Category: Uncategorized

-Olivia Pulliam

Ever since I can remember, I have had bird feeders everywhere within sight. My grandmother taught me about the beauty of birds. They have the freedom to fly anywhere, yet they stay grounded in one territory for most of the year. I am fascinated by their choices. It brings me peace to just sit and watch them.

Since being at Furman, I have become to be known as Snow White or the Swamp Queen. I take pride in each of these titles. Like Snow White, I feel a connection towards nature. I believe it is my duty to educate

Right now, I have three bird feeders outside the Cabin. Each feeder has a different purpose.

 

 

 

First, I have what is called a hopper feeder. This is a feeder with a middle storage system that dispences the seeds at the base through openings. This feeder is easy for birds and squirrels to eat from. This type of bird feeder is great for beginners because it is easy to refill and will hold most types of seeds.

The bird at the feeder is a Tufted Titmouse. His name is Peter because his call sounds like peter-peter-peter.

 

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Next, I have a seed cake feeder. These feeders are typically metal cages that hold the seed cakes. As you can see in this picture, the seeds are all stuck together. This is because instead of loose seeds, this feeder is filled with a type of condensed cake that is typically filled with berries and seeds.

The bird shown in the picture on the left is a House Finch. It has a unique stocky beak that is characteristic of finches. Her name is Darla.

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Finally, I have a nectar feeder. These feeders are targetted toward hummingbirds. They are typically a glass bottle attached to fake flowers. The opening in these flowers is only big enough for a hummingbird’s slim beak. The flowers are typically red. Hummingbirds can see color and are most attracted to red.

The bird in the picture to the left is a rufous hummingbird. His name is Buzz-Lightyear.

 

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How to Make Bird Food

Nectar: When making the nectar you need 1 part sugar and 4 parts water. It is important to change the nectar out every four or five days because it can mold. Mold is harmful to all birds.

Bird Cake:

• ¾ cup white or wheat flour
• 3 cups bird seed mix
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup raw peanuts
• ½ cup water (boiling)
• ¼ ounce unflavored gelatin
• 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup

Bird Seed:

Different types of birds are attracted to different seeds and berries. If you are trying to attract a certain type of bird you can use food that they prefer. Sunflower seeds are liked by most birds so they are a great seed to use in every feeder.

You can make bird food out of kitchen scraps too. Here is what not and what you can safely feed birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

Ta. (2019, March 05). Types of bird feeders. Retrieved September 26, 2020, from https://www.welcomewildlife.com/types-of-bird-feeders/

1, J. (2019, July 17). How To Make Your Own Customized Bird Seed Blend! Retrieved September 26, 2020, from https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/how-to-make-your-own-customized-bird-seed-blend/

Mayntz, M. (n.d.). What Kitchen Scraps Can You Feed Birds? Retrieved September 26, 2020, from https://www.thespruce.com/kitchen-scraps-to-feed-birds-386571

By Calla Pederson

If you know me, you know that I’m always found with a mouth full of gum – it’s basically a personality trait at this point, an extension of myself. I feel incredibly lucky that my environmental-scientist parents instilled pretty sustainable habits within me, so when I decided to go landfill-waste-free for a few days, the only thing I really had to cut out was my gum-chomping habit. Recently, I saw a video on TikTok (by @chessi) about gum’s adverse environmental and health effects, which I had never considered and inspired me to look further into this routine of mine.

Chewing gum is the second most littered item on Earth, second only to cigarette butts! Chewing gum has long been a practice of humans, but Indigenous peoples chewed tree resin. The first manufactured gum was chicle-based. Chicle is tree sap from the Sapodilla tree.

Later, after gaining widespread popularity in the United States, the synthetic polymer polyisobutene replaced the more sustainable option. Other “gum bases” (aka plastics) include petroleum, polyethylene, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), or polyvinyl acetate and are linked to cancer and autoimmune disorders. It was found that high doses of the preservative BHT in animals causes cancer, but the FDA considers minimal doses safe. Titanium dioxide is used to whiten and smooth products, and in high doses, caused organ and nervous system damage in rats. Goodyear, yes that Goodyear – the tire company – manufactures most gum bases. Chronic gum-chewing is also linked to IBS and jaw issues.

Gum doesn’t fully break down in the highly acidic environment of the stomach, so it definitely doesn’t in the environment around us. People chew (and throw away – or litter) 560,000 tons of gum annually. The good news is there are some gum recycling companies and startups out there, such as UK-based startup Gum Drop and Terracycle in the US and Mexico. They turn gum into pencils, shoe soles, and coffee cups. However, this does mean that the gum must be properly recycled, and it’s already difficult enough to ensure that regular recycling gets… recycled appropriately. Removing littered gum from city streets also costs more than a pretty penny – about $3 per piece!

Long story short, Healthline says gum does no severe damage to your health (you can be the judge of that), but the environment is another story. Another thing I have focused on a lot recently is sustainable habits. Over the past few gumless days, I have noticed I feel more present and conscious of the task at hand, which is strange because I always chewed gum to help myself focus and manage stress and anxiety. I’m not going to lie – the first day was definitely a struggle! If you still can’t kick your gum addiction, opt for natural, chicle-based gum, or better yet, buy all-natural mints in bulk and refill an old Altoids container with them. Time to get gum out of Mother Earth’s hair!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credits: https://www.amazon.com/Sapodilla-Manilkara-zapota-Organic-Tropical/dp/B07CRMWFBM

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chewing-gum-good-or-bad#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/this-is-what-your-chewing-gum-habit-is-doing-to-the-environment_uk_5aec2613e4b041fd2d253823https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/science/the-green-lantern-is-chewing-gum-bad-for-the-environment/2011/03/29/AFrVjO1D_story.html

Small Changes—Big Difference
Claire Maybin

Living in the Greenbelt this past year has encouraged me to make more sustainable choices in my everyday life. Now, the challenge is taking the habits that became norms in the Greenbelt and continuing them while at home and wherever we each may live next. It is not likely that everyone in the word will become a vegetarian, or commit to zero waste, or strive to live a carbon neutral life, but there are small changes that everyone can do that cumulatively can make a big difference. Many of these initiatives that revolve around emissions, pollution, waste, etc., are trying to address huge systems that are interconnected and often difficult to present solutions. Waste, for instance, is not simply the discards of individual mass consumption it also comprises the waste generated at each phase of production, in mines or fields, in factories and shops, all of which far exceed consumer waste—and a few small changes can decrease that supply chain and production chain, reducing waste, and the products you choose can also decrease your waste footprint.

One initiative I have been particularly fond of embracing has been sustainable beauty products! I have recently started using a shampoo bar from lush, replacing large clunky plastic containers with this small little coffee infused bar. Lush, a cosmetic brand, pride themselves in their handmade products that are sourced ethically and are offered without any plastic packaging. Their shampoo bars are concentrated shampoo so a little goes a long way; one bar could equal up to three bottles of liquid shampoo. This is just a small change but think about the huge difference it would make if everyone used bar shampoos! Second, I ditched the liquid body wash and liquid hand soap, and both were replaced with good old fashion bar soap. My favorite has been Red Clay Soap from a local goat farm in the Traveler’s Rest area. This sweet soap contains up to 25% goat milk in each bar. The great thing about goat milk is that it is loaded with natural acids, vitamins and minerals making it the perfect exfoliator and moisturizer. Again, a simple switch but one that cumulatively makes a significant difference. Bar soaps and bar shampoos use little to no packaging and do not contain harmful chemicals that other liquid alternatives may. One small step towards less waste, a successful step towards sustainability.

Goat Milk Soap, Handmade Goat Milk Soap. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.redclaysoap.com/

Lush Shampoo Bars. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lushusa.com/hair/shampoo-bars/

Murray, R. (2002). Zero waste. London: Greenpeace Environmental Trust.

By: Rebecca Hearn

As we are all staying home during this time, many people have been finding unique ways to stay entertained. People have been doing puzzles, organizing their rooms, and even dyeing their hair. Another thing people have been doing to fill up their time at home is to tie dye their clothes. While you can order synthetic dye kits off of the internet, you can also dye your clothes with regular household foods and food scraps. Natural dyes are an awesome new hobby to discover while practicing social distancing at home, and it is a hobby that I have learned a lot about lately. Natural dye is a more sustainable option than synthetic dyes because you are using natural materials, and often food scraps, that you would otherwise just be composting, like avocado pits (which create a beautiful pink dye). Creating dyes from food is a creative way to upcycle and be sustainable and it can leave you with a beautiful product that you can be proud to say you created.

There are many tutorials on natural dyes that provide helpful visuals and information. Rather than repeating their instructions, I want to point you towards the information I found most helpful and provide the tips that I learned in my own journey of using natural dyes.

The first thing I learned was that natural fibers hold color much better. My best and most vibrant color pay off came from using cotton.

I also learned to take instructions seriously when they tell you to treat your fabric with Alum or sodium bicarbonate. These can easily be found in most houses or ordered, but using it really does make a difference in the pay off you get.

Additionally, the methods of doing this are not going to give you a typical tie dye pattern, so don’t expect a widely colorful spiral. But, you can bunch your fabric together and secure it with rubber bands to get some variety and added texture.

Most importantly, be patient, some parts of this process may seem tedious, and they might not make sense, but for the best results you should take your time. What else is there to do!

tutorials and resources for natural dyes:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fImpanUPjS8

Natural Colors

2. http://www.allnaturaldyeing.com/natural-dye-colors/

3. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-naturally-dye-using-foods

 

 

By Charlotte Moore

A few weeks ago, my family and I took a trip to New York City.  While we were there, we visited the Guggenheim Museum, where we were lucky to experience the “Countryside, The Future” exhibit that told the stories of rural innovations across the globe.  One of these particularly struck me: the Dutch concept of pixel farming. As a member of a peculiar subset of the human family who happens to adore math, I was struck by its attempt to combine Cartesian models with agriculture.

So, what is pixel farming?  Simply put, it is a solution to the problems created by agricultural monocultures.  When one crop is grown across thousands of neighboring acres, it creates more than a handful of problems.  The single crop attracts only a few species of insects, and thus pesticides and insecticides must be used. The crop depletes the soil, and the area’s biodiversity decays rapidly.  Cultivating these massive plots contributes to CO2 emissions and both air and water pollution.  

Pixel farming combats all these adverse effects.  A pixel farm looks like exactly what it sounds like: a grid of pixels, each representing a different crop.  At Campus Almwerk, the world’s first pixel farm, in the Netherlands, the nine-hectare farm is divided into 2 foot-by-2 foot plots.  Each plot is planted with a different crop, and its placement in the field is deliberately considered through analysis of other nearby crops and their root systems, soil preferences, and growth patterns.  The arrangement of plots is designed to test how the intimate proximity of different crops affects the crops’ interaction and the ecological balance of the farm.

And it has had drastic results.  Campus Almwerk has seen an increase in biodiversity and a 50% increase in crop yield.  The variety of crops attracts a diverse insect population that eliminates the need for insecticides, reducing the farm’s contribution to water pollution.  Planting similar crops apart from one another has also dramatically dampened the spread of disease among crop varieties. All these benefits lead to only one natural conclusion: is this the future of agriculture?

What is even more interesting and revolutionary about Campus Almwerk is its digitization.  The plots are planted, weeded, and harvested by an autonomous robot that controls the entire process.  Through onboard data analytics, it can adapt plots as needed. Additionally, the robot allows local consumers who have bought a plot to view their crops like a real-time, real-life version of FarmVille.

Although I find pixel farming incredibly fascinating and am interested in seeing how it affects farming going forward, I can’t help but wonder how it is affecting humankind’s relationship with the natural world.  On one hand, pixel farming appears to be a return to the sporadic nature of wild plant growth. After all, it is increasing variety and biodiversity and reducing the ecological impact of the farm. However, it also appears to be a meticulous attempt to control nature, to force it to work for humans instead of allowing it to act of its own volition, removing its surprises and spontaneity.  Maybe that’s not a bad thing, or maybe it is. I suppose it’s for humanity as a whole to decide. Going forward, how are we going to change our natural world? More importantly, will we allow it to change us?

 

 

Engwerda, Jan. “Pixel Farming: ‘Plots’ of 10 by 10 Centimeters.” Future Farming, Future Farming, 3 Feb. 2020.

Koekkoek, Arend. Pixel Farming: Farming in a digital era. July 2018. PowerPoint Presentation.

“Rem Koolhaas and AMO Explore Radical Change in the World’s Nonurban Territories in the Guggenheim Exhibition Countryside, The Future.”  Guggenheim Museum, February 2020.

Ryan Singer

Butterflies are essential insects as both predator and prey within the food chain. Bats and birds rely on the adult butterflies as well as caterpillars as a food source. Butterflies eat a variety of plants and nectar. Besides being food for other animals, the butterfly eats a variety of insects. As a caterpillar, they eat aphids. They are important components of a thriving ecosystem.

Pollinating flowers, especially red or yellow ones with a strong scent, is an important role that butterflies play within the ecosystem. Several plant species rely on the butterfly for pollination, like milkweed. Pollen collects on the body as the butterfly is feeding on nectar and is transferred from plant to plant as it moves from flower to flower.

Scientists monitor butterflies as indicators of climate change. Certain butterflies have shifted their distribution further north and to higher elevations as a result of an increase in temperature. Declining populations as a result of climate change, affects birds, other insects, and small mammals when they lose their food source and must eat less desirable or less available species. In addition to indicating climate change, butterflies are sensitive to habitat destruction and can be an indicator of the future effects of habitat loss on other animals.

We as a society can accommodate the butterfly’s habitat loss by creating gardens within our own yards to attract butterflies. Providing sunny areas for butterflies to warm up and bask and a shallow water source such as a birdbath will help combat the loss of natural habitats. The following list of plants is an excellent selection of butterfly attractors.

Butterfly bush, Phlox, Bluestar, Coneflower, Pot Marigolds, Black-Eyed Susan, Blazing Star, Heliotrope, Lavender, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Flossflower, Chocolate Cosmos, Agapanthus, Aster, Salvia, Sea Holly, Hollyhocks, Sunflower, Sedum, Goldenrod, Allium, Joe-Pye Weed, Cardinal Flower, Penta, and Lantana.

Planting a variety of these in several locations throughout your yard will encourage butterflies to move in permanently. They need nectar as well as warmth and room to fly. Research the planting zone you live in and use native species that provide food for the caterpillar stage of its life cycle. If you do not have a yard, window boxes or potted plants on a patio will still provide butterflies a place to thrive. Even leaving fallen fruit on the ground or on top of the compost heap will provide butterflies with the necessary sugar they crave in late summer.

Leave an area of the yard “wild” to provide larvae with the grasses and weeds they need to grow. Furthermore, avoid pesticides that are harmful to butterflies. Plants bought from the garden center may also have been treated. Try to buy organic plants instead. Create a shelter for butterflies by planting larger leaf species such as trees and shrubs. When the weather turns from sunny to stormy, they will have a place to hide.

Landscaping with native plants is a sustainable practice that requires fewer resources. Native plants are better adapted to their climate and are natural hosts to butterflies. Butterfly gardens provide colorful flowers that draw the interest of humans which result is a greater awareness of the environment and a better understanding of our role in preserving natural habitats.

 

Sources:

https://sciencing.com/plants-animals-germany-6775765.html

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/flowers/butterfly-garden-flowers-pictures

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/gardeners-guide-to-butterflies.html

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/benefits-butterfly-gardens-environment-50693.html

          

 

This is a solstice wreath that I created with my mother using wire, several pieces of silver ribbon, and natural leaves and branches collected from my backyard. The main foundation of the wreath is made of evergreen branches, a flora which represents the everlasting life of the earth. The ‘garnish’ interspersed around the wreath is a mix of holly and oak leaves representing fertility and wisdom, respectively, and at the bottom tied with silver ribbon is some rosemary for remembrance and home.

The purpose of the solstice wreath, which is a part of many pagan belief systems and ancient indigenous traditions, is to honor the cycle of light and darkness that dictates the seasons and to celebrate life, family, and the giving nature of the earth. I created it, and chose to create it with my family (my mom), to represent how our values and our aesthetic can reflect a positive view of the earth as a giver and make art more sustainable. Because it serves a spiritual function as well as an aesthetic one it is not a materialist or consumerist piece but a functional artistic expression. In addition, a wreath is often hung on the front door of a home and in that way it represents values of family and natural harmony over individualism and fabricated aestheticism. Even the shape is reminiscent of sustainable values; of a closed, waste-less economy, the Raworth doughnut, a feedback loop, arms looped in a hug, our earth.

Addison Smith

In 2015, the United Nations along with 193 nations welcomed the Sustainable Development Goals. Pope Francis, Nobel Peace Laureate Malala, and superstar Shakira came to the UN and pleaded for a world free from poverty, inequality, and climate change. Their emotional speeches and songs struck excitement around the world, as hope emerged from this agreement. By 2030, these goals, to name a few, seek to eliminate poverty and hunger, promote quality education for all, and eradicate the effects of climate change. However, after the agreement was signed, many argued that the goals were too idealistic or too unrealistic; others argued that these goals did not go far enough. We are now five years into the agreement– is the world on track to eradicate poverty, hunger, and climate change by 2030? Does the SDG excitement still exist? The answers to these questions are ambiguous, as the world is on track to accomplish some goals, while extremely behind in attempting to accomplish others. However, holistically, the world is not on track to accomplish the SDGs. We must take decisive action to change our course.

Michael Green, an economist and CEO of Social Progress Imperative, forecasts the world’s progress towards these goals based on economic modeling. According to his predictions, there is only one country in the world that is projected to accomplish all 17 goals—Denmark (The Future). It is worrisome to think that 193 nations signed an agreement, but only one signer is projected to accomplish the outlined goals. According to Green, based on the current track, the world will not accomplish the 17 SDG targets until 2094— that is 64 years after 2030 (The Future). What is the world doing? Did these 193 nations actually expect to accomplish these goals? If so, it clear that the world must change its trajectory.

According to the SDG tracker, the world is progressing in terms of eradicating hunger, providing accessible healthcare, and providing clean water and sanitation. In fact, the world could accomplish ninety percent of these three areas by 2030 (“SDG Tracker”). Green argues that if the world could change its trajectory, these three SDGs could be accomplished completely. However, he makes it clear that the world is not progressing towards the SDGs pertaining to inclusiveness and gender equality. In fact, he says that the world is actually declining. According to the SDG tracker, the percentage of domestic violence has increased worldwide; the discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community has increased, and number of childhood marriages has increased (“SDG Tracker). The SDGs are grounded in the idea that no one is left behind. The world cannot not choose some SDGs to target while neglecting others. If no one is going to be left behind, the world must works towards all of the SDGs.

It is evident that if the world expects to meet its projected goals, or even get close by 2030, the current trajectory must improve. It is time to realign the world’s investment in the SDGs. The large, powerful nations must first set the example. The G7 countries are considered the seven richest nations in the world, and, unfortunately, they are all failing to accomplish the outlined goals. They have the resources to eradicate poverty, inequality, and climate change in their nations, yet they are not investing the necessary time or money to hold up their end of the bargain. How can developing nations be expected to meet the SDGs, when the most economically powerful countries in the world are failing to do so?

Ultimately, the 193 nations that agreed to the SDGs must do better. We must rekindle the excitement and enthusiasm that we had in 2015. We CAN accomplish these goals. We CAN eradicate poverty, hunger, inequality, and climate change. Frankly, time is running out; we HAVE to accomplish these goals. Our world depends it—our livelihood depends on it.

Citations:

“About the SDG Tracker – SDG Tracker.” Our World in Data. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2020.

The Future: The Global Goals We’ve Made Progress On– and the Ones We Haven’t. Perf. Michael Green. TED. TED, Sept. 2018. Web. 01 Mar. 2020.

“Sustainable Development Goals.:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.” United Nations. United Nations, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2020.

 

Ethan Gallagher

1/31/2020

This past year, I got to travel to Nashville for a school event, and one of the places on our itinerary was the city’s music city center. With this beautiful architectural piece being “1.2 million square feet” (nashvillemusiccitycenter.com) and home to many unique art pieces that would make an art gallery in and of itself, the awe-inspiring building does not stop at that. More impressively, this building “has been awarded LEED¬Æ Gold certification for New Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system is a globally recognized symbol of excellence in green buildings” (nashvillemusiccitycenter.com). This impressive accomplishment is not only a huge deal for architecture but for the sustainability community and environmentalists. 

As we dug more and more into this building throughout the day, I saw a lot of aspects that really made this building stand out and live up to its LEED Gold certification. One of the really impressive parts of the building was the green roof which “is the largest in the Southeastern United States, is composed of 14 types of vegetation which slow rainwater runoff and direct it to a 360,000-gallon collection tank. Harvested rainwater is used to flush over 500 toilets and irrigate outdoor landscaping. The vegetated roof also cools the exhibit hall below and the air around it, reducing HVAC loads and initial equipment size” (clarkconstruction.com). This had to be one of the coolest things I have ever seen in a building. I had never seen anything remotely like it before.

                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a part of this certification, we were told that this certification recognizes five key areas of environmental health being, “sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality” (nashvillemusiccitycenter.com). With these accomplishments, the facility is able to save a lot of money on resources and do so by creating as little of a carbon footprint as possible. Some other key pieces to this are that the building is successful in, “Reducing portable water use by using high-efficiency flush and low-plumbing fixtures, implementing LED fixtures to promote interior lighting energy savings […] using low-emitting materials for adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring products, and composite wood products and furniture, and using recycled content in materials (Zork).

Along with the LEED Gold Certification, the Nashville Music City Center has also been Eat REAL Certified, a member of Corporate Sustainability Roundtable, Get Food Smart, Nashville’s Food Waste Initiative, and is a recipient of the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award (nashvillemusiccitycenter.com). This stop on our trip was definitely my favorite, and it is so inspiring to see a highly successful center of such a large size achieve these outstanding sustainability goals. Being that I want to one day pursue commercial real estate and development, this initiative inspires me to reach the same goals in future projects across the U.S. I hope to see the success of this building start a trend for developers to start in many cities around the world, and help produce a more green and eco-friendly city environment.

 

Sources:

 

“Creating Noteworthy Experiences.” Nashvillemusiccitycenter.com, www.nashvillemusiccitycenter.com/.

“Music City Center Earns LEED Gold Certification.” Music City Center Earns LEED Gold Certification | Clark Construction, 22 July 2011, www.clarkconstruction.com/news/music-city-center-earns-leed-gold-certification.

Zork, Condy. “Nashville’s Bridgestone Tower Achieves LEED Gold (USGBC Tennessee).” U.S. Green Building Council, 8 Jan. 2019, www.usgbc.org/articles/nashville%E2%80%99s-bridgestone-tower-achieves-leed-gold-usgbc-tennessee. 

Pictures from www.nashvillemusiccitycenter.com as well as my own