Category: Blog

September 14, 2015

Minds Set in a Bubble

Once upon a time, a red-head was biking home in the Charleston heat. She noticed a car slowing down beside her and thought, What is this crazy driver doing? When she did not respond, the driver whistled and yelled, “Hey — You hot?” She ignored him, thinking he was a random stranger hitting on her, only to realize that this “crazy driver” was her friend waving to her as he drove away. Oops!

Yelling my name would have helped… Oh well.

This funny story highlights an interesting way that people interact. It’s awkward for a person in a car to interact with a biker or a pedestrian or even another person in a car. When drivers do interact with anyone outside their car it’s either honking at someone or slowing down to yell out the window — usually inconvenient to others on the road. Drivers seem to be in their own little bubble while bikers and walkers have more freedom for face-to-face interaction. But even pedestrians ignore each other.

How do we get out of this mindset of “I’m-in-a-bubble-going-quickly-from-point-A-to-point-B-so-nobody-bother-me”?

I would argue for a less stressful and more efficient transportation system that includes all modes of transportation. Maybe then the mindset of commuters can be more friendly and open.

-Eileen Szwast

Eileen is a rising senior at the College of Charleston, with a major in Studio Art and minor in Environmental Studies

July 9, 2015

Bike Racks at the College (Check out these Racks!)

College of Charleston campus has lots of options of where you can park your bike. Guess how many bike racks we have on Main Campus, Harbor Walk, and the Avery Center? Over 200!

Yet some days it feels like you can never find a decent place to park because the bike racks are filled or a balky beach cruiser fell over taking up 5 spots.

I am looking at you, Bell South……….

Sometimes racks are being prevented from doing there duty.

I don’t know…..

Is that an iced coffee?

Caution: bike rack can’t rack

We are here to help you out! We have found all those bike racks that are hidden gems which people don’t realize are there.

Check out this sweet rack behind the New Science Building

If it is raining, keep your bike covered behind Berry Residence Hall.

You thought this was some weird art? No! This is the bike racks behind the Education Center!

Instead of following the crowd, park behind Robert Scotts Smalls instead of on Cougar Mall

Might not be the best view at Harbor Walk but there are bike racks in the loading dock area

Where ever you end up parking remember to make sure your bike is secure. Bike on my friends bike on.

-Eliza Bower

Eliza is a graduate of the College with a BA in Historic Preservation and Community Planning, and Art History, with a minor in Urban Planning.

May 1, 2015

Thank You

4/27/15

As I sit on my 3^rd flight within 36 hours, I figured this would be a good of time as any to write my blog post for this semester. This post isn’t about a certain topic or event that I attended, but it’s more of a reflection of my time at the Office of Sustainability. With my classes coming to a close and my internship ending, I wanted to take this time to look back since I will be walking across the cistern in 19 short days.

In early December of 2013, I got an email that would change my life in ways that I had no idea. I had been offered an internship with the College of Charleston’s Office of Sustainability to run the Sustainable Greek Initiative for the following semester, something that fit both my interests and my experience as an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta. I had accepted the position and in January 2014 I started what has become the most amazing journey I have been on. I learned so much my first semester with the office and as it turns out, this sustainability thing is kind of awesome and has captivated me in every sense of the word.

Flash forward to the summer of 2014 when I had finished my first semester working at the Office of Sustainability. I was moving to a new apartment when I found out that we had been accepted to present at AASHE that October in Portland, OR. I’m pretty sure I was shaking when I found out, and rightfully so, AASHE is a BFD. The summer of 2014 I also applied, was accepted to, and attended the Summer Institute on Sustainability & Energy at University of Illinois at Chicago. I won’t go into much detail other than it was probably the best 2 weeks of my life. Not only was I learning about current issues in sustainability and energy in an amazing city, but I made incredible friendships with interesting people from around the country. My blog post from last semester was on SISE and it can be found here.

So now here I am. I’m on a plane flying back to Charleston after being in Chicago to present my research at the 2015 SISE Alumni Spring Symposium. I’ve presented at national conferences, attended amazing lectures, made incredible connections, and all in the past year and a half. 18 months ago I would have never thought I would be searching for jobs in the environmental policy field, let alone be flying to Chicago to present my personal research so I don’t know what my life would look like, or where I would be without the Office of Sustainability. This office has given me the opportunity to grow as a person, a young professional, and as a friend. I’ve learned more about myself than I ever could have imagined and for that I can only say thank you. Thank you for the constant support and guidance. Thank you for teaching me that failure is an important part of learning, just like coffee. Thank you for helping me find my path and for letting me know it’s okay to wander off that path sometimes. Thank you for the laughs and the stress and the chaos and the experiences. Thank you for giving me a chance.

-Virginia Whorley ’15

March 31, 2015

Sustainability & Feminism

Since I was first introduced to it, sustainability has become a crucial lens I use to examine other beliefs I hold. Feminism is no exception. I consider myself a feminist, despite some of the negative connotations the word may conjure up for some. To me, feminism is a movement for equality that ultimately benefits everyone. It seeks to liberate all people from potentially limiting definitions of masculinity and femininity and encourages us to respect each other no matter what gender we identify with. Ideally, it should invite us all to be ourselves, whatever that means to each of us as individuals, and should allow us to do so without fear of being judged by the rest of society. Outside of personal identity, wage equality and other issues, however, feminism deals with some very time-sensitive and life-or-death world problems as well, including those pertaining to the environment. This is where sustainability can urgently be applied to the movement for gender equality. Feminism should be an avenue through which we can raise living standards for people throughout the globe, while sustainable practices encourage being conscientious of the burden our growing population places on our planet and developing novel ways to work with the environment to the benefit of both humanity and Earth.

While the movement for gender equality has made huge strides in the past century, we still have a long way to go. It’s simply not sustainable to ignore or minimize problems faced by half of the population (more than half, if one counts the children many mothers are often responsible for). Environmental problems, especially those related to climate change, disproportionately affect poor women and children (according to the UN’s WomenWatch). Women in rural and/or poor areas, who are more likely to depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, face social and political barriers that make it more difficult for them to adapt to adverse changes in the environment. However, since these women are often at the front lines of these issues, they often develop their own localized techniques to help mitigate problems caused by climate change as it affects their daily lives. We could learn a lot from the way women adapt to life as a changing environment demands them to discover new ways of interacting with the planet with regard to such diverse issues as water scarcity, food security, and loss of biodiversity that lie at this intersection of sustainability and social/environmental justice.

The problems that sustainability seeks to answer require all hands on deck. Women are capable leaders, innovators and problem-solvers, and their help will be essential if we want to ensure the existence of a healthy planet for later generations. Investing in women’s health, safety and education is a surefire way to invest in and help secure our future on earth. Michaela-1

—Michaela Herrmann, Sustainability Intern

February 11, 2015

The C.U.B.E. and the Office of Sustainability Take On Beatty!

The Cougar Undergraduate Business Enterprises (ENACTUS) and the Office of Sustainability at the College of Charleston are striving to promote a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle for students of the Beatty Business School. If you didn’t know there is now a COMPOST BIN next to the receptacles by CUBE. Also CUBE will be switching over to more natural and organic products in the upcoming months such as healthier alternative snacks, Sugar in the Raw, and fair trade/alliance organic coffees.

The CUBE is a student-run non-profit business that proudly serves coffee and other refreshments with perfectly paired snacks all under $3.00. Why stop at Starbucks to get robbed on coffee when you can help support fundraising for multiple great causes? The CUBE helps charitable projects such as: Water for Africa, LemonAid Stand, Oyster Reef Building, and many more ENACTUS programs.

If you didn’t know ENACTUS is an international organization that aims to use entrepreneurial pursuits to create a better world here and now. The main goal of ENACTUS is promoting positive impact through entrepreneurial action, involving a variety of projects to raise funds to support social change.The ENACTUS Chapter at the College of Charleston offers projects including: Low Country Goes Green, CUBE, Cougar Apprentice Program, Kick It Forward, A Global Affair, Public Relations, Recruitment, and a Presentation Team.

If you would like to get involved with ENACTUS please email Shannon Caulk (caulksn@g.cofc.edu), if you would like to volunteer for shifts at CUBE please email Laura Berros Pradas (berrospradasl@g.cofc.edu).

CUBE Hours (may vary):

Mon/Wed/Friday- 8:00am-1:00pm

Tues/Thursday- 9:00am-1:00pm

-Graham Massell

January 30, 2015

Rage Against the Drying Machines

According to General Electric’s website, clothes dryers are the third most energy intensive appliance found in most homes. While there is large variability in the wattage of dryers, on average they operate using 3400 watts. This is more than your oven! For residents of SC this means nearly $100 every year just to dry your clothes. But believe it or not, SC has one of the cheaper rates in the US. If you lived in Hawaii you would pay over $300 every year. Fortunately, a better alternative exists. This alternative requires no energy input, will make your clothes last longer, and is much cheaper. What is this solution?

A solar clothes dryer.

I myself have not used a clothes dryer in more than a year. Rather, I purchased a clothesline (550 cord works really well and is around $8 for 100 ft.) and, for indoors, a clothes rack and voilà you have a solar clothes dryer. While it does take a few more minutes to hang dry your clothes than throw them in a dryer, I have come to much prefer their feel and even their smell. Even heavy items like jeans or your bedding can dry within 12 hours 99% of the time. If you’re pressed for space, take advantage of your shower curtain rod or other miscellaneous surfaces around the house.

Save your money, add longevity to your clothes, eliminate a fire hazard, and stop wasting energy doing something that can be naturally done for free. Stop using/don’t buy a clothes dryer. It just makes sense.

-Craig Bennett, Data Manager at the Office of Sustainability

November 21, 2014

One Step, Two Step, SustainabiliStep…

Believing in an ideal or way of life is a cornerstone of all thinkers, praised or unappreciated. There are the scientific, the economic, the religious, the political, and the environmental pulls of passion, but what makes every belief unique is the way in which they are folded into the fabric of every individual’s life and how those threads act in part to warm or cool the spirit of others.

To warm the fabric of other’s lives means to take their beliefs in your hands, fold it into your own, and create a message that is not only diverse, but rich with melodic harmony between two seemingly opposing forces.

This whimsical connection of individuals can be seen in all areas of livelihood. Take your mechanics, politicians, librarians, any profession, hobby, activity of any odd person on the street and what do they have in common? Every single one, no matter how outlandish or ghoulish they may be, every single ounce of stardust in them enjoys the release from reality – that portion of the day, week, year, (or if you’re very intense) every decade that you have to take a breath in of a fantastical world that you read in books, imagine in dreams, or create in spaces of thought. One’s connection to something they see as an accessory to their happiness is a powerful thing. One can live without many things, but one thing they will not easily give up is their goal of euphoria. Yes, it is the apex of happiness and hard to achieve most days, but so are the best of our goals in life. It is the individual baby steps to this grand goal which allow a person to persist; the small things that open your eyes to the possibilities all around you. That is where progression towards true enjoyment is found.

Sustainability is a mission that is true to many hearts. The goal of promoting and fostering a worldview that not only promotes, but inspires others to continue, to progress, to create a path that is widely traveled, though experienced individually, uniquely, and spiritually. The path less travelled is poetic, but the path that is travelled hand-in-hand with others, despite differences, is transcendent. Yes, it is sometimes difficult to open your imagination to include the presence of another, but what you find is that once opened, you double the chance and capacity for happiness.

Imagine a world in which everything is possible; a world in which all of your favorite little, tedious details of life are simply displayed in front of you in a medley of connections that you never previously conceived. Now picture your walking buddy on that path seeing the same compilation of stimuli, but with a different narrative. Now picture every single individual that has ever walked on that path and all the different details they perceived on the course to their destination. Now picture this path is your journey through a play, full of talented College of Charleston actors, and the path that every individual in the audience has treaded upon is sustainability. The destination? Silly, haven’t you heard? It’s the journey, that enjoyment of the whole adventure you experienced in that theatre.

On October 30th-November 7th, Center Stage presented the Crucible as a baby step in the grand goal of incorporating sustainability into theatre production. The talented cast and crew of the Crucible started on the path with the sustainable utilization of used book covers to create their whimsical set of large cubes as their stage set, minimal lighting, creative costume design from used resources to create a well known story through a sustainable narrative. The Office of Sustainability paired with the eclectic crew to provide those at the Talk Back with food that was locally sourced and waste that was composted or recycled. Yes, these steps could be perceived as small in the grand mission of accomplishing full-circle sustainability. But you forget my friend, every small step you take is bringing you that much closer to the destination and when in stride with others, the journey can become that euphoric memory never to be forgotten. As George E. Clark once remarked “theater reaches audiences in a very personal and compelling way, touching both the heart and the mind. Because theater can also impart technical information and encourage action, it addresses one of the most notorious challenges of the sustainability project: moving people from the status quo to sustainability action.” Yes, sustainable theatre production is a path less travelled, but this road is accompanied by a link of interests all coming together inthe magic of imagination and creation. And who doesn’t love a little magic? Grab your friend, enjoy your life, and saunter ever more gallantly in the direction of sustainability. And never forget that the journey never truly ends, just as this adventure of sustainable theatre production is yet not truly over.

To be continued..

-Callie Rhodin, Sustainability Intern

Photos by Stephanie Green

September 24, 2014

“If you don’t like what is being said, then change the conversation”

One of my favorite T.V shows over the past couple of years has been Mad Men, a show whose intricate plot unfolds while following a set of characters working for an advertising agency in Manhattan. In one of the earlier seasons, the main protagonist Don Draper offers a bit of advice to a client saying, “If you don’t like what is being said, then change the conversation.” I like to think that one of the goals of sustainability is to change the questions that people are asking, to change the conversation. Instead of where do I shop, where is my food coming from? Instead of where I can I throw this away, can this be composted or recycled? Instead of where can I park, how can I get there?

That last conversation is something that I am quite passionate about. As a cyclist, I am in favor of promoting not only cycling, but also other forms of public transportation. With the population in the Charleston area set to grow significantly over the next 25 years, dealing with how we are going to transport ourselves from one place to the other is going to be, if it isn’t already, a serious issue. And for a region that’s already cramped for space, adding more parking spaces and highway lanes isn’t the answer. Last night Gabe Klein, the former Director of Transportation Systems in Chicago and Washington D.C., gave his follow up presentation on his findings and suggestions for ways that Charleston can begin to address its growing transportation needs for the near, immediate, and distant future. His suggestions ranged in scope from bringing back sections of the old Charleston streetcar network (which used to be fairly extensive) to upgrading the city’s parking meters and raising the price of parking to increase revenues for other transportation initiatives.

In regards to my personal favorite mode of transit, biking, Klein mentioned that Charleston is in the “awkward adolescent stage” when it comes to commuting by bike, and I would definitely have to agree. There are enough cycling commuters to be noticed, but not enough of a mainstream cycling culture for cyclist to begin policing themselves to start following the rules of the road. Klein spoke of tensions that exist between different commuters and those who commute by different modes, and in Charleston, there is definitely a tension between drivers and cyclists. But these tensions are often artificial and are indicators of successful changes in transportation mode shares. A recent local example is the new bike parking available on King Street.

Hopefully many of Klein’s recommendations will come to pass. I realize there are barriers to accomplishing these goals, not the least of which is funding. Regardless, the fact that he was doing work in Charleston means that we’re beginning to realize that we don’t like what’s being said, and that we’re changing the conversation.

-Aaron Holly, Graduate Assistant

September 11, 2014

SISE 2014: What I learned

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In April of 2014 my project advisor at the Office of Sustainability, Ashlyn Hochschild, emailed out several different opportunities to get more involved in the sustainability realm. One of the things listed in the email was the Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy (SISE) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a two week intensive for undergraduate seniors, graduate students, and sustainability professionals focusing on renewable energy and the sustainability of those energy practices. Not having anything to lose, I decided to apply. Fast-forward four months and a very intense application process later I was boarding a 6am flight to Chicago.

SISE provides a unique learning opportunity for the 50-60 people selected to participate every year by combining interesting lectures, unique research projects, and amazing field trips. The lectures we attended were given by some of the top energy and sustainability professionals in the Chicago area with topics that ranged from sustainable airports to batteries to the importance of business and entrepreneurship in the field. Not only did these top professionals lecture us, but also they acted as mentors for the duration of the program.

For the group research project we were given a problem to research and solve in our assigned groups over two weeks relating to the theme of Urban Energy. We were mentored, presented, wrote business plans and what resulted was twelve groups with twelve great ideas. This project gave everyone an opportunity to explore an unfamiliar topic and to gain the experience of accomplishing a large task in a short amount of time while also building our professionalism skills.

The last main learning component of the program is the field trips. We visited a total of three sites in Chicago during our two-week stay: Illinois Institute of Technology, O’Hare international Airport, and Argonne National Laboratory. Each site showed us what sustainability looks like in the real world, specifically the energy field. Between learning about the smart grid technology already available at IIT, the goats and sheep kept at O’Hare, and seeing the Advanced Photon Source and Transportation Labs at Argonne, the participants gained a true understanding of how the world is beginning to make a change towards a more sustainable future.

I knew when I accepted my invitation to attend the fourth annual SISE I would be exposed to new ideas and learn so much from the lectures and field trips, but I would have never expected that I would learn the most from the other participants. Living with 60 strangers for two weeks seems like it could end in disaster, however working, learning and living with everyone 24 hours a day gave me a better understanding of the world and sustainability. When we weren’t in lectures or on trips everyone would go explore the wonderful city we were in. Somewhere between waiting 90 minutes to try Chicago’s famous pizza, stuffing too many people in a sketchy cab, arriving to the park to hear live music about a minute before it ends, finding a random band playing swing music on the sidewalk and dancing with new friends, watching fireworks off Navy Pier, staying up until 6am in the dorm singing in 15 different languages and dancing, having cook-outs, taking too many selfies, seeing the Air & Water Show, playing Cards Against Humanity and Hanabi, and just having wonderful conversations with people, the participants of SISE 2014 became a family. The feeling I had at

SISE is one I hope everyone can experience at some point in their life. Being in the realm of environmental studies and sustainability comes with a lot of negativity but being surrounded by people who have the same goal of bettering the world, I have never felt more hopeful about the outlook of our existence on this planet.

One the first day of SISE, I walked into aconversation between participants on the physics of the organic chemistry of some type of renewable energy and I thought I was accepted by mistake. That conversation was my first exposure of many to the great minds of chemistry, physics, mathematics, economics, policy, business, geography, architecture, and so much more that made up the participants of SISE 2014 who taught me so much about the world and myself. Three weeks after SISE ended, I still miss the family I gained there, but I know that in our respective areas of the world we will still be working together to make a difference. – Virginia Whorley, Sustainability Intern

March 26, 2014

Dixie Plantation and Will Allen

dixie-plantation-trees — Dixie Plantation provides students with the opportunity to experiment with organic farming techniques.

This past Saturday I joined the Office of Sustainability on a tour and workday at the Dixie Plantation student garden. This wasn’t my first trip to Dixie Plantation, but the remarkable beauty of the plantation never fails to surprise me. If you have never been to the plantation, I would highly recommend a visit. Our tour guides, Carmen and Nolan, allowed us to get our hands dirty in the garden while also providing a great overview of the various sustainable agriculture efforts at the student garden. Projects in the garden ranged from commonplace herb gardens to the bizarre, such as vermiculture (earthworm culture) and apiculture (bee-keeping)

The most exciting part of Dixie Plantation and the garden is the potential for the future. The garden has already expanded from its original size to include experimental land plots for independent student projects, and it is very possible that this growth could continue. Potential projects such as an aquaponics system (which harnesses a natural symbiosis between fish and plants for food production) as well as a black fly larvae composting system may also be implemented at Dixie plantation. Dixie plantation is also home to many other fledgling program such as student research stations, forest management programs, nature trails, and fundraising to name a few. A major question for the future of the College of Charleston is how Dixie Plantation will be utilized.

These exciting agricultural projects at the Dixie garden echo the work of the internationally recognized urban farmer—and former professional basketball player—Will Allen. In Allen’s recent visit to the College of Charleston, he gave the audience at the Sottile Theater a walkthrough of his work in urban farming and how sustainable food production improves the health of disadvantaged communities. This improved health includes both physical and societal health, resulting from education and exposure to sustainable agriculture as well as an increased sense of community. In the words of Will Allen, “We cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.” This same principal holds true in Charleston and is addressed in part by some community gardens and organizations that are already in place, such as the Greenheart project and the Chicora Place Community Garden.

Although the College of Charleston is not the same as the disadvantaged communities that Will Allen normally works with, the College could also benefit from expanding its sustainable agriculture efforts. Although there are many competing interests at Dixie Plantation, as a student, I believe some priority should be given to expanding the current sustainable agriculture efforts to a scale that could provide a reasonable amount of food for the college itself in a sustainable way. In a program such as this, not only could students, faculty and staff enjoy the benefit of healthy food, they could also learn about sustainable agriculture and use the program for outreach programs in much the same way Will Allen has done with his organization Growing Power. Although a project like this at Dixie Plantation would be far down the line, it is exciting for me to think of what the College of Charleston and Dixie could become.

-John Brooker