Past Green Tips
A log of past Green Tips published weekly in UofL Today.
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11/18/24 Green Tip: Prepare for a greener holiday season Local gifts, decorations & food are great ways to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. The food you serve this holiday season can make a big difference for human & planetary health. Go plant-based, locally-sourced, and zero-waste (reusable diningware & napkins, compost organics). Seek locally-crafted handmade gifts & décor: Make your own at today’s Wreath-Making Workshop (11am Garden Commons) or load up at UofL’s annual Buy Local Holiday Bazaar (Tuesday 11/19 10am-2pm SAC Ballroom). Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/15/24 Green Tip: Plant some trees and make some wreaths UofL’s Sustainability Council supports your DIY, locally-sourced holiday season while ensuring we plant gifts for future generations. We are gathering plant materials from around campus for our annual hands-on holiday wreath-making workshop at the Garden Commons on Monday starting at 11am. Meanwhile, we hope you’ll join us on Saturday at 10am to help plant trees during the Building Our Blocks: Third Street event in the neighborhood just south of UofL, which also features tree and rain barrel giveaways. |
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11/5/24 Green Tip: Compost your way to stress-relief at Post-Election Pumpkin Smash Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them. Turn them into fun, stress-relief, and organic fertilizer. UofL wants to help you blow off some steam and battle the climate crisis by composting. Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn any time through noon on November 6th. At that time, all are invited to our Post-Election Pumpkin Smash on the SAC Ramp. |
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10/23/24 Green Tip: It’s Campus Sustainability Day & UofL Arbor Day Stroll through the 17th annual Campus Sustainability Day Fair, 10am-2pm today on the Humanities Quad. Learn how campus & community groups are creating a sustainable revolution. Take the Cards Go Green Pledge to earn an ethically-sourced reusable mug, fill it with fair trade hot chocolate, grab a Nord’s donut, meet UofL’s honeybees, and help plant a tree at noon. Bring your bike for a free tune-up, batteries & lamps for recycling, and stuff to donate to the UofL Free Store’s pop-up Free Sale. |
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10/16/24 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week kicks off with Kentucky Composting Conference Oct. 17-18 Join us this Thursday-Friday, 8am-4pm, in Humanities 300 to learn best practices for turning trash into treasure. Learn about compost quality, soil health & more. Our keynote speaker is Jean Bonhotal, Director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute. Registration required. For scholarships contact Keith.mckenzie1@aol.com. Thursday’s kick-off to UofL Sustainability Week also includes: Chronicles in Wood: Introduction to Tree Ring Science (4pm at Urban & Public Affairs Garden); and Climate Change is Spooky Trivia Night (7pm at Red Barn). |
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10/10/24 Green Tip: Celebrate, enhance, and enjoy our urban forest during Louisville Tree Week Oct. 12-20 UofL is proud to once again participate in Louisville Tree Week starting Saturday, and we encourage the campus community to take this opportunity to engage with the urban canopy. UofL events include: On-going (in-person or virtual): Belknap Campus Self-Guided Tree Tour; “Chronicles in Wood: Introduction to Tree Ring Science,” a Garden Commons Workshop on Thursday 10/17, 4pm, Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W Bloom St.); and UofL’s Arbor Day Celebration during Campus Sustainability Day on Wednesday 10/23, noon, Humanities Quad. |
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10/3/24 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged. Monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on Fridays at noon continue this week in BAB 206 (or Teams) with a free vegetarian lunch and guests from Waterfront Botanical Gardens. |
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9/25/24 Green Tip: Pedal, carpool, or bus to UofL Day at the Gray St Farmers Market on Thursday Thursday’s 10:30am-1:30pm Gray St Farmers Market is the last of 2024. Get $5 free to spend with UofL ID. Leave the car & you could also win big in the Cards Commuter Challenge ($250 grand prize) or Cycle September Challenge ($200). Belknap Carpools leave from The Ville Grill at 11:30am or 12:30pm; jump on a bike for a flat 15-minute pedal; or hop on TARC Route 28 (free with UofL ID) for a quick ride to the market. Log your trips to win. |
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9/16/24 Green Tip: Fall Garden Workshops start today – come grow with us UofL’s Sustainability Council invites you to reconnect with what sustains you in our organic campus gardens this fall. All are encouraged to get involved & to use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools. Fall workdays are Mondays at 11am in the Garden Commons (near Baptist Center) & Thursdays at 4pm in the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W Bloom). Workshops kickoff today at 11am on Pumpkins 9/16; Cover Crops 9/26; Tree-Rings 10/17; and Wreath-Making 11/18. Website. Instagram. Facebook. |
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9/9/24 Green Tip: Roll over to today’s Bike Fair and ride with UofL in Cycle September to win Ride with Team UofL during the Cycle September Challenge. Roll by the Red Barn today 9/9 from noon to 1:45pm to get a free bike tune-up and grab a bike blender smoothie. Reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle, show your support for sustainable transportation and win prizes. Bike commutes can also be logged in the Cards Commuter Challenge to increase your chances to win. Get Healthy Now participants can earn 200 points toward their 2025 $40 GHN monthly incentive for participating. Resources for UofL Cyclists. |
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9/4/24 Green Tip: Win with the Cards Commuter Challenge like Carpooling Hero, Chris Millett In just the first week, participants logged 195 trips on foot, bike, bus, carpool, or telecommuting, mitigating 756lbs of carbon pollution, saving $521, and burning 14,958 calories over 1252 miles. Congrats to our first $50 weekly winner, Music Therapy Professor, Chris Millett, who carpooled to/from work twice last week, avoiding 84 miles of driving. Join Chris in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next to tap into $500 in prizes. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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8/28/24 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we suffer through the hottest, driest weeks of summer, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while washing dishes, brushing your teeth, or shaving; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online.More Ways To Save. |
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8/26/24 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge kicks off today Through September 30th, you can save money, burn calories, battle climate chaos, & win prizes…all by simply getting to campus in a new way. Log your trips at directions.louisville.edu during the Cards Commuter Challenge to win one of the $50 weekly prizes or the $250 Grand Prize. 1) Ride TARC free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool with Cardinal Directions. 3) Walk. 4) Bike – borrow one from UofL Bikeshare. 5) Vanpool or get guaranteed rides home with Every Commute Counts. 6) Work remotely. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/21/24 Green Tip: Reap the harvest and grow with us in campus gardens this fall Did you know that UofL has organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into delicious food? All are encouraged to get involved & to use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools. Fall workdays are Mondays at 11am in the Garden Commons (near Baptist Center) & Thursdays at 4pm in the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W Bloom), with workshops on Cover Crops; Pumpkins; Wreath-Making; and more. Now is peak pawpaw season. Website. Instagram. Facebook. |
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8/14/24 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service-learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 17-23. |
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7/31/24 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking hundreds into an annual permit, with expanded work-from-home, consider using the ParkMobile App or single-day scratch-off permits on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, stay fit & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Bike commute and use free UofL Bikeshare if you need wheels. 4) Find vanpools, get your ride home guaranteed, & win prizes with Every Commute Counts.Employee Parking Options. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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7/22/24 Green Tip: It’s Potato Harvest Time - Enjoy the bounty at Summer Garden Workdays UofL’s organic campus gardens are exploding with delights. Staff, faculty & students are all welcome to come learn & enjoy the bounty of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Stop by anytime. Group workdays are Tuesdays at noon in the Garden Commons next to the Baptist Center; Thursdays at noon at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W Bloom St). Help harvest, weed, water & plant. Bring harvest bags. Campus Gardens website. Instagram. Facebook. |
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7/9/24 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money. With the change to a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from buying local to efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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6/20/24 Green Tip: Celebrate Pollinator week by protecting habitat and avoiding chemicals It’s National Pollinator Week, and UofL invites you to learn more at our Korfhage Native Pollinator Garden west & north of Life Sciences. Consider ways you can support the critters that pollinate 1/3 of all food. Replace lawns with native flowering plants & trees. Plant diversity and pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides & herbicides. Volunteer as a citizen scientist to monitor pollinator population health and distribution, e.g. through SciStarter and the e-Butterfly project. UofL Grounds pro-pollinator practices. |
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6/6/24 Green Tip: Discover local, seasonal eating at the Gray Street Farmers Market Eating locally is one of the best ways to reign in your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. UofL is committed to extend these benefits to all and address food apartheid in our urban core by hosting the Gray Street Farmers Market with SNAP Double Dollars, Senior Vouchers, FreshRx, and WIC programs. The market opens this week on Thursdays (June-Sept.), 10:30am-1:30pm at 400 E. Gray St. Eat at the peak of freshness & taste the difference. |
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6/3/24 Green Tip: Share your thoughts about how to save TARC Free rides on TARC with your UofL ID is a great benefit, but TARC is facing historic financial challenges and action must be taken now to ensure the system’s long-term sustainability. Thus, they are proposing reductions in service levels across 22 lines to go into effect on June 30th. Learn more and comment at TARC’s public meetings on Tuesday, 6/4, 4-7 pm, at 1000 W Broadway; and Wednesday, 6/5, 5-8 pm, at 2005 Douglass Blvd. Take the TARC 2025 Network Redesign Survey. |
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5/23/24 Green Tip: Don’t miss out on serviceberry season Bring a pail to campus & load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses. Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are one of Kentucky’s delicious native fruits, widely planted as a low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are similar to blueberries with a somewhat nutty flavor- eat them fresh or freeze them for pies & smoothies. They are ripe for only 2 weeks right now. On Tuesday at the Garden Commons, learn how to enjoy the bounty on Belknap & HSC. More info. |
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5/8/24 Green Tip: UofL wins 2024 Campus Race to Zero Waste – Keep up the great work Thanks to the passionate efforts of students, faculty, and staff who took green actions throughout Ecolympics 2024, and to the diligent efforts of our Physical Plant team and off-campus partners, UofL took top prize for Diversion among large universities in the 2024 Campus Race to Zero Waste! UofL achieved an overall landfill diversion rate of 60.6% over the eight-week competition from January 28 – March 23. We urge everyone to keep up the great work on campus to reduce, reuse, recycle & compost. |
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5/1/24 Green Tip: Ride with UofL in the May Bike Month Challenge and Win May isn’t just for riding horses. It’s also Bike Month. UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now want you to saddle up and ride in the Bike Month Challenge. You could win prizes and you’ll definitely be rewarded with joy, fitness, community & cleaner air, plus 200 points toward your 2025 $40 GHN monthly incentive. Simply log your May rides for fun, transportation, or fitness. Register as an individual in the Bike Month Challenge and join Team UofL on Strava. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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4/24/24 Green Tip: Want to eat healthy, local, and organic this summer? Knob Hill Farms in Breckenridge Co. is accepting subscriptions through May 10th to its 2024 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to provide a weekly delivery of fresh, organic, seasonal produce available 6/4 – 9/17 for pickup on both UofL campuses for $25-45/week depending on size of share. Belknap: Tuesdays 4-6pm at a farmstand on Cardinal Blvd. at 3rd Street; HSC: Thursdays 10:30am-1:30pm at the Gray Street Farmers’ Market. Knob Hill is a black-owned, organic farm growing a variety of produce. More info. Contact:Keith McKenzie (502) 541-9051, keith.mckenzie1@aol.com |
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4/15/24 Green Tip: Don’t toss those eclipse glasses – send them south Don’t know what to do with your eclipse glasses now that the show is over? Latin America will experience a solar eclipse in October 2024 and Eclipse Glasses USA is collecting gently used and undamaged glasses with no scratches, tears, or punctures. Solar glasses are not as accessible in other parts of the world and they will be shared with schools in Latin America. Send glasses by 8/1 to the Eclipse Give Back Program: Eclipse Glasses LLC PO Box 50571 Provo, UT 84605 |
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4/4/24 Green Tip: Help us plant trees in neighborhoods adjacent to campus This Saturday, April 6th, 10am-2pm, the UofL Sustainability Council and Louisville Grows invite volunteers to help restore the urban tree canopy in the Lucky Horseshoe neighborhood around Churchill Downs on the southern edge of Belknap campus. Trained Citizen Foresters will lead groups of volunteers to properly plant trees on residential and business properties, and along the streets. Registration and coffee will be available at 9:30am at Wellman Memorial Wesleyan Church (3220 Bohannon Ave). Details here. |
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3/25/24 Green Tip: Zero Waste Repair Fair & Free Sale today The UofL Free Store is collaborating with the Louisville Time Bank, Louisville Tool Library, and LVL1 Hackerspace for a hands-on skill-building fair this evening (Tuesday, March 26th) in the Red Barn from 4:30-6:30pm. Learn from community experts how to fix, make, and upcycle a wide variety of things. Bring donations for the Free Store and peruse the Free Sale. UofL’s Free Store offers free exchange of clean, functional items & supplies. Donate any time in the red bins at the Garden Commons. Learn more. |
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3/20/23 Green Tip: Final days to win with sustainable action in Ecolympics Congratulations to weekly winners, Art professor Rachel Singel who bike commutes daily, shuts off lights, and composts; and Rachel Mudd, a student who shared her green actions over spring break. Ecolympics ends March 23rd, so take action now for sustainability. You could win the grand prize zero waste gift basket from Peace of the Earth Refillery. Help UofL win the Campus Race To Zero Waste – we are currently in 4th place out of 73 schools with a diversion rate of 62%. Submit your actions. |
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3/13/24 Green Tip: E-Waste Recycling Drive concludes today, but Ecolympics continues Thanks to everyone who has helped UofL go for the gold in this year’s Campus Race to Zero Waste. Personal electronics along with batteries & lamps can still be dropped off for recycling in special bins at SAC W310, Duthie Center (Student Study Area), HSC Kornhauser Library (1st floor lobby behind elevators), and the BAB lobby. Bins will be removed by the end of the week. Ecolympics continues through March 23rd, so share your green actions with us and you could win. |
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3/7/24 Green Tip: Kick off Spring Break with a Tree Planting on Saturday UofL has been recognized as a Tree Campus Higher Education for 14 straight years due, in part, to Cardinal service to trees. This Saturday 10am-2pm, the UofL Sustainability Council & Student Sustainability Coalition invite volunteers to help restore the canopy in the West End as we plant 132 trees in the Parkland and California neighborhoods with Louisville Grows. Registration and coffee will be available at 9:30am at the Parkland Boys & Girls Club (3200 Greenwood Ave). Tools & instruction provided. Website. |
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2/29/24 Green Tip: Spring into Growing with Organic Gardening Workshops Started your seeds yet? Now’s the time to start planning your garden to ensure you’ll have the most local, nutritious, sustainable food. The Garden Commons’ Organic Gardening Workshop Series brings you up to speed. The series continues Friday 3/1 at 1pm with a Seed-Starting Workshop in the greenhouse behind Urban & Public Affairs (426 W. Bloom) - bring your seeds or help us start ours. Coming up: Weather and Gardening 3/22; Guerilla Gardening 4/2; and Serviceberry Foraging 5/28. All are welcome. |
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2/14/24 Green Tip: Give the Earth a valentine - Recycle your old electronics (eWaste) during Ecolympics UofL’s Sustainability Council is marking Valentine’s Day by kicking-off our annual eWaste recycling drive to help you share some love with Mother Earth & help UofL win the Campus Race to Zero Waste. Drop off personal electronics, batteries & lamps for recycling in special bins at SAC W310, Duthie Center (Student Study Area), HSC Kornhauser Library (1st floor lobby behind elevators), and the BAB lobby through March 13th. Wipe data and responsibly recycle computers, phones, screens, printers, peripherals, cables, etc. For full details, please visit website or contact Patrick C. Exmeyer, 852-1588. |
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2/8/24 Green Tip: Grow with us in campus gardens & greenhouse this spring Did you know that UofL has organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into delicious food? All are encouraged to get involved & to use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools. Spring workdays are Tuesdays at 4pm in the Garden Commons (near Baptist Center) & Fridays at 1pm in the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W Bloom), with workshops on Orchard Pruning (2/16); Seed Starting (3/1); Guerilla Gardening (4/2); and Serviceberry Foraging (5/28). Follow on Facebook. |
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1/30/24 Green Tip: Win with sustainable action during Ecolympics 2024 The Sustainability Council’s annual campus engagement challenge, Ecolympics, is on. All staff, faculty & students are encouraged to take action throughout February & March. Post your green actions on social media, tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our online form to be entered to win one of 8 weekly themed prize baskets or the grand prize zero waste pack. Stretch yourself to try something new: air-dry laundry, bike, compost, take the stairs or bus, shut off computers & lights, unplug, recycle, etc. |
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1/23/24 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can cause fires and burns. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement. Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or online here. |
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1/9/24 Green tip: Connect at the 2024 Green Threads Faculty workshop (apply by 3/22) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2024 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 3/22 with Chair’s approval. Website & Application. Contact: Brent Fryrear |
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1/4/24 Green Tip: New Year’s resolution to serve and eat less meat Did you know that meat-centered diets require 19 times the land and 13 times as much water as plant-based diets? Or that you can lower your heart attack risk simply by switching from a meat- to a plant-based diet? This year, resolve to eat & serve meals free of flesh, eggs & dairy that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless options can be requested from caterers, Ville Grill & most campus dining venues. Break the habit with DefaultVeg. Vegan & Vegetarian Guide to UofL Dining. |
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12/13/23 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce carbon emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, & unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off lights & equipment when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, & trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/7/23 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council is here to help faculty from all disciplines integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/27/23 Green Tip: Prepare for a greener holiday season Buying local gifts, decorations & food is a great way to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. The food you serve this holiday season can make a big difference for human & planetary health. Go plant-based, locally-sourced, and zero-waste (reusable diningware & napkins, no individual bottled drinks, compost organics). On Thursday 11/30, load up on locally-crafted handmade gifts & décor at the annual Wreath-Making Workshop (12:30pm Garden Commons) & Buy Local Holiday Bazaar (10am-2pm SAC Ballroom). Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/15/23 Green Tip: Declutter and donate to the UofL Free Store Decluttering for the holidays? We need your stuff. We cannot keep items on the shelf to meet demand. The UofL Free Store (SAC W303C) is a transgender-friendly space where anyone can "shop" for free housewares, kitchen & bath items, school/art/cleaning/body care supplies, clothing, shoes, linens, accessories, etc. The Free Store is open Monday-Thursday 12-6pm, but donations are accepted any time in the red bins next to the Baptist Center at the Garden Commons or in the hall bin outside the Store. Contact: Free Store Manager: Emily Minnis, 502-523-7879, emily.minnis@louisville.edu |
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11/9/23 Green Tip: UofL’S AASHE membership grants you access to sustainable inspiration Everyone at UofL who cares about environmental, social & economic responsibility should get connected with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). UofL recently renewed its AASHE membership, giving you free access to a world of benefits! To access member discounts, training, discussion forums, guides, best practices, directories, databases, & other online resources, go to aashe.org/user/register and create an account using your @louisville.edu address. Full details. |
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10/31/23 Green Tip: Green your Halloween Whether you need a last-minute costume, or have one to donate, stop by the Halloween Free Sale at the Red Barn today 4:30-6:30pm. And bring your old pumpkins for composting. Drop off any plant-based fall decorations in front of the Red Barn any time through noon Thursday 11/2, when all are invited to our annual Pumpkin Smash on the SAC Ramp. And if you despise those loud, polluting leaf blowers, come help us rake on the Humanities Quad Wednesday 5-7pm. |
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10/23/23 Green Tip: Dive into the rest of UofL Sustainability Week Learn more & get involved in the movement for social justice & ecological integrity. On Monday 10/23 at 1pm, those on Belknap can enjoy a CommuniTEA on Gender Inequality & Climate Change (Garden Commons), while HSC hosts “Food is medicine: Innovation for health, equity and economic impact” with Dariush Mozaffarian (16th Floor Great Hall, UofL/Jewish Hospital). On Tuesday 10/24 at 2:30pm it's Inclusive Real Estate Development: "Equity on Both Sides of the Table" (BAB 218); and 4-6pm Upcycling: Dog Toy Making (Garden Commons). |
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10/19/23 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week kicks-off today with five food & justice events UofL Sustainability Week offers multiple events each day to engage your passions for environmental, social & economic justice from October 19th – 25th. It all starts today with the Gray Street Farmers’ Market at HSC, 10:30am-1:30pm; an 11am discussion of Food Apartheid at SAC Floyd Theater; A Social Justice Career Journey at Cultural & Equity Center, noon; a Food Justice Workshop at Garden Commons, 12:30pm; and a Sustainability on Tap! networking event at West 6th Nulu, 5:30pm. |
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10/11/23 Green Tip: Think Like a Squirrel - Urban Nut Foraging workshop In celebration of Louisville Tree Week, the UofL Sustainability Council will host a hands-on Urban Nut Foraging workshop on Thursday, Oct. 12th. Learn how to identify, collect, process & enjoy some of our common tree nuts. We will gather at noon in front of Gottschalk Hall, tour some of campus to visit nut trees and end at the Garden Commons for a nut-processing demonstration, where everyone will get to taste these arboreal treats. Rain or shine. |
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10/5/23 Green Tip: Celebrate, enhance, and enjoy our urban forest during Louisville Tree Week Oct. 7-14 UofL is proud to once again participate in Louisville Tree Week starting Saturday, and we encourage the campus community to take this opportunity to engage with the urban canopy. UofL events include: On-going (in-person or virtual): Belknap Campus Self-Guided Tree Tour; Think Like a Squirrel - Urban Nut Foraging on Thursday 10/12, noon, meet at Gottschalk Hall; and Measuring, Monitoring & Mitigating Urban Heat with an Urban Weather Station Network and Mass Tree Plantings on Thursday 10/12, 3pm, Microsoft Teams. |
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9/25/23 Green Tip: Share the Ride during UofL Carpool Week Did you know that UofL offers special carpool parking permits (applicable to any color permit at no extra cost) that come with 20 daily parking passes/year for all members? To conclude the Cards Commuter Challenge, we encourage you to find/offer rides with Cardinal Directions. Whether it’s your daily commute, a conference, or any other event, ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while cutting pollution by reducing traffic. Explore your options and log your trips to win. |
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9/21/23 Green Tip: Friday is World Car-Free Day – win with Cycle September Congrats to our top riders as we head into the final stretch of Cycle September and World Car-Free Day on Friday. Team UofL has pedaled 3,968 miles over 293 trips, with Juan Tabares Tamayo continuing to lead the mileage race (508mi, 14 trips), Jason Naylor logging most rides (34, 183mi), Clinton Coulter surging with second most rides (29, 220mi) & bike commutes (12, 209mi), behind Justin Mog (19, 286mi). Join the fun, saddle up, and ride for a $200 bike shopping spree. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. HRTalks Wellness on Cycle September. |
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9/13/23 Green Tip: Team UofL pedals over 2300mi in first 10 days of Cycle September – Ride with us Congrats to our top riders in the first 10 days of Cycle September. Team UofL 2301 miles over 166 trips. Juan Tabares Tamayo had another strong start, logging the most miles (295mi over 8 rides). Jason Naylor has logged the most rides (20, 104mi), and Justin Mog, has done the most bike commuting (164mi, 10 days). Join the fun, saddle up, and get in the running for a $200 bike shopping spree. Read more. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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9/6/23 Green Tip: Win with the Cards Commuter Challenge like Transit Hero, David Henry In just the first week, participants logged 177 trips on foot, bike, bus, carpool, or telecommuting, mitigating 430lbs of carbon pollution over 720 miles. Congrats to our first $50 weekly winner David Henry, staff in Infectious Diseases, who rode TARC free to/from work four days last week and never worried about parking or traffic. Join David in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next to tap into $500 in prizes. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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8/28/23 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtables begin Tuesday with Lean Leader Management Faculty, staff & students interested in sustainability research and practice are invited to join UofL’s Sustainability Council for our Roundtables every other Tuesday at 4pm on Teams. We kick off our fall series Tuesday 8/29 with Alisa Zanetti, speaking on Lean Leader Management to lead Sustainability and Operations. Alisa is a current student in UofL's Interdisciplinary Masters in Sustainability program with an extensive background working on logistics as the National Strategy & Planning Program Manager for the U.S. Postal Service. Website. |
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8/23/23 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged. Free monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on Fridays at noon begin this week in Ekstrom W210 (or Teams) with Brian Barnes on Community Composting. |
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8/17/23 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from, or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695 Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations. |
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8/7/23 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service-learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 18-24. |
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7/24/23 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we move into the hottest, driest weeks of summer, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while washing dishes, brushing your teeth, or shaving; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online. More Ways To Save. |
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7/14/23 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville has already had six Air Quality Alert days this summer. You can help prevent this & save lives. Try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all your commute options & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate and Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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7/5/23 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking up to $747 into an annual permit, with expanded work-from-home, consider using single-day scratch-off permits on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, stay fit & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Bike commute with free UofL Bikeshare or discounted LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Find vanpools, get your ride home guaranteed, & win prizes with Every Commute Counts. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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6/28/23 Green Tip: Celebrate Pollinator week by protecting habitat and avoiding chemicals Having just celebrated National Pollinator Week, UofL invites you to learn more at our Korfhage Native Pollinator Garden west & north of Life Sciences. Consider ways you can support the critters that pollinate 75% of all food. Replace lawns with native flowering plants & trees. Plant diversity and pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides & herbicides. Volunteer as a citizen scientist to monitor pollinator population health and distribution, e.g. through SciStarter and the e-Butterfly project. UofL Grounds pro-pollinator practices. |
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6/15/23 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money. With the change to a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from buying local to efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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6/6/23 Green Tip: Enjoy the bounty at Summer Garden Workdays – Wednesdays 1:30pm UofL’s organic Garden Commons is exploding in its new location NE of the Baptist Center! Staff, faculty, and students are all welcome to come enjoy the bounty and experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Stop by anytime. Group workdays are alternate Wednesdays 1:30-2:30pm 6/7, 6/21, 7/5 & 7/19. Help harvest, weed, water & plant. Bring harvest bags. Campus Gardens website. Instagram. Facebook. |
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6/1/23 Green Tip: Gray Street Farmers’ Market at HSC returns to weekly schedule with more local produce Eating local is one of the best ways to reign in your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. UofL and Common Earth Gardens are committed to extend these benefits to all and address food apartheid in our urban core by hosting the Gray Street Farmers’ Market with SNAP, Senior Vouchers, and Double Dollars programs. The market relaunches this week on Thursdays (June-Oct.), 10:30am-1:30pm at Jackson & Gray St. Eat at the peak of freshness & taste the difference. |
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5/23/23 Green Tip: Try out LouVelo bikeshare for FREE during Bike Month UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now encourage you to pedal for fun, fitness, & transport, throughout May. Enjoy a free 30 minute spin on a green LouVelo bike through the end of May. Just select the Pay As You Go option at LouVelo.com and ride free to lunch, to appointments, between HSC & Belknap, across campus, or anywhere else from HSC or one of the 3 stations across Belknap campus. It’s fun, healthy, non-polluting, & you’ll never have to search for parking.Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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5/18/23 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning & Campus Race to Zero Waste Did you know UofL finished in the top 10 in this year’s Campus Race to Zero Waste? With spring cleaning upon us, now’s the time to build on that success by using UofL’s recycling & reuse options. We recycle all kinds of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in our single-stream bins, and have collections for recycling batteries, e-waste, lighting, printer cartridges & chemicals. Donate clothing, supplies, housewares, etc. to the UofL Free Store (SAC W303C). Compost your organics on campus. |
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5/11/23 Green Tip: Saturday Tree Planting on Lee Street UofL has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA for 13 straight years due in part to Cardinal service to trees. This Saturday 9am-noon, the UofL Sustainability Council & Old Louisville Neighborhood Council invite volunteers to restore the canopy on the northwest edge of Belknap Campus. Meetup for coffee & donuts at Lee & 5th Street (Cochran Elementary), then help plant street trees with our neighbors, and enjoy a pizza lunch at noon. Tools & instruction provided. Contact: Herb Fink 502-552-0399. |
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5/1/23 Green Tip: Ride with UofL in the May Bike Month Challenge and Win May is not only for riding horses. It’s also Bike Month and UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now want you to dust off your two-wheeled pony and ride with Team UofL in the Bike Month Challenge. You could win prizes and you’ll definitely be rewarded with joy, fitness, community & cleaner air. Bicycles are liberating. Simply log your rides for fun, transportation, or fitness. Register as an individual in the Bike Month Challenge and join Team UofL on Strava. Event page. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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4/27/23 Green Tip: Friday is Arbor Day – Tree-Huggers Wanted The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus for 13 straight years. UofL has developed a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management, and a Belknap Tree Tour to help you use our campus as an educational tool. Join us Friday at HSC to help plant another tree, while honoring the life of LGBTQ+ champion & Pediatrics staffer, Sarah McKinney. We’ll plant natives outside CTR at Hancock & Ali starting at 11:30am, with the memorial tree planting at 12:30pm. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management. |
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4/20/23 Green Tip: Celebrate Earth Day with UofL maple syrup Sustainability is all about tapping into the abundant renewable resources that are so often overlooked in our community. Making maple syrup is one very literal way to tap into sustainability that UofL’s Sustainability Council has been showing people how to do for years. We invite you to come sample this year’s sustainable sweetness and celebrate Earth Day with a maple syrup harvest party featuring free pancakes, hyper-local campus syrup, and info on how to tap on Friday at noon in BAB 406. |
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4/12/23 Green Tip: Meet UofL’s new-bees and spare a thought for pollinators Pollinators provide invaluable ecosystem services, yet our unhealthy desire for a short, chemically-controlled “weed”-free lawn threatens their very existence. Beekeepers know they also make great honey and teach us valuable lessons about how to live in greater harmony with the world. On Thursday at 5pm, you’ll have the chance to learn more and meet UofL’s new honeybees as part of the Garden Commons hands-on workshop series. And make plans to join us 5/25 for our annual serviceberry foraging workshop. |
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4/6/23 Green Tip: Suffering from high costs? UofL is a Bicycle Friendly University With inflation causing prices to skyrocket and warm weather arriving, now is the perfect time to dust off that bike and rediscover the healthy, money-saving & non-polluting joys of two-wheeled transport! The League of American Bicyclists has again certified UofL as a Silver-level Bicycle-Friendly University, so take advantage of all we provide to help you get in gear! Cardinal Directions helps you find safer routes, LouVelo offers UofL discounts, or borrow a bike free from UofL. Resource page for UofL bike commuters. |
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3/14/23 Green Tip: E-Waste Recycling Collection ends Wednesday Landfilling old electronics is a toxic waste. During Ecolympics and the Campus Race To Zero Waste (UofL is currently 8th nationally with a 59% diversion rate), UofL wants you to recycle through our E-waste Recycling Drive. Collection bins are available only through Wednesday in the BAB lobby, SAC 310, Duthie Center, and HSC Kornhauser lobby. Drop-off computers, monitors, TVs, printers, scanners, faxes, phones, memory, peripherals & cables; batteries, bulbs & toner cartridges. Post your Ecolympics actions & tag @UofLsustainable, or submit online. |
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3/7/23 Green Tip: Drive-up, drop-off E-waste Recycling collection Thursday Don't landfill old electronics. As part of Ecolympics and the Campus Race To Zero Waste, UofL is offering an E-waste Recycling Drive through 3/15, with collection bins in the BAB lobby, SAC 310, Duthie Center, and HSC Kornhauser lobby. For larger or numerous items, take advantage of our drive-up Ewaste drop-off on Madison St. at HSC next to CTR 620 Garage on Thursday, 3/9, 8am-11am. Accepted for recycling: computers, monitors, TVs, printers, scanners, faxes, phones, memory, peripherals & cables; batteries, bulbs & toner cartridges. |
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3/1/23 Green Tip: Spring into Growing with Organic Gardening Workshops Started your seeds yet? Now’s the time to start planning your garden to ensure you’ll have the most local, nutritious, sustainable food possible. The Garden Commons’ Organic Gardening Workshop Series will help bring you up to speed. The series continues Thursday 3/2 at 12:30pm with a Seed-Starting Workshop in the greenhouse behind Urban & Public Affairs (426 W. Bloom) led by Jefferson County Cooperative Extension; and concludes with: Beekeeping & Pollinators 4/13; and Serviceberry Foraging 5/25. All are welcome. |
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2/22/23 Green Tip: Help UofL win the Campus Race to Zero Waste The Race is on and UofL is currently 10th in the nation with a 55% diversion rate. Help us achieve #1 again this year. Recycle plastics, metal, glass, paper & cardboard in UofL’s single-stream bins; Compost organics; Recycle personal electronics, batteries, lamps, & toner cartridges in e-waste bins at SAC W310, Duthie Center, HSC Kornhauser lobby, and the BAB lobby through 3/15. All staff, faculty & students can win with sustainable action every week. Post your Ecolympics actions & tag @UofLsustainable, or submit online. |
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2/16/23 Green Tip: Recycle your old electronics (eWaste) during Ecolympics UofL’s Sustainability Council & Cardinal eSports want you to trash the competition, not the planet. Help UofL win the Campus Race to Zero Waste. Drop off personal electronics, batteries, lamps, & toner cartridges for recycling in special bins at SAC W310, Duthie Center (Student Study Area), HSC Kornhauser Library (1st floor lobby behind elevators), and the BAB lobby through March 15th. Wipe your data and responsibly recycle all computers, monitors, printers, peripherals, cables, phones, etc. For full details, click here or contact Patrick C. Exmeyer , 852-1588. |
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2/2/23 Green Tip: Tap into a delicious local resource - Maple Syrup Sustainability is all about tapping into the renewable resources in our community. Making maple syrup is one very literal way to tap into sustainability that UofL has been showing people how to do for years. Volunteers are wanted to help empty our sap buckets; and for Kentucky Maple Day, this Saturday 12-6pm, our community partner, Dave Barker, is hosting an open house at his sugar shack where you can watch UofL sap being boiled into syrup and sample the sweet treat. |
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1/31/23 Green Tip: Win with sustainable action during Ecolympics 2023 The Sustainability Council’s annual campus engagement challenge, Ecolympics, is on. All staff, faculty & students are encouraged to take action throughout February & March. Post about your green actions on social media, tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our online form to be entered to win one of 8 weekly themed prize baskets or the grand prize bicycle. Stretch yourself to try something new: air-dry laundry, bike, compost, take the stairs or bus, shut off computers & lights, unplug, recycle, etc. |
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1/25/23 Green Tip: Stay grounded - Megabus returns to Louisville with fares starting at $1 Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. For shorter trips, consider intercity bus service. Today, Megabus relaunches its service from/to Louisville in partnership with Miller Transportation, offering express service from downtown with free wi-fi, at-seat plug ins, and panoramic windows. Daily eastbound departures to Frankfort & Lexington, northbound departures for Indianapolis/Chicago (also serving Bloomington, Lafayette, Gary & Hammond) and southbound departures for Memphis (also serving Corydon, Evansville, Morganfield, Marion, Paducah, Mayfield, Fulton & Union City). More info. |
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1/17/23 Green tip: Connect at the 2023 Green Threads Faculty workshop (apply by 3/22) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2023 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 3/22 with Chair’s approval. Website & Application. Contact: Angela Storey angela.storey@louisville.edu (502) 852-3012. |
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1/9/23 Green Tip: New Year’s resolution to serve and eat less meat Did you know that meat-centered diets require 19 times the land and 13 times as much water as plant-based diets? Or that you can lower your heart attack risk simply by switching from a meat- to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to eat & serve meals free of flesh, eggs & dairy that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless options can be requested from caterers, Ville Grill & most campus dining venues. Break the habit with DefaultVeg. |
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12/15/22 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to carbon emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, & unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, & trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/9/22 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council is here to help faculty from all disciplines integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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12/5/22 Green Tip: Pull up a seat at the Sustainability Roundtable – Tuesday’s topic: Refrigerant Regulation The UofL Sustainability Council invites you to our Sustainability Roundtable series on alternate Tuesdays from 4:00-4:50pm. The fall series conclude December 6th, with Masters in Sustainability student Pat Digangi on "HFC Phasedown: Environmental and Economic Impacts of Refrigerant Regulation." Anyone with an interest in sustainability can participate or present, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, & public servants. If you would like to give a presentation in the spring, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. |
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12/1/22 Green Tip: UofL’S AASHE membership grants you access to sustainable inspiration Everyone at UofL who cares about environmental, social & economic responsibility should get connected with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). UofL recently renewed its AASHE membership, giving you free access to a world of benefits! To access member discounts, training, discussion forums, guides, best practices, directories, databases, & other online resources, go to aashe.org/user/register and create an account using your @louisville.edu address. Full details. |
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11/22/22 Green Tip: Prepare for a greener holiday season Buying local gifts, decorations & food is a great way to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. On Monday 11/28, the Buy Local Holiday Bazaar returns so you can load up on locally-crafted handmade gifts and décor in the SAC Ballroom 10am-2pm. The food you serve this holiday season can also make a big difference for human & planetary health. Go plant-based, locally-sourced, and zero-waste (reusable diningware & napkins, no individual bottled drinks, compost organics). Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/17/22 Green Tip: Learn about the scourge of microplastics and then do something about it Friday’s noon EcoReps Lunch & Learn in the Cultural & Equity Center 176 features Idoia Isusi from UofL Pharmacology & Toxicology presenting her research about pulmonary health problems caused by particulates & microplastics. These problems are the result of the explosion of single-use plastics & everyone on campus can help reduce our contribution to the problem. Just say no to plastics. Boycott bottled water and show up prepared for a waste-free day with reusable dining ware, mugs, bottles & shopping bags. |
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11/10/22 Green Tip: UofL ranks in top 10 of Zero Waste Campuses & Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges UofL has been recognized in the 2023 Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges & the Post-Landfill Action Network’s (PLAN) Top 10 Zero Waste Campuses in 2022. Through UofL’s membership in PLAN, the whole UofL community can tap into the power of the student led, zero-waste movement. Access with an @louisville.edu address free one-on-one advising calls with PLAN staff, zero-waste manuals, online workshops/trainings, discounts on sustainable products/services (e.g. 40% off Klean Kanteen), & registrations for the Students for Zero Waste Conference Nov. 9-13. Contact: Alex Freid <alex@postlandfill.org> |
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11/2/22 Green Tip: Why trash your old pumpkins when you could have fun composting? Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them. Turn them into fun, stress-relief, and organic fertilizer. UofL wants to help you battle the climate crisis by composting. Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn by the pumpkin composting sign any time through noon on November 8th. At that time, all are invited to our Election Day Pumpkin Smash on the SAC Ramp. |
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10/24/22 Green Tip: Dive into UofL Sustainability Week UofL Sustainability Week continues Monday with a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Craft Night - a fun, stress-relieving evening on the Humanities Quad 5pm-7:30pm. Tap into your creativity and make things out of the detritus of modern America. Bring your favorite scraps, or use the stuff we've collected. Tuesday features: Free Store FREE SALE 11:30am-1pm (Red Barn); Zoogeochemistry & Carbon Emissions 2:30pm (BAB 130); Roundtable: Regenerative Agriculture with Filmmaker Peter Byck 4pm (Teams); Urban Ag Expo 5pm (Urban & Public Affairs Garden). |
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10/20/22 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week kicks-off with Saturday of Service UofL Sustainability Week Oct. 22-28 offers multiple events each day to engage your passions for environmental, social & economic justice. It all starts with a Saturday of Service on 10/22 when the Cardinal Community is encouraged to give back at the Louisville Earth Walk, Jeffersonville & Phoenix Hill Tree Plantings, and the Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup. On Sunday, join us for Compost Church from noon-2pm and take home some free UofL compost. Monday will feature a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Craft Night. |
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10/12/22 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources The five-week drought we’re experiencing is a reminder of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve include: shutting the tap while doing dishes, brushing teeth, or shaving; shortening showers; not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; and immediately reporting leaky valves, fixtures & pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce bills and save energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online here. More Ways To Save. |
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9/26/22 Green Tip: Take advantage of UofL’s membership in the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) UofL has signed up for another year of membership in PLAN with benefits for the whole UofL community to tap into the power of the student led, zero-waste movement. Make your department, group, or events zero waste. All can now access free one-on-one advising calls with PLAN staff, access to zero-waste manuals/digital resources, online workshops/trainings and Leadership Certification, and discounts on sustainable products/services (e.g. 40% off Klean Kanteen). Register now with an @louisville.edu address to access the member hub. Website. Contact: Alex Freid <alex@postlandfill.org> |
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9/14/22 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challengers log nearly 2700 car-free miles – your next trip could win In just two weeks, participants logged 2682 miles over 326 car-free trips, mitigating 1600 pounds of carbon pollution. Congrats to our 2nd $50 weekly winners: Student, Debra Rayford, racked up huge mileage on four intercity bus trips; and Dental Systems Analyst, Clinton Coulter, logged an 8-mile bike commute. Join them in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $650 in prizes. Log your trips through September 30th at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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9/8/22 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge nears 1000 miles – help quadruple that and win In just over one week, participants logged 976 miles over 124 car-free trips, mitigating 572 pounds of carbon pollution. Congrats to our first $50 weekly winners: Business Professor Anne Marie Zwerg-Villegas logged 19 trips on foot, bus & telework; and Biology Grad Student, Sophia Anner, logged 2 bike commutes. Join them in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $650 in prizes through September 30th. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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8/29/22 Green Tip: Stop driving alone and win in the Cards Commuter Challenge through Sept. 30 Save money, burn calories, stop polluting, & win prizes…all by simply getting to campus in a new way. Log your trips at directions.louisville.edu during the Cards Commuter Challenge to win one of the $50 weekly prizes or the $250 Grand Prize. 1) Ride TARC free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Walk or bike with UofL Free Bikeshare or discounted LouVelo. 4) Vanpool, get guaranteed rides home, & win more prizes with Every Commute Counts. 5) Telecommute. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/25/22 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged. Free monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on last Fridays at noon begin this week in Cultural & Equity Center room 176 (or Teams) with Tami Harbolt on Animal Policy. |
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8/18/22 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695. Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations. |
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8/11/22 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service-learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 22-28. |
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8/4/22 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money. With a new fiscal year in full swing, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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7/27/22 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking up to $792 into an annual permit, with expanded work-from-home, consider using single-day scratch-off permits on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, stay fit & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Bike commute with free UofL Bikeshare or discounted LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Find vanpools, get your ride home guaranteed, & win prizes with Every Commute Counts. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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7/13/22 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville has already had six Air Quality Alert days this summer. You can help prevent this & save lives. Try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all your commute options & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate and Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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5/31/22 Green Tip: Gray Street Farmers’ Market at HSC reopens after two years Eating local is one of the best ways to reign in your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. UofL and Metro Public Health are committed to extend these benefits to all and address food apartheid in our urban core by hosting the Gray Street Farmers’ Market with SNAP, Senior Vouchers, and Double Dollars programs. The market relaunches this week on first Thursdays (June-Oct.), 10am-2pm at 400 E. Gray St. Eat at the peak of freshness & taste the difference. |
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5/26/22 Green Tip: Don’t miss out on serviceberry season Bring a pail to campus & load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses. Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are one of Kentucky’s delicious native fruits, widely planted as a low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are similar to blueberries with a somewhat nutty flavor- eat them fresh or freeze them for pies & smoothies. They are ripe for only 2 weeks around June 1st. On Friday at the Garden Commons, learn how to enjoy the bounty on Belknap & HSC. Details here. |
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5/19/22 Green Tip: Pop-Up Drop-Off Community Recycling Event Saturday at Shelby Campus UofL’s Shelby Campus is hosting a Metro Public Works free recycling drop-off for residents of Jefferson County on Saturday, May 21st, 10am-2pm. Items accepted for recycling include: Documents for shredding ; up to 4 passenger tires; scrap metal & appliances (no refrigerators or any items containing coolant); up to 3 electronic items; household recyclables, wooden pallets & yard waste (for composting) following curbside rules; and expired/unused prescription medication (disposed properly). Event webpage. |
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5/4/22 Green Tip: Ride with UofL in the May Bike Month Challenge and Win May is not only for riding horses. It’s also Bike Month and UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now want you to dust off your two-wheeled pony and ride with Team UofL in the Bike Month Challenge. Potentially win prizes and you’ll be rewarded with joy, fitness, community & cleaner air. Bicycles are liberating. Simply log your rides for fun, transportation, or fitness & you could win. Register for the Bike Month Challenge as an individual and join Team UofL on Strava. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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4/27/22 Green Tip: April showers bring May flowers We’re good at saving tasks for a rainy day, but what about saving rain for a droughty day? By installing a rain barrel, you can reduce your water bill and the energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. Disconnecting your downspouts from Louisville’s combined sewer system also helps prevent the dumping of raw sewage into waterways during storms. UofL has been disconnecting our downspouts and you can see rain barrels in action at our Garden Commons & UPA Garden. |
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4/21/22 Green Tip: Celebrate Earth Day, with UofL maple syrup and a learning café UofL’s Sustainability Council invites you to mark Earth Day on Friday at noon with a UofL maple syrup harvest party featuring free pancakes and hyper-local campus syrup on the Humanities Quad! At 3pm, join us online for an Earth Day Learning Café: “Yes in my Backyard! Awesome ideas from Bernheim for you to try at home!” featuring some of the amazing ways Bernheim is pioneering sustainable choices & a thought-provoking discussion of how our daily choices add up to big differences. |
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4/13/22 Green tip: Connect at the 2022 Green Threads Faculty workshop (apply by 5/6) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2022 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 5/6 with Chair’s approval. Website & Application. Contact: Angela Storey angela.storey@louisville.edu (502) 852-3012. |
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4/7/22 Green Tip: Old Louisville Tree Planting UofL has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA for 12 straight years due in part to Cardinal service to trees. This Saturday 9am-noon, the UofL Sustainability Council & Old Louisville Neighborhood Council invite volunteers to restore the canopy north of Belknap Campus. Meetup for donuts & coffee at the Central Park Information Center, then join a small team to plant 50 street trees along 2nd St., 7th St., & Ormsby Ave. Pizza & chili lunch at noon. Rain date: 4/16. Contact: Herb Fink 502-552-0399. Website. |
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3/31/22 Green Tip: Tree-Huggers Wanted – Friday is Arbor Day. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA for 12 straight years. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management, and a Belknap Tree Tour to help you use our campus as an educational tool. You can learn more, help plant trees on Belknap & HSC, and take home a native pawpaw to plant during Friday’s UofL Arbor Day Celebration, 10:30am Schneider Hall & 1:30pm Abell. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management. |
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3/24/22 Green Tip: UofL EcoReps need you & you need a free lunch Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps get the training, resources & support necessary to help make the sustainable choice the default choice on campus. Monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on last Fridays at noon continue this week with Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District. |
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3/17/22 Green Tip: Suffering from high gas prices? UofL is a Bicycle Friendly University With prices at the pump skyrocketing and warm weather arriving, now is the perfect time to dust off that bike and rediscover the healthy, money-saving & non-polluting joys of getting around on two wheels! For the third time, the League of American Bicyclists has just certified UofL as a Silver-level Bicycle-Friendly University, so take advantage of all we provide to help you get in gear! Cardinal Directions helps you find safer routes, LouVelo offers half-priced UofL discounts, or borrow a bike free from UofL. Resource page for UofL bike commuters. |
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3/10/22 Green Tip: Invasive Species Papermaking Workshop with Ecolympics Week 5 Winner Shoutout to Fine Arts Professor Rachel Singel, who won the Ecolympics Week 5 prize basket for sharing her work to battle invasive species through papermaking! You can enter the competition through March 26th with more mundane green actions, like taking the bus , biking, walking, turning down your thermostat, composting, or enjoying plant-based meals…but if you want to learn Rachel’s tricks, join her for a Papermaking Workshop on Friday at noon in Schneider Hall room 23 with the Student Sustainability Coalition. Submit your actions here. |
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3/3/22 Green Tip: Spring into Growing with Organic Gardening Workshops Started your seeds yet? Now’s the time to start planning your garden to ensure you’ll have the most local, nutritious, sustainable food possible. The Garden Commons’ Organic Gardening Workshop Series will help bring you up to speed. The series continues Friday 3/4 at 1pm with a Seed-Starting Workshop in the greenhouse behind Urban & Public Affairs (426 W. Bloom) led by Jefferson County Cooperative Extension; and concludes with: Gender & Gardening 4/8; and Serviceberry Foraging 5/27. |
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2/23/22 Green Tip: Win with the Campus Race to Zero Waste All staff, faculty & students can win with sustainable action every week in the Ecolympics! The Campus Race to Zero Waste concludes 3/26 and UofL is currently 10th in the nation. Recent prize basket winners are: REACH ambassador, Emily Nuñez, who reuses bags, bottles & towels; unplugs electronics; & reuses grease in bird food; and Philosophy professor, Brian Barnes, who has managed UofL’s Community Composting Project since 2010. What will you do? Post your actions & tag @UofLsustainable, or submit online. |
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2/15/22 Green Tip: Plug into Sustainability Roundtables on research and engagement UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Tuesdays at 4pm on Teams is for researchers and community engaged scholars of all kinds (faculty, staff, students) who study the intersectionality of ecological, economic, and social challenges and solutions. The series continues today in conversation with Dr. Magan Lewis of Corteva Agriscience, and rounds out the spring with speakers from the Green Heart Project, Habitat for Humanity, and the Urban Bird Treaty project. If you would like to present, contact Tamara Sluss . |
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1/31/22 Green Tip: Win with sustainable action during Ecolympics 2022 The Sustainability Council’s annual campus engagement challenge, Ecolympics, is on. All staff, faculty & students are encouraged to take action throughout February & March. Post about your green actions on social media, tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our online form to be entered to win one of 8 weekly themed prize baskets or the grand prize bicycle. Stretch yourself to try something new: air-dry laundry, bike, compost, take the stairs or bus, shut off computers & lights, unplug, recycle, etc. |
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1/27/22 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged in making the sustainable choice the default choice on campus. Monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on last Fridays at noon continue this week with Kentucky Youth Climate Strike. |
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1/20/22 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can cause fires and burns. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement. Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or online. |
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1/13/22 Green Tip: Grow with us in the Garden Commons & greenhouse this spring Did you know that UofL has organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh food year-round? Staff & students are encouraged to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools. Spring workdays are every Friday at 1pm in the Garden Commons (SW of Strickler Hall), with workshops on Maple Tapping (1/14); Orchard Pruning (2/11); Seed Starting (3/4); Gender & Gardening (4/8); and Serviceberry Foraging (5/27). Facebook. Website. |
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1/6/22 Green Tip: New Year’s resolution to serve and eat less meat Did you know that meat-centered diets require 19 times the land and 13 times as much water as plant-based diets? Or that you can lower your heart attack risk simply by switching from a meat- to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to eat & serve meals free of flesh, eggs & dairy that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless options can be requested from caterers, Ville Grill & most campus dining venues. Break the habit with DefaultVeg. UofL Vegan & Vegetarian Dining Guide. |
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12/16/21 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, and trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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12/9/21 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council is here to help faculty from all disciplines integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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12/2/21 Green Tip: Shop local this holiday season Buying local gifts and decorations is a great way to warm hearts and heat up our local economy without warming the planet. Support local producers, artisans, and businesses this holiday season. Load up on locally-crafted handmade goods at today’s UofL Holiday Bazaar 10am-2pm at the University Club. For off-campus shopping that also supports minority-owned businesses, UofL’s Sustainability Council provides links to directories of black-owned Louisville businesses, West Louisville businesses, and other under-represented (minority, women, veteran, disabled and LGBTQ owners) local shops. Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/18/21 Green Tip: Prepare for a greener holiday season Making and buying local gifts & decorations is a great way to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. UofL wants to support your DIY and locally-sourced holiday season. We are gathering plant materials from around campus to bring to the Garden Commons for a hands-on holiday wreath-making workshop for you on Friday 11am-2pm. On Dec. 2nd, the Buy Local Holiday Bazaar returns so you can load up on locally-crafted handmade gifts and decor. Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/11/21 Green Tip: Options for divesting your retirement fund This week’s global day of action around the COP26 is an ideal time to consider what kind of world your retirement funds are investing in. UofL offers employees socially-responsible investment options for retirement plans including: 1. Fidelity Select Environment & Alternative Energy Portfolio; and 2. CREF Social Choice; and 3. TIAA-CREF Social Choice Equity Fund - favoring ethically managed companies that are strong environmental stewards committed to higher labor standards and transitioning away from fossil fuels. Website. |
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11/2/21 Green Tip: Why trash your old pumpkins when you could have fun composting? Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them. Turn them into fun, stress-relief, worm food & organic fertilizer. UofL wants to help you battle the climate crisis by composting. Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn by the pumpkin composting sign any time from through noon on November 4th. At that time, all are invited to our annual Pumpkin Smash on the SAC Ramp. |
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10/19/21 Green Tip: Plug into Sustainability Roundtables on research and engagement UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Tuesdays at 4pm on Teams is for researchers and community engaged scholars of all kinds (faculty, staff, students) who study the intersectionality of ecological, economic, and social challenges and solutions. The series continues this week in conversation with the Lisa McCracken of the Louisville Energy Alliance, and rounds out the fall with speakers from Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Community Farm Alliance, and EPA. If you would like to present, contact Tamara Sluss. |
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10/14/21 Green Tip: Take full advantage of peak local food season Eating locally grown food is the simplest way to live more sustainably, lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. Now is the time to take full advantage of local abundance. Harvest the good at Friday noon Garden Commons workdays; celebrate Farm-To-Table Thursday evening & enjoy 30% local at UofL Dining; load up at your local farmers market; and preserve the current surplus so you can eat local all year by canning, drying & freezing fresh produce. Sustainable Food at UofL. |
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10/7/21 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challengers save big and win From Aug. 30 – Sept. 30, participants logged 1,094 trips on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool, covering 11,246 miles, preventing 8,137 pounds of carbon pollution, saving $5,505, & burning 101,600 calories. Congrats to ULPD staff, Jessica Stivers, who logged the most trips (71 by bus) and to our Grand Prize $250 raffle winner: Valeryia Kukharskaya, a REACH student assistant, who logged 416 miles over 32 carpool commutes, preventing 169 pounds of carbon pollution. Keep using Cardinal Directions to track savings & find carpools or other alternatives. |
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9/29/21 Green Tip: Last chance to win as the Cards Commuter Challenge heads toward finish line After four weeks, Challenge participants have logged 897 trips on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool, preventing 6,898 lbs of carbon pollution and saving $4656. Congrats to our week 4 winners: Fine Arts Professor, Rachel Singel, who logged 19 miles over 8 bike commutes; and Biology Grad Fellow, Sophia Anner, who pedaled 14 miles over 6 trips. Log your car-free trips through 9/30 for your chance to tap into $750 in prizes. Log trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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9/22/21 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge reaches 5,977 miles of driving avoided – jump in now to win In just three weeks, participants logged 673 trips on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool, preventing 4,246 lbs of carbon pollution and saving $2825. Congrats to our week 3 winners: ULPD Telecommunications staff, Jessi Stivers, who logged 16 bus trips; and Alicia Fox from the Dental School, who avoided driving to/from campus four times through telework. Join them in the Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $500 in prizes. Log trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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9/15/21 Green Tip: Join the Cards Commuter Challenge by Sept. 30th In just over two weeks, participants logged 4,020 miles over 355 trips on foot, bike, skates, bus, carpool, or telecommuting, mitigating 2,997 lbs of carbon pollution. Congrats to our second $50 weekly winners and telecommuting super-heroes: IRB Analyst Steffany Gayton and A&S undergrad, Jolisha Hines. Join them in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $750 in prizes through the end of the month. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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9/9/21 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge nears 2000 miles – help double that and win In just over one week, participants logged 1838 miles over 168 trips on foot, bike, skates, bus, carpool, or telecommuting, mitigating 1381 lbs of carbon pollution. Congrats to our first $50 weekly winners: UBM Tonja Craig walked over four miles to/from campus 12 times, and Sustainability major, Ethan Johnson, logged 8 bike commutes. Join them in the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $750 in prizes through the end of the month. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions to win. |
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8/30/21 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable facilitates collaboration for research and engagement UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Tuesdays at 4pm on Teams is for researchers and community engaged scholars of all kinds (faculty, staff, students) who study the intersectionality of ecological, economic, and social challenges and solutions. The series begins this week in conversation with the Louisville Climate Action Network, which offers customized programs on how to reduce household, business, and organizational carbon footprints, and advocates for smarter public policies to reduce carbon pollution and cut costs. If you would like to present, contact Tamara Sluss. |
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8/26/21 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged in making the sustainable choice the default choice on campus. Free monthly Lunch & Learn workshops on last Fridays at noon begin this week on Teams or in Ekstrom 254. Website. |
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8/18/21 Green Tip: Still time to join the National Bike Challenge & win like Yoshi During July, Kamila Bujko, maintained her lead, with the most miles (839) & trips (34) by bicycle, followed by our June & May winners, Joseph Turner (30 trips for 383mi) and DJ Biddle (21 trips for 487mi). Most improved was our July prize winner, Athletic Trainer, Yoshi Saito, with the 2nd most miles (555) & 4th most trips (18). Team UofL pedaled 25,107mi over 1606 rides May-July, including 1513mi of bike commuting, avoiding 972lbs of carbon pollution. The Challenge runs through September 30. |
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8/12/21 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking up to $747 into an annual permit, with expanded work-from-home, consider using single-day scratch-off permits on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, stay fit & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Bike commute with free UofL Bikeshare or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Find vanpools, get your ride home guaranteed, & win monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts. |
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7/8/21 Green Tip: Team UofL helps beat the heat in the National Bike Challenge During June, Kamila Bujko, continued to dominate, racking up the most miles (722), followed by DJ Biddle (537). But most improvement was shown by our June prize winner, English Professor, Joseph Turner, with 5th most miles (365) & 3rd most trips (25). Team UofL rode 20,174 miles over 1354 rides since May 1st. That includes 1342 miles of bike commuting, avoiding 862 pounds of carbon pollution to keep us all a little cooler. The Challenge runs through September, so it’s not too late to #ChooseCycling and win. |
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6/28/21 Green Tip: Celebrate Pollinator week by protecting habitat and avoiding chemicals Having just celebrated National Pollinator Week, UofL invites you to learn more at our Korfhage Native Pollinator Garden west & north of Life Sciences. Consider ways you can support the critters that pollinate 75% of all food. Replace lawns with native flowering plants & trees. Plant diversity and pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides & herbicides. Volunteer as a citizen scientist to monitor pollinator population health and distribution, e.g. through SciStarter and the e-Butterfly project. UofL Grounds pro-pollinator practices. |
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6/21/21 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville already had its first Air Quality Alert day last week. You can help prevent this. This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all your commute options & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate and Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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6/17/21 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money. With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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6/8/21 UofL TODAY: Green Tip: Ride like Katlyn & DJ in the National Bike Challenge UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now congratulate our top riders so far. During Bike Month, our 2020 Grand Champ, Kamila Bujko, rode the most miles (769); but most improvement was shown by Katlyn McGraw, Environmental Health GRA (2nd Top Rider, 541mi, 10 trips) and DJ Biddle, Director of the Center for GIS (3rd Top Rider & Top Male Rider, 461mi, 20 trips). We award them the leaders jerseys for now, but it’s not too late to #ChooseCycling and win. |
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6/3/21 Green Tip: Don’t miss out on serviceberry season Bring a pail to campus & load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses. Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are one of Kentucky’s delicious native fruits, widely planted as a low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are similar to blueberries with a somewhat nutty flavor- eat them fresh or freeze them for pies & smoothies. They are ripe for only 2 weeks around June 1st. On Friday at the Garden Commons, learn how to enjoy the bounty on Belknap & HSC. |
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5/27/21 Green Tip: Compost for a season of healthy growing Garden season is in full swing and a healthy, living soil full of organic matter is the key to healthy plants and water retention. Whether you’re growing in pots on your deck or farming acres, you’re going to need compost & mulch if you want to do it sustainably. UofL’s volunteer-powered community composting project has got you covered. You can always drop off any organic wastes or take home compost and woodchips during workdays every Sunday noon-2pm at 250 E Bloom St. |
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5/20/21 Green Tip: What’s the deal with that garden by Strickler Hall? Yes, it’s for you…and everybody. UofL’s Garden Commons (and the Urban & Public Affairs garden) is a learning space where students, faculty, staff, and the public can discover the delicious beauty of growing food sustainably without any pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, fossil fuels, monocultures, GMOs, or labor exploitation. Come see and taste the bounty – free samples anytime. It’s strawberry, asparagus & salad season. Group workdays are every Friday noon-1pm, with occasional workshops such as Serviceberry Foraging (6/4). |
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5/10/21 Green Tip: Free LouVelo and E-Bike Prize during Bike Month UofL’s Sustainability Council, Get Healthy Now & Metro Louisville encourage you to pedal for fun, fitness, transport, & cleaner air during Bike Month. Enjoy 24 hours of LouVelo bikeshare for free throughout May, with code BIKEMONTH2, and ride to lunch or anywhere from one of the 4 stations on Belknap or from HSC. Complete the LouVelo survey & you could win a Trek e-bike. Or log your rides in the National Bike Challenge to win a $400 bike shopping spree & other prizes. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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4/29/21 Green Tip: May is Bike Month - Ride with us in the National Bike Challenge With delightful weather back, it’s time to pump up those bike tires and get back in the saddle for fun, fitness, transportation, and cleaner air. UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now invite you to join Team UofL in the National Bike Challenge. Pedal along with us and you could win a $400 voucher to a local bike shop or other fun prizes from May 1st – September 30th. Simply log your rides for fun, transportation, or fitness to win. Register for the National Bike Challenge. Join Team UofL in the Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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4/21/21 Green Tip: Celebrate Earth Day, even while working remotely The UofL Sustainability Council’s Earth Day Learning Café will focus on five realms in which all employees can shrink their footprint, save money, and build community, even while working from home. Staff and faculty can make life-affirming choices when it comes to food, transportation, conservation, zero waste, and closing the loop. Earth Day is a perfect time to take new steps toward sustainability and we are here to accompany you on your journey. Learn more. |
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4/15/21 Green Tip: Prepare for Earth Day with Five Ways to Live Green While Working Remote On Earth Day, the Sustainability Council launches a new partnership with the Employee Success Center to offer a free sustainability learning cafe for all employees each semester. These workshops will help you explore how to "green" your work environment through sustainability practices that can save money, reduce our footprint, and build community. If you've always wondered what you can do to live more lightly on the Earth and to center social, economic & environmental stewardship in your habits, this is for you. Website. |
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4/8/21 Green Tip: April showers bring May flowers We’re good at saving tasks for a rainy day, but do you know how to save rain for a droughty day? By installing a rain barrel, you can save on your water bill and all the energy and chemicals needed to pump and treat water. Disconnecting your downspouts from Louisville’s combined sewer system will also help address one of our city’s greatest environmental challenges – i.e. the dumping of raw sewage into waterways during storms. Friday’s Garden Commons Workshop will show you how. |
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4/1/21 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable facilitates collaboration for research and engagement UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays at 11am is for researchers and community engaged scholars of all kinds (faculty, staff, students) who are interested in studying the intersectionality of ecological, economic, and social challenges and solutions. The series continues this week in conversation with Josh Miller from IDEAS xLab, a dynamic artist-run Louisville nonprofit working to champion inclusion and belonging through creativity, art, and action via collaboration-based projects, workshops & keynotes. If you would like to present, contact Tamara Sluss. |
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3/25/21 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks staff, faculty & students to serve as peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged in making the sustainable choice the default choice on campus. Live, virtual workshops on last Fridays at noon continue this week with Tony Arnold on Resilience Justice. |
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3/18/21 Green Tip: Louisville Grows Sustainability is regenerative – i.e. we must continue to grow and cultivate (literally & metaphorically) in order to co-create a future that is greener, healthier, more resilient & just. As days lengthen & temperatures rise, it is time to plant trees & food - and the Sustainability Council is here to help. Friday’s 11am Sustainability Roundtable features Louisville Grows which works to expand our urban canopy & agriculture; and then at noon you can explore their very first project at the Garden Commons workday. Events Page. |
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3/11/21 Green Tip: Spare a thought for pollinators Pollinators provide invaluable ecosystem services, yet our desire for a short, chemically-controlled “weed”-free lawn threatens their very existence. Beekeepers know they also make great honey and teach us valuable lessons about how to live in greater harmony with the world. The Kentuckiana Beekeepers Association will share this wisdom on Friday at noon as part of the Garden Commons hands-on workshop series covering Beekeeping; Rain Barrel Making & Serviceberry Foraging. Facebook. |
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3/4/21 Green Tip: As spring rolls in, turn your attention to growing food this year March is the perfect time to prepare for growing your own food this year. Now’s the time to start some seeds in a sunny window, or a greenhouse like the one at UofL’s Urban & Public Affairs garden. Rescheduled due to February’s polar vortex, you can bounce your seed starting questions off KSU Extension Agent Stephen Lewis in the greenhouse on Friday at noon as part of the Garden Commons hands-on workshop series covering Seed Starting; Beekeeping; Rain Barrel Making & Serviceberry Foraging. Facebook. Website. |
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2/24/21 Green Tip: Win with the Campus Race to Zero Waste Ecolympics 2021, the Sustainability Council’s engagement challenge gives all staff, faculty & students the chance win with sustainable action every week through March 27. This week we’re celebrating Emily Nuñez, who inspires us by cleaning with reusable cloths instead of disposable wipes, shopping second-hand, and drinking local with Louisville Tap water instead of wasteful bottled water. She won the Week 3 sustainable cooking prize pack. What will you do? Post your actions & tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our webform. Full details about Ecolympics 2021 online. Submit your actions here. |
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2/18/21 Green Tip: Participate in Ecolympics 2021 from wherever you are The Sustainability Council’s engagement challenge gives all staff, faculty & students the chance win with sustainable action every week through March 27. Leah Hazelwood won the week 1 coffee prize pack by supporting local black farmers, composting, making her own detergent & zero waste teeth brushing. In week 2, Anam Ahmed earned a green thumb prize pack by avoiding idling, boycotting bottled water, & heating only occupied rooms. Post your actions & tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our webform. |
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2/11/21 Green Tip: Despite the cold, it’s not too early to start thinking about gardening Despite the winter weather, February & March are the perfect months to prepare for growing your own food this year. Now’s the time to start some seeds in a sunny window, or a greenhouse like the one at UofL’s Urban & Public Affairs garden. Bounce your seed starting questions off KSU Extension Agent Stephen Lewis in the greenhouse on Friday at noon as part of the Garden Commons hands-on workshop series covering Seed Starting; Beekeeping; Rain Barrel Making & Serviceberry Foraging. Facebook. Website. |
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2/4/21 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable gets back to the Tap Did you know that UofL and the Louisville Water Co. have a long-standing partnership to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of ditching wasteful bottled water and getting back to the tap? Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & their staff will be discussing potential collaboration with UofL researchers at Friday’s 11am Sustainability Roundtable. Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695 |
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2/2/21 Green Tip: Win with sustainable action during Ecolympics 2021 The Sustainability Council’s annual campus engagement challenge, Ecolympics, is on. All staff, faculty & students are encouraged to take action throughout February & March. Post about your green actions on social media, tag @UofLsustainable, or submit them via our online form to be entered to win one of 8 weekly themed prize baskets and the grand prize folding bicycle. Stretch yourself to try something new: air-dry laundry, bike, compost, take the stairs or bus, shut off computers & lights, unplug, recycle, etc. |
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1/27/21 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps Ready to take your interests in environmental, social & economic justice to the next level? The Sustainability Council seeks faculty, staff & students willing to become peer educators & advocates within their campus communities for a more sustainable UofL. EcoReps have access to the training, resources & support necessary to get more engaged in making the sustainable choice the default choice on campus. Live, virtual workshops on last Fridays at noon begin this week with Feed Louisville co-founder, Rhona Kamar. Website. |
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1/14/21 Green Tip: Grow with us in the Garden Commons & greenhouse this spring Did you know that UofL has organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh food year-round? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools. Spring workdays are every Friday at noon in the Garden Commons (SW of Strickler Hall), with workshops on Maple Tapping (1/15); Seed Starting (2/12); Beekeeping (3/12); Rain Barrel Making (4/9); and Serviceberry Foraging (6/4). Website. Facebook. |
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1/5/20 Green Tip: New Year’s resolution to serve and eat less meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that you can lower your risk of death from heart attack simply by switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to eat & serve meals free of flesh, eggs & dairy that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless options can be requested from caterers and at The Ville Grill & most campus dining venues – just ask. UofL Vegan & Vegetarian Dining Guide. |
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12/17/20 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, and trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/8/20 Green Tip: Seeking intern to support the UofL Anchor Mission Initiative UofL is proud to support the local economic & community vibrancy that is central to sustainability in Louisville. As an inaugural member of the Higher Education Anchor Mission Initiative and the Anchor Learning Network, UofL seeks to spur economic development that benefits local companies, especially cooperatives & minority-owned. UofL’s Sustainability Council seeks a student intern to focus on making it easier for purchasers to find diverse businesses and to buy local. Apply by 1/15/21. Details online. |
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12/3/20 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council is here to help faculty from all disciplines integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/24/20 Green Tip: Simplify the Holidays - Give the Gift of Memories Instead of Stuff In addition to generating less waste, research shows that people are happier receiving experiential gifts instead of material items. You can help sustain local venues through the pandemic by purchasing gift certificates. And UofL offers classes and post-pandemic treats like student massages, and tickets to UofL Theatre, Music, Athletics, or Planetarium. Take the pledge to Simplify the Holidays and give memories that last long after material gifts are consigned to closets or landfills. |
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11/19/20 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Council focuses anti-racist agenda on food security Anti-racism & social justice are of equal importance to sustainability as ecological restoration & economic stewardship. In Louisville, nowhere is this clearer than in the impacts of food apartheid which has left our urban core without grocery stores or access to fresh, healthy, locally-grown food. Tackling this highly unsustainable injustice is the focus of Friday’s Sustainability Roundtable with Shauntrice Martin of Feed The West, and EcoReps Workshop on the Louisville Community Grocery. Website. |
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11/12/20 Green Tip: Prepare for a greener holiday season Making and buying local gifts & decorations is a great way to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. UofL wants to support your DIY and locally-sourced holiday season. We are gathering plant materials from around campus to bring to the Garden Commons for a hands-on holiday wreath-making workshop for you on Friday at noon. Now’s also the time to load up on locally-grown & handmade gifts & decor at area Farmers’ Markets, some of which operate through the winter. Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/9/20 Green Tip: Composting options if you miss today’s pumpkin smash Pumpkins can be dropped off for composting at the Red Barn & HSC Kornhauser Plaza through noon Monday, when we’ll hold a stress-relieving Pumpkin Smash at the SAC Ramp. If you miss it, you can always drop off any organic wastes at UofL’s volunteer-powered community composting operation (workdays every Sunday noon-2pm, 250 E Bloom St), or at the compost bins at the Garden Commons (SW of Strickler Hall). No meat, bones, or dairy - just plant-based wastes like produce/food scraps & paper/cardboard. |
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11/2/20 Green Tip: Why trash your old pumpkins when you could have fun composting? Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them. Turn them into fun, stress-relief, worm food & organic fertilizer. UofL wants to help you battle the climate crisis by composting. Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn or at HSC's Kornhauser Plaza by the pumpkin composting sign any time from through noon on November 9th. At that time, all are invited to our annual Pumpkin Smash on the SAC Ramp. |
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10/29/20 Green Tip: Learning from UK and celebrating collaboration The Sustainability Council’s 2020 Josh Smith Memorial Sustainability Award, honoring the contributions of non-affiliated community members to our initiatives, goes to University of Kentucky’s Sustainability Officer, Shane Tedder. Shane has always been willing to set aside conventional UK-UL rivalry in favor of a supportive and collaborative relationship. Join us in honoring Shane and learning from UK’s efforts to center racial justice in ecological stewardship at Friday’s noon EcoReps Workshop. |
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10/28/20 Green Tip: Celebrate 13th Annual Campus Sustainability Day Today UofL marks 13 years of concerted effort to weave social, economic & environmental stewardship into all we do. Inspired by our recent Sierra Club ranking as the “coolest school” in KY (top 100 in U.S.), the Sustainability Council is working on a revised Climate Action Plan & a Sustainability Plan to take us to the next level. This is an all-hands-on-deck effort to address the greatest crises facing humanity and we need your participation. Start by exploring today’s Fair on the Quad 10am-2pm. |
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10/26/20 Green Tip: Prepare to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle during UofL Sustainability Week Plan to take advantage of Zero Waste opportunities through Friday. Got stuff? Need stuff? Pop-up Free Stores on the Humanities Quad will accept donations of clothing, housewares, supplies, and more Tuesday 10am-noon & during the 13th annual Campus Sustainability Day Fair on Wednesday 10am-2pm. Bring your bike to the Fair for a free tune-up, batteries & lamps for recycling, and documents, diskettes & videotapes for free shredding & recycling at the Shred-It truck on College of Business circle. Website. |
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10/22/20 Green Tip: Tree-Huggers Wanted. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA for ten straight years. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management, and a Belknap Tree Tour to help you use our campus as an educational tool. You can learn more, help plant trees on HSC & Belknap campus, and take one home to plant during Friday’s UofL Arbor Day Celebration, which kicks-off UofL Sustainability Week. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management. |
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10/15/20 Green Tip: Take full advantage of peak local food season Eating locally grown food is the simplest way to live more sustainably, lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. Now is the time to take full advantage of local abundance. Harvest the good at Friday noon Garden Commons workdays; enjoy 30% local at UofL Dining; load up at your local farmers market or ask for local wherever you shop; and preserve the current surplus so you can eat local all year by canning, drying & freezing fresh produce. Sustainable Food at UofL. |
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10/7/20 Green Tip: Kamila Bujko pedals 4326mi as Team UofL's Grand Champion in the 2020 National Bike Challenge From May through September, Team UofL pedaled a total of 24,840 miles on 1,871 rides, with 478 bike commutes preventing 2,083 pounds of carbon pollution during the National Bike Challenge. UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now congratulate our Grand Champion, Kamila Bujko, Visiting Scholar at the Cancer Center, who pedaled the most miles (4,326) over the 2nd most bike rides (192) and the 4th most bike commutes. Kudos also go to runners-up Melissa Miller, Justin Mog, and Rachel Singel. Read More. Resources for UofL Bicyclists here. |
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9/30/20 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we kick-off the Ohio River Basin Summit after the driest month of 2020, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while doing dishes, brushing teeth, or shaving; shortening showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves & pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce bills and save energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. More Ways To Save. |
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9/24/20 Green Tip: Partnership for a Green City Did you know that since 2004 UofL has been a member of the Partnership for a Green City to facilitate collaboration with JCPS, JCTC & Metro government around common goals of environmental education & stewardship? The Partnership, which is a model based on bottom-up collaboration, top-down support, and a focused plan of action, is currently seeking a new UofL representative on its Steering Committee. Learn more Friday 11am when its Director, Brent Fryrear, speaks at the Sustainability Roundtable. |
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9/17/20 Green Tip: Socially-Responsible Investment Options Open Enrollment begins 10/23 & now’s a great time to consider your investments. UofL offers employees socially-responsible investment options for retirement plans including: 1. Fidelity Select Environment & Alternative Energy Portfolio; and 2. CREF Social Choice - favoring ethically managed companies that are strong environmental stewards committed to higher labor standards. Similar ethical investing opportunities for UofL’s endowment will be discussed at the Friday noon Garden Commons Workshop. Website. |
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9/8/20 Green Tip: Take advantage of UofL’s membership in the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) through October UofL’s Sustainability Council hosted PLAN Fellows this year with benefits for the whole UofL community to tap into the power of the student-led, zero-waste movement. Extended through October, enjoy one-on-one advising calls with PLAN staff, access to zero-waste manuals/digital resources, online workshops/trainings and PLAN Leadership Certification, and discounts on sustainable products/services (e.g. 40% off Klean Kanteen). Register now with an @louisville.edu address to access the member hub. Contact: Kayla Conway kayla@postlandfill.org, 603-608-9859. |
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9/3/20 Green Tip: Mohamed Rashed & Katlyn McGraw most improved as Team UofL enters final month of National Bike Challenge Team UofL has pedaled 20,682mi on 1537 rides, with 458 bike commutes preventing 2,252lbs of carbon pollution. Join in the fun, fitness & clean commuting through Sept. The Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now congratulate top riders Kamila Bujko, Melissa Miller, Rachel Singel, Emily Coleman, Rochelel Holm & Justin Mog, and reward our most improved riders in Aug.: Mohamed Rashed (Speed) had the 4th most trips (32, 82mi) & Katlyn McGraw (Environmental Health Inst.) racked up 247 mi on 15 trips. Register for the National Bike Challenge. Join Team UofL in the Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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8/27/20 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695. Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations here. |
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8/20/20 Green Tip: Grow Food Justice with us at the Garden Commons UofL’s organic Garden Commons welcomes everyone to grow & enjoy veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers in our new location SW of Strickler. We gather there every Friday 12-1pm for group workdays and monthly workshops – this week on 8/21 we’ll talk about the Louisville Community Grocery project and the ongoing movement for food justice to counter food apartheid in Louisville. Faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Bring water, bags, a mask & stay 6’ apart. Facebook. Contact: Olivia Delano, 502-608-4693, olivia.delano@louisville.edu |
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8/13/20 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking up to $747 into an annual permit, with less commuting likely, use meters or pay lots on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, stay fit & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Get your workout getting around with UofL Free Bikeshare or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Find vanpools, get your ride home guaranteed, & enter to win monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts. |
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8/6/20 Green Tip: TARC Transit Service Improvements Start Sunday TARC will make major changes to our transit system Aug. 9th to reduce wait times & delays. Resources that used to serve very few on long express routes & local circulators will be redeployed to improve service in our urban core. While this means the elimination of the LouLift and 96 circulators, expect improved service on all other routes to UofL: Routes 2 (Airport), 4 (4th), 19 (Ali), 21 (Chestnut), 23 (Broadway), 28 (Preston), 29 (Eastern) & 52 (Med Center). All routes are free with UofL ID. Cardinal Directions Trip Planning & Carpool Matching service. |
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7/26/20 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses! As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 23-30, 2020. |
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7/15 & 22/20 Green Tip: Come Grow with us at Summer Garden Workdays – Thursdays noon UofL’s organic Garden Commons has relocated due to construction. In its new location SW of Strickler Hall, near the Speed Art Museum, you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local food. All are welcome to grow & enjoy veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Group workdays are Thursdays 12-1pm 7/16-8/13. Help harvest, weed, water & plant. Bring water, bags, a mask & stay 6’ apart. Facebook. Contact: Olivia Delano, 502-608-4693, olivia.delano@louisville.edu |
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7/9/20 Green Tip: Ride like Rachel, Tim & Tyler in the National Bike Challenge May - September 2020 Team UofL has pedaled 8,739mi on 572 rides, with 151 bike commutes preventing 1,070 lbs of carbon pollution. Join in the fun, fitness & clean commuting through Sept. The Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now congratulate top riders Kamila Bujko, Melissa Miller & Justin Mog, and reward our most improved riders in June: Rachel Singel (Fine Arts) had the 2nd most commuter trips (18, 42mi); Tim Followell (Dentistry) had the 3rd most rides (33); & student Tyler Ellis rode the 2nd most miles (721). Register for the National Bike Challenge. Join Team UofL in the Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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7/1/20 Green Tip: Recycle a Bicycle UofL Bikeshare restores abandoned & donated bikes to offer free daily bike check-out from the SRC and a free semester-long loaner program for bikes with u-locks. Any UofL staff, faculty, or student can use the bikes for errands, getting around or between campuses, or even your daily commute. If you’ve got an adult bike collecting dust that you’d like to donate, please contact us. To donate kids bikes, contact Trikes for Tikes which restores & donates them to organizations serving clients in need. Trikes for Tikes contact: Mark Doll, (502) 295-5351, m0doll01@louisville.edu |
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6/22/20 Green Tip: Celebrate Pollinator week by protecting habitat and avoiding chemicals During National Pollinator Week (June 22-28), UofL invites you to learn more at our Korfhage Native Pollinator Garden west & north of Life Sciences. Consider ways you can support the critters that pollinate 75% of all food. Replace lawns with native flowering plants & trees. Plant diversity and pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides & herbicides. Volunteer as a citizen scientist to monitor pollinator population health and distribution, e.g. through SciStarter and the e-Butterfly project. UofL Grounds pro-pollinator practices. |
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6/16/20 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money. With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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6/11/20 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville already had its first Air Quality Alert day on Sunday. You can act to be part of the solution for our city. This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all your options on one map & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling over 30 seconds. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate & Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
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6/3/20 Green Tip: Ride like Kamila & Melissa in the National Bike Challenge May - September 2020 UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now congratulate our top riders so far in the National Bike Challenge. During Bike Month in May, Kamila Bujko, a Visiting Scholar at the Cancer Center rode the most miles (731); and Melissa Miller, a French Lecturer, logged the most trips on two wheels (37) and second most bike commutes behind Sustainability Coordinator, Justin Mog, in the Provost’s Office. We are awarding them the leaders jerseys for now, but it’s not too late to #ChooseCycling and win. Register for the National Bike Challenge. Join Team UofL in the Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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5/28/20 Green Tip: Enjoy UofL’s Edible Landscaping with Serviceberry Foraging Workshop Monday, June 1st, 12pm-1pm, meetup at new Garden Commons site (southwest corner of Strickler Hall) Bring a pail & load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses. Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are one of Kentucky’s delicious native fruits and they are widely planted as a low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are similar to blueberries with a somewhat nutty flavor (the trees are in the almond family). They are ripe for only 2 weeks around June 1st. Come enjoy the bounty on campus - eat them fresh or freeze them for pies and smoothies year-round. Website. Facebook. |
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5/18/20 Green Tip: Join the virtual ACC Sports Sustainability Symposium May 20 9 a.m. - May 21 3 p.m., free, online UofL is taking part in the 2nd annual ACC Sports Sustainability Symposium, which has been moved online. All are welcome to participate in virtual sessions, tours, and discussions focused on how university athletics programs can drive environmental and social stewardship on campus and among fans. The conference includes an ACC Together discussion, a Student Athlete Panel, and sessions on Fan Engagement; Successful Sponsorships & Partnerships; and Investing in Operations and Relationships. |
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5/14/20 Green Tip: May is Bike Month - Ride with us With delightful weather, less traffic on the roads, and the cleanest air Louisville has seen in generations, Team UofL is off to a great start in the National Bike Challenge. Together we’ve logged 75 bike trips, 1162 miles, and 230 lbs of carbon kept out of the atmosphere. Pedal along with us and UofL’s Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now might reward you with a $400 voucher to a local bike shop or other fun prizes. Simply log your rides for fun, transportation, or fitness & you could win. Register for the National Bike Challenge. Join Team UofL in the Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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5/4/20 Green Tip: Maintain the RecycleMania spirit all year long During Ecolympics in February & March, UofL participated in RecycleMania. Results are in & all your green efforts paid off. UofL finished in the top 10 nationally (and #1 in the state) by keeping a whopping 63.5% of our waste out of the landfill. Our new 2019 Recycling Report also shows great progress in waste minimization - lowest levels we’ve seen in nearly a decade. Let’s maintain that spirit all year long to avoid disposables; compost; and recycle all paper, cardboard, plastic, metal & glass. More Recycling Info. |
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4/27/20 Green tip: Prepare for a greener fall at the 2020 Green Threads Faculty workshop The date is set & application deadline extended for full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses. The Sustainability Council’s Green Threads workshop will be 8/14 in-person or virtual. Explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum & receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, and a network of colleagues from across UofL. Apply by 7/15 with Chair’s approval. Website & Application. Contact: Daniel DeCaro <daniel.decaro@louisville.edu>, (502) 852-2927 |
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4/22/20 Green Tip: How are you celebrating #UofLEarthDay? April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and we’re marking the occasion by asking the Cardinal Community to share on social media with #UofLEarthDay the green things you’re doing in the pandemic, like starting gardens or composting; dusting off your bike; learning sustainable life skills; communing with nature, etc. Pledge to take action & get support with the Louisville Sustainability Council’s new “Do Something Green” campaign. Join Earth Day Live online & find local events April 22-24. UofL Sustainability Instagram. |
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4/16/20 Green Tip: Virtual EcoReps Workshop on Health Justice Friday, April 17th, noon-1pm, ONLINE Join us for our last monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability. We'll wrap up the year with a focus on reproductive justice and our special guest, Meg Stern from the Kentucky Health Justice Network. As a Louisville native, Meg has a strong background in grassroots organizing with Louisville Clinic Escorts, The Fairness Campaign, and Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice. We’ll reconvene again next fall on last Fridays at noon – add us to your syllabus. Facebook Event. Join online meeting here (or dial-in: +1-571-392-7650 PIN: 464 522 5916) |
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4/9/20 Green Tip: Be Like Paige Wills – Ecolympics 2020 Champion Congratulations to Paige Wills, Coordinator of Marketing & Communication at the School of Public Health & Information Sciences, for being this year's Ecolympics Grand Prize winner. Paige has shared many posts about recycling on campus during Ecolympics, including our lesser known battery recycling program. Even at home you can recycle many of the same things as on campus (Metro Louisville’s curbside recycling system is identical to UofL’s), so it’s easy to take your green habits home with you. See some of Paige's posts here. Recycling Info here. |
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4/2/20 Green Tip: Belknap Farmers Markets canceled, but CSA Sign-Ups & Garden Starts available Sadly, we’ve had to cancel our spring markets, but don’t let the pandemic keep you from eating and growing local this year. You can still sign-up for a (bi)weekly share of local, sustainably-grown produce/meat delivered to you at Belknap, HSC, or other locations around town; and you can still get seeds, plants, fruit trees, berries, & compost for your spring garden online from our vendors: Barr Farms Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Louisville Grows Seeds & Starts Sale. |
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3/26/20 Green Tip: Sprint to the Ecolympics finish line We are in the final days of Ecolympics & RecycleMania 2020. There is still time to participate, do something green, and be entered to win. Take the spirit of Zero Waste with you even as you work from home. Let us know how you are using this time to reduce/reuse/recycle/compost, lower your carbon footprint, grow your own food, build community, help others, conserve energy, or start new eco-friendly habits. Post your actions by 3/28, tagging @UofLsustainable to win a bike or Comfy Cow ice cream. More Green Tips. |
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3/19/20 Green Tip: Don’t make your lab or office work while you’re away With many now transitioning to working remotely, we have an opportunity to conserve and shrink our campus footprint. Take a few moments to make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away. Help us reduce our $1,000,000 monthly utility bill by turning off all lights, computers and equipment, setting thermostats back, shutting all windows tightly, and unplugging everything possible: empty refrigerators, chargers, coffee makers, and other non-essential equipment. More Green Tips. |
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3/12/20 Green Tip: Win like Ashley with RecycleMania Congrats to weekly RecycleMania winner, Ashley Will, a student who skips the trash can at the coffee shop by bringing her own mug. You can get rewarded, too: 1. Avoid disposables – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; 2. Recycle all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in single-stream recycling bins; 3. Compost organics; or 4. Donate to UofL Free Store. Post your green actions to social media through March 30th, tagging @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike or Comfy Cow. Ecolympics. Connect on Facebook. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL here. RecycleMania standings. |
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3/5/20 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning + RecycleMania = Free Ice Cream As you clear those files & closets this spring, reuse & recycle to help the Cards win RecycleMania. Get rewarded by: 1. Donating to UofL Free Store; 2. Avoiding disposables – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; 3. Recycling all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in single-stream recycling bins. Don't worry what type it is or how clean, just drop it in the blue bin. Post your actions by 3/28, tagging @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike, or Comfy Cow ice cream. Ecolympics. Connect on Facebook. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL here. RecycleMania standings. |
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2/27/20 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania and win As part of Ecolympics, UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste & recycle most 2/2 – 3/28. Help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; 2. Recycling all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over UofL. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the blue bin. Post your green actions, tagging @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike, or Comfy Cow. Connect on Facebook. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL here. RecycleMania standings. |
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2/20/20 Green Tip: Take action for Ecolympics and win Comfy Cow or a bike UofL’s Ecolympics is a friendly competition to see which individual, dept., or residence hall can reduce waste & energy use the most through March 28th. Turn your words into actions for a better tomorrow and you could win Comfy Cow ice cream, or get in the running for the grand prize bike. Take any green actions and post about them to social media, tagging @UofLsustainable. Walk, bike, bus, or carpool; try a Meatless Monday; strive for a Zero Waste day – challenge yourself and your friends. More Green Tips. Facebook. |
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2/13/20 Green Tip: Feel the love and win with Ecolypmics The Earth needs a little love on Valentine’s Day, too. Ecolympics is on and people across the university are competing to reduce waste, recycle, and conserve energy through March 28th. Congrats to the residents of Bettie Johnson Hall who have already reduced their electricity use by 3%. Post your green actions, tag @UofLsustainable, and you could win a bike, Comfy Cow, or Heine Bros. coffee. Shut off computers/lights, unplug, take the stairs or bus, bike, carpool, reuse, recycle, compost, etc. More Green Tips. |
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2/3/20 Green Tip: Post sustainable actions and win with Ecolympics 2020 The Sustainability Council’s annual campus engagement challenge, Ecolympics, is on. All staff, faculty & students are encouraged to take action throughout February & March. Post about your green actions on social media, tag @UofLsustainable, and you’ll be entered to win weekly incentives from Comfy Cow or Heine Bros., and the grand prize bicycle. Stretch yourself to try something new: air-dry laundry, carpool, compost, take the stairs or bus, shut off computers & lights, unplug, recycle, etc. Facebook Event. |
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1/30/20 Green tip: Connect at the 2020 Green Threads Faculty workshop (apply by 3/18) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2020 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 3/18 with Chair’s approval. Website & Application. Contact: Daniel DeCaro <daniel.decaro@louisville.edu>, (502) 852-2927. |
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1/23/20 Green Tip: UofL awarded Tree Campus USA status. Tree-Huggers Wanted. This week, the Arbor Day Foundation recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA for the 10th straight year. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management, and a Belknap Tree Tour to help you use our campus as an educational tool. All of this emerged from the Sustainability Council’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee which welcomes you to participate in our spring meeting TBA & UofL’s Arbor Day Celebrations on 4/3. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management. |
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1/16/20 Green Tip: Take a seat at the Sustainability Roundtable on Self-Governing Societies Friday, Jan. 17, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St) Expand your research & academic horizons at the spring Sustainability Roundtable series every other Friday at 11am. It starts with Dr. Daniel DeCaro, Dir. of UofL’s Social Decision Making & Sustainability Lab, on Decentralization & Democracy in Self-Governing Societies: Community Governance of Neighborhood Greenspaces. UofL’s Sustainability Council invites faculty, staff & students for discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration and to share their environmental, social & economic research. Contact: Tamara Sluss. |
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1/9/20 Green Tip: Resolve to eat less meat in the new decade Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that you can lower your risk of death from heart attack simply by switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you and the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested from caterers or found at The Ville Grill & most campus dining venues & restaurants – just ask. UofL Vegan & Vegetarian Dining Guide. |
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12/18/19 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, and trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/11/19 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can cause fires and burns. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement. Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or online. |
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12/5/19 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council is here to help faculty from all disciplines integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/27/19 Green Tip: Simplify the Holidays - Give the Gift of Memories Instead of Stuff In addition to generating less waste, research shows that people are happier receiving experiential gifts such as classes, massages, or tickets, instead of material items. UofL’s got you covered with all sorts of stuff-free gift options such as classes, student massages, and tickets to UofL Theatre, Music performances, Athletics, or Planetarium shows. Take the pledge to Simplify the Holidays and give memories that last long after material gifts are consigned to closets or landfills. |
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11/18/19 Green Tip: Friends, Not Food Tuesday, Nov. 19th, 7pm-9pm, SAC Multipurpose room The Engage Lead Serve Board's Green Initiatives & Animal Welfare Committee offer an evening of fun and food to help move you toward a plant-based diet that will improve your health and shrink your footprint. Enjoy a trivia competition with prizes, a resource fair with information on vegetarian, vegan, and organic meals; recipes; food tastings; tabling from affiliate groups; and TED-talk style speakers touching on other aspects of agricultural practices, such as pollution, climate change, & more. |
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11/12/19 Green Tip: Prepare for the holiday season sustainably this week Making and buying local gifts & decorations is a great way to warm hearts & heat up our local economy without warming the planet. UofL offers several opportunities to go local each holiday season and it all begins this week. Load up on locally-grown & handmade gifts & decor from local farmers & artisans at the UofL Farmers’ Market Holiday Bazaar Weds. 11/13 11am-3pm at the Red Barn. At noon on Friday, make your own wreath using campus plant materials at the Garden Commons Wreath-Making Workshop. Additional Green Holiday Tips. |
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11/6/19 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable focuses on Climate Change and the Power Dialog Initiative Friday, Nov. 8th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St) Join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our featured speaker on Friday will be Jacek Jasinski from UofL's Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, on how to tackle global climate disruption. This is the perfect opportunity to discuss potential collaboration on research and implementing solutions to climate change. Our final fall Roundtable will be 11/22 with Lilias Pettit-Scott from the Urban Agriculture Coalition on High Tunnel Production. |
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10/24/19 Green Tip: Wrap up Sustainability Week in Style Your last chances to dive in are delightful: Today: Gray St. Farmers Market (10:30am–1:30pm); Film: Current Revolution (noon & 4:30pm Kornhauser HSC Auditorium); and Disappearing Nations: Anote’s Ark film & climate justice talk (6-9pm Strickler 101). Friday: Sustainability Roundtable: Food Systems (11am Urban & Public Affairs 200); EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Climate Change with Conn Center's Jacek Jasinski (noon Ekstrom W210); and Garden Commons Workday (noon Cultural Center). |
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10/17/19 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week starts tonight with Farm-To-Table Dinner Sustainability Week kicks off with a Farm-To-Table Dinner & Sustainability Award presentation (10/17 Red Barn 5-8pm). Friday at noon join us for an Urban Studies Garden Workday (426 W. Bloom St.) or a PD workshop: Business-as-Usual is Killing Us! The need for institutional weirding (10/18 at HSC Kornhauser Aud. 103; repeats 10/21 noon Ekstrom W104). Weekend service projects include: 10/19 8:30am-noon Central Park Improvement Day; and 10/20 Noon-2pm UofL Community Composting (250 E. Bloom St.). |
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10/10/19 Green Tip: Fermentation Workshop Friday, Oct. 11th, noon-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center Curious about pickling, canning or fermenting your own veggies? Stop by the Garden Commons and get an overview from Jeneen Wiche, local farmer, UofL Anthropology professor, and lover of fermentation. Bring a jar & you might snag some fermented goodies! This is a part of our fall series of Garden Workshops - next: Nov. 22nd noon - Wreath Making. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone is welcome to share in the harvest. Facebook. Instagram. |
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9/25/19 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge enters final week August 26 - September 30, university-wide Kudos to our Week 4 winners: Archivist Kyna Herzinger logged 9 bus commutes and one carpool. Urban Planning Masters student & Program Coordinator at TreesLouisville, Rob Monsma, logged 10 transit trips (40mi) & 4 bike trips (12mi), with 92 trips total logged in the Challenge so far. In the first 4 weeks, students, faculty & staff have avoided 1154 car trips, 4000+ miles of driving, carbon emissions & costs. Join them in the Challenge on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool to tap into $500 in prizes. Log trips at Cardinal Directions or Every Commute Counts to win. |
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9/18/19 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challengers save $978, 3474mi of driving, and 2338lbs of carbon pollution August 26 - September 30, university-wide Congrats to Week 3 winners: Facilities cabinetmaker, Charles Ames, logged 59 miles over 26 bike commute trips, preventing 46.7lbs of pollution. Student, Rusty Crofts, logged 90 trips walking 0.5-mile to/from the bus stop & commuting 11 miles in climate-controlled comfort with free wifi for a total of 358.4 mi; 5,040 Calories Burned; 198.4 lbs CO2 Reduction; and $64.25 Saved. Join them in the Challenge on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool and you could be the next winner to tap into $500 in prizes. Log trips at Cardinal Directions or Every Commute Counts to win. |
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9/12/19 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge reaches 1380 miles of driving avoided – jump in now to win August 26 - September 30, university-wide In only two weeks, participants logged 1380 miles of trips on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool. Congrats to our week 2 winners: Dental Clinic Associate, Lynette Mercado-Mcquiston, who logged nearly 950 miles of carpooling from Elizabethtown; and Public Health Graduate Research Assistant, Madeline Tomlinson, who logged 58 short bike commute trips. Join them in the Challenge and you could be the next winner to tap into $500 in prizes through the end of the month. Log trips at Cardinal Directions or Every Commute Counts to win. |
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9/4/19 Green Tip: Cards Commuter Challenge tops 1000 miles – help double that and win August 26 - September 30, university-wide In just the first week, participants have logged 1000 miles of trips on foot, bike, bus, or carpool, mitigating 566 lbs of carbon pollution. Congrats to our first weekly winner, Mercedes Pastor, a junior field hockey player from Buenos Aires, who logged an amazing 47 bike commute trips. Join Mercedes in the Cards Commuter Challenge today and you could be the next winner to tap into $500 in prizes through the end of the month. Log your trips at Cardinal Directions or Every Commute Counts to win. |
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8/26/19 Green Tip: Take advantage of cooler weather in the Cards Commuter Challenge August 26 - September 30, university-wide With summer’s heat behind us, now’s a great time to stretch your legs & win some of the $500 in prizes during the Cards Commuter Challenge. Walk, bike, or skate to UofL or to your nearest bus stop and ride TARC free with UofL ID. All buses have bike racks. Avoid bus transfers by getting to a direct route to UofL (Routes to: Belknap: 1, 2, 4, 18, or 29; HSC: 2, 18, 23, or 52; Shelby: 31), or by transferring to a half-priced LouVelo. Car/Vanpooling also qualifies. Log your trips to win each week. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/22/19 Green Tip: Get ready for the Cards Commuter Challenge August 26 - September 30, university-wide UofL wants you to save money, burn calories, put an end to pollution, and win prizes…all by simply getting to campus in a new way. Log your trips during the Cards Commuter Challenge and you could win $250 in fabulous weekly prizes or the $250 Grand Prize. 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Pedal with UofL Free Bikeshare or half-price LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Vanpool, get your ride home guaranteed, & win monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/15/19 Green Tip: Save on parking & fuel costs this year Instead of sinking up to $747 for an annual permit, this year, use meters or pay lots on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, burn calories & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Get your workout getting around with UofL Free Bikeshare or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Get in on a vanpool, get your ride home guaranteed, or enter to win monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/8/19 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695. Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations here. |
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7/30/19 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses! As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 17-25, 2019. |
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7/25/19 Green Tip: Take full advantage of peak local food season Eating local lowers your environmental impact, strengthens our regional economy & improves your health. Now is the time to take full advantage of local abundance. Load up at today’s Gray St. Farmers' Market (Thursdays 10:30am – 1:30pm at HSC); harvest the good at Garden Commons workdays (Fridays at noon, next to the Cultural Center); enjoy over 30% local at UofL Dining Services; look for local wherever you shop; and mark your calendar for the fall Belknap Farmers Market 9/18 11am-2pm, Red Barn. Sustainable Food at UofL. |
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7/18/19 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we move into the hottest, driest weeks of summer, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while washing dishes, brushing your teeth, or shaving; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy & chemicals needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online here. More Ways To Save. |
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7/10/19 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville has already had several Air Quality Alert days. You can act to be part of the solution for Louisville! This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all of your options on one map & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling over 30 seconds. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate & Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
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7/3/19 Green Tip: Declare your independence from the landfill Take simple steps toward zero waste this July 4th: 1. REDUCE: Avoid excess packaging & refuse the bag - bring your own & buy in bulk. Print double- sided or not at all. 2. REUSE: ditch disposables with reusable mugs, cups, plates, utensils, filters, rechargeable batteries, cloth napkins & towels. Donate unwanted stuff & buy pre-owned items or get it free at UofL Surplus or Free Store. 3. RECYCLE: UofL collects all kinds of paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic, e-wastes & hazardous materials. UofL Recycling. UofL Waste Reduction. |
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6/26/19 Green Tip: Parking permit costs are up; Now’s the time to save Permits have shot up to $747. This is the year to ditch the permit, use meters or pay lots on days you absolutely must drive & try these options to save money, burn calories & protect the planet: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Get your workout getting around with UofL Free Bikeshare or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Get in on a vanpool, get your ride home guaranteed, or enter to win monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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6/17/19 Green Tip: Celebrate Pollinator week by protecting habitat and avoiding chemicals During National Pollinator Week (June 17 – 23), UofL invites you to learn more at our Korfhage Native Pollinator Garden west & north of Life Sciences. Consider ways you can support the critters that pollinate 75% of all food. Replace lawns with native flowering plants & trees. Plant diversity and pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides & herbicides. Volunteer at UofL’s 200 acre Horner Wildlife Sanctuary in Oldham Co. for the national butterfly count in July – details will be shared soon. Learn about UofL Grounds pro-pollinator practices here. |
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6/13/19 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy. (See UofL Surplus.) |
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5/30/19 Green Tip: Enjoy UofL’s Edible Landscaping with Serviceberry Foraging Party Friday, May 31st, 12pm-1pm, meetup at Garden Commons at the Cultural Center Bring a pail & load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses. Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are one of Kentucky’s delicious native fruits and they are widely planted as a low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are similar to blueberries with a somewhat nutty flavor (the trees are in the almond family). They are ripe for only 2 weeks around June 1st. Come enjoy the bounty on campus - eat them fresh or freeze them for pies and smoothies year-round. Website. Facebook. |
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5/23/19 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It now accounts for 10% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; or take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions through a service such as Native Energy, CarbonFund, or TerraPass. Set up carpools with Cardinal Directions. Details on Alternatives to Flying & Carbon Offsetting here. |
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5/9/19 Green Tip: Maintain the RecycleMania spirit all year long As a part of Ecolympics 2019, UofL participated in RecycleMania in February & March. Final results are in and all your green efforts paid off. UofL did better than ever in the competition. We finished #1 in the state in several categories: Diversion with 57.65% overall recycling rate (18th in U.S.); Per Capita Classic by recycling 16.8 lbs/person (42nd in U.S.); and Food Organics composting (89th in U.S.). Let’s maintain that fighting spirit to win our own future with green acts all year long. |
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5/1/19 Green Tip: Leave the driving to TARC this Derby season! Headed to the track? Avoid the hassle and expense of driving & parking. Let TARC be your “designated driver” for Derby Week. As always, you can ride free with your UofL ID. TARC will whisk you to Churchill Downs all week on existing routes. Routes providing the closest access are: #1 – LouLift (Downtown-UofL-Churchill Downs, free for everyone); #4 – Fourth St (Downtown-Old Louisville-UofL-Iroquois); #6 – Sixth St (Downtown-Iroquois); and #29 – Eastern Pkwy (St. Matthews-Highlands-UofL-Shively). Details & Maps about TARC’s Derby Week service. |
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4/24/19 Green Tips for Faculty/Staff Leaving for Summer Before leaving campus for the summer, consider two actions to conserve & save: 1. Make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away - turn off lights, computers & equipment, set thermostats to 80, shut windows tightly, and unplug everything possible: empty refrigerators, chargers, coffee makers, printers, and all non-essential equipment. 2. Give up the hassle & expense of driving to campus next year & make plans now through Cardinal Directions to carpool, bus, bike, or walk. |
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4/17/19 Green Tip: Earth Week Free Stuff Swap (TODAY), Pancake Party & Garden Planting UofL is celebrating Earth Day all week with events to engage your passions for our one green planet. Today, you can Lighten Your Load (on the Planet) at our annual Move-Out Free Stuff Swap 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp. All are welcome to take or donate clothes, shoes, books, housewares, etc. On Friday, join us at noon in Ekstrom W210 for an EcoReps Pancake Party: Making Maple Syrup from UofL Trees; and at 2:30 help plant future food at the Garden Commons final spring workday at the Cultural Center. |
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4/11/19 Green Tip: CSA Sign-Ups & Garden Starts at Belknap Farmers Market Monday, April 15th, 11am-2pm, Red Barn plaza Learn about getting a (bi)weekly delivery of local, sustainably-grown produce & get seeds/plants for your spring garden when the BFM returns for 1 day only for Earth Week. Stop by for farm-fresh products from: Louisville Grows – garden seeds & starts (veggies, fruits & flowers) Barr Farms - subscriptions for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares with pickups at the SAC & HSC May-Oct. Berserker Brew locally-roasted coffee Bernoulli's Ice Cream Rogue Petunia Cakery Lowe Creek Farms UofL Free Store Website. Facebook. |
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3/27/19 Green Tip: Sprint to the Ecolympics finish line Congrats to last week’s Ecolympics winner, Jakob Mitchell, who took home Comfy Cow ice cream as a reward for his creative reuse. Take that spirit of Zero Waste into these final days of RecycleMania. Post your actions by 3/30, tagging @UofLsustainable to win a bike or Heine Bros. coffee. 1. REDUCE your waste by double-siding & choosing reusables instead of disposables; 2. REUSE items yourself or donate to UofL Free Store; 3. RECYCLE all plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in same bin at UofL. More Green Tips. |
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3/21/19 Green Tip: Ecolympics homestretch – Take action to win! We are in the last couple weeks of Ecolympics 2019. Join in the fun & win with conservation. Post your green actions to social media and tag @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike, Comfy Cow ice cream, or Heine Bros. coffee. Any actions for sustainability count: Ride a LouVelo instead of driving. Shut off & unplug. Eat less meat. Buy local or fair trade. Take the stairs. Carpool, bike, walk, or bus. Air-dry clothes. Shower with solar power at the SRC. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Compost. More Green Tips. |
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3/13/19 Green tip: Faculty can plug-in at the Green Threads workshop (apply by 3/20) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2019 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 3/20 with Chair’s approval. Green Threads Application & Full Details here. |
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3/7/19 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning + RecycleMania = Free Coffee or Ice Cream As you clear those files & closets this spring, reuse & recycle to help the Cards win RecycleMania. Get rewarded by: 1. Donating to UofL Free Store; 2. Avoiding disposables – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; 3. Recycling all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in single-stream recycling bins. Don’t worry what type it is or how clean, just drop it in the blue bin. Post your actions by 3/30, tagging @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike, Comfy Cow, or Heine Bros. coffee. Event page. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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2/28/19 Green Tip: Ecolympics 2019 – Take Action to Win Congrats to our weekly winner, Rachel McDonald, who skips wasteful bottled water and refills with “liquid gold” Louisville Tap. Join in the fun & win with conservation. Post your green actions to social media and tag @UofLsustainable to win a bike, Comfy Cow, or Heine Bros. coffee. Any actions for sustainability count: Shut off & unplug. Eat less meat. Buy local. Take the stairs. Carpool, bike, walk, or bus. Air-dry clothes. Shower with solar power at the SRC. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Compost. More Green Tips. |
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2/20/19 Green Tip: Take action for Ecolypmics and win Comfy Cow, Heine Bros. or a bike UofL’s Ecolympics is a friendly competition to see which individual, department, or residence hall can reduce waste, recycle & conserve energy the most by 3/30. Congrats to our weekly winner, GRASS member Sydney Hancock, who has been preparing for Friday’s 2pm rally for climate justice. If you want to enjoy Comfy Cow ice cream like Sydney, or a Heine Bros. coffee gift pack, or get in the running for the bike, post your green actions to social media and tag @UofLsustainable. All actions count. More Green Tips. |
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2/14/19 Green Tip: Feel the love and win with Ecolypmics The Earth needs a little love on Valentine’s Day, too. Ecolympics is on and people across the university are competing to reduce waste, recycle, and conserve energy through March 30th. Congrats to our first weekly winner, STEM Librarian Sarah Drerup, who enjoys her campus coffee with a reusable mug & a discount. Post your green actions, tag @UofLsustainable & you could win a bike, Comfy Cow, or Heine Bros. coffee. Shut off computers/lights, unplug, take the stairs or bus, recycle, compost, etc. More Green Tips. |
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2/6/19 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania and win UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste & recycle most 2/3 – 3/30. Help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; 2. Recycling all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over UofL. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the blue bin. Post your green actions, tagging @UofLsustainable to be entered to win a bike, Comfy Cow, or Heine Bros. coffee. Event page. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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1/31/19 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable on Environmental Education & Citizen Science Friday, Feb. 1, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St) The Sustainability Roundtable series continues Friday with Bellarmine professor Carolyn Waters’ participatory presentation on: 1) photovoice methodology to engage beyond the choir, 2) infusing critical pedagogy into environmental science classrooms, 3) an iNaturalist citizen science project with Olmsted Parks Conservancy. Faculty, staff & students are invited for discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration and to share their environmental, social & economic justice research (at any stage). Website. Facebook Event. Contact: Daniel.DeCaro@louisville.edu |
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1/24/19 Green Tip: EcoReps brings you free lunch and Kentucky Excellence in Environmental Leadership Friday, Jan. 25th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210 Join us for monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshops featuring free vegetarian lunch & locals making a difference in sustainability. We kick-off the spring series with Robyn Whitted, Dir. of the state’s voluntary program, KY EXCEL - Kentucky Excellence in Environmental Leadership. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program aims to move students, faculty & staff to action for a more sustainable UofL. We provide training, resources, service & leadership for peer-to-peer sustainability advocates. EcoReps website. Facebook Event. Sustainability Events. |
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1/15/19 Green Tip: What can I recycle? Has China banned it? The Louisville Metro Green Team hosts a free webinar Tuesday 1/15 12-1:00pm about the single-stream recycling system that you use at home & here at UofL for plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass. Topics include recycling at work & at home, and how Louisville is affected by China’s ban on recyclables. The presenter is Kim Martinez from the company that sorts & tries to sell our recyclable waste: WestRock Recycling (formerly QRS). Email jody.duncan@louisvilleky.gov to register. UofL Recycling Website. |
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1/10/19 Green Tip: Grow with us at Spring Greenhouse Gardening Workdays & Workshops Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, hyper-local food year-round? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools! Spring workdays every Friday at 2:30pm at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center), plus noon workshops: 1/18 Maple Tapping; 2/15 Seed Starting; 3/22 Composting; 4/12 Climate Change Anxiety & Meditation. Facebook. Website. Contact: Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe (Garden Intern), avalon.gupta-verwiebe@louisville.edu, 502-377-2712 |
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1/7/19 Green Tip: This New Year, resolve to eat less meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that you can lower your risk of death from heart attack simply by switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you and the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested from caterers or found at The Ville Grill & most campus dining venues & restaurants – just ask. UofL Vegan & Vegetarian Dining Guide. |
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12/13/18 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season The North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, bike, eat less meat, and trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/5/18 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/28/18 Green Tip: Shop local this holiday season Buying local gifts and decorations is a great way to warm hearts and heat up our local economy without warming the planet. UofL is offering several opportunities to support local producers, artisans, and businesses this holiday season. The UofL Farmers’ Market Holiday Bazaar is today (11/28) 12-3pm at the Red Barn. The Holiday Cards Buy Local Shopping Tour starts at the University Club on Friday (11/30) at 8am. The annual UofL Ceramics Sale takes place Dec. 7-8 in the Studio Arts building. |
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11/20/18 Green Tip: Give the Gift of Memories Instead of Stuff In addition to generating less waste, research shows that people are happier receiving experiential gifts such as classes, massages, or tickets, instead of material items. Take the pledge to Simplify the Holidays - avoid gifting stuff & give memories that last long after material gifts are consigned to closets or landfills. If you must give stuff, at least buy local – and for that UofL has you covered with the Farmers’ Market Holiday Bazaar (11/28, Red Barn), and Holiday Cards Local Shopping Tour (11/30). |
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11/15/18 UofL TODAY: Green Tip: Make your own holiday wreath with us Friday, Nov. 16th, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center, free Get in the holiday spirit by learning how to make your own beautiful wreath using a variety of plant materials from campus and herbs from our garden. It's easier than you might think & you'll take home something beautiful and unique. This is the last in our fall series of Garden Workshops on Fridays at noon. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty & community members. Everyone is welcome to share in the harvest. Last fall group workday Nov. 30th, noon. Facebook. Contact: Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe (Garden Intern), 502-377-2712, avalon.gupta-verwiebe@louisville.edu |
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11/8/18 UofL TODAY: Green Tip: Environmental Rights in the City focus of final Sustainability Roundtable Friday, Nov. 9th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St) The fall Sustainability Roundtable series concludes with Fulbright Scholar Tiago de Melo Cartaxo (Nova University, Lisbon, Portugal) speaking on the characteristics and effectiveness of environmental rights in order to face uncertainty and achieve social-ecological justice in cities. Faculty, staff & students are invited to come for discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration and to share their research (at any stage) into environmental, social & economic justice at spring Roundtables.Contact: Daniel DeCaro <Daniel.DeCaro@louisville.edu> |
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10/31/18 UofL TODAY: Green Tip: Compost your old pumpkins - Election Day Pumpkin Smash Tuesday, Nov. 6th, 1pm, SAC Ramp Don’t know what to do with your pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them! We’ll help you compost them! Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn by the pumpkin composting sign any time through 1pm on Tuesday November 6th. On Election Day, Tuesday 11/6 at 1pm, UofL’s Sustainability Council & Office of Health Promotion will host the annual Pumpkin Smash from the SAC Ramp. Join us for composting fun & Election Day stress relief! Website. Facebook. |
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10/24/18 UofL TODAY: Green Tip: Recycle batteries, toner, documents & more at today’s Campus Sustainability Day Fair It’s Campus Sustainability Day & all are invited to support our Sustainability Initiatives during the UofL Day of Giving. Stroll through our 11th annual Fair on the Humanities Quad 10am-2pm. Bring batteries & toner cartridges for recycling and bikes for tune-ups. Shred-It will offer free recycling of documents, videos & disks at College of Business circle. Sustainability Week continues Thursday with kickoff meetings for the HSC Green Team Kickoff (11am Abell 110) and GRASS (5pm Cultural Center). More info here. |
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10/18/18 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week starts tonight with Farm-To-Table Dinner Sustainability Week starts with the annual Farm-To-Table Dinner & Josh Smith Sustainability Award presentation (10/18 Red Barn 5-8pm) & a 6:30pm panel discussion on This is America: The Inequality of Justice (Bigelow Hall). Friday features the Louisville Sustainability Summit (8am-5pm SAC Ballroom); Reclaiming the American Dream: Spreading What Works For Advancing Equity (3-5pm Speed Museum Cinema); and Community-Based Management of Urban Greenspaces (3pm Lutz 225). Service projects this weekend. |
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10/11/18 Green Tip: Free & Discounted UofL Registrations Added for Louisville Sustainability Summit Friday, Oct. 19th, 8am-5pm, Student Activities Center Ballroom, Free - $75 Free (without lunch) & discounted registration options for the UofL community have been added for next week’s Summit on the theme “Learning Together: Fostering a Culture of Sustainability.” Kick off UofL Sustainability Week & connect with 250+ community members & sustainability professionals to discover successes, identify opportunities & creatively learn about real steps to transform culture at your place of work, worship & learning. Summit includes tours, community forum & keynote by David Orr. Website. Facebook. Contact: Emily Chandler <director@louisvillesustainabilitycouncil.org>, (502) 791-5741 |
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10/3/18 Green Tip: Charge Up with the Power of the Sun at Ekstrom The green way to charge up your mobile device at Ekstrom Library is back. Stroll outside & plug into the sun with the PowerSol solar umbrella at a table outside the Ekstrom Starbucks. The station’s 8 solar panels generate 54 watts of electricity & can charge three devices at once via USB ports. It uses a lithium ion battery to store power throughout the day (needing 5.5 hours of sun to fully charge) and can charge your device even after dark. Brought to you by the UofL Sustainability Council. More info. |
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9/26/18 Green Tip: Make Plans for UofL Sustainability Week Oct. 18-26 Sustainability Week is the perfect opportunity to get engaged in social & planetary justice. Any related events (lectures, films, tours, service projects, etc.) can be added to the calendar and all are welcome to host a booth at Campus Sustainability Day on the Quad 10/24. Faculty are encouraged to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into courses, service learning & research. Send students to sustainability events, or use our discussion guides & online resources. To get on the calendar or reserve a Campus Sustainability Day fair booth, contact: Justin Mog, justin.mog@louisville.edu |
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9/19/18 Green Tip: Early-Bird Pricing ends TODAY: Louisville Sustainability Summit at UofL Friday, Oct. 19th, 8am-5pm, Student Activities Center Ballroom, $30 (Early Bird), $35 (Standard), $75 (At door), $7 (Student), $10 discount for LSC Members, Scholarships available Sept. 19th is the deadline for discount registration for the 10/19 Sustainability Summit on the theme “Learning Together: Fostering a Culture of Sustainability” that will kick off UofL Sustainability Week. Connect with 250+ community members & sustainability professionals to discover successes, identify opportunities, and creatively learn from each other about real steps to transform culture at your place of work, worship & learning. Summit includes tours, community forum & keynote by David Orr. Website. Facebook. Contact: Emily Chandler <director@louisvillesustainabilitycouncil.org>, (502) 791-5741 |
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9/13/18 Green Tip: Community Gardens take center stage at Sustainability Roundtable Friday, Sept. 14th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St) Join us for the fall Sustainability Roundtable series every other Friday at 11am in Urban Studies 200. The series continues 9/14 with Willow Dietsch (M.S. Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies), speaking on Government Support of Community-Managed Urban Gardens in Chicago and Louisville. Faculty, staff & students are invited to come for discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration and to share their research (at any stage) into environmental, social & economic justice at future Roundtables. Facebook Event. Contact: Daniel DeCaro <Daniel.DeCaro@louisville.edu> |
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9/6/18 Green Tip: Garden Commons Workshops start Friday: Herbs & Tea-Making Friday, Sept. 7th, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local food? Staff & students are encouraged to get involved any time & faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Learn by doing & share in the harvest. Fall group workdays are every Friday noon-1pm, with special workshops: 9/7 Herbs & Teas, 9/21 Fermentation, 10/26 Gardening & Sustainability, and 11/16 Wreath-making. Campus Gardens website. Garden Commons Facebook. Contact: Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe (Garden Intern), 502-377-2712, avalon.gupta-verwiebe@louisville.edu |
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8/22/18 Green Tip: UofL Free Store open for “shopping” and donations Mondays & Wednesdays 11am-1pm (Aug. 20 - Dec. 3) UofL’s Free Store is now open throughout the fall: Mondays & Wednesdays 11am-1pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). All students & employees are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, household items, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. Donations accepted any time in the red bins outside the Store. The Free Store is a Transgender-Friendly space. Help us keep useful stuff out of landfills. Volunteers wanted. Contact: Zero Waste Intern: Erin Kurtz (erin.kurtz@louisville.edu, 502-298-6673). |
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8/16/18 Green Tip: Ditch the parking permit to save yourself time, money & hassle this year Instead of sinking another $200-$725 into a parking permit, why not save money, burn calories & protect the planet on your commute? This year, give these options a spin: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARD-pool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Get some exercise getting around with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Need a car mid-day? Borrow a new efficient car from UofL Carshare. Never sit in traffic or hunt for parking again. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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8/9/18 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses! As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 18-26, 2018. |
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8/2/18 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695. Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations here. |
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7/19/18 Green Tip: Tired of paying for parking & gas? Sick of traffic? Try something different! Instead of sinking another $200-$725 into a parking permit, why not save money, burn calories & protect the planet on your commute? This year, give these options a spin: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID. 2) CARD-pool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Get some exercise getting around with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or half-priced LouVelo bikeshare. 4) Need a car mid-day? Borrow a new efficient car from UofL Carshare. Never sit in traffic or hunt for parking again. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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7/12/18 Green Tip: Take full advantage of peak local food season Eating local lowers your environmental impact, strengthens our regional economy & improves your health…and now is the time to take full advantage of local abundance. Load up at today’s Gray St. Farmers' Market (Thursdays 10:30am – 1:30pm at HSC); harvest the good at Garden Commons workdays (Fridays at noon, next to the Cultural Center); enjoy over 30% local at UofL Dining Services; and look for local wherever you shop. The Belknap Farmers Market reopens for fall 8/15 (Wednesdays 11-2, Red Barn). Sustainable Food at UofL. |
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7/3/18 Green Tip: Declare your independence from the landfill Do America a favor this 4th of July - go zero waste. 1. REDUCE: Avoid excess packaging & refuse the bag - bring your own & buy in bulk. Don’t print. Use both sides. 2. REUSE - ditch disposables with reusable mugs, cups, plates, utensils, filters, rechargeable batteries, cloth napkins & towels. Donate unwanted stuff & buy pre-owned items or get it free at UofL Surplus or Free Store. 3. RECYCLE – UofL collects all kinds of paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic, e-wastes & hazardous materials. UofL Recycling. UofL Waste Reduction. |
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6/28/18 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville has already had several Air Quality Alert days. You can act to be part of the solution for Louisville! This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all of your options on one map & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling over 30 seconds. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower, get a rebate & Grow More, Mow Less. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
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6/19/18 Green Tip: New free, electric LouLift shuttle between Belknap and downtown TARC’s free, all-electric ZeroBus has been renamed LouLift with extended service stretching from Central Ave to the Galt House downtown. LouLift shuttles now run daily every 20 minutes along 3rd St. from the Patterson baseball stadium to the Speed Museum, connecting Belknap campus directly to Old Louisville & downtown destinations (e.g. Central Park, Simmons College, Spalding, Main Library, Convention Center, and the KFC Yum! Center). Breathe easy - you’ll never need to drive downtown again. LouLift website. UofL Transportation Alternatives. |
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6/12/18 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we move into the summertime period of heat and drought, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve water include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online. More Ways To Save. |
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6/7/18 Green Tip: Come Grow with us at Summer Garden Workdays – Friday Garlic Harvest Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local food? Staff & students are encouraged to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as a teaching/research space for sustainability topics. Summer group workdays are every Friday noon-2pm at the Garden Commons in front of the U Club. Learn by doing & share in the harvest. No experience necessary. This Friday at 1pm, we’ll be harvest our crop of garlic! Garden Commons Facebook. Contact: Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe (Garden Intern), 502-377-2712, avalon.gupta-verwiebe@louisville.edu |
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5/28/18 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) |
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5/24/18 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It now accounts for 10% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; or take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions through a service such as Native Energy, CarbonFund, or TerraPass. Set up carpools with Cardinal Directions. Details on Alternatives to Flying & Carbon Offsetting here. |
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5/17/18 Green Tip: Register for Bike Together Day & National Bike Challenge to Win A New Bike May is Bike Month and Friday 5/18 is Bike To Work Day. Register your intention to get around on two wheels, and you could win a free bike at Louisville's Bike Together Day celebration at 4th St. Live noon-1pm. UofL is also participating in the National Bike Challenge this summer and the UofL Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now want you to pedal along with Team UofL. You could win a $400 voucher to a local bike shop or other fabulous prizes by logging your rides for fun or transportation. Register for Bike Together Day. Register for the National Bike Challenge. Resources for UofL Bicyclists. |
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5/10/18 Green Tip: Veggie Subscription Service – Belknap Pickup at SAC UofL’s Office of Health Promotion (SAC room 309) will be the Belknap campus pick-up location for our 2018 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program on Tuesdays 2-5:30pm. For those needing to pick-up in a car, they are offering easy temporary parking and can even run your share out to you if you call up. It is not too late to subscribe to have a wide variety of farm-fresh, sustainably-grown, local produce delivered to you at UofL (HSC or Belknap) weekly or biweekly from May to October. |
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5/1/18 Green Tip: Leave the driving to TARC this Derby season! Headed to the track? Avoid the hassle and expense of driving & parking. Let TARC be your “designated driver” for Derby Week. As always, ride free with UofL ID! TARC will whisk you to Churchill Downs all week on existing routes that will detour away from the track starting at 4:30pm for Oaks & Derby. Routes providing the closest access are: #4 – Fourth St (Downtown-Old Louisville-UofL-Iroquois); #6 – Sixth St (Downtown-Iroquois); and #29 – Eastern Pkwy (St. Matthews-Highlands-UofL-Shively). Details & Maps about TARC’s Derby Week service here. |
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4/25/18 Green Tip: Today is your last chance to get plant starts & subscribe to a CSA April 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Red Barn, Belknap Campus Today is the final spring Belknap Farmers Market. In addition to the usual local food and crafts, Louisville Grows will be returning with plant starts (veggies, fruits & flowers) for your garden. There will also be reps on hand to get you signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription to have a wide variety of farm-fresh, sustainably-grown, local food delivered to you at UofL (HSC or Belknap) weekly or biweekly from May to October. Don’t miss out on this chance to eat local.Website. Facebook. |
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4/19/18 Green Tip: Hydroponics Workshop Friday, April 20th, 1pm-2pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center Our final spring Garden Commons workshop is on how to set-up a hydroponics system, with a hands-on demo in our own greenhouse. Ever wanted to know how to grow delicious, plump tomatoes in the middle of the winter? Hydroponics can allow for hyper-local produce in the off-season. We will be putting together a hydroponics system in the Garden Commons Greenhouse and discussing the advantages and disadvantages to hydroponic farming. Open to all - no experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. |
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4/11/18 Green Tip: Explore Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription options at today’s Belknap Farmers’ Market April 11, 11am-2pm, Red Barn, $21-$36 per week Want to eat right, support local farms & maximize sustainability? A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription offers all those benefits without the hassle of having to shop around. Food travels an average of 1500 miles to reach your plate. That’s not healthy for you or the planet. CSA information & sign-ups will be available at our April Farmers Markets. Subscribe to have a wide variety of farm-fresh, sustainably-grown, local food delivered to you at UofL weekly/biweekly May to October. Website. Facebook. |
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4/3/18 Green Tip: Shop & Eat Local at relaunched Belknap Farmers Market Wednesdays in April (and again Aug. 15 – Oct. 24), 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Red Barn Eating local is one of the best things you can do to lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. Get started this spring with the grand reopening of UofL’s Belknap Farmers’ Market every Wednesday 11-2 (rain or shine!). Stop by for farm-fresh products: produce, eggs, breads, honey, popcorn, jams, pickles, crafts & more. Come in April to explore options for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions with weekly pickups on campus all summer long. Website. Facebook. |
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3/27/18 Green Tip: “Recycle” Your Organics to win Black Gold in RecycleMania 2018 With UofL ranking 21st in RecycleMania, you clearly know recycling…but much of our waste is organics like food, yard waste & paper towels/tissues/napkins/plates. Do you know how to “recycle” these organics? When landfilled, organics turn into climate-changing methane & potential fertilizer is lost. The solution is composting. Organics are collected for composting in UofL dining, dorms, gardens & at our volunteer-powered Community Composting Project every Sunday 12-2 (& take home some black gold). UofL Composting. RecycleMania standings. Contact: Brian Barnes, 502-338-1338, brian.barnes@louisville.edu |
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3/21/18 Green Tip: Recycle your electronics during RecycleMania (through 3/31) UofL is competing in RecycleMania to see who can reduce, reuse & recycle the most through 3/31 and ELSB Green Initiatives is collecting e-wastes for recycling in the lobby of every UofL residence hall. Drop off any unwanted personal electronic items: computers, monitors, TVs, printers, copiers, scanners, servers, networking equipment, fax machines, phones, memory, hard drives, battery backups, keyboards, mice, speakers, AC adapters & computer cables. Wipe your data from devices before recycling. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL here. RecycleMania standings. |
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3/15/18 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning Reuse & Recycling Got junk? Don’t trash it. Use UofL’s recycling & reuse options. Recycle all plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in our single-stream bins. UofL also offers collections for recycling batteries, e-waste, lighting, printer cartridges, chemicals & organics composting. Departmental furniture, equipment & electronics should go to UofL Surplus. Donate unwanted clothing, office & household supplies, etc. to the UofL Free Store in Unitas basement (collection bins outside in drive off Cardinal Blvd). Recycling & Reuse Details here. |
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3/8/18 Green tip: Faculty can plug-in at the Green Threads workshop (apply by 3/21) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the 2018 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, course development resources, info on local sustainability issues, & a network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due 3/21 with Chair’s approval. Green Threads Application & Full Details. |
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3/1/18 Green Tip: TARC to the Game Use your UofL ID to ride free to the Yum! Center for the last home Men's Basketball game against Virginia. Join SGA and TARC representatives in front of Louisville Hall for free pizza from The Post, SGA giveaways, and information about how to use TARC to get around. Buses depart every 15 minutes & the last bus before tip off is 7:40pm. After the game, buses will depart from 6th & Market at 9:50, 10:20, or 10:50pm. Like every ride anywhere on TARC, these ones will be completely FREE with UofL ID. Facebook Event. |
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2/21/18 Green Tip: UofL Free Store now open 3 days/week (Donations & Volunteers Wanted) UofL’s Free Store is now open every Monday & Wednesday 11am-1:30pm, and Thursdays 12:30-2pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). All employees & students are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, household items, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. Donations are accepted any time in the red bins outside the Store. Contribute to RecycleMania 2018 by keeping useful stuff out of the landfill & helping those in need – Volunteers wanted. To volunteer, contact: Erin Kurtz (erin.kurtz@louisville.edu, 502-298-6673) |
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2/15/18 Green Tip: UofL Free Store has expanded Spring Hours! Mondays & Wednesdays 11am-1:30pm, and Thursdays 12:30-2pm (through Apr. 23) UofL’s Free Store is now open 3 days/week throughout the Spring: Mon/Wed 11am-1:30pm and Thursdays 12:30-2pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). All students & employees are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, household items, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. Donations accepted any time in the red bins outside the Store. The Free Store is a Transgender-Friendly space. Help us keep useful stuff out of landfills. Volunteers wanted. Facebook. Contact: Zero Waste Intern: Erin Kurtz (erin.kurtz@louisville.edu, 502-298-6673). |
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2/6/18 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania UofL is competing with schools across the country to see who can reduce, reuse & recycle the most throughout February & March. You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Making sure you always recycle - which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the blue bin, y’all. Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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2/1/18 Green Tip: Sustainability Roundtable kicks off with Pope Francis & Climate Change Friday, Feb.2, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 123 (426 W Bloom St) Join us for the spring Sustainability Roundtable series every other Friday at 11am in Urban Studies 123. The series starts Friday with Dr. David Buckley (Political Science), speaking on Pope Francis, Climate Change and US Catholic Voters. UofL’s Sustainability Council invites faculty, staff & students to come for discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration and to share their research (at any stage) into environmental, social & economic justice at future Roundtables – spring dates available. Contact: Daniel DeCaro <Daniel.DeCaro@louisville.edu> |
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1/24/18 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can cause fires and burns. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement. Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or online here. |
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1/16/18 Green Tip: Take the Bus to the Airport – Expanded Service Starts Sunday Next time you need to get to the airport, skip the parking or cab fees and take TARC just like you can for daily commutes, trips between campuses, errands, meetings, or lunch breaks. The entire TARC system is completely free with UofL ID and Route 2 provides direct connections between downtown, Belknap, and the airport. Catch it along 3rd St or Eastern Pkwy. On January 21st, TARC is expanding service on Route 2 to improve early morning access. Explore all your options with Cardinal Directions. |
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1/9/18 Green Tip: Tap into a delicious local resource - Maple Syrup! Friday, Jan. 12th, 1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center Sustainability is all about tapping into the renewable resources in our community. Making maple syrup is one very literal way to tap into sustainability and you can learn how to do it in your own backyard at the Garden Commons’ hands-on Maple Tapping Workshop. Attendees will get to help install taps on campus trees & staff, faculty & students are encouraged to sign-up to volunteer to help empty buckets in the coming weeks. Dress warmly for outdoor work. Pancake party with UofL maple syrup TBA. Facebook Event. Website. Volunteer Sign-up. Contact: Garden Intern Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe, (502) 377-2712. |
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1/4/18 Green Tip: New Year’s resolution to eat less meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that you can lower your risk of death from heart attack simply by switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you and the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested from caterers or found daily at The Ville Grill & most campus dining venues – just ask. UofL Vegan & Vegetarian Dining Guide. |
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12/19/17 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season Santa's North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers, TVs & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a power strip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, or bike more and to trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday here. |
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12/12/17 Green Tip: Share your research with an interdisciplinary audience at the Sustainability Roundtable UofL’s Sustainability Council invites faculty, staff & students to share their research (at any stage) into environmental, social & economic justice at the Sustainability Roundtable. We bring researchers from all disciplines together around interdisciplinary topics with potential for collaboration through joint grant proposals & investigations. Spring Roundtables will convene every other Friday 1/19-4/13 at 11am in Urban Studies 123. Plan to join us & contact us if you would like to present. Contact: Daniel DeCaro Daniel.decaro@louisville.edu, 502-852-2927. |
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12/5/17 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/30/17 Green Tip: Put more green in your holidays! The holidays are fun, but can be hard on the budget & the planet. Save money, resources, & the environment this season with a few simple steps. Don’t make your office or lab work when you leave for the holidays: turn down thermostats, power down computers & equipment, and unplug chargers, printers & appliances. Serve local, seasonal foods & less meat. Give unique, local gifts: Shop the UofL Farmers Market Holiday Bazaar TODAY 12-3pm in the Red Barn; or the UofL Ceramics Sale Friday & Saturday. More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/21/17 Green Tip: Give the Gift of Memories Instead of Stuff In addition to generating less waste, research shows that people are happier receiving experiential gifts such as massages, classes, or tickets, than material items. Take the pledge to Simplify the Holidays - avoid gifting stuff & give memories that last long after material gifts are consigned to closets or landfills. If you must give stuff, at least buy local – and for that UofL has you covered: Farmers’ Market Holiday Bazaar (11/30), Buy Local Shopping Tour (12/1) & Ceramics Sale (12/1-2). |
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11/15/17 Green Tip: It’s America Recycles Day! Today is America Recycles Day – your opportunity to take the pledge and encourage your students & colleagues to recycle all they can…which is just about everything at UofL. All UofL recycling bins accept any type of paper, plastics, metals, glass & cardboard. Don’t worry about how clean/empty it is, just make sure it’s going in the right bin. Special collections are available for recycling less-common items such as batteries, chemicals, electronics, lighting, organics, and even reusable items. UofL Recycling Website. |
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11/8/17 Green Tip: Social Justice Takes Center Stage This Week With all the work needed for environmental stewardship, it’s easy to forget that sustainability is a 3-legged stool that topples without economic responsibility & social justice. Gain key insights into justice issues this week: Anne Braden Memorial lecture by Dr. Rhonda Williams on Learning Lessons of Struggle in the 21st Century (Weds. 5:30, Manual H.S. Auditorium); UofL’s Inaugural Social Justice Symposium (Thur. 10:30am-6pm); & Symposium on Racial Justice in Zoning (Fri. 8:30-2:30, Law 275). Event Details here. |
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11/2/17 Green Tip: Do You Know How to Recycle Organics? You know how to recycle…but much of our waste is organic matter like food, yard waste, paper & cardboard. Do you know how to “recycle” organics? When landfilled, organics turn into methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) & we lose a valuable resource (organic fertilizer). The solution is composting. Compost your pumpkins today at the Red Barn & all organics any day at the Garden Commons. We also need volunteers at UofL’s Community Composting Project every Sunday 12-2 (& take home some black gold!). Pumpkin Smash (for Composting). Contact: Brian Barnes, 502-338-1338, brian.barnes@louisville.edu |
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10/26/17 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week wraps us with service! Sustainability Week continues today at Gray Street Farmers’ Market 10:30–1:30 with a Falls City Community Bikeworks repair skill-share. On Friday, enjoy the Sustainability Roundtable: Global Politics of Climate Change (11am Urban Studies 123) & the Native Plants & Pollinators Workshop (noon Garden Commons). Volunteer Saturday at the Central Park Improvement Day (8:30am-noon) or Tree Planting in Jeffersonville, IN (9-11:30am 240 Wall St) & Sunday at UofL Community Composting (noon 250 E. Bloom). Full schedule for Sustainability Week |
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10/25/17 Green Tip: It’s Campus Sustainability Day! Stop by the 10th annual Campus Sustainability Day fair today on the Quad 10am-2pm. Bring your bike for a tune-up, batteries for recycling, and media & sports equipment for donation! Shred-It offers free shredding & recycling of documents, videos & disks at the College of Business circle. Sustainability Week continues Thursday with the season’s last Gray Street Farmers’ Market 10:30–1:30, with a special bike maintenance skill-share station with Falls City Community Bikeworks - bring your bike! Full schedule for Sustainability Week |
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10/24/17 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week rolls on with Local Food Showcase & Fair Sustainability Week is your chance to get involved & take action! Today features a Local Food Showcase 11am-1pm at The Ville Grill. On Wednesday, make plans to stop by the 10th annual Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad 10am-2pm. Bring your bike for a tune-up & your stuff for shredding, recycling & donating! On Thursday, enjoy the season’s last Gray Street Farmers’ Market 10:30–1:30, with a special bike maintenance skill-share station with Falls City Community Bikeworks - bring your bike! Full schedule for Sustainability Week |
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10/23/17 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week kicks off with Mindful, Meatless Monday Sustainability Week is here! Learn more, get involved & take action for a more just, livable future! Today we highlight the links between sustainability & mindfulness practices with Vegetarian Cooking Demos & Mindful Snacking 2:30-4pm on the Quad. Tuesday features a Local Food Showcase 11am-1pm at The Ville Grill. On Wednesday, make plans to stop by the 10th annual Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad 10am-2pm. Bring your bike for a tune-up & your stuff for shredding, recycling & donating! Full schedule for Sustainability Week |
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10/12/17 Green Tip: Start Collecting Items for Reuse/Recycling on Campus Sustainability Day Wednesday, Oct. 25th 10am-2pm, Humanities Quad Plan ahead to join us at the 10th annual celebration of all things sustainable at UofL & in our community! Learn what campus & community groups are doing to create a sustainable revolution & prepare to: get free shredding/recycling of documents, videos & diskettes at the Shred-It truck at College of Business circle; Get a bike tune-up; Donate media to the HSC’s 2018 Book & Media Sale benefiting Americana Community Center; or donate used sports equipment to Jamaican kids at VIJON sports camps. Details online. |
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10/3/17 Green Tip: Half-priced LouVelo bikeshare memberships for UofL Enjoy the year’s best weather for 2-wheeled transport with half-priced LouVelo bikeshare memberships. For just $7.50/mo you get unlimited 1-hour rides on 300+ bikes with stations at Belknap & HSC. Use gift code CARDBIKE at louvelo.com. Have fun biking to the St. James Art Show or a Yum! Center event instead of sitting in traffic, spewing pollution while you hunt for expensive parking. Find LouVelo stations, set up carpools, & explore all your transportation options at Cardinal Directions! |
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9/26/17 Green Tip: Make Plans for UofL Sustainability Week Oct. 23-29 Sustainability Week is the perfect opportunity to get engaged in social & planetary justice. Any related events (lectures, films, tours, service projects, etc.) can be added to the calendar and all are welcome to host a booth at Campus Sustainability Day on the Quad 10/25. Faculty are encouraged to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into courses, service learning & research. Send students to sustainability events, or use our discussion guides & online resources. To get on the calendar or reserve a Campus Sustainability Day fair booth, contact: Justin Mog, justin.mog@louisville.edu |
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9/18/17 Green Tip: UofL Free Store open Mon & Wed 11-2 (Donations & Volunteers Wanted) UofL’s Free Store is now open every Monday and Wednesday 11am-2pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). All students & employees are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, household items, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. Donations are accepted any time in the red bins outside the Store. Help us keep useful stuff out of the landfill while helping those in need – Volunteers are needed each week to open the store and sort donations. To volunteer, contact: Erin Kurtz (erin.kurtz@louisville.edu, 502-298-6673) |
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9/14/17 Green Tip: Garden Commons: 9/15 Herb & Tea Workshop; 9/22 Pickling Workshop Think herbs are just bland, dry flakes?! You don't know what you've been missing! Join us in UofL's organic garden on Friday 9/15 for a workshop about how to use & dry the herbs we'll harvest from the garden. Enjoy ample sampling opportunities with a fresh herbal tea bar! On 9/22, our hands-on workshop will be on canning & pickling to preserve firm veggies like cukes, okra, green beans, beets, carrots, radishes, summer squash, etc! Bring your excess produce & take home a jar of healthy goodness! More info: Garden Commons website. Herb & Tea Workshop. Canning & Pickling Workshop. Contact: Ellie Miller (Garden Intern), ellie.miller@louisville.edu, 502-758-3834 |
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9/7/17 Green Tip: Charge Up with the Power of the Sun! There’s a new way to charge up your mobile device at Ekstrom Library! Take a stroll outside & plug into the sun with the PowerSol solar umbrella at a table outside the Ekstrom Starbucks. The station’s 8 solar panels generate 54 watts of electricity & can charge three devices at once via USB ports. It uses a lithium ion battery to store power throughout the day (needing 5.5 hours of sun to fully charge) and can charge your device even after dark! Brought to you by the UofL Sustainability Council! More info. |
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8/31/17 Green Tip: Fall Garden Workday Series starts Friday! Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens and a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food year-round? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as a teaching tool or research space for sustainability topics! A series of group workdays & monthly workshops will be held every Friday 12-1pm at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center). Join us & enjoy a share of the harvest! Facebook group. Contact: Ellie Miller ellie.miller@louisville.edu, 502-758-3834 |
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8/28/17 Green Tip: Convene with interdisciplinary researchers at the Sustainability Roundtable UofL’s Sustainability Council hosts the Sustainability Roundtable to bring researchers from all disciplines together around a variety of interdisciplinary topics that have potential for collaboration through joint grant proposals & investigations. The Roundtable convenes every other Friday 9/1-11/10 at 11am in Urban Studies 123, highlighting a different topic/speaker, with ample time for discussion. There’s still room on the fall schedule. Contact us if you or your colleague or student would like to speak. Contact: Daniel DeCaro, Daniel.decaro@louisville.edu, 502-852-2927 |
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8/16/17 Green Tip: What’s better than a UofL Parking Permit? Instead of sinking another $296-$620 into renewing a parking permit, why not try a cheaper, healthier, cleaner way? Try these commute options: 1) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID! 2) Carpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions! 3) Borrow wheels when you need them with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-out); UofL Car-Share; or the new LouVelo bikeshare offering UofL half-priced $7.50 monthly memberships with gift code CARDBIKE. Never waste time in traffic or hunting for parking again! |
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8/9/17 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695 |
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8/2/17 Green Tip: Join UofL CarShare this fall for just $1 & Rideshare with Cardinal Directions Need a car for professional or personal trips? UofL CarShare has a fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles available on Belknap campus. Join now for only $1 and drive for just $5/hour til 12/31! Rates include gas, insurance, & maintenance - cheaper than reimbursing personal mileage for most one-day trips. Open to any licensed driver over 18. You can also find/offer rides with UofL’s free rideshare network, Cardinal Directions. Ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while reducing pollution & traffic. UofL Transportation Alternatives. |
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7/31/17 Green Tip: Take advantage of local bounty! Late summer is a time of tremendous bounty for area farmers. Support them while reducing your environmental footprint and improving your personal health just by eating fresh, local food! Ask for locally-grown fruit, vegetables, eggs, dairy, meats, and other treats at your grocer, restaurant, or market. And don’t miss out on all the goodies available at the Gray Street Farmers' Market every Thursday from 10:30am – 1:30pm through October 25th at the Health Sciences Center. More info. |
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7/20/17 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses! As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 23-29, 2017. |
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7/13/17 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources As we move into the summertime period of heat and drought, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus & at home. Simple steps to conserve water include: not watering lawns & gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Your efforts also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy needed to pump & treat water. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online. More Ways To Save. |
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7/3/17 Green Tip: Megabus Moves Closer to HSC for Convenient Intercity Connections Forget flying or driving - leaving town with minimal pollution, expense & hassle just got even easier. Megabus has relocated its pick-up point closer to UofL, on E. Broadway at Brook St. (under I-65 overpass for a protected waiting area during inclement weather). The carrier offers express service to over 120 cities for as low as $1/trip with wi-fi, at-seat plugs & panoramic windows. Daily northbound departures go to Indianapolis/Chicago & southbound departures to Nashville/Chattanooga/Atlanta. More info: UofL Sustainable Transportation. |
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6/20/17 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It now accounts for 8% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; or take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions through a service such as Carbon Footprint Ltd, Native Energy, CarbonFund, TerraPass, or for free (through commissions) with UCapture. Set up carpools, find Louisville's inter-city connections and explore all your options for getting around with Cardinal Directions! More details on Alternatives to Flying here. |
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6/12/17 Green Tip: Before you buy, consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) |
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6/5/17 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. When we burn fossil fuels on hot, sunny days, we get smog. Louisville has already had several Air Quality Alert days. You can act to make Louisville better & be part of the solution! This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Explore all of your options on one map & setup carpools with Cardinal Directions. If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling more than 40 seconds. Gas lawn mowers pollute even more, so swap your mower & Grow More, Mow Less. More info: UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
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5/15/17 Green Tip: Come Grow with us at Summer Garden Workdays starting TODAY Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of free, hyper-local food? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as a teaching tool or research space for sustainability topics. Stop by today & all summer long every Monday noon-1pm at the Garden Commons in front of the U Club. Put in a little sweat equity, learn by doing, and share in the harvest. No experience necessary. More info: Garden Commons Facebook. Contact: Ellie Miller (Garden Intern), ellie.miller@louisville.edu, 502-758-3834 |
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5/11/17 Green Tip: Register for Bike To Work Day & Win A New Bike May is Bike Everywhere Month and next Friday 5/19 is Bike To Work Day. Register your intention to get to work on two wheels & you could win a free bicycle at Louisville's Bike to Work Day celebration at 4th St. Live 11:30am-1pm. UofL is also participating in the National Bike Challenge this summer and the UofL Sustainability Council and Get Healthy Now want you to join the fun and ride for Team UofL. You could win $400 or other fabulous prizes by logging your rides for fun or transportation. UofL Bike Commuter Resources. |
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5/1/17 Green Tips for Faculty/Staff Leaving for Summer Before leaving campus for the summer, consider two actions to conserve & save: 1. Make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away - turn off lights, computers & equipment, set thermostats to 80, shut windows tightly, and unplug everything possible: empty refrigerators, chargers, coffee makers, printers, and all non-essential equipment. 2. Give up the hassle & expense of driving to campus next year & receive a $400 voucher through UofL’s Earn-A-Bike Program (apply by 8/9). More Green Tips. |
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4/27/17 Green Tip: Next Year, Give Up Your Parking Spot & Earn-A-Bike (Apply by Aug. 9) Save money. Get fit. Reduce stress. Make friends. Stop polluting. Why drive when you can Earn-A-Bike? All staff, faculty & students willing to forgo a UofL parking permit for the next 2 years are eligible to earn a $400 bike shop voucher. 2017 applications are due 8/9. Instead of driving to campus, you can bike, walk, ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID, or find carpools through the new Cardinal Directions service! While on campus, you can borrow wheels with UofL Bike-Share and UofL Car-Share. |
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4/20/17 Green Tip: Earth Week Free Stuff Swap (TODAY) & Pancake Party! Earth Day is 4/22 and UofL is celebrating all week with events designed to engage your passions for our one green planet. Today, you can Lighten Your Load (on the Earth) at our annual Move-Out Free Stuff Swap 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp. All are welcome to take or donate items: clothes, shoes, books, housewares, etc. On Friday at noon, join us in Ekstrom’s 2nd Floor Delphi Lab for an EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Making Maple Syrup from UofL Trees. Enjoy a Pancake Party as we learn about tapping trees. |
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4/13/17 Green Tip: Missed UofL's Arbor Day Celebration? You can still get a free tree to plant! On Saturday, UofL will host the 2017 Urban Tree Symposium sponsored by the Partnership for a Green City, 8:30am – 4pm in Room 103 of Ernst Hall (216 Eastern Parkway). All are welcome. At 4pm, there will be a free Tree Give Away at Ernst Hall sponsored by Louisville Metro's Division of Community Forestry. All Jefferson County residents can get up to 3 free trees for planting. On Earth Day, April 22, you can also get free native trees at the Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave 9am-noon. |
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4/6/17 Green Tip: UofL Offering Free Trees & Compost for Spring Planting Louisville loses about 150 trees/day, but we can restore the urban forest with your help. April 7th is Kentucky’s Arbor Day and UofL will celebrate outside Louisville Hall by planting a tree at noon & giving away 200 native dogwood & redbud saplings 11am-2pm to plant in your neighborhood. Stop by and enjoy free apples & bike blender smoothies made with tree fruits & nuts. Get some free compost for your trees and other garden projects at UofL’s Community Composting project any Sunday 12-2pm. Contact: Brian Barnes, brian.barnes@louisville.edu, 502-338-1338. |
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3/29/17 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning Reuse & Recycling Got junk? Don’t trash it. Use UofL’s recycling & reuse options. Recycle all plastics, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in our single-stream bins. UofL also offers collections for recycling batteries, e-waste, lighting, printer cartridges, chemicals & organics composting. Departmental furniture, equipment & electronics should go to UofL Surplus. Donate unwanted clothing, office & household supplies, etc. to the UofL Free Store in Unitas basement - open Weds 11am-2pm (collection bins outside 27/7). Recycling & Reuse Details. |
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3/22/17 Green Tip: Help UofL Rock the RecycleMania Bracket UofL is currently tops in Kentucky & nationally ranked 5th in waste minimization & 83rd in recycling rate (36.4%). Now’s the time to up our game & take it to the basket in RecycleMania. Help the Cards to victory through April 1st by: 1. Avoiding disposables – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Recycling everything – all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go in the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the blue bin. Swish! Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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3/15/17 Green Tip: Offset budget cuts by eliminating waste Eliminating waste & inefficiency not only reduces UofL’s environmental impact, but can help save us from a budget shortfall. Consider these eco-friendly ways to cut costs: Print on both sides of a page. Serve tap water instead of bottled water & replace disposables with reusable mugs, utensils, plates, etc. Reduce our huge utility bill by shutting off faucets, lights, computers, & equipment when not in use. Consolidate refrigerators. Buy only efficient, Energy Star electronics & appliances. More green tips. |
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3/8/17 Green Tip: Faculty plug-in at the Green Threads workshop (apply by 3/22) Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the April 21st Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, resources for course development, info on local sustainability issues, & a new network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due March 22. |
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3/2/17 Green Tip: Get Cooperative to Tackle Grocery Closures Concerned about the wave of downtown grocery stores closing & widening our food deserts? The solution may lie in a different business model: Cooperatives. UofL folks have been involved in the grassroots effort to launch a Louisville Food Coop & open a locally-controlled grocery in our most underserved neighborhoods. Get involved in the effort & learn more about the history of black cooperative enterprises spurring neighborhood revitalization & equitable, sustainable growth: 3/6, noon, Law 275. Event info & registration. |
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2/22/17 Green Tip: UofL awarded Tree Campus USA status. Tree-Huggers Wanted. For the 7th year in a row, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA! With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Belknap Tree Tour & Tree Inventory to help you use our campus as an educational tool & a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management. All of this was developed by the Sustainability Council’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee which welcomes you to participate in our spring meeting 3/9 and UofL’s Arbor Day Celebration 4/7. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management. |
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2/13/17 Green Tip: Ecolympics is Here! Recycle E-waste Today & Conserve Energy Remember that you can help the Cards to victory in RecycleMania by recycling personal (non-departmental) electronic wastes like old phones, computers, and monitors/TVs today from 8:30am-3pm at the SAC Multipurpose Room! Come between 11am-2pm and experience the Ecolympics kick-off with raffles, a quiz bowl, and informational booths. At Friday’s EcoReps Lunch & Learn at noon in Ekstrom W210, enjoy a free lunch and learn tips for conserving energy on campus and at home. |
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2/7/17 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania! UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste and recycle the most Feb. 5th to April 1st! You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Making sure you always recycle - which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the blue bin, y’all! Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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2/2/17 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can be dangerous. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement! Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or online here. |
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1/26/17 Green Tip: Save with UofL CarShare & Cardinal Directions Need a car for business or personal trips? UofL CarShare has new, efficient cars available at HSC & Belknap. Save yourself the hassle & liability of having to park, fuel & maintain your own car and save your unit money, too. CarShare rates include gas, insurance & maintenance & it’s cheaper than reimbursing personal mileage for most one-day trips. Open to any licensed driver 18+. You can also find/offer rides with UofL’s rideshare network, Cardinal Directions to cut spending, pollution & traffic. Find cost comparisons & UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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1/19/17 UofL Today: Green Tip: Take a seat at the Sustainability Roundtable Join us for our spring Roundtable series on alternate Fridays (1/20-4/14) at 11am in Life Sciences 135. We kick-off this Friday with Cate Fosl & Enid Trucios-Haynes on “Social Justice Consortium faculty fellowships.” Enjoy a 30-40 minute presentation followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion about interdisciplinary collaboration. Dates are still available to share your research & ideas in sustainability: 2/17, 3/3 & 4/14. Faculty, staff, students & practitioners from all disciplines welcome. Sustainability Scholars Website. Contact: Daniel DeCaro . |
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1/12/17 Green Tip: Come Grow with us! Spring Greenhouse Gardening Workdays Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens & a greenhouse and aquaponics system where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food year-round? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools! Stop by for our spring workshops/workdays every Monday at 1pm at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center). No experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Campus Gardens website. Facebook. Contact: Ellie Miller (Garden Intern), ellie.miller@louisville.edu, 502-758-3834 |
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1/5/17 Green Tip: New Year’s Resolution to Eat Less Meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land & 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that you can lower your risk of death from heart attack simply by switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested from caterers or found daily at The Ville Grill & most campus dining venues - just ask! Vegan Options on Campus. Kentucky Proud Caterers. |
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12/20/16 Green Tip: Environmental impact of e-mailing large files We assume that e-communications are eco-friendly – no paper, no ink, no shipping supplies, no gas for transportation, etc. But it takes energy to move digital data, too. It’s estimated that emailing a 1.2-megabyte attachment such as a large photo can use enough energy to boil 4 kettles of water! The information industry’s global carbon footprint now matches the airline industry’s. Rather than e-mailing large attachments, use file-sharing sites such as Blackboard, Flickr, DropBox, or SharePoint. More Green Tips. |
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12/12/16 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season Santa's North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a powerstrip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, or bike more and to trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday. |
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12/6/16 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses Developing spring syllabi? The Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers/tours, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on interdisciplinary research opportunities, engaging events for your syllabi, and the EcoReps program’s service learning & educational videos. |
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11/28/16 Green Tip: Join UofL CarShare by 12/31 for just $1 & Rideshare with Cardinal Directions Need a car for professional or personal trips? UofL CarShare has a fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles available at both HSC & Belknap. Join now for only $1 & drive for just $5/hour til 12/31! Rates include gas, insurance, & maintenance - cheaper than reimbursing personal mileage for most one-day trips. Open to any licensed driver over 18. You can also find/offer rides with UofL’s new rideshare network, Cardinal Directions. Ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while reducing pollution & traffic. Details on all you UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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11/21/16 Green Tip: Put more green in your holidays! The holidays can be hard on the budget & the planet. Save money, resources, & the environment this season with a few simple steps. Don’t make your office or lab work when you leave for the holidays: turn down thermostats, power down computers & equipment, and unplug chargers, printers & appliances. Serve local, seasonal foods & less meat. Give unique, local gifts: Shop the UofL Farmers Market Holiday Bazaar 11/30 12-3pm in the Red Barn; or join the Holiday Cards “Buy Local” Shopping Tour 12/2. More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/7/16 Green Tip: Beat the Bike Thieves! Sadly, bike theft is common at UofL. It’s vital that you lock your bike securely with a u-lock or hardened steel chain run through the frame & wheels. Cable locks are easily cut. Those at HSC have a new option for secure indoor bike storage at the J.D. Nichols Campus for Innovation & Entrepreneurship parking garage at the corner of Jefferson & Preston. Anyone may rent access to a secure bike cage for $10/month or get your own bike locker for $15/mo. For leasing information, contact: cboccieri@ntsdevco.com, 502-569-1581. To retrieve impounded bikes, call 852-PARK. Interactive UofL Bike Parking Map. More tips for UofL Bicyclists. |
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11/1/16 Green Tip: Recycling Is Not Free - Generate Less & Break Down Boxes You should know that you can recycle any kind of plastic, glass, metal, paper & cardboard in UofL’s single-stream recycling bins. But did you know that recycling costs UofL more than landfill dumping? We recycle because it’s the right thing to do, but we pay for it by volume, not weight. You can help us save money while cutting the amount of diesel burned & pollution emitted to empty our recycling dumpsters by generating less waste & taking care to always break down boxes & crush containers. Full details on all your recycling options at UofL. |
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10/24/16 Green Tip: Earn $400 for having left the car at home last week If you kept the car at home & chose to carpool, bike, walk, or bus during UofL Sustainability Week (Oct. 17-23), you could be entered to win a $400 local bike shop voucher. All you need to do to qualify is log your trips from last week by the end of 10/24 at directions.louisville.edu. Cardinal Directions is UofL’s new trip-finding and carpool-matching tool which shows all of your transportation options on one map: driving, carpooling, transit, biking, walking, carshare & inter-city connections. UofL Sustainable Transportation options here. |
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10/17/16 Green Tip: Gather your old documents, disks & videos for free shredding! UofL Sustainability Week is here and that means time for you to learn more, get involved & take action for a more just, livable future! Make plans to check out the 9th annual Campus Sustainability Day fair out on the Humanities Quad this Wednesday 10am-2pm. And start gathering up your old documents, floppy diskettes & videotapes because the Shred-It truck will be stationed at the College of Business circle, offering free shredding & recycling to the UofL community on Wednesday 10am-2pm. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/5/16 Green Tip: Glimpse the Future on Saturday’s Louisville Solar Tour! Come get a glimpse of our clean, renewable energy future & learn how to cut your energy bill and pollution by adding solar power to your home! A kick-off with presentations will be held 9:30-11am at Bellarmine (Pasteur Hall). Open Houses and a self-guided tour, or free guided bike tour will be 11am-2pm. From 1-5pm, you can meet solar installers at Apocalypse Brew Works (1612 Mellwood Ave). Citywide tour sites include solar homes of UofL staff & students, as well as UofL’s Renewable Energy Lab. Full details here. |
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9/29/16 Green Tip: Make Plans for UofL Sustainability Week Oct. 17-23 Sustainability Week is the perfect opportunity to get engaged in social & planetary justice. Any related events (lectures, films, tours, service projects, etc.) can be added to the calendar and all are welcome to host a booth at Campus Sustainability Day on the Quad 10/19. Faculty are encouraged to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into courses, service learning & research. Send students to sustainability events, or use our discussion guides & online resources. To get on the calendar or reserve a Campus Sustainability Day fair booth, contact: Justin Mog, justin.mog@louisville.edu |
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9/20/16 Green Tip: UofL Free Store open Wednesdays 11am-1pm, with new 24/7 donation bin! UofL’s Free Store is open this fall every Wednesday 11am-1pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). All students & employees are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, household items, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. Donations are now accepted any time in the new red bins outside the Store. Help us keep useful stuff out of the landfill while helping those in need. A volunteer-powered initiative of GRASS & UofL's Sustainability Council. To volunteer, contact: austin.putty@louisville.edu |
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9/16/16 Green Tip: Convene with interdisciplinary researchers at the Sustainability Roundtable UofL’s Sustainability Council is relaunching the Sustainability Roundtable to bring researchers from all disciplines together around potential interdisciplinary topics that we could collaborate on through joint grant proposals and investigations. The Roundtable convenes on alternate Fridays at 11am in LS133, highlighting a different topic/speaker, with ample time for discussion. Today’s speaker is Margaret Carreiro (Biology) on “Incorporating Native Species in Urban & Suburban Landscapes.” Contact: Daniel DeCaro <Daniel.decaro@louisville.edu> |
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9/8/16 Green Tip: Fall Garden Workday Series starts Friday! Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens and a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food year-round? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as a teaching tool or research space for sustainability topics! A fall series of workshops & group workdays will be held every other Friday 2-3pm at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center): 9/9, 9/23, 10/7, 10/21. Join us! Contact: Ellie Miller, 502-758-3834 |
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9/6/16 Green Tip: Special Carpool Parking Permits – Rideshare with Cardinal Directions! Did you know that UofL offers special carpool parking permits (applicable to any color permit at no extra cost) that come with 20 daily parking passes/year for all members? Find/offer rides with Cardinal Directions, UofL’s new rideshare network for faculty, staff & students which replaces the former Zimride system. Whether it’s your daily commute, a conference, or any other event, ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while cutting pollution by reducing traffic. Explore your options! |
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8/26/16 Green Tip: Find carpools and more with Cardinal Directions! UofL has a brand new ride-sharing and trip-planning service! Cardinal Directions is your portal to efficient, affordable, greener transportation options. Simply enter your starting address & destination and Cardinal Directions will display on one map all of your options for getting there: driving, carpools, transit, bike & walking routes, as well as carshare locations & intercity connections. Register for a free account and you can post rides and communicate with other users to set up carpools. |
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8/17/16 Green Tip: Save on State Fair admission and get free ride on TARC! Headed to the Kentucky State Fair Aug. 18-28? Don’t drive! Use your UofL ID for a free ride to the Fair on TARC Routes 2 or 18 from downtown or Belknap campus and save $4/person on admission while also avoiding $8 in parking fees! This year, TARC will also operate a special State Fair Connector route on Central Ave. (between 7th St. Road & Crittenden Dr.) on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays during the Fair. TARC rides & Fair admission are free for kids 5 & under. Schedules, stops and other route information about TARC’s Kentucky State Fair service here. |
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8/11/16 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & we’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502-569-3695. |
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8/1/16 Green Tip: Earn-A-Bike Application Deadline Aug. 10 Save money. Get fit. Reduce stress. Make friends. Stop polluting. Why drive when you can Earn-A-Bike? All staff, faculty & students willing to forgo a UofL parking permit for the next 2 years are eligible to earn a $400 bike shop voucher. 2016 applications are due August 10th. In addition bike commuting, participants can ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID or find carpools through the new Cardinal Directions service! While on campus, you can borrow wheels with UofL Bike-Share and UofL Car-Share. |
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7/29/16 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses! As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To make it easy, we’ve assembled for you: class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, ideas for using campus as a living lab of sustainability, grant info, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 17-23, 2016. |
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7/12/16 Green Tip: What’s better than a UofL Parking Permit? Instead of sinking another $280-$590 into renewing a parking permit, why not try a better way that cuts spending, sedentariness & emissions? Try these commute options: 1) Earn-A-Bike: Give up your permit & get a $400 bike voucher! Apply by 8/10. 2) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID! 3) Carpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions! 4) Borrow wheels when you need them with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or UofL Car-Share. Never waste time in traffic or hunting for parking again! |
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7/7/16 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It accounts for 5.5% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions by investing in local forests through the Appalachian Carbon Partnership. Cardinal Directions – Set up carpools and explore options. Details on Alternatives to Flying. |
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6/29/16 Green Tip: Summer Garden Workday Series starts today! Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as teaching tool or research space for sustainability topics! A summer series of workshops & group workdays will begin today and every other Wednesday 11am-noon at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center): 6/29, 7/13, 7/27, 8/10. Fresh greens & beans for all! Facebook page. Contact: Ellie Miller at ellie.miller@louisville.edu, 502-758-3834. |
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6/22/16 Green Tip: We are smog. We are traffic. We are the solution. Take action to make Louisville better! You can be part of the solution to our air quality & traffic problems. This summer, try using TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling, walking or biking. Those willing to stop driving to UofL can earn $400 through the Earn-A-Bike program (apply by Aug. 10). If you must drive, save gas & pollution by not idling your engine when stuck waiting more than 40 seconds. You can also battle smog by not using gas lawn mowers, which are often more polluting than cars. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
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6/14/16 Green Tip: Now HSC folks can save on work trips, too! Need wheels? UofL CarShare has expanded to HSC on Preston at Kornhauser Plaza! Save yourself the hassle & liability of having to park, fuel & maintain your own car and save your unit money by using CarShare instead of personal vehicle mileage reimbursement. CarShare costs less for most one-day work trips anywhere in the region! All-inclusive rates cover gas, insurance, maintenance & cleaning. UofL CarShare can also be used for personal needs & is open to the public - any licensed driver over 18. Cost comparisons & UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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6/7/16 Green Tip: UofL’S AASHE membership grants you access to sustainable inspiration! Everyone at UofL who cares about environmental, social & economic responsibility should get connected with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). UofL recently renewed its AASHE membership, giving you free access to a world of benefits! To access member discounts, training, discussion forums, guides, best practices, directories, databases, & other online resources, go to aashe.org/user/register and create an account using your @louisville.edu address. Full details here. |
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6/1/15 Green Tip: Beat the Construction Blues With all the construction around campus & Louisville, now is the perfect time to free yourself of traffic & parking headaches by leaving your car at home! Air quality alert days are also a stark reminder that with summer heat comes even greater need to reduce the pollution coming out of your tailpipe. This summer, try commuting on TARC (free with UofL ID), carpooling with neighbors, or biking/walking to campus at least part of the way. Applications for the Earn-A-Bike program are due Aug. 10th. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. |
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5/26/16 Green Tip: Consult UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy before you buy Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the impending change in fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: Reducing waste & consumption is top priority. The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) |
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5/18/16 Green Tip: Bike Local & Buy Local This Week! May is Bike Everywhere Month and this Friday 5/20 is Bike To Work Day! Register your intention to get to work on two wheels & you could win a free bicycle at Louisville's Bike to Work Day Celebration at 4th St. Live 11:30am-1pm! UofL’s also participating in the National Bike Challenge – join the fun & you could win $400! Also this week, pedal on down to UofL’s weekly Farmers Markets which open for the season on Thursday at HSC (Gray St. 10:30am-2pm) and Belknap (3rd & Brandeis, 3:30-6pm). |
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5/9/16 Green Tip: New CSA pick-up site at HSC – Sign-up by May 15th! Want to eat right, support local farms and maximize sustainability? A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription offers all those benefits without the hassle of having to shop around. A new CSA option will come to HSC this year! Sign up by the end of this week (May 15) to have a wide variety of farm-fresh, sustainably-grown, local produce delivered to you weekly (or every other week) through October! Vote with your fork for a sustainable economy! Details about the new CSA pick-up site at HSC here. Contact: Andrea Sinclair, andrea.sinclair@louisville.edu, 502-852-6501 |
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5/2/16 Green Tip: Leave the driving to TARC this Derby season! Headed to the track? Avoid the hassle and expense of driving & parking. Let TARC be your “designated driver” for Derby Week. As always, it’s free with UofL ID! TARC will whisk you to Churchill Downs all week on existing routes that will detour away from the track starting at 4:30pm for Oaks & Derby. Routes providing the closest access are: #4 – Fourth St (Downtown-Old Louisville-UofL-Iroquois); #6 – Sixth St (Downtown-Iroquois); and #29 – Eastern Pkwy (St. Matthews-Highlands-UofL-Shively). Details & Maps about TARC’s Derby Week service here. |
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4/26/16 Green Tips for Faculty Leaving for Summer Before leaving campus for the summer, consider two actions to reduce your footprint: 1. Give up the hassle & expense of driving to campus next year and receive a $400 voucher through UofL’s Earn-A-Bike Program (apply by 8/10); 2. Make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away - turn off lights, computers & equipment, set thermostats to 80, shut windows tightly, and unplug everything possible: empty refrigerators, chargers, coffee makers, and all non-essential equipment. More Green Tips here. |
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4/20/16 Green Tip: Earth Day is coming – get ready with today’s Garden Workshop! With Earth Day coming Friday, now is the time to prepare yourself to do something positive for the planet - learn to grow your own free, hyper-local organic food! At 2pm today, come to the Garden Commons at the Cultural Center for a free workshop on Getting Back to the Land with Sustainable Gardening led by UofL’s Sustainability Coordinator, Justin Mog. Staff & faculty are always welcome to use UofL’s gardens as sustainability learning & teaching tools! This Earth Day, plant something positive! Register for Professional Development credit for the Sustainable Gardening Workshop here. More Info on Campus Gardens here. |
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4/13/16 Green Tip: From Meatless Mondays to Meatless Mornings (and beyond!) The benefits of reducing meat consumption are many – personal & planetary health, lower cost, & animal welfare. Perhaps you’ve explored Meatless Mondays, but are you ready to try Meatless Mornings or even a fully vegetarian diet? Learning how to choose & prepare healthy, balanced, nutrient-dense vegetarian meals can take time and Get Healthy Now is here to help with free meatless cooking demos/samplings at 11am: Today at HSC’s City Café and next Wednesday at SAC Global Food Market. Register for the April 13 or 20 Cooking Demo here.Vegetarian Guide to UofL Dining. |
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4/6/16 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning Reuse & Recycling It’s spring cleaning time! Got junk? Don’t trash it. Use UofL’s recycling & reuse options. We recycle all kinds of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in our single-stream bins, and have collections for recycling batteries, e-waste, lighting, printer cartridges & chemicals. Departmental furniture, equipment & electronics should go to UofL Surplus. Donate personal clothing, office & household supplies, electronics, etc. to the UofL Free Store in Unitas on Wednesdays & Thursdays 12-2pm. |
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4/1/16 Green Tip: It’s Arbor Day – Plant a Tree! Louisville loses about 150 trees/day, but we can restore the urban forest with your help! April 1st is Kentucky’s Arbor Day and we’re celebrating UofL’s status as a Tree Campus USA while taking action! At 11am you can help us plant a sycamore north of the School of Music, along Cardinal Blvd. Then from 11:30am-1pm, stop by the Red Barn plaza to pick up a free, native redbud tree sapling to plant in your neighborhood while enjoying a free bike blender smoothie made with tree fruits & nuts! |
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3/24/16 Green Tip: Got permaculture? Get some Friday with UofL EcoReps! Join us Friday, March 25th at noon in Ekstrom W210 for free lunch & an engaging workshop with the Louisville Permaculture Guild! Take a deep dive into the principles of permaculture - the use of skilled design to produce ecologies, economies & communities which are grounded in an ethical consideration of their environments. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program aims to move faculty, staff & students from talk to action for a more sustainable UofL. Get trained, help out, & even get certified as a point-person for sustainability. All Sustainability Events here. |
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3/16/16 Green Tip: Offset budget cuts by eliminating waste Eliminating waste & inefficiency not only reduces UofL’s environmental impact, but can help save us from a budget shortfall. Consider these eco-friendly ways to cut costs: Print on both sides of a page. Serve tap water instead of bottled water & replace disposables with reusable mugs, utensils, plates, etc. Reduce our huge utility bill by shutting off faucets, lights, computers, & equipment when not in use. Consolidate refrigerators. Buy only efficient, Energy Star electronics & appliances. More green tips here. |
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3/9/16 Green Tip: UofL BikeShare Expands to HSC! Free Bike Check-Out from Dorms & Gyms Spring is here! Time to ditch the car & discover the joys of 2-wheeled transport. Through UofL's BikeShare Program, anyone with valid UofL ID may check out a bike & lock free for the day, now at 11 campus locations. Bikes are available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis from the front desk at: HSC’s Medical-Dental Apartments; Get Healthy Now Wellness Center, SRC, Bettie Johnson, Community Park, Kurz, Miller, Louisville Hall, Threlkeld, Unitas & UTA. No pollution, no cost, all fun.Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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2/29/16 Green Tip: Post a Carpool Offer to Zimride in March to Win $100! Headed off for Spring Break? Going to a conference or other event? Just want to get to campus cheaper? Why not share the ride with a fellow Cardinal? You’ll save money, have more fun, and reduce pollution…but you could also win $100! To be automatically entered, simply post a ride during the month of March on Zimride, UofL’s private rideshare network for faculty, staff & students. Find or offer rides anywhere. It’s free to use. Great minds ride together at zimride.com/louisville. UofL CARpooling details here.Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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2/23/16 Green Tip: Spring is Here - Come Garden with Us! Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens & a greenhouse where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools! Spring workshops/workdays are this (and every other) Wednesday at 2pm at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center): 2/24, 3/9, 3/23, 4/6, and a special 4/20 Earth Day Workshop on getting back to the land. Registration & Details for Earth Day Workshop here. More Info on Campus Gardens here. |
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2/18/16 Green Tip: Friday’s EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Food, Glorious Food! The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to educate & empower students, staff & faculty to move from talk to action! We offer training online & in-person, resources, service opportunities & certification as a peer-to-peer sustainability advocate. All we need is you! Tomorrow we continue our spring series of third Friday workshops with free lunch at noon in Ekstrom W210, exploring the topic of food choices and why we make them. Future workshops: 3/25 & 4/15. All Sustainability Events here. |
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2/8/16 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania! UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste and recycle the most Feb. 7th to April 2nd! You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Making sure you always recycle - which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t think twice, just drop it in the bin, y’all! Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL here. RecycleMania standings here. |
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2/1/16 Green Tip: Get in on the Relaunch of UofL’s Sustainability Scholars Roundtable Friday, February 5th, 10am-11am, Life Sciences Room 137 In 2016, UofL’s Sustainability Council is relaunching the Sustainability Scholars Roundtable with a focus on bringing researchers together around potential interdisciplinary grants that we could pursue through collaborative proposals. We’ll gather monthly (on 2/5, 3/4, 4/8) to share ideas about potential grants, decide upon common areas of interest, and explore local sustainability challenges that could be addressed through our research efforts. Researchers from all disciplines welcome. More info onlineor contact: Margaret Carreiro <mmcarr01@louisville.edu> |
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1/25/16 Green Tip: Got Snow?! Avoid navigating slippery roads and the hassle of digging out by leaving your car at home and letting TARC do the driving. Louisville’s entire bus system is completely free with UofL ID! If you need a car on campus, check one out from UofL Carshare – join by 4/30 for just $1 with promo code “1TOJOIN”! When clearing snow, use a shovel instead of salt or gas-guzzling blowers – you’ll stay warm with exercise while preventing pollution, corrosion, and damage to plants & aquatic ecosystems. Plan your bus trip here. |
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1/13/16 Green Tip: New Year’s Resolution to Eat Less Meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land & 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that vegetarian men face only a 4% average risk of death from heart attack vs. 50% risk on meat-based diets? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested from caterers or found daily at The Ville Grill, SAC Seasons Salad Bar & most campus dining venues - just ask! Vegetarian Guide to UofL Dining. Kentucky Proud Caterers. |
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1/6/16 Green Tip: UofL CarShare Promo Extended through 4/30! Join for $1, drive for $5/hr! Need a car for professional or personal reasons? UofL CarShare has announced an extension through Spring 2016 of its special promotion slashing new member costs! Join now for only $1, and drive for just $5/hour through April 30th! Rates include gas, insurance, maintenance & cleaning. Cars are parked in dedicated spots on Belknap & a new car will be added to HSC this spring. UofL CarShare is open to any licensed driver over 18. Use promo code 1TOJOIN at enterprisecarshare.com/louisville. Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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12/18/15 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season Santa's North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a powerstrip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, or bike more and to trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday here. |
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12/8/15 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses As you develop and revise spring syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research & service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on research grants, engaging events for your syllabi, and an EcoReps program offering service learning, educational videos & certification. |
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12/3/15 Green Tip: Put more green in your holidays! The holidays can be hard on the budget & the planet. Save money, resources, & the environment this season with a few simple steps. Serve local, seasonal foods & less meat. Consider low-impact, non-material gifts like memberships or tickets to the performing arts. Load up on local goodies at today’s UofL Farmers' Market Holiday Bazaar (12/3 2-6pm, Red Barn); tomorrow’s Holiday Cards Buy Local Shopping Tour (12/4 8a-6p); or the UofL Ceramics Sale (12/4 8a-8p & 12/5 10a-2p, Studio Arts Building).More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/23/15 Green Tip: Load Up On Local This Holiday Season! Need a perfect gift? Don’t give ‘em planetary destruction & exploited workers by shopping at the malls or online! Support your local economy & planet with next week’s ethical alternatives: 1. Community Shopping Night at Just Creations benefiting Sustainable Agriculture Louisville (12/2 6-8pm, 2722 Frankfort Ave). 2. UofL Farmers' Market Holiday Bazaar (12/3 2-6pm, Red Barn) featuring local food, crafts & more. 3. Holiday Cards Buy Local Shopping Tour (12/4 8a-6p) visiting independent shops. |
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11/19/15 Green Tip: Friday’s Sustainability Triple-Header! Friday offers 3 chances to DIG into sustainability – from the intellectual to free lunch to actual digging! At noon in Ekstrom W210 join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn on industrial sustainability, permaculture, & GREEN study abroad. Also at noon, in Urban Studies 123, Covington’s 1st female Mayor will speak on “The Equity Piece of Sustainable Communities.” Stick around at 2pm for a workday at the Urban Studies Garden to help harvest sweet potatoes and plant garlic & pawpaw trees! Full details here. |
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11/12/15 Green Tip: Join UofL CarShare by 12/31 for just $1! Need a car for professional or personal reasons? UofL CarShare has a new fleet of fuel-efficient Nissan Sentra’s & we’re celebrating by slashing new member costs! Join UofL CarShare now for only $1 & drive for just $5/hour til 12/31! Rates include gas, insurance, maintenance & cleaning. Cars are parked in dedicated spots on Belknap & a new car will be added to HSC this spring. UofL CarShare is open to any licensed driver over 18. Use promo code 1TOJOIN at enterprisecarshare.com/louisville. Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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11/2/15 Green Tip: Post a Carpool Offer/Request to Zimride in November & Win! Our carpooling partners at Zimride are giving away gift cards worth up to $200 during a Thanksgiving sweepstakes! Just post a ride anytime in November and you’ll be automatically entered to win! Zimride is UofL’s private rideshare network for faculty, staff & students to find/offer rides anywhere. Whether it’s your daily commute, a conference, or any other event, ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while reducing traffic & pollution. Great minds ride together at zimride.com/Louisville. UofL CARpooling details here. Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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10/30/15 Green Tip: Recycling Is Not Free - Generate Less & Break Down Boxes You should know that you can recycle any kind of plastic, glass, metal, paper & cardboard in UofL’s single-stream recycling bins. But did you know that recycling costs UofL more than landfill dumping? We recycle because it’s the right thing to do, but we pay for it by volume, not weight. You can help us save money while cutting the amount of diesel burned & pollution emitted to empty our recycling dumpsters by generating less waste & taking care to always break down boxes & crush containers. Full details on all your recycling options at UofL here. |
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10/23/15 Green Tip: Wrapping up Sustainability Week in style! Our week of responsible stewardship concludes today with a conference on Milton Rogovin & the Photography of Conscience (9am-Noon Schneider), a Farm-to-Table Dinner (5-8pm Ville Grill), & the UofL Sustainability Float in the Homecoming Parade (6pm 3rd St.). Before Saturday’s Homecoming Game, check out the 10am All-Star A&S Alumni Panel on "Going Local" (Planetarium). Wrap it up Sunday by volunteering with UofL Composting (12pm 200 E. Bloom St.) & join the WasteStock Challenge (2pm U. Club). Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/22/15 Green Tip: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle at Today’s Sustainability Week Events! Sustainability Week continues today with the Gray St. Farmers’ Market 10:30-2, a 12:30 Recycling Center Tour, the Free Store open 1-3pm (Unitas), an HSC Bike Maintenance Workshop 4-6pm (Kornhauser Plaza), and an 8pm “Defeat The Plastics” GRASS Movie & Pizza Night with Mean Girls (Ekstrom, Chao). On Friday, join us 9am-Noon for Milton Rogovin & the Photography of Conscience (Schneider), a Farm-to-Table Dinner 5-8pm (Ville Grill), and UofL Sustainability Float in the 6pm Homecoming Parade! Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/21/15 Green Tip: It’s Campus Sustainability Day! Kick it all off with the Reuse Roundtable 9-11:30am (Ekstrom, Chao), then head outside to the Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad 10am-2pm! Free bike tune-ups & fair trade coffee/tea with reusable mug. Recycle papers, disks & videos with Shred-It outside College of Business. End the day at the 3pm Garden Commons Workshop. Sustainability Week continues Thurs. with the Gray St. Farmers’ Market 10:30-2, a 12:30 Recycling Center Tour, Free Store 1-3pm & HSC Bike Maintenance Workshop 4-6pm. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/20/15 Green Tip: Sustainability Week continues with Tree Celebration & Bike Workshop! Stop by the Campus Arbor Day celebration 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp to sample UofL-grown apple pie & bike blender smoothies, take a guided tree tour at noon & plant a tree at 1pm. Bring your ride to the Quad for a drop-in Bike Maintenance Workshop 4-6pm. Tomorrow at 9am it’s the Louisville Reuse Roundtable (Chao Auditorium), the Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad 10am-2pm (w/free shredding & recycling of documents, disks & videos at College of Business), & a 3pm Garden Commons Workshop. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/19/15 Green Tip: UofL Sustainability Week is Here! The Week kicks-off today with a chance to Weigh the Waste after a local lunch at The Ville Grill, learn about Energy-Efficient Homes at noon (123 Urban Studies) & discover hidden green gems on a Campus Sustainability Tour leaving the Cultural Center at 3pm. Tomorrow 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp you can sample UofL-grown apple pie & bike blender smoothies, take a guided tree tour at noon & plant a tree at 1pm. Then bring your ride to the Humanities Quad for a drop-in Bike Maintenance Workshop 4-6pm. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/16/15 Green Tip: Sustainability Week starts Monday with Campus Sustainability Tour! Engage in planetary & social justice during UofL’s 6th annual Sustainability Week! It kicks off Monday with Weigh the Waste 11-2 at The Ville Grill, a noon talk on Energy-Efficient Home Design (123 Urban Studies) & a 3pm Campus Sustainability Tour leaving the Cultural Center. Tuesday features a Tree Tour & Planting plus a free Bike Maintenance Workshop! The Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad is Wednesday 10-2 with free document, disk & video recycling at the College of Business circle. Full schedule for Sustainability Week. Sustainability Discussion Guides. Sustainability Learning Resources. |
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10/9/15 Green Tip: UofL is on Saturday’s Louisville Solar Tour! Come get a glimpse of our clean, renewable energy future & learn how to cut your energy bill and pollution by adding solar power to your home! Stop by anytime 11-3 on the self-guided tour, or join the guided bus tour 12-3 or bike tour 1-3. Citywide tour sites include solar homes of UofL employees & students, as well as UofL’s Passive Solar Test Facility, Sackett Hall’s solar tracking array, the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, & the Phoenix House at Speed School of Engineering. |
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10/6/15 Green Tip: Campus Tree-Huggers Wanted! Every year since 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Belknap Tree Tour & Tree Inventory to help you use our campus as an educational tool and a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management. All of this was developed by the Sustainability Council’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee which welcomes you to participate in our fall meeting on Wednesday 10/7 at 2pm in Ekstrom W210. |
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9/29/15 Green Tip: UofL BikeShare Expanded! Free Bike Check-Out from Gyms & Housing The Sustainability Council's BikeShare Program can help you ditch the car and discover the joys of getting around without pollution or wasted time & money! Anyone with valid UofL ID may check out a bike & lock free for the day. Most bikes also have a basket for carrying items. Bikes are available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis from the front desk at 8 Belknap locations: Get Healthy Now Wellness Center, SRC, Bettie Johnson, Community Park, Kurz, Miller, Threlkeld & Unitas. |
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9/24/15 Green Tip: Special Carpool Parking Permits – Rideshare with Zimride! Did you know that UofL offers special carpool parking permits (applicable to any color permit at no extra cost) that come with 20 daily parking passes/year for all members. Find/offer rides with Zimride, UofL’s private rideshare network for faculty, staff & students. Whether it’s your daily commute, a conference, or any other event, ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while cutting pollution by reducing traffic. Give yourself a raise! Great minds ride together at zimride.com/louisville. UofL CARpooling details here. Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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9/17/15 Green Tip: EcoReps Lunch & Learns Start Friday with Green Living on Campus The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to educate & empower students, staff & faculty to move from talk to action! We offer training, resources, service opportunities & certification as a peer-to-peer sustainability advocate. All we need is you! Tomorrow we begin our fall series of third Friday workshops with free lunch at noon in Ekstrom W210. Friday we’ll explore green living with Haley Cason who’s installing an organic garden, rain barrels & composting at The Province. |
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9/9/15 Green Tip: President Ramsey wants you to have as much fun getting to campus as he does! September 9th 7:30am leaves from Amelia Place (2515 Longest Avenue) President Ramsey & others are biking to campus this morning to highlight the fact that active transportation is better for our health, environment, community & wallets. Join the fun, low-traffic 30-minute ride from the Highlands to Belknap or HSC. Dr. Ramsey is riding one of the bikes available to anyone at UofL for free daily check-out through UofL Bikeshare, which recently expanded to 8 locations: GHN Wellness Center, SRC, Community Park, Kurz, Bettie Johnson, Miller, Threlkeld & Unitas. Resources for UofL Bike Commuters here. |
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8/31/15 Green Tip: Join UofL CarShare this Fall for just $1 and drive for only $5/hour! UofL CarShare got a new fleet of fuel-efficient Nissan Sentra’s this fall. To celebrate, we’re slashing costs for all new members! Join UofL CarShare now for just $1 to access our brand new vehicles for only $5/hour, 24/7 through 12/31/15. Rates include gas, insurance, maintenance & cleaning. Cars are located in dedicated parking spots on Belknap. Just reserve online & access the car with your membership card. Enter promo code 1TOJOIN when applying at http://enterprisecarshare.com/louisville |
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8/25/15 Green Tip: UofL Launches New Interdisciplinary Masters’ Degree in Sustainability The Sustainability Council proudly announces the launch of our first degree program, an MA/MS in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Concentration in Sustainability housed in SIGs. We invite students from all backgrounds to pursue this unique opportunity to study the full range of issues in sustainability. Our goal is to prepare students to address complex local, national & global challenges posed by the intersection of human exponential growth and increasingly limited resources to support society. Full details here. |
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8/20/15 Green Tip: Half Price State Fair Admission with Free Ride on TARC! Headed to the Kentucky State Fair Aug. 20-30? Don’t drive! Use your UofL ID for a free ride to the Fair on TARC Route 2 from downtown or Belknap and get in for half price ($5) while also avoiding $8 in parking fees. Buses run to the Fair every 60-70 minutes from 6:30am-11pm. The last bus leaves the Fair at 11:58pm daily. Look buses reading, “2 - State Fair” along 1st St. downtown and along 3rd St. & Eastern Pkwy at Belknap. TARC rides & Fair admission are free for kids 5 & under. Schedules, stops and other route information about TARC’s Kentucky State Fair service: http://ridetarc.org/TARC2StateFair/ |
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8/14/15 Green Tip: Catering with Concern In charge of providing food for a meeting or campus event? Consider the effects of your choices on people’s health, the environment, & our local economy. Some things you can do: Serve less meat to minimize environmental impact and offer healthier options. Request as much local, fresh, seasonal food as possible – there are area caterers which specialize in this. Go zero waste - avoid excessively-packaged & individually-wrapped foods. Provide a pitcher of tap water instead of bottled water. Sustainable catering options and contacts for local food caterers available here. |
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8/3/15 Green Tip: Join UofL's new Zero-Waste To-Go Club by 8/14 for a Free Meal! Take out has never before been available at UofL's campus dining hall…until now! And we are launching it in true sustainable style – without adding to the waste stream! Purchase a Ville Grill To-Go Club Membership online anytime by Aug. 14 for just $10 and your first to-go meal at Ville Grill will be FREE! Membership earns you a reusable container, unlimited washing of the container and compostable cutlery & napkins, should you need them. Open to all UofL staff, faculty & students. |
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7/28/15 Green Tip: Tired of paying for parking & gas? Sick of traffic? Try something different! Instead of sinking another $280-$590 into renewing a parking permit, why not save money, burn calories & protect the planet on your commute? Try these better options: 1) Earn-A-Bike: Give up your permit & get a $400 bike voucher! Apply by 8/15. 2) Ride any TARC bus free with UofL ID! 3) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Zimride! 4) Get around with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or borrow a fuel-efficient car from UofL Car-Share. Never waste time in traffic or hunting for parking again! Full details on all your Sustainable Transportation Options here. |
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7/23/15 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To help get you started, we have class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, info on grants, community groups & campus sustainability efforts that need your help, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 19-25. |
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7/17/15 Green Tip: UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Provides Helpful Guidance Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the start of a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) Reducing waste & consumption is our top priority. |
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7/9/15 Green Tip: Get Back to the Land this Summer! Sustainability demands that we cultivate a new relationship with the Earth built on respect for the land & UofL’s offering 3 opportunities to do so! Today, meet farmers who care for the land & load up on healthy, local fare at the Gray St. (10:30-2) or Belknap (3:30-6) Farmers Markets. Saturday (9:30-3), join in the 39th annual butterfly count at UofL’s Horner Wildlife Sanctuary in Oldham Co. Wednesday (12-2), get your hands dirty at the next workday & harvest party at UofL’s Garden Commons. |
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6/30/15 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It accounts for 8% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). Book Trains through PanAm. If you must fly, offset your emissions by investing in local forests through the Appalachian Carbon Partnership. Details on Alternatives to Flying here. |
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6/17/15 Green Tip: Local Eating is in Season! Eating local is one of the best ways to reign in your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. UofL can help you get started today! Join us for group workdays/harvests at the Garden Commons today (raspberries!) & every other Wednesday noon-2 at the Cultural Center. On Thursdays, load up on local fare at UofL’s Farmers' Markets: 10:30am-2pm at HSC’s Gray St. or 3:30-6pm at Belknap (3rd & Brandeis). Eat at the peak of freshness & taste the difference! More information on Local Food at UofL here. |
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6/11/15 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & Resources In this time of summer heat and drought, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus and at home. Your efforts can also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy needed to pump and treat water. Simple steps to help conserve water include: not watering lawns and gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes; taking shorter showers; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or online here. Check out More Ways To Save! |
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6/1/15 Green Tip: Beat the Construction Woes Now’s the perfect time to free yourself of traffic & parking headaches by ditching the car! In fact, much construction at UofL is for improvements making it even easier & safer to walk or bike. At HSC, those crossing Preston St. have a safe new mid-block crossing at Abraham Flexner Way. Those headed south across the railroads on Belknap now have two safer options, with delineator posts along the new bike lanes on 4th St. & a brand new road with bike lanes & sidewalks connecting Brook & 3rd Streets. UofL Sustainable Transportation Options. UofL Bike Master Plan. |
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5/28/15 Green Tip: Shop & Eat Local TODAY Eating local is one of the best things you can do to lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy & improve your health. Get started today! Both UofL farmers’ markets are in full-swing every Thursday through October (rain or shine!). Load up on local fare today from 10:30am-2pm at HSC’s Gray St. Market or 3:30-6pm at the grand opening of the Belknap Farmers' Market (3rd & Brandeis) featuring giveaways, Comfy Cow ice cream & the Sweet n Savory food truck. Get it now! More information on Local Food at UofL here. |
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5/20/15 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & we’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours. Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502-569-3695. |
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5/14/15 Green Tip: Friday is Bike to Work Day – Ride with UofL & register to win a bike Get Healthy Now & UofL’s Sustainability Council invite you to try a cheaper, healthier, cleaner & happier way of getting to work Friday! Pedal to campus & then join UofL group rides to the city’s Bike To Work Day celebration at 4th Street Live! leaving at 11:45am from Belknap’s North Info Center & HSC’s Kornhauser Library. You can also join group rides to/from work connecting downtown with Shawnee, Seneca, Iroquois, or S. Indiana. Join us rain or shine to celebrate fun, sustainable transport. Register here for Bike to Work Day and enter raffle for a new bicycle! |
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5/7/15 Green Tip: Learn More about Biomimicry & Solar Energy! The opportunities to learn about sustainability don’t stop during intersession! Drop in today (May 7th 8am-4pm, Univ. Club) to hear experts discuss how nature inspires technology during the free Biomimicry Symposium hosted by Biology & the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research. On Saturday (May 9th 1-4pm, Vogt 311), UofL hosts the annual meeting of the Kentucky Solar Energy Society. All are welcome to come learn about solar in Kentucky & at UofL (tour our dual-axis tracking solar array). Sustainability Event Details here. |
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4/29/15 Green Tip: Celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week & Pledge to be Idle-Free! During Air Quality Awareness Week, UofL reminds you that with summer heat comes even greater need to reduce smog-forming pollution. You can help us all out by not using gas lawn mowers (often more polluting than cars), driving less (summer’s a great time to walk, bike, bus, or carpool) & shutting off vehicles while waiting for trains or pick-ups. An idling engine produces more emissions than a moving car & restarting a car uses as much fuel as idling 20-60 seconds. Idling longer is wasteful. Test your knowledge with daily air quality quizzes at http://bit.ly/1Hw5Y3l. Read UofL’s No Idling Policy. Learn how you can help keep our air cleanhere. |
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4/22/15 Green Tip: It’s Earth Day, Plant Something! To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, UofL is providing you two opportunities to get outside today and plant something positive! At noon, all are welcome to join us at the SAC Ramp to plant sunflowers along the railroad tracks that cut through campus. Then, at 3pm, come on over to the Garden Commons at the Cultural Center for a free workshop on Getting Back to the Land with Sustainable Gardening led by UofL’s own Sustainability Coordinator, Justin Mog. This Earth Day, DO SOMETHING! More Info on Campus Gardens here. |
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4/15/15 Green Tip: Spring is Here - Come Garden with Us! Did you know that UofL has on-campus organic gardens where you can experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of fresh, free, hyper-local food? Staff & students are always welcome to get involved & faculty can use the gardens as sustainability teaching tools! It starts today at 3pm with a spring planting at the Urban Studies Horticulture Zone (426 W Bloom) or register for the Earth Day Workshop on sustainable growing at the Garden Commons (Cultural Center) April 22 at 3pm.Registration & Details for Earth Day Workshop here. More Info on Campus Gardens here. |
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4/7/15 Green Tip: Carpool in April and Win with Zimride! With carpooling, everybody always wins because it’s cheaper, less polluting, and way more fun. But throughout April, you can win even bigger by entering to win fun prizes from UofL’s private rideshare community at zimride.com/louisville. When you register for a new, free account or sign in to your Zimride profile in April and log your commutes on your personal Commute Calendar, you’ll be entered to win one of 20 prepaid MasterCard Gift Cards ranging from $25 to $100. Full contest rules & prize details here. |
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4/2/15 Green Tip: Spring into Sustainability TODAY! You have 4 chances to celebrate spring today! 1. UofL’s Free Store is open 1-3pm in Unitas. 2. Ecochella (Red Barn) features an outdoor Sustainability Fair 3-5pm & a 6pm Festival with local food, speakers & bands (Louisville Crashers, Deloreans, & Appalatin). 3. At 4pm, the Latin American & Latino Studies Dept. unveils its new Tranquility Garden & invites you to plant a seed at Stevenson Hall. 4. Also at 4pm in Humanities 300, the Social Change Program presents an Equitable Louisville panel. Full details and more UofL Sustainability Events here. |
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3/26/15 Green Tip: Free Lunch and Learn on Sustainable Farming Everybody loves food. But where does it come from? What does it take to get it to our plates? And what needs to be done to make our food system more sustainable? Join us Friday for a discussion with local farmer, Belknap Farmers' Market vendor, and UofL Anthropology professor, Jeneen Wiche. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move us all beyond talk to action for sustainability through training and service. Bring a plate & fork to enjoy a free lunch with zero waste! More info, trainings, and sign-up form on EcoReps website. |
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3/18/15 Green Tip: New Option for Smaller Vanpools Tired of the long, lonely, expensive commute? RideShare by Enterprise is a new service for forming smaller vanpools of just 4+ people who commute 20+ miles to UofL. The program requires a 3 month commitment, but offers a wide variety of vehicle options, insurance, maintenance, weekend vehicle access, a guaranteed ride home program, roadside assistance & loaner vehicles. Find existing vanpools or register your interest and we’ll help match you up with your neighbors at enterpriserideshare.com. Questions? Contact Sara Gooch (sara.k.gooch@ehi.com or 502-479-4764). Full Details on all your Transportation Alternatives here. |
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3/9/15 Green Tip: UofL awarded Tree Campus USA status, tree-huggers wanted For the 5th year in a row, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA. With over 2,500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Belknap Tree Tour and Tree Inventory to help you use our campus as an educational tool and a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management. All of this was developed by the Sustainability Council’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee, which welcomes you to participate in our spring meeting today at 10 a.m. in Ekstrom W210.More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management here. |
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3/2/15 Green Tip: It’s Spring Sustainability Week!March 2-6, 2015 ELSB & the Sustainability Council invite you: Mon. 4:30pm Group Bike Ride (15mi, from Ville Grill) Tue. 12:30pm Bangladeshi Garment Workers Speak Out! (HUM 300) Tue. 6pm J.B. Ruhl: Localism & the New Language of Conservation (Law 275) Wed. 1-3pm Free Store (Unitas) Wed. 4pm Garden Commons Workday (Cultural Center) Thu. “Ecochella” Sustainability Fest (Fair 3-5pm. Food 5pm. Music/Speakers 6pm, Red Barn) Thu. 4pm Equitable Louisville Panel (HUM 300) Fri. 2pm Campus Tree Committee (SAC W316) Full Details here. |
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2/26/15 Green Tip: A Simple Way to Cut Paper Use in Half The best way to reduce our environmental impact and save money isn’t by changing what we consume, but reducing how much we waste. If you must print, remember that a blank side of paper is a waste. Cut paper use in half by printing or copying on both sides. This option is available on many campus machines and can be setup as the default or selected for individual print jobs. A manual option is printing odd pages and then using the bypass feeder for even pages (or for single-sided scrap paper). More Green Tips. |
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2/19/15 Green Tip: Got Snow?! Avoid navigating slippery roads and the hassle of digging out by leaving your car at home and letting TARC do the driving. Louisville’s entire bus system is completely free with UofL ID! Plan your bus trip here. If you need a car on campus, check one out from UofL Carshare – join by 3/15 for just $1 with promo code “SPRING”! When clearing snow, use a shovel instead of salt or gas-guzzling blowers – you’ll stay warm with exercise while preventing pollution, corrosion, and damage to plants & aquatic ecosystems. |
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2/10/15 Green Tip: UofL Loves Mountains! The Sustainability Council invites you to send the Earth a valentine this week! Join us tonight at 6pm in Chao Auditorium for the film Deep Down followed by a discussion about Appalachia’s struggles over mountaintop removal mining. On Thursday, a UofL bus will head to Frankfort for the I Love Mountains Day rally (departs Planetarium 10am, back 3pm). And joinUofL residents who began efforts to save energy during the 3-week Ecolympics by turning off lights & equipment, taking stairs & unplugging. More ways to save here. Check Ecolympicsstandings in the Campus Conservation Nationals here. Register for the bus to I Love Mountains Day here. All Sustainability Events listed here. |
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2/2/15 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania! UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste and recycle the most throughout February & March! You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Making sure you always recycle - which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t worry how clean it is, just recycle it! Log your green actions & win!: http://campus.myactions.org/group/Louisville Details on how to recycle nearly everything at UofL: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/recycling.html RecycleMania standings: http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/scoreboard/participating-schools/live-ranking?node_id=27066 |
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1/30/15Green Tip: Food Chains Screening Tuesday Tuesday, Feb. 3, 6:30pm, SAC Floyd Theater Join us for a special screening of Food Chains, a powerful new documentary about the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ (CIW) struggle to bring better working conditions & wages to our nation's produce pickers. A panel discussion with reps from CIW & Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville will follow. FREE admission and Kentucky Proud popcorn. Brought to you by Engage.Lead.Serve.Board's Green Initiatives, UofL Libraries, Anthropology, GRASS - Group Recycling & Sustainable Solutions, and SAB Film. Full details and RSVP on Facebook. |
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1/22/15 Green tip: Green Threads faculty workshop applications due March 25th Interested in weaving themes of ecological, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full or part-time faculty & GTA Academy members from all disciplines to participate in the April 2015 Green Threads workshop. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, resources for course development, info on local sustainability issues, & a new network of colleagues from across UofL. Applications due March 25. Green Threads Application & Full Details. |
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1/15/15 Green Tip: EcoReps Lunch & Learns Start Friday with Sustainability @ Blackacre UofL’s EcoReps program is designed to educate & empower students, faculty & staff to take action for a more sustainable U. We offer training, resources, service opportunities & certification as an advocate for sustainability. Tomorrow we begin our spring series of 3rd Friday workshops with free lunch at noon in Ekstrom W210. Spring luncheons: Jan. 16 – Sustainability @ Blackacre State Nature Preserve; Feb. 20 – TBA; Mar. 27 – Sustainable Agriculture with Jeneen Wiche; Apr. 17 – TBA. Sustainability Events. |
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1/7/15 Green Tip: New Year’s Resolution to Eat Less Meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land & 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that vegetarian men on average have only a 4% risk of death from heart attack vs. 50% risk on meat-based diets? This year resolve to choose meatless options that are easier on you & the planet. Hearty, meatless meals can be requested via Flavours Catering or found at The Ville Grill, SAC Seasons Salad Bar & nearly all campus dining venues. Vegetarian Guide to UofL Dining. |
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12/15/14 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season Santa's North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays: turn thermostats down to 55, close windows tight, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off on a powerstrip. Always shut off computers & lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to carpool, bus, or bike more and to trade that space heater for a sweater. Santa thanks you. More tips for a greener holiday here. |
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12/9/14 Green Tip: Faculty resources for weaving sustainability into spring courses As you develop and revise spring syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research & service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer: guest speakers, discussion guides, online learning tools, info on research grants, engaging events for your syllabi, and an EcoReps program offering service learning, educational videos & certification. |
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11/25/14 Green Tip: Put more green in your holidays! The holidays can be hard on the budget & the planet. Save money, resources, & the environment this season with a few simple steps. Don’t make your office or lab work when you leave for the holidays: turn down thermostats, power down computers & equipment, and unplug chargers, printers & appliances. Serve local, seasonal foods & less meat. Consider low-impact, non-material gifts like memberships; tickets to local performing arts; or skill-building classes like UofL’s Lifelong Learning offerings. More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/19/14 Green Tip: EcoReps Lunch & Learn: The Creative Art of Waste Minimization Sustainability requires creative thought & action. True recycling isn’t just a matter of putting your waste in a different bin, but of thinking differently about stuff in the first place. Join us Friday for a discussion about waste minimization and creative reuse with Charles Nasby who has been leading the charge to green the Dept. of Theater Arts! The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move all of us beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL! Free vegetarian lunch. |
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11/13/14 Green Tip: UofL Free Store open today noon-2pm UofL’s Free Store is open today, with revised hours: Thursdays Noon-2pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). At the Free Store any student or employee can donate or "shop" for free clothing, shoes, electronics, small appliances, household supplies, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. The Free Store keeps useful items out of the landfill while helping those in need. It’s a volunteer-powered initiative of UofL's Sustainability Council & the RSO GRASS. |
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10/23/14 Green Tip: Sustainability Week wraps up in style! Sustainability Week rolls on today with the Gray St. Farmers’ Market 10:30-2 & the UofL Free Store in Unitas 11-3. Things wrap-up Friday with the Dialogue on Diversity Conference (8am-3pm Shelby Campus); EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Sustainable Events Planning (Noon Ekstrom W210); Bluegrass Bioneers (5-11pm Humanities 100); Farm to Table Dinner (7pm Ville Grill); & Braden Sedition Trial Reenactment (7pm Law School). And don’t miss Ying Kit Chan’s Deep Ecology art exhibit (11-6 daily Cressman Center). Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/22/14 Green Tip: It’s Campus Sustainability Day! Learn more, get involved & live green at the Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad today 10am-2pm! Bring old cell phones & mobile devices for recycling. Donate shoes to WaterStep. Recycle documents, diskettes & videotapes at the Shred-It truck outside College of Business. Sustainability Week continues tomorrow with the Gray St. Farmers’ Market 10:30-2 & the UofL Free Store open in Unitas 11-3. Check out Ying Kit Chan’s Deep Ecology exhibit 11-6 daily @UofL’s Cressman Center (100 E Main). Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/21/14 Green Tip: Sustainability Week continues with Tree Celebration! UofL Sustainability Week continues today with a Campus Arbor Day celebration! Join us 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp to plant a tree, sample UofL-grown apple pie & bike blender smoothies, or take a guided tree tour at noon. Then watch UofL’s first carbon-neutral Athletics event at 7:30pm at Lynn Soccer Stadium! At tomorrow’s Campus Sustainability Day fair on the Quad 10am-2pm, learn how to get involved and recycle: cell phones & mobile devices, shoes, documents, diskettes & videotapes. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/20/14 Green Tip: Sustainability Week is Here! UofL Sustainability Week begins with Weigh the Waste today over lunch at The Ville Grill, then discover hidden green gems on a Campus Sustainability Tour leaving the Cultural Center at 2pm, and celebrate the Community Engagement Awards at 6pm in Ekstrom. Tomorrow 11am-2pm at the SAC Ramp you can plant a tree, sample UofL-grown apple pie & bike blender smoothies, or experience a guided tree tour at noon. Then watch UofL’s first carbon-neutral Athletics event at 7pm at Lynn Soccer Stadium! Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. |
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10/17/14 Green Tip: Sustainability Week starts Monday with Campus Sustainability Tour! Engage in planetary & social justice during UofL’s 5th annual Sustainability Week! It kicks off Monday with Weigh the Waste 11-2 at The Ville Grill, a 2pm Campus Sustainability Tour leaving the Cultural Center, & the 6pm Community Engagement Awards in Ekstrom. Tuesday features a Tree Planting & Tour plus a carbon-neutral soccer match! The Campus Sustainability Day fair will be on the Quad Wednesday 10-2 with free document, disk & video recycling at the Shred-It truck at College of Business. Full schedule for Sustainability Week here. Sustainability Discussion Guides here. Sustainability Learning Resources here. |
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10/10/14 Green Tip: UofL’s Solar Homeowners Welcome You This Saturday! UofL employees & students who live in solar-powered homes will be opening their doors to give you a glimpse of our renewable energy future during the Louisville Solar Tour on Saturday 10am-3pm. Throughout the day, you can tour 35 different homes, churches & institutions featuring a variety of solar technologies, including UofL’s Beargrass Falls solar-powered water quality improvement project. The tour can be self-guided or join bus or bike tours leaving at noon from Barrett & Breckinridge. Facebook Event page. |
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10/2/14 Green Tip: Campus Tree-Huggers Wanted! Every year since 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Belknap Tree Tour & Tree Inventory to help you use our campus as an educational tool and a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management. All of this was developed by the Sustainability Council’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee which welcomes you to participate in our fall meeting on Friday 10/3 at 9am in Ekstrom W210. Campus Tree Advisory Committee Meeting details here. More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management here. |
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9/26/14 Green Tip: Help with Lawn Removal Today 2-4pm As part of the national Green Apple Day of Service, UofL students, faculty & staff will help replace some of our unsustainable, unused, fossil-fueled lawn with a lower-maintenance, native wildflower garden that will beautify campus and support pollinators. Lawns may look nice to some, but they are ecologically dead and require lots of chemicals, water, labor, and gas to maintain. Join us for the fun 2-4pm today outside Davidson Hall. Organized by UofL's Sustainability Council & the RSO GRASS. |
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9/17/14 Green Tip: UofL Free Store open Thursdays 11am-3pm UofL’s Free Store is open with expanded hours: Thursdays 11am-3pm in the Unitas Tower basement (enter from driveway off Cardinal Blvd). At the Free Store any student or employee can donate or "shop" for free clothing, shoes, electronics, small appliances, household supplies, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, etc. The Free Store keeps useful items out of the landfill while helping those in need. It’s a volunteer-powered initiative of UofL's Sustainability Council & the RSO GRASS. |
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9/10/14 Green Tip: Give Yourself a Raise with Zimride! Did you know that UofL has a private rideshare network for faculty & staff? Zimride is an easy way to set up carpools using social networks that help UofL community members find & offer rides to common destinations – whether it’s your daily commute, a conference, or any other event. Ridesharing saves both you & UofL money while cutting pollution by reducing the number of cars on campus. Take money out of your gas tank & give yourself a raise! Great minds ride together at zimride.com/louisville Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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9/4/14 Green Tip: Garden Commons as a Teaching Tool At UofL's organic Garden Commons at the Cultural Center, anyone can gain hands-on experience with sustainable living practices: growing food, composting, solar power, rain harvesting, etc. Faculty can use the space to teach about science, art, health, engineering, etc. Integrate the Garden into your courses & informal learning this year! Get involved on your own or join our group workdays from 5-6pm (with meetings to precede on Fridays at 4pm inside): Sept. 5, 16, 26; Oct. 14, 24; Nov. 4, 21. Event page here. |
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8/26/14 Green Tip: Pedal with the President Thursday morning August 26th 7:30am leaves from Amelia Place (2515 Longest Avenue) Join President Ramsey and your colleagues for a fun 30-minute ride to campus for Welcome Week! Riders will leave together and then split into two groups - one headed to Belknap campus and another to HSC. Both routes will be fairly flat and low-traffic. By cycling to UofL, President Ramsey seeks to set a powerful example for the community, highlighting his support for a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. Sponsored by UofL’s Sustainability Council, Get Healthy Now & Office of the President. |
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8/21/14 Green Tip: Swap Your Parking Permit for A New Bike! 8/28 Application Deadline Frustrated by fees & traffic? Ready to give up your parking permit? Save money and burn calories instead of gas with these cool options for getting around: 1. Earn-A-Bike: Forgo a permit for 2 years to earn a $400 bike shop voucher. Apply by 8/28. 2. Ride the entire TARC bus system free with UofL ID! 3. UofL Carpooling: Zimride is a free, secure way to find & offer rides. 4. Get around with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs). 5. Borrow a fuel-efficient car from UofL Car-Share ($10 to join). Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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8/18/14 Green Tip: Special Promo: Join UofL CarShare for just $10 before Sept. 30th! One thing you won’t need to bring to campus anymore is your car. UofL CarShare is a cheaper option for out-of-town meetings & can make it easier to carpool, bus, bike, or walk to work. Join before 9/30 for just $10 to access fuel-efficient cars at UofL for just $5/hr (including gas & insurance)! Imagine how much money, time & hassle you could save by not bringing your own car to campus. No parking permits, tickets, or hunting for a spot! No car maintenance, insurance, cleaning, or fueling! Learn more and join with promo code “FALL2014” at http://www.enterprisecarshare.com/louisville |
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8/13/14 Green Tip: Catering with Concern In charge of providing food for a meeting or campus event? Consider the effects of your choices on people’s health, the environment, and the local economy. Some things you can do: Seek healthier, fresher options and minimize environmental impact by serving less meat. Strive to purchase as much local, seasonal food as possible – there are area caterers which specialize in this. Avoid excessively-packaged and individually-wrapped foods. Provide a pitcher of tap water instead of bottled water. Sustainable catering options and contacts for local food caterers available here. |
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8/5/14 Green Tip: Water Conservation Saves Money, Energy & the Environment In this time of summer heat and drought, we are reminded of the importance of conserving water on campus and at home. Your efforts can also help reduce utility bills and the use of energy needed to pump and treat water. Simple steps to help conserve water include: taking shorter showers; not watering lawns and gardens in the middle of the day; shutting the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes; and immediately reporting leaky valves and pipes to Physical Plant for repair. Report Leaks to Physical Plant at 852-6241 or using the online form. More ways to save here. |
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7/28/14 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Your Fall Courses As you finalize fall syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. To help get you started, we have class discussion guides, online learning resources to go deeper, info on grants, community groups & campus sustainability efforts that need your help, and engaging events throughout the year like UofL Sustainability Week, October 20-26. |
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7/23/14 Green Tip: Air Quality Alert – No More Idle Threats! Tuesday’s first Air Quality Alert Day of 2014 was a stark reminder that with summer heat comes even greater need to reduce smog-forming pollution. You can help by not using motorized lawn equipment, driving less, and not letting your car idle while waiting for trains or pick-ups. An idling engine produces more emissions than a moving car, & restarting your car uses as much fuel as idling 20-60 seconds. Idling longer is a waste of gas & money. Summer’s a great time to walk, bike, bus, or carpool! Read UofL’s No Idling Policy here. |
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7/18/14 Green Tip: Tired of paying for parking & gas? Try something different! Instead of renewing a parking permit, why not save money, burn calories & protect the planet on your commute? Try these better options: 1. Earn-A-Bike: Forgo a permit for 2 years to earn a $400 bike shop voucher. Apply by 8/28. 2. Ride the entire TARC bus system free with UofL ID! 3. UofL Carpooling: Zimride is a free, secure way to find & offer rides. 4. Once on campus, get around with UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or borrow a fuel-efficient vehicle from UofL Car-Share ($10 to join). |
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7/9/14 Green Tip: Ride with Team UofL in the National Bike Challenge 63 UofL employees & students have collectively pedaled over 17,500 miles in the first 2 months of the National Bike Challenge! Together, we’ve burned nearly a million calories, saved $10,000 on gas & kept 16,000 lbs of pollution out of the air. All one ride at a time! The Challenge runs through Sept., so it’s not too late to join the fun, get fit, save money & cut emissions. Join Thursday’s group ride to campus from Seneca Park & register now to qualify for prizes like a $400 bike shop voucher! UofL Bike Commuter Resources here. |
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7/1/14 Green Tip: UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Provides Helpful Guidance Your purchasing decisions are key to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the start of a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) Reducing waste & consumption is our top priority. |
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6/26/14 Green Tip: Travel Smart, Fly Less! Summer travel season is here, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options. It accounts for 8% of UofL’s total carbon footprint. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool; take the train (Book Trains through PanAm here) or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions by investing in local forests through the Appalachian Carbon Partnership.Details on Alternatives to Flying here. |
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6/19/14 Green Tip: Tap into the power of the summer solstice As we approach the longest day of the year, take stock of what truly sustains us. Tap into the sun’s power with a solar-heated shower at the Student Rec Center or fresh, local produce photosynthesized right here in Kentucky. It’s available for sale today at the Gray St. or Belknap Farmers’ Markets, or free for the picking in our very own Garden Commons. Then give something back to nature during Saturday’s solstice by helping with UofL’s annual Horner Wildlife Sanctuary butterfly count. |
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6/13/14 Green Tip: Pedal for fitness, money, and clean air Join your colleagues at UofL as we discover the pure pleasures, health benefits & money-saving secrets of getting around Louisville on two wheels. Just by biking to work, the store, or around the park, Team UofL has already logged over 11,000 miles since May 1st in the National Bike Challenge. That’s a lot of gas money saved, calories burned & pollution reduced. Get in on the fun any time through Sept. 30th. All miles cycled will count toward the UofL total & qualify you for individual & team prizes. UofL Bike Commuter Resources here. Register for the National Bike Challenge here. |
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6/6/14 Green Tip: Want free local produce? Come help our garden grow! Please join us as we plant, weed & harvest from UofL's organic Garden Commons at the Cultural Center. On Friday 4-6pm we'll be installing several new plants, including perennial berry bushes, herbs and annual vegetables. No prior experience necessary. Tools and gloves provided. Dress to get dirty. The Garden Commons is open to participation throughout the year from students, staff, faculty and community members. Workers are welcome to fresh-picked strawberries, lettuce, peas, spinach, mint & herbs. |
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5/27/14 Green Tip: Friday is Bike to Work Day – Ride with UofL & register to win a bike Join UofL & Metro Louisville in celebrating Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 30. UofL participants will be meeting up at Tyler Park at 7:30am, with groups leaving for both Belknap & HSC. You can also join group rides to downtown from Shawnee, Seneca, Iroquois, or S. Indiana (across the newly opened Big 4 Bridge). Come early for ride support, mingling & refreshments. A noon-time celebration will also be held at 4th St. Live. Join us rain or shine to celebrate healthy, sustainable transportation. Register for Bike to Work Day and enter raffle for a new bicycle here.Louisville Bike to Work Day full details here. |
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5/22/14 Green Tip: Get gardening and get free strawberries Interested in health, sustainability, good food & growing things?! UofL’s Garden Commons at the Cultural Center is a space for staff, faculty, students & community members who are ready to get their hands dirty or to integrate the garden into their coursework & research. Join us as we make plans, discuss needs & possibilities, and divide tasks & responsibilities for the summer management of UofL's organic urban farm. Come & enjoy fresh-picked strawberries, lettuce, spinach, mint & herbs. Details and RSVP here. |
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5/12/14 Green Tip: Proper inflation saves Whether you’re driving a car or riding a bike, one simple step can save a bunch of energy: keep your tires properly inflated. Efficiency is reduced 1% for every 3 PSI that tires are under-inflated. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers waste about 1.2 billion gallons of fuel each year simply due to under-inflation. Investing a few bucks in a tire gauge could save drivers hundreds in gas. Check your tire pressure at least monthly. Sometimes it’s that easy being green! More Green Tips here. |
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5/6/14 Green Tip: Pedal for Team UofL in the National Bike Challenge Spring is the perfect time to rediscover the health-promoting, money-saving and planet-protecting joys of getting around on two wheels. May is Bike Month, so saddle up, Cards. Join the National Bike Challenge from May 1 to September 30 and be a part of something big. All miles cycled will count toward the University of Louisville total, and qualify you for great individual and team prizes. Our grand prize: a $400 bike shop voucher courtesy of Get Healthy Now & the Sustainability Council. UofL Bike Commuter Resources & Events here. |
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4/29/14 Green Tip: Give Your Lab or Office a Summer Break, too Headed off for a summer break, vacation, or research trip? Don’t leave a huge carbon footprint in your wake! Take a few moments before you go to make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away. Help us reduce our $1,000,000 monthly utility bill by turning off all lights, computers and equipment, setting thermostats warmer, shutting all windows tightly, and unplugging everything possible: empty refrigerators, chargers, coffee makers, and other non-essential equipment. More Green Tips here. |
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4/22/14 Earth Day Green Tip: Give Up Driving & Earn-A-Bike Save money. Get fit. Reduce stress. Make friends. Stop polluting. Why drive when you can: 1. Earn-A-Bike: Forgo a parking permit for 2 years & earn a $400 bike shop voucher. 2014 applications open til August 28. 2. Ride the entire TARC bus system free with UofL ID. 3. UofL Carpool Matching: Use our free, secure system to find/offer rides. 4. BikeShare: Free daily bike check-out from 5 campus locations. 5. UofL CarShare: If you need a car for errands or meetings, rent hourly from campus. |
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4/16/14 Green Tip: Share the ride in April to win prizes Carpool during April and you could win prizes from UofL’s private rideshare community, Zimride. Either register for a new, free account or sign in to your existing Zimride profile, then just log your sustainable commutes on the Commute Calendar between April 1-30, 2014 and you will be entered to win a Kindle Fire HD, Amazon Gift Cards, or Starbucks Gift Cards. Use Zimride to find or offer rides for your daily commute or just for one-time needs like conferences, meetings, or university events. |
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4/14/14 Green Tip: Offset budget cuts by eliminating waste Eliminating waste & inefficiency not only reduces UofL’s environmental impact, but can help save us from a budget shortfall. Consider these eco-friendly ways to cut costs: Print on both sides of a page. Serve tap water instead of bottled water & replace disposables with reusable mugs, utensils, plates, etc. Reduce our utility bill by shutting off faucets, lights, computers, & equipment when not in use. Consolidate refrigerators. Buy only efficient, Energy Star electronics & appliances. More green tips here. |
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4/3/14 Green Tip: Campus Sustainability Tour on Tuesday Curious about what UofL is doing to enhance stewardship? Want to learn how you can contribute to the effort? Join us Tuesday at 2pm (rain date: April 9th) for a Campus Sustainability Tour leaving from the Garden Commons at the Cultural Center. The Tour will be hosted by the Sustainability Council as a part of UofL’s Human Resources professional development program. Participants will learn about UofL’s urban agriculture, stormwater, transportation, renewable energy & efficiency programs. Preview the Belknap Campus Sustainability Walking Tour here.Please register for the Tour here. |
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3/31/14 Green Tip: A Week for Sustainable Living It’s Spring Sustainability Week at UofL. We’ve pulled together a week of activities to get you motivated for conscious, green living. Join us today 11am-1pm at the Red Barn Plaza for free food & info about the many ways to get around without a car of your own: bikes, bus, UofL CarShare, & ride-sharing. Bring your bike for a free tune-up. Then, at 4pm, learn about Justice for Chiapas! in Ekstrom 117A. Wednesday features the Cardinal Sustainability Market from 11am-2pm on the Red Barn Plaza. Spring Sustainability Week details here. |
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3/17/14 Green Tip: Gear up for better bicycling weather Get fit. Save money. Reduce stress. Cut your carbon footprint. Have fun. Spring is almost here and it’s time to get ready to get around by bike. Free spring bike tune-ups will be available Monday-Tuesday, March 17-18, 10am-4pm at the SAC Ramp. Get Healthy Now is also organizing monthly group bike rides to campus from various neighborhoods. All experience levels welcome & all will receive orientation & a bike map. First ride is Thursday 3/20 7:30am from near the zoo to Belknap (4mi, 20min). Info on Bike Tune-ups & Group Rides here. |
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3/14/14 Green Tip: Spring Cleaning Reuse & Recycling Need to get rid of spring cleaning junk? Don’t trash it. Use UofL’s recycling & reuse options. Departmental furniture, equipment, & electronics should go to UofL Surplus. Personal clothing, office & household supplies, media, electronics, etc. can be donated to the UofL Free Store in Unitas on Fridays 1-3pm. We recycle all kinds of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal & glass in our single-stream bins, and have collections for recycling batteries, e-waste, lighting, printer cartridges & chemicals. Recycling & Reuse details here. |
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2/28/14 Green Tip: We save with your help In solidarity with UofL residents taking steps to save electricity during the Campus Conservation Nationals, the Sustainability Council urges you to help reduce UofL’s $1,000,000/mo utility bill. Turn off lights, computers & electronics when done; set computers to sleep when idle; unplug anything not actively in use; skip the elevator for the stairs; dress for the weather, turn down thermostats & close windows tightly; wash in cold water & air dry laundry; shower with solar power at the SRC. More ways to save here.Check our standings in the Campus Conservation Nationals here. |
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2/19/14 Green Tip: Water, climate & wonder, oh my Sustainable solutions are the topic of campus conversation this week. Today 2/19 at 3pm in Law School Room 171, UofL’s Sustainability Scholars Roundtable discusses interdisciplinary research in water resources. Also today at 3pm in Ekstrom's Chao Auditorium, Congressman John Yarmuth speaks on the politics surrounding global climate change. Tomorrow 2/20 at 5:30pm in Ekstrom's Chao Auditorium, GRASS screens the documentary “Wonder” about Harlan & Ann Hubbard’s off-grid sustainable lifestyle. UofL Sustainability Events here. |
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2/11/14 Green Tip: UofL Loves Mountains workshop & bus to Frankfort Wednesday Whether rallying in Frankfort or enjoying a free luncheon workshop on campus, Wednesday is your day to love mountains! UofL students will be rallying in Frankfort for I Love Mountains Day (bus from Planetarium leaves 10:30am, back 3pm) & the Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program will continue its series of monthly workshops with free lunch at noon in SAC W312: Feb. 12 - Mountain-Top Removal Mining with Professor Keith Mountain, Mar. 19 - Organic Gardening, Apr. 9 – Transportation Bicycling. Register for the bus to I Love Mountains Day here. |
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2/4/14 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania! UofL is competing against schools across the country to see who can reduce waste and recycle the most throughout February & March! You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible – bring your own mug, bottle, bag, etc.; and 2. Making sure you always recycle - which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, & glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t worry how clean it is, just recycle it! Details on what you can recycle at UofL here. RecycleMania standings here. |
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1/27/14 Green tip: New option for southern Indiana commuters Hoosiers have a new way to avoid the expense, hassle & pollution of driving to campus. TARC launches a new express route from Sellersburg today. Instead of wasting time & money stuck in traffic, commuters can take Route 65X free with UofL ID from a park & ride lot at Ivy Tech Community College (I-65 Exit 9) and enjoy TARC's efficient new coaches with free wi-fi, outlets, & overhead storage. The service stops at HSC (Chestnut & Jackson) & connects to other TARC routes downtown (including Route 18 to Belknap). Full details on TARC’s new Route 65X – Sellersberg Express. |
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1/16/14 Green tip: Green Threads faculty workshop now open beyond tenure-track Interested in integrating themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites full- & part-time faculty from all disciplines to participate in the 2014 Green Threads workshop on Earth Day, April 22. We’ll explore ways to embed sustainability in your curriculum. You’ll receive a $500 honorarium, resources for course development, info on local sustainability issues, & a new network of faculty from across UofL. Applications due March 19. Green Threads Application & Full Details. |
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1/13/14 Green Tip: Get your “Ticket to Ride” with newly forming UofL vanpools Tuesday, Jan. 14th 11:30am-1pm at the University Club Enjoy a free lunch & learn how to save money, build community & reduce pollution by joining a UofL vanpool. Vanpools are 7-15 commuters who live in the same area & ride to/from work together in a fully equipped passenger van. Each person pays a low monthly fare & the more you have in your vanpool, the less you pay. Volunteer drivers ride free. Ticket to Ride is helping us establish vanpools from specific areas including S. Indiana, E. Jefferson Co., and Shelby, Hardin, Oldham & Bullitt Counties. RSVP to: Elizabeth Bowling, ELIZABETH.BOWLING@KY.GOV or 502.267.5400, 101 Ticket to Ride Vanpool Program. |
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1/8/14 Green Tip: UofL EcoReps Luncheon Workshop Series Kick-Off Today: Recycling The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move us all beyond talk to action for a sustainable UofL. We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, & certification as a point-person and advocate for sustainability. Today we begin a series of 2nd Wednesday Workshops with free lunch at noon in SAC W312. Spring luncheons: Jan. 8 – Single-stream Recycling, Feb. 12 - Mountain-Top Removal Mining, Mar. 19 - Organic Gardening, Apr. 9 – Transportation Bicycling. UofL EcoReps Program Info & Sign-Up. |
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12/19/13 Green Tip: Santa will thank you for saving energy this holiday season Santa's North Pole is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats, securely close windows, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Get in the habit by switching everything off with one power strip. Always power down computers & turn off lights when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to replace incandescent & halogen lamps with CFLs or LED bulbs. Santa thanks you. Additional tips for a greener holiday here. |
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12/11/13 Green Tip: Get help weaving sustainability into spring courses As you develop and revise spring syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, & service learning projects. In addition to our Green Threads Faculty Workshop, we offer discussion guides, online learning resources, info on sustainability research grants & needs, engaging events for your syllabus, & an EcoReps program offering service learning, short educational videos & certification. |
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12/4/13 Green Tip: Got permaculture? Get some with UofL EcoReps Join us for free food & a hands-on permaculture workshop designed to incorporate the efficiency & balance of natural systems into UofL’s Garden Commons on Thursday, Dec. 5th at 2pm in the Cultural Center. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program aims to move faculty, staff & students from talk to action for a more sustainable UofL. Get trained, help out, & even get certified as a point-person for sustainability. Whether you’re a recycler, gardener, bike commuter, local foodie, or social justice advocate, we want to help you to BE the change. |
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11/26/13 Green Tip: Put more green in your holidays The holidays can be hard on your wallet & our planet. Save money, resources, and the environment this season with a few simple steps. Don’t make your office or lab work when you leave for the holidays: turn down thermostats, power down computers, and unplug chargers, printers & equipment. Serve local, seasonal foods and consider low-impact, non-material gifts like memberships; tickets to local performing arts; CSA subscriptions; or skill-building classes like UofL’s Lifelong Learning offerings. More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/18/13 Green Tip: Sustainable engineering solutions on display this week Come explore how UofL engineers are researching applied sustainable solutions. Tour the Conn Center’s Biodigestor Lab, today at 4pm in Lutz Hall 022 to learn about testing feedstocks from area industries in an anaerobic biodigestor that UofL could use as a source of renewable energy. On Wednesday at noon, the next Sustainability Scholars Roundtable in the Law School's Cox Lounge features Venkata Gullapali’s research using solar UV radiation to disinfect polluted waterways like Beargrass Creek.UofL Sustainability Events listed here. |
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11/12/13 Green Tip: Free registrations for NCSE Conference: “Building Climate Solutions” Jan. 28-30 in DC To help bolster our sustainability curriculum, the Provost sponsors UofL membership in the National Council for Science & the Environment (NCSE). If you’d like one of UofL’s free registrations to the annual conference, email justin.mog (at) louisville.edu. NCSE also provides access to: environment & energy news services (free campus-wide); Representation on NCSE's Council of Environmental Deans & Directors; funding for multi-institutional collaborations; and an Environmental Internship Clearinghouse. |
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11/5/13 Green Tip: Fair Trade promotes peace and justice Celebrate UofL’s Peace & Justice Weeks by minimizing abuse to people & planet. First look for products made locally, or at least in the USA. Buying local reduces pollution, strengthens our economy, & minimizes worker exploitation. But what about my coffee & chocolate? When buying from overseas, seek fair trade products which ensure just conditions for workers & farmers. Learn more & sample fair trade coffee at a talk on ethical food systems today at 4:30pm in Shumaker Research Building 139. UofL Sustainability events here. Peace & Justice Weeks schedule here. Fair Trade at UofL details here. |
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11/1/13 Green Tip: New UofL Space Heater Policy: Stay Warm Without One Space heaters are dangerous, expensive energy hogs. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your room is cold, please contact Work Control to request an audit & adjustment. You can expect temperatures to be kept between 66 - 72 degrees F throughout the winter. Temporary use of an approved space heater may be allowed only if sub-66 F temperatures persist following a Physical Plant audit & adjustment. After November 1st, space heaters not approved by the University Fire Marshal must be removed. Read the full UofL Space Heater Policy. Request a room temperature adjustment online here, or call 852-6245. |
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10/21/13 Green Tip: Sustainability Week begins today with model green room open houses UofL’s 4th annual Sustainability Week kicks off today with Open Houses of our Model Green Office (Urban & Public Affairs Room 100, 10am-4pm) & Dorm Room (Louisville Hall lobby, 3-5pm). Stop in to see the future of green living. Other events include a Sustainability Scholars Roundtable (10/21 noon), Tree Planting & Pruning Workshop (10/22 noon), Campus Sustainability Day fair (10/23 10am-2pm), Farmers’ Market (10/24), Farm-to-Table Dinner (10/25), Bluegrass Bioneers conference (10/24-26) & more. Full schedule for UofL Sustainability Week here. |
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10/11/13 Green Tip: Two Local Food Events This Weekend Celebrate harvest time with the UofL Environmental Law & Land Use Society’s annual 100-mile lunch Sunday, Oct. 13th 11:30am-3:30pm in the Law School courtyard. Meals are $5, with donations going to the courtyard rain garden & outdoor classroom project. On Saturday, Oct. 12th, UofL experts & learning stations will be part of the Healthy Foods, Local Farms Conference: “Food Sustainability & Justice” at Kentucky Country Day School (4100 Springdale Rd). Registration is $35, scholarships available. |
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9/25/13 Green Tip: Put your passion for sustainability into action with UofL EcoReps The Sustainability Council’s new EcoReps program is designed to move faculty, staff & students beyond talk to action for a sustainable UofL. We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, and certification as a point-person & peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability. This year we begin a series of monthly gatherings and workshops for EcoReps on Thursdays at 2pm in the Cultural Center. Join us whether you’re a recycler, avid bike commuter, local foodie, or social justice advocate. Fall gatherings (Thursdays at 2pm): Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 21, Dec. 5. More info and sign-up form on EcoReps website. |
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9/13/13 Green Tip: Make Plans for UofL Sustainability Week Oct. 21-29 Sustainability Week is the perfect opportunity to get engaged in social & planetary justice. Any related events (lectures, films, tours, service projects, etc.) can be added to the calendar and all are welcome to host a booth at Campus Sustainability Day on the Quad 10/23. Faculty are encouraged to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into courses, service learning & research. Send students to sustainability events, or use our discussion guides & online resources. To get on the calendar or reserve a Campus Sustainability Day booth, contact: Justin Mog, justin.mog (at) louisville.edu |
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9/6/13 Green Tip: Diana Wall 9/12 Lecture Inspires Composting! On Thursday Sept. 12th at 4pm in the Rauch Planetarium, the Biology Dept. hosts a lecture by prize-winning ecologist Diana Wall on “Soils, Soil Biodiversity & Sustainability.” To honor her work, the Sustainability Council reminds you that UofL is composting yard wastes, animal bedding & dining hall food wastes, but you can help us go further to ensure ALL of our organic wastes benefit soil health rather than going to landfills. Set up a compost collection in your break room, volunteer with UofL’s composting program, and compost at home. Full details on Composting at UofL here.Info on Diana Wall Lecture here. |
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8/28/13 Green Tip: Pedal with the President Thursday morning August 29th 7:30am leaves from Amelia Place (2515 Longest Avenue) Join President Ramsey, Darrell Griffith & others for a fun 30-minute ride to campus for Welcome Week. Riders will leave together and then split into two groups - one headed to Belknap campus and another to HSC. Both routes will be fairly flat and low-traffic. By cycling to UofL, President Ramsey seeks to set a powerful example for the community, highlighting his support for a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. Sponsored by UofL’s Sustainability Council, Get Healthy Now & Office of the President. |
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8/22/13 Green Tip: Tired of paying for gas & parking? Ready to try something different? This year, try these fun transport options that’ll save money, burn calories & protect the planet: 1. Earn-A-Bike:Forgo a parking permit for 2+ years to earn a $400 bike shop voucher. Apply by 8/30. 2. Ride the entire TARC bus system free with UofL ID. 3. UofL Ride-Share & Carpool Matching: Zimride is a free, secure way to find & offer rides. 4. Once on campus, get around using UofL Bike-Share (free daily check-outs) or reserve a fuel-efficient campus vehicle from UofL Car-Share ($10 to join). Full details on all your UofL Transportation Alternatives here. |
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8/9/13 Green Tip: Take Advantage of UofL’s Membership in the National Council for Science & the Environment (NCSE) In support of efforts to bolster UofL's sustainability curriculum, the Provost’s Office proudly announces renewed UofL membership in the NCSE. Membership includes: Free campus-wide access to environment & energy news services; Representation on NCSE's Council of Environmental Deans and Directors; help funding for multi-institutional collaborations; an Environmental Internship Clearinghouse; and five free registrations to NCSE’s 2014 Conference “Building Climate Solutions” Jan.28-30 in DC. Full details on NCSE University Affiliate program here. Questions or 2014 Conference Registrations: justin.mog (at) louisville.edu |
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7/31/13 Green Tip: Local Food/Local Fuel This Thursday! Heard of Slow Food? What about Slow Money?! Join us for Local Food/Local Fuel: A discussion about how entrepreneurship and local investing contribute to thriving local food & green economies with Carol Hewitt, co-founder of Slow Money NC and Lyle Estill, founder of Piedmont Biofuel. Hosted in partnership with Slow Money KY & Kelley Green Biofuel by UofL's Sustainability Council, working to cement local partnerships to supply more local food, while supporting area farmers & biodiesel producers. |
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7/9/13 Green Tip: Breaking Down Recycling at UofL All recycling bins at UofL are part of the same single-stream system that accepts any kind of plastic, paper, metal, glass, or cardboard. Items need not be fully ‘clean’ or empty, but since we pay for recycling by volume, not weight, you can help save UofL money & reduce the number of truck pick-ups by taking a few seconds to break down your cardboard boxes. Special collections are also available for recycling batteries, printer cartridges, electronics, chemicals, lighting, cell phones, etc. Full Recycling Details here. |
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7/1/13 Green Tip: UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy Provides Helpful Guidance Your purchasing decisions are vital to helping UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the start of a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star equipment to nontoxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t buy! (See UofL Surplus.) Reducing waste & consumption is our top priority. |
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6/19/13 Green Tip: UofL Car-share Saves You & UofL Money (Get $35 in Free Driving Credits!) Why drive your own car to campus or meetings when you can borrow ours? With UofL’s new Car-share program, you can reserve one of our fuel-efficient vehicles parked on campus online and use it for just $8/hour, including gas & insurance. UofL Car-share is a cheaper way to go to most one-day meetings and can also help make it easier to carpool, bus, bike, or walk to campus. Join now for personal or professional use for only $10 (a one-time application fee) and receive $35 in free driving credits! UofL Car-share details and sign-up here. |
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6/5/13 Green Tip: Fly Less, Travel Smart! Summer travel season is upon us, but there are ways to get there without destroying our planet. Flying causes 5-10 times more pollution per passenger-mile than ground-based options, and it accounts for 6% of UofL’s total carbon emissions. Consider greener, less sardine-like options: video- or teleconference; carpool with Zimride; take the train or bus (Megabus, Miller & Greyhound all serve Louisville). If you must fly, offset your emissions through a service like Carbonfund.org or TerraPass.Book Trains and Offset Carbon through Egencia. Details on Alternatives to Flying here. |
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5/31/13 Green Tip: U OF L’S AASHE Membership Grants You Access to Sustainable Inspiration Interested in the nexus of environmental, social & economic responsibility? UofL recently renewed its membership in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), giving YOU access to a world of benefits! To access member discounts and an online Resource Center containing how-to guides, best practices, assessment tools, policy and program databases, discussion forums, and more, go to www.aashe.org/user/register and register using your @louisville.edu address. Full details here. |
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5/22/13 Green Tip: Tis The Season for Eating Local Eating local is one of the best things you can do to lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy and improve your health! The Gray St. Farmers' Market at HSC is now open for the season. Load up on local fare every Thursday 10:30am - 2pm. Local food is also available on Belknap campus through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program (subscriptions still available!), The Root Cellar at 3rd & Hill, UofL Dining Services, and the grow-your-own Garden Commons! More information on Local Food at UofL here. |
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5/17/13 Green Tip: Celebrate Bike to Work Day! Join the Sustainability Council & Get Healthy Now in celebrating Bike To Work Day today with a 7am ride to campus from Tyler Park or a guided group ride from Belknap Campus to Louisville’s Bike To Work Day Celebration at 4th Street Live! Gather at the North Info Center (1st & Brandeis) for an 11:30am departure. Discover the health-promoting, money-saving and planet-protecting joys of getting around on two wheels! If you need a bike, check one out free any day from Humana Gym or the SAC gym. UofL Bike Commuter Resources here. |
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5/6/13 Green Tip: Don’t Make Your Lab or Office Work While You’re Away This Summer Headed off for a summer break, vacation, or research trip? Don’t leave a huge carbon footprint in your wake! Take a few moments before you go to make sure your office or lab won’t be wasting energy while you’re away. Help us reduce our $1,000,000 monthly utility bill by turning off all lights, computers and equipment, setting thermostats warmer, shutting all windows tightly, and unplugging everything possible: chargers, coffee makers, empty refrigerators, and other non-essential equipment. More Green Tips here. |
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4/30/13 Green Tip: Saddle Up for Bike Month! Spring is the perfect time to rediscover the health-promoting, money-saving and planet-protecting joys of getting around on two wheels. May is Bike Month, so saddle up, Cards! Join or form a UofL team for Louisville’s Bike Month Challenge May 1-16. Log your trips by bike to grab prizes and the coveted golden handlebars at the Bike To Work Day celebration at noon on Friday, May 17th at 4th Street Live! Need a bike? Register to win one, or check one out free any day from Humana Gym or the SAC gym. UofL Bike Commuter Resources here. Register here for Louisville’s Bike Month Challenge. Register here to win a new bike on Bike To Work Day (May 17, 2013)! |
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4/22/13 Green Tip: Celebrate Earth Day with a Commitment to Eat Local! Food travels an average of 1500 miles to reach your plate. That’s not healthy for you or the planet! There’s still time to vote with your fork to support a vibrant local food economy with fresher, more nutritious food by participating in UofL’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Weekly deliveries of farm-fresh produce, meats, dairy, eggs, and more begin mid-May and subscription deadlines are fast approaching! Half-shares are only about $12/week, Full-shares just over $20/week. Explore your options here.Connect with other subscribers on Facebook. |
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4/12/13 Green Tip: Spring Sustainability Week Starts Saturday! Kick-off your weekend with service (Ali Shuffle, 4/13 8am, SOUL’s Waterfront Park clean-up 4/14 noon, and a Tree Canopy Inventory Study 4/14 1pm), plus a Falls of the Ohio Hydropower Station Tour (4/13 1pm). On Monday join us for the Sustainability Scholars Roundtable at 10:30am and the CSA Fair 11-2. Get certified as a UofL EcoRep on Tuesday 9am-noon, then check out the Undergrad Research & Community Engagement Symposium 12:30-4. Wednesday enjoy the Sustainability Fair & Local Lunch 11-1! Full Details for Spring Sustainability Week here. |
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4/11/13 Green Tip: Support a Farmer by Eating Local, Fresh & Healthy This Season Monday, April 15th 11-2 in the Red Barn Want to eat right, support local farms and maximize sustainability? Come explore your options and sign-up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share to have farm-fresh food delivered to you weekly! With several participating farms, UofL’s CSA program provides affordable flexibility. Half-shares start at $12.50/wk, or split a share with friends! Along with fresh produce, shares are available for local eggs, dairy, cheeses, meats, bread, etc. Vote with your fork for a sustainable economy! Explore your options here.Connect with other subscribers here. |
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4/9/13 Green Tip: Sustainability Researchers Vote Monday on Transdisciplinary Topics 10:30am Apr. 15, Cox Lounge, Wyatt Hall (2nd floor, center) Brandeis School of Law All faculty, staff and grad students engaged in research on issues of sustainability are invited to Monday’s Sustainability Scholars Roundtable! We'll be planning for next year's colloquium on sustainability and resilience and organizing work groups to explore potential collaboration, exchange of research ideas, and/or grant funding proposals around transdisciplinary topics to be voted on Monday. Open to researchers from any discipline or unit. Sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council. Additional Information on Sustainability Scholars webpage. |
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4/1/13 Green Tip: Get Certified April 16th to become an Eco-Rep for your Department! Tired of waste & injustice? Do something! UofL’s new Eco-Reps Program wants you to become a knowledgeable peer mentor for sustainability! We offer a series of simple online trainings covering the basics –food, transportation, waste, energy, and water – plus joint service opportunities, advanced trainings, and peer support. Start watching the short videos now and plan to take the certification exam April 16th any time 9am-noon in Humanities 300. Open to staff, faculty & students who give a damn. UofL Eco-Reps Videos and Registration here. |
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3/19/13 Green Tip: Taking the Bus – It’s Even Better Than The ‘Popemobile’! The new Pope is humbly showing the way to sustainability by demonstrating that no one is above taking the bus. The same applies here, and the entire TARC system is completely free with UofL ID! Use it for your daily commute, your trips between campuses, or for errands, meetings, and lunch breaks. TARC has proposed changes to increase service to Belknap with a direct connection to the airport and downtown on a revised Route 2. UofL is collecting public comments on these changes through March 21. Plan your bus trip & read about proposed TARC changes here. Send comments to Mitchell Payne: mhpayn01@louisville.edu. |
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3/12/13 Green Tip: Green Threads Faculty Workshop Applications Due March 29th Interested in integrating themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses? The Sustainability Council invites faculty from all disciplines to participate in this year’s Green Threads: Sustainability Across the Curriculum workshop on Reading Day (April 23). You’ll network with faculty from across UofL and receive a $500 honorarium, resource materials for course development, and info on campus, local, & regional sustainability issues. Applications due March 29th. Full Details and Green Threads Application here. |
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3/5/13 Green Tip: Got Snow?! When things turn white, you can avoid the danger of slippery roads and the hassle of scraping the windshield by leaving your car at home and leaving the driving to TARC. The entire bus system is completely free with UofL ID! If you need a car later in the day, check one out from UofL’s new WeCar car-share program. And when clearing snow, use a shovel instead of gas-guzzling blowers or salt – you’ll get some exercise while preventing corrosion and damage to plants and aquatic ecosystems. Plan your bus trip here.Learn about UofL’s WeCar car-sharing here. |
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2/28/13 Green Tip: Leap into a Sustainable Spring with Organic Gardening! The days are getting longer. Have you started your seeds yet?! Now’s the time to start planning your garden to ensure you’ll have the most local, nutritious food possible! The Garden Commons at the Cultural Center is the best place to get your hands dirty learning how to grow organic food with others from the UofL community. No experience necessary. Get access to ideas, support, and even dirt to grow in. It all starts Friday at 4pm with a hands-on workshop in planting delicious spring greens! Details here. |
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2/20/13 Green Tip: A Simple Way to Cut Paper Use in Half The best way to reduce our environmental impact and save money isn’t by changing what we consume, but reducing how much we waste. If you must print, remember that a blank side of paper is a waste. Cut paper use in half by printing or copying on both sides. This option is available on many campus machines and can be setup as the default or selected for individual print jobs. A manual option is printing odd pages and then using the bypass feeder for even pages (or for single-sided scrap paper). More Green Tips here. |
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2/11/13 Green Tip: Sustainability Researchers Unite! 2:30pm Feb. 12, Cox Lounge, Wyatt Hall (2nd floor, center) Brandeis School of Law All faculty, staff and grad students engaged in research on issues of sustainability or resilience are invited to Tuesday’s Sustainability Scholars Roundtable! We’ll be discussing the concept of resilience and meeting other sustainability researchers as UofL seeks to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and grant funding potential in sustainability-related research. Open to researchers from any discipline or unit. Sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council. Additional Information: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/education-research/research.html |
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2/4/13 Green Tip: Catch RecycleMania! UofL is competing against schools across the country to see which campus can reduce waste and recycle the most throughout February and March! You can help the Cards to victory by: 1. Avoiding disposable items as much as possible; and 2. Making sure you always recycle, which is amazingly easy at UofL! All types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass go into the same single-stream recycling bins all over campus. Don’t worry about how ‘clean’ your item is, just recycle it! Details on what you can recycle at UofL. RecycleMania standings. |
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1/28/13 Green Tip: Become an Eco-Rep for your Department! UofL has launched a new program to empower you to become a knowledgeable point of contact about sustainability in your department, unit, or building! The Eco-Reps Program provides a series of simple online trainings covering the basics – including food, transportation, waste, energy, and water – plus joint service opportunities, advanced trainings, and peer support. Learn more and sign-up now to help create real and lasting change amongst your peers and colleagues. We can’t do it without you! UofL Eco-Reps Program: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/eco-reps/eco-reps.html |
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1/17/13 Green Tip: Stay Warm this Winter without a Space Heater Feeling cold? Space heaters are expensive energy hogs and can be dangerous. UofL strongly discourages their use. If your work space is cold or drafty, please contact Work Control to report the problem and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. Cozy sweaters are the winter’s "greenest" fashion statement! Contact Work Control at 852-6245 or http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/forms/non_chargeable_request |
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1/7/13 Green Tip: New Year’s Resolution to Eat Less Meat Did you know that in today’s industrial food system, supplying a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that vegetarian men on average have only a 4% risk of death from heart attack vs. 50% risk for those on a meat-centered diet? When catering or dining this year, choose meatless options that are easier on you and the planet. The Ville Grill offers hearty meatless meals at the Wild Mushroom station and Bluegrass Greens salad bar! |
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12/19/12 GREEN TIP: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF E-MAILING LARGE FILES We assume that e-communications are eco-friendly – no paper, no ink, no shipping supplies, no gas for transportation, etc. But it takes energy to move digital data, too. It’s estimated that emailing a 1.2-megabyte attachment such as a large photo can use enough energy to boil 4 kettles of water! The information industry’s global carbon footprint now matches the airline industry’s. Rather than e-mailing large attachments, use file-sharing sites such as Blackboard, Flickr, DropBox, or SharePoint. |
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12/12/12 Green Tip: Save Santa by Saving Energy this Holiday Season Santa's North Pole home is melting, but you can help by taking a few simple steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats, securely close windows, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Switching everything off with a power strip is the easiest way to get in the habit. Always turn off lights and computers when vacating a room. Make a New Year’s resolution to replace all incandescent bulbs with fluorescent or LED bulbs. Additional tips for a greener holiday here. |
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12/6/12 Green Tip: Weave Sustainability into Spring Courses As you develop and revise your spring syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to integrate themes of environmental, social & economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. We have discussion guides to help get you started, online learning resources to go deeper, info on research grants and campus sustainability efforts that need your help, a new EcoReps program offering service learning, and engaging events for your syllabus. |
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11/30/12 Green Tip: Sample from Local Food Caterers Monday! Ordering food for a meeting or event? That’s a great opportunity to advance sustainability! Support area farmers, get fresher, healthier food, and reduce fuel use and emissions by requesting food grown locally! Come meet caterers and sample their local menu items at Monday’s Local Food Caterers’ Fair at noon in the Red Barn! The Sustainability Council encourages all business managers and others involved in ordering food for UofL to attend. RSVP: alstar01@louisville.edu or 852-5155. |
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11/21/12 Green Tip: Low-waste, high-joy holidays The holidays can be hard on your wallet, and our planet. Save money, resources, and the environment this season with a few simple steps. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats, power down computers, and unplug chargers, printers & equipment. Serve local, seasonal foods and consider low-impact, non-material gifts like memberships to fitness clubs; tickets to local performing arts; subscriptions to a CSA; or skill-building classes like UofL’s Lifelong Learning offerings.More “green” holiday tips here. |
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11/15/12 Green Tip: Don’t miss today’s Sustainability Scholars Roundtable! 10 a.m. Nov. 15, Cox Lounge, Wyatt Hall (2nd floor, center) Brandeis School of Law All faculty, researchers and grad students engaged in sustainability-related research are invited to share their research interests and meet other sustainability researchers as UofL seeks to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and grant funding potential in sustainability-related research. This will be the first in a series of roundtable discussions. Refreshments will be served. Open to researchers from any discipline or unit. Sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council. Additional Information: Contact Tony Arnold. |
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11/12/12 Green Tip: Tour campus trees and sustainability initiatives Wednesday! As a part of Wednesday’s GIS Day, organized by UofL’s Center for GIS, you can learn about campus trees and other sustainability efforts via talks (1:30-2pm) followed by walking tours (2-3pm). Join Dr. Tommy Parker (Biology) in Shumaker Research Building 139 for a Tree Campus USA tour in honor of Arbor Day, or Dr. Justin Mog (Sustainability Coordinator) in Lutz Hall 225 to learn what UofL is doing to conserve energy, reduce waste, promote local food, get people out of their cars, and more! Details and Registration here.View the Campus Sustainability Tour here. |
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10/31/12 Green Tip: Sustainability Week Concludes Thursday-Sunday Don’t miss the biggest event the Sustainability Council has ever hosted! Thursday’s Campus Community Partnerships for Sustainability Conferencewill be the greatest gathering of campus sustainability leaders from across KY. Friday’s free Sustainability Symposiumfeatures the brightest minds in environmental, social & economic responsibility (Strickler 101, sponsored by Liberal Studies Project & Biology). And Bluegrass Bioneers will be packed with revolutionary ideas (free, Nov. 2-4,Strickler). Full schedule for Sustainability Week. |
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10/26/12 Green Tip: Register for Up-coming Sustainability Week Events! Register now to be inspired: Oct. 26-27Power Shift: Real Skills for Social Change (KY Center for African-Am. Heritage). Oct. 30Sustainability 101Professional Development (HR). Nov. 1Meet The Professor: Carol Hanchette, Medical Geography (U. Club). Nov. 1Campus Community Partnerships for Sustainability Conference(JCTC). Nov. 1-2Sustainability Symposium: Cross-Pollinating for Resilience(Strickler 101, sponsored by Liberal Studies Project & Biology). Nov. 2-4Bluegrass Bioneers (Strickler). Full schedule for Sustainability Week. |
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10/25/12 Green Tip: Sustainability Week continues! Today’s events include: The last Gray Street Farmers Market of the year (10:30am–2pm at HSC between Preston & Jackson); Mary Berry on "The Berry Center & Cultural Change" with local harvest reception (2:30pm Shumaker Research Building 139); and Amy Sturgis on “Rethinking the Trail of Tears” (6pm Chao Auditorium). Like trees?! Join us Friday at 3pm in Life Sciences 137 for the fall meeting of the Campus Tree Advisory Committee with a representative from the National Arbor Day Foundation! Full schedule for Sustainability Week. |
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10/23/12 Green Tip: Sustainability Week begins Wednesday with Campus Sustainability Day! UofL’s 3rd annual Sustainability Week, kicks off with a Campus Sustainability Day fair 10am-2pm Wednesday on the Quad! Stop by to learn more about the struggle for social & planetary justice at UofL and beyond. Sign-up to get involved. Leave with freebies & a smile! Bring your waste cooking oil for recycling at the Louisville Biodiesel Co-op booth. Free shredding/recycling of personal documents & diskettes available in front of the College of Business. And don’t miss Thursday’s speaker line-up! Full schedule for Sustainability Week. |
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10/16/12 Green Tip: Socially-Responsible Retirement Funds Open Enrollment is a great time to consider your investments. Did you know that UofL offers employees socially-responsible investment options for retirement plans? These provide income for a secure retirement while supporting companies you can feel good about. Options include: 1. Fidelity Select Environmental Portfolio; and 2. CREF Social Choice Account - favoring ethically managed companies that serve local communities, and are strong environmental stewards committed to higher labor standards. Details here. |
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10/4/12 Green Tip: Get An Inside Look At Solar Power This Saturday! UofL is one of the stops on this year’s Louisville Solar Tour on Saturday, October 6th Noon-4pm. UofL will host two tour sites on Belknap campus (Sackett Hall & Garden Commons) along with UofL employees and students who live in solar-powered homes! We'll open our doors to give you a glimpse of the renewable energy future! Throughout the afternoon, you can tour dozens of different solar systems on your own or as part of group bus or bike tours leaving at noon from Barrett Ave. & Breckinridge St. Get a Tour Map, Guide and all the Details here. |
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9/24/12 Green Tip: Learn From Others - Fall Gardening & Bike Fix-it Stations Sustainability emerges from community and requires learning from one another. This week offers two great opportunities to do just that! Today at 6 p.m., the Garden Commons hosts a hands-on organic fall planting workshop on greens, roots & cover crops. Tomorrow (9/25) and every first & last Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Humanities Quad, there will be a helpful mechanic staffing one of UofL's five new, red DIY Bike Fix-It stations. Come learn how to use the stations to keep you rolling! Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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9/19/12 GREEN TIP: HELP PREVENT FLOODING AND KEEP RIVERS CLEAN Last week’s workshop on Advancing Green Infrastructure in Louisville highlighted the many ways we can redesign stormwater management to minimize our contribution to flooding and pollution of waterways. You can see examples at UofL of vegetated roofs, rain gardens, infiltration pits, pervious paving, and rain barrels which may be applicable at your home or any location with roofs or pavement. You can also help by not showering or washing clothes or dishes during rainstorms. More Info on Stormwater. |
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9/6/12 GREEN TIP: SET COMPUTERS TO AUTOMATICALLY SLEEP/HIBERNATE Computers consume 20% of UofL’s polluting, costly electricity. Much of this is unnecessary when computers are left on while we’re away from our desks. Help save money and reduce energy waste by taking a few seconds to set your computer to automatically Sleep/Hibernate when idle. For PCs: Under Control Panel, click Power Options, then under the Power Scheme tab, set System Hibernates to whatever time delay works for you. Adjust Macs with Energy Saver preferences. Data is saved until you return. More tips. |
8/21/12 GREEN TIP: FREE DAILY BIKE CHECK-OUT FROM SAC! |
8/14/12GREEN TIP: WHY LANDFILL IT WHEN YOU CAN RECYCLE IT ALL? |
8/3/12 GREEN TIP: WEAVE SUSTAINABILITY INTO YOUR FALL COURSES! |
7/26/12 Green Tip: Sign-up for Car-share by Aug. 1st for $30 driving credits |
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7/19/12 GREEN TIP: PROPER INFLATION SAVES! Whether you’re driving a car or riding a bike, one simple step can save a bunch of energy: keep your tires properly inflated. Efficiency is reduced 1% for every 3 PSI that tires are under-inflated. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers waste about 1.2 billion gallons of fuel each year simply due to under-inflation. Investing a few bucks in a tire gauge could save drivers hundreds in gas. Check your tire pressure at least monthly. Sometimes it’s that easy being green! More Green Tips. |
7/12/12 GREEN TIP: STAYING SAFE ON TWO WHEELS |
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7/2/12 GREEN TIP: RESPONSBILE PURCHASING Your purchasing decisions can help UofL reduce our environmental impact & save money! With the start of a new fiscal year, please take a moment to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy for guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star® equipment to less toxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t have to buy! See UofL Surplus. Reducing waste and consumption must be our top priority. |
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6/19/12 GREEN TIP: WATER CONSERVATION SAVES MONEY, ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT The summer heat and drought is a great reminder of the importance of conserving water on campus and at home. Your efforts can also help minimize utility bills and the use of energy to pump and treat water. Not only can you help conserve by taking shorter showers and watering lawns and gardens during cooler hours, but by stopping the water flow while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes, and by reporting leaky plumbing to Physical Plant for repair at http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/forms/non_chargeable_request. |
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6/13/12 Green Tip: Campus Sustainability Tour (Weds) & New Professional Development (Thurs) Join us this afternoon (6/13) for a Belknap Campus Sustainability Tour led by UofL sustainability coordinator, Dr. Justin Mog. Leaves from the Garden Commons at the Cultural Center at 3:30. Tomorrow (6/14), UofL launches a new professional development training called Sustainability 101. This training, 2-3pm in Human Resources 103A, provides an introduction to the basic principles of sustainability and how to apply them in professional & personal decision-making. Register for this free training. |
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5/22/12 GREEN TIP: U OF L’S AASHE MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES YOU ACCESS TO SUSTAINABILITY IDEAS & INFO Interested in the nexus between environmental, social and economic responsibility? UofL recently renewed its membership in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), giving YOU access to a world of benefits! To access member discounts and an online Resource Center containing how-to guides, best practices, assessment tools, policy and program databases, reports, and more, go to www.aashe.org/user/register and register using your @louisville.edu address. Full details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/sustainability-council/memberships-and-organizational-affiliations.html |
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5/17/12 GREEN TIP: EATING LOCAL IS GOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET Buying local is one of the best things you can do to lower your environmental impact, strengthen our regional economy and eat better! The Gray St. Farmers' Market at HSC opens for the season today! Load up on local fair every Thursday 10:30am - 2pm! Local food is also available close to Belknap campus at the Old Louisville farmers’ market (Wednesdays 3-6pm at 3rd & St. Catherine), The Root Cellar (3rd & Hill), and through UofL Dining Services and our CSA program. More information: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/food.html |
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5/9/12 Green Tip: Pedal with the President Thursday morning! As Bike Month rolls on, there’s still time to join the fun, save some money, get fit, and reduce pollution through biking to work! President Ramsey leads the annual ride to UofL on Thursday, May 10th, leaving at 7:30am from Amelia Place, 2515 Longest Ave. Easy, low-traffic routes will go to Belknap & HSC. Through May 17th, join one of the UofL teams competing for the “golden handlebars” in Louisville’s Bicycle Challenge. Register to win a new ride on Bike To Work Day, May 18th! Details here. |
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5/2/12 Green Tip: Last chance for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions Food travels an average of roughly 1500 miles to reach your plate in America. That’s not healthy for you or the planet! Vote with your fork to support a vibrant local food economy with fresher, more delicious and nutritious food by participating in UofL’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Weekly deliveries of farm-fresh produce, meats, dairy, eggs, and more begin mid-May! Half-shares start at $12.50/wk! Explore your options. Connect with other subscribers on Facebook. |
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4/26/12 Green Tip: Gear Up for Bike Month, Beginning Tuesday! Did you know that a 4-mi trip by bicycle prevents 15 lbs of air pollution and that the average person loses 13 lbs during their 1st year of bike commuting? This May, the Sustainability Council invites you to try a healthier, greener way of getting around! Join a UofL team for Louisville’s Bicycle Challenge May 1-17. Pedal with the President to UofL on May 10th. Participate in Get Healthy Now’s new bike safety classes. Register to win a bike! Details at the resource page for UofL bike commuters. |
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4/19/12 GREEN TIP: DINE & DISCOVER WITH GREEN THREADS ON FRIDAY Join us Friday in the Delphi Center for lunch and conversation about Green Threads, the Sustainability Council’s program for helping faculty weave sustainability issues into their courses and to get students more engaged in problem-solving, research, and critical thinking about sustainability on campus and in our community. Meet key leaders in campus sustainability and hear from a panel of faculty describing how they incorporated sustainability into their coursework. Details and registration. |
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4/12/12 GREEN TIP: EAT LOCAL, FRESH & HEALTHY THIS SEASON Miss yesterday’s Local Food Fair? You can still sign-up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share & have farm-fresh food delivered to you weekly! With 5 participating farms, UofL’s CSA program provides affordable flexibility. Half-shares start at $12.50/wk, or split a share with friends! Along with fresh produce, shares are available for local eggs, dairy, cheeses, meats, bread, etc. Vote with your fork for a sustainable economy! Explore your options. Connect with other subscribers. |
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4/5/12 GREEN TIP: GET IN GEAR FOR BIKE MONTH! Spring is the perfect time to dust off that bike and rediscover the health-inducing, money-saving and planet-protecting joys of getting to campus on two wheels! May is Bike Month nationwide and now’s the time to get in gear! Why not join or form a UofL team for Louisville’s Bicycle Challenge May 1-17? Participate in one of Get Healthy Now’s bike safety classes on Tuesdays at 11am! Learn more at the resource page for UofL bike commuters. |
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3/29/12 GREEN TIP: ENERGY MOVIE NIGHT: DEEP DOWN & KILLOWATT OURS Get informed and powered-up for the start of UofL's first energy conservation competition (the Campus Conservation Nationals now through April 15th). The Sustainability Council invites you to a double-feature tonight at 7:30pm in Ekstrom’s Chao Auditorium featuring two excellent documentaries about the highly unsustainable nature of our current energy use, the effects of our wasteful energy use on the people of Appalachia, and smart solutions for getting us out of this crisis. Join us for Deep Down: A Story from the Heart of Coal Country and Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America. Details. |
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3/22/12 GREEN TIP: ECO-FEMINIST NORMA RAMOS SPEAKS TONIGHT! Tonight’s Minx Auerbach Annual Lecture at 6 pm in the Speed Art Museum Auditorium features eco-feminist, public interest attorney and social justice activist, Norma Ramos. Ramos links the worldwide inequality and destruction of women to the destruction of the environment. She works to build an environmental movement that addresses inequalities based on race, gender and class. Ramos is the former executive director of the Rainforest Foundation and serves on the board of the National Hispanic Environmental Council. |
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3/14/12 GREEN TIP: IDLE THREATS Stuck waiting for someone in your car, or for the train to pass? Don’t leave your car idling while you wait. Save yourself some money and gas while saving us all from unnecessary pollution. Shut off the engine…and take a deep breath. The amount of fuel consumed to restart a vehicle is the equivalent of idling 20-60 seconds. Idling longer is a waste and an idling engine produces more emissions than a moving car. Learn more and read UofL’s No Idling Policy. |
3/7/12GREEN TIP: WEAVE SUSTAINABILITY INTO YOUR COURSES WITH GREEN THREADS! |
2/28/12GREEN TIP: LEAP INTO SPRING WITH ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOPS |
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2/21/12 GREEN TIP: OFFSET BUDGET CUTS BY ELIMINATING WASTE Eliminating waste and inefficiency not only reduces UofL’s environmental impact, but can help save us from a budget shortfall. Consider these eco-friendly ways to cut costs: Serve tap water instead of bottled water and replace disposable, single-use items with reusable mugs, utensils, plates, etc. Conserve water and energy by shutting off faucets, lights, computers, and equipment when not in use. Consolidate refrigerators. Avoid space heaters. Turn down thermostats when leaving. Buy only efficient, Energy Star electronics and appliances. Print on both sides of a page. More ideas: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/green-tips.html. |
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2/14/12 GREEN TIP: U OF L LOVES MOUNTAINS In solidarity with UofL students rallying today in Frankfort for I Love Mountains Day (bus leaves the Planetarium at 10:30am), the Sustainability Council invites everyone at UofL to consider ways to waste less energy and send the Earth a valentine! When leaving a room, shut off lights, turn down thermostats, and power down computers, projectors, and equipment. Unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment when not in use. Set computers to automatically hibernate or sleep when idle (under Control Panel > Power Options). More ideas: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/green-tips.html. |
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2/6/12 GREEN TIP: RECYCLEMANIA STARTS THIS WEEK! Now through April 6th, UofL is competing against schools across Kentucky and around the country to see which campus can reduce waste and recycle the most! You can help the Cards to victory by fully utilizing UofL’s amazingly easy, single-stream recycling system that lets you recycle everything in the same bin: all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass! Details on what you can recycle at UofL are available here. Updates on UofL's standing are available at the RecycleMania website. |
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1/27/12 GREEN TIP: CONNECT WITH YOUR FOOD SYSTEM The Sustainability Council is co-sponsoring the Wednesday, February 1st lecture by long-time community food activist and author Mark Winne on “Good Food for All: Food Democracy or Food Tyranny?” (6pm in 139 Shumaker Research Building). We also encourage faculty, staff and students to engage with the type of smaller, more community-based food systems Winne promotes by getting involved with Garden Commons at the Cultural Center, which will hold a garden work day this and every Sunday at 1pm, and will offer organic workshops starting February 8th. Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
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1/20/12 GREEN TIP: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF E-MAILING LARGE FILES Most of us take for granted that e-communications are eco-friendly – paperless, ink-free, no shipping supplies, no gas for transportation, etc. But stockpiles of digital data waste energy, too. It’s estimated that emailing a 1.2-megabyte attachment — the equivalent of a large digital photo — can use as much energy as it takes to boil about 4 kettles of water! The information industry’s global carbon footprint now matches the airline industry’s. So, rather than e-mailing large attachments, use file-sharing sites such as Blackboard, Flickr, DropBox, MediaFire or SharePoint (http://sharepoint.louisville.edu/). |
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1/9/12 GREEN TIP: PLAN TO PARTICIPATE THIS SPRING! As you’re making Spring plans, don’t forget to encourage your students and colleagues to participate in the bevy of sustainability-related events on campus (include them in your syllabi!)! Events are listed and updated at http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. Spring highlights include: a lecture on Industrial Agriculture by Mark Winne (February 1st); a Green Economics Lecture Series (Feb. 3rd, March 2nd, March 23rd, April 6th); Body Awareness Body Appreciation Week (Feb 27 - March 2); the Campus Conservation Nationals March 26th - April 15th); and the Climate Change Teach-In (April 17th). |
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1/4/12GREEN TIP: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: EAT WELL AND SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY! Eat well this year with UofL Dining Services’ Go Green Meal Plan! With this new 10-meal plan, faculty and staff can directly support UofL sustainability initiatives while feasting in our greenest dining facility, The Ville Grill, where kitchen waste is composted, 25% of food is sourced locally, vegetarian options abound, and nothing is disposable! Blocks of 10 meals (which can be used for guests, too) cost just $7.73 per meal, with a percentage of the revenue going to fund sustainability. Full details at: http://www.uofldiningservices.com/gogreen.html |
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12/15/11 GREEN TIP: SAVE SANTA BY SAVING ENERGY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Burning all this coal is melting Santa's North Pole home! You can help. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Always turn off lights and power-down equipment when vacating a room. Get more great ideas for a greener holiday at: http://www.sierraclub.org/tips/holidays.aspx. |
12/9/11 EMPHASIZE GREEN IN YOUR HOLIDAY THIS YEAR! |
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12/7/11 GREEN TIP: WEAVE SUSTAINABILITY INTO YOUR SPRING COURSES! As you develop and revise your spring syllabi, the Sustainability Council encourages faculty from all disciplines to consider integrating themes of environmental, social and economic stewardship into your courses, research, and service learning projects. We have discussion guides on a variety of topics available to help get you started (http://louisville.edu/sustainability/education-research/green-threads.html), online learning resources to go deeper (http://louisville.edu/sustainability/links.html), info on grants and campus sustainability efforts that need your help (http://louisville.edu/sustainability/education-research/research.html), and engaging events throughout the year like the Climate Change Teach-In on April 17, 2012 (http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html). |
12/2/11 GREEN TIP: STAY WARM THIS WINTER WITHOUT A SPACE HEATER |
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11/20/11 GREEN TIP: MAKE THE HOLIDAYS GREENER The holidays can be hard on your wallet, and the planet. Consider ways to save money, resources, and the environment this season. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats, shut off lights & computers, and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Serve Kentucky Proud meals with local, seasonal foods and consider low-impact, non-material gifts like memberships to a fitness club; tickets to a local performing arts company; subscriptions to a CSA (http://www.grasshoppersdistribution.com/); or registrations for skill-building classes like UofL’s Lifelong Learning offerings: http://louisville.edu/lifelonglearning/. |
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11/15/11GREEN TIP: AMERICA RECYCLES DAY November 15th is America Recycles Day (http://www.americarecyclesday.org)! Take the pledge at http://americarecyclesday.org/pledge/ and encourage your students and colleagues to recycle all they can…which is just about everything at UofL! All UofL recycling bins accept any type and color of paper, plastics, metals, glass, and cardboard. In addition, special collections are available for recycling less-common items such as batteries, chemicals, e-scrap, lighting, and cell phones. Full details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/recycling.html |
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11/3/11 GREEN TIP: U OF L TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE FESTIVAL OF FAITHS (NOV. 2-7) UofL is participating in the Festival of Faiths (http://www.festivaloffaiths.org/) through November 7th at the Henry Clay Building (604 S. 3rd St.) to highlight our efforts to protect “Sacred Air.” UofL’s Sustainability Council and Photo Archives collaborated on a booth featuring campus trees and energy efficiency measures. UofL tree experts will be on hand at the booth tonight from 6-8pm. UofL will also be represented on the student panel at the Youth Breakfast with Bill McKibben this morning from 7:30–9:00am. Details at: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
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10/28/11 GREEN TIP: SOCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE RETIREMENT FUNDS The Open Enrollment period is a great time to consider your investments. Did you know that UofL offers employees socially responsible investment options for retirement plans? These options are designed to give you investment income for a secure retirement while putting money behind companies you can feel good about. Options include: 1. CREF Social Choice Account favoring companies that are: strong stewards of the environment, devoted to serving local communities, committed to higher labor standards, and managed ethically (https://www.mysavingsatwork.com/taxexempt/assets/tiaacref_io_uofl.pdf); and 2. Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio (http://louisville.edu/hr/benefits/retirement/Fidelity%20Brochure.pdf). |
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10/21/11 GREEN TIP: WRAP UP SUSTAINABILITY WEEK WITH BIONEERS & SERVICE! Bluegrass Bioneers 2011 starts today at UofL! Check out this morning’s Mini-Peace Fair outside Strickler Hall, then join us for an inspiring 3-day gathering of social, scientific, and environmental Bluegrass innovators all working to create a more just and sustainable world. The Sustainability Council hosts a Campus Sustainability Tourleaving Strickler at 4pm today. Full Bioneers schedule: http://www.bluegrassbioneers.org/. Saturday features a Central Park clean-up volunteer opportunity (8:30am-noon) and the How Can We Best Serve Conference (10am-2pm in the SAC Floyd Theater)! Schedule: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
10/20/11 GREEN TIP: SUSTAINABILITY WEEK EVENTS ON ALL THREE CAMPUSES TODAY! |
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10/19/11 GREEN TIP: IT’S CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY DAY! Celebrate stewardship at UofL’s 4th annual Campus Sustainability Day under the big tent on the Humanities Quad from 10am-2pm. Pick up free green goodies, pledge to make a difference, and learn what campus and community groups are up to. At noon the Cultural Center hosts a sustainability-focused Let's Talk Lunch, and this evening there’ll be two green career events! Sustainability Week continues tomorrow with a Shelby Campus Green Team Brown Bag Session, a Farm to Table dinner, and the Outstanding Community Engagement Awards! Schedule: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
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10/18/11 GREEN TIP: SUSTAINABILITY WEEK CONTINUES! Get a taste of both the environmental and social issues pivotal to sustainability with today’s Sustainability Week events! At noon Dr. Melissa Merrywill speak on "Framing Disaster: Environmental Groups' Response to the Gulf Oil Spill" in the Urban Studies Institute, Room 200. Then the Book-in-Common Keynote with author Wes Mooreisat 6pm in the SAC Multipurpose Room. Tomorrow features Campus Sustainability Day, a special Let's Talk Lunch, and evening green career events! Schedule: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
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10/17/11 GREEN TIP: SUSTAINABILITY WEEK KICKS OFF TODAY WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE UofL’s second annual Sustainability Week, highlighting the links between social, economic and environmental stewardship, kicks off today at 4:30pm with "Fighting Sexual Exploitation in the Community," featuring special guest speaker Rachel Durschlag, from the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, at Ekstrom’s Chao Auditorium. This event is sponsored by Cards 4 Freedom. Details: http://www.facebook.com/Cards4Freedom?sk=wall. Don’t miss tomorrow’s lectures on the Gulf oil spill and The Other Wes Moore! Check out the full schedule for Sustainability Week at http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html. |
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10/11/11 GREEN TIP: SUSTAINABILITY WEEK IS COMING! (OCT. 17-23) The Sustainability Council is proud to announce the second annual UofL Sustainability Week, October 17-23! This year’s Week features a campus sustainability tour, fairs, lectures, conference, community conversation, and local food tastings every day of the week. Don’t miss the Campus Sustainability Day fair on Humanities Quad, Wednesday 10am-2pm, and the third annual Bluegrass Bioneers events Friday to Sunday (http://www.bluegrassbioneers.org/)! Bring your colleagues and students to learn, engage and be transformed! Schedule: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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10/6/11GREEN TIP: ONLINE SWAP FOR REUSABLE ITEMS & PACKING MATERIAL Got stuff? Need stuff? You may not have to throw it out or buy it new! UofL’s online Property Exchange is here to help. The system lets departments easily swap useful surplus items – everything from equipment to furniture to office supplies to boxes and bubble wrap from shipments. Just log in and post your needs or your surplus stuff at: https://louisville.edu/surplus/tracker/surplusfolder_view. Remember: First reduce. Then reuse. Then recycle! Learn more: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/solid-waste-management.html |
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9/29/11GREEN TIP: FRIDAY IS BIKE TO WORK DAY – WIN A NEW BIKE! Friday, Sept. 30th is Louisville’s first-ever Fall Bike To Work Day. Join the fun and try a healthier, greener, money-saving way of getting to campus! Ride in with others from three Meet & Ride locations and register today to win a new commuter bike at the noon celebration at 4th Street Live! Event details and UofL bike commuter tips at: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/bicycling-for-transportation.html |
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9/21/11 GREEN TIP: THURSDAY IS WORLD CAR-FREE DAY! The Sustainability Council encourages you to leave the car at home on Sept. 22nd for World Car-Free Day! Walk, bike or bus (always free with UofL ID!) to campus & check out the Car-Free Fair at the Red Barn 10am-2pm featuring free bike tune-ups, bus schedules, bike maps, and bike-blender smoothies! Meet experienced bike commuters at the noon "Biking for Health & Wealth" Lunch-and-Learn. At 12:30pm enjoy a car-free trip to Gray St. Farmers' Market! http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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9/14/11GREEN TIP: NEW FALL BIKE COMMUTER CHALLENGE SEPT. 16-29 Mayor Fischer has decreed Sept. 30th to be Louisville’s first-ever Fall Bike To Work Day, and teams are forming now for a Bike Commuter Challenge Sept. 16-29! Join the fun and try a healthier, greener way of getting to campus. A 4-mile bike trip prevents 15 lbs of air pollution and the average person loses 13 lbs during their first year of bike commuting! Form/join a team and log your trips to win fabulous prizes! Details and tips: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/bicycling-for-transportation.html |
9/9/11GREEN TIP: SET COMPUTERS TO HIBERNATE |
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9/2/10 GREEN TIP: DON’T BE TRASHY! RECYCLE IT ALL AT U OF L! The beginning of a new semester is a great time to remind your colleagues and students that we can recycle just about everything at UofL! All recycling bins on all campuses are part of the same single-stream system that accepts any kind and color of plastics, paper, metal, glass, and cardboard. In addition, special collections are available for reusing durable goods and recycling less-common items such as batteries, chemicals, e-scrap, lighting, and cell phones. Full details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/recycling.html |
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8/24/11 GREEN TIP: NEW GO GREEN MEAL PLAN LETS YOU SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY! UofL Dining Services’ new Go Green Meal Plan allows faculty and staff to directly support UofL sustainability initiatives while eating in our greenest dining facility, The Ville Grill, where kitchen waste is composted, 25% of food is sourced locally, vegetarian options abound, and nothing is disposable! This semesterly plan allows you to purchase blocks of 10 meals (can be used for guests, too) for just $7.73 each, with a percentage going to fund sustainability. Details: http://www.uofldiningservices.com/gogreen.html |
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8/19/11 GREEN TIP: U OF L MEMBERSHIP IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT In support of efforts to bolster UofL's environmental and sustainability curriculum, the Provost’s Office proudly announces renewed UofL membership in the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) University Affiliate program (http://ncseonline.org/02education/Affiliates/). Membership includes: Free campus-wide access to environment and energy news services (http://www.eenews.net); Representation on NCSE's Council of Environmental Deans and Directors; potential funding for multi-institutional collaborations; Paid environmental internships through NCSE's Campus to Careers Program; and free registrations (three remaining) to NCSE’s 2012 Conference on Environment & Security (http://www.environmentandsecurity.org/) January 18-20 in DC. Questions: justin.mog (at) louisville.edu; or shelley (at) ncseonline.org. Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/sustainability-council/memberships-and-organizational-affiliations.html |
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8/11/11 GREEN TIP: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL BOUNTY! Late summer is a time of tremendous bounty for area farmers. Support them while reducing your environmental footprint and improving your personal health just by eating fresh, local food! Ask for locally-grown fruit, vegetables, eggs, dairy, meats, and other treats at your grocer, restaurant, or market. And don’t miss out on all the goodies available at the Gray Street Farmers' Market every Thursday from 10:30am - 2:00pm through October 27th at the Health Sciences Center. More info: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/food.html. |
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8/4/11 GREEN TIP: WATER CONSERVATION IS A WIN, WIN, WIN The summer heat and drought is a great reminder of the importance of conserving water on campus and at home. Your efforts can also help minimize utility bills and the use of energy to pump and treat water. Not only can you help reduce water use by taking shorter showers and watering lawns and gardens during cooler hours, but by stopping the water flow while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes, and by reporting leaky plumbing to Physical Plant for repair at http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/forms/non_chargeable_request. |
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7/28/11 GREEN TIP: NEW TOOL FOR REPORTING CLOSE ENCOUNTERS UofL encourages biking and walking to campus and wants to help create a culture of mutual respect for all road users. To help, Louisville Metro has unveiled a new “Close Call” reporting system that allows pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists to notify authorities about near-misses with those who are not sharing the road safely. Reporting the time and place of your close call will help the city collect data about the frequency of near-misses and the places that merit some safety improvements or monitoring: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/BikeLouisville/close_call_form.htm. |
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7/14/11 GREEN TIP: DON’T MAKE YOUR OFFICE WORK WHILE YOU’RE ON VACATION Headed off for a summer vacation? Don’t leave a huge carbon footprint in your wake! Take a few moments before you leave to make sure your office won’t be wasting energy while you’re away. Obviously, you’ll want to turn off lights and equipment before you go, but it’s also smart to turn up thermostats and to unplug chargers, coffee makers, empty refrigerators, and any other non-essential equipment. The greenest energy is power not wasted! |
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7/6/11 GREEN TIP: PUMP IT UP AND SAVE! Whether you’re riding a bike or driving a car, one simple step can save a bunch of energy: keep your tires properly inflated. Efficiency is reduced 1% for every 3 PSI that tires are under-inflated. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers waste about 1.2 billion gallons of fuel each year simply due to under-inflation. Investing a few bucks in a tire gauge could save drivers hundreds in gas. Check your tire pressure at least monthly. |
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6/30/11 GREEN TIP: PURCHASING FOR U OF L? CONSULT OUR GREEN PURCHASING POLICY FIRST Your purchasing decisions can help us reduce our environmental impact and save us money! The start of a new fiscal year is a great time to review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy (http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/green-purchasing.html). The policy provides helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star® equipment to less toxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper and wood products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t have to buy! Reducing waste and consumption must be our top priority. |
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6/23/11 GREEN TIP: WANT AN EXTRA $9000 THIS YEAR? THINK OUTSIDE THE CAR! We all know gas prices are high, but consider all the other costs associated with driving. The American Automobile Association recently summed it all up and found that the average U.S. car owner shells out nearly $9,000/year on everything from insurance to parking (http://www.aaaexchange.com/main/Default.asp?CategoryID=16&SubCategoryID=76&ContentID=353). If you’d like to keep that money in your pocket this year, consider the many fun, healthy, free ways of getting to campus and get moving at: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/transportation.html. |
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6/15/11 GREEN TIP: SUMMER AIR QUALITY IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS Recent Air Quality Alert days in Louisville are a stark reminder that with summer heat comes even greater responsibility to keep smog-forming pollutants out of our air. You can help by driving less (learn how: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/transportation.html), and not letting your car idle when waiting at train crossings or pick-up points. An idling engine produces more emissions than a moving car, and restarting your vehicle uses as much fuel as idling 20-60 seconds. Idling longer is a waste of gas and money. |
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6/2/11 GREEN TIP: INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABILITY? ACCESS GREAT IDEAS AND INFO WITH U OF L’S AASHE MEMBERSHIP! All who care about environmental, social and economic responsibility should get connected with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). UofL recently renewed its AASHE membership, giving YOU access to a world of benefits, including conference discounts and an online Resource Center containing how-to guides, best practices, campus profiles, assessment tools, policy and program databases, reports, and more. For access, go to www.aashe.org/user/register and complete a user profile using your @louisville.edu address. |
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5/24/11 GREEN TIP: BIKE TO WORK MONTH ROLLS ON! Even if you missed out on Friday’s Pedal with the President (http://uofl.me/ultkZeHpC), there’s still plenty of time to discover the healthy, money-saving and planet-protecting joys of biking to work! Check out our resource page for new UofL bike commuters to bring yourself up to speed and to learn about opportunities like the free clinic for adult cyclists coming up this Saturday, May 28th: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/bicycling-for-transportation.html |
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5/12/11 GREEN TIP: WHAT EVERY U OF L BIKE COMMUTER NEEDS TO KNOW If you missed the HSC or Belknap Bike To Work Fairs this week, check out the Sustainability Council’s new webpage to learn how to ride the city safely and easily and to connect with all of May’s Bike To Work Month events and get involved in the Commuter Challenge: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/bicycling-for-transportation.html |
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4/27/11 GREEN TIP: TURN TRASH INTO TREASURE AT THE SWAP SHOP! Reduce landfill waste! Extend the life of gently-used items! Find something you could use! It all happens at the Swap Shop, an annual effort to reuse old office supplies, decorations, books, DVDs, electronics, clothing and more. Faculty, staff and students are invited to drop off clean items or search for free items at the Swap Shop in the Red Barn today through May 3rd! Details: http://www.facebook.com/pages/U-of-L-Housing-Green-Comittee/134079509393. |
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4/18/11 GREEN TIP: ALL ABOARD! THOROUGHBRED RAIL LINK PRESENTATION TONIGHT 6PM! Could Louisville could ever get passenger train service?!...How about Fall 2012?! Ralph Tharp, executive director of Kentucky Capital Development Corporation, is championing a commuter train service linking Louisville, Lexington, and nine other stops, including UofL! He'll be sharing his vision tonight (April 18th) at 6:00pm in Chao Auditorium, Ekstrom. Brought to you by UofL's Sustainability Council and the Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation. Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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4/12/11 GREEN TIP: SPRING INTO COMPOSTING! 6PM TONIGHT Do you know how to make your own organic fertilizer? Does the start of the growing season make you curious about composting? Join us after work today (April 12th) from 6-7pm when the Garden Commons hosts a free Composting Workshop in the Cultural Center conference room. You’ll leave inspired and you might even walk away with a free Garden Commons shirt! Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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4/8/11 GREEN TIP: GOT OLD DRUGS? DISPOSE OF THEM PROPERLY TOMORROW! Medication residues have been found contaminating our water systems as a result of dumping waste drugs into sewers and landfills. This pollution poses serious threats to drinking water and to wildlife. You can help by participating in Saturday’s Drug Toss, April 9th from 10am-2 pm at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and two other Louisville sites. All substances (except the containers, which will be recycled) will be incinerated in an environmentally responsible manner used to create energy. Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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3/31/11 GREEN TIP: Learn about the oldest tree on campus at today’s Climate Change Teach-in! Which is the oldest tree at UofL? How much carbon does it sequester out of the atmosphere? Climate Justice Super Heros know the answers and will be sharing their knowledge and providing a sneak preview of the new Campus Tree Tour today from 11am-2pm behind Grawemeyer Hall! What’s your super-power? http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172463962804311 |
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3/30/11 GREEN TIP: calculate your carbon footprint at tomorrow’s Climate Change Teach-in! Ever wonder what a ton of coal looks like? And how long you can power UofL with it? Climate Justice Super Heros will be on-hand around Belknap campus tomorrow 11am-2pm to answer these questions and help you calculate your own personal carbon footprint! What’s your super-power? http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172463962804311 |
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3/29/11 GREEN TIP: Learn to love tap water at Thursday’s Climate Change Teach-in! Put your Climate Justice Super Hero taste-buds to the test with the Tap Water Challenge! Think you can pick Louisville’s award-winning tap water out from the crowd of bottled waters? Well grab your refillable bottle and come on down to the Garden Commons next to the Cultural Center Thursday 11am-2pm! What’s your super-power? http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172463962804311 |
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3/28/11 GREEN TIP: Learn how to tune-up your bike at Thursday’s Climate Change Teach-in! Climate Justice Super Heros know that spring is the perfect time to get back on your bicycle and rediscover the amazing ability to get places under your own power! Free bike maintenance workshops and tons of info about how to use the TARC bus system for free will be provided Thursday 11am-2pm by Strickler Hall! What’s your super-power? http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172463962804311 |
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3/25/11 GREEN TIP: Learn to cook (with the sun!) at Thursday’s Climate Change Teach-in! Climate Justice Super Heros will invade Belknap campus on Thursday, March 31st! Look for them from 11am-2pm at five outdoor stations around campus designed to motivate, inspire and give you the skills and information you need to jump into action! What’s your super-power? http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172463962804311 |
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3/23/11 GREEN TIP: Green Careers Speaker Series wraps up Thursday with Tom Fitzgerald The Green Careers Speaker Series concludes Thursday withTom Fitzgerald, a prominent environmental lawyer from the Kentucky Resources Council. He’ll be speaking about his experiences working around the state on thorny environmental policy and law issues such as mountaintop removal. Join us in the Chao Auditorium of Ekstrom Library on March 24th from 12:15 - 1:00 p.m., and look for our Green Careers Fair coming up in April! More: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events.html |
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3/7/11 GREEN TIP: STILL TIME TO SIGN-UP FOR LOCAL FOOD DELIVERIES – MANY OPTIONS! It's not too late to sign-up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share and have farm-fresh local food delivered to you each week! Deadlines range from March 11th to May 11, 2011. UofL’s CSA program has never provided more flexibility! In addition to produce, specialty shares are now available for local eggs, milk, cheeses, meats, mushrooms, bread, farm staples, etc. Full, half, or bi-weekly shares available from $4-$26/week. Explore your options: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/UofL%20CSA%20Program%202011%20Options.pdf |
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3/1/11 GREEN TIP: SIGN-UP FOR LOCAL FOOD DELIVERIES TO CAMPUS AT WEDNESDAY’S FAIR! Eating more fresh, local food is one of the best things you can do to reduce your environmental impact, support your local economy, and improve your health. But it can be hard to find local food in stores. Make it easy on yourself. Have farmers deliver to you at UofL every week! Sign-up at the 3rd annual Community Supported Agriculture Fair tomorrow, March 2nd, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Red Barn. A shuttle will run from HSC. http://uofl.me/ultfm0g2G |
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2/23/11 GREEN TIP: NEW HSC-BELKNAP SHUTTLE SERVICE SAVES YOU TIME, MONEY & POLLUTION! Need to get between HSC and Belknap? Get there in 10 minutes without spending a cent, hunting for parking, or polluting the air! TARC’s new “Campus Connector” service provides frequent, direct buses between campuses via 4th Street (on Route #4) or Floyd Street (on Route #18). And it’s FREE with UofL ID. Use this service daily for a year and you’ll save $185 in gas and prevent over 1000 lbs. of air pollution! Details: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/transportation.html |
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2/18/11 GREEN TIP: RECYCLING IS SEXY! RecycleManiacs know the truth: Landfills are ugly and recycling is sexy! Check out UofL’s hilarious new RecycleMania video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuAsHBam1dA&) and get busy with single-stream! Our secret weapon against UK is that here it all goes in the same bin: all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass. Boycott styrofoam and you’ll never have to look for a trash can again! Details: http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/files/QRS.pdf. RecycleMania standings: http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/university_detail08.asp?ID=1261. |
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2/7/11 GREEN TIP: RECYCLEMANIA STARTS THIS WEEK! Help UofL beat UK a whole new way: Recycling! Starting this week through April 2nd, UofL is competing against schools around the country to see which university can recycle the most. We've got a great chance to win with our new single-stream recycling system that lets you recycle everything in the same bin: all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass. Help the Cards to victory by making sure you and all your colleagues and students recycle everything they possibly can anywhere on campus! Details on what you can recycle at UofL are available at http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/files/QRS.pdf Updates on UofL's standing are available at the Recyclemania website: http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/university_detail08.asp?ID=1261 |
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1/31/11 GREEN TIP: SOCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE RETIREMENT FUNDS Did you know that UofL offers employees socially responsible investment options for retirement plans? These options are designed to give you investment income for a secure retirement while putting money behind companies you can feel good about. Options include: 1. CREF Social Choice Account favoring companies that are: strong stewards of the environment, devoted to serving local communities, committed to higher labor standards, and managed ethically (https://www.mysavingsatwork.com/taxexempt/assets/tiaacref_io_uofl.pdf); and 2. Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio (http://louisville.edu/hr/benefits/retirement/Fidelity%20Brochure.pdf). |
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1/21/11 GREEN TIP: EATING LESS MEAT IS BETTER FOR EVERYONE Did you know that in today’s industrial agriculture system, supplying a meat-centered diet requires 19 times as much land and 13 times as much water as a plant-based diet? Or that vegetarian men on average have only a 4% risk of death from heart attack vs. 50% risk for those on a meat-centered diet? UofL’s West Side Dining facilityprovides numerous healthy options that are easier on you and the planet, including a salad bar and the Wild Mushroom vegetarian station! More at: http://uofldiningservices.com/WestSide.html |
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1/14/11 GREEN TIP: VOLUNTEERING CAN HELP YOU (AND THE PLANET!) LIVE LONGER Did you know that volunteering can help you (and the planet!) live longer?! It’s true: http://tinyurl.com/4cgh7au. Kick-start a year of giving back to your community on Monday by participating in UofL’s MLK Day of Service, starting at 10:30 a.m. in Bigelow Hall, Miller Information Technology Center. Three of the many volunteer worksites are in Louisville’s precious Olmstead Parks! Learn more at http://louisville.edu//leadership/service-opportunities/mlk-day. Walk-ins will also be accepted on Monday if space allows. Get more green ideas at: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/ |
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12/20/10 GREEN TIP: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF E-MAILING LARGE FILES Most of us take for granted that e-communications are eco-friendly – paperless, ink-free, no shipping supplies, no gas for transportation, etc. But stockpiles of digital data waste energy, too. It’s estimated that emailing a 1.2-megabyte attachment — the equivalent of a large digital photo — can use as much energy as it takes to boil about 4 kettles of water! The information industry’s global carbon footprint now matches the airline industry’s. So rather than e-mailing large attachments, use file-sharing sites such as Blackboard, Flickr, DropBox, MediaFire or SharePoint (http://sharepoint.louisville.edu/). |
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12/10/10 GREEN TIP: GOT SNOW?! With snow in the forecast, you can avoid the danger of slippery roads and the hassle of scraping the windshield by leaving your car at home. Winter’s the perfect time to leave the driving to TARC! And the entire bus system is completely free with UofL ID! Plan your trip at http://www.ridetarc.org/tripplan/. If you do have to clear some snow this winter, consider using a shovel instead of gas-guzzling blowers or salt – you’ll get some exercise while preventing corrosion and damage to plants, wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. |
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12/1/10 GREEN TIP: STAY WARM THIS WINTER WITHOUT A SPACE HEATER Feeling cold? Space heaters are an inefficient, costly and dangerous way to get warm - UofL strongly discourages their use. Instead, if your work space is cold or you feel a draft, please contact Work Control at 852-6245 or http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/forms/non_chargeable_request and a room temperature adjustment will be conducted. You can expect occupied room temperatures to be maintained between 66 and 72 degrees F throughout the heating season. Everyone is encouraged to dress for those temperatures. No matter what their color, cozy sweaters are a "greener" alternative. |
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11/23/10 GREEN TIP: GREENER HOLIDAYS The holidays can be hard on our wallets…and the planet. This year, consider ways to save money, resources, and the environment. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Always turn off lights and power-down equipment when vacating a room. Serve Kentucky Proud meals with local, seasonal foods. Instead of the latest gadget, consider low-impact, non-material gifts that keep on giving, such as: memberships to a fitness club or yoga studio; tickets to a local performing arts company; subscriptions to a CSA (http://www.grasshoppersdistribution.com/); or registrations for skill-building classes such as UofL’s Lifelong Learning offerings: https://louisville.edu/lifelonglearning/environmental-sustainability.html. |
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11/15/10 GREEN TIP: AMERICA RECYCLES DAY November 15th is America Recycles Day (http://www.americarecyclesday.org)! Take the challenge at http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ARD_Challenge and encourage your students and colleagues to recycle all they can…which is just about everything at UofL! All UofL recycling bins accept any type and color of paper, plastics, metals, glass, and cardboard. In addition, special collections are available for recycling less-common items such as batteries, chemicals, e-scrap, lighting, and cell phones. Full details: http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/recycling |
11/3/10 GREEN TIP: LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND ENGAGE STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES |
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10/22/10 GREEN TIP: WRAP UP SUSTAINABILITY WEEK WITH BIONEERS! Bluegrass Bioneers 2010 starts at UofL today! Join us for an inspired and inspiring annual 3-day gathering of social, scientific, and environmental innovators from the region working to create a more just and sustainable world. Today the Sustainability Council will be leading a campus sustainability tour starting at 2:30p.m. in the Strickler lobby and a panel on the new UofL Climate Action Plan at 4:30p.m. Full Bioneers schedule: http://www.bluegrassbioneers.org/ |
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10/19/10 GREEN TIP: CHANCE TO COMMENT ON PLANS FOR NEW CAMPUS SHUTTLE SERVICES DURING U OF L SUSTAINABILITY WEEK UofL has negotiated with TARC to provide a free Belknap-HSC shuttle service with wait-times of 15 minutes or less through revisions of two existing TARC routes (#4 and #18) to better serve our campuses. These changes will take place in January if there is sufficient public support. TARC is accepting public comment about the proposed changes through October 27th: http://www.ridetarc.org/news.asp?ArticleID=439. TARC is also finalizing plans for shuttle service between Belknap & the new arena for basketball games. You can learn more about the plans and make comments at two of this week’s Sustainability Week events on the Humanities Quad: the Transportation Alternatives Fair (Tuesday, 11am-1pm) and Campus Sustainability Day (Wednesday, 11am-2pm). |
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10/11/10 GREEN TIP: PLAN TO PARTICIPATE – SUSTAINABILITY WEEK OCT. 18-24TH The Sustainability Council is proud to announce the first UofL Sustainability Week to take place October 18-24! It all starts next Monday with fairs, tours, lectures, conferences, local and vegetarian food tastings, and volunteer opportunities every day of the week. Events represent the full spectrum of issues relevant to sustainability – from Monday’s Campus Clean-up, to Tuesday’s Transportation Alternatives Fair, to Wednesday’s Campus Sustainability Day, to Thursday’s Breaking Bread Progressive Dinner, to Bluegrass Bioneers events Friday to Sunday! Bring your colleagues and students to learn, engage and be transformed! The full schedule is available at: https://louisville.edu/campushealth/services/promotion/special-events/sustainability-week-schedule-10-18-10-24-2010.ics. |
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9/27/10 GREEN TIP: ONLINE SWAP FOR REUSABLE PACKING MATERIAL (AND MUCH MORE!) Need boxes or bubble wrap for shipping or moving? Did you receive a shipment and have perfectly good packing materials to get rid of? Now you can swap these items (and any other surplus stuff – from equipment to furniture to office supplies) using UofL’s online Property Exchange tool! Post your needs or your surplus stuff at: https://louisville.edu/surplus/tracker/surplusfolder_view. Remember that the famous “Three Rs” are in order of priority: Reduce, Reuse…THEN Recycle! Learn why at: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ |
9/14/10 GREEN TIP: SET COMPUTERS TO HIBERNATE |
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9/2/10 GREEN TIP: RECYCLE IT ALL AT U OF L! The beginning of a new semester is a great time to remind your colleagues and students that we can recycle just about everything now at UofL! All recycling bins on all campuses are part of the same single-stream system that accepts all kinds and colors of paper, plastics, metals, glass, and cardboard. In addition, special collections are available for recycling less-common items such as batteries, chemicals, e-scrap, lighting, and cell phones. Full details: http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/recycling |
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8/20/10 GREEN TIP: U OF L COULD BE AN EVEN “COOLER SCHOOL” WITH YOUR HELP As evidenced by our great leap forward in the recently released 2010 Sierra Club Top 100 “Cool Schools” list – from 92nd to 56th in just one year (http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/201009/coolschools/allrankings.aspx), UofL is quickly positioning itself as a green leader. But we still have a long way to go… And we can’t progress without your help! This fall, please consider the environmental impact of your purchases (http://louisville.edu/purchasing/sustainability/greenpolicy.html) and the means by which you commute to campus (http://louisville.edu/parking/commute-green.html). |
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8/9/10 GREEN TIP: SAVING WATER SAVES MONEY, ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT With the summer heat, it’s a great time to remember the importance of conserving water on campus and at home. You can help reduce water use not only by taking shorter showers and watering lawns and gardens during cooler hours, but by shutting off faucets left on by others and while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes. Report leaky plumbing to Physical Plant for repair (http://louisville.edu/physicalplant/forms/non_chargeable_request). Replace shower heads, faucets and toilets with low-flow fixtures like the new Hydrametrics shower heads recently installed in the Natatorium (http://hydrametrics.com/). |
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7/20/10 GREEN TIP: INTERESTED IN CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY? GET CONNECTED! If you care about campus sustainability, you need to get connected with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). UofL recently renewed its AASHE membership, giving YOU access to a world of benefits, including conference discounts and an online Resource Center containing how-to guides, best practices, campus profiles, assessment tools, policy and program databases, reports, and more. To create a personal account, go to www.aashe.org/user/register and complete the user profile using your campus-based email. |
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7/9/10 GREEN TIP: Keep our campus beautifUL Building on the success of our April 15th Campus Cleanup with President Ramsey (http://www.flickr.com/photos/uofl/sets/72157623737768943), a new volunteer group is forming to gather monthly and spread out across Belknap to pick up litter and show true Cardinal pride. Learn more at http://campuscleanup.spaces.live.com/ and sign-up before July 16th by contacting Jamie Saunders <jamie.saunders@louisville.edu>, 852-8712. |
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6/30/10 GREEN TIP: PURCHASING WITH RESPONSIBILITY The start of a new fiscal year is a great time to consider ways your purchasing decisions can help us reduce our environmental impact. Please review UofL’s Green Purchasing Policy (http://louisville.edu/purchasing/sustainability/greenpolicy.html) for helpful guidance on everything from efficient Energy Star® equipment to less toxic Green Seal cleaning products to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper and wood products. And remember: The greenest products are the ones you don’t have to buy! Reducing waste and consumption must be our top priority. |
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6/17/10 GREEN TIP: GET LOCAL FOOD DELIVERED TO YOU ON CAMPUS! Want fresh, healthy food delivered straight to you on campus from local farms each week? It’s still not too late to sign-up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share! Grasshoppers (502-708-1881, Grasshoppers (at) insightbb.com) is accepting applications until August 1st for shares delivered August 25 – November 17th. River Farm Organics (valerie (at) riverfarmorganics.com, 502-681-5106) offers pro-rated shares until November. Summer shares from A Place on Earth (courtney (at) aplaceonearthcsa.com, 502-532-0476) begin next week and they’re still accepting new shareholders. Details: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68400228840. |
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6/9/10 GREEN TIP: HOW YOU CAN STOP THE OIL DISASTER Wondering what to do about the Gulf oil spill? …They were drilling for us! You can use less oil by flying and driving less (http://louisville.edu/parking/commute-green.html) and buying fewer petroleum products. Making the plastic for U.S. bottled water alone requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually – enough to fuel one million cars for a year. Stay hydrated this summer without contributing to the problem. Use refillable bottles and enjoy Louisville’s award-winning tap water! |
5/26/10 GREEN TIP: TAKE RECYCLING TO THE NEXT LEVEL! |
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5/20/10 GREEN TIP: EATING LOCAL IS GOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET Buying local is one of the best things you can do to lower your environmental impact, support the local economy and eat better! The Gray Street Farmers' Market opens at the Health Sciences Center in the 400 block of Gray Street today at 11. This is a special start time. Beginning next week, it will be open 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday through Oct. 28 (http://louisville.edu/sphis/gsfm). Starting in June, look for the Old Louisville market Wednesdays 3-6 p.m. at Third Street and St. Catherine. Louisville has two dozen farmers' markets: http://www.louisvillegreenguide.org/directory/farmers.html. Options for campus CSA deliveries remain: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68400228840. |
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5/7/10 GREEN TIP: IT’S NICE OUT…LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME! May’s the perfect time to start getting to campus car-free! Learn how your colleagues do it at Monday’s Transportation Alternatives Fair 8-10am next to the Planetarium and 11am-1pm in front of Gottschalk Hall (rain date: May 11). Then at 6pm Monday, learn how Detroit’s doing it – screening of documentary “Beyond the Motor City” (Chao Auditorium). And it’s not too late to join a UofL team in the Bike To Work Month Commuter Challenge (http://greenlightride.com/competition/view_challenge/119/), or to register for a confident cycling class (www.bicyclingforlouisville.org/classes). |
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4/26/10 GREEN TIP: BIKE TO WORK MONTH COMMUTER CHALLENGE May is Bike To Work Month nationwide and teams are forming now for Louisville’s Commuter Challenge May 1-20! Join the fun and try a healthier, greener way of getting to campus. A 4-mile trip by bicycle keeps 15 lbs of pollutants out of the air and the average person loses 13 lbs during their first year of commuting by bike! Form a team of five and log your trips to earn points towards fabulous prizes: http://www.bicyclingforlouisville.org/bike_to_work_month.html |
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4/22/10 GREEN TIP: EARTH DAY – 40 FOR THE 40TH Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day today by changing some of your old habits for the better! If spring cleaning has turned up some useful items you no longer need, don’t trash them…share the wealth! Bring items such as office supplies, clothing, media, electronics, etc. to the UofL Swap Shop in the Red Barn & SAC multipurpose room April 22-28, 10am-5pm (info: 852-5787). For 40 other easy ways to clean up your act check out: http://www.wethechange.com/40-ways-you-can-save-the-environment/ |
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4/12/10 GREEN TIP: GET OUTSIDE! Outdoor exercise has been demonstrated to dramatically improve your mental and physical health…and this week you have two chances to do some green good in the meantime! At 3pm today (Apr 12) following the Community Engagement Showcase in the Red Barn (11-3) join volunteers to plant UofL’s new Garden Commons: http://louisville.edu/culturalcenter/garden. At 3pm Thursday (Apr 15) following Earth Fest on the West Lawn, join President Ramsey for a Campus Clean-up (volunteers also meeting at HSC’s Abel Building & Shelby’s KPPC). |
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4/1/10 GREEN TIP: EAT LOCAL, FRESH & HEALTHY THIS SEASON On average in America, food travels roughly 1500 miles to reach your plate. That’s not healthy for you or the planet! Today you can vote with your fork to support a vibrant local food economy with fresher, more delicious and nutritious food by attending the Local Food CSA Fair from 10-2 at Miller IT Center in Bigelow Hall. Meet area farmers and sign-up for weekly produce baskets to be delivered to you at UofL! https://louisville.edu/uofltoday/campus-news/faculty-staff-students-invited-to-local-food-info-fair |
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3/25/10 GREEN TIP: MARCH 30TH MAYORAL FORUM ON SUSTAINABILITY Find out where the candidates stand! UofL will host a Mayoral Candidate Forum on Sustainability & Economic Development at 7pm on Tuesday, March 30th in the Chao Auditorium of Ekstrom Library. Come early at 6pm for an informal opportunity to personally meet the candidates in the lobby. Then, during the 7pm forum, you’ll be able to ask questions of all the candidates about environmental, social and economic development issues which will shape the future of Louisville! |
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3/18/10 GREEN TIP: IDLE THREATS Stuck waiting for the train to pass or construction crews at Warnock? Don’t leave your car idling while you wait. Save yourself some money and gas while saving us all from unnecessary pollution. Shut off the engine…and take a deep breath. The amount of fuel consumed to restart a car is the equivalent of idling 20-60 seconds. Idling longer than this is a waste and an idling engine produces more emissions than a moving car. |
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3/9/10 GREEN TIP: THINK OUTSIDE THE CAR! Check your email for a chance to win fabulous prizes from local green businesses by telling us what you think about potential programs to reduce the number of car trips to campus! A random sample of faculty, staff and students are being asked to participate in this brief survey about alternative transportation. Explore greener options for getting to campus: http://louisville.edu/parking/commute-green.html. Start or join a carpool or vanpool: http://www.tickettoride.org/. |
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3/5/10 GREEN TIP: SPRING IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET INTO COMPOSTING! Did you know that UofL composts all of its yard wastes and makes free woodchip mulch available to you anytime (contact: Aaron Boggs 852-8181)? You, too, can turn waste into organic fertilizer! Instead of filling the landfill, why not compost those fruit & vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells and yard wastes? Consider setting up a compost collection in your office (5 gallon buckets with gasket lids work well) and composting at home. More info: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/SolidWaste/IWantTo/Start+Composting.htm. |
2/25/10 GREEN TIP: GET READY FOR SPRING WITH ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOPS |
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2/17/10 GREEN TIP: STAYING GREEN WHEN IT’S WHITE OUT Worried about slippery roads and scraping the windshield? Winter’s the perfect time to try taking the bus to campus! And it’s free with UofL ID! Plan your trip on TARC: http://www.ridetarc.org/tripplan/. …Cold on campus? Donning an extra sweater or thermal underwear is more cozy and energy-efficient than cranking up the thermostat. …Got snow? Use a shovel instead of salt! Get some exercise while preventing corrosion and damage to plants, wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. |
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2/11/10 GREEN TIP: LEARN HOW TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT TODAY! In doing its business, UofL produces roughly 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year. That’s about 7 tons for every employee and student. We can all help reduce those emissions by changing the way we do things. Learn more about our greenhouse gas emissions at http://acupcc.aashe.org/ghg-report.php?id=121. Find out what we can do about it at today’s Teach-In on Climate Change (Feb. 11) in Ekstrom Library 10am-2pm. Free local foods lunch provided! |
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2/4/10 GREEN TIP: CATERING WITH CONCERN In charge of providing food for a meeting or campus event? Consider the effects of your choices on people’s health, the environment, and the local economy. Some things you can do: Seek healthier, fresher options. Minimize environmental impact by serving less meat. Strive to purchase as much local, seasonal food as possible – there are Louisville caterers which specialize in this. Avoid excessively-packaged and individually-wrapped foods. Provide a pitcher of tap water instead of bottled water. |
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1/28/10 GREEN TIP: RIDERS WANTED! Car commuting generates 9% of UofL’s greenhouse gas pollution. We are committed to going climate neutral and one way you can help (and stay fit) is by bicycling to work! Map a safe bike route here: http://www.ridethecity.com/louisville. The Sustainability Council is exploring ways to reduce car commuting, including a program to provide a free bicycle to anyone willing to forgo obtaining a campus parking permit for at least two years. If you’d like to help test-ride potential bike models, email: justin.mog (at) louisville.edu. |
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1/22/10 GREEN TIP: A SIMPLE WAY TO CUT PAPER USE IN HALF Already using recycled-content paper? Great! But the simplest way to reduce our environmental impact isn’t just changing what we consume, but reducing how much we waste. A blank side of paper is a waste! Cut paper use in half by duplexing – printing or copying on both sides whenever possible. This option is available on many campus machines. If not, consider printing odd pages and then using the bypass feeder for even pages. |
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1/14/10 GREEN TIP: BUY LOCAL, BUY FAIR Help us celebrate Economic Justice Week at UofL by doing your part to minimize abuse to people and the environment. When shopping, look for products made in the USA or right here in Louisville. Buying local reduces your carbon footprint, keeps our economy strong, and minimizes the exploitation of workers abroad. If you must buy from overseas, look for fair trade products. Learn more about Sweat-Free Communities at http://www.sweatfree.org |
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12/18/09 GREEN TIP: SAVE SANTA BY SAVING ENERGY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Burning all this coal is melting Santa's North Pole home! You can help. When you leave for the holidays, turn down thermostats and unplug chargers, printers & non-essential equipment. Always turn off lights and power-down equipment when vacating a room. Even Santa's doing his part: http://www.santasenergy.com/ |
3/31/22 Green Tip: Tree-Huggers Wanted – Friday is Arbor Day.
The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized UofL as a Tree Campus USA for 12 straight years. With over 2500 trees representing dozens of species, UofL has developed a Campus Tree Care Plan to ensure responsible management, and a Belknap Tree Tour to help you use our campus as an educational tool. You can learn more, help plant trees on Belknap & HSC, and take home a native pawpaw to plant during Friday’s UofL Arbor Day Celebration, 10:30am Schneider Hall & 1:30pm Abell.
Campus Tree Care Plan: https://cardmaillouisville.sharepoint.com/sites/public-provost/Sustainability/Shared%20Documents/Sustainability%20Policies+Plans/University%20of%20Louisville%20Tree%20Care%20Plan.pdf
Belknap Tree Tour: https://centerforgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/media/index.html?appid=8e86097ce83d4c7191364b7240a4cd50
UofL Arbor Day Celebration: https://louisville.edu/sustainability/events/uofl-arbor-day-celebration-2022
More about UofL Trees and Sustainable Grounds Management: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/grounds
8/29/22 Green Tip: Stop driving alone and win in the Cards Commuter Challenge through Sept. 30
Save money, burn calories, stop polluting, & win prizes…all by simply getting to campus in a new way. Log your trips at directions.louisville.edu during the Cards Commuter Challenge to win one of the $50 weekly prizes or the $250 Grand Prize. 1) Ride TARC free with UofL ID. 2) CARDpool: Find & offer rides with Cardinal Directions. 3) Walk or bike with UofL Free Bikeshare or discounted LouVelo. 4) Vanpool, get guaranteed rides home, & win more prizes with Every Commute Counts. 5) Telecommute.
TARC: http://ridetarc.org
Cardinal Directions: https://directions.louisville.edu/#/
UofL Free Bikehare: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/bikeshare
LouVelo discount for UofL: https://louvelo.com/additional-price-plans/
Every Commute Counts: https://everycommutecounts.org/
UofL Sustainable Transportation Options: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/transportation
Cards Commuter Challenge: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/events/cards-commuter-challenge-2022
Green Tip: Meet UofL’s new-bees and spare a thought for pollinators
Pollinators provide invaluable ecosystem services, yet our unhealthy desire for a short, chemically-controlled “weed”-free lawn threatens their very existence. Beekeepers know they also make great honey and teach us valuable lessons about how to live in greater harmony with the world. On Thursday at 5pm, you’ll have the chance to learn more and meet UofL’s new honeybees as part of the Garden Commons hands-on workshop series. And make plans to join us 5/25 for our annual serviceberry foraging workshop.
Pollinator Workshop: https://louisville.edu/sustainability/events/beekeeping-pollinators-workshop
Garden Commons: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/garden-commons
8/17/23 Green Tip: Sustainability on Tap
UofL and the Louisville Water Co. are collaborating to educate students, faculty & staff on the value of getting back to the tap with events, guest lectures & water filling station signs. Do you know where our drinking water comes from, or the engineering behind it? Explore the political & global concerns around water or dive into marketing issues. Louisville Water's story of science & public health brings real-world examples to the classroom & they’ll provide staff for guest lectures or tours.
Contact Louisville Water Co.’s Kelley Dearing Smith to arrange a tour or guest lecture: ksmith@lwcky.com or 502.569.3695
Find UofL Tap Water Filling Stations: http://louisville.edu/sustainability/operations/recycling/solid-waste-management
