Tigers Go Green

Good News Friday 1/29/21

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Good News Friday! This week’s post is a little longer than usual to cover some of the environmental headlines coming out of the Biden administration that you might not have heard about yet.

Image Credit: Aaron Kittredge via pexels.com

President Biden’s Approach to Climate Change:

Increasing Fuel Efficiency Standards: One of President Biden’s first executive orders last week includes a clause directing U.S. agencies to review Trump-era fuel efficiency standards. The order comes as Mr. Biden has also pledged to replace the federal government’s entire fleet of vehicles (some 650,000 machines) with fully electric models. This pledge also supports the President’s proposal to add 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations around the nation.
Changing Regulatory Review: The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), a relatively unknown agency under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has a reputation for being a last resort for conservatives to shoot down progressive bills. This is because it is charged with reviewing draft regulations and has historically nixed or weakened any that do not pass its cost-benefit analysis—usually bills more related to social benefit than economic growth. This frequently includes environmental proposals. However, a memo from President Biden on January 20 could change this pattern by directing the OMB Director to modernize regulatory review. The goal is to provide suggestions on how “the regulatory review process can promote public health and safety, economic growth, social welfare, racial justice, environmental stewardship, human dignity, equity, and the interests of future generations.” This could change the bills the OIRA approves for years to come.
Connecting Climate Change and National Security: Mr. Biden is widely expected to bring back and strengthen former President Obama’s 2016 memorandum on climate change and national security. The directive makes climate change a matter of national security and instructs “Federal departments and agencies to perform certain functions to ensure that climate change-related impacts are fully considered in the development of national security doctrine, policies, and plans.”

Image Credit: Karolina Grabowska via pexels.com

2. Investors Acknowledge Climate Change: Laurence Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, Inc.—the largest asset manager in the world—is calling on companies and business leaders around the world to disclose their plans for a net-zero carbon economy. As a figurehead in an industry known for supporting fossil fuels, Mr. Fink’s message breaks from investment precedent. However, his status also gives him enormous power to block investment in companies that contradict his priorities. Only BlackRock’s investment decisions going forward will tell how deep Mr. Fink’s commitment to carbon neutrality goes.

Image Credit: Mohamed Abdelgaffar via pexels.com

3. Advances in Battery Storage: Australian energy company Lavo recently announced its Green Energy Storage System, the world’s first residential hydrogen battery backup system intended to store excess energy generated from residential solar panels. With nearly three times the capacity of Tesla’s Powerwall 2—but admittedly a much larger price tag—Lavo’s product represents a breakthrough in battery storage, which some see as a key technology in climate change mitigation.

That’s everything for this week! Come back next time for more good news. Until then, look at our previous Good News Friday editions and contact us if you have any good news you would like to share!

Good News Friday 1/22/21

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

We’re here again with some more good news this week! As we head back to campus or gear up for the new semester at home, we can all use a bit of environmental positivity. I hope that the following tidbits can provide some hopeful insights and inspiration to be mindful of our relationship with the planet this coming year.

Image Credit: mojzagrebinfo via pixabay.com

Climate campaign helps people cut carbon in 2021: Around this time of the year, many people are struggling to keep their new year’s resolutions. While most resolutions are focused on personal goals such as productivity or weight loss, the campaign “Cut a Tonne in ’21” encourages people to decrease their carbon footprint rather than (or in addition to) their waistline. The project is endorsed by the United Nations, and the web tool Giki Zero helps participants estimate their carbon footprint as well as gives actionable steps to reduce emissions over the course of the year.

Image Credit: cherylholt via pixabay.com

Climate efforts keep children healthy: According to a new study, a climate initiative in the Northeastern U.S. has been shown to have a positive impact on childrens’ health: the reduction in air pollutants has likely reduced rates of childhood asthma, autism cases, preterm births, and low birth weights. As a result, the researchers estimate that this reduction in health issues has saved between $191 million to $350 million. The benefits mostly come from reduced nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions, which react in the air to form harmful PM2.5 particles.

Image Credit: free-photos via pixabay.com

Bowhead whales make a comeback: According to a recent NOAA report, bowhead whale populations are rebounding to pre-commercial whaling numbers. These Arctic baleen whales were nearly hunted to extinction starting in the 1700s for their blubber, oil, and whalebone. However, the ban on whaling—in combination with habitat management—has allowed some populations to recover, making them one of the only successful conservation stories in the warming Arctic.

Thank you for reading this week’s summary of positive environmental updates. We wish everyone a relaxing break and we’ll see you next week for some more good news! Until then, feel free to get in touch if you want to share some Good News with us!

Video: Packing Sustainably – Move-In Guide

If you’re planning to return to campus this spring, here’s a great resource for you! EcoRep Marissa Mejia ’23 created this Move-In Guide video on how to pack sustainably. Remember to bring only what you need!

For more information about how to keep sustainability in mind during Move-In, visit the Office of Sustainability’s Move-In website, read our blog post, or visit the Undergraduate Housing website.

Keep Sustainability in Mind During Move-In

Author: Pooja Parmar ‘22

One of the most exciting and stressful days of college is quickly approaching— Move-In. After being off-campus for 1.5 semesters, many of us are looking forward to moving in and reviving our Princeton experience. Even though campus life will not be the same, I know we are looking forward to seeing new faces and taking random walks throughout campus once again. Going into Move-In day with the right mindset could help you start the semester off with the right foot. This is our first opportunity of the semester to help Princeton achieve its zero-waste goal.

The emergency Move-Out in March 2020 exposed how wasteful dorm life can be. While the Office of Sustainability and Building Services staff tried to collect and organize as much of the leftover furniture and materials as possible, due to the rush of Move-Out, much of it was thrown away. To put this into perspective, during the 2019 Move-Out, over 50 tons (equivalent to the weight of about 7.5 elephants¹) of dorm materials were left behind on campus by students.

The Office of Sustainability’s Greening Move-Out program collected, sorted and cleaned about 13.10 tons of items for reuse through the Move-In Resale (pictured below) and donation to local organizations. The rest (about 70%) was sent to landfill due to the poor condition of the item or damage that could have been caused from any stage between drop-off to when it was picked up for donation as well as lack of storage space. Many items are also not able to be donated or recycled such as pillows and comforters. Therefore, without the organization and Greening Move-Out effort, you can imagine the amount of waste that was produced from the emergency Move-Out and the need to reduce the amount of items brought to campus in the first place.

Images from 2019 Move-In Resale

We can do better by making sure to keep sustainability in mind during Move-In. Here are some tips when preparing for Spring 2021 Move-In:

Remember to only bring items that you will need. Be deliberate about whether or not you need the same number of items as you did last year when you expected to be on campus for a full year.
Pack reusable items such as reusable mugs, water bottles, silverware, or food storage containers as well as supplies to clean them such as reusable cloths and dish soap. This will help reduce your reliance on single-use disposable items especially during quarantine.
Think ahead about storage. If you don’t think you will be able to store the item for reuse or donation at the end of the semester, reconsider the purchase or just don’t bring that item to campus. Remember, you’re only packing for ONE semester!
Make sure to coordinate with your roommates to prevent duplicates of an item. Coordinating who brings what will also lessen the storage burdens on any one roommate at the end of the semester, making it easier to reuse the item.
Shop local and buy secondhand. If you absolutely need a certain item for your room, shop local secondhand sources like the Free and For Sale Facebook group, TigerTrade, and Resource Recovery. There are also several secondhand stores in or near Princeton such as the Habitat for Humanity Restore, Skillman Furniture Store, Elephant in the Room Design, and One of a Kind Consignment. Please note: The Office of Sustainability is unable to offer a Move-In Resale this semester.

Sustainability is all about building small and manageable habits that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. Treat Move-In as an opportunity to build some new habits into your life and to explore minimalist living and secondhand shopping.

More information about the Spring 2021 Move-In is available on the Undergraduate Housing website.

Sources:

¹https://www.bluebulbprojects.com/measureofthings/results.php?amt=25.23&comp=weight&unit=tns&searchTerm=

Good News Friday 1/8/21

Author: Camellia Moors ‘22

Welcome to our first Good News Friday post of the new year! In the spirit of new beginnings, this issue focuses on legal and legislative issues that may have big implications for climate change mitigation efforts around the world this coming year.

Image of a Shell gas station at night. — *Image Credit:* Sergio Souza via pexels.com

Shell faces emissions lawsuit: Shell, a multinational oil company that provides 3% of the world’s energy, is facing a lawsuit from several Dutch environmental groups (Shell is headquartered in the Netherlands). The plaintiffs allege that the company, despite its pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, is failing to reach more ambitious climate goals set by the Paris Agreement, which the Netherlands is a signatory to. They argue that because of the location of the company’s headquarters, the oil giant is subject to Dutch emissions laws. The outcome of the lawsuit has significant implications for oil companies around the world: “If the judges rule against Shell in the new year… it will set a precedent that could leave oil and gas producers vulnerable to further lawsuits for their emissions abroad… [A] verdict against Shell could boost climate lawsuits against polluters across the world.”

Image of a pile of U.S. $100 bills. — *Image Credit:* John Guccione via pexels.com

2. The Fed joins climate-minded international bank network: The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently announced that it is becoming a member of the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). The NGFS, established in 2017, aims to “[strengthen] the global response required to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and to enhance the role of the financial system to manage risks and to mobilize capital for green and low-carbon investments.” The Fed’s involvement in the group is largely seen as a shift in mentality by the “steward of the world’s largest economy,” acknowledging that the U.S. is ready to have a greater role in the global fight against climate change.

Aerial photo of a highway. — *Image Credit:* Aleksejs Bergmanis via pexels.com

3. A cap-and-trade program for Eastern states: 11 Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, along with the District of Columbia, signaled their support last year to draft an “ambitious cap-and-trade program to curb tailpipe emissions from cars, trucks and other forms of transportation.” (To learn more about how cap-and-trade programs work, take a look at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions’ explanation). Last month, three states and Washington, D.C. formally agreed to adopt the finalized plan, while eight other states are considering joining at a future date. The plan is estimated to affect approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population if all 11 states sign on and is expected to begin in 2023. If successful, the plan has the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector (currently the largest national emissions contributor).

That’s all for this week! Keep an eye out for more more news next Friday, and, until then, feel free to get in touch if you want to share some Good News with us!

Sustainable Meals for Busy Students: Black Bean Soup

Author: Camellia Moors ‘22

As it gets colder outside for many of us, soup is a perfect way to warm up! Instead of choosing meat-based options like chicken soup, however, try opting for something vegetarian-based. This recipe’s main feature, black beans, involve far fewer carbon emissions than meats like beef. It can also be made more sustainable through customizations, like buying dried beans in bulk, which reduces packaging and saves money, or by using in-season/local toppings (in my case, I used Florida avocados!).

Regardless of how you choose to swap out ingredients, this recipe is quick, cheap, and easy to make. Perfect for busy students!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tsp ground cumin
Red pepper flakes (to taste; begin with ¼ tsp)
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Optional:
- 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro (to taste)
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar or 1 Tbsp tablespoons fresh lime juice (to taste)
Optional garnishes: Avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, etc.

Steps:

Step 1: Prep all of your ingredients. (TIP: If you decide to use fresh cilantro, trimming the leaves is made a bit easier by running the herb through the prongs of a fork to de-stem the plant in bulk. You don’t have to do this, but it goes a bit faster!)

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery (if desired), carrot and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Step 3: Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Step 4: Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Transfer the soup to a stand blender and add in the cilantro, lime juice, and black pepper, if desired. Securely fasten the lid and blend until smooth (keep in mind that the soup will still be hot and steam will escape when you open the lid). Alternatively, use an immersion blender in the soup pot.

Step 6: Return the pureed soup to the pot and add in any additional seasonings to taste. Serve with your choice of toppings (I went with Florida avocado, sriracha, and extra cilantro).

Recipe adapted from the Cookie + Kate blog.

Environmental Justice: A Look at the World

Research and Graphics by Marissa Mejia ‘23

While previous posts have examined environmental racism on a local and national level, this post will take a look at examples of environmental racism on a global scale, particularly as it pertains to climate colonialism, the Paris Agreement, and carbon offsets. According to sociologist Doreen Martinez, Climate Colonialism is “the domination of less-powerful countries and people through initiatives meant to slow the pace of global warming¹.” As we’ll see below, climate colonialism can manifest in unexpected ways, hidden within policies meant to protect the environment and promote developmental equity.

The Paris agreement has been a key initiative to address climate justice because it acknowledges the impacts of climate change on human rights: the rights of indigenous peoples, migrants, and others in vulnerable situations, the right to development, and the right to intergenerational equity². The Agreement also calls for net reductions in carbon emissions and has catalyzed a significant increase in carbon offsets purchases, which reduce net carbon emissions by funding activities that compensate for greenhouse emissions, such as the deployment of carbon sequestration technology and the planting of trees³. In fact, within the last five years, over two million Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) have been purchased as a result of this international environmental policy⁴.

However, although carbon offsets can effectively reduce net carbon emissions, they actually perpetuate environmental injustice as the majority of the land purchased for carbon offsets is inhabited by indigenous peoples who are evicted by powerful institutions under the Paris Agreement. For example, Norwegian companies buying and conserving forestland for carbon offsets in East Africa have forcefully evicted thousands of Ugandans, Mozambicans, and Tanzanians, exacerbating home, health, and food insecurity¹. This side effect of the Paris Agreement is a distressing example of climate colonialism in action. According to Rosemary Lyster, “Given all of the frailties of the Agreement… the Parties have a long way to go in subsequent negotiations before the imperatives of Climate Justice are satisfied².”

So what can we do to mitigate the perpetuation of inequality through environmental policy? Rather than relying on carbon offsets, we can reduce emissions through personal choices and lifestyle changes. Some examples include reducing meat consumption, using reusables, avoiding flying, buying clothes secondhand, and investing in clean energy. It is also beneficial to support international environmental justice organizations such as Natural Justice and Friends of the Earth⁵. When we see deficiencies in global policy, we should call for accountability at a political level, but we can also counter by enacting change at a personal level.

Sources

1) https://slate.com/technology/2019/03/green-new-deal-climate-colonialism-energy-land.html

2) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09644016.2017.1287626?casa_token=6YP6SNXvT6UAAAAA%3AVZoLDpI512YbkZobc1qhAbb5_gyMwCr_mb8TEwwTF9vfaEa8oNXFrdUvPt66sIJWFBpSdtsAi-_r

3) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carbon%20offset

4) https://unfccc.int/news/un-carbon-offset-platform-reaches-2-million-cers-milestone

5) .humanrightscareers.com/magazine/20-international-ngos-defending-environmental-rights/

Environmental Justice: A National Perspective

Research and Graphics by Saran Toure ‘22

Edited by Wesley Wiggins ‘21

The previous post discussed environmental justice through the lens of local New Jersey policy. This post zooms out to look at how the United States government and other national organizations have addressed Environmental Justice (EJ) issues. The two main pieces of federal legislation addressing EJ are the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Executive Order (E.O.) 12898

NEPA was signed into law on January 1^st, 1970, and requires agencies to go through an evaluation process to determine the environmental, social, and economic impacts of their actions and involve affected communities in the evaluation². This act specifically calls for the federal government to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental Assessments (EA) which look at federal legislation and projects to evaluate the environmental impacts and potential alternatives and solutions to harmful impacts. Citizens can participate in these assessments during the scoping process through public meetings, workshops, hearings, and other means¹.

This act is bolstered by E.O. 12898 which was ordered by former President Bill Clinton on February 16^th, 1994. This act is also addressed as “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations”⁵. The purpose of the executive order was to focus more attention on environmental and health conditions that resulted from federal actions to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all communities. This order directs federal agencies to make a plan to address environmental injustice, promote non-discrimination in federal health and environmental programs, and provide information and participation opportunities to low-income and marginalized communities⁵.

Though these policies have done a lot for communities since they have been enacted⁴, there is still a lot more work that can be done on the national level to improve conditions for communities affected by environmental racism. There is also a lot that can be done by individuals to hold the government accountable like learning about the environmental impacts of federal agencies, participating in the NEPA process for your community, and voting in local and federal elections to protect and improve laws. Additionally, you can support national environmental justice agencies like Earth Justice⁶ and Protect NEPA⁴.

Sources:

“How Citizens Can Comment and Participate in the National Environmental Policy Act Process.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. February 6, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/nepa/how-citizens-can-comment-and-participate-national-environmental-policy-act-process
“What is the National Environmental Policy Act?” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. September 17, 2020. https://www.epa.gov/nepa/what-national-environmental-policy-act
“Environmental Justice Timeline.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. June 2, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-timeline
“Environmental Justice” Protect NEPA. Accessed November 28, 2020. https://protectnepa.org/environmental-justice/
“Summary of Executive Order 12898 – Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. July 23, 2020. https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-executive-order-12898-federal-actions-address-environmental-justice
“The Trump Administration Wants to Undo the People’s Environmental Law.” Earthjustice. August 31, 2020. https://earthjustice.org/features/nepa

Environmental Justice: Starting Locally in New Jersey

Research and Graphics by Lazarena Lazarova ‘21

Edited by Christopher Lugo ‘22

Environmental Justice (EJ) has come to be understood as a fundamental component of any comprehensive response to the environmental challenges of our contemporary moment. With the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, it has been foregrounded in conversations about racial justice and other issues around which activists center their work. New Jersey, in particular, has become one of the first state governments to address the needs of marginalized communities and implement environmental justice through legislation.

Before diving in, let’s touch briefly on the concept of environmental justice. What is it exactly, and how can we practice it? According to Green Action for Health and Environmental Justice, a multiracial grassroots organization, EJ is defined as “the values, rules, regulations, behaviors, policies, and decisions that support sustainability, where all people can hold with confidence that their community and natural environment is safe and productive”¹.

New Jersey has taken promising but preliminary steps towards realizing that goal. One bill that was passed by the legislature into New Jersey state law on August 27, 2020 expands the purview of the Department of Environmental Protection. The effects of any proposed projects seeking a permit from the department on “overburdened communities” would have to be considered before the project could go forward. The bill defines “overburdened communities” as those with at least 50% of residents being low-income and 40% of residents being racial minorities or having limited English proficiency. Power plants and waste facilities like landfills and sewage treatment plants would have to reckon with the impact they impose on nearby overburdened communities. New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance has expressed support for the bill^2,3.

In addition to this most recent effort, the legislature has passed reforms to the state’s learning standards, requiring all students to learn about climate change and the science behind it. There is hope that a more robust education in climate science will raise a generation of leaders and organizers who are both well-informed on the issue of climate change and acknowledge the urgency with which it must be addressed⁴. There is plenty our generation can do here and now, too. Volunteer with organizations like the Environmental Justice Alliance, lobby your local government to research and implement a climate action plan, and educate yourself on the links between racial justice and environmental justice.

Sources:

“Environmental Justice & Environmental Racism”. Green Action for Health and Environmental Justice. http://greenaction.org/what-is-environmental-justice/
Warren, Michael Sol.“Landmark bill to protect poor communities from pollution just passed N.J. Legislature”. Nj.com – True New Jersey. August 28, 2020. https://www.nj.com/news/2020/08/landmark-bill-to-protect-poor-communities-from-pollution-just-passed-nj-legislature.html
Warren, Michael Sol and Brent Johnson. “Murphy backs plan to protect N.J. low-income communities from more pollution”. Nj.com – True New Jersey. June 19, 2020. https://www.nj.com/politics/2020/06/murphy-backs-plan-to-protect-nj-low-income-communities-from-more-pollution.html
White, Kimberly. “New Jersey Becomes First U.S. State to Require Schools to Teach Climate Change”. Planetary Press. June 17, 2020. https://www.theplanetarypress.com/2020/06/new-jersey-becomes-first-u-s-state-to-require-schools-to-teach-climate-change/#:~:text=The%20newly%20adopted%20guidelines%20make,educators%20over%20the%20past%20year

Good News Friday 12/18/20

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome to the last Good News Friday post of the year! It’s been such a crazy semester, but we hope that this series has been able to brighten your week in a small way. For this week, we will be looking at the world’s seed vaults, a better diet for cows, and the race to save the banana.

Seed vaults stay secure: While this past year has seen disasters such as wars, wildfires, and a pandemic, the global network of plant gene banks has remained resilient. In fact, according to Ola Westegen, an associate professor at the Norwegian University of Life Science, the safe and peaceful transfer of seed samples from Syria, despite the extreme conditions of the Arab Spring, testifies to the effectiveness of the international system of gene banks. Additionally, the world’s largest wild seed conservation project, the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Cows go on a diet: Scientists have discovered a surprising method for curbing methane emissions from livestock. A recent study found that adding a small amount of red seaweed to a cow’s daily feed can reduce the amount of methane production by 98 percent without any adverse effects on the animal’s health. Additionally, growing the seaweed for cow feed could help sequester carbon dioxide and reduce ocean acidification, so it’s a win-win all around.

The race to save the banana: Bananas are the second most popular fruit in the world (after tomatoes), but they are also extremely vulnerable to extinction due to climate change and low genetic diversity. As a result, scientists are trying to find ways to protect the cultivated banana from climate change by discovering ancient, wild banana ancestors in Papua New Guinea. The genetics of these wild varieties can help breeders increase the genetic diversity and resilience of the modern bananas that we know and love.

We hope you’ve been enjoying this series these past few months, and we’ve certainly had a lot of fun writing it. Although this is our last post of the year, we encourage you to keep a lookout for Good News (and not just on Fridays). We’ll see you next year with more optimistic environmental stories to share!