Newsletters 2008 2007 2006

April 2007 Newsletter

In this Issue:

Stop Global Warming College Tour comes to Gainesville

Sheryl Crow and Laurie David urge UF students to get serious about global warming

Traveling on a bus fueled by bio-diesel, Grammy award-winning singer songwriter Sheryl Crow and Laurie David, global warming activist and founder of stopglobalwarming.org, stopped in Gainesville this Monday night on their southeastern Stop Global Warming College Tour. Governor Charlie Crist also made a surprise appearance at the press conference before the event.

The 90-minute performance, held in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, was aimed at educating students on the issue of global warming and encouraging them to make a personal commitment to join the battle against it.

The event consisted of a speech by David and brief performance from Crow, with time in between dedicated to brief celebrity skits and a question and answer period with the audience. David urged listeners to commit to four goals to combat what she described as a "global problem requiring immediate leadership from the United States." She requested that all students make a personal change, urge their schools to become carbon-neutral, insist on the country reducing emissions, and ask everyone to join the movement.

Citing extreme weather conditions, wild fires, and Hurricane Katrina as evidence of the effects of global warming, the audience was urged to take immediate action on what Crow referred to as the "mother of all issues." The overriding message of the performance was one of empowerment - that each and every individual has the ability to help make a change. Both Crow and David suggested the many ways that students could affordably make lifestyle changes, such as buying recycled paper products, unplugging appliances when not in use, using canvas bags at the supermarket, and not allowing their cars to idle. Every audience member was also given a free compact fluorescent light bulb on their way out, courtesy of Philips.

"Imagine the impact of small changes made by millions of people," said David.

Governor Crist also pledged to be an individual committed to change.

"We all have a duty to make a difference," he said. "We'll do everything we can from the governor's office to bring about wind, to bring about solar…to provide alternative energy sources for Florida."

Students were also presented with examples of precedents many other universities and companies are setting as additional encouragement that change is possible. Texas A&M is using waste kitchen oil to power their trucks. Louisiana State University is petitioning to eliminate cars completely from campus. Wal Mart has mandated its 60,000 suppliers to reduce the packaging for their products. The Indy Racing League is converting all their racecars to ethanol.

"It's not about sacrifice," said David. "It's about change and mind-blowing opportunity."

David claims that the world is faced with some of the greatest occasions for entrepreneurship and opportunity since the Industrial Revolution.

The Stop Global Warming College Tour, which will visit a total of 11 schools, is scheduled to end at George Washington University on Earth Day. At that point, David and Crow will deliver a message to the federal government that Americans want immediate action.

The tour is sponsored by MSN, Philips, and Elle Magazine and supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). For more information, visit www.stopglobalwarming.org.

Article contributed by Susanne Lewis

Also, see the Independent Florida Alligator article at: http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070417warming.php

 

UF Sustainable Products Trade Show

UF learns about a better way to buy

Around 300 University of Florida staff, faculty and students came to the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom Tuesday for the Sustainable Products Trade Show, sponsored by UF's Purchasing Department. It was the second event of its kind, and hosted a mix of 22 UF departments and contract vendors to the university, such as Mister Paper Office Supply and UF's new Flexcar program.

"The show's primary purpose is to educate students, staff and faculty about sustainable products like office supplies, available for purchase by UF and people's options for sustainable products for personal use." said Lisa Deal, UF's Purchasing

Director. "We want to start conversations about why purchasing green products is important and what products are available," she said.

Deal said she was pleased with the attendance at the event, which was a "big improvement," from last year's. She plans to keep the show annual and, in the future, host breakout sessions in which attendees can hear presentations from vendors, and learn more about how to implement the new Sustainable Purchasing Directive at UF.

Catherine Woodworth, a junior majoring in building construction, said she attended the show because it was relevant to the sustainability practices she learns in her construction classes. She said she thought it was important to educate people at UF about the green products available.

"Universities should be at the forefront of educating the community about sustainability," she said. "I like that (UF is) reaching out to show people what they are doing and what we can do."

Purchasing and Disbursement Services has done much in the past few years to ensure that the vendors contracted by the university are aligned with UF's sustainability goals. In 2003 it drafted purchasing guidelines meant to lessen UF's environmental impact by purchasing "environmentally preferable products whenever they perform satisfactorily and are available at a reasonable price," according to the Purchasing department's website, and now they are moving toward a holistic purchasing directive, which highlights the social and environmental aspects of sustainable purchasing.

Among other things, the guidelines mandate that the school will buy recycled products whenever possible, use both sides of the page when making copies whenever possible, and purchase products such as remanufactured print cartridges, Energy Star certified appliances and non-toxic cleaning products.

Hugh Davis, an account manager representing Office Depot at the show, said that policies like UF's are good for business. He said that more institutions are developing sustainability-minded purchasing policies, and Office Depot's green products help win them contracts.

"UF invests around $2 million annually in Office Depot products, making the company UF's second-largest office supply vendor," he said.

This is also a great thing for local business and the local economy since Mister Paper, a local company, has teamed up with Office Depot to be the UF supplier of their goods.

"UF is headed in the right direction regarding sustainability," said Davis. "It's a very good thing that the school keeps that in mind when they decide what products to buy."

Article contributed by Adrian Erlenbach

 

The Fresh Food Challenge

Area chefs heat up in a local foods cook-off - April 28

Some of our favorite local chef’s will take it to the kitchen Saturday, April 28th, with Bert Gill of Mildred’s Big City Food and Carol Deneno of Ristorante Deneno challenging Israel Karasik of Dinner and Frank Ruffino of Blue Highway a to a cooking contest featuring all locally sourced foods.

The contest was modeled after the Food Network's Iron Chef, a TV program that has a cult following among foodies in the United States. Like the show, the secret ingredient, which must be used in each of the three dishes, will not be revealed to the chefs until right before the cooking showdown begins! Also similar to the famous face-off, there will be four judges who will rate the food based on taste, presentation, and originality.

The event, hosted at the Fresh Food Company on the University of Florida campus from 1 to 3pm, is meant to highlight locally produced food and bring attention to the choices we make as consumers. The Fresh Food Company is one of two dining facilities on campus where Gator Dining Services has made the commitment to source its food locally and regionally. Gator Corner Dining Center has also made the sustainable switch to local food.

“I am looking forward to being a part of this event,” Chef Deneno said, “It’s a great way to promote local food and local business.”

“It will be a great competition with some of the best chefs in our area- my mouth is watering already!” said Rick Acosta, Assistant Food Service Director for Gator Dining. This event is open to the pubic, so come out and see whose cuisine reigns supreme at the Fresh Food Challenge!

 

Campus Earth Day Celebration

SG makes the leap to green on April 25

Student Government and Gators for a Sustainable Campus will be sponsoring an event Wednesday, April 25, to celebrate Earth Week. It will be held on the North Terrace, located between the North Lawn and the Reitz Union Colonnade, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Earth Day event will host displays by various student organizations related to sustainability such as Gators for a Sustainable Campus, Students Making Trade Fair and the Environment, Science and Policy Society.

Following the event will be a screening of Chill Out, a live web cast about campus solutions to climate change, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Orange and Brew.

If you have any questions, please contact Alison Erlenbach at alison05@ufl.edu.

Article contributed by Adrian Erlenbach

 

28th Annual 5th Avenue Arts Festival

A celebration of community and sustainability April 21-22

On April 21st and 22nd, 2007, the Gainesville Cultural Arts Coalition is hosting the 28th Annual 5th Avenue Arts Festival, a unique celebration of Gainesville’s African American culture.

In previous years, this festival was held on May 19, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Increasing temperatures have forced the festival’s organizer, Nkwanda Jah, to reschedule the event for April 21 – Earth Day.

“The festival has always been about community,” said Jah, “Having to move our festival up has shown us that it is important that the celebration also be about the environment so that our community can make the right decisions for their lives and the lives of our next generation.”

Ms. Jah, who works with the Environmental Ambassadors Program, Girl Power, and Young Gentlemen of Distinction in her role as the Cultural Arts Coalition director, has partnered with the Office of Sustainability and a number of student groups from UF to weave information about sustainable life choices into the festival. To help celebrate, environmental groups from both the Gainesville community and University of Florida will participate in the event.

Article contributed by Ashley Bittner

 

Walking the Talk: Panel Discussion

Exploring the gap between environmental values and behavior - April 26

When surveyed, 86% of Americans reported being “concerned about environmental issues.” Questions about how to transform these concerns into effective lifestyle choices will be answered during an April 26th panel discussion on the UF campus. The panel discussion is free and open to the public.

UF faculty members Les Thiele and Anna Peterson have partnered with the UF Office of Sustainability to invite national leaders in this area to participate in a series of events called “Walking the Talk/Closing the Gap: Transforming Environmental Values into Sustainable Practices.”

“With the dire consequences of global warming on so many minds today, environmental concerns are being voiced by a much wider array of people than in years past,” said Thiele, a political science professor. “Unfortunately, changing opinions do not automatically produce changed behavior -- translating attitudes into action is the hard part. We have to meet this challenge.”

The panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. April 26 in the Reitz Student Union Auditorium will include Michael Shellenberger, author of The Death of Environmentalism, and Juliet Schor, author of The Overspent American. Other participants will include David Diaz, Chicano/a studies and urban planning professor at the University of California Northridge; Jeff Bercuvitz of Community Innovations; and Lisa Wise, of the Center for a New American Dream, a nonprofit organization that helps Americans to consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life and promote social justice.

Gainesville Commuter Challenge

Bicycle vs. car race tests man against machine - April 25

Who do you think would win in a race: a car or a bike? Conventional wisdom would tell you that a car would win by miles. However, what happens when this race takes place in town, with errands to run en route; with both driver and rider having to navigate traffic and parking?

On Wednesday April 25, 2007, you can see the results yourself as a brave motorist competes against University of Florida Vice President and bicyclist, Ed Poppell. The race will begin at the University of Florida's Tigert Hall, and wind it's way to the Union Street Farmers' Market.

This race is part of a community celebration in conjunction a four day workshop of scholars and activists concerned with sustainability on campuses and communities nationwide. The workshop, entitled "Walking the Talk/Closing the Gap: Translating Environmental Values into Sustainable Practices," aims to explore more effective ways of implementing a variety of approaches to more sustainable living.

" This race highlights the fact that more sustainable ways of living, including ways of transporting ourselves, are often not only better for the environment but also faster, healthier, and a lot more fun." said Anna Peterson, workshop coordinator and professor of religion at the University of Florida.

In order to bring economy into sustainability, the race will highlight some locally owned businesses. The racers will stop at a variety of shops along the way: Deja Brew Coffee, Mr. Goodbike, FIA Clothing, and the Wine and Cheese Gallery. The racers hope to complete their errands and finish at the farmers' market by 6pm when they will celebrate with an evening of local produce, sustainable living information, and a musical jamboree.

Sustainability Forum

Send us your questions about campus sustainability

Q: Why does UF keep building more parking garages when it says it ’s trying to keep cars off the road?

A: The UF Campus Master Plan anticipates the addition of about 5,000 new students and 2,000 new employees on the main campus over the next 10 years. Along with this campus growth will be continued growth in visitors and patients, particularly in the areas around the Health Science Center and clinics in the area of the Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute building. Currently, the University provides approximately 24,000 parking spaces for its population of 45,000 students, 17,000 employees and untold visitors. Clearly, the ratio of parking supply to demand is quite low and will remain so.

To accommodate the transportation access demands of the campus community, the university relies heavily on its very successful partnership with the Regional Transit System that provides universal prepaid transit access for faculty, staff and students. Additionally, the University is continually expanding its support of non-auto travel as demonstrated by its recent collaboration with FlexCar and GreenRide carpool matching. These new programs are in addition to ongoing efforts to encourage and accommodate carpooling, walking and bicycling.

For information about UF's commitment to providing alternatives to single occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel, please visit the Office of Sustainability and Transportation and Parking Services websites.