Envirolutions members take two of three campus-wide leadership awards for sustainability

Posted on April 4, 2012 by

Envirolutions members Pamela Stoltz and Hailey O’Connor each earned the “Creating Sustainability Award” at the 34th Annual Student Affairs Leadership Awards. The new award is presented to two undergraduates and one graduate student, and Hailey and Pamela made it a clean sweep for Envirolutions in the undergraduate category. Hailey served as the President of Envirolutions during two academic years, and Pamela has been the Sustainability Coordinator for the Student Government Association for the past three years.

Congratulations to Pamela and Hailey for this well-earned acknowledgement of their persistent work in pursuit of a more sustainable Pratt campus.

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Food for Thought

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

by Rebecca Wong (of Envirolutions)

People ask us, “What’s the easiest way to be ‘Green’?” Of course there are the obvious: Cutting back on electricity use, recycling the right way, and even reusing your shopping bags! However, there is one thing you probably don’t realize: Watching what you eat could ultimately affect our environment!

Our demands for chicken, beef, and pork to sit on our dinner table are not as simple as you may think it is: think about how much factory processing, gas, energy, and water are needed to satisfy your dinner cravings. Now, we are not trying to conform you to become a vegetarian, but every single decision you make on what your body consumes could make a difference.

David and Luise from Green Kitchen Stories (http://www.greenkitchenstories.com) love to share their vegetarian recipes to the public; you can try out some Portobello Peach Burgers with Avocado, Garlic, and Parsley for a sensational lunch date, and even have some Summer Berry Cakes with Walnut Crusts for dessert! Try out these new, delicious recipes and do not forget to frequently check out their lovely page! (Their lifestyle is simply adorable, and hard not to fall in love with!) Their passion for food is contagious and scrolling down their webpage definitely makes you want to grab the food off the computer screen… Love meat too much that you do not want to part with it forever? Try making Meat Free Mondays a part of your life: Check them out here at www.supportmfm.org. The organization was established by Paul McCartney and has drawn attention to plenty of celebrities like Sheryl Crow and Chris Martin!

Eating is a huge part of our daily lives, why not have a go at trying these tasty dishes while being environmentally friendly? Have any delicious vegetarian recipes that you just love to indulge in? Send them over to us—we’d love to hear from you!

Happy Eatings!

[Anna’s edit: First, it should be noted that animals, especially cows, add a lot of gas to the atmosphere just in order to live. Also, I went to post this and my mouth started watering. These sound so amazing. I have been a full vegetarian for about eight years now, and finding really good recipes tends to be hard. Thanks for the site, Becca!)

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Pratt’s First Recycling Bin

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

recycling bin

 

Today, Envirolutions welcomed Pratt’s first recycling bin!

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Green Week 2012!

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

 

Do YOU know if Pratt recycles?

Come see Pratt Envirolutions on the 27th and the 29th at 12:30 pm on the Main Lawn to talk about our NEW recycling bins on campus along with any other questions you may have about Pratt and sustainability!

there will be treats!

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New E-Waste Drop Off Location in Brooklyn!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

We have some exciting news: we’re opening a permanent drop-off
location for electronic waste! We know you love our events and we’ll keep
offering them but we also know that sometimes you just need a drop-off.

E-Waste Warehouse Opening
Starting January 31st, we are making responsible disposal of your working
and non-working electronics easier than ever before. Bring your unwanted
electronics to the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s new permanent e-waste
collection center in Gowanus, Brooklyn and join us for:

Community Reception
Saturday February 4, 2012
12 – 4 pm
469 President Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Come celebrate the opening of the Ecology Center’s E-waste Warehouse.
You’ll have a chance to drop off your e-waste, tour the space, and learn
about why we are going to go beyond recycling and start reusing. Light
refreshments will be provided. All are welcome.

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Aside

I just recently found out that Strathmore brand manufactures artist paper from wind- generated electricity! I was aware of their recycled products, but this just blew my mind a little bit. They also have products made from alternative fibers such as cotton and hemp.

Wind Energy

Alternative Fibers

“The decision to produce the Windpower Series with renewable energy instead of fossil fuel, and recycled fiber instead of virgin fiber, results in the following environmental savings:
• 13 million fewer pounds of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air we breathe
• 8,581 fewer barrels of crude oil, or 1,960 tons of anthracite coal burned

The effect of this clean energy usage is the same as:
• 14.5 million fewer automobile miles driven, or
• 94,500 trees not cut down”

(excerpt is taken from the article linked below. It’s actually informative! So maybe you should read it…)

Introducing Strathmore’s New Windpower Series of High-Quality Artist Papers

Just a little thing to keep in mind if anyone decides to buy their art products in the future…!

 

 

 

Posted on November 20, 2011 by
Aside

Urban Green Energy is a world leader in small wind energy and renewable energy systems.  UGE designs, manufactures, and markets cutting-edge vertical axis wind turbines and hybrid wind/solar streetlamps which exceed the standards of safety, reliability, and excellence our customers expect.

UGE partners with customers around the world to provide innovative solutions to the world’s energy needs.  Connecting with over 100 quality distributors across the world and with sales to over 50 countries, UGE-trained representatives can answer questions, supply turbines, and provide post-sales support locally.

UGE understands the importance of certifications and quality assurance for customers looking to purchase a renewable energy system.  All of our turbines have undergone certifications to IEC Standards which far exceed the standards for the small wind industry.  We also support the Small Wind Certification Council and are looking to become among the first manufacturers to obtain this certification.

UGE owns its own production headquarters, which allows for unsurpassable quality control, a constant customer feedback loop, and cost-effective collaboration on new technologies.  With 25 acres of land and already 40,000 square feet of factory space, we are poised to become one of the largest manufacturers of small wind turbines worldwide. (Taken from www.Urbangreenenergy.com)

http://www.urbangreenenergy.com/products/eddy/media

 

If you get the chance, you should check out their wind turbines, they’re incredibly sleek-looking and beautiful in every way. They also have other really awesome projects. I talked to the Urban Green Energy reps at the Professional Organization Fair on Friday about internships, they’re especially interested in industrial designers. They have internship applications online if anyones interested.

Check out their website!

http://www.urbangreenenergy.com/

Posted on November 20, 2011 by

Tar Sands Action – Washington D.C. – November 6th

Posted on November 4, 2011 by

This Sunday November 6th, thousands of people will be gathering in Washington DC to do something remarkable: We will join hands to surround the White House to ask President Obama to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. We’re doing this so that he knows he has the support needed to reject the pipeline – and that there will be real consequences if he doesn’t.

  • In 2007, the tar sands used approx. 1 billion feet of natural gas per day, much of which was obtained through fracking.

Buses from NYC, leaving from Occupy Wall Street and other locations.  Connect with NYU students too. 

Go to www.unitedforaction.org or contact Enrico Purita on Facebook or at the NYPIRG office.

Tar Sands Facts

  1. The Alberta tar sands is the biggest industrial development project, the biggest capital investment project, and the biggest energy project in the world.
  2. The tar sands project is irreversibly destroying an area of ancient Boreal Forest the size of England.
  3. The tar sands uses more water than a city of two million people.
  4. The tar sands produces 36 million tons of carbon dioxide per day. It emits the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as 1.3 million cars.
  5. In 2007, the tar sands used approx. 1 billion feet of natural gas per day, much of which was obtained through fracking.
  6. Waster from the tar sands is stored in toxic ponds that are so big they can be seen from space. These toxic lakes leak 11 million liters of contaminated water every day into groundwater and drinking water for local communities, including Indigenous First Nations communities of Canada.
  7. The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would pipe tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information, go to the Tar Sands Action website: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/

Posted in Environmental Activism, Fossil Fuel Consumption, NYPIRG, Other Events, Protests and Marches | Leave a comment

“Gasland” documentary to be screened on Pratt campus

Posted on November 2, 2011 by
Gasland Screening/Discussion with Director Josh Fox
Thursday, November 10
6:30-9:30 pm
Engineering 307
Discussion immediately following the film
Posted in Hydraulic Fracturing, NYPIRG, Other Events, Partner Organizations | Leave a comment

The Dumpster Project

Posted on November 1, 2011 by

This is Mac Premo and these are his collection of things. In the following link is a short introduction of him and his awesome project! The Dumpster Project

Mac Premo is a Brooklyn-based artist that has archived a big part of his life through collected objects. He is leaving his larger studio to move to a smaller studio, which means he needs to get rid a plethora of his things. Instead of throwing away or selling these things, he’s using them as the raw material for one HUGE collage, and is exhibiting them inside a 30-yard dumpster. Before he starts this, he is going to photograph around 400 of these objects and display them, accompanied by a brief history of each item over at thedumpsterproject.com. Check them out!

Image Above: Dumpster Delivery!

The Dumpster is now on view 7 days a week, from 8am til 8pm at DeKalb Market at City Point. The Dekalb Market is a community of makers, artists, farmers and chefs residing in a collection of salvaged shipping containers. And now, one dumpster.

http://dekalbmarket.com/

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