Vanity Fair's Green Issue

I usually think of Vanity Fair as being a Mom-magazine that middle-aged women read on airplanes, or whatever. However, yesterday when I was standing in line at the supermarket waiting to have my Milkyway rung up, I saw that Vanity Fair had published a "green issue." I checked it out online today - and recommend that you all do as well. First of all, for some reason it shocked me - but the issue is written from an clear environmentalist perspective. The first article is about Russian exploration of warming Arctic areas. Apparently the Russians went all colonialist and planted a flag at the bottom of the ocean under the Arctic ice floes. Other countries which also border on the Arctic got a little upset - not because of emotional attachment to the area, but because of the vast amount of oil reserves thought to be buried under there. Hmmm, I admit myself to be a skeptic of some environmentalism, but it seems very dangerous to me that so much fuss is being raised over new oil reserves when a little thing called Climate Change is happening. Dropping oil prices do not strike me as being truly advantageous in the long run.

The second article I read made my blood run cold. It is about Monsanto - the HUGE agriculture company that sells Round-Up and genetically modified seeds which are immune to the herbicide. This is the dual product that has given Monsanto so many profits - they made Round-Up - a product which kills weeds, and concurrently created crop species which are genetically modified to be resistent to Round-Up. As Vanity Fair points out, they then forever changed the face of farming by not allowing farmers to re-use seeds from year to year. Farmers must buy the seeds each new year from Monsanto, and if they don't, Monstanto will viciously go after them for breaking patent laws. Apparently, it has gotten so bad in the MidWest that people refer to Monsanto as having secret police - Vanity Fair reports of people being threatened by the corporation, and being tricked into releasing private records. Incidentally, Monsanto used to be a chemical corporation which is responsible for some of the largest toxic dumps in the US. Ughhhh, it just gives me the chills.

Green Standby in UK

As some of my readers know, BBC's "The Green Room" is a column which serves to spark environmental debate on their website. It is frequently an interesting and informative read, and often touches on issues of climate change and energy use. This week's piece is about the Standby Power issue - meaning that power that is used when devices are not actually in use (your plugged in cell phone charger, the turned off flat screen television). Many environmentalists see these devices as an easy way to reduce energy use - simply unplug electronic devices when they are not in use. Sadly, for many of us, unplugging and replugging devices does not easily fit into an already hectic schedule.

However, Douglas Johnson has some useful reminders when it comes to this issue - although he uses examples from the UK, rather than US. He uses the example that in the past 20 years, standby power use by televisions has decreased from 30W (1995) to 1.8W and is still decreasing. Johnson is interested in proving that the utilities industry self-regulates when it comes to using energy more efficiently, and although I very much doubt that that is the case, it is interesting to remember the strides that have already been made on this issue. Finally, he issues a much needed reminder that energy USE is much more intensive than energy DISUSE. So perhaps, rather than unplugging your electrical appliances when not in use, try to buy Energy-Star rated electrical appliances, and stay away from that huge flat screen television (a true guzzler of energy, and fossil fuels).

How to Eat Meat

Today was a well-known holiday in the collegiate world, namely 4-20. In celebration of this event, and also for the upcoming Greek Easter, my house hosted a Lamb Roast, complete with greek pasta and baclava. In honor of the event, I am including a few photos (see below) of the roasting lamb, and also writing a little something about how the environmentally conscious can choose to indulge in meat.

As most of us know, there are a myriad of reasons not to eat meat, including the incredibly detrimental environmental effects, health reasons and the inhumane treatment of animals. For some of us, however, the desire to eat meat occasionally clouds our ethical vision. In my opinion, the best way to indulge the carnivorous side of ourselves is to buy local meat from a nearby butcher. For this event, we ordered a lamb from a Connecticut butcher, then began roasting it ourselves at 10am. It was ready for consumption at 5:30pm - 63 pounds of guilt-free deliciousness!

Fun and Functional

Many of my readers are probably looking for a summer job right now, and dreading having to spend their time indoors in front of a computer screen. However, you can have fun this summer and still have something that looks good on a resume. For example, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida (more details below) offers several fun and functional internships.


An Environmental-Education Camp Counselor (The Conservancy of Southwest Florida)

This position is looking for a senior or older who is a science major and has some experience working with younger children. Your duties would include teaching lessons in science and ecology on and off site, in the field, classroom and laboratory. You would also lead activities and field trips.

Sound fun? They are also offering a number of other opportunities to qualified applicants, such as conservation research and wildlife rehabilitation.

Check out this website to apply and get further details:
http://www.conservancy.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=374&srcid=354#camp



PS. They also have a sea turtle conservation internship program (!!) see picture below, taken from their website.

Witches and Climate

I just read a very interested editorial for the New York Times written by Nicholas Kristof. As you all know, this past year the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Al Gore and the IPCC. The Chairman of the Committee, the one who awarded the prize, explained that intra-national conflict, or civil war, is fast becoming one of the largest sources of violence on the planet. Furthermore, climate change is poised to exacerbate these conflicts by stressing water sources and causing climate disasters, which will be particularly devastating in poor, conflict ridden regions.

So, what do witches have to do with all this? Kristof quotes a lot of historians who have researched the correlations between bad weather and witch burnings. According to research, even the Salem witch trials in the US may have been partially caused by a very cold winter and resultant economic stress. If this research is right, than in years of bad weather, people often scapegoat the weakest among them, such as older women. Climate change is almost certain to negatively effect local weather patterns. Thus, unless we take measures to stop it, the weakest among us will suffer most.

To read to editorial, see http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/opinion/13kristof.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

3 Items for the Green Professional

Pretty soon after I graduate, I am going to begin my real career as an environmental consultant in DC. Now, a lot of my friends have been giving me suspicious looks when I say I am going corporate. . .so I have been browsing around the internet for things I can do to keep my green heart pure.

1. Instead of buying a brief case made from leather or vinyl, there are a large variety of briefcases made out of hemp, organic cotton or other environmentally friendly materials. (See below, from http://www.artisangear.com/courier.html).



2. Bring my lunch to work every day in a reusable bag. Buy organic, and preferably local food as much as possible. I can also use reusable utensils and containers, as well as cloth napkins. The website whose products are featured below has adorable hemp and design lunch bags, complete with reusable containers. See http://www.laptoplunches.com/products.html



3. Avoid traveling by air as much as possible. When traveling, use hybrid cars (Avis and others have implemented new green traveling options. Also, elect to stay at environmentally conscious hotels.

We need green bloggers: Do you fit the bill?

We are looking for green bloggers to write about vital environmental issues!

Specifically, we're looking for college students and alumni to write about their own experiences with living green lifestyles and launching green careers. You'll write for an audience of other students and young professionals who are exploring opportunities and getting ready to launch careers of their own.

We want students and alumni who aspire to work toward environmentalism in some capacity, or at least have a desire to make a difference, to share their perspective and their passion for the benefit of other students and alumni around the country.

Your responsibilities will include posting at least once a week on topics and events relevant to readers interested in or aspiring to work on environmental issues. In addition, we'll ask you to take photos to illustrate your blog posts. To do that, you'll receive a new digital camera to record your discoveries and travels, a stipend per 12-week session, as well as valuable hands-on experience to add to your resume.

To apply, please submit a brief cover letter, a resume, and a sample blog post (250 words or less) on a green topic to contribute@experience.com

Is Non-Profit for You?

At Wesleyan, a lot of us decide to go into non-profit work directly out of college, or several years later. It seems like a pretty great decision, you help save the world without selling your own ideals short. But, as someone who eventually decided to enter the corporate world instead, what kinds of factors should you consider when deciding between the two?

Step 1: Is Non-Profit For You?

There are many perceived benefits of working for a non-profit, namely the increased flexibility in hours, the generally more relaxed atmosphere and the feeling that you are doing some good in the world. However, a recent article in the New York Times pointed out that many of these perceptions are only true when you are doing volunteer work, and sometimes not even then. In particular, non-profit work can be just as stressful as that faced in a corporate setting. The fact that non-profit jobs often receive pay which is between 5% and 25% lower than comparable salaries in the for-profit sector can be another source of stress.

All in all, it is important to choose a non-profit which will give you all the opportunities you need. Check and make sure that it is organized and well run, that the work is accomplishing something and that you will be treated as a serious employee. Not only the subject matter but also the very feel of the place should strike you positively.

Step 2: Applying for the Non-Profit Position

Most of my friends are applying for positions in non-profits by doing the same thing - namely sending in a resume and cover letter and hoping for a response. Unfortunately, non-profits often hire volunteer workers or people that are some how familiar with the organization already. In other words, it may be necessary in some cases to begin work as a volunteer who does not get paid and then apply for jobs within the organization as they open up.

Step 3: Switching between the Corporate World and the Non-Profit One

This is a topic about which I know very little, since I am only at the start of my career. However, I thought I would pass along a bit of advice which I received during an interview. The woman who was interviewing me had just switched from the corporate world into the non-profit one, and she advised that if I had any interest in the for-profit sector, I should begin my career there. In her opinion, it is considerably easier to move from a corporate into a non-profit than to do the reverse.


What do you all think? What kinds of factors should be important when choosing between for-profit or non-profit?

Growing Plants in a Dorm

I just got back from a farmer's market at Wesleyan, where I bought about a pound of goat cheese (yum) and a little basil plant for $3. It is now sitting on my window sill soaking up the cloudy Connecticut sky. Now, I know it is impossible for me to keep my own goats and make my own goat cheese, but the farmers market got me thinking about what kinds of plants I could grow in my room or out on the porch as the weather starts to turn a bit nicer.

It turns out that basil is one of the best plants to grow in these kind of limited conditions. It can be quite happy in a warm, sunny spot with moist soil and a little room to grow. The best way to harvest the basil leaves is to pinch them off from the base. However, remember not to pinch to much off at one time.



It turns out that growing a wide variety of herbs, even in the middle of winter, is definitely doable. The trick is to find a spot in your dorm that gets a lot of sunlight (at least 4 hours and preferably more) every day. You also need soil that has good drainage - and a pot that can drain as well. Most of the websites advised buying the soil from a nursery if you are a beginner (like me) - but most recommend a mix containing peat, sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Most of the websites I consulted advise trying rosemary, chives, mint and sage, although there are additional possibilities as well. For more information, check out:

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Herbs-You-Can-Grow-in-Containers&id=389833