Author: Chloe Sandifer-Stech

This semester I’m working as the Student Podcast Fellow for the Shi Institute’s Podcast: “Upstate Anecdotes”. I’ve never done anything with podcasting, so I’m super excited to learn the ins and outs of audio storytelling while delivering stories about lesser known sociological and ecological issues around Greenville.

The first project topic I will be researching is the development of Unity Park in Greenville. Unity Park is a 60 ace park being developed west of downtown Greenville, encompassing Mayberry Park and the former Meadowbrook Park. The park is part of the city’s strategic mission to balance Greenville’s downtown development with ample green space, which includes a comprehensive environmental management plan to ensure the park does not interfere with biodiversity and ecosystem processes of the area.

The major environmental initiatives contacts and other stakeholders are pursing involves river restoration and tree planting. Harper General Contractors, the major constructing firm involved in the park’s development, are removing invasive tree species from Reedy River Bank and replacing with native vegetation. Trees on the bank of the Reedy river currently are mostly non-native species- distributed by birds and other animals involved in distributing their seeds. These non-native tees are preventing natural tees, like oaks, magnolias, cede, and sycamore trees, from prospering and participating in regulating the natural riparian ecosystem.  The city has also made a commitment that for every tree removed, two or three will be planted. Having more trees along the bank will also prevent the possibility of bank failure, helping to maintain the aesthetic of the park while protecting species that live in the river.

Some environmental enhancements are also being built for practical purposes of storm protection. Designers are creating a drainage system to reduce floodwaters in the park and surrounding neighborhood of Southernside. The city is constructing landscaped depressions that will be filled with sandy soil and plants to filter runoff before it reaches the river in order to reduce the bank from eroding, improve water quality, and overall recharges the water table. Benches built around the riverbank will also create more surface area for water flow during flood events. The park is also developing the Swamp Rabbit Tail to extend its connectivity throughout the park to provide access from the park into downtown area and back.

The park is set to open in spring of 2022, and I know that I am excited for what the park will be. I love exploring the natural areas around Greenville, maybe this park will add to my inventory of favorite spots!

For more information, check out:

https://www.thestate.com/news/upstate/article247169171.html

https://gsabusiness.com/news/architecture/79758/

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2018/05/17/greenville-new-park-unity-park-tower-pedestrian-bridge-trail-river/615648002/

By Chloe Sandifer-Stech

If you know me, I have always fiercely defended my caffeine addiction. In fact, one of my first concerns living in the Greenbelt was how I was going to get my daily cup of joe now that I was further from the dining hall (flash forward I purchased my very own Keurig, which now my current prize possession). I always said that as long as my caffeine addiction was not hurting me or others, I didn’t see a real problem with it.

However, ever since my Lifestyle Project this semester I’ve been thinking more about the long-term effects of my actions. One of the category’s I chose was to be vegan several days out of the week. I already eat mostly plant-based, but I wanted to challenge myself further to cut out all animal products completely. Changing my eating habits made me think critically about the environmental imprint of my food: Where was it sourced? How much water was used to make this? Were farmers and workers paid fairly? I started to examine my food choices outside of just animal products, which fed my curiosity about the sustainability of coffee.

One lesser-known sustainability concern about coffee is the method it is grown. Beginning in the 1970s, the rising global demand shifted coffee cultivation from traditional shade-grown farms to farms exposed to direct sunlight in order to increase yield and profit. Sun-grown coffee transforms the plantations into monocrop cultures, a practice which significantly weakens the productivity and health of the soil. In response, farmers are required to use additional chemical fertilizers and protect from pests and diseases that are more prevalent from lack of tree cover. Deforestation and fertilizers disrupt the biodiversity and nutrient cycles of the natural ecosystems, and thus farmers often have to clear large areas of forest to keep up with this farming practice. Specifically in Central America, around 2.5 million acres of forest have been lost to sun cultivation due to the $100 billion dollar annual coffee industry.

One of the easiest ways to ensure you are buying sustainably sourced coffee is to look for the Rainforest Alliance certification on packaging. The Rainforest Alliance ensures that coffee farms meet certain social, economic, and environmental criteria. The certification ensures that coffee farms do not pose a significant threat biodiversity, maintain fertile soils and clean waterways, and pay farmers proper wages. So, next time you shop for coffee, look out for the green logo! Some well-known coffee brands that are rainforest alliance certified include Caribou Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee, and Dunkin Donuts. Personal actions also go a long way in reducing the environmental impact of your morning joe. Buying reusable k-cups as well as composting your coffee groups helps to reduce waste and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Coffee addictions are okay, but make it sustainable!

Sources

1. Find Certified Products: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified?location=330&category=130&product=144&keyword=&page=2
2. How Green is Your Coffee? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/oct/04/green-coffee
3. Sun-grown vs. Shade Grown: How it Impacts the Environment and the Farmers: https://www.dlgcoffee.org/news/2017/4/6/coffee-cultivation-sun-grown-shade-grown-and-how-it-impacts-the-environment-and-the-farmers#:~:text=Beginning%20in%20the%201970’s%20the,ecosystem%20and%20on%20coffee%20quality
4. Coffee and it’s Impact of People, Animals, and the Planet: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/coffee-and-its-impact-on-people-animals-and-the-planet/