the cost and benefits of the going green movement

8/8/2019 The Cost and Benefits of the Going Green Movement

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1 | W r i t e a b u l l

Writeabull

Marco Albrecht

Dylan MayeuxJustin Weber

ENC 3250-792

Professor: Francis Tobienne

Friday November 26th 2010

The cost and benefitsof the going greenmovement


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary...................................................3

Introduction..............................................................4

Background..............................................................5

Going Green Today..................................................6

Save the Earth..........................................................7

Save your Health.....................................................11

Save Money............................................................13

Save the Economy...................................................15

It Just Feels Good.....................................................20

Conclusion...............................................................21

Glossary..................................................................22

Bibliography.............................................................23

Sequoia National Forest


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Executive Summary

The Going Green Movement

began in the early 1960s, at that

time Rachel Carsons book Silent

Spring warned us and opened the

eyes of many about the dangers of

releasing chemicals into the

environment. The 1960s were an

important period for activism and

all kinds of people supported the

environmental movement.The late 1960s and 1970s

saw the rise of the modern green

movement. On the first Earth Day

on April 22nd 1970, more than 20

million people across the United

States gathered together to be part

of activities to educate themselves

about environmental issues. In the

1980s the environmental

movement grew globally and

locally, recognizing that the best

approach to our use of the

environment is conservation for

future generations.

Going Green today is a

popular trend. The number of

businesses finding ways to go

green has increased offering more

green solutions to customers. It

has become cost efficient for small

businesses to go green but what

exactly are the cost and benefits of

going green?

y Save the Earth is the mainbenefit. As a group our actions

have done huge amounts of

damage, also as a group we have

to consider to contribute and be

part of the Going Green

Movement.

y Save your Health, goinggreen is beneficial. It can help

you live longer.

y Save Money. There aremany ways to save money while

going green.

y Save the Economy. We thinkthat this is the exact time to focuson going green, on green

technology.

y I Just Feels Good, to saveand preserve natural resources for

future generations.

We should be trying to make

an effort to be greener. It will not

only save the Earth, it will improve

the quality of life for you and for

future generations.


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Background

Beginning in the 1860s, the

U.S. government saw fit to create

parks and set aside wild lands for

public good. Yosemite was claimed

in 1864; it was made the U.S. first

national park in 1872. The

Audubon Society was founded in

1872 and Sequoia and General

Grant parks were established.

Though the federal government

had begun taking actions to

preserve lands, it was Theodore

Roosevelt and John Muir who

publicized and popularized

conservation. Theodore

Roosevelts visit to Yosemite in

1903 gained national publicity.

Then, the World Wars forced

environmental concerns to the

background of public thought.

While the environmental

movement continued to grow

rapidly and became instrumental in

establishing many parks during

these years, environmentalism as

we know it today was not a

concern for most Americans or the

federal government. After WWII,

environmental efforts continued to

be focused on conservatism of the

land.

The technological and

industrial developments of the Cold

War era and a series of events

fueled a new environmental

concern that went beyond saving

forests and establishing parks. The

Wilderness Act was passed in 1964

to limit the construction of dams

and other structures on important

areas and landmarks. During

these years the Environmental

Protection Agency was founded.

The late 1960s and 1970s saw the

rise of the modern green

movement. On the first Earth Day

on April 22nd 1970 more than 20

million people across the United

States gathered together to be part

of activities to educate themselves

about environment issues. The

1970s saw numerous steps to

clean up the environment: the

Environmental Protection Act, the

Clean Air Act, the founding of Earth

Day, the banning of DDT, the


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Water Pollution Control Act, the

Endangered Species Act and the

Safe Drinking Water Act. Disasters

at the Love Canal in 1978 and

Three Mile Island in 1979 terrified

the public with the visible

consequences of toxic waste,

pollution and contamination. In

the 1980s the environmental

movement grew globally and

locally, recognizing that the best

approach to our use of the

environment is conservation for

future generations. Also, the

1980s were plagued with oil spills

and while there was continued

significant environmental

opposition from the industry sectoragainst environmentalism, the

various Acts were not overturned.

The 1990s saw the offshoot of

radical environmentalism in the

face of corporate mistreatment of

the land.

Going Green Today

Today, going green is sort of

a popular trend. Being green has

become the cool and fashionable

thing to do. The green trend has

integrated itself into everything

from clothing and accessories to

businesses who want to keep up

with the times. Even the smallest

steps taken can have a huge

impact. Many steps can actually

save money and increase revenue

in businesses, making it a key tool

for businesses. Also, this increases

the number of businesses finding

ways to go green, offering more

green solutions to customers. From

offering direct deposit to save on

gas for bank trips and printed

paychecks, to using green products

around the workplace, it hasbecome so easy and even cost

efficient for small businesses to go

green. It even attracts more

clients. Green businesses have

become a huge circle of increased

revenue. In the news and media

today you see stories that relate tothe global warming and our effects

on the earth but what exactly are

the benefits of going green?


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These are the top benefits of going

green:

Save the Earth:

This benefit is the overall

point of the going green

movement. Saving the Earth is the

biggest benefit of going green.

While our collective actions have

done huge amounts of damage to

our planet, it is those same

collective actions that can save it.

Since the industrial

revolution the gradual increase in

temperature of the Earths surface

has worsened. Over the past two

decades the effect has become

more marked. Considerable

evidence exists that most of the

warming has been caused by

human activities. We have altered

the chemical composition of the

atmosphere through a build-up of

greenhouse gases (primarily

carbon dioxide, methane, and

nitrous oxide). If we do nothing,

rising global temperatures will

cause sea levels to rise and alter

local climate conditions, affecting

forests, crop yields, and water

supplies. It may also affect human

health, animals, and many types of

ecosystems. Deserts may expand

and some of our countryside may

be permanently altered.


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A recent article online stated:

Scientists say some whale species

off the Mexican coast are showing

a sign of severe sunburn that may

be caused by the damaged ozone

layers decreased ability to block

ultraviolet radiation. Photographs

were taken of the whales to chart

any visible damage, and small

samples were collected to examine

the state of their skin cells. The

beasts were showing lesions

associated with sun damage, and

many of their skin samples

revealed patterns of dead cells

associated with exposure to the

powerful ultraviolet radiation

emitted by the sun.

The study said the findings

highlight the possible perils

associated with the depletion of theozone layer, which helps insulate

the Earth from ultraviolet rays.

The protective layer has been

thinning for years under the

influence of ozone-eating

chemicals. While the emission of

those chemicals has beencontrolled, the extent to which the

ozone layer is recovering is still

under debate.


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Global warming is a phenomenon

that leads to climate changes,

weather changes and changes in

adaptability for all creatures in

their habitat. It leads to changes

in the living patterns of the

creatures, and in most extreme,

yet not rare conditions, leads to

the death of the animal. When a

large number of these animals

belonging to a certain group die, it

leads to the death of the group

itself.

So what exactly is the cause

of this behavior in nature? The

planet is undergoing changes and

the reason for this is in part natural

causes; however, some peoplethink that it is more human

negligence the cause of this

damage to the resources that

protect the surface of the Earth.

Global warming is a reality we

have to face; it would be great to

have a method that would reduceconsiderably the possible causes of

global warming.

Global warming has become

a growing concern for all of us. A

lot has been said about its causes,

effects and consequences. But the

truth is that landfills are filled with

trash, and people throw out

hundreds of items every day, from

styrofoams to plastics, that could

take millions of years to

decompose. All of these things are

having a detrimental effect on our

Earth and some day may make the

planet a very unpleasant place to

live.


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Going green involves taking

steps to minimize the damage

humans are doing, to live an

environmentally responsible life

and to make choices that will help

preserve the Earth and its non-

renewable sources instead of

destroying them. These steps are

a good way to preserve our

resources:

y As responsible humanbeings, it is important to recycle,

reuse and reduce what you can.

Buy stuff that is absolutely

essential. Many of us make the

mistake of not using products to

their full potential, buying new

ones. We can make a globalimpact by simply recycling and

reusing what we can.

y We could save pounds ofcarbon dioxide annually by turning

the thermostat down by two

degrees in winter or summer.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas

and is a cause of global warming.

y Switch to a compactfluorescent light (CFL) instead of

using a regular bulb. While using

only a small percent of the energy

that would be used on a normal

light bulb, the CFL also lasts much

longer. If everyone would make achange in their homes, it would cut

down the greenhouse emission by

billions of pounds.


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y Plant a tree, be part of theGoing Green Movement. A tree

is especially beneficial because all

trees are capable of absorbing

carbon dioxide.

y Encourage others to be partof the benefits of Going Green.

It is not difficult to make these

small changes. These steps can be

performed by anyone. Encourage

others to join you. It would ensuremore and more steps being taken

to make the environment a better

place to stay.

Save your Health:

Most of us are unaware of

the dangers in common household

cleaning supplies and pesticides,

but they all have a cumulative

effect on our bodies. From

switching to greener cleaning

supplies to eating more organic

foods, we can all take small steps

to positively impact our own

personal health. It is a fact that

going green is beneficial. The go

green movement can help you live

longer, the health benefits of going

green are endless.

Going green can improve your

health by preventing some of the

most common wellness problems:

y Prostate Cancer: chemicals inpesticides are connected to global

warming, as well as cases of

prostate cancer (which affects an

estimated 1 of 6 men). Almost a

billion pounds of pesticides are

annually used in the United States,

mostly in agriculture. This is one

example of how if you go green

you will not only benefit the


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environment, but humankind, as

well.

y Heart Disease: manychemicals in air pollution affect the

heart. Fine particles emitted from

power plants, industrial facilities

and cars are a contributing factor

to heart problems. Several studies

show a link between breathing the

particulate matter suspended in

polluted air and heart disease.

Researchers found blood markers

that indicate inflammation in the

body and blood coagulation

increased when the amount of the

particulate matter in the air went

up. This combination of chronic

inflammation and clot formationplays a key role in the build-up of

arterial plaque and heart disease.

The American Heart Association

estimates that more than 10

million people in the U.S. suffer

from angina. Angina is a chest

pain or discomfort that occurswhen an area of your heart muscle

doesnt get enough oxygen-rich

blood. This is staggering because

little things such as eating organic

healthy foods can prevent this from

happening. A recent study found

that a daily dosage of anthocyanins

found in blueberries can help you

avoid heart problems. By going

green you can also improve your

lifestyle.

y Skin Cancer: is another oneof those problems that are directly

caused by the harmful effects of

global warming. Global warming

has created a phenomena known

as the greenhouse effect, the

build-up of infrared radiation within

the Earths atmosphere. This

causes a drop in ozone levels,

which in turn causes UV rays to

become even more harmful tohuman skin. We need to go green

to help save the planet because

otherwise, the ozone layer will

continue to get depleted and the

abundance of skin cancer will

increase.

Alternative forms oftransportation, such as walking or

riding a bicycle are a good way to

reduce pollution. These forms of

transportation will automatically


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fluorescent light bulbs, instead of

regular ones and low flow shower

heads are perfect examples of how

you can spend money to save

money. Supplying your house with

these simple appliances will lower

your heating and water bills as well

as helping to keep the excess

amount of resources used.

A major concern people

forget to remember is the excess

amount of land we take up on our

planet. It is our responsibility to

make sure that for generations to

come there is room for more

people to inhabit the earth. Most of

these actions are out of hands

reach from the average citizen,major corporation and spenders

need to realize that the land they

are taking up for their businesses

and revenue is hurting the

environment, and somewhere you

have to stop the bleeding.

Another way you can savemoney is by cutting down on the

amount of gas you omit into the

environment or simply if you can

afford, buy a hybrid. Spending the

extra money for a hybrid makes

you feel better about your

contribution to the environment, as

well as you will never need to pay

for gas again and you will no

longer be polluting the

atmosphere, making it a win, win

situation. Of course there are less

drastic ways to save money such

as riding the bus, walking or riding

a bike to get around. We forget

how simple transportation is and

using our two feet for a change

would cut down on major pollutions

we are causing as well as another

growing issue in the United States,

obesity.

Although the economy is in arecession, now is not the time to

forget about the environment and

the national going green

movement. We can hardly afford to

spend money researching newer

technologies but in the long run it

will save money. The more andmore dependent we become of

other countries or governments

resources the more money we will

spend and the slower the process


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will become of developing more

useful and innovative techniques

for the future. Becoming less

dependent on these resources

remains crucial, as that is one of

our major concerns simply taking

up the majority of natural

resources the earth has to offer.

Becoming less dependent and

spending money on research we

can find more successful scientific

ways to continue to improve life

and the environment. These new

technologies could potentially save

our environment by finding new

ways to obtain oil for example.

With newer technologies of how to

obtain oil, we could potentially stopoff shore drilling or at least prevent

other natural disasters like the

most recent spill in the Gulf from

happening again.

Saving the economy and the

environment also gives you the

ability to save money. In arecession such as ours, saving any

money can be a big deal so why

would trying to save the

environment in any way especially

the shape it is now, not be a big

deal either. We only have one

earth, and it is every humans

responsibility to take their own

responsibility for their actions and

start help saving. When you help

contribute to saving the

environment and going green you

save the green in your wallets as

well, thus it is a win-win situation.

Save the Economy:

As our economy is currently

in a nasty recession, some people

claim that this is not a good time

to be focusing on going green. We

think this is the exact time we

should be focusing on going green,

on green technology in particular.

The U.S. has always been an

innovator and its part of what has

kept America as a world economic

power Another side benefit of

developing greener technology is

that it will also lessen the

dependence on foreign oil.

USF is becoming a leader in

environmental and green sciences,

from lead research into oils affects


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on marine life and cycles to a new

college based around

sustainability. Dr. Christian Wells,

director of USFs office of

sustainability, has participated in

ground breaking research

throughout southern America and

has written six books, all focused

on socio-natural systems and how

they live with the environment. His

website states he teaches a

number of courses that integrate

these lines of research, including a

graduate seminar in Economic

Anthropology, undergraduate

seminars in Sustainability and Soil

and Culture, and courses in

Archaeology, MesoamericanArchaeology, Quantitative Methods,

and Advanced Quantitative

Methods.(1. Uweb, ECWells)

Why is it important for

Universities and Community

Colleges to teach environmental

and green energy sciences? Dr.Wells stated The world is

changing; the only way to keep up

is through investigative science

focusing on the environment.

Every day, Earths ecosystems,

populations, and species evolve,

changing environments for the

short and long-term. In able to

keep up with our changing planet,

we must investigate and create

new sciences to explain the

physical world and inevitably

evolve with it. USF has created

initiatives to lower campus carbon

footprints and create more

opportunity for students to enter

environmental science careers by

offering degrees and a new office

that offers multiple certifications,

primarily in water purification

sciences. USF had also contributed

research in 2009 into carbonfootprints, which was used in

development of a plane by Boeing.

(Interview) When asked if he

believed that USF is becoming a

leading institution in relevant

sciences, he replied Yes, USF is

leading in terms of research anddedication because our location

allows us to have easy access to

samples; we are leading in science

based on water research.


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What do you say to the idea

that humanity barely affects the

climate and in fact it is nothing

more than a natural earth climate

phase; if true, is there still reason

to investigate more efficient

energies? Dr. Wells replied: It is

still important to find alternative

energies either way because

economic success is derived from

such an investment. The affect on

the economy of USF to be

environmentally conscience could

be astronomical. The campus and

surrounding cities economic

success depends partially in

keeping up with the rest of the

world in research anddevelopment. Will the

Sustainabull initiative eventually

save USF money? Dr. Wells

Absolutely, when USF is 3.5 billion

of Floridas economy, it makes a

difference economically to the

entire state.

Over the past three years,

Florida has seen a devastating

economical plague surge through

the state, with unemployment sky

rocketing to the highest rate ever

of 12%, according to Google

public data profile of Florida. With

massive problems arising in our

economy and resource depletion,

we find there is only one option for

Florida to revive its economy, go

green.


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Society and Management

Information Services, a

Washington D.C. economic

research firm, documents that the

renewable energy and energy

efficiency industries represented

more than 9 million jobs and

$1,045 billion in U.S. revenue in

2007. The renewable energy

industry grew three times as fast

as the U.S. economy, with the

solar thermal, photovoltaic,

biodiesel, and ethanol sectors

leading the way, each with 25%+

annual revenue growth. By 2030,

they forecast as many as 37 million

jobs from renewable energy and

energy efficiency. If we are

heading towards a future of

sustainability and green collared

jobs, we should invest now, so to

have a well formed infrastructure

in the future. This will lay a base

for scientific innovation in the

future; assuring our children will

have opportunities in the

sustainable sciences.

Renewable Energy Solar Panels


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It Just Feels Good:

Because is the right thing to

do. Going green is the right thing

to do for yourself, your family,

loved ones and everyone on Earth.

Most people start off small and

work their way up. If that is what

works, its perfect. There are

many ways to save and preserve

natural resources for future

generations. Going green does not

have to mean being one hundred

percent plant conscious all the

time.

Start simple:

y Save on electricity. Turn offthe light when you are not in theroom. This one act is so easy; this

is a great way to save energy.

y Saving water is another wayof going green. A simple way is to

make sure that all faucets are

turned off completely after every

use.

y Take your efforts to the workplace. Start by car pooling. Then,

at the work place, try to get a few

recycling receptacles. Many people

are conscientious about recycling

at home; the same people often

neglect this duty at work.


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Conclusion:

We should be trying to be

greener it just makes sense. Its

good for the Earth, good for our

health, good for the wallet, etc,

etc. You will see that everyone is

trying to make an effort to go

green, to be greener. Why not

take that extra 10 seconds to

recycle that can or bottle and enjoy

that little feeling that you are doing

the right thing? If you cannot find

the encouragement to go green for

yourself, than try doing it for

someone else. We all inhabit the

same Earth drink the same waters

and eat the same foods all deriving

from resources given to us. It is

our responsibility as human beings

to make sure that these resources

are replenished for future

generations to come. Even if the

benefits of going green do not

seem relevant to you, they are to a

majority of people in the world and

you can help a hand rather than

harm our world. In the end, just

remember that going green will not

only save the Earth but it will also

improve your quality of life and

provide many other benefits as

well.


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Glossary

Angina- a chest pain or discomfort that occurs when an area of your heart

muscle doesnt get enough oxygen-rich blood.

Carbon footprint- the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions

caused by an organization, event, product or person.

DDT- (from its trivial name, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is one of the

most well-known synthetic pesticides.

Going Green- dedicated to finding solutions for the sustainability of the

planet

Environmentalism- a movement to preserve the health of Earth and its

ecosystems.

Renewable resource- replaced by natural processes.

Socio-natural systems- Natural social order created in animal

environments, especially humans.

Sustainability- the capacity to endure.

Ultraviolet light- is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter

than that of visible light.


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Annotated Bibliography

Going green is more than just a feel good slogan these days, is all

over the news. These are some of the sources that guided us for a solutionto the widespread acknowledgement of an ecological crisis in our planet.

These sources help us describe The costs and benefits of the going green

movement.

Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Ecology Movement: Going Green,

Environmentalism, Issues, Society. Internet:

August 15th 2010,

online.

This encyclopedia selection offers information on the background and

contemporary manifestations of the global ecology movement that is based

on environmental protection. It informs that there was ozone depletion and

deforestation in the 90s, and now climate change and global warming are

the biggest concern for many. It relates to sustainable development and

sustainability.

WebEcoist, website. A Brief History of the Modern Green Movement in

America: Going Green, Environmentalism. Internet: WebEcoist 2006-2009 Webist Media, online.

This website selection informs the beginning of the green movement, the

roots of environmentalism, the pragmatist era, conservation and

catastrophe, activism and the new environmentalism. It refers to the fact

that more and more people now recycle, compost, go organic, grow

gardens and understand the connection between saving money, improving

health and helping the environment.

Going Green Hints, Website. Benefits of Going Green: Going Green,

Environmentalism, Issues, Society. Internet:


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This website gives relevant information about the benefits of going green

today. It relates to issues like recycling, saving the earth, saving money,

saving the economy, etc.

University of South Florida - Office of Sustainability."U

niversity of SouthFlorida - A Metropolitan Research IUniversity, with 4 Campuses Located

in Central Florida. University of South FL, 2007. Web. 07 Nov. 2010.

.

USF has provided a website that lays out its initiatives, focused particularly

on sustainability for USF. On the site itself, information about the people

who run and contribute to the program, academia (research and courses),

and general information about the programs history all exists.

"USF Going Green with Dr. Wells." Telephone interview. 30 Oct. 2010.

Dr. Wells has been appointed as the founding director of the office of

sustainability at USF. I decided to interview him because he is very well

educated and has been all over the world studying various sciences. Over

the past 15 years, he has undertaken field research in Honduras,

Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico with funding from the National Science

Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the National Geographic Society,

and other agencies. At USF, he teaches a number of courses that integrate

these lines of research, including a graduate seminar in Economic

Anthropology, undergraduate seminars in Sustainability and Soil and

Culture, and courses in Archaeology, Mesoamerican Archaeology,

Quantitative Methods, and Advanced Quantitative Methods.

Green, Kenneth. Global Warming: Understanding the Debate Over Global

Warming. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. 2002. Book.

This book uses a debate approach to relate to the global warming, the

evidence of the global warming and the primary suspects of the greenhouse

gases.


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Goldfarb, Theodore D. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial

Environmental Issues. Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1999.

Book.

This book refers to environmental protection, the future of the worldsecosystems, recycling and the control of environmental problems.

Haddock, Patricia. Environmental Time Bomb: Our Threatened Planet.

Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. 2000. Book.

This source refers to Going Green: the environmental movement,

pollution, climate changes and global warming that threatens the Earth.

the cost and benefits of the going green movement

Documents