Campus Reports

The One Bike Meter Everyone’s Gotta Get!

Julia — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:02:43 -0400

Japan has done it again. It’s come out with yet another new green invention. This one is a bike meter that records the number of kilometers cycled in a day, total number of hours at work, average speeds and calorie consumption, a built in google maps tool, as well as … wait for it …

The total CO2 savings made if the person traveled the same distance in a car! The CO2 savings are measure in leaves. One leaf= 1 kilogram of CO2 savings.

The Japanese company releasing the product is called Bridgestone Cycle Company, and they say that the “e” stands for “eco” and “enjoy.”

You can even upload all of your emeter records ono a site called the emeters web. This is a social networking site where cyclists from all over the country subscribe and discuss pertinent eco and cycling information.

You can get graphs and printouts of anything you want that the emeter is capable of recording, just so you can see your patters of progress. You can also compare your statistics with other people on the emeter web.

The meter only costs about US$78 dollars. That’s not too bad considering everything you are getting for it.

It’s also just a great way to see your progress on two levels: a fitness level and an eco level. At the end of a long bike ride, you can actually see how much you’ve saved the environment from CO2 emissions. It’s brilliant!

Check out the very detailed specifics about the emeter at Bridgestone’s website: http://www.bscycle.co.jp/en/news/080226.html. The meters come in black and white, like the picture. Stay outside cycling, and now record all of your hard work!

Attention Bargain Shoppers: Top 10 Green Brands!

Julia — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:46:11 -0400

According to advertising conglomerate WPP, these are the top ten green brands to be on the look out for.

These results are based on 1,504 online interviews in the U.S. and 1,525 interviews in the U.K. Do you think they’re accurate? Any others you would like to contribute to the bunch?

1. Whole Foods – natural and organic grocery store (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/).

2. Wild Oats – natural and organic grocery store, now merged with Whole Foods.

3. Trader Joe’s – specialty retail grocery store featuring organic and natural foods (http://www.traderjoes.com/).

4. Toyota – Japanese multinational corporation; currently the world’s largest automaker (http://www.toyota.com/).

5. Honda – Japanese multinational corporation, engine manufacturer and engineering corporation (http://www.honda.com/).

6. Sub Zero – the industry leader of built-in refrigerators, freezers and wine storage (http://www.subzero.com/).

7. Ikea – a privately-held, international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, bathrooms and kitchens at retail stores around the world (http://www.ikea.com/).

8. Body Shop – The Body Shop is the second largest cosmetic franchise in the world and has over 2,000 stores in more than 50 countries (http://www.thebodyshop.com).

9. General Electric – a multinational American technology and services conglomerate that is the world's third largest company (http://www.ge.com/).

10. Aveda – a company headquartered in Blaine, Minnesota, that manufactures skin care, cosmetics, perfume and hair care products, and trains students in cosmetology, and esthiology at the Aveda Institute (http://www.aveda.com/).

Curing Your Doggy Doo-Doo Woes … The Green Way!

Julia — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:12:05 -0400

It sounds strange, believe me, I know. But this stuff is the real deal, and it actually can be used on any pet poo.

The company is called Poop Freeze. Their tagline: Just frost and toss. You simply spray the product on the lovely deposit and it freezes it on contact, making it a piece of cake to pick it up with a baggy and toss it away. The process is pretty nasty, ordinarily, as I am sure most of us have experienced it, but this makes it far less squeamish.

And, of course, it’s CFC free! The can is totally recyclable, so don’t forget to drop it in with the aluminums when you’re finished.

Visit their website at www. poop-freeze.com. They even have pet music that you can purchase, and a nifty little bag so that you can take the poop-freeze with you on the go … for those longer walks.

They are shipped via ground UPS, FedEx, or DHL, and shipping costs for all retail orders is $8 per order. Not too shabby if you ask me. You can even buy wholesale if you’ve got quite the litter. Just visit the site and purchase away!

Worst Places to Live? Top 20 Biggest Carbon Emitting Counties in the U.S.

Julia — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:23:45 -0400

Top 20 Worst Carbon Emitting Countries in the U.S.

List comprised of the worst offenders based upon the Vulvcan system

This is a list of the top twenty carbon dioxide-emitting counties in the United States. It was created by a research team at Purdue University and headed by Kevin Gurney, an assistant professor of earth and atmospheric science. His project is called Vulcan, which is a scientific process that creates a kind of inventory of carbon dioxide emissions.

The crazy part – not a single region is left out! If you live in any of these areas, or even close by, start organizing and find activists like you who want to change these detrimental numbers! Good luck!

1. Harris, Texas (Houston) — 18.625 million tons of carbon per year

2. Los Angeles, Calif. (Los Angeles) — 18.595

3. Cook, Ill. (Chicago) — 13.209

4. Cuyahoga, Ohio (Cleveland) — 11.144

5. Wayne, Mich. (Detroit) — 8.270

6. San Juan, N.M. (Farmington) — 8.245

7. Santa Clara, Calif. (San Jose) — 7.995

8. Jefferson, Ala. (Birmingham) — 7.951

9. Wilcox, Ala. (Camden) — 7.615

10. East Baton Rouge, La. (Baton Rouge) — 7.322

11. Titus, Texas (Mt. Pleasant) — 7.244

12. Carbon, Pa. (Jim Thorpe) — 6.534

13. Porter, Ind. (Valparaiso) — 6.331

14. Jefferson, Ohio (Steubenville) — 6.278

15. Indiana, Pa. (Indiana) — 6.224

16. Middlesex, Mass. (Boston metro area) — 6.198

17. Bexar, Texas (San Antonio) — 6.141

18. Hillsborough, Fla. (Tampa) — 6.037

19. Suffolk, N.Y. (New York metro area) — 6.030

20. Clark, Nev. (Las Vegas) — 5.955

College Students -- Take Action!

akronheim — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:23:17 -0400

Students care a lot about the environmental sector and environmental issues. For those who not only care but want to take action, I have found a great resource. I recently stumbled upon www.campusactivism.org and have not searched anywhere for new topics since. Any issue you can imagine is here -- from fair trade, HIV/AIDS testing and awareness, LGBT issues, farmwork justice, homelessness, economic equality, racism, campaign finance reform, and the environment, environmental justice, global warming, and even the Green Party's issues.

In those issues, there's hundreds of campaigns to network in and work on like Greenpeace's Kleercut campaign, The No Dirty Gold Campaign, and even a Starbucks Union Now! campaign. You can help on these campaigns, hook up with people who are working on them, and then put your own campaign up if you start to work on one.

On top of all that, with the issues you're interested in and individual campaigns, you can put your network or group on the website in order to keep in contact with them and/or find new ones to join. You can join with a school, organization, or just small group of friends. I don't know about you, but I am excited. I hope you find it as valuable as I do. I've been looking for a website like this for a long time, and now that I found it, I will probably be on it all the time. This kind of connection makes it so much easier to accomplish campaigns. I cannot wait to use it next year when I'm getting petitions signed for Green Corps and beyond.

IMAGE: University of North Carolina Library

Recycling Shoes: From One Good Sole to Another

Julia — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Love ’em or hate ’em, the company that makes the infamous shoes is making strides in eco-directions.

Technically, Crocs aren’t green in and of themselves, but this year they came out with a line called SolesUnited. They are recycling old Crocs, and claim that the new line contains 20 percent of recycled content.

I had never heard of this line so I googled it and found the SolesUnited website: (http://www.solesunited.org/). It gets even cooler. Anyone can donate their old Crocs in order to be mashed up into these new ones. The website gives details and video footage of how it all works, so you should really check it out.

You can bring the shoes to a variety of participating retailers. That list is also on the site.

This is a perfect example of the ways recycling can benefit society on multiple levels. The best part: all of the recycled shoes are going to people in need. They are shipped off to non-profit organizations around the world.

Crocs has donated shoes to over 1 million people already. Their goal for 2008? Make it 2 million.

I’m totally sending my old crocs in – I haven’t worn them in at least a year. I suspect I am not the only one, so check out the website and send yours off too!

Green College Funds: The New TGIF

akronheim — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:55:39 -0400

After over a year of tough campaign work, students at UCLA passed The Green Initiative Fund. This referendum means that over $2 million dollars will be allocated towards student-led sustainbility projects.

The TGIF referendum has already been passed at both UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, and similar green funds have been established at colleges and other institutions across the nation. The UCLA fund allows students to apply for money to begin projects that will reduce UCLA's ecological footprint. Some potential projects, and examples of past projects include dorm retrofits, water conservation work, sustainble foods, and internships and research. This year at Ithaca College (my alma mater), students worked to get dorm rooms to be 1 degree cooler in the winter and thus saving the school thousands in energy costs. When in effect, that leftover money will be used towards green research and other sustainable initiatives.

According to the 11th Hour Action website, "Getting TGIF passed at UCLA required hard work and dedication from a small group of undergraduate students who worked together to write policy, meet with administrators to get policy on the ballot and legalized, fundraise for the campaign and to finally get the word out to students during the election! However, the large success rate of the referendum (passed by 76%) indicates that students were willing to increase their student fees for the environment. The students that passed the referendum at UCLA hope that students at our schools are inspired to pass similiar referendums at their schools in order to empower the student body to be able to start their own projecst to protect the environment and increase awareness!"

The increase discussed is something like a $5 increase to tuition. Again, Ithaca College is attempting to charge for the use of a shuttle around campus which would reduce our carbon footprint and open up parking. I hope initiatives like this continue in California, upstate New York, and all over the country. I'll keep spreading the word about TGIF and more students will introduce it at their schools too! Way to go UCLA!

World's Ten Best Biking Trails

Julia — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:12:57 -0400

This list comes from a travel guide that National Geographic released, called, Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips.

For you world travelers out there, you better get started...!

1. Route Verte (Canada)

2. Underground Railroad Bicycle Route (U.S.A./Canada)

3. Ruta Austral (Chile)

4. Munda Biddi Trail (Australia)

5. Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

6. Gran Fondo Campagnolo (Italy)

7. Luchon/Bayonne (France)

8. Route du Comte Jean (Belgium/France)

9. Land’s End/John O’Groats (Britain)

10. Cape Argus Pick’n Pay Cycle Tour (South Africa)

You Never Looked Better on a Bike

Julia — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:49:34 -0400

I’m obviously on a bit of a bike craze lately. I think it was all of the inspiration I got in Portland.
But honestly, how many people thought wearing bike helmets wasn’t cool, or attractive, or hip enough? It’s an excuse that didn’t fly well with my parents, but certainly a valid one. It’s a safety measure though, and is really important when riding on any wheels.

A London fashion designer heard your calls of woe. Sorry boys, this is females only, unless you would enjoy a delicate flower-print designed helmet.

Sawako Furuno is the name of the company and founder that makes the “cycle accessory and clothing label for urban female cyclists, enabling them to look good both on and off the street, without compromising their safety.” A fashionista and environmentally/health conscience commuter herself, she thought the diamond trimmed straps would be the perfect touch to these pictured helmets.

All of the helmets have Japanese-based names and come in a variety of colors and designs. You can order them here: http://www.cyclefashion.co.uk/. They are all hand finished though, so there is a limited number available. Get them while you can!

Warning: They do run a pretty hefty price, but all in the name of lookin’ good.

Biking was never made so easy before. They’re really covering all of the bases this time!

New York City all about Cycling these Days…

Julia — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:26:59 -0400

It’s about time for New Yorkers to get with the program. I was in Portland last week and their streets are devoted to the cyclers!

As of right now, an average of about 112,000 people bike everyday in the Big Apple. That’s actually an increase of about 10 percent over the past decade, but that ain’t enough!

The Department of Transportation wants to make it 20 percent by 2015. Helping them is Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit group that is largely to thank for some of the current improvements in NYC’s streets.

There are some separate lanes for the bikers, but this new initiative is hoping to create 200 more miles of bicycle lanes between now and 2009. In addition to that, they are creating 15 more miles of protected on-street bike lanes by 2010, and 30 miles from 2011 to 2015.

The lanes are important for safety reasons, and it gives bikers a bit more assurance on the road, just knowing that they have their own area. That being said, it is important that drivers are educated about their interaction with cyclists, as they are inevitably on the road together. More bike lanes is a newer concept for city drivers, so it’s certainly an adjustment to be made.

The proposal will also install 37 bike shelters and 5,000 bike parking tracks by 2011! These are really exciting plans, and to get things really moving, the Transportation Dept. is holding a competition to find the most bike-friendly employers in New York City. (http://bikemonthnyc.org/bfb)

Lest you forget, the New York City Five-Borough Bike Tour on April 4 had to stop accepting entries because it reached its maximum capacity of 30,000 riders. Perhaps New Yorkers are feelin’ these wheel. More power to them! Join in the excitement, wherever you live!