2012 London Olympics See Sustainability as More Than Going Green

We have all heard that the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was supposed to be the most "sustainable Olympics ever." But after the stories of flying in snow and other problems encountered throughout they did not quite reach the level of sustainability they hoped for. That doesn't mean they didn't make a positive step though. After all they did make huge progress in pushing sustainability as a central theme of the Olympics. And I believe London caught on.

The 2012 London Olympics are taking this advice from Vancouver and making their upcoming summer olympics sustainable beyond going green. They hope to incorparte the social, enviornmental and economic aspects that will improve London for years to come, long after the games are over. Here is a brief statement by the Olympic sustainable committee says the games will provide:

The remediation of the site will bring existing land back into public use and create significant improvements in the quantity and quality of green space in east London.

The creation of new infrastructure, sporting facilities and housing in an area currently experiencing high levels of deprivation will help to create neighbourhoods and vibrant places after the Games are over, where people will want to live, work and play. We are reconnecting communities by building more than 30 bridges across the waterways, railways and roads that currently divide the Olympic Park area.

I find it amazing how much change the Olympics will bring to the community in London as well as improve and recreate the parks and bridges that need to be improved. I believe that this is a huge step for London and with the steps they are taking to truly incorporate sustainability into an event that will be seen throughout the World. What better venue to promote this movement and let the rest of the world know that you can make a difference today that will affect those for years to come. Hopefully though, it won't have to take covering the Olympics for a city to change their ways.

ASUO Sustainability Fair Unites Campus Groups

I came across a very interesting video today as I was researching sustainability. The ASUO, a Student Government group at the University of Oregon held a sustainability fair last October. This fair brought over 15 campus groups that have ties to sustainability and let them display their ideas to not only each other but the student body as well.



Here is the link to the article and video:



I found this to be very interesting because I am a strong believer that in order for the sustainability movement to truly work we must come together and continue to learn from every aspect of sustainability. The groups involved in the fair ran from Architecture students to the U of O outdoor program. What really stands out for me is that those who attended the fair got to see the diverse implications of sustainability. Sustainability is not a singular idea like improving campus recycling. Instead, it is uniting diverse groups and ideas such as improved architecture design and sustainable law.

What this fair got me thinking about was how can we make this a bigger event? Maybe instead of having it be only one day it could be a week long event that would encourage more student involvement. I for one never knew this was going on and would have loved to visit the fair and been a part of the think tank. Another interesting point that actually came up during a presentation in class today was how the Greek life here at the U of O is starting to begin its journey into better sustainability practices. They could bring not only a fresh perspective but a lot of people as well since around 10% of the student body is in the Greek system here.

This fair is a great steo to promoting sustainability throughout the campus and would love to see it only get bigger as more people gain awareness about this cause.

GE - Healthymagination

Healthymagination, a website and social tool created by GE, is asking you to take one small step today to live a better, healthier life. Everyone who has ever considered living a healthier life has witnessed the vast and overwhelming amount of information on the web and in health magazines. With so many differant directions you can go and so many differant sites telling you what the best way to make this chanmge is, it often becomes too large a step for people to take. Healthymagination is a tool for people to use that asks you to take one small step today. They understand that making the change to a healthier life does not happen overnight, and that is what makes this site so appealing.

The website, which is linked here, also knows that this change is hard to make alone. The site is designed to make this change a collaborative effort. When you visit healthymagination.com, there is a list of projects that people are completing everyday. They are called morsels and include small steps like "Lie on your bed, flex your abs, raise one leg up, and release. Repeat, switching legs." It may not sound like much but it is a step nonetheless. A step that many people don't take because they are too overwhelmed in the idea that they must make a radical change to see any result. (Plus they made these morsels accessible for your cellphone.)

Along with the morsels is a tab that lets people share health stories and tips that they use themselves. This changes the website from a tool people can use to a social network connecting like minded people. By making the site a collaborative effort, I believe people will be more involved and ultimately interested in continuing with this healthy change they are trying to make.

What ties the whole experience of this site together is the tab that reads "stories." Here is listed various stories of people doing good in their communities and for themselves. This piece of the site is what I believe is the true essence of healthymagination.com. It is so much more than making healthy steps to a better you, but rather making healthy steps to a better community and society. GE wants to create a better world that promotes bettering oneself and those around them. That is the true sense of sustainability that we need today.

Green Job Explosion in Midwest - Rest of Country in Same Boat?

As I read up on the people I am following on Twitter I came across a tweet by Al Gore that boasts 100 million new jobs will be generated in the midwest in a few short years, along with a huge revenue boost to the economy of the most recession-effected part of our country. The report where Gore received this in sight is the "American Innovation: Manufacturing Low Carbon Technologies in the Midwest," which estimates that, "climate and energy policies could create up to 100,000 new jobs in the Midwest, and generate additional market revenues of up to $12 billion, boosting state and local tax revenues by over $800 million by 2015." As a student of green branding I am amazed and excited by this huge increase in jobs, especially during a time that looks quite bleak in the job market.

I began to wonder what this meant for the rest of the country. Will this explosion of green jobs be seen throughout the U.S. or is the Midwest going to be the mecca of green jobs? I understand that the reason the Midwest will see this increase in green jobs because it is a prime location for wind turbines and green-technology plants, but will this increase in green jobs in the Midwest spread out to more urban cities like Portland and New York? With graduation and job hunting on the my mind I am very interested in seeing this field become a boost to our recession and poor job market. I believe that as this sustainable movement grows and more people change their daily living habits companies will have to change how they reach them. This will create a vast amount of jobs that will be not only located in the Midwest, but in even the most urban and populated cities. If you are worried about what job the future holds for you, then I strongly recommend looking into green jobs. This explosion of jobs and revenue through green jobs will not be located solely in the Midwest, but in the rest of the U.S. as well.

Charging Your Cell Phone with the Sun and Your Backpack

Who needs outlets when you have the sun? That is what many people are asking look into solar-paneled bags that can recharge your phone. G24 Innovations, a company in Campbell California, is implementing this technology into various bags that will be sold to the public soon.

As quoted from the New York Times article, "Recharging Your Cell Phone, Mother Natures Way:"

The technology uses a photosensitive dye to start its energy production, much the way leaves use chlorophyll to begin photosynthesis.

This energy is then converted into a format that allows users to charge anything from an eBook to their cell phones. Although it will work best in full sunlight, the bag will not require a bright sunny day to work.

This innovative idea sparks some thought about the future of such technology. Will this soon be a norm for bags in the future? Will they incorporate this into cars maybe even hats? It appears that they are releasing an eBook cover that will have the technology in it as well. I think there is a lot more to go here with this technology than merely bags. Maybe our cell phones will have solar panels on their backs and won't need an external energy source at all to recharge. I am very excited to see where this is going.

Although the majority of products with this technology are yet to be released, there are some bags you can purchase today including Tonino Lamborghini, a brand licensed and distributed by Mascotte. If you are interested in the technology, I recommend looking into these bags.

Portland Renovates Federal Building with Sustainability as Priority

Portland looks to keep their Eco-friendly image alive as they build a vertical garden on the fecade of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt federal building in their city. The plants, which will reach 200 feet high, will be more than an aesthetic improvement for city, but will house energy saving plants as well. The vertical garden is part of a $ 330 million renovation in Portland headed by the General Services Administration that will renovate public buildings throughout the city. This specific renovation will be designed by Cutler Anderson Architects.



The building will be one of the largest, more energy efficient high-rises in America and possibly even the world. Here is an excerpt from the New York Times' article on the vertical garden's plans for sustainable success:

The G.S.A. says the building will use 60 percent to 65 percent less energy than comparable buildings and estimates a savings of $280,000 annually in energy costs. Solar panels could provide up to 15 percent of the building’s power needs. The use of rainwater and low-flow plumbing fixtures will reduce potable water consumption by 68 percent. And energy for lighting will be halved.

Another interesting plan for the building is how these plants will be watered. The developers say that they will use the rain water from the roof, along with excess plumbing water called "grey water" to water the plants.

Not a bad renovation for the rose city. Hopefully this renovation series will go beyond public buildings. What we need is for these renovations to go to the private homes of the city's inhabitants. Just think of the possibilities that the city as a whole could have in reducing their carbon footprint, creating new jobs, and saving millions on energy bills. This is the sustainability we need to create, something beyond environmental sustainability, but rather, as Werbach says in his book "Strategy for Sustainability," sustainability for social, economic, cultural AND enviornmental causes. We have the opportunity to get the ball rolling with these innovations and I believe in time we will see what a difference we can make.

But there are some big problems they are facing with the renovation as well. Many believe that the renovation will cost more than what new Eco-friendly and sustainable building are costing. But will it pay off in the end? You must think beyond initial costs when deciding if the renovation is worth the money or not. With the money they will be saving in the future, as well as the positive impact the renovation will have for sustainability, I believe it is a wise investment and will a great role model for other cities.

RecycleBank and Smarter Recycling

RecycleBank, a venture-backed company devoted to smarter recycling and living, is asking you to recycle smarter through new video series and rewarding website. Here is one reason you should check them out, "In April, 2009, RecycleBank was designated Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program. " - recyclebank.com

RecycleBank is a great tool for anyone looking to recycle with higher efficiency, reduce their carbon footprint, and start working towards a greener future. Their site has a vast amount of information on how to be smarter with your recycling, including the best ways to recycle oils and milk cartons, to name a few. But the people at RecycleBank want you to do more than just listen to their great advice, they want you to be a part of their team. The website allows for users to start an account and earn points as they make smarter decisions with their waste and strive to become more sustainable. As you earn more points you begin to win awards for your hard work. (Awards include gift cards to stores from Bed Bath and Beyond to Subway). What a smart idea for a company to make this somewhat difficult transition towards sustainable living smoother with a website that allows for you to interact and work with it all while you are rewarded for your progress.

So what can you do to make this transition? Start by watching the video series, it helps to know what exactly happens in the recycling plants in order to be more efficient in recycling. The series displays the procees from your curb towards the manufacturers who buy the material for their companies. Next, visit RecycleBank's website and see how you can start living more sustainable. Set up an account and start making a difference.

Another interesting add-on to their site is the "trees saved" and "Gallons of Oil Saved" tally. With over a combined 300 million of the two, it is no lie that what they are doing at RecycleBank is working. Now it's your turn to help the cause and see what you can do to make a difference.