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THE GREEN UPDATE

“Sustainability is

another word for

justice, for what is

just is sustainable

and what is unjust

is not”

Matthew Fox

Theologian and

Author of

A New Reformation

Everyone can work together to make a better world and environment for the future.

In This Issue

Connecting Social

Justice and

Sustainability

Add Environmental

Issues to club events

How to recycle items in

your dorm, office and

club events locally

Social Justice & The Environment The connection between social justice and sustainability is becoming ever more clear.

Environmental catastrophes leading to disproportionately affected poor populations in under

developed regions, deforestation and desertification leading to less access to resources and

housing displacement, and the lack of consumer protection in the products have marginalized

populations. Working in the public interest with the pursuit of social justice and ensuring a better

environment go hand in hand.

Connecting Culture & Sustainability as a Student Leader When organizing events for the semester think about how your club can make a difference:

Do some research. Cultural clubs can create meetings or events about the environment and

geography their club represents and talk about current environmental standards and how

they affect the people and culture.

The environment affects the food! Clubs can have events centered around food from their

particular region and link it with how the environment plays a role in the food they eat!

Looking for any environmental justice issue? Ask a Professor in the ENV department to

guest lecture about it.

Environmental issues affect everyone. Find common ground on environmental issues and

collaborate with other clubs or community organizations

Have your fundraiser events be dedicated toward a charity that helps the environment

internationally.

Clubs and Organizations Being Green Fall 2015

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Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Every year clubs goes to BAC requesting money for decorations, centerpieces, and materials to help run

your club for the semester, but what happens to those materials after the semester if over? There are

many ways you can be “green” and reduce, reuse and recycle these items.

Reduce

- Update your club’s inventory.

- Tell IC what materials you would be willing to donate or recycle for other clubs!

Reuse

-Do it yourself (DIY) projects with old materials can help create bonds in your club

-Donate any items you don’t want at the end of the year to the barn sale!

Recycle

-Look to the next page (pg.3) at out Recycle chart for where you can recycle various

materials locally!

Local Issues Hydrofracking With the rising popularity of hydrofracking, large corporations are increasing their profit by expanding its territory. For example, Crest-wood Midstream of Houston, Texas is seeking to store several barrels of natural gas near the shore of Seneca lake. Crestwood Midstream hope to make the Finger Lakes region a “gas storage and transportation hub.” Why should this be a major concern to you? If Crestwood succeeds in efforts not only will the by products of the natural gas harm the wild-life who inhabit the surrounding territory of Seneca Lake, but the underserved communi-ties of the Finger Lakes region are greater risk of having poor quality water that will lead to compromised health.

The caps on your plastic bottles are NOT recyclable! Bring them to the IC to recycle them!

For More Info visit: http://www.wearesenecalake.com/about-inergy/

Purchase biodegradable products! Check IC bins for unused items!

Reuse or buy second hand! Donate unused items to the IC!

Get Involved Locally

Geneva -Roots and Shoots

http://senecarootsandshoots.org/ -Geneva Shade Tree Committee (315) 789-3101 -Gas Free Seneca http://gasfreeseneca.com/ -We Are Seneca Lake http://www.wearesenecalake.com/about-inergy/

HWS Campus EcoReps: A student volunteer group promoting sustainable practices on campus. Sustainability@hws.edu Campus Greens: A club promoting environmental awareness and action on campus. Sarah.warren@hws.edu Sustainable Foods Club: A club that increases campus awareness of local , organic, humane, and fair food while maintaining the campus garden. Pascale.grossnickle@hws.edu Real Food Challenge: Student-led campaign to source more local, fair, humane, and ecologi-cally sound food in campus dining halls. Jacob.fox@hws.edu and maggie.oreilly@hws.edu Student Farm Committee: A group that plans for the future of the Colleges’ Campus farm. Smeyer@hws.edu or farm@hws.edu Local Organic Food Today (LOFT) house. To build community through food while supporting local agriculture and healthy living. Sarah.volo@hws.edu

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Global Issues

Rainforest

Depletion

One environmental issue

that has stood out is the

degradation of the rainfor-

ests, particularly Costa

Rica’s Osa Peninsula.

Much of this deforestation

is a result of harvesting

and mass exportation

coffee, bananas, sugar,

rice, dairy, etc.

The constant exploitation

of the rainforest and the

constant displacement of

native species, not only is

impacting the biodiversity

of the Costa Rican rain-

forest, but it will impact

the lives of humans, giv-

en the fact that rainforest

are responsible for purify-

ing the air and our water

sources.

Efforts are currently being

made by the EPA

(Environmental Protection

Agency) to conserve and

protect what is left of the

Costa Rican rainforest,

but more awareness

need to be spread and

more regulations must be

placed on international

trade corporations to re-

duce further harm.

For more information fee

free to visit the following

website:

http://costarica-

information.com/about-

costa-rica/economy/

HWS students participating in the Seneca lake clean up which is held every fall organized by the Finger Lakes Institute.

Global, Local, One and the Same

Eating Utensils http://www.ehow.com/how_6468074_recycle-plastic-forks.html

Balloons Use Mylar balloons for a DIY project.

http://www.recyclescene.com/how-to-recycle/balloons

Candles Offer women’s collective old candles for the candle light vigils for

Take Back the Night

Holiday lights

http://www.holidayleds.com/

holidayledscom_christmas_light_recycling_program

Electronic Waste

(E-Waste) & Batteries

Visit the Finger Lakes Institute on 601 South Main Street or find a

container on campus

Eye Glasses Empire Vision Center (809 Cannonaded Road, Geneva, NY)

Mason Street Optical (738 Pre Emption Road, Geneva, NY)

Fabric The Geneva Salvation Army, Theater Guild

Glass Materials

Glass can be melted down and reused. Guardian Glass (50 Forge

Avenue, Geneva, NY) will take all donated glass

Pens/ Electronic Pencils http://www.pensforkids.co.uk/ , penguyart.com

Posters Bring them to print services where they have large recycle bins

Rubber bands Although they are not recyclable they can be reused! Or donate them

to the post office on campus and it will be reused.

Shoes and Clothes Visit the donation box in Demarest they will donate all items

Spiral Notebooks Always remove the plastic covering and remove the metal spiraling.

Tennis balls Most are made of two to three parts including rubber and plastic. They

can be recycled at Dixon Golf retail.

Textbooks Send to Recycletextbooks.org or donate to local library in Geneva

Yoga Mats Bring them to the gym where they have yoga classes

Got it, Used it, Don’t Need it: Recycle it!

Ghana, Africa, where women earn a living by repurposing and recycling material, also known as Global Mamas who aim to empower other women through entrepreneurship.

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“We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all.”

-Wangari Maathai Nobel Peace Prize and HWS Blackwell recipient

Planning your cultural event? Consider an environmental approach!

Contact the Eco Rep program at sustainability@hws.edu!

Check out these links!

NRDC International Environmental issues

http://www.nrdc.org/international/

Global Environmental Issue articles

http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues

World Watch Institute

Up to date articles on sustainable international issues:

http://www.worldwatch.org/

Environmental and International Films List:

http://www.ficma.com/index.php?l=en

Chavon Thomas

William Smith Class of 2015

Chavon Thomas, graduated with a Women’s Studies ma-jor, with a concentration in Eco-Feminism and Health. She also double minored in the Writing Colleague Program and Public Policy. While work-ing for Intercultural Affairs, she has been involved as an Environmental Representa-tive.

Office of Sustainability

Develops programs, events, and other opportunities for stu-

dents, faculty, and staff to improve HWS sustainability prac-

tices

Contact sustainability@hws.edu

www.hws.edu/about/green/

Finger Lakes Institute

601 South Main Street The Institute fosters environmental programs and practices.

Want to get involved? www.hws.edu/fli/