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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

With just a few small changes, you can make a big difference.  Below are just a few simple ideas that you can use to help make that change:

1. Save water.  Instead of leaving the water running while you brush your teeth or wash dishes, turn it off and then back on when you actually need to use it.  Do you really need to take a 20 minute shower?  Sure, it’s nice and warm in there, but even shaving just 5 minutes off your shower will make a huge difference in your water usage – and save you money!  Use a kitchen timer to keep track of your time in the shower to make you more conscious of how much time you’re spending and water you’re using while you get clean. 

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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. There is also an Events category within which the blog administrators share information on upcoming educational events and conferences. The blog can be located at http://www.aashe.org/node/2522.