New LiveGreen Website!
LiveGreen is proud to unveil a new look for its website! While the old design had good intentions, many of you let us know that it wasn’t working for you. We agree and are proud to announce a new and improved LiveGreen website.
The new version still has the same address: LiveGreenNebraska.com but you may find that some “downstream” addresses have changed. For example, looking for recycling information? Now you can just go to LiveGreenNebraska.com/recycling for information about recycling different materials.
We are also really excited about the tool bar you’ll find on the left side of the page. You can go to almost any page on the site with only one click! Any item on that tool bar that has the little triangle on the right edge, also known as a carat, has a drop down menu that you can see just by hovering over the bar. Sticking with the recycling example, when you over the recycling bar with your mouse, a menu will drop down giving you the option to go directly to a page about a specific item, such as metal, cardboard, or medications. Some dropdown menu items have carats too.
If you are on a touchscreen device (cell phone, tablet, etc.) there is no way to hover and you will still need to click. If you click on the bar you will go to the main page; if you click on the carat, you will see the drop down menu.
All TravelSmart information is located here. New announcements will be on the front page, and we’ll still have all of our news articles, Earth Week information, the Supply Exchange, and the Sustainability Master Plan, in their entirety along with easy to read updates on each goal area and the initiatives that are helping us to get there.
Looking for even more ways to be sustainable? You can also directly link to our Facebook page for information and events on and off campus and our Pinterest page for lots of Re-Purpose It Contest ideas, recipes, gardening tips, and more.
You asked for these changes, so let us hear from you! If you are looking for information you still can’t find, have a suggestion for something to add, or have an idea for the future, please let us know by emailing LiveGreen@unmc.edu
Earth Week Activities Announced
by Melanie Stewart
No matter what your interests are, there will be something for everyone at this year’s Earth Week Celebration and we hope to see you there!
Monday, April 24th:
Don’t toss it, don’t recycle it—Re-Purpose it! Put on your creative thinking caps and see what you can make out of reused materials! Anything that has outlived its original intent and been transformed into something else is eligible to win in the ever-popular Re-Purpose It contest! Past winners have included everything from a potting bench out of pallets to a wall sign made out of floorboards to a standing desk out of copy paper boxes. In addition to popular vote, community groups will also award specific prizes, so there are many opportunities to win! Check our website for contest rules.
Tuesday, April 25th 11pm-6pm and Wednesday, April 26th 6am-12pm:
Have items at home you need to get dispose of, and can’t put in the trash? We will accept a variety of items for recycling; click here for complete information:
- Personal electronics will be collected and recycled; hard drives will be shredded. Most items will be free, but there will be a nominal cost for tube TVs, CRT monitors, and hard drives.
- Free personal document shredding.
- Free personal single use alkaline battery recycling.
- Free ‘techno trash’ recycling – computer disks, CDs, and VHS tapes for shredding/recycling.
- Eyeglasses will be collected for donation.
- Have pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House? Bring those too!
This event will be held over 2 days to make it more convenient for you.
Thursday, April 27th 11:30am-1:30pm, in Lower Storz:
The Sustainability Expo returns! You will have the chance to speak with multiple representatives from community environmental organizations (everything from personal rain barrels to canning/food storage tips)—along with free cookies, door prizes, and more! Check our webpage for a complete list of topics; new presenters are still being added.
Friday, April 28th, location TBD:
Arbor Day is celebrated across the country but has special meaning in Nebraska. We will plant a tree, give away free trees and wildflower seeds, and we’ll have a Master Gardener (our own Susan Siebler) on hand to answer your questions as you get ready to garden. Check our website for more info.
Zip Around Town
By Melanie Stewart
Need a car short-term? Reserve a Zipcar! UNMC & Nebraska Medicine have partnered with Zipcar to bring self-service, on-demand car sharing to the area. To use Zipcars, simply register as a member, reserve a car online or on your phone, use your Zipcard to scan into the car, and drive away. When you’re done, return the car to the same location where you picked it up.
As a member, you get:
- Access to Zipcars 24/7.
- Discounted hourly rates for faculty, staff and students age 18 and older. Rates start at $8.50/hour or $69/day.
- Gas, insurance and maintenance are included for free!
- Join for only $15 a year
Wondering how it works? There are four simple steps to Zipcar freedom. Join today at zipcar.com/nemedcenter. Once you’re a member, reserve a car online or on your phone for as little as an hour or as long as seven days. Scan into the car using your Zipcard. (The keys are already in the car.) Drive away. Be sure to return the car at the end of your reservation.
With Zipcar parked right on campus, now located on the SE corner of 42nd and Farnam (corner of parking lot #7), it’s easy to go downtown, do errands, or even road trip. Moreover, since Zipcar covers gas, insurance, and 180 miles per day, you can enjoy the freedom of the open road without any of the extra costs. Zipcars are available at other locations in Omaha, and other cities across the state, country, and globe.
On-campus Zipcars are available for use by anybody, and any Zipcar is available for any Zipster. Patient families, guests, visitors, and members of the community can sign up with our discount by selecting “Community Members” at zipcar.com/nemedcenter
Don’t have a car and need to run errands this weekend, or haul an item that doesn’t fit in your car? Zipcar can help with two cars located at the Med Center: “Easyrider,” the crossover/SUV Ford Escape and “Josiephine,” the 4-door Hyundai Elantra Sedan.
UNMC employees may be able to use Zipcars instead of personal vehicles for business purposes. Talk to your administrator before use.
If you are an international driver, Zipcar may still be available for you, for instance, to take your driver’s license test. For more information on required documents for international students, please refer to www.zipcar.com/apply/foreign-drivers .
Net Zero Water
photocredit: freeimages.com/davegostisha
By Melanie Stewart
If you’ve been watching the news, you’ve heard a lot about water. It’s easy to forget how valuable water is to us, as we can turn on the faucet and get fresh, clean water whenever we want it. If we were under drought restrictions, had contaminated water, or had to haul it from a nearby reservoir, our attitudes would quickly change.
UNMC/Nebraska Medicine recently announced their commitment to reduce water use to “Net Zero Water.” This does not mean we won’t use any water. We will still use water, we’ll still have green space, and we’ll always recommend washing hands!
The goal means that by 2030 we’ll only use as much water as falls on our property in an average year. As of right now, that would mean we would use 104 million gallons of water per year. That’s a lot of water, enough to fill 160 Olympic swimming pools! Still, it’s a 55% reduction from our 2010 baseline, and 33% reduction from where we are now, so we have some work to do.
Reductions at home are important too; did you know most of us use 20 gallons of water per shower? Or that the EPA estimates Nebraska to be one of the top 7 states for water use per capita?
Here are some simple things you can do to have a sizable impact:
- Turn faucets completely off–no dripping–especially in labs.
- Report drippy faucets and leaks, inside or outside.
- Scrape or wipe instead of rinsing recyclables; rinsing isn’t necessary.
- Buy faucets and fixtures with the Water Sense
- Take a five-minute shower. Need a fun timer? Check out the list below of five-minute-long songs you can listen to while you shower. (Don’t dance–you might slip!)
- Turn the faucet on part way, only using the pressure you need. Turn it off when brushing teeth.
- Don’t run your sprinkler system when it’s raining, make sure programs are correct and check sprinkler heads to make sure they are watering plants, not concrete.
- Or, forgo the grass! Look into low-water-use plants and groundcover; consider xeriscaping.
- Build a rain barrel. It’s easy, inexpensive, and provides free water for your garden or to wash your car. Did you know that over 600 gallons of water will run off a 1,000 sq. ft. roof in a 1” rain?
Adele-Hello
Aerosmith-Sweet Emotion
The Beatles-While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Beastie Boys-Body Movin’
Beyonce-Me, Myself, and I
Blake Shelton-Boys ‘Round Here
Coldplay-Clocks
Creedence Clearwater Revival-Born on the Bayou
Dave Matthews Band- Tripping Billies
Flock of Seagulls-I Ran
Jefferson Starship-We Built This City on Rock & Roll
Kanye West-Stronger
Lady Gaga-You and I
Lauryn Hill- DooWop (That Thing)
Lynard Skynard-Sweet Home Alabama
Michael Jackson-Thriller
Muse – Uprising
Paul Simon- You Can Call Me Al
U2-Walk On
Spring Cleaning Already?
by Anne Rivas
I grew up on stories about good housekeepers whose homes were always immaculate and ready for company. I heard about moving the stove and refrigerator to clean behind and underneath them, about taking the rugs outside to beat the dust out of them, and washing the feathers and re-stuffing the featherbeds and pillows. I know no one who actually did these things, but there’s a reason for the stories.
Dust mites, dander and mold – Oh My! These all live in our houses, along with bacteria and viruses, and can cause anything from minor irritation to serious illness.
Hundreds of thousands of dust mites can live in bedding, mattresses, and upholstered furniture. They generate some of the most common substances that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma. There are no indoor spaces without mold spores. Problems arise when materials remain wet long enough for mold to grow.
Pet dander is composed of tiny flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, rodents and birds – in short, by everything that has fur or feathers. Pet dander is very light and small, and remains suspended in the air for a long time. It sticks to furniture, fabrics and items carried into and out of the home. It is easily spread and can be found in homes and buildings without pets.
Above are the reasons for those tales of heroic housekeepers. The American Lung Association offers the following recommendations for keeping our homes healthy:
- Have adequate ventilation to combat viruses, bacteria and mold
- Keeping humidity levels in our homes under 50% creates a less hospitable environment for mold and dust mites
- Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom
- Take care of leaks and spills quickly
- Keep refrigerator drip pans clean
- Use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter, or a central whole-house vacuum system
- Damp mop hard floors and dust with a damp cloth
- Damp dust and mop regularly
- Use rugs that can be taken outside and cleaned instead of carpeting, which collects and holds onto dust, dust mites, and pet dander
- Remove shoes when entering the house
- Replace your furnace filter regularly
These steps are an easy way to improve our air quality and keep our families healthy.
It’s early for spring cleaning, but it feels good to at least open the windows while we can!
UNMC/Nebraska Medicine announce new sustainability goals
Leaders of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine have announced three lofty, but attainable, sustainability goals related to emissions, water and waste.
The goals – especially aggressive in such a specialized hospital/research setting – call for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine to:
- Become carbon neutral (net zero emissions) by 2030;
- Achieve zero waste by 2030; and
- Use less water than what falls on the main campus during an average rainfall year (currently 104 million gallons) by 2030.
“Achieving these goals will have a substantial, and positive, impact on the medical center’s budget, and more importantly, on the planet and people who live in the community,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “Reaching the goals won’t be easy, but they are achievable and work hand-in-hand with our mission to transform lives to create a healthy future for all.”
Last April, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine celebrated having using 25 percent less energy in 2015 than it did five years ago, despite adding more square footage to campus. In addition, the campus reduced both its peak electrical use and domestic water consumption, which conservatively equated to more than $10 million in money the medical center would have had to spend on utilities.
So, what savings do campus leaders anticipate by meeting their new goals? That’s difficult to estimate, they say, but emphasize that no new funds are budgeted for the initiative. Leaders, however, anticipate the initiative will yield greater efficiencies because of new technology, changes to infrastructure and using less resources.
“These goals not only make us strong stewards of taxpayer dollars, but set us apart from other academic health science centers in the country,” said Ken Hansen, associate vice chancellor of facilities at UNMC and vice president of facilities for Nebraska Medicine. “The challenging weather in our state only adds to the complexity of meeting the emissions goal.”
The goals are endorsed by the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine Executive Sustainability Council, which is committed to being an industry leader in sustainability.
Learn more about each goal:
Energy and emissions goals
Net zero carbon emissions requires low-energy buildings, but can use a combination of on-site, off-site renewable energy (wind and solar) to achieve a net zero carbon emission goal. All renewable generation doesn’t have to be on-site to achieve net zero or net positive carbon emissions.
Given that many campus buildings run 24/7, hospitals are one of the most energy intensive types of property, but UNMC and Nebraska Medicine can achieve its net-zero emissions goal by setting energy use intensity targets in new building construction, as well as doing energy updates (lighting, building controls, etc.) in existing buildings. In addition, the medical center supports the Omaha Public Power District’s renewable generation target of 50 percent by 2023, which impacts everyone in the region by burning less coal and creating less pollution.
Waste
The Zero Waste International Alliance and the National Recycling Coalition define zero waste as “diverting 90 percent of all discarded materials from landfill, incinerators, and the environment.”
Campus leaders say a zero waste goal – which excludes biohazardous waste – for UNMC/Nebraska Medicine is a bold goal, but acknowledge that new opportunities will exist as markets change and the campus will be poised to take advantage when they occur.
The medical center also is looking into composting its food waste, but the options for handling that material in a sustainable way are limited in the region today. To accomplish this goal, campus leaders say it likely will require a new economical and reliable outlet in the region.
“The diversity, breadth and volume of materials used on a campus such as the medical center creates an extremely complicated and difficult environment to achieve zero waste,” said Nebraska Medicine CEO Dan DeBehnke, M.D., M.B.A. “Non-patient care areas, of course, have more flexibility, and, although, much will need to change, both internally and externally, for us to achieve the 2030 goal, we are committed to making this happen.”
Water
The Net Zero Water Guidebook defines net zero water as “using only as much water as falls on your site and eliminating all water quality impacts from the site.”
With future medical center expansion and increased water use from mission-focused activities, campus leaders will focus on water use per square foot.
Campus leaders say this goal can be achieved by greater indoor and outdoor water efficiencies (ie: mechanical systems, water use monitoring), harvesting and reusing rainwater and condensation and creating additional retention ponds.
Chill Out
By Melanie Stewart
If you were anywhere near the Central Utility Plant (CUP) in early December, you probably noticed a crane moving sections of something that looked like huge pieces of pipe into the building. Yes, on one of the coldest days of the year, we installed a new chiller.
Normally this is something that only engineers would geek out about. But I’m here to tell you that this chiller is pretty, well, cool.
First, let’s talk about what in the heck a chiller is. A chiller super-cools water and that water is then distributed around campus in very large pipes to provide cooling. This is much more efficient than the thousands of air conditioning units it would take on a campus
this size.
Our new chiller has a very new, efficient, and environmentally responsible refrigerant in it. This new refrigerant does not deplete the ozone if released into the atmosphere (as traditional CFC refrigerants do) and has the best toxicity rating possible. It’s also nonflammable and can run at a lower pressure, making it very safe. While most refrigerants today have a global warming potential of about 1300, our refrigerant’s global warming potential value is just 1!!!
How “cool” is this refrigerant? Only twelve chillers in the world to have it, and we have one—and the first in the United States.
This chiller is a little bigger (classified as a 3700-ton) than our existing chillers and this will allow us to cool the newly opened Lauritzen Outpatient Center and Pharmacy Drug Discovery Buildings, as well as the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, with capacity to spare for future buildings.
The refrigerant along with the size of this chiller and new controls allows us to be more efficient—not only is the new chiller more energy efficient than the old ones, it’s size allows us to run it and the other chillers at a comfortable pace. It’s like driving your car on cruise control at 60mph, rather than changing speeds erratically or driving at 100mph. We save energy and all our chillers will last longer.
Getting this chiller in the CUP was no easy feat either. It was factory tested, shipped, tested again, disassembled into 4 pieces, and then craned into the CUP—which had a section of roof removed to get it in and special support structures in place to move the chiller to its permanent home inside the building.
Very cool indeed.
Have a Green Super Sunday!
By Melanie Stewart
Are you a Falcons or Patriots fan who can’t wait for Super Sunday? Or do you just watch for the commercials? Or Lady Gaga? At least 120 million Americans will be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday and while it’s a marquee event, it also contributes to a large amount of waste.
LiveGreen can help you make your party a little greener with these easy suggestions:
Buy reusable, then recyclable. If reusable plates/flatware/napkins aren’t an option, buy recyclable items made with recycled material. Strive for plastics labeled #1 & #2, as they are more easily recycled. If you have a compost pile, buy compostable items.
Make it Easy. Make sure appropriate bins are conveniently located and labeled so your guests know where to place items when they are through.
Buy in bulk. Buy larger quantities of the items you know you will need. One family size bag of chips is less packaging than 2 small ones and a case of pop is less packaging than two 12-packs.
Plan Ahead. When shopping for the party, make plans for what you need and make one trip, which saves gas and your valuable time. Remember your reusable shopping bags.
Ditch the packaging materials. Make homemade dips, snacks, and party food instead of the premade, prepacked stuff. You’ll reduce waste and eat healthier. Consider letting guests make their own mini-pizzas instead of delivery and serve filtered water in pitchers instead of bottled water.
Buy local. Locally grown produce & meat, locally made bread/buns & cheese, and locally brewed beer reduce waste while supporting the local economy.
Think Healthy. Need some new recipe ideas that are healthy for both you and the planet, but still taste good? Check out LiveGreen’s Recipe page on Pinterest, loaded with lots of new recipes perfect for your party.
Reuse old footballs or gear to decorate. Have team apparel you don’t wear anymore? Make fun reusable tablecloths or napkins, or other decorations.
Carpool to your party.
Buy rated. If you purchase a new television for the big game, buy an Energy Star certified television and used the in-TV adjustments to save energy while in operation.
Recycle the old television. If you don’t have a place to take it now, LiveGreen will be collecting electronics again during Earth Week in April.
The Landscape
By Melanie Stewart
photo credit: wikipediacommons/RonReiring
The Omaha Community Foundation (OCF) has been helping charitable giving increase local impact. Most people are familiar with OCF’s “Omaha Gives!” event, and they follow local nonprofits as well as philanthropists to determine the needs of the community and then help others to give where it’s needed.
To increase that effect across the greater Omaha metro area, they have created The Landscape.
The Landscape is a data driven look at several aspects of our lives. While there are many great things to celebrate, and the Landscape shows those successes, it can also help to determine what we need to do better. In order for the Douglas/Sarpy/Pottawattamie county area to succeed, we must put resources where they are most needed. This ensures that everyone benefits, regardless of who they are or where they live.
Information is currently available in four key areas: Health, Transportation, Neighborhoods, and Safety, with two more – Education and Workforce – to follow soon. They also expect to explore the arts, environment, economy, and civic engagement.
Scores of community-level data allow us to look at individual snapshots and relate them to real people in our community. The website is easy to navigate, and allows users to dig deeper into the data to learn what is taking place in our community and compare it with national trends.
Interested in Health? There’s information about healthcare, access to and healthy food, obesity, STDs, trauma, behavior, and hunger. Did you know that job and school performance can be related to hunger? That we have a high concentration of food deserts? This can lead to a variety of health issues…and the connections continue.
If you are like me, seeing the data is necessary, but then I need to know how to get involved. There are several ways you can get involved and the site includes an Action Kit that provides concrete ways for you to, well, take action. It can help you find local nonprofits to support with time or money.
As OCF President/CEO Sara Boyd noted in an Omaha World Herald article, “…it’s not just data, it’s people. It’s our people. It’s a launching pad for increased visibility, understanding, cross-sector coordination, action, and accountability on key community issues that have long existed but have not often surfaced with the persistence of attention we need to maintain focus and to amplify and activate champions for change…”
Food for Thought
By Anne Rivas
photo credit: freeimages.com/williamstadler
So, did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Was one of them to eat more fruits and vegetables? Did you go to the store and come home with armloads of leafy greens, roots, and fruits to start the New Year right?
Are they still there, slowly rotting in the crisper? Mine are. When you’re home from work, starved and putting dinner together, what do you reach for—the bag of chips on the counter, or the limp hairy carrot at the bottom of the fridge? Be honest, now.
The NRDC calculates that we waste 50 percent more food than we did in the 1970s. I certainly do. Food waste happens at every step of the farm-to-landfill journey, but let’s talk about waste at the consumer stage, because that’s what I’m good at. For instance, I buy a bin of spinach at Costco every week, to hide in my breakfast smoothies. But I’ve been eating oatmeal, so the spinach rots from fridge to compost. Then, thinking of smoothies, I buy more.
The NRDC lists several factors contributing to consumer food waste: Low prices encourage us to buy more than we need. Food spoils due to improper storage and poor visibility in refrigerators. We misjudge our food needs. We buy impulsively and in bulk. We fail to plan. We prepare more food than we need.
I personally blame refrigerators – those deep, cold caverns in which leftovers sneak to the back and develop from cultures into civilizations. I want two side-by-side drawers at waist height, deep enough to accommodate an opened bottle of wine, one for chilling, and one for freezing. I want to see everything at once.
It’s fun to be seduced by perky tips to improve our lives, but let’s be honest. Do you like to cook? Do you have time to cook? If you eat out a few times a week, don’t shop as if you plan to cook every night. Buy what you’ll eat. If you plan to snack on vegetables, make it easy and don’t buy the chips. When you cook, don’t double the recipe if you don’t eat leftovers. Buy in bulk the items that you eat regularly and that won’t spoil quickly. When produce begins to wilt, chop and freeze the good parts for future dishes. Finally, eat real food—food you recognize, not stuff engineered to look like food.
