Recycle Mania at Chatham

Zachary J. Schmucker, communications and outreach assistant for Chatham University’s Office of Sustainability, introduces us to Recycle Mania and what Chatham University can do to help with the competition.

A Beginners Guide to Sustainable Gardening

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and wellbeing depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.” Sustainable farming or gardening makes efficient use of all materials being used including land, water, seeds, and products grown. By practicing sustainable behaviors…

Alpacas as a Renewable Fiber Source

Our society is becoming increasingly concerned with the sustainability. Renewable clothing options are just one way we can continue to grow as a sustainably culture.     Information for this photo essay courtesy of the owners of Humming Meadows Alpacas

Are the Olympics Worth the Environmental Devastation?

As we all know, the Olympics started last week and everyone around the world is thrilled to watch them. Among the not-so-thrilled include environmentalists and the thousands of plant and animal species that live in Sochi National Park. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, promised the International Olympic Committee that these games would be “zero waste” and…

Alice Julier’s Take on The Business of Food

As a subscriber to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette with a mother who finds its necessary to cut out every news article that aligns with my interest, I was first introduced to Alice Julier when the Post-Gazette ran a feature piece on her Chatham University début as Program Director and Associate Professor of Food Studies. After saving…

The Sustainable Side of Food

Photo from suschool.org.uk             On Friday May 10th, Chatham University’s Center for Entrepreneurship held their monthly installment of the breakfast series. This installment focused on the food, the business of it, and its sustainability. Three women spoke at the event, which included Josephine Oria, Alice Julier, and Jennifer Flanagan. Oria is the CEO of La…

How to Love the Environment through… Food!

 I have a friend in Brazil, Luana Damasceno, who is frequently posting on Facebook photos of the vegetables she cultivates in her backyard. I must confess that I didn’t understand very well the passion she has by her little vegetables. Chatham University hosted on May 4th the second edition of “Food in Our Neighborhoods”, where…

Conflicting World Views and Environmentalism

It is hard to be an environmentalist. The average person might complain that recycling is too much work, or that organic food is too expensive, or that riding your bike is too much of a hassle. However, these complaints exist because the cultural infrastructure does not support the environmentalist ideology. The basic tenets of keeping…