climate

A sustainable guide to thrifting

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 16:48:31 +0000

A sustainable guide to thrifting Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 12/15/2024 - 09:48

Lauren Mullen and Kate Huun

Thrifting goes hand in hand with a sustainable lifestyle. With Americans throwing away over 13 million tons of clothing each year, fast fashion and overconsumption lead to excess waste in landfills, carbon emissions from textile manufacturing and depletion of resources. Thrifting promotes sustainability by diverting clothing from landfills for reuse. You can participate in thrifting by donating unwanted clothing and purchasing used clothing instead of buying new.

The importance of thrifting for sustainability

Less clothing in landfills: Most clothes are made from synthetic materials, which take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills. When you thrift, you help extend the life of clothes, which can reduce the volume of clothing sent to landfills each year.
Fewer wasted resources: Making clothes takes a lot of water. One pair of jeans is estimated to use about 1,800 gallons of water in the manufacturing process and cotton growth. Thrifting keeps clothing in use for longer, which can help limit wasted resources through decreased demand for new products.
Reduce chemical pollution: Most cotton used to make clothing is genetically modified, which means the growing process is pesticide-intensive. Pesticides can lead to soil acidification and water contamination. Textile manufacturing can also involve harmful dyes and crude oil by-products. The environmental risk increases when excess chemicals leak into areas surrounding the manufacturing facilities, which can contaminate surface and groundwater.

The benefits of thrifting for consumers

Thrifting benefits not only the environment but also consumers. Here are ways you can benefit by participating in thrifting.

Save money: You can save money by purchasing secondhand clothing. Thrift stores often have much lower prices than buying new items.
Update your style: Thrifting offers a wide variety of clothing types and styles to help you develop a unique and functional wardrobe.
Lower-cost luxury: Thrift stores often have vintage items or designer products at a fraction of the initial cost. You can elevate your wardrobe on a budget.
Social responsibility: You can feel good about disposing of unwanted clothing by donating to a thrift store instead of throwing items away.

Alternatives to thrifting

Thrifting isn’t the only way to keep unwanted clothing out of landfills. The EPA estimates that 84% of donated clothing ends up in landfills and incinerators. When donating, consider whether the items are functional to avoid passing the burden of disposal on to others. Here are other ways to give your clothing a second life.

Make a trade: Plan a clothing swap with your friends, residence hall, student organization or another group.
Alternative donations: Donate directly to those in need, like to a homeless center or domestic violence shelter. Often, these organizations have information on their websites about how or where to donate.
Repair and repurpose: If you have clothing that isn’t in good condition, consider making repairs or reusing the item for a different purpose. For example, you can use old T-shirts as cleaning cloths.
Make it last: Save and store unique items that you may not wear regularly to use for costumes or theme parties.

Things to keep in mind before going thrifting

It’s easy to over-buy when thrifting due to cheaper prices. However, buying things you don’t need just continues the waste cycle. Make sure nothing you purchase ends up back in the donation box. Before you buy an item, consider the following:

Would I buy this if it were brand new?
Do I have things in my closet that I can wear with this?
If I plan to repair an item, do I have the time and materials to do so?
Do I have something like this in my closet already?
Will this fit me? (size, style, etc.)

Start thrifting

Boulder has many local thrift stores within walking distance of campus. Check out this map of thrift stores in the Boulder area.

Behaviors like thrifting instead of buying new can positively impact our environment. Join the Sustainable Buffs community to get more involved.

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The impact of recycling on climate change

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:06:45 +0000

The impact of recycling on climate change Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 10:06

Celeste Robinson and Kate Huun

When considering climate change mitigation and reducing your carbon footprint, you probably think of driving less and turning out the lights. But did you know that organic and inorganic waste is also a massive contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions? A zero-waste lifestyle keeps material out of landfills and reduces your carbon footprint.

The benefits of recycling

As climate change and waste are ever-growing problems worldwide, it is essential to understand how these two significant issues affect each other. Recycling helps combat the climate crisis by limiting the use of raw materials and reducing waste going into landfills.

Project Drawdown estimates that recycling between 2020 and 2050 will reduce emissions by 5.5 to 6.02 gigatons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to taking over one billion cars off the streets for one year. Recycling is a practical yet easy change to help curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit the climate crisis.

When an item is recycled, it is processed and turned into something new rather than created out of virgin material or disposed of and treated as waste in a landfill.
Recycling to create something new generally uses less energy than creating a product from raw materials.
Recycling aluminum is incredibly energy efficient. Using aluminum scraps to make aluminum cans saves 95% of the energy used to create an aluminum can from raw materials. Producing 40 aluminum cans requires the amount of energy in one gallon of gasoline and can be significantly decreased by using recycled aluminum scraps.
The less energy used to produce a good, the fewer greenhouse gases are emitted in the process. This benefits climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions drive the current climate crisis.

How to positively impact climate change through recycling

You can make a difference in reducing climate change by making recycling an integral part of your lifestyle and routine.

Buy products made from recycled materials. This will support the market for recycled items and encourage the continued recycling of materials and the production of items made from recycled materials.
Recycle everything that you can. Learn what is recyclable.
Limit the number of disposable items you purchase in the first place to reduce the production of disposable items.
Swap out disposable items for reusable items. Switch to reusable water bottles, shopping bags, food storage containers and other reusable products.

Upcycled vs. downcycled materials

There are many pathways for recycled products. Turning an item into a new version of the same product is ideal when possible. Other options include turning the recycled material into new products.

Upcycling turns a recycled material into something of equal or greater value or quality than the original product. Sometimes, the term upcycling refers to the reuse of an item instead of throwing it away. Upcycling lengthens the life of a given material. Industrial upcycling depends on the materials. Here are some easy-to-upcycle materials.

Paper: Recycled office paper is upcycled as new office paper. Paper is also downcycled and turned into toilet paper, paper towels and notebook paper, generally because of contamination and lack of adequate sorting.
Cardboard: Recycled cardboard may become new cardboard. When downcycled, it becomes paper bags, packaging or paperboard.
Metals: Recycled aluminum cans can become new aluminum cans, and recycled steel cans will turn into steel cans. When downcycled, metal can become bike or car parts, appliances, rebar and other metal products.

Downcycling turns a product into a different product, but the cycle is not infinitely repeatable. An example of downcycling is when a plastic bottle gets turned into a fleece jacket. PET plastics, like soda bottles, are hard to recycle infinitely because when they become a new product, the plastic gets weaker each time. Virgin materials also often have to be added to the new product to account for the weakening that the recycling process causes.

Some materials are challenging to upcycle or downcycle and often end up in landfills. However, you can repurpose some items to keep them out of landfills. Here are examples of materials that are hard to recycle.

Plastic bags: Plastic bags cannot be put in a regular recycling bin, making collection more complex. Also, the material used for plastic bags is generally hard to recycle.
Electronics: Electronics contain toxins such as lead and mercury, which can make them more dangerous to recycle. Collection is often an issue as curbside recycling companies don’t accept electronics. You must take electronics to a special facility for recycling.
Styrofoam (or polystyrene): Products made from Styrofoam are typically contaminated with food and have an incredibly low density. Because of this incredibly low density, it is not cost-effective to transport polystyrene because it takes up a lot of space and offers very little recyclable material.

The climate impact of waste disposal

Different types of waste impact the environment differently. However, all items placed in a landfill negatively impact the environment.

Organic waste decomposes and creates carbon dioxide and methane gas. Methane is produced when no air is present, while carbon dioxide is the natural product when anything rots in the air.
Inorganic waste includes products made from natural resources such as water, fuel, metal and timber, which causes greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Plastic waste produces greenhouse gas emissions during every stage of its lifecycle. Plastic extraction and transportation depend on oil, gas and coal. The production and disposal of plastics release tons of carbon emissions.

The waste management process, including transportation and incineration, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Start recycling

Recycling is easy in Boulder, both on campus and in the community. With plentiful recycling bins and curbside pickup, you can choose to live sustainably by recycling. You can learn more about ways to incorporate sustainable habits through the Environmental Center.

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The impact of plastic on climate change

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:43:32 +0000

The impact of plastic on climate change Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 09:43

Kayla Vasarhelyi

It takes more than 1,000 years for plastic to decompose. Every plastic bottle, straw and container ever thrown away is still intact and somewhere on earth. The plastic problem affects every part of the planet, from the top of Mount Everest to the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

What is single-use plastic?

Single-use plastics are types of plastic designed for one-time use with the expectation that the user will throw them away. These plastics prioritize convenience over durability and repeated use, making them a prime culprit behind our throw-away society.

Worldwide, more than 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year, and half of this is single-use plastics. Single-use plastic includes water and soda bottles, plastic grocery bags, product packaging, straws, coffee cups and single-use plastic baggies.

What is plastic made of?

Plastic is derived from fossil fuels, including natural gas and crude oil, and also contains chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors and threaten human health. Plastic does not decompose. Instead, it breaks up into smaller pieces called microplastics. These microplastics are practically everywhere on earth and pose a deadly problem for wildlife. If too much microplastic accumulates in an animal, it can cause punctured organs or intestinal blockages. Human exposure to plastics with these chemicals may cause hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems and even cancer.

How single-use plastic production contributes to climate change

Because single-use plastic is produced from fossil fuels, extracting and creating these plastics emits vast amounts of greenhouse gases.

It is estimated that just the extraction of these fossil fuels and their transportation to plastic factories emits 1.5 to 12.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases.
Removing forested land for oil extraction and pipeline construction has also released more than 1.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This land clearing also limits the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.
The refinement of plastics emits an additional 184 to 213 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year.
Landfills, where single-use plastics are sent, account for more than 15% of methane emissions. The disposal of more plastics in landfills leads to increases in landfill size and these emissions.
There is an enormous floating mass of plastic in the Pacific Ocean, twice the size of Texas, that continues to grow.
Plastic pollution affects the most vulnerable communities first. Developed countries, such as the United States, send plastic to developing countries for processing. Eventually, the amount of plastic can become so overwhelming that these communities run out of ways to dispose of it and become covered in plastic trash.

Easy ways to help reduce plastic use

The best way to reduce the impact of single-use plastics on climate change is to stop using this type of plastic. This task can seem quite tricky in a world full of plastic packaging. However, even small changes can have a significant impact. Here are some things to do to limit your single-use plastic waste.

Use a reusable water bottle.
Bring a reusable bag to the store.
Avoid overly packaged items at the grocery store, such as pre-cut fruits and vegetables.
Grocery shop at a bulk foods store.
Repurpose old bottles or containers.
Cook at home instead of ordering takeout, which often includes extra plastic packaging.
Get a travel cutlery set.
Use bar soaps and shampoos instead of liquids in plastic bottles.

Make a larger impact

Participate in a local cleanup day or pick up trash when walking, running or hiking.
Support legislation that reduces plastic use.
Buy products from companies committed to reducing plastic use.
Support organizations addressing plastic pollution.
Download the AWorld app to track your sustainable actions.

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Composting at CU – a student perspective

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:45:43 +0000

Composting at CU – a student perspective Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/14/2023 - 13:45

Kayla Vasarhelyi

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but a passion for sustainability drew me halfway across the country to CU Boulder. When I arrived here, I thought I had it all figured out. I recycled all my papers and plastics, used reusable containers and thrifted most of my clothes. However, shortly into my time on campus, I realized there was much more to being zero waste than I had ever expected. Composting was the sharpest learning curve.

Prior to moving to Boulder, I thought composting was just something that could be done on an individual scale to make soil using food scraps and yard waste.

There were a lot of things I didn’t realize about compost:

Composting creates a nutrient-rich soil to be used instead of toxic fertilizers.
Compost helps to reduce climate change.
Compostables in landfills will create methane, a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Landfills are often located in someone’s backyard, and that someone is often part of a low-income community that can’t escape from the smells, noise and runoff from landfill operations.
Keeping material out of landfills will reduce the need to build landfills.

In spring 2023, Colorado’s composting guidelines changed. Previously, CU Boulder offered compost bins all over campus and accepted compostable paper towels and plastics along with food scraps and yard waste. With the changes, CU Boulder continues to compost food scraps and yard waste from campus operations. These were the majority of the items composted from our campus before the change. In 2022, CU Boulder composted approximately 23 tons per month of yard waste and 40 tons per month of food scraps.

If you live off-campus in Boulder, you can talk to your landlord about providing landfill, recycling and compost bins to help you manage your household waste sustainably. It is essential to know that compostable plastic and paper are not recyclable. If you have a number seven plastic and composting is unavailable, throw it in the landfill bin. Compostable plastics are common contaminants in recycling, and too many can make recycling unusable.

We are lucky to attend a school that prioritizes composting to dispose of waste. I hope this article helps build your understanding of composting and kickstarts your journey to being a compost lover!

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Exploring the impact of climate anxiety

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:49:24 +0000

Exploring the impact of climate anxiety Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/18/2023 - 07:49

Karlie Conzachi. Updated by Jenna Morrow 01/2024

Climate anxiety, also called eco-anxiety, is more common than most people know. It’s normal to worry and to be fearful for our collective futures regarding the consequences of climate change and how it will affect our lives. Climate anxiety can include feelings of grief, anger, guilt and shame and affect a person’s mood, behavior and thinking.

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Recap of President's Sustainable Solutions pitch night 2023

Anonymous — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Recap of President's Sustainable Solutions pitch night 2023 Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 04/08/2023 - 00:00

Last week, CU Boulder's Environmental Center hosted the 4th annual President's Sustainable Solutions Challenge event where three proposals were presented on how to make the campus more sustainable. The CU President's Office funded the prize money, totaling $2,500. Students developed their innovative proposals as individuals or as teams.

Lauren Uram and Mason Liddell presented their Plant-Based Campus Initiative, advocating for CU to become the first U.S. university to offer 100% plant-based food. Campuses in the UK have already made similar commitments, so this initiative isn’t unheard of. This would make meals 30-40% cheaper than an omnivorous diet, and the initiative would be implemented gradually over several semesters with education.

“I think it’s important to talk honestly about what our future is going to look like,” Uram explained.

Brandon Brown's Winds of Change proposal focused on the role of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) in sustainable portfolios. By tailoring a PPA with Xcel, CU campus could run off 50% renewable energy by 2025 and 80% by 2030, making CU a leader in campus clean energy initiatives. Renewable energy sources comprise less than one percent of the total energy sources used to power campus, according to the 2021 STARS report. Xcel is already in the process of building a new Power Pathway after the Colorado Clean Energy Plan was put into place. This will ensure the state is 80% renewable by the end of the decade. While there may be cheaper alternatives, this plan would fulfill CU’s obligation to its local community and the state, making them a leader in campus clean energy initiatives.

The Xero Heros, consisting of Q Redmond, Jennalee Battson and Quinn Harper, presented their project on Waterwise Landscaping on Campus. Keeping the drought in the west in mind, they proposed replacing grass turf on East Campus with native vegetation to reduce mowing emissions and maintenance costs and decrease the goose population on that side of the campus.

“We’re thinking big but starting small,” Harper explained.

The judges awarded first place and $1,500 to Brown, second place and $500 to Uram and Liddell's Plant-Based Campus Initiative, and the Audience Choice award of $500 went to the Xero Heros. The presenters were also invited to share their initiatives at the Climate Action Expo April 20 from 12-3 p.m. in the UMC, with more opportunities to earn prize money.

Last week, CU Boulder's Environmental Center hosted the 4th annual President's Sustainable Solutions Challenge event where three proposals were presented on how to make the campus more sustainable.

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How to prepare for a wildfire

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

How to prepare for a wildfire Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/09/2023 - 00:00

Living in Colorado, we are no strangers to wildfires. But what should you do when a fire happens? If you're new to Boulder or haven't experienced a wildfire before, this guide will help you be more prepared as wildfire season approaches. Wildfires can be unpredictable, so being informed is essential.

According to KOAA, Colorado's wildfire season mostly aligns with the summer months, as the snow in the winter and spring months reduces fire risk. Boulder has signs posted at public schools and at entrances to canyons that describe the fire danger for the day. You can also check on emergency status updates.

According to Jasmine Barco, Assistant Director of Energy and Climate Justice Programs, one of the best things you can do is to know your neighbors. That way, if there was an emergency evacuation and you could not reach your home, you would have someone to contact. This is especially helpful if you have pets. Also, knowing your neighbors means that if anyone in the vicinity has mobility issues, you can help or call for help, and everyone can get to safety.

Another way to prepare for a potential wildfire is to gather all of your important documents - like your social security card, birth certificate, passport and anything else that’s important or hard to replace - and keep them in one place that you can easily grab during an evacuation.

You can also create an emergency kit in the case of evacuation. Your kit might contain cash, a change of clothes, medications or anything else you know you would need to have if you had to leave your home. Check out Ready For Wildfire for more ideas on what to include in your emergency kit.

In the event of a fire, it’s also a good idea to have photos, videos or a list of belongings in your home. This will make it easier to be reimbursed by your insurance company if any of your personal belongings are lost.

It's important to follow any evacuation warnings; discuss potential meeting spots in case you get separated from other people in your household.

Although wildfires can be scary, being prepared can make you feel more in control of the situation. Having your documents in one spot, making an emergency kit and following evacuation warnings can keep you and your household safe if wildfires ever come near your home.

Keep your household safe when wildfires strike with this quick guide to staying prepared.

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CU Boulder: a sustainable leader and the place for you to discover your sustainable interests

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000

CU Boulder: a sustainable leader and the place for you to discover your sustainable interests Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 02/10/2023 - 00:00

Sustainability and CU go hand-in-hand and have a long history together. CU has been a leader in climate research and sustainability practices on and off campus. Sustainability is a building block of both campus and the university system itself. CU has a number of sustainable accomplishments:

First U.S university to:

Create a student-led environmental center
Build an NCAA Division I zero waste stadium and athletics program
Be Sierra Club’s #1 greenest school
Launch a student-led campus recycling program

This is just the beginning. CU has many more accomplishments and is continuing to pave the way for more sustainable research, innovation and leadership. CU is committed to pushing the limits of sustainable development, enabling sustainable leaders and positively impacting the local Boulder community and the planet.

CU’s location provides students access to numerous top-notch research facilities, where students and faculty collaborate with some of the most recognized individuals in their research field. A few of the facilities located right here in Boulder include:

National Center for Atmospheric Research
National Ecological Observatory Network
NOAA Earth System Research Lab

Want to get involved? CU Boulder students can:

Volunteer with the Environmental Center
Join the Climate Justice Leadership Program
Participate in the upcoming President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge
Send sustainable ideas to campus leadership

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Small actions to reduce your carbon footprint

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Small actions to reduce your carbon footprint Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/09/2022 - 00:00

Sometimes reducing your carbon footprint can be a difficult and daunting task. Here are 20 small actions you can try on your new - or steadfast - journey to living more sustainably! Small actions make a big difference. Pick a couple to try below to get started.

1. Turn off the lights each time you leave the room

2. Use energy efficient light bulbs at home, at school and in your office

3. Take the bus

4. Walk, use a scooter or ride a bike

5. Join or organize a carpool

6. Join a car cooperative - there are many options available

7. Eat meatless meals once a week

8. Buy local and in-season food whenever possible

9. Ask for local, organic and fair trade food on campus

10. Use a reusable coffee mug

11. Avoid using disposable plastic and bring your own cutlery/chopsticks/cup/tupperware to CU

12. Use a stainless steel water bottle instead of a plastic one.

13. Line dry your laundry

14. Purchase used furniture, clothing, school supplies and books (check out the GFH Housing Item Exchange Facebook group)

15. Print double-sided

16. Buy 100% recycled paper

17. Support local businesses and Colorado made products

18. Buy 100% biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning products and toiletries

19. Be sure to recycle and compost correctly!

20. Share what you learn with family and friends

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Riverblue documentary: Can fashion save the planet?

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Riverblue documentary: Can fashion save the planet? Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/11/2022 - 00:00

Interested in learning more about global conservation efforts? One topic to consider diving into is the impact clothing production has on the environment.

The Riverblue documentary takes an in-depth look at the relationship between fast fashion, tannery practices and river pollution. This documentary is free via your access to Kanopy through CU Boulder.

Summary of the film:

This film spans the globe to infiltrate one of the world's most pollutive industries -- fashion. Blue jeans, one of our favorite iconic products, have destroyed rivers and impacted the lives of people who count on these waterways for survival. Following international river conservationist Mark Angelo and narrated by clean water supporter Jason Priestley, this RIVERBLUE documentary examines the destruction of our rivers, the effect on humanity and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future.

Winner of Best Documentary Feature at the Raindance Film Festival

Learn more about the impact of fast fashion on river pollution.

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