Going Green uncovering green energy choices in everyday life

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Going Greenuncovering green energy choices in
everyday life
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Where does one begin?

• Where has one begun?(Appreciative Inquiry)
• With two (or more).

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Discover green opportunities in

• Work
• School
• Recreation
• Transportation
• Home
• Food
• Purchasing

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At work

• Brainstorm with your co-workers
• Do a resource analysis
• Look for win-win
• Encourage innovation
• Keep learning

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Leadership in Energy Environmental DesignLEED
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• "Over the next decade or so, sustainable
  development will constitute one of the biggest
  opportunities in the history of commerce.
• - Stuart L. Hart

www.cmsbf.org
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Natures Design
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Here is a sample from Natures database of best
practices.

• Self-Assembly - Systems that can harness light
  from the sun or optical lens that can be created
  at room temperature
• CO2 as Feedstock - Pollution becomes food for
  other systems
• Solar Transformation - Fuel cells that are more
  efficient
• Power of Shape - Bumps placed on a jet fuselage
  like those on a whales fins can improve fuel
  efficiency by 32
• Color without Pigments - Create colors and make
  them change simply by changing shape
• Clean without Detergents - Self-cleaning systems
• Quench Thirst - Pulling water from fog or humid
  air where surface water doesnt exist
• Metals without Mining - Extracting metal from
  waste water
• Green Chemistry - Using only what nature created
  to design and build
• Timed Degradation - The ability to self-compost
• Resilience and Healing - Dry vaccines that need
  no refrigeration

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• www.earthday.net/footprint

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At School
Mission Planning
Investments
Curricula
Purchasing
Research
Operations
CommunityOutreach Partnerships
Student Life
Professional Development
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Environmental Impact of Buildings

• 65.2 of total U.S. electricity consumption 1
• gt 36 of total U.S. primary energy use 2
• 30 of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 3
• 136 million tons of construction and demolition
  waste in the U.S. (approx. 2.8 lbs/person/day) 4
• 12 of potable water in the U.S. 5
• 40 (3 billion tons annually) of raw materials
  use globally 6
• Commercial and residential

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Recreation
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Rediscover the Benefits and Joys of Being Outside
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Religious Life
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Transportation
www.midmeac.org
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Carbon Footprint

• http//www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.html
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_footprint

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Home
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Eat Local
Eat Local Food. For the economyWhen you
support local farmers, more of your money stays
in the community For the environmentTypically,
food on the average Michigan plate has traveled
1,500 miles! After transportation, food choices
have the biggest impact on the environment and
energy use. For your healthYou can feel safer
about your food when it comes from local
sources.  You can even go check it out and see if
it measures up to your standards.
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Purchasing Investments
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• http//groups.yahoo.com/group/mmfn/

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www.capitalarealocalfirst.com
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(No Transcript)
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Economic Life Media Education Cultural,
Recreational, Voluntary Opportunities Civic
Life Human/Health Care Services Religious Life
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Benefits of Green

• Environmental benefits
• Reduces the impacts of natural resource
  consumption
• Economic benefits
• Improves the bottom line reduced trade deficit
  and vulnerability to rising costs
• Health and safety benefits
• Enhances occupant comfort, health, and sense of
  well-being
• Community benefits
• Minimizes strain on local infrastructures and
  improves quality of life.
• Adapted from www.usgbc.org

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Urban Options

• www.urbanoptions.org

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www.lansingmi.gov/gogreen
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Directions to a sustainable future
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More Resources www.greenlibraries.org www.librisd
esign.org/docs/SustainableLibDesign.pdf www.ecolib
ris.net/ http//thegreenlibraryblog.blogspot.com/
http//washburn.libguides.com/green The Green
Library The Green Library blog is devoted to
documenting significant activities, events,
literature, and projects that focus on " ...
increasing the efficiency with which buildings
use resources energy, water, and materials
while reducing building impacts on human health
and the environment during the building's
lifecycle, through better siting, design,
construction, operation, maintenance, and
removal" of and by libraries.
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Thank You!

• Contact LeRoy Harveyleroy_at_leroyharvey.net
• 505-2809