recycling on campus: is it really happening?

From Sven VanBaars:

This week I saw an increase in stuff in our recycling bins. Way to go!! A number of folks asked me about single stream recycling and how it works. Here is a quick run down.

All of our bins are taken to the recycling bin behind the refectory. It is near the garbage bins, but is smaller. WM, our contractor collects this bin once a week. Judith Schwartz in her new role with the Facilities Mgmt team monitors when this is collected. It is collected seperately from our garbage. From here it goes to a sorting facility in Elkridge MD that serves the DC metro area.

Here is a short film on how sorting works. (if link doesn't work: http://www.alexrecycles.org/video/wmvideo.html)

In case you are wondering, our garbage is taken to be burnt. Less than 2 miles southwest of VTS is a tall smoke stack where trash is burned to produce electricity. It is on Eisenhower near the VanDorn Metro station. Both processes, recycling and power-generation, reuse what we throw away, but the process of burning requires that sophisticated scrubbers and filters be used to keep toxins from entering the air. It is just more cost-efficient to recycle.

Kudos to Jacques Hadler, Matt MacDougall and Patrick Greene for the questions. Kudos to Drew Foisie for bringing new energy to our efforts.You can help our process on campus be better by removing lids from bottles before you put them in recycling.

Be Green,

Sven

Sven vanBaars, proving since 1962 that light travels faster than sound.Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

more on MUST-READ article ...

from George Kroupa ... a response to the Sojourners article (see last blog post):

Here are current (2007) figures from the Barna Research Group:

“Catholics (59%) were more concerned about global warming than were Protestants (52%). The same pattern held true among mainline Protestants (59%), who expressed greater alarm than did Protestants with non-mainline church affiliations (49%).”

“The types of Americans who are most concerned about global warming include atheists and agnostics (69%), Democrats (67%), residents of the Northeast (65%), Hispanics (65%), and unchurched adults (64%). Those least likely to describe the problem as a major issue include evangelicals (33%), Republicans (38%), those who are economically downscale (48%), and those living in the Midwest (51%).”

America’s Faith Segments: Diverse Views and Actions Related to the Environment

(1) global warming is a "major" problem

(2) "absolutely necessary" to invest in environmental protection

(3) recycled product in the last month

(4) % of US adult population

	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
evangelical Christians	33%	35%	71%	8%
non-evangelical born again Christians	55	65	67	35
notional Christians	59	61	78	39
other faiths	62	55	90	7
atheists and agnostics	69	61	82	10

Source: The Barna Group of Ventura, California, www.barna.org.
N=1004; random sampling of adults, January and August, 2007

Although I don’t always agree with the Barna Group’s interpretation of statistical data they collect, the raw numbers indicate that when it comes to environmental concerns Christians have some catching-up to do in relation to unchurched, agnostic, and atheist adults.

While other surveys might produce different results, it is interesting to note these numbers in light of Laurel Kearns’ statements in her Sojourners article.

a MUST-READ article

thanks to bob braxton for bringing this article to our attention:

"The Green Gospel: Will Seminaries Equip Church Leaders for an Age of Environmental Crisis?"

by Katharine Preston, Sojourners online sept/oct 2007

an excerpt:

... THREE MAJOR STUMBLING blocks hinder seminaries from taking on this critical role of preparing new church leaders.

The first, prevalent in evangelical seminaries and possibly more present in mainline institutions than is admitted: hesitancy to engage in the conversation until creation care and eco-justice are vetted to be a) thoroughly scripturally grounded (that is, not nature worship) and b) distinguishable, theologically and operationally, from a broader liberal political agenda.

...

The second stumbling block—systemic to First World society, not just the church—persists despite the recent upsurge of environmental concern: a failure to fully acknowledge the moral and spiritual severity of the problem and the lifestyle changes needed to help mitigate the effects of overconsumption.

...

To avoid these profound theological, ethical, and pastoral considerations is to deny our responsibility to engage in God's work of justice and love of creation. To overlook the complexities of the conversation in the training of church leaders is simply irresponsible.

"Unless the seminaries are prepared to raise up effective leadership for this situation, Christians will once again be contributing to the problem rather than being pioneers who generate solutions," says David Rhoads, a professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. "To this end, every seminarian and every pastor should have at least one course that introduces them to the information, resources, and skills necessary to offer effective environmental leadership in their congregations and in their communities."

Here we encounter the third stumbling block.

With few exceptions, seminaries and theological schools have neither the resources nor sufficient individuals qualified to teach and lead them in addressing 21st century environmental concerns.

...

But the prophetic voices were often not heard, and today, vibrant, ongoing programs exist only at a couple of these seminaries and a handful of new ones.

Despite the church's historical leadership at the forefront of some social movements, seminaries retain a culture of dispassionate academic inquiry that often clashes with the call to advocacy. Without ongoing leadership, time, and resources, programs do not become part of the ethos of the institution. Success, therefore, is usually linked to the long-term dedication of one or two individuals.

With such persistence, a seminary can become a model for how to appropriately address environmental challenges and a vital training ground for new leaders.

2 local events - 9.25.07 & 9.30.07

Check these out! From Sven vanBaars, proving since 1962 that light travels faster than sound. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

EVENT: "Global Warming, Energy and Conservation" lecture by Kurt Zwally, National Wildlife Federation

DATE: Tuesday, September 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

PLACE: Alexandria Lyceum, 201 S Washington St, Alexandria 22314

CONTACT: Martin Ogle, Chief Naturalist, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, potomac@nvrpa.org

Part of the Lyceum Science Series, this program will feature Kurt Zwally, manager of Global Warming Solutions with the National Wildlife Federation, who will address the relationship between climate change, energy use, and conservation in society. Arlington County Board Chair Paul Ferguson, who spearheaded the county's "Fresh AIRE" global warming initiative, will also be in attendance.

The presentation will be followed by an open discussion.


EVENT: "A Community Conservation Conversation" panel discussion

DATE: Sunday, September 30, 2 p.m.

PLACE: Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22201; Near the Virginia Square Metro stop on the Orange Line)

CONTACT: Martin Ogle, Chief Naturalist, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, potomac@nvrpa.org

Conservation has transcended the "freeze in the dark" connotations of the 1970s and is becoming a vibrant and foundational part of our everyday lives. To further this exciting trend, join the "Community Conservation Conversation" among panel members and the audience. The "Green Living Challenge," developed by Arlingtonians for A Clean Environment, Arlington County's Fresh AIRE Program and other conservation initiatives will also be highlighted.

Panel members include: Paul Ferguson, Chair, Arlington County Board; Monique Tilford, The Center for a New American Dream; Joan Kelsch, an Arlington County Environmental Planner; Drew Langsam, Turner Construction Company; Emily Curley, Alliance to Save Energy; and Martin Ogle, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Congressman Jim Moran is also an invited panelist.

the dc green festival

october 6-7, the annual dc green festival will be held at the washington dc convention center, which couldn't possibly be easier to get to by metro. the festival presents speakers, programs & lots of exhibitors promoting a huge variety of green practices, goods & food.


volunteers are needed for everything from selling t-shirts to serving on the "green team" - a group of folks designated to help attendees sort compost from trash (of which there's hardly any).

anyone interested in joining me?
beth

eating vegetarian

from ann wilms in response to tips on reducing one's footprint:

One thing I might add ... is that a vegetarian (or nearly so) lifestyle dramatically reduces a single individual's impact on the ecosystem. Huge amounts of resources (food, water, land, etc) go into producing beef, chicken, and pork, not to mention the also-huge amounts of waste which these animals produce. In NC for example, the rivers are suffering from the tremendous amounts of nitrogen containing organic waste from factory style pork farms. The point is, there is an amazing ripple effect from the seemingly tiny choices one makes at the table. I was pretty dumbfounded when I learned about this stuff. Just a thought.

thanks, ann!

energy efficient goods tax holiday: oct 5-8

from sven vanbaars:

There is a tax holiday coming for energy efficient goods. See this link:

http://www.dom.com/customer/efficiency/res/va_sales_tax_holiday.jsp

For most students it may just mean lightbulbs, but it could be useful.

first email of 07-08

Greetings!

Welcome & Welcome Back!

As the semester gets underway & we all put our noses to the grindstone preparing for & teaching class, diligently working in our offices, studying & reading hard … or not … a couple thoughts from the Environmental Concerns Committee:

(for ECC meeting info, scroll down … but then come back here & read the whole e-mail!)

Last year, there was significant progress made in creating an environmental consciousness on the VTS campus! Not all the outcomes were tangible (for example, we’re still working on institutionalizing a recycling program & would love to do away with all throw-away containers & cups used when food is served), but they don’t have to be! Half or more of the battle (in my humble opinion) is inspiring awareness & working toward changing the culture; it is educating the un & under-educated about the importance of & issues surrounding living with an environmental ethic. This is hard work, but work that’s been started.

This year, God-willing, there will be an active Environmental Concerns Committee. This year, God-willing, that committee will continue to educate & inspire the community about environmental issues at forums & events. Whether you are a formal “member” of the Environmental Concerns Committee or not, I’d like to offer some ways you can make a difference regularly, without buying a hybrid car or installing solar panels on your roof (although those things are strongly encouraged! J)

• If you live close enough, each morning – or evening if you’re a planner – consider walking or biking to the seminary rather than driving. Walk to they gym. Walk to your favorite coffee shop. Walk to the grocery store. And if you can’t walk, combine driving trips to save gas & carpool when you can.
• Recycle! VTS has a new recycling bin behind the refectory (as of last spring) that accepts “single stream recycling” – paper (including scrap, newspaper, junk mail), aluminum (including soda, beer & tuna cans but not aluminum foil), plastic (only #1 & #2 so check the bottom) & glass (including wine bottles) are recyclable! Braddock Lee has a similar bin in the Menokin Dr. parking lot.
• Like coffee? Hot cocoa? Tea? Water? Bring your own mug or waterbottle to work, to class or to your favorite coffee shop. Single use cups may not seem like a big deal, but boy do they add up! Lucky for you, the Ugly Mug program in the refectory is available to make this easier!
• Turn off lights when you leave a room, be it your office, a restroom, a common room, your dorm room or wherever. This may seem obvious, but lights are left on surprisingly often!
• Reuse paper. The back side of printer paper is great for scrap printer paper, note paper, “you missed a phone call” paper & many other things. Come to think of it, try to find creative ways to re-use most of what you use like grocery bags & Ziploc bags & clothing by shopping at thrift stores …!
• Consider the theological implications of caring for creation. This is a big one. For starters, visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/19021_58393_ENG_HTM.htm to introduce yourself to the Episcopal Church’s Catechism of Creation.
• And finally, think about what you buy & ask yourself where it came from & how much waste potentially went into making it. This is huge & can be daunting, but only if you let it. By making small changes a little at a time, you will have a huge impact (or less impact depending on how you look at it!) on your environmental footprint. Consider your food choices, your transportation choices, your recreation choices …

The first meeting of the Environmental Concerns Committee will be (tentatively) this

Friday, September 7 at 1:30 in the Small Dining Room.

It will be brief & largely act to assess interest in both the committee & projects/events for the year. Please join us if you can. If not, there will be more gatherings!

Peace,

Beth Bojarski