Furman Greenbelt Sustainable Living Community

Owning a pet is one of the many joys of life, and it’s far too easy to get carried away dressing them up in seasonal outfits and supplying them with endless toys. As a first-time cat owner, I had no idea what my cat truly needed, leading me to buy a plethora of items that proved to be useless. Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about the best ways to supply my cat with what he needs, while not directly conflicting with my sustainability efforts. 

Here are a few small changes that you can to reduce your own footprint, as well as your cat’s pawprint, on the environment!

A Not So Paw-sitive Impact

Its hard to believe our cuddly little critters could cause harm to anyone, much less the environment. However, cats are known invasive species across the world, particularly in Hawaii. Cats are a natural predator of birds and insects, among other small animals. In biodiverse places, such as Hawaii, cats are a huge threat to many endangered species, already contributing to the extinction of over 30 different species (Hawaii Invasive Species Council). 

To combat these devastating effects, it is essential to keep cats indoors. My cat was a stray before I found him, so it took a while to get him acclimated to living indoors. I knew that I was not going to let him loose outside, so I decided to leash train him. He still loves going outdoors, but now he is able to do so in a controlled environment that will not negatively impact the local wildlife!

Unfortunately, not all cats are fit for home environments. In order to control feral cat populations, efforts to trap, neuter, and release have grown (ASPCA). By controlling cat populations, we can control the impact cats have on local environments. Additionally, offering safe places for birds to nest will allow bird populations to prosper. Adding bird houses outside of windows not only gives bird’s a home, but also gives indoor cats entertainment!

The Scoop on Litter…

While owning a cat is full of wonder and whimsy, one of the least exciting responsibilities is cleaning out the litter box. Constantly sifting through, replacing, sweeping, and throwing away litter can be exhausting, and extremely wasteful! Most cat litter is made from clay, often sourced from strip mines that cause extreme environmental destruction (New York Times). Luckily, there are many alternatives to traditional clay litter, including plant-based litters made from corn, wheat, paper, wood, soybeans, grass, and even walnut shells! While a lot of these eco-friendly litters are compostable, you should only compost cat pee, as cat feces may carry Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can contaminate soil and cause illness (CDC). 

When it comes to disposing of cat feces, one of the most convenient ways to do so is with a Litter Genie. Rather than taking trips to the trash can multiple times a day and using endless amounts of plastic bags, the Litter Genie can hold weeks-worth of waste at a time and the container is made from 98% recycled plastic. Additionally, Litter Genie offers numerous types of bag-refills, including 3 sustainable options: one made from 65% recycled plastic, one made from compostable film, and one which allows you to reuse plastic cartridges from previous refills. Along with being eco-friendly, the Litter Genie completely masks any smell, creating a happy and healthy home environment. 

Another easy way to fight against any litter smells is by using a stainless steel litter box and scoop! Stainless steel does not harbor as much bacteria as plastic does, leading to less odor. Stainless steel products are also far more resilient, meaning there’s not a need to replace them as frequently as plastic litter boxes. 

While owning a cat is a blessing, it’s important to be aware of the potential harm they can cause to the environment. Actively working against environmental harm is essential to being a responsible cat owner.

 

References: 

About Toxoplasmosis. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/about/index.html

A Closer Look at Community Cats. ASPCA. https://www.aspca.org/helping-shelters-people-pets/closer-look-community-cats

Brown, E. (2024, December 9). What Kind of Cat Litter is Best for the Planet? New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/climate/environment-sustainability-kitty-litter.html

Feral Cats. Hawaii Invasive Species Council. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/invasive-species-profiles/feral-cats/

Every year around this time, I hear someone say, “Christmas just doesn’t feel like Christmas anymore.” “It doesn’t capture the same magical feeling,” people complain, even as their Amazon carts fill up with the latest decor trends, viral Halloween costumes, and gift lists recommended by influencers. I can’t help but wonder when the holidays began to feel so artificial. But before we mourn the loss of holiday magic, maybe we should ask what defines the holiday spirit in the first place. Has it really disappeared, or has the growth in consumerist culture overshadowed what we truly value in our holiday seasons?

The season once defined by creativity and sentimental memories has become one of the most wasteful times of the year. From fast fashion Halloween costumes to random aesthetic gifts that collect dust, it’s easy to lose sight of what we actually value in the rush of festivity and consumption. Social media has particularly impacted how we view the holidays. Nearly 10 times more shoppers engage with influencer content than other social media content around the holidays (Adobe). Due to constant exposure to materialistic videos that encourage others to purchase more, many consumers are pressured into excessive purchasing. With the growth of social media influencers, we have seen a simultaneous rise in holiday spending (as pictured in Adobe graph to the right). The more we chase a certain visual standard set for us by others, the further we drift from the heart of our holidays.

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. But in college, that spark feels dimmed by overconsumption. Millions of costumes are mass-produced from cheap materials, worn once, and tossed away. In an interview with CBS, sustainable fashion experts compared the amount of waste compiled from Halloween costumes to amount to “83 million plastic water bottles,” (CBS) and explained that the average mass-produced costume takes “anywhere from 20 to 200 years to decompose” (CBS) . It’s kind of ironic; our generation prides itself on originality and niche humor, yet so many people default to the same convenient, prepackaged outfits shipped in plastic from SHEIN.

This year, the cottage resisted this standard and wore costumes made primarily using items from our own closets or home-crafted. Thrift stores, too, we found were amazing places to search for missing costume pieces and ideas. All the Halloween decorations were also homemade or brought from our roommates’ families. This is a more sustainable approach to celebration, and it also helped bring the festive feeling we strive for. Sharing our closets, swapping ideas, and helping each other glue and pin together created the kind of excitement that cannot be found in a store-bought costume. 

Genuine experiences such as that are what make holidays feel worth celebrating. The winter holidays especially rely on nostalgia and warmth. When I think of the holidays, I imagine the smell of cookies in the oven and enjoying themed music and movies with loved ones. I picture handmade ornaments and exchanging personal, thoughtful gifts. The holiday magic has always been more about sentiment than perfection. Shifting our holiday focus from Instagram worthy snapshots to connection and authenticity would also make massive impacts on the amount of Christmas waste. The holiday features that make for an aesthetic Christmas (wrapping paper, tissue paper, and plastic trees) are also the biggest contributors to the seasons excessive waste (iowastatedaily). The best way to recreate the nostalgic, cozy feeling isn’t through buying more, but through doing more together.

Some ideas for fun Christmas activities and sustainable decor options are listed below. Sustainability doesn’t mean giving up on the joy of the season. Rather, it can help the holidays be less about buying magic and more about creating it. This can help our holidays feel more festive, joyful, and fulfilling. When decorations are made with your own hands, especially when made with loved ones, they become sentimental keepsakes. Each time you unpack them, you’re reminded not just of the holiday itself, but of the fun memories from creating them. Intentional experiences such as these are the best way to help your Christmases regain their nostalgia. 

 

If you’re looking for ways to make your holidays feel more personal and less performative, here are a few ideas:

• “Gingerbread house” made from painted and reshaped recycled boxes (Picture from Little  Red Window) 
• hanging stars from old paper bags and pages of thrifted books.
• DIY wrapping using brown paper bags, reusable cloth or pillowcases instead of glossy, nonrecyclable wrapping paper
• Natural decor: Pinecones, branches, cinnamon sticks, and dried fruit, which can be composted when the season’s done
• Gift experiences, not things: Concert tickets, museum passes, or a day spent together often mean more than another item collecting dust 
• LED lights and timers (also saves your electricity bill!)
• Homemade Holiday Cards
• Save and reuse gift bags

 

References:

Andrews, Alyssa. “Why an expert says you shouldn’t throw away your old Halloween costumes.” CBS Boston, October 27, 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/leftover-halloween-costume-disposal/ 

Fu, Kevin. “Adobe Forecasts Record $240.8 Billion U.S. Holiday Season Online with Black Friday Growth to Outpace Cyber Monday” Adobe, September 25, 2024, https://news.adobe.com/news/2024/09/092524-adi-holiday-forecast

Winkelpleck, Sophie. “Overconsumption around the holidays: Sustainable strategies.” Iowa State Daily, November 27, 2023, https://iowastatedaily.com/286240/limelight/sustainability-and-the-holiday-season/

May, Cassie. “Tiny Cardboard Gingerbread Houses Christmas, Crafts.” Little Red Window, December 12, 2017, https://littleredwindow.com/tiny-cardboard-gingerbread-houses/

By living in the Greenbelt, my peers and I have been able to look into the products we use in our everyday lives and examine how sustainable these products are and what impact they may have on our environment. While doing research, I came across an issue that has been affecting my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, the unsustainable practice of horseshoe crab blood harvesting.

The horseshoe crab is a mysterious species, even older than dinosaurs, resulting in them having many unique traits that make them scientifically special (Center for Biology and Diversity). Horseshoe crabs have unique blue blood due to their high copper levels (Animal Welfare Institute). Scientists have found that this agent allows for agglutination, or clotting, when there are endotoxins present. This process is similar to how the blood on the outside of your body hardens if you get a cut; however, in horseshoe crabs, this occurs in the presence of gram-negative bacteria. By taking the blood of horseshoe crabs, scientists are able to test if humans or animals are infected with endotoxins. This process is also used to test any equipment that enters the body of a human or animal. This includes needles used for vaccines, insulin, and replacement joints. The horseshoe crab blood makes sure these materials are truly sterile and do not infect the patient.

While this practice has a profound impact on the medical field, it is also affecting the populations of the horseshoe crabs. The actual process of extracting blood from the crabs does not kill them; however, due to stressful situations and improper care of the horseshoe crabs, 10-30% of them die in the process (Animal Welfare Institute). Many migratory shorebirds like the robin-size red knot depend on the eggs of horseshoe crabs to feed on (NPR). With the dwindling population of the horseshoe crabs, some species of shorebirds are now labeled as vulnerable or endangered as a result. The suspicion that they cannot effectively spawn eggs after a large amount of blood has been extracted has become a prevalent issue (Scientific American). 

Additionally, many sources have shown that the individuals collecting the horseshoe crabs are not complying with state laws to handle them carefully. It’s vital for horseshoe crabs to have their tail to live; however, many of the fishermen collecting the crabs have admitted to holding on to the tails and even breaking them to make it easier to carry and transport the crabs. (NPR) Additional footage has even been taken from Turtle Island, SC, of fisherman grabbing the horseshoe crabs by their tail like spurs and loading hundreds onto small johnboats. In 2021, a record number of 700,000 horseshoe crabs were bled for the roughly 80 million tests (NPR). In addition to the damage to their tails, crabs are also forced to spend anywhere from 24-72 hours out of the ocean, which for aquatic animals is very stressful and leads to the death of many of these crabs (Scientific American). The death toll of these creatures is rising, and as a result, Asian tri-spine horseshoe crabs are now listed as endangered, and the American horseshoe crab is to be listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Gene Drive Network).

 

Blood Money: Vested Industry Interests Keep Drain Open on Horseshoe Crab Population | Animal Welfare Institute, awionline.org/awi-quarterly/winter-2021/blood-money-vested-industry-interests-keep-drain-open-horseshoe-crab. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

     The film industry has dominated the American pop culture scene for over a century. Fit for its time, “the major national obsession” (Britannica) came at the turn of the 20th century. Now, nearly 600 new films are produced in the United States annually. The public’s hunger for the next-best apocalyptic film could make our film dreams a reality. The film industry remains one of the most crucial proponents of waste, and generates an alarming carbon footprint. 

     Film production may not come to mind as an obvious area to implement sustainability initiatives. However, “the global entertainment industry generates millions of metric tons of CO2”, with an average estimate of “15 million metric tons” each year (Time). On a smaller scale, an individual movie, with “an average budget of $70 million” will “[produce] a carbon footprint of 3,370 metric tons” (Arts Management & Technology Laboratory). In context, this would be the equivalent of “786 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year” or “8.5 million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle” (Environmental Protection Agency). 

     Statistics as such caught the attention of the Producers Guild of America, who “issued an industry-wide call for a transition to clean energy” in 2021 (Time). The Producers Guild of America is among many organizations pioneering sustainability in the film industry. In fact, “the history of sustainable film production traces back to the early 1990s” (EcoBlvd). The current approach to sustainable initiatives in the film industry includes partnerships with independent agencies like Earth Angel and Green Production Guide. Agencies as such typically pair with “major studios such as Disney, Amazon, Viacom, and Netflix” (Arts Management & Technology Laboratory) to specifically combat the mark left by film companies with large budgets. The goal of the agencies is to reduce the long lasting carbon footprint of the film industry as a whole. 

     Headed by founder and CEO Emellie O’Brien, Earth Angel is one of the more successful agencies. When working with large production studios, O’Brien would ask all the right questions in order to push sustainable initiatives–“Can we use different materials? Can we recycle those materials better?”(Time). In her partnership with the producers of Amazing Spider-Man 2, O’Brien achieved notable sustainability advancements. These advancements included “a sustainability manager”, which helped them to “[redirect] 52% of materials, that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill, for reuse”. Preventing waste, along with “mandatory switch… to reusable water bottles” and “[donating] 5,862 meals… to prevent food waste” allowed the studio to save $400,000. (Arts Management & Technology Laboratory) Now, Amazing Spider-Man 2, is deemed “the most eco-friendly [large budget, high profile] movie [of its] time” (Time). 

     Organizations like Earth Angel must become more widespread in the film industry. Much like Earth Angel’s initiatives, sustainability goals can start small, and begin with mitigating waste where they can. For example, “the 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain… ran countless gallons of water for a week” (University of Colorado Boulder) during production. Hiring a sustainability manager would quickly and easily prevent this wasteful act from happening. Furthermore, some organizational oversight could help producers limit their carbon footprint by making travel more efficient, or using more eco-friendly alternatives. This remains one of the most harmful parts of the film industry, as “51% of [the] vast CO2 emissions” caused by film production “[is] transport related” (Forbes).

     Due to the various problem areas it contributes to, film could easily become an exemplar industry for sustainable alternatives. “Large film studios have the funds and labor to be more sustainable,” Calawerts, from Arts Management & Technology Laboratory writes, “and therefore [should] set a precedent for other studios to follow”. As a dominant industry in global media, particularly the United States, the film industry should be inclined to use its influence for good. It should recognize what powerful change it could foster regarding sustainability. With just a few more steps added to forefront planning, the film industry could become the leading agent for positive change, and direct the world towards sustainability acceptance, education, and initiatives. 

 

References:

Calawerts, G. (2022) “The Impact of Emerging Sustainable Practices In The Film Industry” https://amt-lab.org/blog/2021/12/what-does-sustainability-look-like-in-the-film-industry

EcoBlvd, (2024) “Greening the Silver Screen: Sustainable Film Production Practices” https://www.ecoblvd.com/blogs/news/sustainable-film-production#:~:text=The%20Reel%20Revolution:%20The%20History,social%20equity%20and%20economic%20viability

Marshall, L. (2020) “What’s Hollywood’s dirtiest secret? Its environmental toll” https://www.colorado.edu/today/2020/01/27/whats-hollywoods-dirtiest-secret-its-environmental-toll#:~:text=In%201997%2C%20during%20the%20filming,barrier%20against%20monsoons%20and%20tsunami

Sax, S. (2024) “Film and TV’s Carbon Footprint Is Too Big to Ignore” https://time.com/6767943/sustainable-film-and-tv-production/

Sklar, R. (2025) “Post-World War I American cinema” https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-film/Post-World-War-I-American-cinema

Whittington, R. (2022) “How Film Production Is Becoming More Sustainable and Profitable” https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2022/02/28/how-film-production-is-becoming-more-sustainable-and-profitable/

(A rosewood guitar)

Like many others around the world I love listening and especially playing music. My main instrument is the acoustic guitar, which looks to be like an all natural type of instrument. This is a common held belief, but also a false one. A few of the many and most popular wood types that are used to create acoustic guitars are rosewood, mahogany, ebony, spruce, and maple. The thing that all of these woods have in common is that most of these types of wood come from old forests, mainly in endangered habitats. (gprotab) Also, 40 percent of the wood for ebony and alder wood guitars is sourced illegally (Ecomena).

This mass production of guitars contributes to more illegal logging and biodiversity loss. But, some companies have realized that this is a problem and have switched to more sustainable wood types such as recycled wood, bamboo, domesticated hardwoods, and other types of more sustainable and common wood types. (gprotab) In January of 2017, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) placed rosewood under protections. These protections affected the guitar industry due to the mass amounts of the limited source of rosewood that these companies need to create rosewood guitars (USITC).

Although this is a big problem, the only thing I can do to help is to just not buy the guitars that are made from those unsustainable wood types. But there is a different problem that I could help with and practice myself. For any non guitarists, picks are the small and usually plastic objects guitarists put in between their fingers while strumming for a clean sound.

(A guitar pick)
I and every other guitarist that I know own many picks, mainly due to their small size and their ease to lose. In one guitarist’s lifetime they will likely have owned hundreds of picks. The plastic from these picks will most likely eventually be tossed in the garbage or lost. Due to this need for many picks, “Combined, manufacturers produce hundreds of millions of picks every year.” (Premier Guitar) Since I have started researching for this blog, me and my roommate have decided that in the Greenbelt, (and after the fact), we will begin to use non plastic and bio-degradable picks. Companies such as Pigtrum create and sell these types of renewable and plant derived guitar picks. This way we can help be more sustainable in the long term with easily replaceable materials.

Overall, the creation of guitars and the gadgets and additions that guitarists use to play is not a very sustainable industry, but it is fixable. I think that these types of very fixable problems are the ones that should be tackled first by sustainability groups or just people who want to try and make a small difference in their own lives. I never thought about how sustainable playing an instrument was. And I suggest to anyone reading this post that if you play an instrument, take a moment to think about how it was made or what you use to play it, and how sustainable or not sustainable that instrument is as a whole.

 

Picture Citations:
Bedell Guitars

Strings and Beyond

Happy Halloween! As October comes to a close on All Hallow’s Eve, we are reminded of all things creepy, crawly, and altogether spooky. New horror movies premiere, and decorations adorn our spaces. Whether you like Halloween or not, you likely would agree that a common symbol of Halloween is bats. Many people see them as blood-sucking disease-carrying flying rodents that get stuck in human hair (Bat Conservation International). While these ideas are false, Halloween and the media make bats out to be some kind of seasonal monster. Bats could be an unsung hero of sustainability.

Lesser Long-Nosed Bat Seeking Nectar (J. Scott Altenbach)

I recently had the opportunity to go bat-watching with Furman’s Outdoors club. A senior at Furman, passionate about bats, gave us a

short presentation before we headed to Sunrift Adventures, a local outdoor gear outfitter, for their annual bat-watching event. There, my group and I learned all about bats and how they contribute to the environment. I was surprised by how much I learned and by how much I thought I knew about bats. Bats contribute to global sustainability in a number of ways, including but not limited to pest control, pollination, and dispersing seeds (U.S. Fish and Wildlife).

First, bats are really efficient at eating bugs. The most common bat in South Carolina, the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), eats hundreds of crop and forest pests an hour. Studies found a colony of 150 Big Brown Bats ate enough corn-crop-eating pests to reduce egg-laying by millions (Bat Conservation Inventory). This is a significant impact, making bats vital to the pest control efforts of farmers. But how does this relate to sustainability? Bats save the agriculture business an estimated $3 billion per year, cutting down on pesticide costs and crop damage (U.S. Fish and Wildlife). This reduces farmers’ dependency on pesticides, which can contaminate soil and nearby water sources. The pollution caused by pesticides can harm wildlife and impact human health as well (National Library of Medicine). So, insect-eating bats are a huge help in cutting down on agricultural costs and reducing pollution.

Big Brown Bat Climbing Tree (Michael Durham/Menden Pictures)

However, not all bats eat insects; many feed on nectar. Bats are vital to the pollination of peaches, cloves, bananas, and agaves. In fact, they are the sole pollinator of agave, which is a key ingredient of tequila, contributing to a multi-billion-dollar industry (U.S. Fish and Wildlife). Feeding on the nectar of these plants, bats are important pollinators in our ecosystem.

Another food source for bats is fruit. Bats feed on a variety of fruits, contributing to a great deal of necessary seed dispersal to boost plant populations. Actually, fruit-eating bats contribute to around 95% of the seed dispersal needed for early plant growth of recently cleared rainforests (U.S. Fish and Wildlife). Bats are an important part of the seed dispersal cycle and reviving deforested land.

Bats are essential for fostering sustainable agriculture practices. Sustainable farming benefits our society economically and cuts down on harmful pollution. Basically, the more bats we can sustain in an environment, the more sustainable our communities can be. Common misconceptions about bats and our fears prevent us from realizing the potential benefits of working towards greater bat conservation.

Even writing this blog post, my friends were skeptical of bats, saying, “Didn’t they cause COVID?” This and other common misconceptions make conservation efforts more difficult and even conversations. So, next time you get the chance, help set the record straight for bats. After doing brief research, I am feeling passionate about bats and how they can benefit our communities. I plan to put up a bat box or two around the Greenbelt community and I encourage others to foster a healthy environment for bats too. “This Texas Hill Country bat house became overcrowded within days by Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis)”. (Tuttle, 2020)

In short, bats could be a secret hero of sustainability. If we can be more aware of these little flying creatures, and work towards squashing bat misconceptions, we can work towards a more sustainable community. This starts on a small scale. Living in the Greenbelt, I have been able to better understand that sustainability often starts out in small and diverse ways. Next time you look up in the night sky and spot a bat swooping down, think about how the little mammal could make a big impact on working towards a more sustainable future.

 

 

Capitalism is an ideology that fuels growth, described in the Oxford English Dictionary as “an economic system … for the purpose of profit.” This sounds all well and good; profit is how businesses run, profit prioritization means more businesses doing well, it means more money gets made.

               While it sounds great on the surface, the effect of a constant drive for increasing profit is an ever-growing market for production in order to achieve these higher profits. Capitalists and those against them could spend days debating about whether or not this is beneficial for the economy or well-being or any other issue. What is important in this article is the sustainability of capitalism. Referring to figure 2, a graph that depicts total CO2 emissions since the Industrial Revolution (the expansion point of modern capitalism). Since 1750, emissions have increased from .1 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year to a whopping 37.79 in 2023, double 1980’s number and about seven times as much CO2 as total production in 1950.

               These numbers alone mean nothing; we must first understand why CO2 production is important to consider as a threat to the environment. Well, even a Trump government explains this on the “climate.gov” website. CO2 absorbs heat emitted by the Earth’s surface and releases it back towards Earth. In fact, the government website claims that “carbon dioxide alone is responsible for about 80 percent of the total heating influence of all human-produced greenhouse gases since 1990.”

But wait! That isn’t all. Limiting CO2 emissions are also important because it helps prevent a phenomenon referred to as “ocean acidification.” A process in which CO2 dissolves in the ocean, creating carbonic acid. This excess oxygen has, “since the start of the Industrial Revolution, [caused] the pH of the ocean’s surface waters [to drop] from 8.21 to 8.10,” directly leading to harm on marine life’s ability to perform basic life functions (Climte.gov).

So, CO2 emissions cause the world to heat up, and maybe that’s bad, but what could do better?

Boy, am I glad that someone asked!

Often capitalism is postured to be the perfect strategy for climate change prevention. Capitalism is said to increase innovation which can help create more climate friendly models of production and green technologies that can prevent the effects of the impending climate crisis.

This is another example where, as great as this sounds on paper, in reality, capitalism only ever stifles the long-term solutions required to prevent global warming.

The model of increasing production in order to eventually decrease it is referred to as “green growth.” Green growth is not a theory, but the reality of the status quo. For example, in the years after the 2008 recession a small portion of stimulus packages were put towards climate investment, a move that justified the expansion of practices such as fracking that further the deterioration of the global ecosystem (Taherzadeh).

Green growth is a short-sighted and temporary goal. The Biden administration LOVED green growth, investing hundreds of billions of dollars into proposed climate solutions like extending EV tax credits, energy tax credits, and loans for the Department of Energy (“Factsheet”). Each of these reforms, and more, have been overturned by the Trump administration.

The result of Biden’s policies was a flimsy justification for increased production because climate spending was higher than ever, only for the climate spending to halt and production to increase even further. Short term liberal policies only pander to voters, achieving little change that lasts; instead, the only long-term solution is a multifaceted strategy for degrowth and an increase in technology that mitigates the coming impacts of climate collapse.

The transition from a profit society to a degrowth economy is not easy, but it is one that is necessary in the face of ever-expanding global warming. Just this week, news outlets reported that “The World’s First Climate Tipping Point Has Been Crossed” (Shah, Readfearn). It is too late to try and fix capitalism; we need an alternative—we need to take risks.

               Degrowth can be defined, loosely, as “a democratically deliberated absolute reduction of material and energy throughput, which ensures well-being for all within planetary boundaries” (“Degrowth and Strategy”). A plurality of approaches is needed to achieve a world where production is decreased by the volume necessary to prevent, should prevention even be possible at this point, climate collapse. One degrowth proponent and anthropologist, Jason Hickel, wrote in his 2020 book, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World, that degrowth should be a slow, transitional period. He focuses on reducing waste (ie. Right to repair, no more warranties, and prevent food waste), changing the economic structure to expand public services, and eliminate substantial portions of wasteful industries (arms manufacturing, fossil fuels, and advertising).

Hickel’s solution might have been reasonable a decade or two ago, before we exceeded the 1.5°C mark, but I am calling for more radical action. In order to prevent climate collapse there needs to be a drastic restructuring of our priorities, degrowth alone will only slow the doom that humanity is heading towards. In addition to slowing production and decreasing waste, we need to undo centuries of damage in a fraction of the time.

As previously mentioned, carbon monoxide is THE pollutant. Removing the gas is unavoidable, and the earlier we transition to using resources to develop climate removal technology, the sooner the world can begin to heal. These solutions are numerous, some involving technology, others involving natural solutions, and others combining the two (Naimoli).

To conclude, capitalism is a system that directly leads to environmental harm, with its proposed solutions bringing about no needed change. We live in a world on its death bed and capitalism is its weird holistic medicine daughter who won’t let the doctors do the job that needs to be done. Degrowth and carbon dioxide reduction are the doctors we need.

This post is limited in detail in many of its elements, so I encourage the reader to expand their knowledge, read the sources linked or do further research in how capitalism is killing the planet.

Greener Beef 

Over the past few decades, society has begun to push back against global warming, slashing CO2 emissions, and implementing green policies. But while CO2 has remained a primary focus, other greenhouse gases like methane have been forgotten. Methane is primarily released as a result of agriculture, more specifically, cattle. These large ruminants release over 30% of all global methane, impacting the environment beyond their already enormous consumption needs. However, a recent discovery may change this problem forever. By supplementing bovine diets with a small amount of seaweed, scientists have shown an astonishing 82% methane reduction! While only being demonstrated at a small scale, this slight diet change could be the next step towards sustainable cattle farming. 

How do Greenhouse Gases Affect the Environment? 

Before we discuss how seaweed reduces methane emissions, it is essential to understand how greenhouse gases, like methane, cause global warming. Greenhouse gases heat up the atmosphere by trapping heat from the sun, warming the planet, and driving climate change. We can see the impacts of the greenhouse effect in the increasingly erratic weather patterns across the globe, loss of polar and glacial ice, and rising sea level. Carbon dioxide is the most well-known greenhouse gas because it is released in large quantities from burning fossil fuels, cement production, and deforestation. It remains in the atmosphere for centuries, causing long-term warming. On the other hand, methane is much more potent in the short term, over 25 times stronger than CO₂ at trapping heat, but it persists for a shorter time in the atmosphere.  

How does Seaweed help solve this issue? 

A big share of globally produced methane comes from agriculture, especially cows. When cattle digest their food, microbes in their stomachs (the rumen) break down grasses and release methane through a process called enteric fermentation. Researchers have found that a red seaweed called Asparagopsis taxiformis can sharply cut methane from cattle. In a 2021 study, Roque et al. showed that adding a small amount of this seaweed to cow feed reduced methane emissions by more than 80%, without affecting animal health or growth. This is thanks to a natural compound called bromoform found in this seaweed. It disrupts the enzymes that methane-producing microbes in the rumen rely on, and with that process blocked, cows produce far less methane. 

How would this be implemented? 

The truth is that scaling this project will be challenging to say the least. Growing enough Asparagopsis for millions of cattle means expanding sustainable seaweed farming will be quite a challenge. Scaling production in a sustainable manner and evaluating the impact that oceanic monocropping may have must be considered. There are also open questions about long-term effects on animals and whether the methane cuts last. Still, the potential is huge. If global cattle emissions fell by 82%, as lab studies suggest, annual global warming could be reduced by 5-8%, buying us the essential time we need to solve climate change. While feeding cattle seaweed won’t solve climate change, it is an important discovery on a journey to greener beef. 

Breanna M. Roque, Marielena Venegas, Robert D. Kinley, Rocky de Nys, Toni L. Duarte, Xiang Yang, Ermias Kebreab. Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) supplementation reduces enteric methane by over 80 percent in beef steers. PLOS ONE, 2021; 16 (3): e0247820 DOI: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247820

Shan, Yuli, et al. “Global Methane Footprints Growth and Drivers 1990–2023.” Nature Communications, vol. 16, no. 2147, 2025, pp. 1–12. Nature Publishing Group, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63383-5  

Lau, Bon. “What Are the Major Sources of Methane in the Atmosphere?” Earth.Org, 12 Dec. 2022, https://earth.org/sources-of-methane-in-the-atmosphere/  

Greener Grazing. (n.d.). Greenergrazing.org. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.greenergrazing.org%2F&psig=AOvVaw0I72QLNh8Tnmo0xVwo0365&ust=1760658157935000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBYQjRxqFwoTCNjuq_Owp5ADFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE  

 

Either endless stretches of lush grass with ponds reflecting the morning sun or the frustration that creeps into your mind when you’re trying to hit a golf ball in the air come to mind when people think of golf. Having said that, golf courses are made to be aesthetically pleasing. Beneath this serene picture, however, is a long-running controversy: are golf courses environmentally friendly or harmful? Modern sustainable golf practices demonstrate that golf can actually promote biodiversity, resource conservation, and community engagement—values that reflect the sustainable spirit of living here inthe Greenbelt—though some critics contend that the sport’s manicured elegance comes at an ecological cost.

I witness this balance on a daily basis as a resident of the Greenbelt community. I live in the Cabin, and the Furman Golf Course is just a short stroll away. As a casual golfer, I’ve learned to value both the game’s difficulty and the setting in which it is played. The course is one of the most serene areas of campus because of its undulating greens and shaded trees. However, I’ve frequently questioned whether preserving that beauty is too expensive.

It’s true that there has been harsh environmental criticism of golf. Vibrant turf and well-kept fairways are not natural. For upkeep, they need fertilizer, pesticides, and water. Groundwater near Florida golf courses has been found to be contaminated with pesticides, demonstrating how maintenance practices can negatively impact local ecosystems (U.S. Geological Survey, 1995). The sport appears wasteful because golf courses in drier regions of the world can use millions of gallons of water every day. From that angle, it’s simple to see why some might believe that golf is bad for sustainability.

But at Furman, the golf course tells a more hopeful story. The fairways are surrounded by native trees, and it’s common to see waterfowl by the ponds or hawks gliding over the pines. Despite their apparent insignificance, these details show a growing movement to make golf

courses more ecologically conscious. According to research from the Stockholm Resilience Centre, courses that preserve natural areas and use native plants can actually increase biodiversity rather than decrease it (Colding & Folke, 2008). A comparable initiative at the Yahara Hills golf course in Madison, Wisconsin, restored oak savannas and prairies, reintroducing native species (City of Madison, 2025). If handled properly, golf can be a part of the solution rather than the enemy of the environment.

One of the main issues facing golf courses is ater use, but many are adjusting. According to the United States Golf Association (USGA), more than 60% of American golf courses currently employ drought-resistant grasses, efficient irrigation, and recycled water (USGA, 2023). Similar sustainable practices are used on the Furman course, such as native vegetation surrounding ponds to reduce runoff and controlled irrigation zones. These kinds of efforts show that golf can move away from wastefulness toward real conservation.

 

            Golf is also taking steps to address climate change. Research by Bekken and Soldat (2021) found that while maintenance activities release some emissions, trees, turfgrass, and other vegetation can offset a large portion of that carbon when managed properly. Some courses are even switching to electric equipment and renewable energy sources. Beyond that, courses create green spaces that lower surrounding temperatures and improve air quality: benefits that matter a lot in increasingly urbanized areas (USGA, 2023).

Not everyone is persuaded, of course. Some continue to contend that the planet suffers as a result of golf’s obsession with perfection, which includes lush greens, spotless sand traps, and exquisite ponds. Deforestation and chemicals were major components of older courses. However, things are beginning to change. Pesticide use has significantly decreased as a result of the widespread adoption of organic fertilizers and integrated pest management (IPM) (USDA, 2024). In order to avoid the need for complete deforestation, new courses are frequently constructed on previously developed or degraded land (Colding & Folke, 2008). Golf’s image of wastefulness is gradually giving way to one of renewal and restoration.

The Furman course’s ability to unite people is what I appreciate most about it being close by. It is a part of the community and not just a place to play. According to Sustainable Golf (2024), a lot of courses now offer community service projects and environmental education programs that help link leisure with accountability. Living in the Cabin and occasionally going to the Furman Golf Course has made me realize that sustainability isn’t always about sacrificing something; sometimes it’s about reevaluating what we already have.

The elegance of golf and its environmental challenges don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The development of the sport demonstrates that when people care enough to make them work together, leisure and sustainability can coexist. Golf courses like Furman’s can change from being representations of excess to being models of balance by increasing biodiversity, conserving water, lowering emissions, and encouraging community involvement. The course next door serves as a reminder to those of us in the Greenbelt that progress, not perfection, is what true sustainability is all about. By deciding to “swing in sustainability,” we’re not only enhancing our performance but also making an investment in the wellbeing of the planet where we play.

 

References:

Bekken, M., & Soldat, D. (2021). The Climate Impact of Golf Courses: Carbon Emissions and Management.
City of Madison. (2025). Advancing Golf Course Ecological Stewardship.
Colding, J., & Folke, C. (2008). The Role of Golf Courses in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management.Stockholm Resilience Centre.

Furman Golf Club. (n.d.). Golf Course in Greenville, SC | Public Golf Course. Accessed October 9, 2025, https://www.furmangolfclub.com

Hoover Pumping Systems. (n.d.). Golf course irrigation trends to watch in 2024. Accessed October 9, 2025
Peña, C., et al. (2023). Environmental Impacts by Golf Courses and Strategies to Minimize Them.
Sustainable Golf. (2024). Community Engagement Through Sustainable Course Management.
United States Geological Survey (USGS). (1995). Pesticide Contamination in Groundwater at Florida Golf Courses.
United States Golf Association (USGA). (2023). Golf Course Environmental Benefits and Best Management Practices.

U.S. Golf Association. (n.d.). Fore the golfer: Wildlife on golf courses. Accessed October 9, 2025

Soap Opera: Why Dishwashers Win the Sustainability Showdown

 

         Renovated in 2020, the Greenbelt community is home to The Cabin and The Cottage, each equipped with energy-saving features and awesome amenities like an awesome kitchen. One notable absence from the cabin, however, is the lack of a dishwasher. Hand washing dishes has long been seen as the more eco-conscious method of cleaning. However, modern dishwashers have shattered this longstanding myth. Studies show that today’s energy-efficient dishwashers use significantly less water and energy than handwashing, even when factoring in small loads. This surprising reality makes dishwashers not just a convenience but a tool for sustainable living. In this blog, I will explain why Furman should implement dishwashers in the Greenbelt houses in order to truly follow through on the sustainability claims that we make.

            The cabin piles up dishes in the sink at an enormous rate. Whether it is from ramen cravings late at night or having tons of people over who need cups for their drinks, dishwashing stays in high demand. This means long shifts spent scrubbing away in the kitchen that result in high water usage. One of the most compelling environmental advantages of using a modern dishwasher lies in its efficient water usage. Hand-washing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water per session, depending on the duration and flow rate of the faucet. In contrast, Energy Star-certified dishwashers use as little as 3-5 gallons per cycle, regardless of load size. This drastic reduction is achieved through advanced spray mechanisms, filtration systems, and water recycling technology that ensure maximum cleaning power with minimal waste. Over time, this efficiency translates to significant water savings, especially in water-scarce areas or during drought seasons. By reducing water consumption without sacrificing cleanliness, dishwashers present a clear win for both the environment and resource-conscious households. On top of the ecological benefits, implementing Energy Star-certified dishwashers would pay for itself over time. On average, the cost for a dishwasher with installation falls around $1200. Throughout its life, the dishwashers would save approximately $3200 in energy compared to hand washing, so the initial payment can be justified financially.

 

The average range to install a new

dishwasher is ~$1000 – $1500.

            With the implementation of dishwashers, maximizing their cost-effectiveness and environmental impact is essential, and many students might not be informed on how to accomplish that. Providing a guide on how to use each dishwasher most effectively is a good idea to help ignorant students. This should include a strong suggestion to scrape plates before racking them in the washer and only running it when it is fully loaded to minimize the number of washes, which reduces energy cost and the lifetime of the machine.

            It would certainly be an investment for Furman and there are some small downsides like the occasional repair that will need to be done and the space that having a dishwasher takes up, but with the new renovations to North Village, now seems like the right time for Furman to take a step towards a more sustainable campus.

 

References-

“Is It Greener to Hand Wash or Use a Dishwasher?” Green Choices,

https://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/at-home/is-it-greener-to-hand-wash-or-use-a-dishwasher.

“How Much Does Dishwasher Installation Cost?” Angi,

            www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-dishwasher-installation-cost.htm#.

“How Much Water Does a Dishwasher Use?” Home Matters,

www.ahs.com/home-matters/quick-tips/how-much-water-does-a-dishwasher-use/.