Dispatches from the Field & Project Summaries
Consumer Choice: We all have one
October 19, 2010
We met some great people and learned of some awesome websites this past weekend at the Garden State Green Festival. Have you ever wondered how one person could possibly change the world? Well, each and every one of us has the power to do just that, right in the palm of our hands, and it all starts with our pocket books. Individual consumer choice is the greatest tool we have to force change on a grand scale.
By purchasing products from and investing in environmentally and socially responsible businesses we can drive the bad guys out of the market place. Large monopolizing corporations play a huge role in the destructive use of global resources and it’s time we stand up to them. Do you know what company really owns your favorite brand of shoes? Did you know that several organic brands are even being bought out by irresponsible conglomerations? Go to www.climatecounts.org and see how your favorites rate.
If you are surprised by what you find out use the website to tell those companies that you are not pleased with their actions. Let your voice be heard. You can also use www.goodguide.com to compare how products rate in regards to health, environment and societal impact. Download their “ap” and use your phone to scan the barcodes right in the store. How cool is that?! Next time you go shopping, do a little bit of homework first and be sure to exercise your right to choose.
RV Resources: Keeping it green on the road
October 19, 2010
After about 10 days on the road, we are finally getting settled into our new life in the motor home. We’ve had the joyous experience of flushing out the tanks and replenishing our fresh water, but we are still trying to figure out exactly how long we can go in between each dump and load event. Much of our journey will be spent “dry camping” which means that we will not be connected to a continuous supply of water and electricity. Living with a limited supply of resources has induced a heightened sense of conservation consciousness.
The motor home holds 80 gallons of fresh water, but only 55 gallons of gray water and 55 gallons of black water. Thus we must be mindful of every time we turn on the water, from brushing our teeth to flushing the toilet. Washing the dishes is our greatest water use challenge. Needless to say, showers are few and far between and doing our laundry will be a real treat. According to the American Water Works Association, the average American uses 70 gallons of indoor water per day! The two of us (or should I say the four of us if you count the two dogs
) will stretch nearly that same amount of water over the course of at least a week if not longer. We challenge you to do the same. The use of unlimited resources is a true luxury and should not be taken for granted. Many regions of our planet do not even have access to potable water, thus we should be grateful for the resources we have and much more mindful of how we use them. Check out www.drinktap.org to learn how you can start conserv
ing water today.
UNE Marine Animal Rehab Center
October 19, 2010
Our first stop on the mobile tour took us to the University of New England in Biddeford, ME. We gave our launching presentations on the School for Field Studies www.fieldstudies.org, the Leatherback Trust www.leatherback.org and Camp Chewonki www.chewonki.org. We discussed ways in which students can get involved with sustainability, study abroad and gain valuable hand-on environmental experience. During our talk about the conservation of leatherback sea turtles, the worlds largest and greatly endangered turtle, we were informed of UNE’s marine animal rehabilitation center, so the following morning we went to check it out! We were greeted kindly and given an extensive tour of the facility. The center represents the only on-campus marine rehabilitation program in the country, thus providing its students with a unique educational experience. Unfortunately for us there were no sea turtles, but we did get to view several groups of harbor seals in rehabilitation. They were very inquisitive and showed impressive character. We hope they will be ready for release in a couple weeks. Visit the university website to learn more about what you should do if you come across a stranded animal www.une.edu/research/msc/marc/stranded. Not only is the center working to save marine animals, but they also maintain a sustainably designed building. The exterior walls are made of copper to absorb heat, large solar panels adorn the south facing walls, windows are designed to capture natural lighting, and they have a tide-operated gravity-fed water pumping system. Scientists test the water entering and exiting the building to ensure water quality for both the animals inside and the environment outside. Please be sure to protect the water quality where you live too!