Sustainability@UIC

Water Hogs

2013-04-30T09:56:00.000-05:00

Donnie R. Dann

Volume 17 Number 3

May 2013

Conservation Alert

Water Hogs

Fresh water constitutes only 3% of all the water on earth. As warming intensifies and with many areas suffering from severe droughts and desertification, water conservation is more important than ever. Even Texas—long a bastion of conservatism—is establishing strict water conservation measures in response to the decades-long drought affecting many western states. Think about this in the context of how much water Americans consume. On average, individuals in Africa use five gallons of water per day. In America, individuals consume 176. The wars of the 21st century will be fought over water rather than oil.

What you can do to preserve this precious resource:

· Don't let the tap run! Instead, while you wash your hands, brush your teeth, shave, wash dishes, or even shower, turn the water on to wet what's necessary and then shut it off. Lather without running the water, and then turn it on again just when it is needed.

· Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when they are fully loaded.

· If possible, install a dual-flush toilet and a water-conserving shower head.

· Convert your water-gulping turf grass to a native plant garden which can thrive in drought conditions while lowering your landscaping and water bills.

· If you keep your lawn, water in the morning or evening when there is less evaporation.

· Use a broom to sweep your garage and paved outdoor areas, instead of hosing them off.

· There are ethical and health reasons you might consider using less meat. In addition, Mother Nature News explains it takes more than 23 gallons of water to produce a slice of wheat bread with a slice of cheese, whereas more than 1,300 gallons are needed to produce a 12 oz. steak.

· Fix leaks. Leaky toilets, faucets, and showers all waste water. This tip conserves water and saves additional repair costs in the long run.

· Replace old appliances with energy efficient ones. A new Energy Star washer saves electricity and uses 35 percent less water per load.

· Take shorter showers or, if you shower for more than 4 minutes on average, consider switching to a bath. To see what works for you click here.

· Buy fewer new clothes. It takes 1,800 gallons of water to grow enough cotton for a single pair of blue jeans. Do you really need that new pair?

· Conscientiously recycle. R ecycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees and 7000 gallons of water.

Don't be a water hog. It will save you money and help save planet earth for us all.

This Newsletter may be excerpted, reproduced or circulated without limitation.

Douglas Hall gets Gold!

2012-09-21T14:34:00.000-05:00


Surrounded by permeable pavement, allowing stormwater to return	to groundwater.

Native plants are low-maintenance and don't require irrigation

Douglas Hall is the second building on UIC's campus to gain a LEED honor by receiving gold certification. Douglas Hall shares the geothermal ground source heat pump system that Grant and Lincoln Halls currently use. Other highlights include solar panels, recycled rubber floors on the second and thrd floor and the photovoltaic system on the roof that was partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. More information about Douglas Hall can be found at the College of Business website. See also Press Release.

Floors from recycled rubber, natural lighting, high-efficiency windows

Is it necessary to wash your jeans?

2011-11-28T16:55:00.000-06:00

Recently, I discovered an article about the non-necesity of washing your jeans, and it caused some conversation in the office about the common system of washing jeans.

Jeans typically consume 919 gallons of water during its life span. Levi Strauss & Company has realized the potential effect of this on the environment and the future of cotton availability and cost. To defray the usage of water, the company has created a nonprofit program to teach farmers in foreign countries to use less water. One of the techniques they suggested was to make a new brand of denim - stone washed jeans smoothed with rocks and not water.

However, the company is also asking us regular consumers to use less water. Labels in their jeans now urge consumers to wash less and only use cold water. Levi Strauss & Company also suggests hardly washing jeans and to freeze them instead.

Throw jeans into my freezer next to my frozen dinners? Yeah, right. What does accomplish?

Photo borrowed from mystyle.com

The company claims that freezing jeans actually kills the germs that cause sickening smells from dirty jeans. Also, I've heard and read of real life testaments that people think you can actually succeed by not washing your jeans that often (as long as you don't do heavy duty or dirty work with them on).

I personally always wash my jeans after single usage. I've grown up knowing that you wash all of your clothes after you wear them. Same thing goes for hoodies, I wash them after one usage. However, some people in the Office of Sustainability claim that they are fine by not washing their jeans or hoodies after each wear. At first I disagreed, but after research and thought - maybe we all should wash our jeans and other clothing less?

Now, I think freezing your jeans is a bit ridiculous. I barely have any room in my freezer as it is and if I did have it, why would one want to put their dirty jeans in it? I am not going to buy another freezer, either. But realistically, you and me can limit the washing of our jeans and all other articles of clothing.

I am both embarrassed and proud to say that this past weekend I wore the same pair of jeans three times. I wore them to 3 different occasions, obviously. I like to think I'm a pretty stylish guy, but as it is no one pays attention to your pants... so why not wear jeans more than once? Its pretty reasonable to wear your jeans about 3 times (at 3 different occasions, of course) and then prepare them for washing. I might not be able to do that with my undies, socks or t-shirts, but I sure can with my hoodies and jeans!

I've finally came to the realization that it is important to adapt our natural resources usage as time goes by. Water resources will be more and more scarce if our society consumes as it does today. So, for you all, I propose a challenge...

Skip the freezer and wash your clothes left!
But please, wash your underwear...

Technology meets the Urban Farmer

2011-03-25T13:18:00.003-05:00

Hydroponic and aquaponic companies were mingled in between vendors at the FamilyFarmed Expo March 17-19th, proudly exposing the benefits of the new "avant-gardening" organic, urban farming technique. Our own farmer at the Urban Farm at through UIC's Jane Addams Hull House Museum built his own aquaponic system in the hoop-house to allow for all year-round gardening.

So what exactly are Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics.
Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in water.

In aquaponics, the nutrient-rich water that results from raising fish provides a source of natural fertilizer for the growing plants. As the plants consume the nutrients, they help to purify the water that the fish live in. A natural microbial process keeps both the fish and plants healthy. This creates a sustainable ecosystem where both plants and fish can thrive. Aquaponics is the ideal answer to a fish farmers problem of disposing of nutrient rich water and a hydroponic growers need for nutrient rich water.

How do we benefit from using Aquaponics?

Aquaponics uses less than 2% of the water that traditional farming does.
Aquaponics is energy-efficient: our current systems use one-tenth of the energy conventional farming does!
Aquaponics has eight to ten times more vegetable production in the same area and time.
Aquaponics is fully scalable from indoor systems to backyard family systems to full commercial systems.
Aquaponics is pure, clean, and natural: USDA Certified Organic and Food Safety Certified.
Aquaponics is easy to learn and operate: anyone can do this!

Companies have taken these concepts to the innovative extreme in relation to local, urban and organic farming.

Friendly Aquaponics is a company based out of Hawaii. They grow these items for income:

1. Malaysian Giant River Prawn grow in the hydroponics troughs under the vegetables and don't eat the roots.
2. Ninety different vegetable varieties were planted in their first aquaponics system for market tests and to see what grew best.
3. White Tilapia are through to be a cross between niloticus and mossambicus.

here™ is a Chicago-based company that wants to provide urban dwellers with as local and organic food as possible.

We think of ourselves as cutting edge farmers, but truth be told the technology has existed for decades. Hydroponics is not new. We’ve simply refined and perfected the process of getting the greens to you faster and fresher.

Using hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics, here ™ is a whole new way to farm. First we find space. Where others see an abandoned building, we see a future farm. Then we create jobs. Modern urban farmers needed and wanted. We train. And provide opportunity and hope. Then we sow. And grow. And what do you get in return? The freshest, cleanest greens you’ve ever eaten. Greens not exposed to pollution or pesticides. Greens that don’t have to take a road trip to reach you. And greens that are easier on the Earth and its resources. It’s time to feed people in a more sustainable way.

We’re here™. And that’s exactly what we plan to do.

312 Aquaponics develops advanced Aquaponic technologies for commercial urban agriculture. They aim to usher in a new era of sustainable food and production.

The idea 312 Aquaponics began at the 2009 FamilyFarmed Expo. Recent UIC graduates interested in sustainable food in Chicago, realized its profitability in the city. They took a crash course on Aquaponics at Chicago State University and began approaching seed investors in 2010.

The company has signed on with The Plant's John Edel to rent out floor space to start selling systems to other farmers.

Stormwater Pollution

2011-03-07T13:46:00.000-06:00

Stormwater runoff is one of the biggest sources of pollution, especially in a large city. It is caused from rain, snow or any water that seeps into or runs across the land. During it's travels, the runoff water picks up many substances that will pollute it and whatever it meets at it's final destination.

Pollutants that the water picks up like pesticides, fertilizers, oil and soap are harmful in any quantity. Others types including construction sediment, bare soil, agricultural land, pet waste or grass clippings and leaves can be harmful to creeks, rivers and lakes in sufficient quantities. Various other human activities, seen frequently in the city, like watering, car washing and malfunctioning septic tanks can also put water onto the land surface.

In cities like Chicago, none of the water that falls on hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, alleyways, parking lots or roads can seep into the ground. These impermeable surfaces create large amounts of runoff that pick up pollutants. The runoff flows from gutters and storm drains to streams. Runoff not only pollutes' but erodes streambanks. The mix of pollution and eroded dirt muddies the water and causes problems downstream.

Chicago's Mayor Daley implemented a Green Alley project after his Green Roof projects took initiative. From the City of Chicago Website, Chicago's Green Alley program incorporate a variety of characteristics:

Permeable pavements (asphalt, concrete or pavers) that allow stormwater to filter through the pavement and drain into the ground, instead of collecting on hard surfaces or draining into the sewer system. The pavement can be used on the full width of an alley, or simply in a center trench.
Open bottom catch basins: installed in alleys to capture water and funnel it into the ground
High-albedo pavement, a lighter-colored surface that reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it, helping reduce the urban heat island effect
Recycled materials, such as concrete aggregate, slag and recycled tire rubber

Other green alley techniques include using proper grading and pitch to facilitate drainage, and using dark sky-compliant light fixtures to reduce light pollution and provide uniform illumination.

Green Alleys are part of CDOT's "green infrastructure" -- which includes recycled construction materials, permeable pavements and other efforts.

The program began as a pilot in 2006, and through 2010, more than 100 Green Alleys have been installed.

The handbook below provides an overview of CDOT's Green Alley program.

Chicago has as much as 1900 miles of alley ways- enough concrete to build five major airports. The continuity of this program is crucial because of Chicago's relation and utilization of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. These bodies of water are not only essential to Chicago's prosperity, but also, very vulnerable to pollution from our stormwater runoff.

Stormwater Management in the City of Chicago:

The City of Chicago owes its very existence to its location at the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan provides the City with an abundant water supply while the Chicago River serves as a highway to move goods and services critical to the City’s growth. Chicago has built a historic legacy in protecting these valuable water resources. To protect its water supply, engineers in the 1900s constructed the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to reverse the Chicago River’s natural flow from eastward to westward, steering human and industrial waste away from Lake Michigan. In 1972, Chicago pioneered the use of deep tunnels to capture, convey, and store combined sewage during storms for later treatment.

Today, Chicago is taking a new comprehensive approach toward further improving the quality of its surface waters. Rather than through large scale engineering projects, the approach centers on simple storm water Best Management Practices (BMPs) at the source level to reduce the negative impacts of storm water runoff. Through various model projects, the City aims to demonstrate the efficacy of various BMP approaches, promote public acceptance and usage, and encourage modification of local ordinances to allow wide-spread usage of BMPs.

CNT's Sustainability Agenda 2011

2011-01-07T10:36:00.000-06:00

The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s 2011 Mayoral & City Council Agenda for Sustainable Development was released on December 22, 2010. The 22 priority agenda was created as guide for Chicago's next mayor to use to create a stronger economy and ensure Chicago remains one of the top prosperous and sustainable cities in the US.

CNT noted that Chicago's unrealized potential when it comes to increasing productivity of its urban economy is present because the city is not investing enough in assets that make organizations run more cheaply and efficiently. CNT’s four overall strategies will bring help Chicago realize these potentials enabling us to further our sustainable development. They are:

Energy

Ramp up energy conservation with efficiency retrofits of the city's buildings and other cost- and energy-saving measures.
This can be reached by retrofitting more housing units each year, demanding energy usage disclosures in building leases, and using less energy during peak periods.

Transportation

Improve transportation alternatives, encourage development around transit, and champion Chicago's rail assets so people and products can travel affordabley.
This can be reached by finding new innovative ways to create funding for alternative transportation, secure a higher percentage of funds from the state, ensure higher costs for drivers, and create public transit incentives.

Stormwater Management

Strengthen benchmarks and incentives to encourage value-enhancing green infrastructure to manage stormwater and avoid costly flooding to private property.
This can be done by creating incentives for property owners to use green infrastructure, strengthen stormwater ordinances and policies, and devise a city retrofitting plan.

Climate Change

Reduce climate change emissions by pursuing the above strategies and implementing low-carbon, low-cost goals for municipal operations.
This can be done by implementing the Chicago Climate Action Plan, making energy efficiency Chicago's highest priority, adapt to climate change with stormwater management, set a zero waste emissions goal, and institute low-carbon municipal operations.

CNT's has created this agenda based on the belief that sustainable development is economical development. Putting their strategies into play will increase job creation, increase Chicago resident's income, protect the environment, give Chicago companies a competitive advantage, and save the city a lot of money.

View all 22 priorities here.

Chicago has the opportunity to become the most productive city to live and work in the United States. As we begin to champion these priorities, innovation and leadership will emerge from Chicago.

This reminds me of The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken; he speaks about how sustainable development is innovation. Creating products and jobs through sustainable guidelines will create jobs and modify those jobs that would be eliminated by more efficient operations. By the elimination of externalizing costs and the implementation of green fees or the like, companies will be enticed into looking at alternative, more cost effective ways to operate.

It will be interesting to see how the new mayor reacts to the agenda.
Will the notion of already having a set guide/agenda make the mayor more likely to embrace Climate Action in Chicago?

National Controlled Substance Take-Back Initiative

2010-09-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

We received this notification in our inbox:

On September 25, 2010, DEA will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. Collection activities will take place from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. at sites established throughout the country. The National Take-Back Day provides an opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for destruction. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to public health and safety.

This one-day effort is intended to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse.

The program is anonymous.
Prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications, i.e. tablets and capsules accepted.
Intra-venous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted.
Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative.

You can look up collection site locations on the program's website. Check it frequently, as collection sites are apparently added daily.

Besides the good reasons for participation highlighted in the email, collecting these controlled substances also prevents them from entering our waterways. In 2009, the Chicago Tribune reported on the controversial issues around public notification of controlled substances found in our waterways.

Biodiesel From (Virgin) Vegetable Oil

2009-06-23T10:14:00.001-05:00

Editor's Note: Britt, our IEPA intern, is spending the summer examining both Biodiesel and Composting Issues at UIC. He will be reporting his progress on our blog.

Control Biodiesel Processing-
This will help with the WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) biodiesel later in terms of comparing the final products.

Day 1- So the last two days I have been in the process of making our first control batch of virgin veggie biodiesel. It was surprisingly fun and easy. These are the ingredients I used.

1. Distilled water
2. Lye (NaOH)
3. HEET (methanol)
4. Pure Vegetable oil

I have about 3 hours into the entire process and that includes heating, mixing, and washing. Yesterday I mixed the methoxide (5 grams of NaOH/200 mL methanol) and heated the veggie oil (1 liter) to about 130 degrees. I then mixed the two liquids in a 2 liter pop bottle. This process took about an hour and a half. After 5 minutes of vigorously shaking the bottle the biodiesel was left to sit so the glycerin settled at the bottom. Below is the mixed veggie oil/methoxide.

Day 2- After settling for 24 hours, the biodiesel looked like so..

The bottom layer, where I am pointing to, is the glycerin. I then decanted the biodiesel since it is less dense and began the washing process. I heated ~300 mL of distilled water and gently poured the water into the washing tank with the biodiesel. I then SLOWLY rotated the washing tank so the water has enough movement to extract the excess catalyst and form "soap". Since the water is more dense the final product seperates like below.

After the washing was completed the soap had to be removed and we were left with biodiesel. Right now, the biodiesel is sitting in the fume hood evaporating to its final pure biodiesel state. Here is a comparison of the three stages. From right to left the fluids are 1.) Glycerin with a small layer of biodiesel, 2.) Soap from the washing process, 3.) Biodiesel ready to be evaporated or "dried".

For the record, when I started the lab smelled like chemicals, now it smells like cookies because of the heated cookie oil. The one problem I have found is that veggie oil gets on everything and it does NOT wash off because it is not soluable in water. So I think I will start washing with mineral oil.

That's all for now...

Britt

Trayless Dining Success!

2008-12-30T16:13:00.010-06:00

During the week of November 17-21, three dining halls on campus went tray-less. The purpose was to measure just how much waste water could be avoided by not offering trays for its customers, and to evaluate the response among students and staff.

The event turned out to be a great success, waste was reduced by 3,120 lbs for the week collectively. It was decided to go "tray by request" from now on, and students seemed to be on board with the concept. The poster comes from Sodexho and Campus Dining who organized the event. Please contact them directly for more information.

Campus Dining also reminds you to:

Take only the number of napkins you need per meal.
Take only one cup for each beverage purchase.
Recycle aluminum cans throughout campus at the designated recycling stations as well as at home.
Dine in rather than carrying out.

Prairie Garden Planted Near Hospital

2008-12-02T15:43:00.003-06:00

On a rainy day in October several volunteers gathered across the street from the hospital to dig holes for some native plants.

IESP Wins $750K Grant to Study Brownfields

2008-09-29T10:05:00.001-05:00

UIC's Institute for Environmental Science & Policy has won a 5-year, $750,000 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency to study how Brownfields can be developed in a sustainable way.

Institute researchers at UIC, teaming up with two outside technical advisers and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, will define what it means to turn a brownfield into a new green development in a way that sustains the site as eco-friendly -- and the value of doing so.

The team will analyze successful developments around the country, highlighting the sustainable components and the underlying policies and practices that enable the developments to be built. Other parts of the study will focus primarily on Midwest sites. Life-cycles of sustainable components will be analyzed, along with ways to maximize energy efficiency and all of the environmental, economic, and community health benefits of redeveloping a brownfield in a sustainable manner.

According to the EPA, a Brownfield is defined as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant."

[Read the full UIC press release]