Sustainability

Earth Day 2013 and so much to report

Final Presidential Lecture Speaker for 2012-2013, Van Jones
Last week we were so fortunate to have Green Energy, Green Economy Expert, Van Jones come to campus as the final Presidential Lecture Speaker for 2012-2013. Everyone in attendance will testify that Van Jones presented common sense solutions for economic and energy problems that face our country now and in the future. He was very generous and sincere in conversations with WSU students and everyone who met him at the reception. Those who are understand the impact of the present U.S. energy policies would benefit from reading his best selling book "Green Collar Economy" The Green Collar Economy Solution or a visit to http://www.rebuildthedream.com/book/.

Campus Community Garden Grows!
Then on Saturday, we had a great crew of volunteers come out to more than double the size of the Campus Community Garden to increase our capacity to grow fresh produce and herbs for the WSU Friends Food Pantry A HUGE Thank You goes out to Bev Denlinger, Mary Jane Walling, John Przybyla, Lindsey Millisaps, Benjamin Virnstin, Araya Gay and Kenny Johnson.

Check out all of the photos from start to finish >>

The wood came from Deconstruct Dayton again this year so it is repurposed, saving trees and embodied energy costs.

RecycleMania 2013 Final Results are in!
WSU placed 5th in Ohio and placed 105 out of 274 with a 32% recycling to trash ratio. This is very remarkable given that the competition was tougher than ever. A 32% diversion rate is something to be proud of, for this year, and its also the bar we’ve set to surpass in 2014.

Celebrate the Earth all April at Wright State

Earth Day 2013 may be Monday, April 22, but there are many ways students, faculty and staff can celebrate Mother Nature and sustainability at Wright State University all month long.

“There’s really a bunch of stuff going on and it’s both heartening and encouraging,” said Linda Ramey, Ph.D., associate director of sustainability.

Read more >>

2013 RecycleMania Week 6 Results in

We are coming into the Final Week of this year's RecycleMania competition. We need to give our numbers in the standings a Real Boost!

Week 6 results show WSU Main Campus at 117 out of 266 participating universities in the overall rankings Of the 15 schools in Ohio, WSU is right in the middle in 7th place.

Reach Right, Recycle, everything you can, as much as you can! Increase the amount of waste that is recycled rather than land-filled. Remember—Reach Right, Recycle!

RecycleMania 2013 is here!

That's right, RecycleMania 2013 is starting and WSU is once again participating in this national college campus recycling competition. Wright State will be competing against hundreds of other schools from across the country in a several recycling challenge categories.

Not sure what you can recycle on campus? Find out what can go in our co-mingled recycle containers >>

Welcome Our New Sustainability Intern!

As one of the "Gifts of Inspiration? from the National Office Furniture funds that were awarded to WSU, we have an internship in sustainability education. There were several viable candidates for the position, with responsibilities ranging from office work to gardening. Here's what Lindsey has to say about herself and her interest in her new role:

My name is Lindsey Dianne Millsaps and I am currently working as the environmental sustainability intern. Growing up in Tipp City, I have always been fascinated with wildlife, particularly animals and the effect of environmental factors on their survival rate and what adaptations they develop. That's why I chose to major in Biological Sciences (with a focus in zoology) at Wright State and to apply for the internship under Dr. Ramey's guidance, I believe the environment, as an integral part of our well-being, deserves our protection and proper respect.

Updated Sustainability Reading List

Being Green, Making Sustainable Choices=Being Informed. Check out the newest books on sustainable topics on the updated sustainability reading list (PDF) >>

Final Update on 2012 Campus Community Gardening Efforts

Fall is here and that means the end of the 2012 growing season. As we put the pick the last of the produce (including several pounds of green tomatoes!)

from the Campus Community Garden, we have to stop and think about all of the great comments from folks around campus. It is also a time to think back on the entire project from the building on the vegetable garden bed on March 31st to the first plantings to the ground hog devastation day to the replanting and re-growth. Now it is time to put the garden to bed for winter. Plans are already underway for expanding the garden next year.

I had an opportunity to see the Lake Campus Community Garden in person a couple of weeks ago and to taste the delicious vegetable stew that they cooked from their last harvest. Amazing what they have done with the generosity and dedication of many WSU Lake Campus volunteers! Amazing is also the best word to describe their garden space. And Amazing the amount of produce (hundreds of pounds) they donated to community food pantries. Great Job—We, on main campus, are garden green with envy!!!

Read more/view photos (PDF) >>

So, lessons learned from our first year and big plans for next year. Thank you to all who helped out with the garden. Special Thanks to Adam French, our Gardening Guru. Here at Campus Community Garden with Cathy Sayer.
Best of luck, Adam, as you graduate and begin your engineering career.

"Gift of Inspiration" awarded to Wright State University

In late April 2012, Dr. Linda Ramey entered the National Office Furniture contest that provides $25,000 to an educational institution. In mid-September, Dr. Ramey received a phone call informing her that her entry had won the random contest drawing. On October 3, six National Office Furniture executives visited to award the check and tour campus. The funds will be used for a wide variety of sustainability projects including a sustainability internship, expansion of the campus community garden and student "greening our campus" research projects.

Watch for a New Recycle Container Challenge so we can purchase more of those great new containers for high traffic areas of campus.

Check out the newsroom story >>

Mad River Bike Trail-Extension!

Great news for commuters and recreational cyclists alike: ground has been broken and construction begun on the extension of the Mad River Recreation Bike Trail. Currently, the 2.6 mile trail runs along the Mad River, connecting downtown Dayton's Great Miami River Trail at Webster Street to Eastwood MetroPark. The extension, scheduled to be completed this fall, will add 3.5 miles of trail from its current terminal at Eastwood MetroPark to Huffman MetroPark and the Wright Brothers-Huffman Prairie Bike Trail. This relatively small section of additional trail has huge implications! Not only will MoMBA, MetroParks Mountain Bike Area now be assessable by bike from downtown, but Wright State University and Wright Patterson Air Force Base will have a safe and reliable bike connection to the rest of the 330 miles of trails in the Miami Valley.

New Recycle Containers Around Campus

"There's a lot more Green going on! Take a Look around Campus—50 New Recycle Containers. "Reach Right to Recycle!"

Learn more (PDF)→