Post #5- How to Have a "Green" Spring Break

          With Spring Break right around the corner, the memories of hours spent in the sun and the smell of salty ocean waves linger in our minds.  But a week off from classes doesn't mean a week off from a sustainable lifestyle.  Here are a few suggestions on how to "green" your spring break, and make the most out of your vacation!

§  Instead of going to the beach, visit a state or national park

§  Go camping

§  Check out greenseal.org for eco-friendly hotels and hostels

§  Take a train instead of flying, which will use less fuel

§  Enjoy local foods at your destination

§  If you go on a cruise, choose Carnival.  Carnival has a recylcing program and does many other things to protect the environment.  Go here to learn more!

§  Turn the AC off in your car, put the windows down, and let your hair blow!

§  While at the beach, make sure to clean up after yourself!  Recycle your bottles and throw away your trash!  Get some friends together and have a beach clean-up, all while getting your tan on!

§  Spend your Spring Break volunteering for an environmental organization!

§  Vacation locally

§  Use public transportation whenever possible instead of renting a car

§  Before you leave, unplug appliances, turn off air conditioning, and turn off all lights

§  Turn off all lights when you leave your hotel room, or wherever you are staying

§  Check out this website for more information! http://www.ecotravelling.co.uk/

Post #4- GoodGuide.com

Have you ever wondered if that dish soap is safe for your skin?  Or if the companies you buy from are using eco-friendly methods?  Well at GoodGuide.com, now you can! 

GoodGuide.com gives ratings for food, personal care products, toys, household cleaning supplies, paper, and pet food.  Each item is given a score out of 10 based on its health impact, environmental impact, and social impact.  The health rating is based on what ingredients go into the product, the environmental rating is based on the company's production processes, and the social impact is based on the company's operations with its workers and the community.  Each product is accompanied with an explanation of why it received that rating.  For example, Pop-Tarts, one of the worst breakfast foods according to this site, has a health rating of 3.0 due to its high sugar content, an environmental score of 5.4 for Kellogg's above average score in climate change, and a 5.1 social score for Kellogg's ethical policies and performance.

I was extremely curious as to what ratings the items in my room were scored as.  So I made a spreadsheet of a few of the items, and here are the results:

Product	Health	Environment	Society	Overall
Garnier Fructis	7	7.6	6.6	7.1
Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal	10	4.8	5.1	6.6
Nutrigrain Bars	5.2	5	5.4	5.1
Raisin Nut Bran Cereal	4.9	3.6	6	5.2
Dove Deodorant	5.6	4	7.2	5.6
Benadryl	7.2	8	8	5.6

I was pleasantly surprised to see Honey Bunches of Oats receive a health score of 10, but disappointed that the company was not as dedicated to preserving the health of the environment as much as its consumers.  Also, I may have to find a healthier substitute for my Nutrigrain Bars.

I think GoodGuide.com can be a very important resource.  It will make us aware of not only the safety and nutrition of our products, but also if the company that produces them is committed to the safety and health of the environment and society.  So go take a look at GoodGuide.com!  You might be surprised at what you find!

Post #3- How to Throw an Eco-Friendly Super Bowl Party

The Super Bowl: a time of chicken wings, strange commercials, and hours and hours of football.  The game may include a lot of trash-talking, but it doesn’t need to include a lot of trash-making.  Here are a few tips on how to throw a green Super Bowl party: 

1.   Purchase local/and or organic food to serve.  Make guacamole or salsa from organic and local vegetables.  If you’re looking to make your party completely vegetarian or vegan, check out this website which offers the “Top Ten Vegan Super Bowl Recipes”.  Give leftover food to guests or freeze it for future meals. 

2.   Buy in bulk to create less waste, and save money.

3.   Don’t use paper products that will just end up in a landfill.  Use your own dishes and silverware.  If you do buy paper products, buy biodegradable ones or dinnerware made from recycled materials.

4.   Save energy by watching the game on only one TV.

5.   Avoid buying bottled water.  Most bottled water is tap water anyways, so fill up a pitcher of ice water.  If you do buy bottled water, make sure to recycle the bottles!

6.   Decorations are unnecessary.  People will be too focused on the game to notice the décor that will end up in the trash after the game.

7.   Recycle all the leftover cans and bottles!  Make it easy for your guests by designating recycling bins so they won’t end up in the trash.

8.   If you’re in attendance at a Super Bowl party, make sure to recycle your bottles/cans and offer to take home leftovers!



Post #2- New Deal Cafe

    
       On Wednesday night, my friend, Jamie, and I embarked on an adventure to the Union Street Farmer's Market. Due to late classes, we missed our chance at buying some tasty, locally grown vegetables, so we went to the New Deal Cafe instead.
       New Deal buys only local and organic produce, a refreshing change from typical restaurants. Their menu offers a wide variety of dishes, like paninis, salads, and hamburgers, for the vegan, vegetarian, and locavore alike. Their prices are extremely reasonable, especially for the college student with an empty wallet. I ordered the sliced steak panini with a house salad, and Jamie ordered a tempeh burger with a house salad. Both meals were delicious!
       I look forward to returning to New Deal Cafe one day, and also discovering more restaurants that cater to the needs of locavores. If you're interested in enjoying a meal at New Deal, check out their menu here. Or if you're interested in other restaurants that serve meals produced from local food, go here!

Post #1- The College Student's Dilemma

            Hello blog world!  My name is Jena, and I am an environmental engineering student at the University of Florida.  I’m currently enrolled in an honors class that is focusing on the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a tale of one family’s mission to eat food produced locally for one year.  I was inspired by the book to create this blog, and recount my own efforts in having a more sustainable life. 
            Living a sustainable life in college may not be the easiest thing.  There are no parents to yell at us if we stay in the shower to long, transportation to local farmers’ markets may not always be easy to come by (if there are even farmers’ markets near your campus), and the dining halls may not have a variety of vegetarian or vegan options, and if they do, we tend to reach for the pizza or chicken fingers.

This semester, I am going to try to eat more locally, reduce my consumption of meat, conserve water, and provide resources to others so they may do the same.  I hope to show college students that sustainability isn’t just a fad, but an easy lifestyle, and hopefully inspire others to make a change!

If you're interested in learning more about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, check out the author's website here.