Summer is nearly here and many of us spend our time outside working and enjoying our yards or gardens.  Although it is a space engineered by humans, yards help connect us with nature even in the middle of suburbia.  Despite this connection, our yards are actually a sizeable source of pollution and waste of natural resources that contribute to general environmental degradation.  Here are just 5 ways to help curb this problem while still maintaining an enjoyable outdoor space:

Grow food, not grass
Over half of the water we use at home goes towards landscaping.  One average suburban yard takes 10,000 gallons of water annually (not including natural rainfall)!  Reducing the size of your lawn is arguably the most impactful step you can take to reduce unnecessary water consumption and get back some of your free time.  Much of a typical lawn is wasted space, as only a fraction of it is used for playing, pets, etc.  Instead of pouring so much time, energy, and resources onto plain grass, convert the space into raised beds, greenhouses, or regular garden space.  You’ll likely spend the same amount of time outside caring for your space, but you’ll get the added benefit of homegrown fruits and veggies.  This also means you can skip the grocery store more often and it might even improve your diet!  Hardscape is also a simple way to limit the size of your lawn but be careful not to create impervious surfaces that create polluting runoff.  

Ditch the gas-powered mower
Unless you have a large lawn, consider getting a reel mower.  These are 100% off-the-grid mowers that only require your energy to cut the grass.  They work well, save money upfront, and eliminate the need to buy gasoline to mow the lawn.  For those not into the reel mower workout, consider switching from gasoline to electric mowers.  They make both cordless and plug-in to suit your needs.  If you are (or want to be) handy, you can even make a small solar charging station for your electric mower!

Compost and use organic potting soil
From a financial and environmental standpoint, composting has many benefits.  It reduces waste that ends up in landfills as well as saving money by reducing or eliminating the need to buy soil from a store.  If you do not have a good compost pile going yet but are in need of soil, consider purchasing compost from a local source (such as someone on Craigslist or a nearby farm).  A store-bought alternative to compost is organic potting soil.  Most soil at your nearest garden center contains chemically-created fertilizers and is from companies with a not-so-environmentally-friendly track record.  These companies also provide an organic version of their bagged soil but you may be able to find other brands depending on the store.  At the very least, you can send a message by spending your dollars to the organic kind instead of the regular option.

Plant bee-friendly flowers
Recently the bee population has seen a sharp decline due to pesticides and environmental degradation.  It is important to combat this decline because bees pollinate the fruit and vegetable plants we rely on for food!  Even if you can only tolerate giving up a small corner of your yard to a flower patch, make sure to use particularly bee-friendly flowers and avoid the hybridized plants that humans have engineered not to produce seeds or pollen.  Recommended types of flowers include crocus, borage, hyacinth, hosta, lilac and goldenrod.  Additionally, use natural pesticides that won’t contribute to the global assault on bee populations.  If you are feeling more industrious, consider setting up a beehive in your yard if your municipality allows it. 

Collect rain
Removing grass area from your yard reduces the need for water, but your garden will likely still require some help from during particularly dry times. Instead of using potable water from the tap or hose, try using water stored from previous rain storms.  Rain water collection is a method of capturing and storing rain for future use on landscaping, livestock, or even inside your house.  You can make or purchase a collection system that catches water from your roof; some systems are as simple as hooking up the storage barrel to a section of gutter!  If you want to make it even easier, find a barrel that has built-in pressure so you can hook the hose up right to it and immediately begin watering your yard.

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Last year, the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and Second Nature released a report, “Celebrating Five Years of Climate Leadership,” documenting the success of the initiative in its first five years.  The ACUPCC and Second Nature used that publication as a way to highlight success stories and highlight best practices.  American Public University System (APUS) was included in that report in the section devoted to “Opportunity.”  APUS’ online platform allows the school to educate a tremendous volume of students from all around the world (we have students studying in all 50 states and more than 100 countries) leaving great opportunities for promoting sustainability education. 

Last month, the ACUPCC and Second Nature released the ACUPCC’s 2012 Annual Report which is intended to serve as a supplement to last year’s five year report.  To date, there are 664 ACUPCC signatories (representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and every type of public and private institution) and 12,000 people working to implement the ACUPCC at these institutions.  The reach of these institutions in disseminating sustainability education to students is tremendous with some 6,356,145 students attending signatory institutions.  One critical element of the ACUPCC is the initiative’s transparency.  All signatories are required to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories bi-annually as well as develop a Climate Action Plan and provide periodic progress reports.  To date, 1,648 GHG emissions inventories have been submitted to the ACUPCC, along with 482 Climate Action Plans, and 263 progress reports. 

Signatories are making strides in providing sustainability education to all students in a variety of ways.  Some 115 schools, for example, “require all students to have sustainability as a learning objective” and 82 “offer professional development to all faculty in sustainability education.”  With the volume of students attending signatory schools, the number of schools providing sustainability education to all of their students and training faculty to provide the same is impressive.  Sixty-eight schools have even “incorporated sustainability learning outcomes into institutional General Education Requirements.”  At signatory schools, some 11,626 faculty have undertaken sustainability research and 152 schools “have a program to encourage student climate and or sustainability research.” 

There are some other notable statistics included in this year’s annual report.  For example, “ACUPCC signatories are collectively the 3rd largest purchaser of Renewable Energy Credits in the USA, which is equivalent to purchasing green power for 131,047 American households.”  ACUPCC institutions have collectively produced 186,624,743 kWh of solar energy annually and 67,410,374 kWh of wind power annually.  Many institutions (171) have reported that their Climate Action Plans and the strategies implemented as a result of those plans have saved their institutions money.  More than 100 institutions report that they have secured outside funding (totaling $209,032,131) to implement the strategies in their Climate Action Plans. 

APUS recently completed its 3rd GHG emissions inventory and submitted it to the ACUPCC.  We will report more about the results of the APUS inventory in a future posting.

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Behavior change can be one of the most difficult elements of any initiative but particularly for one like sustainability which has only in the last decade or so come to the forefront of strategic planning initiatives for businesses and universities.  In 2009, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioned a report titled, “The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior: Tips for Empowering People to Take Environmentally Positive Action.”  Author Christie Manning explores ways in which we can “make sustainability the social default” in order to make significant progress in our sustainability efforts.  The intention of “the psychology of sustainable behavior is to create the conditions that make sustainable action the most appealing or natural choice.”  She provides seven tips, developed from careful review of various studies about human behavior, for doing this and lists them in order of importance. 

1. Make sustainable behavior the social default.  Manning explains that humans are “biologically programmed” to care what other people think about them and their actions.  Human behavior in any given community is largely shaped by what is considered acceptable by the majority of the group.  Manning states, “Polls show that most people think positively about sustainability but they are still uncertain about how to implement it in their everyday lives.  They are looking for social proof…that sustainable behavior is happening.”  In explaining ways to provide this “social proof,” Manning encourages purposeful wording in communications that provides information in an impressive way.  Manning notes that even if the actual number/percentage of participation is low, there are ways to re-word the message to pique audience attention.  For example, “If…for example, you want to increase the rate of composting in a community but only 15% of the residents compost you can devise other ways to present the information so that it emphasizes the many people who are taking action.  For example, you can change the weak sounding ‘15%’ to a raw number: perhaps 15% translates to an impressive-sounding number of households (10,000? 20,000?).  If so, then state that number.  Or you can report the percentage increase, ‘last year there was a 60% increase in the number of reusable bags brought by grocery shoppers.’”
2. Emphasize personal relevance.  Manning writes, “The American public does not necessarily see environmental issues as something that they are likely to experience or be affected by.”  To be successful in implementing behavior change related to sustainability, according to Manning, we must eliminate the artificial divide we have created between ourselves and our own well-being and the environment.  Instead of talking about “the environment” (of which we are a part), we ought to be discussing “’the air we breathe,’ ‘the water we drink,’ ‘the resources we rely on,’ ‘the climate that sustains human life.’”  In this tip, Manning cautions sustainability advocates to beware of their audiences world view and avoid “labels” that carry may pejorative connotations (i.e. “environmentalist”).  She also indicates that by focusing on local efforts and local results, individuals will feel more connected to the effort and feel that it has meaning and benefit for them. 
3. Make hidden information visible.  In this section, Manning explains phenomenon like “generational amnesia” (“children today accept a degraded ecological system as ‘normal,’ whereas older generations see it in comparison to the less degraded ecology of their youth”) and limitations of perception (we are not able to use any of our 5 senses to see/hear/taste/touch/smell environmental degradation and the long time span over which such degradation occurs makes it that much more difficult).  Manning provides a variety of strategies that may help overcome these limitations and challenges.  For example, she suggests that providing striking visual displays (see photographer Chris Jordan’s Plastic Bags [2007], for example) can help make the abstract more concrete and help drive behavior change.  She also recommends creating mechanisms for feedback that allows the audience to feel more connected to a true effort. 
4. Foster mindfulness.  Manning cites research she conducted with 2 of her colleagues in which they found that “people who are in a more mindful state of awareness tend to act more sustainably.”  She suggests that we can create and promote mindfulness by catching audience attention with a striking or surprising piece of information.  Manning also notes that aligning sustainability efforts with personal values and “focus[ing] on improvement, not perfection” can promote behavior change. 
5. Create opportunities for competence, skills, and knowledge.  In this recommendation, Manning cites self-determination theory.  Per self-determination theory, “people are drawn to activities where they feel autonomous and competence, and that give them a sense of relatedness to other humans.”  Manning points out that in relation to sustainability, people need a little bit of help in order to feel autonomous and competent.  She suggests that we provide individuals with the “how to” necessary for them to make progress and feel “accomplished” in their sustainability goals.  These “how tos” can come in the form of fact sheets with bullets of tangible actions to implement or through hands on opportunities to act sustainably.  Conveying information about effective actions can also prompt action; lists of best practices that have brought about notable successes can be helpful in this respect. 
6. Make change a byproduct of other events.  Manning points out that humans are creatures of habit and many of the tasks and activities we engage in everyday are done so without much conscious thought taking place.  In some ways, this habitual behavior is a good thing: it allows us to focus our thoughts on other tasks that require more conscious thought and effort.  On the other hand, however, there are cons to habitual behavior.  To start, habits (good or bad) are undertaken without conscious thought meaning that if it is a bad habit, we are not likely to truly think about or understand why we are doing it or what the impact of the action is.  Additionally, habits are difficult to break.  In relation to sustainability, habitual behavior can be used to the movement’s advantage in a variety of ways.  For example, Manning suggests that we “make the sustainable choice opt-out rather than opt-in,” noting that the current situation in sustainability movements requires individuals to “opt-in.”  By switching that to automatically “in” with the ability to “opt-out,” we may find that more people stay in simply because they neglect to take the time to “opt-out” if they choose not to participate (by the same token, if they must take the time to “opt-in,” participation may be lower). 
7. Balance urgency with realistic hope.  According to Manning’s research, we must balance the urgent nature of sustainability movements with realism.  She notes, “if all we hear is doom and gloom, our psychological defense mechanisms are likely to shut down any possibility of action that might help address the problem.”  While it is a delicate balancing act, Manning suggests that “sustainability campaigns should encourage hope and positive emotion.”  She encourages us to “talk about the future that we are working toward, rather than the threats that we are trying to avoid,” and to “create a visual image…of how people’s individual efforts tie into larger efforts…, which in turn fall nicely under good things that are happening and making a difference…”

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just recently announced that it believes the methane found in drinking water in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale communities is not from the controversial practice of hydraulic  fracturing, or “fracking”.  In this region, famous for complaints of methane- tainted drinking water, the EPA reports that the methane contamination is likely from naturally high levels in the soils and underground aquifers, not from nearby fracking activities. This is good news for the emerging industry that even environmentalists claimed was a bridge energy source good for the economy and for reducing harmful carbon emissions responsible for increasing global temperatures.

EPA’s announcement coincided with their April 15 report submitted to the United Nations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC). The US signed and ratified this agreement in 1992, which requires parties to report on their inventory of greenhouse gases.

The key to reductions in methane releases appears to be increasing improvements in fracking technologies and safeguards against release into groundwater aquifers. The fact that there is an economic incentive for the industry to retrieve as much of the gas as possible may just save this emerging energy source. Unlike old industrial paradigms that viewed emission controls as a drain on the bottom line, today’s industries see capturing emissions as a good business model – especially if the emissions are valuable. Industry analysts say this trend should continue.

Even though natural gas production has exploded in recent years, EPA’s report now says that private industry’s pollution control efforts have cut methane emissions by an annual average of 41.6 million metric tons from 1990 to 2010, a 20 percent reduction from previous estimates.

Should you worry?

For most of us, reports on the latest scientific discovery only serve to confuse us. Agencies and universities are continually redefining risks and we should be happy about this – but instead it becomes overwhelming. Whom should we believe? And, next week, will we read another conflicting report? Actually, we need to keep in mind that science operates on the “continual refinement” principle – and this is good for us because it assures us that the best possible information is helping form health policies that affect each of us daily. Refinements make our government health programs more efficient and assure an open debate.  Health and environmental policies will change as more information becomes available. This is a good thing.

I’m personally impressed with EPA’s efforts to inform the public on the latest breakthroughs through their excellent web sites. Because the EPA partners with states in most of their water protection programs, your EPA regional office can be a direct source of information about fracking activities in your area. EPA and designated states regulate hydraulic fracturing under the Underground Injection Control program, part of the Groundwater and Drinking Water Offices at EPA. If you want to know more about fracking activities in your area, EPA’s website provides a comprehensive map to help you get started.

EPA concedes that there remain several major, well- known negative impacts from fracking, including:
• Stress on surface water and ground water supplies from the withdrawal of large volumes of water used in drilling and fracking
• Contamination of underground sources of drinking water and surface waters resulting from spills, faulty well construction, or by other means
• Adverse impacts from discharges into surface waters or from disposal into underground injection wells
• Air pollution resulting from the release of volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases

Fracking and Drinking Water

Of course, there is still an open debate on the safety of drinking water near fracking facilities – including conflicting reports by other agencies. Reports of contamination of drinking water in western states suggest that this debate will continue. The transparency and availability of information, and the opportunity for citizen input are all part of EPA’s “precautionary” approach to managing risks. Its  website offers information on fracking studies and ways to get involved, such as providing public comment.

If you find that you live close to industrial activities such as fracking, do some of your own research and ask local and state offices for information. You might hedge your bet by installing an in-home drinking water treatment system – even purchasing a filtered water pitcher might make you sleep better at night! After all, an educated citizen is a happier and healthier one.

Read for more news about methane leakage and greenhouse gas emissions:
• The EPA Just Shook Up the Debate Over Fracking
• EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Report
About the Author:
Dr. Whitworth received her Sc.M. and PhD from The Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Health. She most recently served in EPA’s Office of Research and Development as the Water Media Manager and nationally recognized scientific expert on biological and toxicological environmental issues managed under the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. From 1988 through 1999 she was a senior staff ecologist in EPA’s Office of Policy.  

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In the wake of tragic accidents such as the recent West Fertilizer Plant explosion in Texas, the media initiated conversations about the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) community. News stories use key phrases such as risk management, hazard and safety violations, and environmental compliance, thereby enabling the public to become familiar with EHS topics.

When one mentions hazardous waste management and liability, what are the first images that come to mind? Perhaps a large chemical manufacturing plant or an auto body shop with numerous 55-gallon drums? Though a less intuitive choice, you should also consider your own home.

At its core, hazardous waste management involves applying appropriate storage and disposal procedures to hazardous waste streams to comply with federal and state regulations, with liability the related legal obligation for this compliance. Hazardous waste liability is therefore a person’s or organization’s accountability to ensure certain proper hazardous waste management procedures are put in place to guarantee correct waste storage and removal. In short, the more a person or organization uses approved hazardous waste management practices, the less liable they become in the event hazardous waste is found discharged into the environment.

As an environmental manager for two Army installations, I have come to understand the importance of hazardous waste management. Along with federal and state regulations, we must also comply with those from the Department of Defense and Army. The latter provides a more stringent layer of protection to prevent hazardous waste management violations and reduce liability. Below are a few best management practices (BMP) identified in our base’s hazardous waste management plan:

1. Immediate characterization of hazardous waste substances
2. Precise labeling of waste containers
3. Storage of the waste in a 90 day bunker
4. Weekly inspections of the bunker
5. Monthly hazardous waste transport to an approved disposal facility
6. Accurate record keeping of all hazardous waste documentation

With what you now know about hazardous waste management and liability, I encourage you to apply the knowledge to your own household hazardous waste. While you may not store large amounts of toxic chemicals, most likely you have discarded chemical cleaners, paint, automotive care chemicals, fertilizer, and pesticides. These items are often located in your garage or basement.  Be proactive and reduce the risk of being held liable for improper hazardous waste management. Use your own BMP such as paying to dispose of the items at your local waste facility. Remember, effective hazardous waste management guarantees that hazardous waste substances are properly contained to ensure the preservation of human health and the environment.

About the Author:
Krystle McClain holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s of Engineering: Environmental specification from the University of Maryland College Park.  She has over 9 years of environmental compliance experience. Her experience includes working for the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and the National Guard Bureau.

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Yesterday at its headquarters in Charles Town, West Virginia, American Public University System (APUS) celebrated the fusion of sustainability and wellness with its Healthy Earth, Healthy Kids, Healthy You event for employees.  The event also coincided with Bring a Child to Work Day and there were great activities related to sustainability and wellness for all ages. 

Vendors related to sustainability and wellness were on site.  Oasis Health and Wellness provided information related to chiropractic services and wellness solutions.  They also offered complimentary 5 minute chair massages which were a huge hit with employees!  The Ranson Community Garden, which donates all vegetables to the Jefferson County Community Ministries, was on site to share information about their efforts.  Emphasizing the importance of local sustainability efforts that benefit the community, they left with a page-long list of volunteers to help tend the garden.  Jala Yoga located in nearby  Shepherdstown offered 20 minute “family style” yoga sessions.  Employees and their kids had a great time with poses like the monkey, the eagle, and the mountain.  Miller’s Toyota brought two electric vehicles as well as trees to give away and lots of fun games for employees (including the “dirty sock contest” in which employees took a brand new white sock and put it over their exhaust pipe while running the car for 60 seconds.  The dirtiest sock won a free tune up!).  The event was held outside under the university’s 1,660-panel solar array.  Mountain View Solar who installed the array provided information to employees about how solar works in general and did a demonstration about how the APUS array works. 

Attendees received a reusable bag, an eco-friendly plastic cup, and a “25 Ways to Go Green” bookmark with a piece of seed paper attached at the welcome table.  One of the activities at the event involved planting the seed paper using organic potting soil and peat pots.  The planted seeds were then placed in a Ziplock bag with some water to demonstrate how a greenhouse works.  There was also a collaborative art project which was great fun for kids and adults alike!  Using chalk and 100% recycled black construction paper, attendees created art that was representative of sustainability and/or wellness.  The individual masterpieces will be connected together to create a larger piece of art that will be displayed in one of the university’s green buildings.  Employees also had an opportunity to bring various items from home for recycling.  RMS Shredding provided a shred truck for the event and employees also brought in plastic shopping bags and batteries for recycling.  The event also served as a clothing drive and the APUS Volunteer Warriors Relay for Life team collected old cell phones as a fundraiser for their efforts. 

The event was not only fun and educational, but also representative of the university’s recognition of the connections between health and wellness.  Throughout the Healthy Earth, Healthy Kids, Healthy You event, these linkages were obvious.

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As we celebrate Earth Day 2013 this week, it is only natural (no pun intended!) to showcase how college campuses are participating in the festivities. Here are some highlights from campus celebrations around the nation:

• At Baylor University in Waco, TX, students use the Earth Day holiday to promote how spirituality impacts activities such as organic farming and recycling;
• Bellevue College in Washington State offers a farmer’s market and a fashion show using garments made from only second-hand materials;
• Elmhurst College in Illinois offers its “Recycling Extravaganza” where students can donate electronics, clothing and appliances to local non-profit organizations;
• A Sustainability Carnival is held at Fordham University in New York City.   Booths provide information on a variety of earth-related topics, and a local foods farmer’s market is held.
• On the artistic side, McDaniel College in Maryland will hold a Recycled Art Show where students submit artwork made primarily from recycled or recyclable materials;
• University of California- Berkeley will host its annual Vegan Earth Day event including a scavenger hunt and vegan food samples.  Also included are films that focus on veganism.
• Wake Forest University in North Carolina makes Earth Day into ten days of events called the “10 Days of Celebrating the Earth.”  These include a garden party, workshops, and cardboard boat races.

And finally, yesterday, American Public University System held an event for staff called “Healthy Earth, Healthy Kids, Healthy You.”  A celebration of Earth Day and wellness, the event coincided with Bring a Child to Work Day and featured information and activities for all ages focusing not only on the health of the planet, but also individual health and wellness.  Check back this afternoon for a complete write up of the day’s events.

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Green Living in Everyday Life by APUS

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Earth Day in Washington, D.C. this year started out a chilly 41 degrees. But the weather did not stop eighteen motivated folks from doing a service project to recognize the significance of the day. At 9 a.m., recent APU graduate Laura (Stopper) Batts led a team of National Park Service staff members, including APU student Tonya Watts, and me in weeding the Office of Natural Resources and Science’s green roof.  Armed with gloves, trowels, and trash bags, the group quickly got to work removing exotic and woody plants from the roof. 

The green roof has been in place since 2005.  Green roofs have many benefits:
• Retention and filtering of rainwater
• Reduction of building heating and cooling costs as well as energy use
• Mitigation of  the urban heat island effect
• Improvement in air quality as plants capture airborne pollutants and release oxygen into the atmosphere

Green roofs are divided into two categories: intensive and extensive.  Intensive green roofs usually consist of a thick soil or substrate capable of supporting root growth for larger shrubs and trees.  Extensive green roofs normally feature a thin layer of soil or substrate, providing the same benefits as intensive roofs, without the weight.  Extensive green roofs are much more easily used retrofitted on existing structures, as was the case here, because they are lightweight as compared to intensive roofs.

This green roof is in the extensive category, consisting of 3 inch deep 2 ft. x 2 ft. square plastic trays, covering 7,000 square feet of the flat roof’s surface.  Despite the shallowness of the trays, plant seeds from a variety of exotic plants and woody species find their way into them, requiring periodic weeding, watering, and general maintenance.

Now back to our weeding team. Batts is a recent M.S. honor graduate APU in Environmental Policy and Management and a volunteer with the National Park Service. She volunteered last year to manage the roof and develop a maintenance plan for its upkeep over the coming years.  Watts is a new student at APU in the Environmental Science Bachelor’s program and a hydrologic technician (student trainee) with the National Park Service.  I manage the staff at the National Park Service and I’m ultimately responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the green roof.

The spirit of the group remained high all morning, despite the chilly breeze and only brief peeks at the sun through the clouds.  After three hours, the group had finished preparing the green roof for a new growing season.  A celebration picnic was held and everyone settled in to watch the documentary film, “Thin Ice: the Inside Story of Climate Science” as a fitting close to the day’s events.

About the Author:
Dr. Carol A. Pollio is the Director of the Environmental Science program at APU, and is the Chief of Natural Resources and Science for the National Park Service, National Capital Region. Dr. Pollio’s experience in the National Park System includes gaining expertise in abandoned mine reclamation, environmental contaminants remediation, and biological assessment of disturbed and contaminated sites. She has conducted scientific research, inventory and monitoring, and published her results in several peer-reviewed journals.

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