he Green Book - E-Book Version (Undergrad)

the green b

ook

presented by the

environmental alliance

W

elcome to Duke!

You hold in your hands your guide to sustainability at the university. The Blue Book gave you the 101 on Duke and becoming a Blue Devil, and now the GreenBook gives you the essential info on green living and becoming a Green Devil.

Duke is an impressively green university; we will be carbon-neutral by 2024 (which, dear Duke fans, is 26 years ahead of UNC). We recycle, conserve energy and water through various projects, rent bikes, support local farms, celebrate Earth Day… you get the picture.

However, there’s one thing that Duke sustainability is missing: YOU. Become a part of the effort by making some of the easy lifestyle choices we suggest in this book for reducing your impact, and thus Duke’s impact, on the earth. We can’t do it without you.

Good luck on your freshman year, and may the forest be with you!

4 FOOD 6 RECYCLING 7 TRANSPORTATION 8 LIVING@DUKE 10 GET INVOLVED 3

food W

hat and how you eat has a major impact on the environment--from growth and processing to transport and disposal. Reduce your environmental “food”print by following these guidelines:

EAT BETTER Eat less meat Livestock produces more greenhouse gases than planes, trains and cars combined!

Eat local Support the local economy and reduce emissions by shopping at the Duke and Durham Farmers’ Markets

Eat organic Produced without growth hormones or synthetic pesticides and fertilizers

WASTE WATCHERS Reduce waste

Recycle

Order food ‘for here’ to avoid to-go containers, use nondisposable silverware and coffee mugs, and don’t take more than you need

The Marketplace and Penn Pavilion compost food waste

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Recycle any plastic to-go containers you use (after dumping them out)

Reuse Join the clamshell program for a $5 deposit on Food or Flex for access to reusable containers

DUKE GREEN DINING AWARD WINNERS • • • • • • •

Best Overall - The Refectory Cafe at Duke Law & Nasher Museum Café Best Franchise - Au Bon Pain Best Non-Franchise - Saladelia Café & Divinity Café Best Café - Joe Van Gogh Most Improved - Blue Express & Twinnie’s Café Most Innovative - Penn Pavilion Notable - Red Mango

MEET THE MARKETPLACE! The Marketplace is the dining hall on East Campus where freshmen eat most of their meals.

• 22% local • 10% organic • 70% of Duke Dining’s waste is composted • Vegetarian and vegan options available • Offers compostable to-go containers

NEXT STEPS? DUKE HAS PLENTY OF FOODRELATED ORGANIZATIONS: • Campaigns led by Environmental Alliance and Students for Sustainable Living • Duke Food Project (campus farm & gardens) • Plan V (Enjoy yummy vegan/vegetarian meals) • Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee (through DSG) • Food for Thought • Duke Campus Farm and Duke Community Garden

SEE THE ONLINE VERSION FOR:

☛ Links to local Farmers’ Markets, Map of Local Dining Locations, Group blurbs and links

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recycling

88%

of the material disposed of at Duke could be recycled or composted. Don’t be trashy! Use less and reuse first, then recycle these items at Duke:

BLEND PAPER

CARDBOARD

• White paper (staples OK) • File folders • Envelopes without plastic windows

• Corrugated cardboard • Relatively clean pizza boxes

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

• Plastic bags cannot be recycled at Duke • Rinse out containers before recycling • Recycle cell phones and batteries in the basement of Marketplace

Newspaper (glossy inserts OK) Magazines / Catalogs Paper bags Chipboard / Paperboard Paperbacks

BOTTLES AND CANS • • • •

Solo cups (!!!)

All colors of glass Aluminum cans Plastic containers (#1-7)

IMPORTANT NOTES

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WHY DOES IT MATTER? • A recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours • A recycled glass bottle saves enough energy to run a computer for 25 minutes

☛ SEE THE ONLINE VERSION FOR:

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Links to the locations of cardboard recycling, e-waste recycling and the entire recycling list. Also find fun volunteer recycling activities.

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transportation O

ut and about? Want to save money and the environment? Don’t take a guilt trip—use public transit, bike or walk.

ON CAMPUS • Duke Buses – Track buses in real time with Duke Transloc.

• Bikes – Find resources and advice about biking at Duke.

• Walk — It’s a mile and a quarter from East Campus to West Campus. Enjoy the weather and hoof it!

OFF CAMPUS Duke buses Save taxi fare and ride a Dukesponsored shuttle bus to the airport before and after school breaks.

Public transit Get around downtown Durham for free on the Bull City Connector, which stops at the main entrance to East Campus.

Travel throughout the region on DATA and Triangle Transit buses, which depart from the Durham Transit Center (a stop on the Bull City Connector).

Get a GoPass from Parking & Transportation to travel free throughout the region on DATA and Triangle Transit buses, which depart from Durham Transit Center (a stop on the Bull City Connector).

Cars Get off campus without the cost of owning a car!

Rent Enterprise CarShare by the hour after paying a one-time membership fee.

Carpool with a friend or check out DukeList for ride-sharing opportunities.

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living@duke PART I: DORM LIFE So, you’re here, you’re unpacked, and it’s time to start getting comfortable with your new dorm life!

Follow our tips to make the best of your move.

ELECTRONICS • Unplug when not in use to avoid “vampire energy”, which accounts for 10% of all wasted energy!

• Plug electronics into a powerstrip, switch it off when not in use • Use the sleep or hibernate setting on your computer - it can save 60-70% of power. Remember, screen savers are not energy savers • Use the stairs instead of the elevator. The extra exercise is an added benefit!

ENERGY • When you leave your room turn off lights and fans • Leave your radiator off and opt for a sweater instead • Set the thermostat to a few degrees higher in the summer (76° F) and a few degrees lower in the winter (68° F) • We don’t pay electricity bills for our dorms, but it is important to avoid wasting energy

WATER • Skip bottled water and use your own reusable bottles. Tap water is safe and saves money - 90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself • Shorten your showers! (1 minute = 12 bottles of water)

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• Wash full loads of laundry on cold to save 90% of energy consumption and preserve color of clothes • Air dry your clothes on a drying rack or clothesline • Call 919-684-5320 to report a leak in an East Campus dorm

PART II: PURCHASING What you buy (or don’t buy) sends a powerful message--make it one you believe in.

• Visit the Duke Free Store every other week during the academic year. Donate any item you don’t want and take anything you see for free • The Scrap Exchange is a local nonprofit that offers and accepts all sorts of used items.

• Thrift shops, such as Nearly New Shoppe on 2525 Erwin Rd. • S hop with a reusable bag! The average plastic bag is used for just a few minutes, is toxic, and takes up to 1,000 years to break down.

• A n annual campus Clothes Swap allows you to donate items you don’t want and exchange them for new ones!

PART III: STUDYING • Save money (and trees): buy used or local books • Opt for eBooks so you won’t have to lug around heavy textbooks • ShelfRelief — Online site to buy books from other Duke students • The Regulator Bookshop (720 9th Street) • Printing • Print less! Do you really need it?

• Only print double-sided • Format pages to have smaller margins and fonts • Print multiple PowerPoint slides per page • Read articles electronically

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get involved

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ere’s the part where you go out and make an even bigger difference. Show what you know!

• Join an environmental activism group • Environmental Alliance • Roots and Shoots • Students for Sustainable • Wilderness and Outdoor Living (SSL) Opportunities for Durham • Dorm Eco-Reps Program Students (WOODS) • The Smart Home • Participate in fun competitions like the Green Devil Smackdown.

• Learn about your footprint with the Duke Carbon Calculator • Got a project idea? Apply for a Green Grant • Get a Certified Green Dorm Room!!

• View a list updated each semester of sustainability courses at Duke • Consider getting a major, minor or certificate in ENV, EOS or environmental engineering • Connect with nature at the Duke Gardens, the Duke Forest, and other parks in the area • Volunteer at the weekly Campus Farm workdays

THE ONLINE VERSION FOR: ☛ SEE Off-campus volunteer opportunities, links to the Carbon Calculator, course listings and more!

get excited

about Eco-Olympics, an East Campus competition that pits dorms against each other in the quest for green dominance! Dorms get points for recycling, reducing energy use and participating in various eco-activities.

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♝ Printed on recycled paper Funded by the Green Grant Fund