Tag: Tips

Summer Fun: NYUGreen Edition

Whether you’re on campus, visiting family, or traveling the globe this summer, here are some tips for living sustainably while you enjoy the sunny weather.

Eat Local. 

Visit a nearby farmers market and peruse the wide selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Local produce travels shorter distances from farm to table, significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions and the need for long-term storage. Seasonal produce also requires fewer resources like water, pesticides, and fertilizers compared to out of season produce. 

Make conscious consumer choices.

If you’re purchasing new summer attire, consider gently used and thrifted options or look at where your items were produced, under what conditions, and how far they had to travel to get to your door. Not only do used goods help the environment, but they can also be more affordable and help save you money. 

Get your green thumb out!

It’s never too late to join a community garden! Try to grow your own produce this summer instead of taking trips to the grocery store and buying packaged goods. You can plant cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, and many more yummy vegetables that taste even better knowing you helped them grow! 

If growing produce is a little intimidating, try your hand at helping a house plant grow. With longer days and warmer weather, there are tons of nurseries to choose from.

Utilize micromobility and public transportation options. 

Ride bikes and scooters to reduce air pollution, minimize fuel consumption, and alleviate traffic congestion. For longer trips, consider taking public transportation, when available, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save a little extra money. 

Explore ways to advance your favorite environmental causes. 

Scope out an organization that helps you clean up your neighborhood or city, helps plant trees, or builds community gardens. Attend community board meetings, get involved with local environmental activists, and reach out to your elected officials. 

Want to advance sustainability but not sure where to start? You can start off by using a Climate Venn Diagram as a resource for figuring out how you can contribute to making the world a little greener. 

Embrace the Sun. 

It’s finally summer, and with summer comes longer days and shorter nights. Try setting up your work or study station at a nearby window to embrace all of the natural light that the sun has to offer. Natural light isn’t only better for your mental health, but better for your electricity bill too, as it reduces the need for artificial lighting and the associated energy costs. 

Visit parks and protected areas. 

Parks and protected areas play a vital role in maintaining our local ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. 

Parks also offer unique opportunities and educational experiences to learn about the environment firsthand, fostering a deeper appreciation for nature and motivating us to become better stewards of our planet.

Stay Connected!

Keep up to date on NYU’s sustainability initiatives and opportunities by signing up for our newsletter and connecting with us on LinkedIn. Feel free to also follow us on Instagram for more tips and tricks to keep your summer sustainable! 

 

Taking Greener Graduation Pictures

Two Students in graduation gowns posing in front of magnolia trees with cap raised

With the semester coming to an end and spring in full bloom, get ready to see purple graduation gowns all over campus—it’s graduation season!

Washington Square Park is a common backdrop for NYU graduation photos, but photoshoots can sometimes lead to trampled grass and flowers and littered props. While glitter and balloons may seem like fun options in the moment, they are often left behind and cause pollution and harm to our environment. Let’s create timeless memories of this special time while showing our local wildlife and green spaces some love! Watch our reel for some examples! 

Consider using these tips to add a sustainable touch to your graduation pictures: 

Student posing with graduation gown and sunglasses with blurred train passing behind1. Avoid Single-Use Props: 

    • Use Natural Backgrounds – No balloon could ever compete with thebeautiful, natural backdrop of vibrant flowers or a blossoming tree. Find natural backdrops that stand out instead of buying items like balloons that will just be thrown away. Even if disposed of correctly, balloons take many years to decompose (even biodegradable balloons) and can end up being consumed by wildlife.
    • Use Sentimental Props – Imagine a photo under the Washington Square Arch with the emotional support snack that got you through college. Or holding your favorite textbook in front of Bobst Library. Or walking through the streets of NYC wearing your favorite sunglasses, holding an NYU banner, or photographing yourself on your favorite park bench. All of these will make for timeless, meaningful photos that are also nice to the planet.
    • Play with Angles and Poses Instead – Find some creative angles and poses that will make your photos stand out. Try holding your gown over your shoulder, candid photos laughing with friends, or even low-shutter speed blurry movement photos.

2. That Being Said… Keep Our Park Green:Student in graduation gown sitting on park bench with greenery in background

      • Stay Outside Fenced-Off Areas – Fences are there for a reason! Park staff work hard to keep our plants thriving. There may be seeds waiting to sprout or grass that is being preserved in the fenced-off areas. Avoid stepping over them, which may kill plants, especially when hundreds of recent graduates are doing the same.
      • Don’t Pick Flowers! – The flowering tulips and cherry blossoms are beautiful, so let’s keep them that way! Let’s let them live by not picking them. 

3. Cap Toss > Glitter Toss: Glitter and/or confetti are often left behind in the park, which contaminates the soil and gets into waterways. This can damage ecosystems and make wildlife sick. If you’ve ever used glitter or confetti, you may also know that it is extremely difficult to clean up. Consider doing the classic cap toss instead!Student in graduation gown tossing cap in front of the Washington Square Park Arch

4. Borrow & Thrift Your Outfit: Although your targeted Instagram ads may say otherwise, you don’t need to buy a brand-new outfit for graduation! Fast fashion has a major environmental toll. Check what you already own, attend a clothing swap, borrow from a friend, or thrift something instead. 

We can’t wait to see your sustainable graduation photos!

 

 

Congratulations to the NYU Class of 2025!

Washing Machines in NYU Residence Halls Default to Cold Wash Cycle

Washing machine set to cold wash cycleEach of NYU’s 23 residence halls has had their washing machines set to use the cold wash cycle as default. This change will reduce energy consumption in dorms and provide additional sustainable benefits for the garments washed! 

Cold Wash Cycles Reduce Energy Use! 

Heating water accounts for around 90% of a washing machine’s energy use. By defaulting to cold water, one household can eliminate 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2e) emissions per year, the equivalent of avoiding 2,000 miles traveled in a car. With approximately 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students living in NYU residence halls, NYU has the potential to eliminate a significant amount of energy and emissions!  

Cold Wash Cycles Are Better for Your Clothes 

Doing laundry cleans your clothes, but hot water can lead to your clothes being worn out faster. 

By using cold water, you can:

  • Prevent delicate fabrics from shrinking or breaking 
  • Reduce fading & color bleeding
  • Prevent wrinkles
  • Better address stains, which do not always respond to warmer water 

Detergents are also produced to work with cold washes so there’s no need to worry about the possibility of your soap not activating. 

The decision to default washing machines to a cold wash cycle is one piece of the puzzle toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 and creating a more sustainable NYU!

2024 Plant Based Food Festival: Teaching Kitchen Recipes

NYU Eats logoThe Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Greener by Default Coalition at NYU and the Animal Rights Collective, is thrilled to team with NYU Eats to host a Teaching Kitchen during the 2024 Plant Based Food Festival.
 

Arianna Cooper, Director of Sustainability for Chartwells at NYU, will show the NYU community how to cook Summer Rolls with a Peanut-Free Dipping Sauce and Banana Bread in a Mug. Find the delicious recipes below, so that you can prepare them on your own!

Vegetable Summer Roll

Summer Roll

  • 16 oz firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and pressed
  • 1 packed cup shredded Napa cabbage
  • 1 packed cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • 2 cups cooked vermicelli noodles (or thin rice noodles)
  • 12-15 rice paper wrappers
 Dipping Sauce

  • ¼ cup sunflower seed butter
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce optional, adjust to taste
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 3-4 tablespoons hot water

Instructions

  1. Cut vegetables in thin sticks, shred cabbage and slice carrots.
  2. Add rice noodles to bowl of hot water, according to package directions.
  3. Fill pie plates with warm water. Dip rice wrapper in warm water for 10-15 seconds, making sure to hold down edges so they don’t curl up. 
  4. Remove wrapper and place on towel, gently pat slightly dry.
  5. Add noodles and any vegetables you like to lower half of wrapper. 
  6. Begin rolling by pulling wrapper over vegetables, fold in sides and roll tightly. 

Banana Bread in a Mug

  • ⅓ cup mashed bananas
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon oat milk
  • 1 tablespoon raw brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  1. In a mug, add in the mashed banana, oil, milk and sugar. Whisk together for about 30 seconds to combine completely and banana is completely mashed. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  2. Stir to combine for about 20 more seconds to ensure it’s all incorporated, ensuring to get the bottom too.
  3. Place in your microwave for about 80 seconds. Remove and let cool for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top and enjoy!

Taking Sustainable Graduation Photos

Two students in their graduation gowns posing in front of the archEvery May, public spaces near NYU buildings (like Washington Square Park) are flooded with violet gowns and black caps as graduating students capture photos they’ll cherish for years. Cameras flash and families exchange congratulations. The streets in between the many iconic NYU buildings come alive in jubilation.
 
But after the party ends and the graduates leave, the setting is quite different. Glitter, balloons, and streamers may look great in pictures, but a lot of them get left behind and become an environmental nuisance. 
 
Don’t let your joy become a pain for the parks, the streets, or the planet! Below are some tips on how to celebrate your graduation more sustainably.

 

 

  1. Instead of glitter: visual effects. Glitter gets everywhere – even when you do your best to clean it up. It also takes thousands of years to fully break down, threatening wildlife and polluting our water. Even edible glitter can be quite toxic to smaller animals. Instead, consider using filters and camera apps on your phone to achieve the same effect. It’s easy to add sparkle to your photos after taking them, especially with so many free apps available. Think pixels, not trash!
  2. Instead of streamers: ribbons. Streamers may be pretty when they float around us in photos, but they are made of harmful plastic. Instead, consider tying ribbons to sticks to create ribbon wands. A great addition to any celebration, from graduation to weddings, ribbon wands are colorful, flow like streamers, and are fun to dance around with and use for photos. Many of us already have ribbons at home, and after you craft your ribbon wands, you can continue to reuse them many times! To get a streamer effect, ask friends and family to shake the ribbon wands around you so that the ribbons frame your photos.
  3. Instead of balloons: banners. Balloons can be harmful to wildlife, who may get tangled in them or try to eat them. When they get stuck on trees, balloons are difficult to remove, posing a threat for months. Finally, there’s a shortage of helium – the gas that makes balloons float – and whatever is left should probably be used in more critical settings, like healthcare (helium is a necessary component of many MRI scanners). Even so-called biodegradable balloons are not easily biodegradable, and are the number one type of balloon found in the stomachs of wildlife. Instead of balloons, try having a banner with you in your photos. Banners can be made from leftover paper or old fabric you may already have at home or can buy at thrift stores. You can even paint any message you want. Try using an old bed sheet for a really huge and impactful banner! Or, have loved ones hold up both sides of a paper banner and run through it like a sports star! (Just don’t leave the parts behind in the park when you’re done.)
  4. Instead of standing or sitting in the flowers: get creative with your angles. The flowers in most city parks, including Washington Square Park, don’t just sprout when spring comes around. A team of people plan and plant the gardens every year, making sure to pick flowers that are both beautiful and helpful to the local fauna (like bees and other pollinators). When you step into a flower bed for a picture, you might not notice yourself causing much damage – but imagine what it looks like after hundreds of NYU graduates do the same! So if you want a flowery photo to commemorate your graduation, try getting creative with your camera angles. You don’t need to be in the flower bed to look like you’re in the flower bed. Have a friend get low to the ground on one side of the flowers while you stand on the other side. Take a selfie from above so that your whole background is flowers. Options abound! 

We are so proud of our graduating NYU students. You worked hard and deserve this momentous occasion! We hope you find time to celebrate yourself and all of those who have helped you get here. And when you do, remember sustainable practices!

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 from the NYU Office of Sustainability. #GoViolets