Tag: Food

10 Actions For a VIRTUAL Earth Month

virtual earth month 2020

As we practice social distancing and find ways to reach out and check in with our neighbors, we are being called to consider how our actions affect the most vulnerable among us; is that not the very same collective action the climate crisis demands?

To that end, recent reports have examined how social distancing due to the spread of the coronavirus may have unexpected consequences for climate change. Many of the actions people are taking during this time from reducing air travel to consuming less could significantly reduce one’s carbon footprint.

Though in-person gatherings in honor of Earth Day at 50 have been cancelled or postponed, there are still ways to mark this occasion even in self-isolation. Here are 10 things you can start doing during this unique moment to stay healthy and safe while honoring the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and committing to a more sustainable life now and into the future. Read more

Lessons My Mother Taught Me

by Eni Owoeye


To “live sustainably” in the United States is to participate in an ever evolving campaign. Images of the stereotypical “greenie” – bike riders, DIY fanatics, and the quintessential vegan – have always existed in this landscape, and as technological advancements make our lives easier, we often find innovative ways to replace the status quo. Every year our cars get sleeker, and smaller, and ever more “green”.

But for many individuals, the status quo IS sustainable. Stewardship is a cultural norm. I’ve asked students and administrators across our campus to share lessons from their mother – knowledge preserved through space and time, a testament to the ingenuity and simplicity that can exist beyond contemporary eco-friendliness. Read more

Have Yourself a Greener Thanksgiving

 

As the Thanksgiving season quickly approaches, I can sometimes find it too easy to get caught up in being the ‘perfect’ advocate for the environment. The holiday season is first and foremost about gratitude and being with the people you love. Although this list is geared towards the Thanksgiving table in New York, these ideas can be utilized by anyone, anywhere, no matter your tradition or how to choose to honor this time off. That being said, here are a few tips on how to have a more sustainable Thanksgiving.

 

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Chief Sustainability Officer Cecil Scheib Testifies on Environmental Impact of Universities

Cecil Scheib before hearing committee“The intent of NYU’s sustainability program is to enhance our academic mission by providing comfortable and healthy spaces that enhance NYU’s excellence, while having the energy savings help pay for it – and we’ll achieve our carbon goals, too.”

– Cecil Scheib, Chief Sustainability Officer, NYU

Last week, Chief Sustainability Officer Cecil Scheib testified before members of the NYS Assembly Committees on Higher Education and Environmental Conservation to highlight NYU’s carbon emissions goals and efforts to engage our community in sustainability initiatives.

Read the full testimony here. 

Reflecting on the Coastal Resiliency Days of Service: Newtown Creek Alliance

by Carson Bandy

Carson and Tess looking out of binoculars

Last Saturday, October 26, a group of other NYU students and I had the opportunity to volunteer with the lovely folks at the Newtown Creek Alliance. We convened at their headquarters in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to first learn the 3-R mantra that they follow; Restore, Review, and Revitalize. The Creek is part of the Hudson Estuary, flowing west for almost 4 miles between Queens and Brooklyn, before emptying into the East River. With a highly central location, the Newtown Creek became a place of industry for the city in the early 19th and 20th centuries. Everything from oil refineries and distilleries to copper wire mills and sugar refineries found a home on the banks of Newtown Creek.

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