Hallow-"Green"

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, mainly because of the candy.  I also was a theater dork in high school so I happily use any excuse to get dressed up.  However, with most commercial holidays comes the chance to be extremely wasteful, so I thought up a couple ways to keep Halloween green.  (Hallo-Green?)

1. Thrift those Costumes

No-sew costumes are easy and painless to put together.   There are so many websites/Pinterest boards that offer ideas and these costumes are easily more clever than any plastic nonsense you'd buy at a Halloween Store.  Also, most cheap store-bought costumes are made of the material polyvinyl chloride, a soft plastic that releases harmful toxins in it's creation and breakdown.  So stay away from those costumes.

Once you've picked which outfit you want to wear, head over to your nearest thrift store to find the clothing items you'll need to compete the ensemble.  Thrifting is a great way to give gently worn clothing a second-chance and keeps them from being tossed into landfills.

Verily Mag had a cute article on "no-sew costumes"

Example: Margo Tenenbaum from Wes Anderson's film "The Royal Tenenbaums"

2. Trick-or-Treat Responsibly

Use canvas totes, reusable shopping bags, or an old pillowcase for collecting candy instead of the plastic pumpkins that take FOREVER to breakdown in landfills.

Most of us may be past the age to trick-or-treat, but encouraging kids to start using reusable shopping bags is never a bad idea!  Another fun way to incorporate clothing bags into Halloween would be to decorate them to match the outfit of the trick-or-treater.

I am a huge fan of this Eco-Friendly Candy Monster homemade bag where the candy fills up the monster's belly.

4. Be Good to Your Pumpkins!

Use every last bit of your pumpkin decorations!  Choose real pumpkins instead of plastic ones as you can allow them to compost in your compost bin after the festivities.  (Fun story, my family did this and the very next year we had our own pumpkin growing in our backyard thanks to the remains of the decomposed pumpkin)

Also when you are carving your pumpkin, collect the seeds and clean them off before roasting them. Roasted pumpkin seeds are delicious and can then be used at a Halloween party as a treat!

5.  Smart Decorations

Next to Christmas, Halloween is the biggest holiday that calls for decorations.  I'm lazy and usually only get around to carving a pumpkin, but for those of you who like to go above and beyond for decorations be smart about what you choose.  So many decorations are made of plastic or use plastic fibers for their fake-spiders webs (all harmful to the environment)

Using recycled materials for decorations is the best way to go.  A couple years ago I got some of my dad's old work clothes and stuffed them with the leaves I had just raked.  I made the head out of a brown paper bag stuffed with leaves and drew on a face and added a hat on top.  I then set this "home-made man" out on my front porch since my family wasn't going to be home for Halloween and I wanted to scare kids who walked up to our porch.

I love the example to the left for a couple reasons.  1) Dia de los Muertos is a colorful alternative to the usual Halloween options 2) They use old paper & tissue paper to make the flowers. 3) They lit the path with old mason jars with candles inside them and used christmas lights as a decoration as well.

6. Party Eco-Friendly

For those who are hosting a Halloween Party remember to keep the decorations plastic free and try to use paper cups over red solo cups.  Send invitations out online to keep them paperless.

There are a million and one ideas on Pinterest for Eco-Friendly Halloween Parties.  So I'll let you all explore and decide how your want to party this Friday!

Final note, pick up wrappers stupid people throw on the ground.  Recycle all your beer bottles.  Have a Happy Halloween!

UNL's Sustainability Roundtable

I'm very excited to announce the 2014 Sustainability Roundtable hosted by the Environmental Leadership Program.  The event will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 5-8pm in Centennial in the City Union.

I'm honored to have gotten the chance to help the ELP members plan this event and just last week we passed legislation for it at the ASUN senate meeting.  Stay tuned to hear more info about the speakers that will be present, but for now I made a quick newspaper about what this event is all about.

You Support What You Wear

Last week I focused on general purchases I have made while keeping Mother Earth in mind.  To piggy-back off that topic, this week we will be looking at different clothing brands that really understand how to outfit the modern "hippie."

Once again, I want to stress that I will only promote brands that I, myself have purchased before.

1. Yala
This clothing company was built after the success of their DreamSack, a cloth-bamboo sleeping bag that works miracles in hot/humid temperatures.  However, they now carry men's and women's clothing and have multiple progressive programs implemented for their company.  One program I really enjoy is their shipping method as they partner with GreenShipping to make shipments carbon neutral.  They allow businesses and individuals to ship in a carbon netural manner by providing accurate method to measure and offset the carbon footprint of their UPS, FedEx, and other freight shipments.

Also all of their fabrics used low-impact dyes and reuse all the water in their factory for repeated dye jobs.  More information on their green programs here

Summary: Soft bamboo deliciousness, Price $50-120

2. H&M
When it comes to cheaper clothing, environmentalists beware.  I love not having to spend a ton of money at stores like Forever 21, but unfortunately their clothes aren't only made poorly, but support a wasteful culture.  This also ends up employing low-wage workers in other countries, which introduces the social aspect of buying cheap ready-made clothing.

But luckily H&M exists!  They release a yearly sustainability report where they continue their commitments to being ethical in wage decisions, reducing, reusing and recycling, and being climate smart.  I'm seriously impressed by their work with animal welfare, working conditions, and sustainably sourced cotton.

Summary: Save money, save the planet, Price $15-85

3. Warby Parker
I've needed glasses for a long time now, my eyes are completely useless without them.  So thank the lord for a business like WP, the only eye-wear provider to go completely carbon neutral and put meticulous detail into each pair of eyewear.  They also conduct business with social responsibility in mind as they provide one pair of glasses to someone in need for each pair sold.

But hold up!  This company is also in charge of a program called "Architecture for Humanity" a program that provides professional design and management services to vulnerable communities across the globe.  Also solutions focus on thoughtful and sustainable design.  So not only are they are eyewear provider, but have expanded their brand to architectural education.  I feel bad for those of you who can't sport a Warby Parker frame, curse your parents for genetically giving you good eyes.

Summary: Being a Nerd is Legit, Price $95-275

4. Free People
A better alternative to Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, "Free People" actually walks the walk instead of just talking about sustainability.  2014 was dubbed the "Year of Sustainable Designs" as they partnered with Modavanti to deliver their eco-friendly clothing at a 20% discount.  And that's the one problem with Free People, you have to be drowning in cash to get ahold of their hand-made clothing.  However, if you can afford it, you will be clothed in vintage, USA-made, organic, fair-traded outfits. Did I mention their clothing is also vegan?  They also are in charge of the hashtag #greenisthenewgangsta (not a huge fan...)

However, Free People takes the cake for being the first clothing line that comes to mind when the public is asked about sustainable fashion.  They market themselves well and have the results and reports to prove their accomplishments.  Their clothing is gorgeous and once I'm making more than minimum wage I will be sure to start shopping here more frequently.

 Summary: Expensive, but beautiful, Price $68-350

Final soapbox: Spending more money on clothes is not a bad thing if the clothing is well-made.  As a female I feel the pressure to constantly keep up with fashion trends and throw out my "out-dated" clothing items.  However, if you invest in a more sustainable brand that may cost you more than you are used to, just know that you are not only paying for the clothing, but for all the programs these companies support.  So final thought, know the background of where you shop.  Know if they invest money in specific political parties or PACs.  Know what their CEO does in their free time and what their company motto is.  Be an aware consumer.

MyActions: Social Media Changing Behavior

A huge component of environmental activism is the community that forms around these causes.  I decided to explore a new social media site campus.myactions.org to see how this website is trying to accomplish an online presence for student activists.

Watch my video below and see for yourself how the site works.  Let me know what you think afterwards.  Is this something worth being a part of?  What does the site lack?  What is beneficial about the site?

Also if you join make sure to add me as a friend.

                                                                    Youtube Video Here

Shopping for Mother Earth

Environmental activism doesn’t always have to be a large scale, community effort.  You can also tackle these issues personally by being a politically engaged citizen and also a conscious shopper.

Today’s blog I’m going to review some of my favorite purchases while proving that environmental activism can be accomplished by where you decide to invest your money/votes.  Allow me to apologize upfront how feminine these products are, I wanted to speak from actual purchases I've made.

Tarte Beauty Supplies

Starting off with a category that is usually frowned upon by the eco-friendly community.  Beauty products are always seen as full of harsh chemicals and it doesn’t help with the stigma that most products are tested on animals.  Now, even though I want to be a crunchy outdoorswoman, there are times when I need to look “put together” and Tarte allows me to use products without sacrificing my values.  The entire line of Tarte is naturally formulated and packaged in recycled or post-consumer recycled materials.  Price $20-55

Rive Water bottles

The easiest way to stop adding waste to landfills is to start using a waterbottle daily instead of purchasing plastic water bottles.  Everyone I've met has their favorite type of water bottle, but I'm a huge fan of Rive's glass bottles.  For anyone who is trying to get away from plastics entirely, but also can't handle the metallic taste some bottles leave behind, then this is the one for you.  These bottles also boast that they are 100% BPA free, a hormone that the EPA has banned in all baby bottles.  If you want more information I would go to their site, and while you're there you might as well order yourself one.  Price: $20

BAGGU bags

Grocery shopping bags are another easy way to reduce plastic bag waste and some stores even give you a small discount for using your own bags. (I know Target gives a 5-cent discount for each reusable bag you bring so that's something)  I like BAGGU mainly because the prints are fun and stylish and relatively cheap, as the price decreases as you buy more bags.  I can usually fit a week's worth of groceries in the big bag, but it's also nice to have a couple smaller ones on hand.  I also appreciate the craftsmanship of these bags as they don't easily tear or get ruined. Price: $9-12

Atir Cycles

Now I don't own an Atir bike, but I can't stress how important it is to own a bike if you want to really live sustainably.  Not only do you get exercise, but you can navigate your city faster while not adding to the carbon emissions.  I found my bike at a thrift store and only recently realized it is actually a men's bike (not that I care) but I am intrigued by the sleek design Atir Cycles offers.  They also are a local business in Lincoln so worth a look.  One downside is that they are a fixed-gear single-speed bike, so definitely a commuter's bike. Price: $325

There is always going to be the issue of how expensive "going green" can be versus doing the same-old same-old purchases.  However, I challenge you to invest in products that may be more expensive, but will easily last longer and give you a better life because of them. (sorry I'm an advertising major I can't help it)

And if you want to save money, I found this blog that highlights 41 Ways to Save Money While Going Green.  Ignored the product placement of Camelbak...

Infographic of Nebraskan Organizations

A large part of being a student activist is knowing the community you are a part of and who you can look to for assistance and partnerships.  Nebraska is home to many different environmental groups that are always looking for young participants and volunteers.  I personally have teamed up with the Sierra Club and BOLD Nebraska on a couple different projects and have friends who work fro the Nature Conservancy and Audubon Society.  Most of these groups have national headquarters with local affiliates, though BOLD is strictly a Nebraskan organization.  I decided to break these groups down a little further and provide the first step to getting in contact with these groups.

Click Here for a better view of the infographic

Look to future blog posts as I explore more opportunities and organizations that share the same Earth-loving goals!

April Will Always be Earthstock.

Earthstock: Four Weeks to Learn and Grow.  This project has meant more to me than anything I’ve accomplished while being in college.  There are a lot of small components that together are why this project was so successful, but first let me break this event down for those who aren’t aware.

Earthstock was a re-branding of a previous event at UNL called “Focus Nebraska.”  Focus had lasted for a week in April and had educational programs and events that celebrated sustainability on campus.  I helped with Focus as a sophomore, mainly with promotion, and as a junior was chosen to head the project.

Right away, I wanted to move away from the idea of “Focus Nebraska” because it didn’t really capture everything I wanted this event to be.  Instead I wanted something that promoted behavior change along with a social culture for the campus.  “Earthstock” became the vision as we played around with the idea of it being a youth-led celebration much like Woodstock had been.

So quickly, here are some reasons on why I think Earthstock worked so well for UNL:

•  My team. I worked with some of the most passionate and creative students on campus.  We never hit any roadblocks for too long, as people were always willing to rethink ideas and plans.  I never had to worry about someone falling through either; we kept each other accountable and accomplished everything we assigned each other.  Seriously, I can’t get over how amazing everyone was.
• The month.  We chose April because Earth Day is on April 21.  That way we could market Earthstock as a month-long celebration of Earth Day.  With all the advertising already out there for Earth Day, we could easily add our program along with the current campus conversation.
• The programs.  We wanted to represent different facets of sustainability and have something for everyone.  There was a concert, business exposition, carbon footprint display, Pinterest party, RSO fair, policy forum, and more!  Sometimes I look back and can’t even wrap my mind around how expansive this event was.  I also should mention that we had amazing coverage of each event thanks to the Daily Nebraskan.

In the end, Earthstock worked because it was an event that our college needed.  It was an amazing branding opportunity for the Environmental Sustainability Committee and got our name out there.  It also became such a huge part of those who worked on it.  Earthstock has become an event that defined us as environmentalists and as friends.  I think the biggest success for me was when UNL was named in the top 10 sustainable schools.  The best part about this award?  It had to do with new and successful programs on campus.  

I like to think that we owe a part of this award to Earthstock.

For more information on Earthstock please visit our Website

Exec Team of Earthstock 2014.  Can't wait to see what 2015 will look like.

Upcoming Events

Oct 11  LES Sustainable Living Festival   10am-3pm   Southpointe Mall

Enjoy interactive, family-oriented activities designed to provide information about sustainable living practices. Drawings will be held during the event (12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.) for prizes donated by festival partners.

Partnering organizations will offer ideas that can be used by novices and those using cutting-edge sustainable measures. Interactive exhibits and displays for families include:

• Games and art projects to build knowledge of recycling and conservation.
• Tips on how you can reduce your electricity use and save money.
• Gardening and composting techniques from UNL Master Gardeners.
• Free bike helmet fittings and tips on how to perform your own bicycle maintenance, so don’t forget to bring your helmet.
• Getting hands-on with creatures from the Nature Center.
• A wind turbine simulator and solar panel to learn more about renewable energy.
• Exploring “seed starting” using newspaper pots. 

Demonstrations include:

• 11:30 a.m.-noon — Joyride Bicycles / bike maintenance and helmet fittings
• 1-1:30 p.m. — UNL Master Gardeners / compost bin and gardening techniques
• 2-2:30 p.m. — LES weatherization tips
   

Environmental Groups on UNL's Campus

I know not everyone is a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but from my own personal experience I thought I'd talk about the ones that have impacted my four years of college.

1. Sustain UNL- I joined this registered student organization (RSO) late into my sophomore year.  Over the years I have enjoyed the social and laid-back approach to sustainability that this groups has, as well as, the many volunteer opportunities.  They meet Thursdays at 7pm in the City Union.
2. Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)- I applied and was accepted into this program as a sophomore.  I was mentored by another student and together we worked on an anti-food waste campaign for the residential dinning halls.  
3. Environmental Sustainability Committee(ESC)-I've been a part of this organization my junior and senior year.  Last year I hosted a month-long event entitled "Earthstock" and this year I am in charge of the ELP group.

Event Spotlight: "Raise the Roots" Sunday October 5th

Harvesting the desire for a vibrant local food system and a bright green Omaha, Raise the Roots combines live music, area food vendors and multi-media experiences to create a sustainable community. 

Following in the footsteps of predecessor event “Hootenanny” (founded by Lori Tatreau), Raise the Roots will launch its inaugural happening on October 5th from 5:00 to 8:00pm at the Waiting Room. The Sunday evening of genre-spanning music and local bites will be friendly for grownups (drink specials) and kids (sweet vegetable crafts). Festivities will begin with a kick-off presentation at 5:15 pm, followed by live music from Clarence Tilton and McCarthy Trenching. Featured speaker Ben Gottschall of Bold Nebraska will also share the latest from the frontlines of the pipeline debate.During the event, local organizations including The Sierra Club, No More Empty Pots, The Dundee Community Garden and other community partners will host information booths. 

All ages are welcome and hands-on kids activities will be provided. Admission is $5.00 for adults, and free for children under 12. Proceeds benefit the Nebraska Farmers Union and other community partners.

Facebook Event

Beehive Collective: Not Your Average Poster

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by two artists from the BeeHive Collective.  This group is made up of artists from all over, who collectively collaborate on intricate posters that detail different social commentaries.

Now these posters come in all shapes and sizes.  Here's one of the bigger posters using some friends for scale:

The poster we are standing in front of is titled, "Mesoamerica Resiste!" and illustrates the resistance, resilience, and solidarity from Mexico to Columbia.  It details personal stories from groups who are standing up to the modern invasion planned for their homeland while they attempt to protect their culture and way of life.

But here's another interesting part of all BeeHive Collective art, there are no humans drawn.  Looking closer you will instantly notice that humans are replaced with animal characters at an attempt to not perpetuate any stereotypes through their drawings.

Let's look closer, MUCH CLOSER, at one specific story that comes from the poster titled "The True Cost of Coal."

Notice the four frog characters that exist in a circle?  Start with the frog in the hardhat at the top.  He is about to detonate a cliff to extract the resources from it.  Above his head dangles his paycheck on a fishing line.

Move left and you noticed a frog having serious back pain.  Or could it be his kidney?  Notice the contaminated water the small tadpole is drinking.

At the bottom, a frog is using his paycheck to buy medicine from a "jackass" of a pharmacist.  His jacket sports the logos of the pharmaceutical companies that pay him to push overpriced pills on the desperate frog.  The tadpole is purchasing a bottle of water.

Finally to the right, the frog only has a few cents left and realizes he must go back to mining as he puts his hardhat back on.  The smaller frog to his right is considering following the frog footpath of his family or going to a new path.  This new path is cut off, but it leads to a bus station, signaling how many rural youth are choosing to leave their families for the city to avoid the poverty circle they feel trapped in.

So there's an entire commentary on the mining industry told by frogs.  Amazing right?  Throughout the presentation last night I could not get over the stories I was being told, or the underlying hopelessness of most of the situations.

However, both presenters had ideas for how to remedy this.  On a basic level, there needs to be an increase of education and community collaboration.  We also shouldn't fear changing what the "American Way of Life" is and also shifting our current hierarchical paradigm to multiple communicative paradigms.  We need to gain advice from our elders, but also encourage our youth to start a new lifestyle.  And most importantly, we need to be receptive to stories, like the ones the BeeHive tells us.  Because nothing sparks activism more than the awareness that is attained through listening to others.

Upcoming Events
The Beehive Collective will be in Lincoln, NE for two more days!
See their Lincoln Events Here

Am I a Hippie or a Hypocrite?

You can never win as an environmentalist.

Let me rephrase that. As an environmentalist you will constantly have to explain to others what you do and why you do it and even after that conversation some people just won't understand anything you just told them.

Allow me to explain.  I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska with two parents who had grown up on Nebraskan farms.  In elementary school we were encouraged to play outside and plant trees.  In fact, Earth Day was this adorable celebration where kids professed their love of nature by drawing smiling earths.

But since those early years, I've lost whatever it was that made my love of nature so "cute."  Especially in college, I'm seen as a radical liberal idealist who hates capitalism and wants to destroy the economy.  (I'm speaking for myself, but I'm sure a few of you can relate to this)  Crazy as this sounds, I don't want to destroy America.  If anything, I want to preserve it so my kids can experience the same Rocky Mountains and Nebraskan prairies.  

Another issue you face as an environmentalist is the constant criticism of being a "hypocrite."  Here are a few examples of what I mean by this:

• "You drove to this rally on climate change?"
• "You eat meat?"
• "You know it's impossible to completely eradicate fossil fuels?"
• "Did you know the clothes you're wearing are made out of petrochemicals?" 

Okay I've never gotten that last one before, but it's comments like this that others use to make us feel bad about ourselves.  Literally, these people see you doing something altruistic and instead of minding their own business they MUST say something.  I compare these people to anyone who watches football and criticizes a play while they down a 6-pack of beer.  They aren't contributing anything to this football team by pointing out flaws, in fact most of them are not even close to the athleticism that these players have worked for.

I promise that will forever be my last football analogy.

But to answer these questions, the best thing you can do as a beginning environmentalist is to not allow these words to have weight.  So let's answer some of them together:

• "Yes I drove to this rally, but it was across town and I wanted to make sure I could represent my ideas by being in attendance.  I also carpooled, with some friends in order to have less cars on the road.  We currently live in a society (especially in Nebraska) where cars are the main form of transportation.  It is events like these that are pushing for more alternative choices to transportation.  If our city planners listen to us, who knows?  Maybe in the future I'll take the light rail here."

And that's the point of my blog.  Solidarity.  Solidarity for us activist who get discouraged, whether it's because our parents don't understand us or we can't find those individuals like us in Nebraska.  "Intro to Tree-Hugging in NE" will show you where and when events are happening, along with some commentary by yours truly on my experiences here in Nebraska.

As an environmentalist you can't win.  But you can at least play a part in changing the world.



Upcoming Events:

10/2/2014       7pm in Centennial Room in UNL Union     Rock Bottom Resource Extraction Art