Bonaventurers: Environmental Change at SBU
environmentalchange
Environmental
Awareness and Activism
St. Bonaventure University has yet to
become "green". There are many technologies that promote better harmony
with the earth that could be implemented to improve conditions and many
environmentally friendly products that each person can choose to use to
make a direct difference. SBU is blessed with a
beautiful scenic campus and extended campus at Mt. Irenaeus, and it is
wonderful that students connect with nature and
are grateful for the things that our sceneries offer. Nature is a
wonderful gift from God, and we are challenged to be stewards of the
earth, which implies action. We are called to be animated with
love for our environment: for our ecosystems, each other, and our
posterity. As our environment provides for us, so we mutually care for
it. We can contribute to solutions to environmental problems through
small choices by many individuals. SBU can "Think Globally and Act
Locally" by implementing sounder envionmental policies and embracing
sustainable products.
Environmental
Progress at SBU
SBU made environmental progress by
installing CFL
lights in a lot of buildings, installing geothermal heating in Hopkins
Hall and
De La Roche, and through cutting down on waste at the Hickey by
switching to ketchup/mustard dispensers rather than use plastic
bottles. These changes are a small percent of what SBU can do as a
community. Adopting better policies and environmentally friendly
equipment has become a priority at SBU, which has been reflected in the
creation of a "Greening" committee. Changes will be made much more
swiftly if the student body and faculty alike recognize the need for
better environmental choices and respond by persuading each other to
act. If environmental care is recognized as a value of each person,
change will naturally ensue. The following are plans for how we aim to
do this, which anyone can add their ideas to and start to work towards
putting into action.
Steps
Towards Environmental Change
(Adapted from http://www.greenschools.net/7StepstoaGreenSchool.htm):
I. Form Environmental Committee
A. Consists of various Students, Faculty, Staff, etc.
B. Coordinates Projects, makes suggestions to
decision-makers, facilitates action/communication among student body
C. Will this be an SGA Club? Combine/Transform
Recycling Club into this?
II. Set Goals/Have Vision/Make Mission
Statement
A. What is our Vision Statement?
III. Make School Audit/Survey of
Environmental Impact
Survey/Audit the school for environmental inefficiencies
A. What environmental impact do we currently have?
1. Food
2. Energy: Electricity, Gas, Natural Gas
3. Water/Sewage
4. Waste
5. Cleaning
a. How clean is Bona's?
6. Pesticides Used?
7. Classroom Supplies - Science,
Journalism, Etc.
B. How can we reduce this impact?
a. What inefficiences can
we correct?
i. Recycling:
Richter Center and Francis Cafe'
ii. Turn
lights off in general and after class; Memo to Teachers to do so
iii. Hickey
TVs at night?
b. What technology can we
take advantage of?
i. Compost?
ii. Timers
for lights?
c. How else can we improve
the quality of our environment?
i. Plants in
more common rooms, classrooms
ii.
Alternative Pest Control
iii. Green
Cleaning Supplies
iv. Cleaning
Day; Clean Places/Things not normally cleaned
IV. Gather Monies for Change
A. Donations
B. Grab from budgets
C. SGA Charter the group as a student group
D. Fund Raise
1. Collect Cans/Tabs
2. Tables during Basketball
games; Sell Eco-friendly things
V. Use Monies for Change
A. On Plants/Trees/Shrubs
B. On More Recycling Units
VI. Set Goals that will challenge
students and give them a sense of empowerment and accomplishment
A.
What Goals do we have?
1. Short Term
2. Long Term
VII. Monitor and Evaluate
Progress
A. How did we succeed? How could we have
done better?
B. Compare
the Savings and Changes to the Past Numbers/Methods
C. Set New Goal
VIII. Integrate Greening into
the Curriculum - University 101 or Intellectual Journey or University
Forum
A. Focus on Action, not just Theory
B. Suggest Concrete Actions Individuals Can Take
IX. Celebrate Accomplishments
A. BonaFire!
B. Organic Banquet
C. Gardening Day, Nature Walk/Talk/Celebration
Appeal
to Faculty/Administration
-Economic -or- investment to draw new
students
-"Green" school is marketable to new students
-Better for our Health (More trees = better air)
-Aesthetic appeals to our sense of well-being
-Save in Energy = less coal burned somewhere (Carbon
Footprint)
-Our Responsibility to do what is best
-Unifies School
-Strengthens Community
Motivation
for Students
Benefits of "going green" and having an interest in
Environmental affairs:
We are strongly influenced by our environment. By going green, we
contribute to our health and set an example for others. Motivation is
knowing exactly what benefits you will reap from doing a given action.
Learning about alternative ways of living empowers us and allows us to
make better decisions. College is a good
place to learn about more sustainable lifestyle choices that can lead
us to improve the quality of our life and our community. It also feels
good to care for the earth and to conserve our natural landscapes,
because it shows respect for our land and maintains our earth for our
posterity. Environmental change brings about all kinds of wonderful
changes and challenges in our life that "fertilizes" who we are and
helps us to grow into more loving people.
What
we can do:
(Idealistic/challenging
ideas are italicized; Ideas
that have possible or required costs are underlined)
I. Recycling
A. Raise Awareness On Recycling
1. What is Recycleable?
a. Batteries, Cell phones,
Ink Cartridges
b. Paper, Cardboard
c. Cans + Bottles (Can We
Efficiently Make Money off Recycling These?)
2. Where to Recycle it?
3. It is Our Responsibility to
Recyle and Reduce Consumption - Our waste costs us money
4. How Does Recycling Help Our
Environment (Factsheet?)?
B. Need
More Recycling Bins - Richter, Francis Cafe'
C. CFL
Recycling taken care of? - Teach Students to Recycle CFLs
II. Energy Consumption Reduction
A. Suggest getting up earlier; less electric
lighting needed
B. Be Aware of Energy Consumption; Turn things off
when possible
1. Butler Gym
2. Oratory
3. Light at Security Entrance, Robinson
C. Timers
for Lights
D.
How Efficient is our Heating?
1. Plant More Trees/Shrubs/Plants
2. Green Roof(ves)?
III. Water Consumption Reduction
A. Take shorter showers
B. Don't leave the faucet running while brushing
teeth, etc.
C. How Clean is our Water?
1. Invest in
Filters, Water Coolers
2. Collect
Rainwater From On Top Of Buildings
IV. Paper Consumption Reduction
A. Teachers: Use least amount of handouts as is
needed; use my.sbu
B. Think before you Print
1. Make sure everything is prepared so
you don't have to print twice
2. Use both sides of the paper if you
are printing multiple pages
V. Goods Consumption
A. Try to do something with less
B. Do you really need all the things you have?
1. The less things you have, the more
time you have
2. If you don't need something, donate
it (Set up collection bins?)
3. If you have something that's broken,
donate it for scraps (Set up collection areas?)
4. Freestore?
VI. Food
A. Reduce Food Consumption
1. Take less food at first - you can
always get more
2. Take only the food you need
B. Compost food wastes?
C. Buy local or organic?
D. Encourage Healthier Choices - Eating =
Opportunity to Contribute to Personal Health
E. Where does our food come from?
1. Raise Awareness
2. Switch to better suppliers?
F. Grow some of
our own food; Canticle Farm + Hickey?
G. Vending
Machines - Healthier Foods, Drinks
H. Purchase Local and/or Organic Food for
Hickey, RC, etc. - Farmer's Market?
I. Buy/supply food in season
VII. Encourage BioDiversity
A. Put up feeders, beehives, etc.
VIII. Beautify Our Campus
A. Clean up messy areas
1. Maintainence
2. Next to Umin? Finish Library
Addition.
3. Recreate/clean up Grotto next to
Plassmann - Rededication?
4. Basement of Francis has old things -
Sell or Use Them
5. Zen Garden in
Francis (compliments tolerance of Damietta Center)
6.
Clean up Doyle Courtyard
7. Clean up Swamp Debris; have a
committee or group for keeping grounds/woods cleaned up
a.
Create community gardens - Gardening Group or Club?
B. Plant
More Trees/Shrubs/Plants, Create/Recreate Gardens
IX. Coordinate Move-Out
A. Make
Sure Students are Aware of Move-Out
B. Have Signs for various different things: Clothes,
Books, Miscellaneous, etc.
X.
Bookstore - More Sustainable Goods (FlossBrite, EcoDent, Soap Nuts?)
XI. Free Market Event
A. Campus-wide "garage sale"?
B. Host Flea Market?
XII. Abstract Library System/Network
A.
Network for books, share games, etc.
B. Library extends what it can lend that students
might need + waivers (bikes, puzzles, games, etc.)
XIII.
A. Alternative waste reduction strategies:
homemade toothpaste, popcorn, etc.
XIV. Keep Windows Open; Better Air
Quality
XV. Environmentalism as Franciscan Commitment to Poverty/Frugality
Action Plan:
I. Gather information from
Groundkeepers and Administration on Consumption practices/Pesticides
Other [Optional] Miscellaneous Notes and Questions:
Specifics:
Computer monitors use 60% of the energy needed for the whole computer.
(Source:
http://www.foe.co.uk/learning/educators/index_green_up_your_school.html)
Alcohol prohibition for 18-21 = More Environmental impact?
laundry detergent bottles - recycleable? - put water in them to get
more detergent, dump with load, then recycle
Walk to class instead of driving from Francis - do calculations in
terms of money, gas, and lost exercise that would help - walking is
great exercise for the body for anyone of any age and almost any
physical condition.
Lint Collection; Dryer awareness - removing lint before using dryer.
Use Ink with Syringe instead of multiple ink cartridges (Will take
financial investment, training, research - has fast returns though and
direct and easy to measure environmental impact)
What agents to we use to clean the RC pool? What better cleaning agents
could we use?
What do we use to Clean the RC Arena? Do we Clean the Arena Enough?
Use Reuseable bags at grocery stores; decline to get a bag when you
don't need it
Carpool for vacations; take as little home and to school as you need
A Better Dorm Room
Emphasize Organization - Promotes Mental Clarity,
less things are lost
Feng Shui Principles
Have Plants
Use Places in Room Appropriately; Minimize
Non-Sleeping Activities on bed, non-work activities at desk
Promotes association of bed with sleep,
desk with work, gets your mind in the mindset to do either
Leave window open frequently; ajar at nighttime for
fresh oxygen; not too much when its cold - sore throat
Choose Colours Wisely
Infrequently Clean - Once/Week?
Which natural resources do we have that we can share? Logging? Plan for
sustainable logging?
Develop and cultivate our open spaces on campus
What environmental practices around us are questionable? What
Allegany/Olean/SBU policies can we attack and call into question?
Responsible Consumerism
APPLY FOR GRANTS!
Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching
creeks and streams by up to 30%
Encourage/Sell Reuseable Mugs at Cafe' +Cart stand in Plassmann
Do laundry in regular intervals; get the most out of your wash so you
don't waste water; do laundry when needed
Roommates? Share a fridge, if possible; do you really need one in the
first place?
Don't litter cigarettes; it is unsightly
Give out plastic bags only if asked - "Do you need a bag?" (RC +
Bookstore)
Switch to a laptop, they use 50 percent less energy
Carpool/walk to off-campus events
Keep our security vans, etc. fine-tuned and wheels full of air
Turn lights off in doors
For the University - Consolidate Mailings - Go more through email and
do bills etc. online
Pack lighter items
Buy in bulk
Unplug things when they're not in use - Vampire energy
Don't buy bottled water - let's invest in filters or personal filters
Pick up trash outside, have a group dedicated to this?
Encourage use of rechargeable batteries; at library let kids sign them
out Network kids who have chargers
Use rags instead of paper towels; cloth instead of paper napkins?
Waterless urinals and reduce the amount of water flushed
Abstract library as a collective unit for conservation of goods and
being economical
When using your dishwasher, use the air-dry option instead of the
heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. If your dishwasher doesn’t
have this option, prop the door open after the final rinse cycle to dry
your dishes. Remember to only run your dishwasher with a full load
Do clothes on a cold washing machine setting whereever possible
Upgrade mowing equiptment
Eat less meat (meat takes up a lot of money/resources)
If you absolutely must water your lawn, water smart: water once a week,
in evening or early morning, no more than your lawn can absorb
(maximum: one inch)
Choose products with recyclable packaging - Bookstore?
Biodiversity = natural pesticide
Reuse goods
23. Plant a tree
Trees absorb harmful chemicals (such as carbon monoxide), give off
oxygen, catch runoff, and filter and trap pollutants. They shade and
cool, block the wind, provide us with nourishment, are home to a
variety of birds, mammals, and critters, and make boring places
beautiful. One tree can repay us for generations. For advice on
planting, pruning, and maintaining trees, or to find a tree best suited
for your zip code, visit www.arborday.org.
Use cold water to save energy
electronics recycling - people have broken things, we update, etc.
Adjust fridge/freezer temps
How environmentally friendly is the Rathskellar?
Umin - reuseable coffee filters?
Clean your furnace’s air filter monthly while in use (how's our boiler?)
paper that's non-chlorine-bleached (as well as recycled), and rBGH-free
dairy products
energy efficient teaching - chalk vs. electricity? Is either really
needed?
What is our environmental policy
no styrofoam on special occasions at Hickey
http://www.foodsecurity.org/farm_to_college.html
^ Food on campus
Because they order food in large quantities, colleges and universities
have big potential for supporting local foods.
In arguing for environmental change, mention the words carcinogenic,
toxic, etc. to clearly communicate that the change is worth the money,
and emphasize that it won't necessarily cost more and where it does it
is worth contributing to our health.
We have a Relay for Life, showing our commitment to finding a cure for
cancer, but there are good cures already out there - prevention.
Unhealthy ingredients typically used in school cleaning products
include: 2-butoxyethanol, petroleum distillates, chlorine (sodium
hypochlorite), ammonia, quaternary ammonium compounds, alkylphenol
ethoxylates and acids.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/104/schools
include low-VOC paints—the solvents in regular paints can include
benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, which can provoke asthma and
are known carcinogens or neurotoxic substances.
BonaResponds, Bonavoyegers, Recycling Club, and Service Fraternity can
be involved
Greening Warming House and involve Canticle Farm?
New ecological worldview
Biodiesel from our frying station?
Clean up from behind Maintenance
There is no such thing as waste; everything is a resource
purchase things in glass, metal, paper
Lights off during day in lit rooms; lights off when done in raquetball,
dance rooms Richter
"Everybody's doing it" - Positive Environmental Peer Pressure. Tailor
message to audience - shift public desire to energy efficiency
clean up library and clean off books you take out - how to?
Richter Air quality/circulation - plants in there?
Create Economic Incentives for Biodiversity
2.1.1 Food security:
The availability of biodiversity is often a "safety net" that
increases food security and the adaptability of some local communities
to external economic and ecological disturbances Farming practices that
maintain and make use of agricultural biodiversity can also improve
food security. More...
Table
2.1. Percentage of households dependent on indigenous plant–based
coping mechanisms at Kenyan and Tanzanian site. 
2.1.2 Vulnerability:
Many communities have experienced more natural
disasters over the past several decades. For example, because of the
loss of mangroves
and coral reefs, which are excellent natural buffers against floods and
storms, coastal communities have increasingly suffered from severe
floods. More...
2.1.3 Health:
A balanced diet depends on the availability of a wide variety of foods,
which in turn depends on the conservation of biodiversity. Moreover, greater wildlife diversity may decrease the spread of many
wildlife pathogens to humans. More...
2.1.4 Energy security:
Wood fuel provides more than half the energy used in developing
countries. Shortage of wood fuel occurs in areas with high population density without access to
alternative and affordable energy sources. In such areas, people are vulnerable to illness and malnutrition
because of the lack of resources to heat homes, cook food, and boil
water. More...
2.1.5 Clean water:
The continued loss of forests and the destruction of watersheds reduce
the quality and availability of water supplied to household use and
agriculture. In the case of New York City, protecting the ecosystem
to ensure continued provision of clean drinking water was far more
cost-effective than building and operating a water filtration plant. More...
2.1.6 Social relations:
Many cultures attach spiritual, aesthetic, recreational, and religious values to ecosystems or their components. The loss or
damage to these components can harm social relations, both by reducing
the bonding value of shared experience as well as by
causing resentment toward groups that profit from their damage. More...
Box 2.1.
Social Consequences of Biodiversity Degradation
2.1.7 Freedom of choice:
Loss of biodiversity,
which is sometimes irreversible, often means a loss of choices. The
notion of having choices available irrespective of whether any of them
will be actually picked is an essential constituent of the freedom
aspect of well-being. More...
2.1.8 Basic materials:
Biodiversity provides various goods - such
as plants and animals - that individuals need in order to earn an
income and secure sustainable
livelihoods. In addition to agriculture, biodiversity contributes to a
range of other sectors, including "ecotourism", pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics, and fisheries. Losses of biodiversity, such as
the collapse of the Newfoundland cod fishery can impose substantial costs at
local and national level. More...
To increase biodiversity:
physically diverse environment
moderate amounts of disturbance (fire, storm, sudden flow of water
[from a strorm] into a pond)
Smal variation in environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation,
nutrient supply, etc.)
High diversity at one trophic level, increasing the diversity at
another trophic level (many kinds of trees provide habitats for many
kinds of birds and insects)
An environment highly modified by life (for example, a rich organic
soil)
Middle stages of succession
Evolution
Factors that decrease biodiversity:
Environmental stress
Extreme environments (conditions near to the limit of what living
things can withstand)
Severe limitation in the supply of an essential resource
Extreme amounts of disturbance
Recent introduction of exotic species (species from other areas)
Geographic isolation (being on a real or ecological island)
Persuasion + Biodiversity:
Helps our food supply, air supply, water, etc.
Locally, we can experience more life and animals
need awareness of ecological/environmental literacy
Why is this issue important for your
audience? (Refer to the values and concerns.)
• What is the threat and
who is responsible?
• What action will
address the need and the threat? Give people something to do.
Why conserve biodiversity
- life depends on it - medicines, food, etc.
moral issue
lifestyle depends on it
inspires and enriches our lives (aesthetic cultural spiritual)
Who are the professors
here that deal with environmental issues?
Birdbaths
Cold, hard facts are
better than red-hot rhetoric.
Organizing a regularly scheduled event to clean up a
park; Make Conservation a Habit.
Food Waste
Demonstrate the amount of food that students waste by weighing the
food that is left on the trays and thrown away during lunch or dinner
at the cafeteria.
Trade Justice Day at her school. In addition to making people aware
of
the importance of fair trade, she brought in local vendors who supply
fair trade coffee and sugar.
Organize a fast - donate the unused food that would have been
consumed
Choose foods and goods that there is a decent amount of so that you
do not overconsume the endangered species.
General
How can we be more sustainable at SBU?
