Tag: Food

Chocolate?

Can Chocolate Be Sustainable?

Today, the demand for chocolate continues to rise while the effects of climate change threaten to impact chocolate production. Chocolate is sweet, but what about its environment impact?

Cacao production was predominately in West Africa, however, it has expanded to South America to keep up with the market. Some research suggests that cacao farmers clear tropical forests to plant new cacao trees rather than reusing previously used land, becoming one of the leading causes of deforestation. 

A study in 2012 investigated the effects of deforestation and found that their sample cacao plantation could store approximately 40 metric tons of carbon per hectare over its production lifetime! The World Resource Institute did the math and if you apply this to a 2,000 hectare planation–YIKES! The net carbon emissions from land-use change will be 0.6 million metric tons (more than 660,000 tons) of carbon dioxide.


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How would you make NYU the greenest urban campus? Share. Discuss. Vote.

by Cecil Scheib, Assistant Vice President for Sustainability

Sustainability at NYU. Share. Discuss. Vote.

NYU is aspiring to be among the greenest urban campuses in the nation. And we need your help.

How could you better incorporate sustainability into your learning, teaching, and research? What internships or employee training programs would help you grow? How might we lower our environmental impact from food to energy use? What would you like to see throughout the Global Network? Read more

Green things to do in NYC in January

Whether you’re staying on campus for January term or visiting for the weekend, there are plenty of green ways to spend your time in NYC.

 

Courtesy of Wikimedia

Brooklyn Winter Flea

Brooklyn Flea gathers some of NYC’s finest artists and clothing collectors to sell sustainable products. If you have last minute holiday shopping or just want to treat yourself for the new year, Brooklyn Flea is a NYC favorite.

 

 

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NYU Sustainability 2017 #YearInReview

2017 has been an exciting year for the Office of Sustainability, check out some of our highlights!

Residence Halls Competed in NYUnplugged

For the second year in a row, Lipton Hall saved the most energy and raised awareness about conserving energy through the NYUnplugged residence hall energy competition. Residence halls put sustainable ideas into action by replacing their lightbulbs with LED, lowering their thermostats, and making delicious smoothies with a bike-powered blender. 

We #MarchedForScience

Earth Month includes several interesting programs and activities. In addition to our Educating for Sustainability lecture with waste experts Robin Nagle and Dr. Cassandra Thiel, members of our community held events on meat consumption and food justice, religious perspectives on the environment, and urban ecology. Dr. Jane Goodall spoke at an event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Jane Goodall Institute!

On Earth Day, 150 members of the NYU community, representing the Office of Sustainability, students organizations and activists, and President Andy Hamilton packed a DC-bound bus with beautiful posters and a desire to see evidence-based policy through the March for Science. The day was filled with marching, teach-ins, and an event with former EPA employees.

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