Furman Greenbelt Sustainable Living Community

College life is intensive and tough. We need to study every single day from Monday to Friday. By the evening we would be tired, irritable and unable to concentrate. Then, we sleep during the night without foods. The first thing in the morning when we wake up is to have breakfast—breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

The best thing of living in the Greenbelt from the daily life perspective for me is to have a kitchen in the house. I am a breakfast person, so I need to take time to sit down and have a nice first meal of the day before undertaking the day’s work. With the nice little kitchen in our house, I can start my day with a nutritional breakfast. I enjoy preparing my breakfast every because I can eat different things—vegetable smoothies, low-cal pancake, oatmeal, fresh fruits, porridge, etc. I feel fulfilled and happy everyday walking to classrooms.

In addition, Greenbelt housing has really good views. I live right beside the Swan lake. I can see white and black swans, ducks, and fish everyday. This lively scenery every morning makes my day. Especially if the previous night rains, the air is really fresh in the morning. Then, I can see folks from the campus and the greater Greenville community walking, biking, or relaxing. I feel that I live in a lively community and everyday is a better start.

-Tingyu Wang

 

Living in Greenbelt always makes me consider if there is anything I could do to be more sustainable. Following the living guide strictly is not easy, because it changes our previous habits. Although it needs time to develop a new sustainable living way, I am willing to have a try.

Drying machines cost lots of energy. Although they saved time, they are not necessary in every situation. This semester, I try to reduce the use of the drying machine if I can use the drying racks. Sometimes, drying racks could even reach better result than drying machines do. For example, some sweaters, and clothes made from silk and cashmere are more suitable for drying racks than drying machines. Drying machine will make damage on clothes, like shrinking… Also, I’ll use drying racks for clothes that I would not wear for next couple days.

Also, I reduced the use of the refrigerator. I used to have a habit that I put almost everything in the refrigerator no matter the package is opened or not, even it is not necessary to do it. Now I would carefully read the instruction at the back of package to see if I could store it in a cool place instead of the refrigerator. For example, I will put the unopened milk, grains, cereals, and nuts in a cool place.

-Ruiwei Gao

Pollinators in the US have been in crisis for more than a decade. Bee populations in particular have plummeted by 87 percent since the 1990s. As one of the Obama Administration’s last environmental moves, the rusty patched bumblebee became the first bee in the United States to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. As bees and pollinators face endangerment, agriculture in the U.S. faces dire losses, as bees alone contribute more than $15 billion to U.S. crop production. But there are many ways individuals can make a difference and help save the bees, and much of the following information is recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service.

 

Plant a Pollinator Garden

Creating natural habitats for pollinators is a great way to combat habitat loss and create safe spaces for species like the bumblebee. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Pick plants that bloom at various times of year, so your garden always has attractions for pollinators. Late winter is a good time to sow seeds for spring and summer, and bulbs planted in autumn will also begin growth in spring. Once the soil warms, sunflowers can grow easily throughout the year, especially if they’re cut back annually.
• Plant in clumps rather than isolated stalks, and try varying the types and colors of the flowers. The  NAPPC’s Pollinator Syndrome table lists the types of flowers that attract what pollinators (including bats, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, etc.). Bees in particular see in ultraviolet, so red flowers are indistinguishable from green and therefore harder to recognize. Bees are more often attracted to Yellow, white, violet, purple, and blue flowers.
• Native flowers are always a good choice because they are familiar to your local pollinator populations, and may be chosen as larval hosts. Field guides are great resources to tell you what plants butterflies eat at various larval stages, and the NAPPC’s Ecoregional Planting Guides. identify pollinator friendly plants. In addition, certain plants like milkweed will attract pollinators (in this case monarch butterflies). Local wildflower mixes are great choices, because they include plants familiar to bees, are varied, will grow in clumps, and are adapted to your local climate; they often simulate natural meadow habitats for pollinators.
• Leaving a few weeds here and there can also attract pollinators, as weeds are often local species of flowers. Letting your grass grow naturally is a great way to give pollinators shelter and natural habitat while also cutting down on herbicides.
• Birdbaths and other sources of isolated water will also attract bees, especially in the summer, and if you change it occasionally, you won’t have mosquito problems.
• Border fruits and vegetables with native flowers to improve pollination of your crops and support bees when crops aren’t blooming; this also attracts other pollinators such as wasps and hover flies that control crop pests.

 

Create Nesting Sites for Bees

Bees nest in the ground or in dry wood/plants. They most nest alone, excluding bumble bees and non-native honey bees. In fact, while honeybees live in hives and colonies, 70 percent of bee species nest underground or in natural cavities. Bumble bees nest in natural cavities such as holes in the ground. To create nesting sites, maintain a small, undisturbed patch of dry, sparsely vegetated ground. Avoid mulch if possible. The more sun the better. Bees such as carpenter bees prefer dry wood, so consider leaving a log or two near your garden. You can also simulate natural habitats by drilling holes in preservative-free wood to create an artificial habitat. It will create an observable habitat for your local bees. Such habitats should be monitored, however, so that they do not become homes for non-native species that will compete with local bee species. You should also use an inner paper liner changed annually to prevent the spread of diseases between bee colonies (diseases are a key cause of colony collapse disorder).

 

Avoiding Pesticides

Pesticide residue can kill pollinators for days after its use, often killing the natural predators of pests and exacerbating the problem. Neonicotinoid pesticides, in particular, remain in the soil for years. They include imidacloprid, Acetimacloprid, Clothianidin, Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Dinotefuran and Nitenpyram. Such treatments are especially harmful if applied while flowers are in bloom, as they will contaminate pollen and nectar, eventually getting into honey, and then often consumed by humans. They are also one of the major culprits of Colony Collapse Disorder. To protect pollinators from pesticides, try alternative methods, such as removing pests by hand (using gloves – you can also spray aphids with water or use garlic to get rid of them), creating habitats for natural pest predators (like birdhouses), and learning about integrated pest management. If you do use pesticide, try using ones which target only one species and do not persist on plants. You can also use the lowest effective application rate and avoid spraying when flowers are blooming. Pollinators are least active in the late afternoon and evening, so this is a good time for pesticide application. Use sparingly, and choose liquid sprays or granules instead of dusts which contaminate other plants (Be conscious of the wind!). Keep pesticides away from water or sensitive habitats, and avoid micro-encapsulated formulations which can be mistaken for pollen by pollinators. Rinse your pesticide tanks to avoid cross-contamination.

 

More Ways to Help

• Eating organic is a great way to avoid supporting the use of Neonicotinoid pesticides. Supporting organic gardeners is supporting bees. (Fact: A significant challenge for beekeepers is making sure hives are in areas where there are no chemical sprays within 3 miles, as this is the only way to protect bees from pesticides an ensure truly organic honey.)
• Bees rarely sting, and if they become a problem, local bee keepers are often willing to help relocate the populations. Buying local honey is also a great way to support your local be populations.
• You can help bees in your state or city by contacting your representatives and using your power as a constituent to help save bees. Ask them to stop the use of pesticides in public spaces such as parks and promote the use of integrated pest management as well as wildflowers.

-Courtney Kratz

Furman has trees? Who knew??? Hopped up on Einstein’s coffee and DH cookies, rushing to Plyler to sit in lab for three hours, then to the library for a while to stare into a screen as the day darkens and the screen brightens, then back out again for an RLC meeting, and finally I plop into my bed around midnight to do it all over again tomorrow. This is the life of a Furman student, with some minor changes specific to each person. See, what I’ve noticed since being at Furman is that even though we have one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, we spend most of our time inside. Yea, I get my daily dose of the outdoors when I walk to class too, but is that really enough? Take one step onto Furman’s campus and you can see our multitude of trees that surround the campus, but where are all the people enjoying it?

And while the major talk at furms right now is why all the trees are being cut down I’m gonna talk about the ones that are already here. Just a stones throw away from our humble aboad (The Cabbage) is the lovely lake. And right beyond that is what I like to call the Furman Forest. With walking trails and hidden ponds, there’s a whole different world behind main campus. I’ve wandered around enough to find the serene walking trails that intertwine within the woods. And only a small sign points you in their direction, but once you’ve found the trails you can’t believe you’re still on a college campus. There’s no wifi, no buildings, no remnants of humanity besides maybe the trail itself, but somehow it’s still interesting. Taking a moment away from the craziness of Furman can actually calm you. Yea netflix helps too, but there’s something about the outdoors that takes your mind off the stress of classes. So if you want to kick back, relax and forget about your troubles for just a few minutes each day…meet me by the tree.

-Celia C

 

The world is dirty. Living in the cabins, and being exposed to the importance of sustainable living has made me change my perspective. My recent trip to Nepal, while inspiring, was also frustrating. The intense exposure to the trash on the streets, the face masks used to avoid inhaling pollution, and the stark smell that spreads through each village, each street, each home made me tilt my head to the side and question how Nepali people could treat the environment so poorly? Having taken many trips to India, I was surprised that I barely noticed the serious implications of living in such poor environments. Moreover, I realized that many other factors are involved in said environments. The problem is not as simple as it seems—I mean, if you see trash on the streets why don’t you just pick it up? Why don’t you have a trashcan? These questions lingered in my mind long after the trip ended. After digging a little deeper, I found the spider-web like complexities of poverty and pollution. Lacking government support, and having few NGO’s focused on sustainable living are just a part of the problem. Moreover, Nepal’s high poverty rates feeds back into the system/mindset “Why would I worry about potential lung cancer, when I probably won’t have dinner on the table tonight?” The major contradictions rose especially when I considered that two of the most prominent religions in Nepal are Hinduism and Buddhism; two religions that have deep roots in respecting nature. So then, how did living conditions drop drastically? What is the driving force that pulls people to respect certain aspects of religion, but neglect others? Do people even care about these issues? And if they don’t…then how do we get them to care? These thoughts and ideas while complex root from open conversations we have had as a Greenbelt Community. The drive to want to make impact in an underdeveloped country is an extension of the change agent I see in Dr. Dripps. The movement began long ago, but it stays ignited by weekly classes and constant motivation and empathy for the environment. 

-Juhee Bhatt

So in case you haven’t noticed, it has been unusually warm in Greenville over the past couple of weeks. This has given everyone a great chance to get outdoors in a time where it typically simply isn’t feasible. With the recent influx of warm weather, I have had a chance to get outside and enjoy the new renovations that have occurred around the lake this past semester. Although the renovations involved draining the lake and making my walk to class a relatively smelly and not aesthetically appealing one, the renovations have already proved worthwhile. The new dam, bridge, and planters have not only improved the aesthetic appeal on campus but have also began to improve the water quality of the lake. The new floating planters in the lake are meant to help clean the lake which will make a big difference in the ecosystem within the lake in the future. On the aesthetic side of the things, both the bridge and dam have drastically altered the area around the lake. It now looks cleaner cut.

-Bella Metts

Yes. You read that title right. The Cabbage has risen. What exactly is “The Cabbage” you may ask? The Cabbage is a nickname given to the eco-cottage. We are among one of the most sustainable cabins, 3/8 of our residents are vegetarian

I think we can all agree that being eco-friendly is a good thing. I can’t think of many arguments in the contrary; in “green” lifestyles, the positive aspects far outweigh any sort of negative ones. Why, then, is it so uncommon to see people actively pursuing greener lives?

There is a definite stigma that comes along with being an environmentalist (even casually). After all, if you care about the planet, you’re a tree-hugging hippie.

Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in the DH, a few students showed the estimated statistics of how much food waste Furman University produces during lunch. I originally showed up to support my roommate, Celia, who was one of the students involved; however, after looking at the numbers, I really began thinking about how much waste I personally produce. I do not go out and buy food only to let it rot in the refrigerator, but I know that I probably do take too many plates of food in the DH. Of course my intention is not bad, usually I just cannot decide or think I am really hungry, but that does not justify the amount of food that I do waste. It is time to be more conscientious. Here are some solutions that I plan to use in order to fix the problem. Take less food. There is no point in taking three plates of food when I probably will not eat it all.  More food is available, if the first plate was not enough. With that being said, take time eating. As I learned from the presentation, it takes twenty minutes for a person’s stomach to realize that it is full. Therefore, it is best to eat slowly so that I do not grab more food that I will not eat. I know that changing my habits alone will probably not have that much of an impact, but I am hoping that his blog post will inspire someone as Celia’s presentation inspired me.

Let’s talk about meat.

In January of 2016 I woke up and decided I was going to see how long I could go without eating meat. I had no reasons, no personal motivation, and no interest in the idea of being a vegetarian except I just wanted to test my own willpower. It wasn’t until I was wondering on the internet one day that I found the motherland of reasoning, motivation, and promotion of vegetarianism that made me decide I never wanted to eat meat again.

So let’s talk about meat and the environment.

WATER USAGE:
It takes an incredible amount of water to produce a single pound of meat. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to make one pound of meat, whereas it takes 244 gallons of water to make a pound of tofu. A cow being prepped for slaughter will drink an upwards of 50 gallons of water a day. If one person goes vegan, that person alone can save approximately 219,000 gallons of water a year.

POLLUTION:
Runoff from factory farms and grazing is one of the largest contributors to pollution in rivers and lakes. Animals raised in captivity produce more manure per year than the entire country combined, and with no proper disposal method of this waste, it either sits in manure lagoons on the property or is sprayed over the fields. Furthermore, pollution limits are oftentimes limited by these groups by spraying liquid manure in the air, which is then carried to neighboring lands, where residents are forced to breath in toxins and pathogens from the manure.

LAND USAGE:
By using land to fuel the animal agricultural business, we are losing vast amounts of land to a unnecessary corporations. In the United States alone, 56 million acres of land are used to grow feed for animals to fuel the animal agricultural industry, whereas only 4 million acres are used to grow food for humans. More than 90% of all Amazon rainforest that has been cleared since 1970 has been used for grazing livestock. It takes approximately 20 times less land to feed a vegan than it does a single meat eater.

MORE INFORMATION I WANT TO SHARE:
The United States alone could meet the caloric needs of 800 million people using purely the grains that are used to fuel the animals in the animal agricultural industry. If we use that logic and apply it, even conservatively, to a few other countries with large animal agricultural industries we could meet the caloric needs of everyone in the world.

We do not need meat to survive. As much as I loved Cookout chicken tenders, eating meat was not worth the environmental impact. We have a limited number of resources in the world- water, land, air- and it isn’t logical to me to continue to kill animals for other animals to eat when we don’t need to and it is incredibly damaging for the environment.