Sustainable International Development: Dr. ALFREDO SFEIR-YOUNIS ON RIO+20

Rio+20: Hopes and Challenges for a Sustainable Future

Join us for a conversation with Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, PhD

former environmental economist at the World Bank

THE TOPICS DEBATED IN RELATION TO THE CONFERENCE ARE

Climate change | Green economy | Water scarcity | Food security | Population | Institutional frameworks

7 December 2011 (Wednesday) 

12pm to 1:15pm 

DePaul Center 

1 East Jackson, 

North Café 

11th floor, next to cafeteria

This is a brown-bag lecture – you are welcome to bring your own lunch.

Dr. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis will discuss the upcoming international Rio+20 Conference at Rio de Janeiro, 20 to 22 June 2012. He will map out the plans, hopes and challenges facing governments, NGOs, youth, universities and the world’s people. And, he will present his “lessons learned” from 29 years at the World Bank, having traveled the world dealing with issues of poverty, food security, the green economy, sustainability, etc.

The event is coordinated  by Prof. Patricia Zzczerba, United Nations Coordinator for DePaul University's School for New Learning and Dr. Marco Tavanti, Associate Professor School of Public Service

FREE ENTRY

October: Eating Local, Organic & Urban

Eco-Representatives, Blog #1

Go Green! No. 1

Most students recognize similar trends between students, such as metropolitan styles of clothing and a greater interest in healthier foods. After all, college is analogous with freedom right? A miserable 18 years of oppression evaporates the moment a new college student steps foot on campus. Not a parent in sight, no responsibilities, and no legal obligation to go to class. We’re officially adults. And what a place live! Chicago, a city that never sleeps, a city that fast-moving innovative youth flourish and last, but certainly not least, is a large city in itself.
DePaul students come from all corners of America and even the world, and amidst the diversity in the great city of Chicago there seems to a piece of normality missing. Southern Illinois students, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan students might find themselves missing the expansive cornfields that blanket the world of the Middle-West. Though Chicago is one of the largest cities in America, it comes as no surprise that among the fields of industrial parks, glass and steel buildings and concrete streets there is no room for the traditional agrarian lifestyle that once fueled the economies of America in the past.
Nonetheless, DePaul has been able to avoid the lack of abundant agriculture and organic foods through Chartwells and the growing interest in greener foods and means of sustenance. Even Chicago has retaliated against the sterile metallic future with Whole Food’s, Trader Joe’s, and dozens of other environmental safe groceries. In conjunction with these efforts to promote the health of Chicagoans and DePaul students, the Eco-Representatives, known as the ‘Green Team,’ will host a farmer’s market in the Quadrangle on Thursday, October 27^th.
To all those fortunate enough to have attended a farmer’s market before, as well as to give a memorable experience to those who have not, the event will begin at noon and end at 4:00 PM. Many of the popular groceries that supply organic food will be represented at the farmer’s market, to promote October’s theme: Food and Urban Agriculture. While Food and Urban Agriculture Month (October) was arranged to promote a month of eating healthy, the habits and interests that are sparked during the month support lifelong healthiness.
The connection everyone has with food, the very symbiotic relationship that ties the produce of the earth, which nourishes and contributes to a long and prosperous life, is reason enough to eat healthy. It’s your life and your body, why wouldn’t you want to make the best decisions?

With each new month, a new area of environmentally-friendly practices will be represented; November’s theme, Conscious Consumption, targets overuse and reuse, in areas such as water, energy and traditional concepts of recycling like reusable plastic bottles.
Interested in DePaul’s Eco-Reps? Check us out on Facebook and follow our updates on Twitter! (Facebook: “Eco Reps” in search under “People” and we’re the first hit! Twitter: “depaul_ecoreps”) New events, places, and environmentally friendly tips are always available!

Written By Matthew Morley

The SUSTAINABILITY.DEPAUL.EDU website!

 

The DePaul website on sustainability is here! www.sustainability.depaul.edu

Indeed, sustainability at DePaul is green, but also brown, blue, red and many other colors. DePaul University as a community has many expressions of sustainability. The area that probably best exemplifies DePaul's social justice and community service tradition with the values and practices of sustainability is the ENGAGEMENT in social justice and local/international community work. This is a short selection of a few initiatives and university centers and institutes engaged in sustainable practices. Please check the SUSTAINABILITY.DEPAUL.EDU website for more information. 

• Haiti Initiatives
• University Ministry, Community Service and Civic Engagement
• Steans Center
• Center for Interreligious Engagement (CIE)
• Institute for Business and Professional Ethics
• International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI)

Greening DePaul’s Sporting Events

If you have every been to a college sporting event of any type then you have witnessed first hand the mess that is made by spectators and their consumption manufactured goods. My proposal for DePaul University is to take action and make sporting events a zero-waste activity. I have witnessed this on a large scale by the University of Colorado at Boulder with their zero-waste program otherwise referred to as Ralphie’s Green Stampede. The zero-waste program makes an effort to cut carbon emission, reduce waste and recycle at all their home football games played at Folsom Stadium. The program is comprehensive and accounts for transportation, recycling and composting, responsible vendors and eco-friendly merchandise. Vendors that supply cups and food containers for the games are compelled to insure that they are either recyclable or compostable. This program is supported all the way through the athletic department at the University of Colorado and is active message or it’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Bohn. DePaul can learn from this example and may benefit from a having a smaller athletic program.

Sporting events draw in a lot of attention to DePaul from outsiders. Instituting a zero-waste program for sporting events compliments the universities goals of educating people about sustainability as well as demonstrating sound practices. There are various ways to institute these practices and even more ways to promote these ideals during sporting events.

Steps Forward:

-Educating athletic staff on sustainable issues.

-Assessing student body and fan awareness of environmental impact of sporting events.

-Establishment of student led green cheerleaders that promotes green practices at home games.

-Promotion involving athlete wearing green wristbands as a demonstration of support for sustainability.

-Look for sponsorship from green companies.

-Pursue alternative snacks to serve at events that have been sustainably produced.

-Develop strategic plan to make athletic department more green and sustainable.

-Off setting carbon emissions emitted by air-conditioning and heating systems.

-Develop fundraising activities during sporting events.

One of the largest obstacles facing a green movement in athletics is the cost and return on investment. However, DePaul Athletics has some history with developing sustainable practices that have reduced cost. Wish Field on the Lincoln Park Campus utilizes artificial grass or FieldTurf. The turf, which is utilized by softball and soccer, eliminates the need for excessive watering, pesticide use, carbon emission, and is made out of recycled material. Information about the environmental impacts of FieldTurf can be found here.

The Men’s basketball draws the biggest crowd and presents the largest challenge of all other programs due to the fact that they play at the All-State Arena which is not a facility managed by the university. Steps forward do not have to be grandiose or incorporate all athletic programs all at once. According to ProGreenSports.com sustainability in athletic programs is a growing trend and in it is time for DePaul to act in order to maintain and edge. These initiatives to make DePaul’s athletic department has the potential of increasing fan loyalty and represents a missing element in the universities sustainable movement.

Images Credit: DePaul Blue Demon’s

-Kevin Nestor

Exercising DePaul’s Purchasing Power Through Procurement Services and Salvage Used Equipment.

“Since July 1, 2009 through March 1, 2010 DePaul has recycled over 41,000lbs of electronic goods with Vintage Tech”.

DePaul has an enrollment over 25,000, each student most likely equipped with several notebooks, multiple textbooks, laptop, pens and pencils. The total population of students and faculty consuming resources adds up. The Financial affairs department at DePaul has taken notice and through their procurement services has begun to track the sustainability initiatives of current vendors. Along with providing a list of preferred vendors, procurement services institutes it’s own internal sustainable initiatives to reduce the amount of paper and ink used. Additionally, they have instituted a safe and effective way for university departments to dispose of unneeded equipment through their salvage program. The combination of all three initiatives represents a comprehensive step forward for DePaul when it comes to sustainability.

Purchasing power of a university such as DePaul is a powerful tool. Tracking the sustainability and reporting of vendors allows for all members of the university to knowingly or unknowingly cooperate and encourages vendors reliant on universities money to comply with sustainable practices. Refusing to purchase from vendors that report unsustainable practices the university contributes to a broader movement beyond the campus. The message reverberates throughout campus as well. On campus it is made clear that DePaul actively practices what it preaches and fosters a community of knowledgeable and conscious consumers. Students and faculty can take pride in these efforts and more importantly are better enabled to participate themselves by purchasing school supplies produced in a responsible manner that may have been cost prohibitive if not bought through the university.

Conscious consumption is only half of the equation for the DePaul. Internal initiatives, such as a digitalizing forms and increasing awareness about wasteful practices develops DePaul’s message to a greater degree. Promoting responsible disposal through the salvage program brings the procurement services sustainable practices full circle. The University Salvage Store works on two levels. The first level allows for all university departments to cut down on their waste and prevent used but working hardware and equipment from ending up in a landfill. Secondly, it offers people on a limited budget to buy needed equipment to aid their education. This program reverses a trend among vendors to produce goods that deteriorate in a short period of time and forces them to produce high quality products that last many years. Salvaged equipment sustains new businesses that are adhering to ideals of sustainability. Vintage Tech is an example of a responsible company that benefits financially from universities selling or donating used electronics and creates an economy for recycled goods that may not survive if they relied predominantly on private consumers.

DePaul’s urban setting is a large obstacle in attaining sustainability since they are dependent upon outside resources and are confine to small area. The financial affairs department and especially the procurement services have done an excellent job in moving forward DePaul practice and message of sustainability in spite of this. They have created incentives to pursue sustainable production and consumption within DePaul and added to the growing number of voices demanding environmentally responsible production goods. Educating students about sustainability, operating through sustainable methods are two highlighted aspects of any sustainable movement. Incorporating sound procurement practices demonstrates DePaul’s commitment to an all-inclusive approach towards sustainability.

Image Credit: Vintage Recycles

-Kevin Nestor

Environment-Friendly Paints and Finishes

There is much ongoing construction on DePaul’s loop campus. After watching the renovations on the 14 E Jackson building over the last few months and talking to a construction personnel about the upgrades, I can’t help but wonder- what type of building materials are they using and is it eco-friendly and health conscious?

EPA has indicated that air quality is one of the top 5 leading health risk issues in the US. One growing concern is volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paint. VOCs are substances are emitted gases from solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects to humans and the environment. Most conventional products off-gas VOCs have no other benefits besides enhancing the performance or extend shelf life of the product.

The other concern is the production of the paint. I question whether the paint is produced from naturally derived and non-toxic substances or not?

Paints and coatings have their greatest effect on indoor air quality during and immediately after installation. The health hazard is particularly acute for installers. Most conventional products off-gas VOCs, and other chemicals that are added to enhance the performance or extend shelf life of the product and serve no other benefit.

When paints are produced, raw materials are extracted through quarrying and can destroy the natural environment. Using paints that use renewable sources like flax seed can reduce the health effects and the amount of natural resources extracted from the Earth.

A solution to the issue is to buy alternative paint and finishes substitutions. Most of these eco-friendly paints are lower in toxicity or nontoxic, by-products and naturally derived with low VOCs or no VOCs in the products. One might question if the paint is only ideal for indoor or recreational art uses, but many paint manufacturers have designed them for both interior and exterior uses.

Here are a few examples of eco-friendly paints:
Linseed oil based paint is and example of using flax plant by-products that are found in the food industry. The product lifetime is much higher that synthetic based paints that contain no solvents and are all natural. If the color fades overtime, the can be restored with linseed oil. The next dieal environment friendly products is wood and vegetable oil based paint that is made from natural elements such as soy beans, oak bark, and madder root. Again, these are naturally available and renewable materials. The types of VOCs that are released are not toxic which is not harmful to the environment. Other natural based paints are casein, protein, distemper, milk, and clay based paints. The last product group is low-odor, low VOCs or zero VOCs paints include shellac, interior wood finish, natural wax, natural oils, and beeswax. Most of these paints share similar characteristics that make them renewable, sustainable and natural.

Most of these paint products are produced specifically with the environment in mind. Many environment-minded companies take into consideration VOCs, reducing the amount of quarrying of natural goods and finding ways to use renewable products. Using natural and low VOCs paints in DePaul’s construction process will help improve air quality and basic healthy living for the students, faculty and ultimately the environment.

By: Mary Deemer
Photo credits: Show room 411, Environmental protection department

DePaul’s Water Bottle refill stations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Illinois in their twenty-second annual landfill capacity report of 2008 stated that approximately 50 million gate cubic yards of solid waste was accepted of the State's 47 landfills with only 14% of that being recycled.

There are many factors that contribute to the enormous amount of solid waste and one of them is water bottle production.

Water bottle production has seen a huge increase over the past 10 years. According the Container Recycling Institute, there has been an increase of bottles sales in the US from 3 billion in 1996 to 36 billion in 2006 with about 40 million bottles a day ending up in trash or becoming litter. Food and watch reported that there is about 1.5 millions tons of plastic used per year to produce water bottles with 47 millions gallons of oil used to match the production. They also estimate that 8 out of 10 water bottles will end up in a land fill or as litter. Water bottle production has become a huge environmental concern since it uses up so much of the Earth's resources.

To help tackle the issue of reducing solid waste in Illinois, one of the truly outstanding sustainable development idea at DePaul university has implemented is the water bottle refill stations. It will take large scale recycling initiatives to counter this growing concern, but finding alternative ways like installing the ELKAY ezH2O water bottle stations around the campus will help contribute to reducing the solid waste and fossil fuel issues.

Considering these EPA statistics, implementation of the ELKAY ezH2O stations on the DePaul Lincoln Park and Loop campuses has been beneficial on many scales. Students and faculty can now enjoy cleaner tastier water without worrying about whether germs are can be transmitted during fountain use contact. Reusing water bottles at these stations will help reduce the litter factor caused by the huge cultural need of water bottle production of the past decade. Other advantages of the station are the ELKAY’s unique filter system. It aids in the ability of quick refill capabilities and the ultra modern design that makes the water station more approachable than the outdated fountains from the past. These features will help keep up with the fast pace lifestyle most students are accustomed too.

DePaul has found an effective way to contribute to the growing concern of solid waste management by providing a service that will contribute to the overall well-being of the individual and the environment. the University also serves as an example for neighboring college institutes, companies and other organizations that can follow. In addition to being more environmental conscious, this also promotes a healthy lifestyle for the individual.

Education and awareness are essential tools that are required to inform people of the innovative ideas that help the environment. DePaul's water bottle station is an excellent example of reducing the carbon footprint and using these fountains will encourage people to take a more self-conscious and active approach to recycling and reusing not only at our school but in their own personal homes.

By: Mary Deemer
Photo Credit: Container recyling Insitute, ELKAY company