environment

environment

Public Health and Climate Change

Public Health and Climate Change

, Library Resources, outreach
Earlier this semester, students from the Animals and Earth Club at IU East and faculty from the Sustainability Council, including Assistant Librarian of Access Services Beth South, had the opportunity to attend the Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference (ISRC) on February 9th at IU Indianapolis. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about sustainability efforts happening in Indiana and regionally from presenters that included architects, city planners, engineers, non-profit organizers, state park employees, social workers, business leaders, public policy advocates, and educators. It’s impossible to attend every session, but a common theme that emerged from many of the presentations, including from keynote speaker Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell, and former White House official during the Obama administration, is that … Continued
America Recycles

America Recycles

, , outreach
An initiative of Keep America Beautiful, we celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15, 2023.  Reducing and reusing materials are useful options to reduce waste, but not always possible. While many people care about recycling, it can be confusing about how to recycle properly. According to Keep America Beautiful, in the past year, Americans have recycled 1.8 million pounds of single-stream recycling, 157 thousand pounds of clothing/textiles, and 2.3 million pounds of mixed paper. Benefits of recycling include reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gases and helping to preserve natural resources. Tips for effective recycling: How to recycle    Items put in the recycling bin should be empty, clean, and dry. Don’t just throw materials into a recycling bin. It is … Continued
A “Hot” Topic: Your body’s (and planet’s) rising temperature

A “Hot” Topic: Your body’s (and planet’s) rising temperature

, , outreach
We are still in the beginning of the summer season, and we have already experienced record numbers of high heat in many parts of the United States. Globally, scientists warn that 2023 could be one of the hottest years on record due to the impact of global warming and an incoming El Niño (Paddison, 2023).  An El Niño is a natural weather phenomenon that occurs in the Pacific Ocean every few years that brings warmer than average sea waters temperatures to the surface and which can globally influence the weather.  Hot summers can be extremely dangerous if you’re not prepared, especially as it is the time of year when many people enjoy the outdoors. Heat-related illnesses can not only impact … Continued
The Power of Pollinators

The Power of Pollinators

, outreach
As we enter the summer season, pollination of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and trees is still occurring. We often think of spring being the season of planting and pollinating, but summer plays an important role too. June is National Pollinator Month and in 2023 we celebrate National Pollinator Week from June 19th-25th. This is an annual event held on the third week of June that highlights the wildlife responsible for helping our food grow and promotes the importance of pollinator health and ways humans can help.   Who are our pollinators? Lots of animals and insects pollinate, not just bees and butterflies. Some examples: Birds! Did you know that over 900 species of birds pollinate? Especially hummingbirds, who are essential pollinators … Continued
Earth Hour

Earth Hour

, , Contests, Library Resources
March 25th is Earth Hour, a global program sponsored by World Wildlife Fund for Nature to help the environment.  The challenge is simple – give one hour of your time for the planet.  You can spend the sixty minutes doing anything positive for the environment – pick up trash, plant a tree, or turn off all your lights and electric devices.  It is a good time to be thoughtful and intentional about ecological problems and their solutions.  Earth Hour offers a number of teaching and learning tools on their website, as well. This year, Assistant Professor of Management Jaynne Rivas’ Business and Society’s class will host a recycling competition, “Race to Recycle” with funding support from a community grant.  Teams … Continued