AP

Located on a Brownfield site on the edge of the Charles Town Central Business District, Dewberry has recently provided sustainable site design services for the American Public University System’s (APUS) new Academic Center. Once the decision to build green was made by APUS, Dewberry assigned a land development project manager, Lisa McCauley, PE, and a LEED® Accredited Professional, Laurel Dumene, providing a green design and site design focus to the APUS LEED design charrette.

The process of designing the site plan became one of give and take between the owner and the city of Charles Town in order to meet landscaping, parking and storm water management requirements.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

APUS Building LEED Certified Academics Center

By on February 15, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, LEED Building

by Jessica Stasiw

The “gold standard” in the eco-friendly world now comes with a certification.  Obtaining the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification is the top rating system for operating green buildings.

American Public University System (APUS) is raising the bar by constructing an energy-efficient academic center in Charles Town, West Virginia.  The university hopes to raise environmental awareness by setting an example with the creation of the new building.  The school’s goal is to achieve LEED Gold certification for the building which is currently under construction.  Such certification involves the measurement of water use, CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, and more.  The school anticipates the construction of the building will be complete by the end of 2010 and will be occupied by early 2011. 

… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 1 }

The Environmental Impact of Earthquakes

By on February 12, 2010 in Current Events

by Ashley Adams

Earthquakes are caused by the moving of earth’s tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are large masses of rock that cover the earth’s surface and are continuously moving either apart or together.  When these plates shift it causes vibrations in the earth’s crust, a phenomenon known as an earthquake occurs.  The magnitudes of earthquakes are measured using the Richter scale.  This scale is based on a logarithmic scale where an earthquake measured at 5 is ten times greater than an earthquake measure at 4.  The scale has no upper limit so it can measure an earthquake of any magnitude.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

SS Credit 6.1 Stormwater Quantity

By on February 10, 2010 in Uncategorized

By: Wesley Holmes

SS Credit 6.1: Stormwater Design—Quantity Control

1 Point

Intent

To limit disruption of natural hydrology by reducing impervious cover, increasing on-site infiltration, reducing or eliminating pollution from stormwater runoff and eliminating contaminants.

 

Requirements

Case 1-Option 1. For sites with existing imperviousness 50% or less implement a stormwater management plan that prevents the post development peak discharge rate and quantity from exceeding the predevelopment peak discharge rate and quantity for the 1- and 2-year 24-hour design storms.

MPj04372170000[1]When land is altered for development, the way stormwater moves through the landscape is fundamentally altered.… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Green Tips for Winter

By on February 10, 2010 in Uncategorized

by Jennifer Lefebvre

This winter season has already broken records in some areas of the country and with winter weather forecasts still looming, there are sure to be even more snowfall totals.  Even though it seems like a rough winter, there are still ways that we can be green and conserve energy while contending with harsh winter weather.

GreenerTrends.com reports on trends in sustainable business, technology, and consumer goods.  You can sign up to receive their weekly newsletter, Weekly Green Tips, for even more tips to stay green.  The following winter tips are from a recent edition of the newsletter. 

… Read the rest

Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }