Tulane Green Club Blog

No Turkeys Here

2011-11-26T16:47:00.000-06:00

I hope everyones' Thanksgivings were lovely. In honor of the holiday, here is a blog entry (that's right, blogging a blog) by New York Times Food Columnist Mark Bittman. He manages to mention nearly every player in the world of awesome sustainable food; and give thanks. Check it-

There are days when it seems — both in and out of the food world — that Everything Is Going Wrong. That makes it easy enough to complain, and I’m not alone in doing so routinely. Nothing tastes the way it used to. Even pricey restaurants have lost their glow. Quality is shot. People die from eating melons. The dominance of hyper-processed, industrialized food (and, more to the point, food-like products) is spreading globally, and we’re all gaining weight faster than ever, while wrecking the planet.

Nevertheless, it’s nearly as easy to find signs of hope — lots of them — as well as people and organizations who’ve been prodding American food back on a natural, sustainable, beautiful track. Then, of course, there are the things that just plain make you glad to be alive. Aside from the smell of garlic simmering in olive oil, what and whom am I thankful for? In no particular order:

1. Start — as many of those involved in the food movement did — with Marion Nestle, the nutrition and policy guru and an all-around heroine. (Her daily blog, Food Politics, is always worth a look.) Put simply: eat per Marion’s advice and you’ll be eating better. (You’ll probably live longer, too, but as Marion might say, “the studies are incomplete.”)

2. For low-income people, better eating often starts with WIC and SNAP. It’s a shame we need these food assistance programs, but it’s great that we have them, and we must fight to preserve and improve them.

3. There are more than half as many farmers’ markets as there are McDonald’s. The markets are gaining ground, and fantastic groups like Wholesome Wave are making them more affordable.

4. You gotta love food markets like Oakland’s People’s Grocery and the Park Slope Food Co-op, for their daily demonstration that corporate supermarkets aren’t the only way to shop.

5. Hooray for the Environmental Working Group, our best watchdog on misallocated subsidies, ethanol policies and a variety of conservation issues.

6. Let’s thank Europe. I agree, Europe is wholly un-American. But food-wise, we have more to learn from them than the other way around. Examples of how to move forward on food policy and agriculture while clinging (if by a carrot paring) to worthwhile traditional ways abound.

7. While we’re over there, let’s thank H.R.H. Prince Charles, who’s smart and outspoken enough to make you reconsider the notion of royalty. A couple of other admirable non-Americans are the United Nations’ Olivier De Schutter, a key figure in recognizing and promoting agro-ecological agriculture, and Vandana Shiva, who fights for food as nourishment, not commodity.

8. Back home: Will Allen and the Milwaukee-based Growing Power, Malik Yakini and the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and Nevin Cohen of the Five Borough Farm are, along with the other pioneers of the urban food movement, making a difference.
9. Journalists. Especially Barry Estabrook (of the blog Politics of the Plate), Tom Philpott (Mother Jones) and Tom Laskawy (Grist), old-school guys who dig up the food stories you need to read. In her blog and her book (both called “Superbug”), Maryn McKenna routinely scares me half to death. Then there’s Raj Patel, a social justice writer who focuses on food; his “Stuffed and Starved” is a classic critique of the world food “system.” (Raj is also, by some accounts, the Messiah. But I know him and he’s not that great.)

10. Can’t mention Estabrook (or his book “Tomatoland”) without a shout out to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who showed that farmworkers could fight for and win better working conditions.

11. Speaking of fighting, Just Label It and others are involved in the much-needed struggle for better food labeling.

12. If Michael Pollan had done nothing other than say, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants,” we’d still owe him a great debt. But his new edition of rules (“An Eater’s Manual”) features the typically gorgeous art of the great Maira Kalman.

13. We also owe the Humane Society of the United States, Mercy for Animals and PETA (they can be extreme and, I think, even silly, but still…). All decry animal abuse on a daily basis, sometimes at physical risk to their employees. It’s tough work; it isn’t pretty; but as awareness increases so will the cry for change.

14. For his long-range view and persistence, you have to love Wes Jackson, whose Land Institute is advancing perennial agriculture as an alternative to input-heavy annual monoculture.

15. Few views are as long-range as those of Wendell Berry, who’s pushing 80. The farmer, poet, novelist and essayist is a leading voice for sustainability and common sense, and perhaps the first scribe of the food movement.

16. Serious thanks to Bill McKibben, who’s trying to keep the earth in good enough shape to grow things on it, and Tim DeChristopher, who put his freedom on the line (and lost it) protesting oil and gas leases on public land.

17. And to Bill Marler, who, as the leading food safety attorney in the country, is trying to keep the things we grow from killing us. Check out Michele Simon on Marler’s Food Safety News, too.
18. The Rudd Center has spearheaded the movement for a much-needed soda tax. When that happens … well, woo-hoo: we’ll know that serious and lasting change has come.

19. For better and still improving school lunches, let’s thank Ann Cooper (the Renegade Lunch Lady), Kate Adamick, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act and (why not? it’s Thanksgiving) Michelle Obama. (At this point, a nod to the world’s most famous walking advertisement for a plant-based diet: Bill “Mr. Slim” Clinton.)

20. With Washington on the agenda, a shout out to Ezra Klein, the hardworking economics and politics writer whose daily WonkBlog is indispensable. (The food link: I met Ezra when he criticized my mah-po tofu. No one’s perfect.)

21. Four D.C. lawmakers with the guts to fight Big Ag: Senators Bernie Sanders (a national treasure), Jon Tester, an organic farmer, and Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Chellie Pingree. There are others, but not enough; next year there should be more.

22. Let’s acknowledge all real farmers, stewards of the earth, as well as those fishers and ranchers who get it: there are plenty, and their numbers are increasing

23. Much movement in the right direction is thanks to groups like Food and Water Watch and American Farmland Trust (“No Farms, No Food”).
24. But you don’t need to be a farmer to grow food: check out Roger Doiron and his plan for “subversive plots” that will not only lead to greater individual self-sufficiency but will also point to a better way of growing and eating.
25. Finally: Thanks to anyone who’s started a small farm in the last five years, and anyone who’s supported one; anyone who cooks, and especially anyone who teaches others to cook. In these realms, let’s thank FoodCorps, SlowFood USA and Cooking Matters, all doing great work. As are millions of individuals. Bless you.

In case you wanted, here's the link: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/19/no-turkeys-here/?pagewanted=all
I would sincerely like to apologize for the lack of recent blogs, we will post our recent activities and some more interesting tidbits very soon.

Keep it earthy
-GC

¡Recent Acitivities!

2011-11-26T14:23:00.004-06:00

Green Club has been extremely busy this semester...

BOSS has cooked some awesome foods: hummus, pita, peanut butter, pasta... just to name a few!

Waste & Recycling has created educational fliers that will soon be posted in dorms and academic buildings to increase campus awareness. W&R has also worked with Ecoreps to educate basketball game attendants about recycling.

Outings has organized and taken part in some incredible events - kayaking on Bayou St. John, Friday Fly days, volunteering with Green Light New Orleans, Bike Easy's bicycle second line...and more to come soon!

Sustainability & Efficiency is working hard at figuring out the logistics behind energy auditing on campus, and trying to get reusable/eco-friendly containers for Bruff-to-go and/or the LBC.

The committees are all working together to host a Clothing Swap at the very end of November/beginning of December. (stay tuned for details!)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, November 5th, Green Club went kayaking on Bayou St. John near City Park.

We had a blast bonding and enjoying the sunny weather. Shout out to Bayou Kayaks for enabling us to have such a unique canoeing experience! We didn't see any alligators but we saw and heard lots of birds (including pelicans!).

_________________________________________________________________________________

On November 20th, several Green Club members helped Bike Easy valet at PoBoy fest.

We got to meet a ton of interesting characters while encouraging and facilitating biking in New Orleans!

Some po-boy fest attendants really went all out...

E-board members with a gracious patron... (and her owner)

Some Green Club valets and a job well done! Hundreds of bikes parked!

We are so thankful for Bike Easy's dedication to enhancing this pollution-free, eco-friendly method of transportation!

350 in the 504, We Are NOLA, Hear Us Roar!

2011-09-25T16:13:00.001-05:00

Have you ever stopped traffic on St. Charles to dance in the middle of the street?

We have!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT OUR MOVING PLANET DAY OF ACTION 2nd Line!

Special thanks to everyone who chalked, posted fliers, and helped make signs for the event.
Also, Tulane Brass Band, you were awesome. We're so excited that some members of Loyola's Association of Students for Sustainability joined us!
Most importantly, thanks thanks to 350.org for its activism and dedication!

We had so much fun dancing around uptown, stopping traffic, and getting the word out about the need to lower Carbon emissions ASAP to 350 ppm!

It was a great way to start off the school year and show all the enthusiasm of Green Club, and what we're capable of doing with some hard work!

2nd General Meeting: BUSINESS & FUN

2011-09-18T20:43:00.001-05:00

Tulane Green Club will be meeting for the second time this Tuesday, September 20th, 2011. We will open up by discussing the awesome organization 350, and its event, Moving Planet, a little more in depth. We will be holding our own Moving Planet event at 1 pm on September 24th, gathering at Willow St. and Mcalister Dr.

Below are the five existing committees of the Green Club. We will spend the rest of the meeting breaking up into these groups, and taking the first steps to having a powerful, productive year within each committee.

Environmental Justice Committee

Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The Tulane University Green Club Environmental Justice Committee, as a group of proponents of environmental justice, seeks to ameliorate the inequitable distribution of environmental burdens, such as pollution and hazardous waste. Environmental justice is hindered by endemic racism, unresponsive government policies and regulation as well as a lack of resources and power in affected communities. We aim to hold local, national, and international governments accountable for their actions to ensure they adhere to their respective environmental policies. In addition, we will strive to communicate the environmental issues and concerns of those impacted by environmental injustice. The Tulane University Green Club Environmental Justice Committee believes in both equality and good stewardship. All people regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, or income have an equal right to enjoy the environment in which they live, work, and play; as such, everyone should be held responsible for taking care of the environment. We are merely temporary possessors of this Earth and our actions, no matter how minute they may seem, are perpetually creating a legacy for future generations.

Outings Committee

The outings committee's goal to plan and organize trips and events that promote an attitude that seeks to conserve our environment, to educate attendees on the matter at hand, help people appreciate nature, and to make them fun!

Sustainability & Efficiency Committee

To improve the energy efficiency and overall sustainability of Tulane University’s infrastructure, buildings, grounds, food, and other services, through energy efficiency audits, the implementation of a ‘green tax,’ and other innovative programs aimed at reducing waste and maximizing efficiency. (Work with waste and recycling on programs such as composting, eco clam shell containers)

Waste & Recycling Committee

Our mission is to reduce the amount of waste by changing the consumptive attitude of the average Tulane student. We'll work towards acquiring more recycling bins and making their placement more convenient and user-friendly. We'll also educate students and staff about easy ways to "go green." The committee will focus on the LBC and Sodexo as well.

B.O.S.S.

The mission of BOSS is to spread an appreciation of self-sufficiency and localization. Through making products that are in alignment with a healthy, natural lifestyle, we reduce our carbon footprint in a multitude of ways. And lastly, in making these products, we shall reverse the desensitization that is a result of our consumer society.

The Energy Equation

2011-03-21T18:11:00.000-05:00

The Tulane Law School hosts the Summit on Environmental Law and Policy every year, with free registration for students. This year the summit focuses on Energy, and panel discussion topics include biofuels, nuclear energy, fracking, peak oil, and alternative energy. For more information, and to sign up, please visit their website.

"Get Wasted"

2011-03-01T13:18:00.002-06:00

At the beginning of February the Green Club helped to organize "Get Wasted", an event centered around reducing on campus waste. It was a very successful event - we sold over 100 reusable coffee mugs, gave out reusable grocery bags, and got tons of signatures for a petition to use ceramic plates and real silverware as the default option in our food court. To see some more pictures of the event click here.

Will Allen Coming to Tulane

2011-02-13T11:46:00.000-06:00

The Green Club is proud to announce that Will Allen, of Milwaukee's Growing Power will be coming to campus to give a lecture on Sunday, February 20th at 7pm in the Qatar Ballroom on the second floor of the Lavin-Bernick Center.

Mr. Allen was a 2008 recipient of the MacArthur Foundation's Genius Award, which has allowed him to expand Growing Power's reach. Here in the New Orleans Community, Our School at Blair Grocery is becoming a Regional Outreach Training Center for Growing Power. February 20-22, Blair Grocery is hosting a workshop with Mr. Allen. Anyone can sign up for this workshop here. The featured workshops include Composting, Hoop House Building, Project Planning, Cheese Making, Youth Empowerment, City Tour, Sprouts and Microgreens, Growing Mushrooms and more.

Join us to watch "The Idiot Cycle"

2011-02-09T20:20:00.001-06:00

The Tulane Green Club presents a screening of the film "The Idiot Cycle" on Wednesday, February 16th at 7pm in Goldring/Woldengberg Hall II, room 1111.

What is "The Idiot Cycle"? It's an exposée on the links between the world's six largest chemical companies, cancer, and cancer treatment drugs (produced by, you guessed it!, those same six chemical companies). Check out the trailer below, and see the film's website or the facebook event for more information. Come to the screening, made possible by JPS films, to explore these topics further!

Spring 2011 Plans

2011-01-28T15:59:00.001-06:00

At our Monday meeting we came up with some committees for this semester.

BOSS - Back to Old School Sustainability

BOSS gets together every Sunday afternoon in the Patterson lounge to learn to make things such as salve, granola, body scrub, fruit leather, etc. Hopefully this semester, they will begin selling products on campus and become a truly sustainable committee. If you are interested in getting on the email list contact Jake Winkelman (jwinkelm@tulane.edu).

Education

This committee will be in charge of environmental education, both on campus and off. Some suggestions at the meeting were chalk facts around campus, coordinating with Green Light to volunteer in schools, etc. Someone also suggested a bike rally to promote awareness both on and off campus, which we could perhaps coordinate with the New Orleans Metro Bicycle Coalition. It was also suggested that we compile a list of green businesses in New Orleans, which I think should be a task for this committee.

Fundraising

The Green Club would like to get some fundraising both to help Green Light, as well as be able to do more things like T shirt making and movie/pizza nights for the club.

Waste Action Committee

This committee will encompass recycling, composting, and perhaps a campaign to reduce styrofoam and plastic use on campus. Our goals will be to increase easily accessible recycling bins on campus, expand composting into Leadership Village, and try to promote reusable cups, water bottles, etc.

Volunteering

This committee is only for those who would like to help plan Green Club volunteering. Many people were interested in helping out at Hollygrove, Green Light, and around campus. Anything that we plan, we will advertise through the listserv, so you don't have to be a part of this committee to participate.

Other Suggestions: (not under any committee so far)

Coordinating competitions (similar to Recyclemania) to get people involved. If anyone has ideas for contests, please let us know.

Create a "1 Green Thing a Day" to students: easy changes that can make a big difference.

Host a "Green Week" when people commit to do something environmental for one week, that might seem intimidating to make as a complete lifestyle change, but can help to create incremental change. For example, going vegetarian - a really big change, but doable for a week, and it might inspire you to eat more vegetarian meals.

The last thing that was very clear in everyone's "5 Things" was getting to know other members of the Green Club and creating a "green community" on campus, which we will do by hosting more things like T Shirt making and movie nights.

BOSS's Fall Endeavors

2010-11-15T22:15:00.000-06:00

BOSS (Back to Old School Sustainability) is a subcommittee of the Green Club that meets a few times a semester and makes things we'd like to learn how to make ourselves instead of buying. So far we've made salve, fruit leather and applesauce, we plan to make granola this Sunday (November 21), and would like to make things like shampoo, cleaning products, dried fruit, etc. in the future. Email Jake Winkelman (jwinkelm@tulane.edu) if you'd like to get involved.

*****

For our first meeting we made salve. It's a super easy recipe and great to use for lip balm or to put on scrapes, to heal dry skin, etc. It's made from oil and beeswax, with a little bit of essential oil thrown in for a nice scent.

Notes: The ratio that we used for making the salve was 2 tablespoons of wax to 3 ounces of oil. You can use any sort of oil for the salve. We used olive oil, but coconut and jojoba are also suggested. On it's own, the salve is only a lubricant and moisturizer, and adding essential oils give it its higher medicinal qualities. We used lavender for ours, which gives the salve antiseptic and anti-inflammatory capacities.

Salve Recipe:

Heat the oil up a bit.

Add the beeswax and essential oil.

Continue to mix until your salve reaches the right consistency.

If you would like to purchase a little container of the salve for $1, you can contact Jake Winkelman (jwinkelm@tulane.edu).

*****

In our second meeting, the we made applesauce, a perfect fall food, and some fruit leather.

Applesauce Recipe:

Cut up the apples into small pieces, removing the core. If you're going to peel the apples, it's probably easiest to peal before cutting.

Put apples in a pot on the stove on low heat with a little bit of water. We recommend cooking mostly with the top on to contain the moisture. Cook for about three hours, until it's the consistency that you prefer.

Add a little bit of cinnamon if you feel like spicing it up, but it's great on it's own too!

Notes: We made two batches of applesauce: one with the peel and one without. They turned out very different, both because of the peel and because of the cooking method. For the applesauce with the peel, we added more water and subsequently stirred it for a longer time without the top on. This one is a lighter color and a little chunkier (thanks to the peels). We added less water to the applesauce without the peel, and initially cooked it with the top on. It came out much darker and more soupy.

Fruit Leather Recipe:

Peel the fruits that you will be using for your batch.

Puree the fruit in the desired quantity.

Spread VERY thinly on a greased cookie sheet (about 1/8").

Let bake in the oven on 150º F (or the lowest setting of your oven - ours was 170º) for about 3 hours, until it is the right consistency.

Notes: We used bananas, pears, and peaches for our recipe. We used about 3 peaches, 3 pears and 3 or 4 bananas, and we had way too much mixture and not enough cookie sheets, so keep your quantity in mind. It's pretty essential to have a food processor for the pureeing, as a blender really doesn't work very well to get a very fine consistency. We did not peel the fruit, and subsequently the texture is a little grainy and the leather looks uncannily like vomit. But it tastes perfectly delicious! Also keep in mind that you want a very thin layer. If you have it even slightly too thick, the outsides will bake, but the middle won't. Another note: it's best not to refrigerate the leather once it's baked. It will keep at room temperature, and it gets too moist in the fridge.

Heyyououoouo

2010-09-12T17:16:00.000-05:00

If you are not on our list-serv and would like to recieve emails about our meeting times please email Greenclb@tulane.edu.

If you did not make it to the first meeting and you are interested in getting involved with any of the following topics email the leader of that group:

Community Outreach- Arianne Wolfe (Awolfe1@tulane.edu)- as mentioned in the previous email, this group will be planning trips with different volunteer organizations throughout the city.

Volunteering with Hollygrove- Brooke Schueller (bschuell@tulane.edu)- Get involved with local farming. You'll be able to help with planting and harvesting as well as working at the market. There is also talk of a weekly bike ride to the market.

Aquaponics- Kevin Morgan (kmorganr@tulane.edu) - a very interesting and innovative method of sustainable agriculture. We are working on a small scale system and plan on doing some grant writing for a larger setup.

Eat Local Dinner- Emily Cardarelli (ecardare@tulane.edu)- a catered dinner taking place sometime in November with local foods

Bike Rental Program- Brett Levin (BLevin@tulane.edu)- volunteering to help maintain and run the bike rental program (which should start up in a week or two).

Composting- Arianne Wolfe (Awolfe1@tulane.edu)- trying to make composting more available on campus.

Homemade- Jake Winkelman- (jwinkelm@tulane.edu)- this group will show students how to make organic products from scratch like the olden days.

If you would like to discuss any other topics please bring them up at our next meeting.

Also, I just wanted to remind everyone about the Law School's lecture series on the Deepwater Horizon ( http://www.law.tulane.edu/bp/ ). Check out the schedule and go to them if you have time. They should be very interesting, and it's certainly an education that you couldn't get anywhere else (unfortunately).

Oil Spill Job Training and Volunteer Information

2010-05-13T10:45:00.000-05:00

For information on Job Training and Volunteer information go to:

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/

For general information on the oil spill go to:

www.gulfoilspill.org

Some Information that may interest you.

2010-02-25T00:47:00.000-06:00

THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF ASSORTED TOM FOOLERY AND OTHER SORTS OF PECULIAR AND OTHERWISE ABSURD AND BAFFLING NONSENSE (also known by our most premier acronym, THE TULANE JUGGLING CLUB)
-Top of the parking garage 9pm Tuesday and Thursday
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=tulane+juggling+club&init=quick#!/group.php?gid=5862983769&ref=ts

Tulane Adventure Club/ Rock Climbing Club
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=43657084535&ref=ts

TUCOBABE (Tulane Coalition of Bicyclists and Bicycle Enthusiasts)- A general meeting is coming soon. We will be discussing upcoming bike trips. If you want to join the mailing list join the facebook group and post your email on the wall. We specialize in nudey bike calendars.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=2213468402&ref=ts

Also make sure to check out the links to the right. If you have any more interesting sites, suggestions, or ideas email them to Greenclb@tulane.edu

Meeting Tuesday February 23rd 7:30

2010-02-22T19:43:00.000-06:00

There will be a meeting tomorrow Tuesday February 23rd at 7:30pm on the third floor of Alcee Fortier. The subcommittees will discuss their progress. Music, food, and philosophical discussion is also welcome.

Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! Round Table Discussion at Tulane University

2010-02-17T19:45:00.000-06:00

Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! Round Table Discussion at Tulane University

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM
Location: Tulane University: Kendall Cram Room in the Lavin Bernick Center for University Life

Event Description: Round Table Discussion with Rev. Yearwood, President of the Hip Hop Caucus; D. Woods, R&B Singer; Gloria Reuben, Actress; Dr. Beverly Wright, President of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; Sess-45, Community Organizer and Hip Hop artist. Event will be DJ'd by Biz Markie. Food!

http://hiphopcaucus.org/events/hip-hop-caucus-clean-energy-now-round-table-discussion-at-tulane-university

Hosted by the Center for Bioenvironmental Research, the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Center for Public Service. Campus contact: Liz Davey, Office of Environmental Affairs and Center for Bioenvironmental Research, ldavey@tulane.edu or 865-5145.

Sub Committees

2010-01-31T23:40:00.001-06:00

The Sub Committees are as follows:

Chicken Coops on Campus- Meeting Monday 7:00pm
Compost- Meeting Tuesday 7:30pm
Bike Rental Program- Meeting Tuesday 8:00pm
Green Roofs on Campus- Meeting Still to be announced

All meetings are held on the third floor of Alcee Fortier

Spring Semester 2010

2010-01-20T23:46:00.000-06:00

This semester has endless potential. Our ability to work together and communicate will determine our success.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday January 26th, at 7:30pm on the third floor of Alcee Fortier. I ask of you to bring any and all ideas. They will be heard and voted on at the meeting.

Candidates for this semester are:

Main Events:
Unplug Competition- In collaboration with the YALL State Network
Earth Day (March 22nd) Concert and Screening of Planet Earth
Eat Local Dinner- A formal dinner of local food prepared by local chefs

Large Side Projects
Bike Rental Program
Campus Green Roof Proposal- extensive green roofs throughout campus
Nomow Campaign- designating certain parts of campus to not be mowed; adding ecological and visual beauty to the campus
Campus Farm proposal- Creating an Urban Farm in the field opposite the Boot
Chicken Coop proposal- design plans for a large chicken coop on a vacant Tulane lot
Bio-diesel Production Facility on Campus- use wastes from the dining halls to create bio-diesel
Green Light New Orleans membership campaign- getting 1000 Tulane students to become Green Light Members

Small Side Projects
Vermiculture bins in the Benevolent Garden

Activities
Camping Trips
Gardening in the Benevolent Garden
Weekly Trips to volunteer for environmental organizations throughout the city

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update:

If you are not on the Green Club List Serve contact Shemi - abenge@tulane.edu
We have a very functional bike trailer= endless potential.
Gardening in the Benevolent garden will open Next Tuesday! Do not fret if you haven't reserved a space with Anne yet. The Green Club has a large plot which will be divided up at the meeting.
The Bike Help Desk is open 2:30 to 5:00pm on Wednesdays and Fridays- the chess and backgammon club meets there as well
Juggling will continue on the roof of the Parking Garage Tuesdays and Thursdays. Be there at 9:00pm.
TUCOBABE (Tulane University Coalition of Bicyclists and Bicycle Enthusiasts) will continue bike rides this semester. Also, Nudey Calendars are still for sale. More info to come.
If you have any suggestions or comments email Greenclb@tulane.edu

~Brett

CSA On Campus

2009-11-01T23:25:00.000-06:00

If you have not heard about Hollygrove yet here is the spiel. We have partnered up with Hollygrove Farmers Market to bring a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) system to Tulane’s campus. Basically you sign up to receive a basket of fresh locally grown foods on a weekly basis through a Green Club representative (who has still not been completely decided but I think the minister of Agriculture may be worthy of this position). Anyway, we want to find as many interested students as possible and then hold a meeting where we can discuss the final details (like pickup locations, etc.) So if you are at all interested in receiving this food or know anyone who would want one (they will cost between 15-20 bucks) send me an email(BLevin@tulane.edu). I will add you to the list.

Goals

2009-09-28T20:17:00.000-05:00

Here are some goals:

Short Term

Increase Participation and Turnouts to Events (go to the calendar on the right for a showing of events)
Get speakers from different fields to talk at our meetings
Promote "Young Louisianans for Clean Energy Rally" Oct. 24th (featuring a bike and plant sale, music, speakers)
Help with Community Gardens
Complete a bike trailer
Promote "Get Caught Green Handed" and Reusable mugs in the LBC
Plan better Recycling on Campus- map out flawed areas

Long Term

Compostable Utensiles on campus
Create a compost system on Campus
Eat Local Now- a fundraiser prepared by local chefs with local foods
Build Gardens in People's Backyards
Bike Rental Program through the Green Club
Create a Fleet of bike trailers

Committees!!!!!

2009-09-07T19:36:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to put up a list of the committees for this year. If you would like to get involved with any of these contact me and we will make it happen! You can be in as many as you want. Also, if you have an idea for a new committee we can start it up.

Me
Brett Levin - Blevin@tulane.edu

Executive Secretary
Shemi Benge- Abenge@tulane.edu

V.P. of Public Relation
Lucas Shum - lshum@tulane.edu

V.P. of Finance
Brad Bloomfield - Bbloomfi@tulane.edu

Outings Committee- Camping and other fun stuff
Marshal Hoda- Mhoda@tulane.edu
Jenna Streusand- Jstreusa@tulane.edu

Gardening- Gardening in the plot behind wall
Anna Eulau - aeulau@tulane.edu

Progressive Food- getting composting and local food on campus
Contact Me!

Animal Rights- Trips to ARNO and stuff with Campus Cats
Emily Bender- Ebender1@tulane.edu

Transportation- Getting the bike rental system started, bike help desk
Contact Me!

Sustainable Building
Mark Strella- Mstrella@tulane.edu

Volunteering and Enviro-Home Consulting- read more in the blogs below
Brett Levin- BLevin@tulane.edu

Recycling- promote recycling and keep the group up to date with on campus recycling information
Contact Me!

Grassroots- Getting Styrofoam off campus, taking on other initiatives, planning an Earthday festival
Contact Me!

As always the link to the calendar on the right side has an ongoing outline of our events.

Get involved, spread the word, get a bike, climb a tree.

~Brett Levin

First Meeting!!!!!

2009-08-31T15:10:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone,
The first meeting is being held tomorrow at 7:00pm in Alice Fortier (3rd Floor). We are going to go over a bunch of stuff so try to be there. And as always, the calendar is constantly being updated.

If you missed out on the first Juggling club Bike ride don't worry. There will be more to come.

Hopefully see you tomorrow.

Brett

Green Club 2009

2009-08-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

This is an incomplete list of ideas and events for next year. We will be adding the confirmed events onto the calendar. Feel free to add to this list.

· Weekly meetings will involve philosophical discussions about the environment and society

o Get faculty involved

· Talk to environmental classes at Tulane in order to get a larger member base

· Set up a trip with Green Light New Orleans early in the year
Take monthly trips with TUCOBABE to Plan B / RUBARB
Build Bike Trailers from recycled products from the Green project http://www.thegreenproject.org/
Bike Sale and Plant Sale

Possibly Sunday Sept. 13th
Plants from Laughing Buddha Nursery http://www.laughingbuddhanursery.com
Bikes from Mike the Bike Guy, Plan B, RUBARB, Liz Davey knows more

· September 19^th beach Sweep with Joanne Berke

· Get Vendors to Tulane and Go to farmers market- (If you are interested in running this contact Brett!!)

Get local farmers market vendors to come to Tulane with local foods and goods.

o Upper Ninth Ward Farmers Market, Crescent City Farmers Market, Hollygrove Farmers Market

Movie Screenings

Tulane Environmental Volunteer Campaign- Enviro-Home Consulting (This is still in the beginning stages)

o The goal is to inform the whole city, one neighborhood at a time, of environmental solutions in their home and lifestyle. By suggesting different solutions to homes such as solar panels, rain barrels, raised bed gardens, etc., we save the homeowners money, improve their lifestyle and help the environment. By connecting people with the proper contacts, or by undertaking projects on our own, we will constantly be learning and teaching others.

o The spread of information and implementation of solutions is our main priority. In certain situations the opportunity to make profit may arise.

By installing raised bed gardens, delivering food from farmers markets, or connecting homeowners with contractors we will be able to make money (South Coast Solar will pay you 2.5% of the final cost if you recommend them a customer).For as much profitable work as we may do I would like to go to low income neighborhoods and install raised bed gardens at cost, deliver food for free, and inform them of simple solutions they can undertake. Everyone deserves to know the information that's out there.

o Market our service through flyers and word of mouth

If you are new to the Tulane Environmental Volunteer Campaign

1. Talk to Me (Brett). I have been trying to get this started for months and any suggests or help would be great.

2. Get the necessary documents that I have accumulated.(I'll put it on your flash drive if you have one)

Other Thoughts- Keep the ideas flowing...

Mow the garden lawn with push mowers
Start a garden- possibly a folkewall (We need someone to run this!)
Set up a greywater system in the juggling club garden
Green Roofs!!!!!
Reusable water bottles.

A New Year

2009-08-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

Hey!

Hope everyone had a good summer. This is the first post for the Green Club. I'd like to use this as a hub for environmental information in New Orleans and on Tulane's campus and to update others about greenclub doings.

To check out some events the green club is doing go to the calendar link on the side.

We have many environmental undertakings this year. The calendar is only our official events. We like to party.

If you are interested in writing for this blog or learning more about the green club please contact me, Brett Levin, at Blevin@tulane.edu.

Get a bike!

~Brett