My Updated Carbon Footprint!

My original footprint:

How much I have reduced my footprint:

My new footprint:

Were you able to achieve the ecological footprint reduction goals you set for yourself?

-For the most part, yes. I have gotten to be very good at remembering my reusable shopping bags and use them almost always, with the exception of a few times. I definitely tried to reduce my energy usage, but I do live with two other people, so I was not in complete control of that, but I told them about little things we could do to save electricity and I myself tried to watch my electricity usage and was pretty good about it. It definitely still needs some improvement, but it’s getting there. When it comes to my random purchases, I have been a lot better about that as well and rarely buy anything for myself unless it’s food or other things I really need. Compared to how I used to be when buying clothing and accessories, I have improved A LOT. When referring to the last goal I started for myself a few weeks into the quarter of substituting more of my purchases with ones that are sustainable/organic/eco-friendly/etc., I have found myself looking at those items a lot more, and purchasing some as well.

Analyze your behavior over the quarter-will you be able to continue these practices? Why or why not?

-My behavior over the quarter has changed a lot. I have always been concerned with the environment and recycling but I feel that these feelings have gotten a lot more intense and I feel much more strongly about environmental issues. I find myself paying attention to little things that I do when it comes to recycling and garbage, I find myself looking at labels more closely, I think a lot more about the eco-labels we learned about in class, and I just know a lot more about sustainability in general. I am always throwing facts at my roommates, friends, family, etc. about sustainability and recycling and things they can do to help the environment. I like this change in my behavior though, because I feel that it is good to be aware of all of the issues that can be encountered. I definitely think that I will be able to continue these practices because they are already something that I follow regularly and have become habits, so I think it will be hard for me to ever break these habits because they are so engraved into my mind and I barely even have to think anymore when recycling, or doing something like trying to reduce energy use, I just do it.

Reducing One's 'Nitrogen Footprint' (Post 10)

I came across this article and found it to be really cool because the concept is very similar to what we had done in the beginning of the quarter, which was calculating our ecological footprint. This is a calculator that is based upon the idea of reducing our nitrogen footprint's and to raise awareness on the consequences of too much nitrogen! I decided to calculate my results and those are included above.

Reducing One's 'Nitrogen Footprint': New Web-Based Tool Helps People Make Sustainable Living Choices

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2011) — People who want to eat healthy and live sustainably have a new way to measure their impact on the environment: a Web-based tool that calculates an individual's "nitrogen footprint." The device was created by University of Virginia environmental scientist James N. Galloway; Allison Leach, a staff research assistant at U.Va.; and colleagues from the Netherlands and the University of Maryland.

The calculator is a project of the International Nitrogen Initiative, a global network of scientists who share research and data on the nitrogen dilemma. The project was announced Feb. 19 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington.
What's the nitrogen dilemma? Though some residents of the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico likely are familiar with it, it's unknown to most Americans outside the agricultural world. For the last 30 years, Galloway and other leading scientists have been noting fish kills in coastal areas, threats to human health as a result of air and water pollution, and changes to global biodiversity and climate. This tool is one of their attempts to foster more understanding of nitrogen's role in our lives.
"Nitrogen, as any farmer knows, is essential to plant life," said Galloway, associate dean for the sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at U.Va. and the Sidman P. Poole Professor of Environmental Sciences. "But the widespread use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to boost crop production has resulted in excess nitrogen coming off farms -- essentially adding unwanted, unneeded fertilizer to our natural systems, with disastrous results. The combustion of fossil fuels adds even more nitrogen to our environment. It's a largely untold story."
Scientists are calling nitrogen pollution a major environmental problem that includes significant damage to air and water quality in places such as the Chesapeake Bay, where the federal government has dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to reducing nitrogen runoff from farms and industry. Similarly, nitrogen runoff from Midwestern farms that ultimately flows into the Gulf of Mexico is largely responsible for toxic algal blooms that have suffocated coastal waters, leading to hypoxic zones, resulting in the loss of fish and shellfish.
To raise awareness, Galloway, a pioneering nitrogen scientist, organized a global team of experts to develop the footprint calculator as an educational tool -- one he and his colleagues hope will both raise the profile of the nitrogen issue and galvanize people into action. By measuring what and how much you eat, as well as other factors like how you travel, the calculator shows your impact on the nitrogen cycle.
The website also makes recommendations for how to lessen your "nitrogen footprint." They are similar to other sustainable living choices: reduce airplane travel, choose renewable energy and eat less meat, particularly beef (since cattle consume massive quantities of farmed feed, which requires much fertilizer). Professors and lecturers are already using the tool in classrooms to teach students how one individual can alter -- and help restore -- a natural nitrogen cycle.
"Solving the nitrogen dilemma is a major challenge of our time," Leach said. "By calculating our individual impact, and taking small steps to reduce it, we can all play a part -- and send a strong message to our nation's leaders that we want this issue taken seriously."
This new footprint calculator is the first in a series of research tools, known as N-Print, which Galloway and his team are developing to connect the production of nitrogen with the policies used to manage it. The team is currently creating a similar calculator for farmers and other nitrogen users, as well as a tool for policymakers that will provide regional nitrogen emission ceilings, which will show how much nitrogen can be released in these regions without major negative environmental impact.
"There are readily available solutions to reducing nitrogen pollution," Galloway said. "By connecting consumers, producers and policymakers, we can solve it."
Chemical fertilizer use and combustion engines are the main sources of nitrogen pollution. Scientists who are recording dramatic changes to ecosystems from the U.S. to China say the disruption of the naturally occurring cycle of nitrogen through ecosystems due to human activity leads the list of global tipping points and have named it a top threat to global biodiversity. It contributes to human health problems, water pollution, ozone layer depletion, smog, climate change and coastal dead zones. Nitrous oxide, created mostly from grain and meat production, is also a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
This project is supported by the Agouron Institute, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.Va., and the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands.
Personal N Footprint calculator.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110222122351.htm

TAKE THE BUS!!! (Post 9)

A lot of WWU students probably know all about the transportation system here at WWU and in Bellingham, but I thought that I would put this up for those who don't know or want more information. The first thing I put up is an article from the AS Review and the second is a link to the transportation page on Western's site. I really think that the transportation problem is a huge environmental issue and impact, but is something that could so easily reduced if people could make small changes in their lifestyles. In the article, he basically talks about how students at WWU already have to pay the small transportation fee of $25 if they are taking 6 or more credits, so why not use it? That is super cheap in comparison to the expenses that come along with owning a car, like insurance, maintenance, gas, etc., and is way better for the environment. It's a good article for raising student's awareness on the issue. The other link I included not only gives more information on the transportation system, but also helps students to plan trips home that are the most cost-efficient and don't require the use of their own personal vehicle.

Honestly, moving up to WWU, I thought I was going to have a car to use and had no real idea of even how to use public transportation. But, long story short, my Explorer does not run anymore, and I had to learn how to use public transportation pretty fast. I think the system in Bellingham and with WWU is pretty easy to understand and I save a lot of money compared to if I still had my vehicle running. I feel good knowing that I am eliminating pollution and saving money. At times, not having my own transportation can be inconvenient, but you can almost always work something out. Another thing I wanted to mention was something I noticed one night while I was on the WWU Shuttle. There was a sign hanging in it that said something about how students riding that bus were supporting going green and that the bus is fueled by some sort of low-sulfur diesel, or something like that, and I thought that was pretty cool! Just little things like that make a pretty significant difference!

"You Don't Have to Drive to Get Around"
Matt Crowley/The AS Review

With the myriad of alternative transportation options available to Western students, it’s hard to believe so many still use cars on a daily basis.
According to data gathered by the Office of Survey Research, in 2010 two-thirds of students had a car available for use in Bellingham, while 17 percent of students said they drove alone to school at least three times a week.
For students that own vehicles, the benefits seem obvious: less hassle and more freedom to go where you want, when you want. As for the drawbacks, Alternative Transportation Coordinator Emily Kraft says having a car can really hurt your wallet.
“Mainly I would say for students it’s cost. I think students probably don’t even realize how much money it takes to maintain and drive a car,” Kraft said. “When you think about money, I think the first thing that comes to mind is gas and maintenance costs, but you also have to take into consideration things like insurance, parking tickets, tolls, all that different stuff. It’s really expensive for students and the second your car breaks down you’re looking at a ton of money and a lot of hassle.”

The risk of parking tickets is one downside to owning a car.

Photo by Joe Rudko/The AS Review.

Kraft, along with the Associated Students Sustainable Transportation Office, believes students shouldn’t have cars unless a vehicle is absolutely necessary. Reasons range from the aforementioned cost issues to some of the more indirect effects having a car in college can have, especially if you’re still getting used to your new surroundings.
“I think it’s important for freshman to try being at Western without a car, because I think a big part of going to college is living away from home, and having a car means you’re going home a lot and it impedes your ability to really feel comfortable at school and make friends and all that important stuff,” Kraft said.
Of course, there are obvious reasons as well. For students taking more than six credits, the $25 Alternative Transportation Fee is included in tuition, meaning whether you use it or not, you’re paying for it.
“For the amount we pay I think it’s very valuable,” said Western sophomore Marcus Amundson. “Plus, if we’re being forced to pay for it we might as well get our money’s worth, right?”
While most students might think the Whatcom Transportation Authority only provides service to local areas, the STO provides a number of guides to get you from Bellingham to places like Seattle and Tacoma for around $5, all using public transportation.
They also provide regional trip planning, a useful and free resource that may not be known to most students. If you’re looking to get somewhere cheaply, Kraft and the STO will create a personalized trip planner to get you where you need to go.
“We try to get as much info out to students as possible, and make sure that bus passes and schedules are always available,” said Sustainable Transportation Program Assistant Wendy Crandall.
While students might too often choose convenience over price and environmental efficiency, it won’t stop Western from doing everything it can to help change their minds.
Western’s STO recently created the “Picture My Commute” photo contest, an opportunity for those who choose options besides drive-alone commutes (walk, bike, carpool, etc.) to work or school to be rewarded. Interested parties can submit their pictures online at www.wwu.edu/transportation/picture for a chance to win a $25 or $50 gift card to the AS bookstore.
Going even further, by choosing to utilize the alternative transportation resources available, students can impact the community in even more positive ways than they might think.
“When you look at the bigger picture, you can talk about how alternative transportation is good for the planet, but everybody knows that. It’s also really beneficial to the community as a whole,” said Kraft. “Having a campus that encourages alternative transportation also encourages students to live closer to campus if there’s a good transit system. It helps maintain Western as a community.”

http://www.asreview.as.wwu.edu/?p=3624

INFORMATION ON HOW TO USE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AT WWU (if you didn't already know!):
http://transportation.as.wwu.edu/

Why People Don't Recycle (Post 8)

I found this research to be pretty applicable to our marketing class. Basically, this girl investigated five different people from different age groups, backgrounds, etc., and tried to gather information on why they don't recycle. It is helpful in targeting specific groups who don't recycle, figuring out why, and then from a marketer's perspective, this would be useful in figuring out how to appeal to them and get them motivated to do so. The main reasons why they don't do it vary from inconvenience, to skepticism about environmental claims, and to the fact that there aren't any appealing incentives. All topics we have basically covered in this class. I think this would be an awesome research project to do myself and it's also applicable to my group's project.

http://earth911.com/news/2010/10/25/why-people-dont-recycle/

50 Things you can Reuse! (Post 7)

I thought this was a really cool website. The idea is that recycling is good, but reusing is even better! It lists a ton of different things people use and how to reuse them. It's a really good place to go when you're thinking of throwing something out or recycling it because it tells you how to reuse it! Some of the items are things you wouldn't even think of reusing, you would just think to automatically throw it out or recycle it. If you don't want to reuse something, instead of throwing it out, try selling it or donating it, someone else out there could possibly be waiting to reuse it!

http://www.squidoo.com/reuse-everything

Green Rankings for the top 10 U.S. Companies for 2010 (Post 6)

I was interested in finding out who the "greenest" U.S. companies were for 2010, so I decided to do a little research and look it up. I found a list according to Newsweek. It seemed pretty reasonable, but I wanted to figure out how exactly they came up with this "green score" and all the factors that went into compiling it, so I included a little background into that. I thought that the list was pretty interesting and thought I would share it!

These are the Green Rankings for the top 10 US companies on a list of 500. (BOLD=green score)

1              Dell»

Technology         100.00   81.49     100.00   84.33

2              Hewlett-Packard»

Technology         99.32     90.60     94.09     95.35

3              International Business Machines»

Technology         99.20     98.71     89.52     98.42

4              Johnson & Johnson»

Pharmaceuticals               99.02     74.95     98.86     80.34

5              Intel»

Technology         97.57     95.74     88.79     92.71

6              Sprint Nextel»

Technology         94.98     99.70     94.58     44.72

7              Adobe Systems»

Technology         94.15     89.61     88.08     72.57

8              Applied Materials»

Technology         92.67     91.98     87.33     60.06

9              Yahoo!»

Technology         92.67     68.62     89.07     59.74

10           Nike»

Consumer Products, Cars             92.66     67.63     77.53     97.39

*For the full list, click here: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/18/green-rankings-us-companies.html

GREEN SCORE

Companies on each list—the U.S. 500 and the Global 100—are ranked by their overall Green Score. This score is derived from three component scores: the Environmental Impact Score (EIS), the Green Policies Score (GPS), and the Reputation Survey Score (RSS), weighted at 45 percent, 45 percent, and 10 percent, respectively. The Green Score, as well as each component score, is published on a scale from 100 (highest performing) to one (lowest performing).

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SCORE

Based on data compiled by Trucost, it is a comprehensive, quantitative, and standardized measurement of the total environmental impacts of a corporation’s global operations (90 percent) and disclosure of those impacts (10 percent). More than 700 metrics—including emissions of nine key greenhouse gases, water use, solid-waste disposal, and emissions that contribute to acid rain and smog—figure into the Environmental Impact Score.

GREEN POLICIES SCORE

Derived from data and analysis provided by MSCI ESG Research, the Green Policies Score is an assessment of how a company manages its environmental footprint.

REPUTATION SURVEY SCORE

This score is based on an opinion survey of corporate social-responsibility professionals, academics, and other environmental experts who subscribe to CorporateRegister.com. The survey went out to 14,921 validated users and asked each respondent to rate a random sample of 15 companies on a sliding scale (100 to one) from “leader” to “laggard” in three key green areas: environmental performance, commitment, and communications. Of those surveyed, 2,480 individuals were identified as “sector specialists”—those having a specific working knowledge of environmental issues within their industry—and were asked only to score companies in their sector of expertise. Additionally, the CEOs from all companies on the NEWSWEEK U.S. 500 and Global 100 lists were invited to participate in the survey, 90 of whom responded and either took the survey themselves or designated a senior-level representative to do so on their behalf. Survey responses were collected over six weeks, from July 1, 2010, to mid-August.

Paper, or Plastic? Neither. (Post 5)

I found this article online and thought it would be interesting to share. I was curious to know just exactly what kind of impact people make by using reusable bags and this gave me a lot of insight. It definitely has helped me to remember to bring my reusable bags!

Paper, Plastic, or Something Better?

Reusable Bags Are Best for Both Consumers and the Environment

By Larry West, About.com Guide

The next time the clerk at your favorite grocery store asks whether you prefer “paper or plastic” for your purchases, consider giving the truly eco-friendly response and saying, “neither.”

Plastic bags end up as litter that fouls the landscape, and kill thousands of marine mammals every year that mistake the floating bags for food. Plastic bags that get buried in landfills may take up to 1,000 years to break down, and in the process they separate into smaller and smaller toxic particles that contaminate soil and water. Furthermore, the production of plastic bags consume millions of gallons of oil that could be used for fuel and heating.

Is Paper Better Than Plastic?
Paper bags, which many people consider a better alternative to plastic bags, carry their own set of environmental problems. For example, according to the American Forest and Paper Association, in 1999 the U.S. alone used 10 billion paper grocery bags, which adds up to a lot of trees.

Reusable Bags Are a Better Option
But if you decline both paper and plastic bags, then how do you get your groceries home? The answer, according to many environmentalists, is high-quality reusable shopping bags made of materials that don’t harm the environment during production and don’t need to be discarded after each use. [You can find a good selection of high-quality reusable bags online at reusablebags.com. In addition, many organic grocery stores and consumer co-operatives carry reusable shopping bags.]

Experts estimate that 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed and discarded annually worldwide—more than a million per minute.

Here are a few facts about plastic bags to help demonstrate the value of reusable bags—to consumers and the environment:

·                        Plastic bags aren’t biodegradable. They actually go through a process called photodegradation—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic particles that contaminate both soil and water, and end up entering the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them.

·                        According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year. Of those, approximately 100 billion are plastic shopping bags, which cost retailers about $4 billion annually.

·                        According to various estimates, Taiwan consumes 20 billion plastic bags annually (900 per person), Japan consumes 300 billion bags each year (300 per person), and Australia consumes 6.9 billion plastic bags annually (326 per person).

·                        Hundreds of thousands of whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine mammals die every year after eating discarded plastic bags they mistake for food.

·                        Discarded plastic bags have become so common in Africa they have spawned a cottage industry. People there collect the bags and use them to weave hats, bags and other goods. According to the BBC, one such group routinely collects 30,000 bags every month.

·                        Plastic bags as litter have even become commonplace in Antarctica and other remote areas. According to David Barnes, a marine scientist with the British Antarctic Survey, plastic bags have gone from being rare in the late 1980s and early 1990s to being almost everywhere in Antarctica.

Some governments have recognized the severity of the problem and are taking action to help combat it.