A green Halloween
This Sunday is Halloween. Below are some tips and tricks for making your celebration a more sustainable one.
Consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of about $10 billion, up from $8 billion in 2020, according to the National Retail Federation. This mostly is due to costumes, candy, decorations and greeting cards. The amount of waste created from these items — from single-use costumes to plastic candy wrappers — is significant but can be avoided. Reducing waste and choosing more sustainable options means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a healthier holiday.
Costumes: Before you go out and buy a new costume or new clothing/accessories to use for your costume, see if you already have anything you can use. You also can check out local thrift stores like the ones mentioned here, or vintage boutiques, which always have great costume pieces. Or talk to your friends, family or local Buy Nothing group to see if you can swap previously worn costumes.
Decorations: Luckily, one of the best decorations for Halloween is a vegetable — the pumpkin. Most people just toss their pumpkin after they are done carving it or using it as a decoration. Instead, try roasting the seeds for a healthy snack or using the remaining pumpkin flesh in recipes like these, or you can fill the pumpkin with seeds to feed wildlife. Finally, make sure to compost your pumpkin. You can drop it off at one of Hillside Solutions/Dundee Bank’s free pumpkin composting collection sites. For other decorations, try to reuse materials and create your own – such as turning ripped stockings into spider webs — or purchase durable decorations that can be used every year.
Candy: Look for treats with minimal packaging and/or those packaged in recycled materials or choose alternatives to the typical candy options. Some of the world’s largest candy companies have a large environmental impact, through deforestation, species extinction and emissions from the harvesting of sugar, palm oil and cocoa beans. Products with certifications like organic and fair trade are generally safer options, or you can hand out healthier options like popcorn or juice boxes. Contrary to popular belief, lots of kids and parents alike will be happy to have a better variety in their bucket.
This Halloween, don’t just think orange — think green.
The greening of the wear
With colder weather rapidly approaching, it’s the perfect time to clean out your closet.
If you happen to decide there are some items you are ready to give up, don’t throw them away. Donating is a more eco-friendly option for discarding these items.
The fashion industry accounts for around 10% of annual carbon emissions and every year uses around 93 billion cubic meters of water — enough to meet the consumption needs of 5 million people. On top of that, around 92 million tons of textile waste is created every year by the fashion industry. You can significantly reduce the impact on the environment created by the fashion industry by only buying clothes you need and donating clothes you no longer want.
You can donate your clothes to many different organizations in Omaha. There is a wide range in what organizations will accept. Some places will buy your clothes in good condition, and other places will accept any type of donation you can give.
Here is a list of places in Omaha you can donate to:
|
Organizations that will buy clothes in good condition |
Organizations that will take donations in good/decent condition |
Organizations that will take any donations |
Another positive aspect of these organizations is that you can shop at most of them and it’s much cheaper than buying brand new. Thrifting/upcycling is a fun and sustainable way to shop and give other people’s discarded items a new home.
Campus Sustainability Month
UNMC will join campuses across Omaha and nationwide in celebrating Campus Sustainability Month this October.
Hosting Campus Sustainability Month is a nice juxtaposition to Earth Month events in April, and the month often serves as a catalyst for student involvement on campus.
Academic campuses are essential drivers to the environmental movement. In large part, colleges and universities’ interests in sustainability stem from student interests; UNESCO reports that 91% of students agree that their higher education institution should actively pursue and promote sustainable development. Academic institutions pursuing environmental sustainability and climate change resiliency often partner with their local communities, which has positive effects on not just the campus, but the residents, municipalities and land surrounding the institution as well.
Campus Sustainability Month will look different this year as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, we celebrated by planting a tree as part of the Free Trees for Fall Planting grant. You can get involved by participating in the other activities we have planned for this month:
- People’s EcoChallenge: You can join the med center’s team that will compete in the People’s EcoChallenge, a month-long virtual challenge (Oct. 6-Oct 27) where participants pledge and then record a variety of sustainable activities. Friends and family are welcome.
- Virtual Roundtable Event: On Oct. 25 from 6-7 p.m., join us for a roundtable with guest speakers from Keep Omaha Beautiful, Metro Transit, Exist Green and UNMC’s Water, Climate and Health Program. Our guests will cover recycling, public transportation, zero waste living, and climate change and health. Each speaker will present for less than 10 minutes, and there will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end. There might even be an opportunity to win giveaways. Click here to register for the Zoom event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Med center to plant new trees on campus
For the third year in a row, the med center has received the “Free Trees for Fall Planting” grant, a collaborative effort of the Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) and Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA).
In September, the med center received 10 trees with six different tree species, including black cherry, Kentucky coffeetree, and Hastings American elms.
Fall is the best time to plant trees, because the warm soil helps new root formation and the air temperatures encourage trees to produce shoots. The new trees will be planted on Thursday, Oct. 7 from 9-10 a.m. on the west side of the UNMC College of Public Health as part of Campus Sustainability Month. Attendees at the planting can enter a drawing to win a spring-blooming perennial, enjoy donut holes and learn about the tree species being added to campus this year.
Some of the new trees will replace trees that fell due to storms this past spring and summer. Trees will be planted near Clarkson College, the Maurer Center for Public Health and the Field Club Trail – all highly populated areas. Adding trees in these locations will create more shade and add to the general tree canopy system, which helps cool down highly populated areas. Having more trees at the med center also benefits the environment, with effects that include:
- Acting as a carbon sink and cleaning the air
- Adding biodiversity and attracting different pollinators
- Reducing emissions from lawn mowing
- Cooling the streets and city by breaking up urban “heat islands”
- Preventing soil erosion and water pollution
Plus, having more natural areas on campus helps with human health and healing. In 2020, Yale Environment posted a study that observed the effects of spending two hours a week in green spaces (parks or natural environments) on human well-being. The study showed that people who spent more time in green spaces reported having better health and psychological well-being when compared to those who didn’t. Nature can relieve stress by lowering blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reducing nervous system arousal, aiding the immune system and improving mood. Find more information on the positive effects trees have on health, especially in urban areas, here.
Friday is World Vegetarian Day
World Vegetarian Day is observed annually on Oct. 1. Its aim is to bring awareness about the benefits of a vegetarian diet on human health, animal welfare, the environment and more.
Eating less meat is one of the most significant ways an individual can reduce their environmental impact while also improving their own health.
According to the American Dietetic Association, eating a well-planned vegetarian diet may help reduce the risk of certain diseases, including heart disease. In fact, “a growing body of scientific evidence indicates that wholesome vegetarian diets offer distinct advantages compared to diets containing meat and other foods of animal origin” due to higher levels of certain nutrients and lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. Vegetarian diets can be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of everything from cardiovascular disease and hypertension to diabetes to cancer, osteoporosis and a variety of other conditions.
The livestock industry is responsible for about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and cattle (both meat and dairy production) account for 65% of those emissions. Widespread adoption of vegetarianism would have a significant impact on emissions worldwide. It also could save as much as $1 trillion annually in health care costs and lost productivity — and could save around 7 million lives. Widespread veganism (no animal-based products) would have an even greater impact.
If cutting out meat from your diet entirely sounds too difficult, try starting small. Eliminate meat for one day or one meal a week, or replace meat with a substitute such as tofu or plant-based alternatives. By experimenting with new vegetarian recipes on that day, you can find out which dishes you can easily include in your regular routine. One of the common mistakes people make when they become vegetarian is to eat more processed food, which negates the health benefits. Instead, be sure you do a little research about the nutrients you need and how you can get them through plants. Soon, you’ll be on your way to helping drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions and improving your health.
Sept. 22 is World Car Free Day
World Car Free Day, which encourages individuals to eliminate the use of their car for a day, will be celebrated on Sept. 22.
Avoiding using a car provides an opportunity to try using active transportation modes, such as biking, walking or taking the bus. Collectively, it demonstrates what our streets and air would look like without cars, congestion and polluting emissions. While going car-free may not be an option for everyone, it’s a chance to reexamine the way we move around our community.
Transportation accounts for approximately 29% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. — the largest contributor. GHG emissions in the transportation sector increased more in absolute terms than any other sector between 1990 and 2019. A majority of respondents to the med center’s 2019 Sustainability Engagement Survey drive between five and 20 miles one-way to get to work, meaning there is an opportunity for individuals at the med center to help reduce emissions.
The good news is that the med center has a great system in place to support employees who can travel to work in ways other than driving alone in a car. The TravelSmart program provides free emergency rides home, free Omaha Metro bus passes, bike/walk infrastructure such as lockers and showers and carpool matching. TravelSmart has helped the med center double its mode split (the percentage of commuters using transportation modes other than driving alone in a vehicle), from 12% in 2010 to 24% in 2019.
This year, consider trying out Omaha Metro’s new ORBT system, which runs every 10 minutes on Dodge Street. OBRT has a stop right outside Clarkson College at 42nd and Dodge streets, and TravelSmart members ride for free. The buses are equipped with WiFi and real time tracking. If you cannot use ORBT to commute, try taking it to lunch this week.
When we reduce drive-alone trips to campus, we reduce the health hazards of our community from car exhaust and often increase steps, improving cardiovascular health. If you are unable to use an alternative way of commuting to work, consider doing one errand this week by biking, walking or using transit. The environment and your health will benefit as a result.
Check out the TravelSmart website to learn more and sign up today.
Back-to-school BBQ limits waste
The UNMC back-to-school barbecue took place two weeks ago, welcoming students and staff back to campus. It was a hot day with around 800 people in attendance to play games, socialize, eat food and listen to fun music. In total, 803 meals were served.
The past two years, this was a zero waste event, meaning at least 90% of all the waste generated in preparation and during the event was diverted from the landfill — either by being composted or recycled. This year, the diversion rate was 71% — slightly below the zero waste threshold. Below are the quantities sent to each end destination:
- Compost: 88 lbs.
- Recycling: 12 lbs.
- Cardboard: 16 lbs.
- Hefty EnergyBag (soft plastics): Five lbs.
- Landfill: 43 lbs.
Of a total of 164 pounds of waste, 116 were diverted. A diversion rate of 71% is pretty high, but there is room for improvement. The wrapping around the food, condiment packets, table covers and other random items could not be recycled or composted, which contributed heavily to the landfill bin. Chip bags and other soft plastics were placed in orange Hefty EnergyBags but were not counted as diverted waste because these materials are not yet being recycled — they are still sent to be burned for energy. The plates, utensils, food, leftover liquids and any wet cardboard was all composted. Water bottles, aluminum cans, plastic cups and cardboard were recycled. Volunteers stood at each waste station and helped students and staff sort their waste into the correct bin, raising awareness and educating the attendees on waste management.
A special thanks to Verdis Group for volunteering their time to help stand by waste stations and weigh the waste at the end of the event, UNMC staff and HEAL volunteers that helped plan and clean up the event afterwards, Sodexo for catering the event and Hillside for providing the compost bins.
Making events zero waste helps the med center reach their goal of creating net zero waste by 2030. You can help at future events by ensuring people are putting their waste into the correct bin and checking out our Zero Waste Event toolkit.
Hot water vs. steam for heating
For the past few years, newer buildings at the med center, such as the Lauritzen Outpatient Center, Davis Global Center, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, the UNMC Center for Drug Discovery and Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education and more, have begun using hot water to heat their buildings instead of steam.
Steam and hot water are both the most common types of boiler heating systems. Steam boilers are known to be more traditional. They use energy to heat water to a boiling point, and the steam then travels through networks of pipes to different radiators to heat the building. A hot water boiler goes through the same process as steam but instead stops heating once the water is at a hot-enough temperature. Steam boilers still are necessary during cold months in the Midwest, but specifically during energy curtailment months and most other months throughout the year, hot water can be used to heat the majority of the med center’s buildings.
Using hot water instead of steam has many benefits. It is more energy efficient, safer and cheaper. Water can be controlled more easily than steam, since steam is a gas that has more particles, making it harder to balance and send in the right path, whereas water is easily directable. The water being used also doesn’t have to be heated to boiling temperatures, creating a much safer environment. Since less energy and water is needed, using hot water is the most cost-effective option.
The UNMC Center for Drug Discovery and Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education had a 45% reduction in energy use by using hot water instead of steam, equaling a cost avoidance of $45,000 just from 2017 to 2020. Many other buildings on campus had similar energy reduction and cost avoidance data. The med center will continue saving in the future by switching to hot water, because steam costs have continued to rise.
Moving toward this newer heating technology helps the med center reach its 2030 sustainability goals. Using hot water to heat buildings reduces emissions and the amount of water needed. Reducing emissions and water use positively impacts the environment and population by not contributing as much to air and water pollution.
Takeaways from the report on climate change
On Aug. 9, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change — a “code red for humanity,” according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Below are some key takeaways.
Earth is on track to cross the critical 1.5°C threshold within 20 years
Earth’s climate is warming faster than scientists previously thought, and even if nations sharply cut greenhouse gas emissions, total global warming will reach 1.5°C within the next 20 years. The 1.5°C increase is the critical threshold defined in the Paris Agreement to prevent the worst effects from climate change. If this 1.5°C increase occurs, we can expect to see an increase in climate impacts such as sea level rise, declining biodiversity, fishery and crop decline and rising poverty, as well as many other health-related impacts.
Warming is “unequivocally” due to human activity
“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land,” causing widespread and rapid changes, the report said.
We can still prevent the most dire climate hazards
We must take drastic action now in order to stave off the most dire climate outcomes. Doing so will require a coordinated effort among nations to rapidly shift away from fossil fuels and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
How is health related to climate change?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), climate change is expected to be responsible for 250,000 deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. Key health threats of climate change, according to the WHO and the CDC:
- Heat stress, as seen in the recent heat waves in the Northwestern states
- Waterborne and vector-carried diseases, for which a warmer climate means a wider geographic and seasonal distribution
- Air pollution, which is associated with diminished lung function, asthma and premature deaths
Health organizations like the medical center play a key role in providing the quality care and support needed for the communities to face the effects of climate change.
How the medical center is doing its part
The UN report emphasizes the importance of large organizations achieving their sustainability goals. The med center is striving to be carbon neutral by 2030, alongside a number of other goals. Visit the med center’s dashboard to find out more.
Resources for individuals
- LiveGreen website
- Count Us In’s list of 16 actions
- United Nations individual action site
National Honey Bee Day
This Saturday, Aug. 21, is National Honey Bee Day. Did you know that honey bees are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat?
Honey bees account for 90% of the pollination required for our crops to grow and are responsible for more than $1 billion in agricultural productivity within the U.S. Not only do bees contribute to most of the food we eat, they also:
- Help create medicines and raw materials;
- Provide food for wildlife;
- Keep waterways clean;
- Prevent soil erosion;
- Help with the production of oxygen; and
- Absorb CO2, which helps mitigate climate change and keep our air clean.
We can all help save the bees. In 2020, the med center received a grant to replace turf grass with native plants that help support pollinators like honey bees. Take a walk over to the lower level of parking lot 16, between the Truhlsen Eye Institute and Home Instead Center for Successful Aging, to check out the prairie and see some pollinators in action.
Despite the country’s massive reliance on honey bees in agriculture and other systems, these bees are declining at an alarming rate. In 1988, there were around 5 million hives in the U.S.; today there are only 2.5 million. The decline of honey bees can be attributed to several different factors: parasites, pesticides, habitat destruction, air pollution and climate change. If honey bee populations continue to decline toward extinction, many of our everyday necessities will no longer be available, and our health will be in jeopardy. We won’t have access to food we eat every day and medications we use, there will be much more air pollution, and the environment will experience huge shifts within all ecosystems.
National Honey Bee Day is an opportunity to recognize how much honey bees do to sustain our ecosystems, protect natural resources and ensure human health. It’s also a day to appreciate all of the beekeepers and honey bee associations that help support these important pollinators.
Some ways you can help save the bees in your own life include: avoiding pesticides and fertilizers, providing more trees and bee gardens in your yard, helping local beekeepers and organizations and educating others on the importance of bees. Check out this blog from City Sprouts to find out more about how you can help.
