green scene
Summer 2021 1
Sustainability Bulletin
Inside this Issue 3 ……………………………………...………...Curriculum 4 ……………………………………..…..…..…Operations 5-6 ..………………..………………...…….…….Research
7 ..………………………..…………….….….Engagement 8 ..……...…………………….……..Community Events 9 …………………………………………..……...Leadership 10 .....…………..…Sustainability Alumni Spotlight
@UAlbanyGreenScn
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Add a Sustainability Related Class! Looking for a sustainability related class to add to your fall schedule? Check out the list below. Undergraduate Course Title Applied Ecology Applied Ecology Environmental Economics Environmental Economics Environmental Science Fieldwork Internship Environmental Science Internship Environmental Science Major Topics in Environmental Science Environmental Analysis Environmental Planning Natural Resource Governance American Environmental History Not Even Past America in the Age of Sail History of the Hudson River Valley Environmental Physics Environmental Planning Environmental Physiology Landscape Ecology Intro to Climate Change Intro to Sustainable Engineering Engn. Appl. Sustainable Design Global Environmental Issues & Their...
Instructor McKeon, Denise McKeon, Denise Chen, Cuicui Chen, Cuicui Tang, Brian Wang, Junhong Vuille, Mathias Vuille, Mathias Lapenis, Andrei Marruso, Sophia Breen, Rob Smith-Howard, Kendra Aso, Michitake Pastore, Christopher Pastore, Christopher Woods, Eric Marruso, Sophia Carpenter, David Buyantuev, Alexander N/A N/A Millard, Paul Bell, Erin
Time W 1:10 - 5:10 pm T 1:30 - 5:30 pm TTH 12-1:20 pm TTH 1:30-2:50 pm Arranged by Professor Arranged by Professor Arranged by Professor WF 1:10 - 2:30 pm TTH 9-10:20 am M 7:30pm-10:20pm T 7:30 - 10:20 pm TTH 1:30-2:50 pm TH 4:30-7:20 pm TTH 7:30 - 8:50 am TTH 9-10:20 am MW 3-4:20 pm M 7:30pm-10:20pm T 12-2:50 pm TTH 1:30-2:50 pm Asynchronous MW 1:10-2:30 pm MW 1:10-2:30 pm TTH 12-1:20 pm
Graduate Course Title Parks, Preservation, & Heritage Planning Global Environmental Health Policy Intro to Environmental Health Intro to Environmental Health Environment Politics and Policy
Curriculum
Instructor Kees, Marcia Carpenter, David Reliene, Ramune Zhang, Kai Iwanowicz, Peter
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Time W 7:30-10:20 pm Asynchronous TH 4:30-7:20 pm Asynchronous T 6-8:50 pm
Solar Panel Installation in Progress
This spring, construction began on a 1.6 megawatt photovoltaic solar power system on all of the usable roof space on the Academic Podium. This project is a highlight of our energy master plan and assists in achieving the ultimate goal of having 100 percent of the campus electricity use sourced from renewable energy. Indu Lnu, the university's Energy Manager, dedicated years to the planning and implementation of this important initiative. The energy produced by the panels will commence in conjunction with the opening of the ETEC building. Installation of the panels will continue into September and be ready for teaching and research purposes this fall semester.
Operations
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Buttergate Research Dr. Kendra Smith-Howard, an Associate Professor in the History Department, recently published an essay on the role animal feeds play on the texture of butter. Below is an excerpt from her work. During the pandemic, there was a high demand for butter due to people baking at home in Canada. As a result, Canadian farmers fed their cows supplements that contained palm oil which is known to increase milk production. Because of the cow’s newly changed diet, the manufacture of butter has changed according to Canadians.
The usage of palm oil is not ideal because of the Dr. Kendra Smith-Howard problems that derive from it. Its creation has caused negative effects for the environment, as palm oil corporations cut down forests in Indonesia and Malaysia. This released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroyed homes of wildlife. Quebec Dairy Producers have encouraged members to put a pause on the use of palm oil while scientists study the effects it can have on people. Palm oil is also not favored because it is one of the main ingredients in margarine, thus butter is becoming less like butter. In the late 1800’s, Canada put a ban on the sale of margarine in order to protect dairy farmers. The United States put a federal tax on colored margarine in hopes of decreasing the sales of margarine. However, in the 1900’s, margarine manufacturers in the US discovered they could use unbleached palm oil to avoid the taxes due to its natural yellow tint. Because of this loophole, many dairy farmers suffered. Canada was involved in many political debates in regards to the production and sales of margarine.
Research
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If the role of palm oil in "buttergate" provides a departure from past practice, it simultaneously displays the enduring power of the senses in evaluating butter quality. Sensory experiences set off the alarm of Canadian foodies and bakers. Butter felt different. Rather than spreading effortlessly on toast, butter crumbled and tore. Butter used to be tested for its smell, taste, and texture by inserting a trier in a tub of butter. Over the course of the twentieth century, however, consumers became increasingly encouraged to know foods by their labels, rather than through sensory examinations. By the 1960s, food products were required to have food labels with the ingredients and nutrition facts. This protected the sales of butter as margarine used to be mislabeled as butter. Buttergate shows the limitations of this informational system. For it wasn’t a new ingredient detected on the label, or a new perception of the health risks of butter that registered that something was off about butter. Rather, consumers’ senses and engagement with the product through their work tipped them off. Butter didn’t spread or whip or sauté as anticipated. These embodied sensory experiences piqued consumers’ curiosity. They learned more about the supply chain and farms and palm plantations from which it came. For environmental historians, this pathway of knowledge resonates. Buttergate is perhaps an unlikely vehicle for understanding, but it demonstrates the power of the material to generate questions, spur investigation, and perhaps, spark choices for our future that leave less of a lingering bitter taste behind. There is much more to this story and you can check out the full essay HERE.
Research
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Around the Indigenous People of the Northeast This past April, the campus held a virtual forum entitled “Indigenous Peoples of the Northeast: Past, Present and Future”. The forum's three participants provided perspectives from local indigenous communities, as the University seeks to create a stronger bond after the step of renaming of Indian Quad to Indigenous Quad. Kay Olan, a Mohawk clan member, emphasized her people’s religious beliefs and her aspiration for more actions beyond just land acknowledgements. She strongly encouraged dialogues to make the acknowledgements significant. Heather Bruegl, the Director of Cultural Affairs for the Stockbridge Munsee Community, explained how her people were moved off their land twice before settling in Wisconsin. She motivated UAlbany to decolonize their curriculum by examining the privilege we have today due to colonialism. Bruegl suggested that the campus hire an indigenous elder to support all indigenous students. Joseph Bruchac, an author, singer, and storyteller, pointed out that many modern books misinterpret indigenous people. Bruchac’s solution for this is to replace these books by reshelving libraries with writings written by Native American authors.
Panelists of the Indigenous Peoples of the Northeast event were, from left, Kay Olan, Heather Bruegl and Joseph Bruchac. We would like to give thanks to forum organizers and these elders for educating our campus on the history and culture of local indigenous communities and teaching us what must be done to continue honoring indigenous people.
Engagement
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Around the Community Here are some events happening in the Albany area. Be sure to check them out! Zero Waste Capital District Meeting via conference call Monday, July 26, 6:30 - 8:00 PM Join this Zoom call if you are interested in learning about recycling, composting, food waste reduction, and food rescue. For more info or to RSVP, contact Amy Forando at amy@zerowastecd.org, Tina Lieberman at tina@zerowastecd.org or Mary Beilby at mary.beilby@gmail.com. Five Rivers: Citizen Community Science: Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) Thursday, July 29, 1:00 PM A program to learn about monarch butterflies. Please call 518-475-0291 by the Monday before the program to register. See HERE for more information. Sow What Now Wednesday, August 4, 5:30 PM Are you interested in learning tips on how to plant a vegetable or flower garden? Then sign up for this Zoom class hosted by Capital Roots on August 4 at 5:30 PM. RSVP by email to MaryAnn at gardens3@capitalroots.org. City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting Thursday, August 5th, 6:00 PM Watch the committee meeting via Facebook live HERE. Discovery Center Volunteer Gardening Opportunity Thursday, August 5 and 12, 8:00 - 9:30 AM Volunteer opportunity at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center. Work will include weeding, trimming, and litter clean-up. Click HERE to learn more.
Keep track of the NY Climate Action Council meetings and stay informed about progress on the CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act): Meetings and Materials (ny.gov)
Events
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Leading a Zero Waste Life Meet Crystal Baker from Clifton Park, NY She is a recent graduate from UAlbany and majored in Emergency Homeland Security with a concentration in Emergency Preparedness and a minor in Psychology.
Baker has a strong passion for the environment and wanted to start living a wastefree life. This led her to do some research on how to become zero-waste friendly. She shared some of her tips to help eliminate waste in your life: 1) Ask yourself if a product is going to contribute more or less waste before making a purchase. This process will make you more aware of its impact.
2) Use reusable containers and avoid using plastic bags. Reducing, reusing, and recycling will assist in becoming waste-free. (with an emphasis on the first two R’s) 3) To reduce your impact on food purchases, shop Crystal with the UN Global Goals for local food since it travels less miles. Also, look Soccer Ball! for food with recyclable packaging or no packaging at all. Besides making these simple lifestyle changes, Baker advises that we educate ourselves on the environment, climate, and its impact on humanity to get a better understanding about becoming waste-free. If you would like to learn more tips or learn how to get involved in waste reduction efforts in this area, check out the Recycle Right NY website or the Zero Waste Capital District group.
Leadership
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Sustainability Alumni Spotlight Sophia Masters 1. What year did you graduate? 2020 2. What was your major/minor? Communication with a double minor in Business and Sustainability. 3. What was your co-curricular and student organization involvement on campus? Recycling Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, Community Service Chair of the Nu Alpha chapter of Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society, UAlbany Students for Sustainability, Hillel, and Study Abroad & Exchanges 4. What are you doing now? Where do you live? I currently work at New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation in the Energy & Sustainability Bureau as Sustainability Coordinator II. I work on projects related to renewables, with a focus on solar, as well as recycling, energy efficiency, and water conservation in state parks across New York State. 5. How have you applied your experience with the sustainability movement on campus and involvement with the Office of Sustainability into your post-college life and career? I owe my foundational knowledge and my career in sustainability to the Office of Sustainability. I figured out what I wanted to do a little late in my undergraduate career but getting involved with the Office of Sustainability helped me find my footing and opened countless doors in my professional life. I hope to work in the renewable energy sector as I grow and develop as a professional in sustainability. With all of that being said, I have applied my personal experience with the sustainability movement on campus as well as my involvement with the Office of Sustainability into my life by simply acknowledging that everybody has the moral obligation to be more intentional in the way we think and act with regards to how we treat our environment, each other, and comprehensively, how we make our day-to-day decisions. The Office of Sustainability is proud of the successes of our alumni! They were essential in the early stages of the sustainability movement at UAlbany and have shaped where it is now. 10
