Can manufacturing be sustainable?

Since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing had been synonymous with pollution and poor working conditions. From sweat shops at the turn of last century in the US (which continues to this day in other countries around the world), to images of factories belching out black smoke, the creation of products may fuel our…

The Birds and the Trees in the Big City

Cities are becoming more green every day, and it’s important to understand why this matters and how biodiversity and humans are in a giant mutually-beneficial relationship.

Looking Good and Being Green: It’s Complicated

By: Elly Helgen If you’re like me, you’d like to think you’re not materialistic enough to care about what’s trendy and “who” so-and-so is wearing. But if The Devil Wears Prada taught me anything, it’s that we’re all a part of the fashion industry, whether we like it or not. Unless you don’t wear clothes…

Indoor Agriculture

As access to cultivatable land becomes increasingly constrained due to overpopulation and urbanization, new technologies are positioning indoor agriculture as a viable and sustainable way to produce food now and into the future.  Indoor agriculture is a fitting solution to scale up food production in developed and developing countries alike and, considering input, promises to…

Backyard Composting: Changing the World One Banana Peel at a Time

by: Terrie Musser & Elly Helgen With the current threat of climate change and a fear of decreased resources, many individuals are looking for ways to become self-sufficient and include more sustainable practices in their everyday lives. One of the biggest drains on our land and resources is garbage. Lucky for us, there’s an easy…

Small Kitchen Changes, Greener Future

(Photo Credit Source) “If it was your last meal on earth, what would you eat?” It is a question I’ve thought about before. My answers  are filled with calorie dense foods like my mother’s carrot cake, piping hot French fries, guacamole, and monkey bread. Do I eat these foods each day? No. Have I wanted…

Thinking in Connections: A Systems Perspective In Everyday Life

What is Systems Thinking? A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized around some purpose. Attributes of a System: elements  interconnections  purpose Systems thinking is a way of perceiving, describing and understanding, the forces and interrelationships that shape the behavior of systems. This method of thinking helps us to see how…

No more receipts, please.

I have never been to an ATM machine that did not have a trash can directly beside it. This was something I noticed ten years ago in High School when I opened up a checking account and got my first debit card. I can recall being annoyed that I was forced to take a receipt…

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.