In April, BBC received a grant from the Florida Humanities Council that will fund the lectures on environmental issues ranging from suburban sprawl to spirituality. Co-presented with the College of Arts and Sciences, the lectures will take place by the bay at BBC and are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.: “Losing It All to Sprawl”
• Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.: “An Alligator Eating Its Own Tail: Florida in the 21^st Century”
• Thursday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.: “Spirituality Goes Green: Scientific and Spiritual Approaches to Global Warming”
• Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.: A reading by poets Robert Wrigley and Campbell McGrath

The first lecture, “Losing It All to Sprawl,” will feature award-winning documentary and nature writer Bill Belleville, who will discuss the effects of development on community, neighborliness and Florida’s environment.

Admission is free and open to the public. To RSVP or for more information, call 305-919-5700 or visit http://bbc.fiu.edu.

The government of China has asked a handful of countries to participate on a project showcasing top environmental home designs that will be on display in Beijing this summer.

The university and the Learn Green Foundation of Illinois will represent the United States when they unveil an energy-efficient home that was recently featured on a news broadcast on NBC6.

Engineering professor Yong Tao is the project’s director. Future House USA features energy-efficient windows, lots of shading, solar shingles for the roof, solar “trees” for the garden as an additional power source, and a geothermal heat pump for the home’s water.

To watch the segment and read the article, click here or on the image below.

FIU senior Susana Neira told the CBS4 reporter she already has been matched with two Greenriders to share her commute to campus.

“It’s kind of nerdy, but, you know, it’s our future that we have to think about,” she said.

To watch the segment, click here.

Tired of looking for convenient parking on campus? Interested in having a positive impact on the planet? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you’re going to like the university’s new Greenride™ carpool program, which debuted July 1.

The latest initiative in FIU’s commitment to going green, the web-based carpool program features award-winning software that makes signing up hassle-free and completely safe. Open to all FIU students, faculty and staff, university leaders are hoping the program will save money for participants, reduce traffic and relieve parking congestion, and help improve air quality and conserve energy.

“The Greenride™ software is so easy to use, I really think this program has the ability to change the culture of commuting here at FIU,” said Bill Foster, director of Parking and Transportation. He and his team guided the purchase and implementation of the program in collaboration with the President’s Climate Commitment Task Force.

Participants register confidentially, entering a list of preferences. The software matches prospective riders and sends an email to possible partners. As an added bonus, it automatically tracks environmental savings, health savings and financial savings.

Riders in the program will receive special carpool decals and new “preferred parking” carpool spaces will be available to participants throughout the campuses.

Visit the Greenride™ site today and start saving.

There isn’t one event he can point to as his “A-ha” moment. The fact he used to spend three hours a day on Biscayne Bay as a member of his high school’s crew team surely had something to do with it. And he speaks passionately about a high school teacher who made the Earth’s perils real to his students. The news reports about Miami-Dade County’s worsening water shortage and a trip to the water treatment plant on Virginia Key stuck with him, too, reminding him that there was much to be done. It was building inside of him, this need to do something, anything proactive in support of the environment.

So when David Fonseca learned of a newly created position in FIU’s Student Government Association in 2006 – that of community relations and environmental affairs director – he seized the opportunity to make an impact and ran for the elected office.

“I knew this was the way I could help,” says Fonseca, a political science major.

Knowing he was searching for a meaningful project that wouldn’t break the bank, Fonseca’s older brother suggested the sophomore check out the free shower exchange and retrofit kit program offered by Miami-Dade County’s Water and Sewer Department. He learned a little bit about the program and convinced the university to give it a try. Next he contacted Angelique Bestard, water use efficiency coordinator for Miami-Dade County’s Water and Sewer Department, who was more than happy to supply FIU with the free, low-flow showerheads.

Last year, Fonseca worked side-by-side with Facilities Management personnel, replacing the existing showerheads in the Biscayne Bay Campus dorm rooms. The group also retrofitted each room’s kitchen and bathroom faucets with low-flow aerators, which also help conserve water.

This summer, FIU plans to switch out the showerheads in the University Park dorms.

Who’s Next?
With his own university now on board, Fonseca promptly set his sites on Barry University.

“This is a free program,” he says. “There’s no reason why every university in the county shouldn’t take advantage of it.”

Patrick Devine, associate director of Housing at Barry University, was surprised when Fonseca contacted him.

“It was definitely intriguing,” says Devine of his initial encounter with Fonseca. “We always try to work with the student government at Barry, so we wanted to extend the same courtesy to a student from FIU. David seemed like an honest, credible person. We listened to his idea, figured it couldn’t hurt and decided to try it out. The selling point for us was that we didn’t have to buy the showerheads.”

Devine says the showerheads have been tested in the gym showers to good reviews. Based on the positive feedback, the university is moving forward with plans to replace the showerheads in close to 600 dorm rooms this summer.

“Our buildings are decades old. We’re willing to listen to any idea that’s going to help us conserve more,” says Devine. “In David’s case, he had a great idea.”

Fonseca is now working with Johnson & Wales University and St. Thomas University. Next up? The University of Miami.

Says the county’s Bestard, who has worked with Fonseca to supply more than 1,100 showerheads thus far to local universities, “He’s got a great amount of energy. He really wants to make a difference.”

To learn more about water conservation and the county’s efficiency programs, please click here.

10 Questions with David Fonseca

Who’s on your playlist?
U2

I couldn’t start my day without…
Walking my dog Rusty. He’s a miniature dachshund and the love of my life.

Favorite web site?
My bank. I love online banking.

The most recent cause you volunteered for?
The “Day on the Bay” clean-up event sponsored by SGA, SOC and SPC.

I’m passionate about…
Justice for the environment. My goal is to teach people how they can undue the damage that’s been done to our planet.

I wish there were more hours in the day to…
Study.

I wish I could be more…
Efficient.

Adjective that describes you?
Proactive.

Why FIU?
FIU’s international aspect is what made me love it so much. The university doesn’t even have to work for its incredible diversity – it’s effortless.

What’s next?
Keep advocating for the environment.

FIU is officially moving closer to becoming a “climate neutral” university. Last May, President Modesto A. Maidique signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment agreement, joining more than 500 other universities and colleges that are pledging to eliminate their campuses’ greenhouse emissions over time. Ultimately, the goal is to set and meet a target date for the university to become completely climate neutral, a goal that will positively impact the whole FIU community, including staff, students and faculty.  “As a university, we have a social responsibility that we intend to uphold,” says FIU President Modesto A. Maidique. “Our institution can have an impact, not only by achieving sustainability on campus but by addressing significant environmental issues through research and the education of our students.” Signatories pledge to eliminate their campuses’ greenhouse gas emissions over time. This involves:

• Completing an emissions inventory
• Within two years, setting a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral
• Taking immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing from a list of short-term actions
• Integrating sustainability into the curriculum and making it part of the educational experience
• Making the action plan, inventory and progress reports available publicly

 President Maidique created the Presidents Climate Commitment Task Force to oversee implementation of the agreement and to guide the university’s sustainability efforts. Currently, the task force is working on completing the comprehensive inventory of all of FIU’s greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting and air travel. As is recommended by the Presidents Climate Commitment agreement, FIU is using in-house expertise of faculty and graduate students to conduct the study.  After establishing a baseline study, the task force will then initiate at least two tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases within the next 18 months. Concurrently, the task force must develop a comprehensive plan – including a timeline and target date – for becoming climate neutral.  According to Charles Scurr, associate vice president of Real Estate Development and Planning and task force chairperson, the university isn’t waiting for completion of the greenhouse gas emissions inventory to begin implementing initiatives that will impact FIU’s emissions. He points to the new shuttle buses purchased by the university that run on biodiesel fuel as one such example.  “Additionally, the appliances in the new Graduate Business Building are all Energy Star and we’re recommending that we purchase only Energy Star appliances whenever possible across the university,” he says. “In the next few months, we’ll also be implementing an online, ride-sharing program. I’m also pleased to report that the construction of the nursing building will be ‘green.’ Everyone I’ve spoken to is extremely committed to the ideals of the agreement.”  Jose Rodriguez, director of Operations Analysis in Real Estate Development and Planning and a member of the task force, points out that the agreement is much more than a temporary focus on one aspect of university operations, saying, “It impacts the curriculum, our way of life, our quality of life, even the residential areas surrounding us.”  Other Florida universities that have signed the agreement include Eckerd College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, New College of Florida, Stetson University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida and the University of Miami. Links American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment Agreement www.presidentsclimatecommittment.org

In the most visible step yet of the university’s commitment to achieve eventual climate neutrality, the Department of Parking and Transportation has purchased two shuttle buses that are running on 100 percent biodiesel fuel.

The buses, which transport riders from University Park to the Engineering Center, were purchased at a price of approximately $52,000 each.

“Those buses are the first vehicles at FIU to run on biodiesel fuel,” said Bill Foster, director of Parking and Transportation. “Eventually, all of our diesel vehicles at the university will run on at least 20 percent biodiesel fuel, but we didn’t want to wait on that.”

The buses aren’t the only environmental initiative being rolled out by the department. On July 1, Foster and his colleagues will debut a carpool program that features an online matching program.

“While carpool programs tend to work well at other universities, they haven’t done so well in Miami, historically,” says Foster, who has been at FIU for six years. “I’m hopeful this program will achieve some measure of success, in part because it’s so easy to use and easy to find riders with similar schedules and traffic routes.”

The university will be promoting the program heavily in the coming weeks. Riders in the program will receive special carpool decals and new preferred parking spaces will be available to participants. Additionally, the department is considering drawings and other promotional activities to drum up interest in the new program.

Foster says Parking and Transportation, which is an auxiliary, purchased the software for $24,000. It costs another $4,000 annually to maintain. One of the program’s many convenient features is that it tracks automatically the environmental benefits gained based upon number of participants in the program and number of fewer cars on the road. The importance of such a statistic is not lost on Foster.

“Transportation is one of seven items specifically addressed in the Presidents Climate Commitment,” he says. “We like the fact in Parking and Traffic that we can have an immediate positive impact on the university’s sustainability efforts.”
 

As part of the multifaceted push to make efficient energy use a major priority at FIU, the university is increasing its use of products bearing the Energy Star, a government-backed program to provide products with increased energy efficiency.

FIU’s Graduate School of Business will be the most saturated Energy Star building on campus, according to Jose Rodriguez, director of Operations Analysis in Real Estate Development and Planning. But that may not last long. The university is planning to use Energy Star products wherever feasible.

“While an official policy has not yet been drafted, purchasing is steering the policy in that direction,” said Rodriguez of the Energy Star option. FIU plans to incorporate Energy Star refrigerators, copiers, computers and lighting and other products into the building.

The Energy Star means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. And while there is no Energy Star label for ovens, ranges, or microwave ovens at this time, Rodriguez noted that Energy Star products are widely available on the market, and require little to no change in purchasing practices or costs. But the savings in energy and costs are significant over time (see Sidebar).

According to the Energy Star program, universities’ computers and monitors use more electricity than all other forms of office equipment combined. More than half of this energy is wasted because 60 percent of computers and monitors are left on at night and 40 percent of monitors are not enabled for power management.

For institutions of higher education, the government estimates that replacing power management to enable the low-power sleep setting network-wide on 2,000 monitors would save $48,600 and reduce 527 tons of CO2 annually, and $176,600 and 2,106 tons of CO2 over the product’s life cycle. Replacing 50 conventional vending machines with Energy Star machines could save $8,800 annually and 89 tons of CO2, and $93,400 over the life cycle with a reduction of 1,247 tons of CO2.

Students can do their part as well. Making sure items in your dorm, house or apartment – such as microfridges, hair dryers, battery charges and lighting – are Energy Star products saves on energy costs as well as reduces pollution. Energy Star-qualified lighting provides bright, warm light but uses about 75 percent less energy than standard lighting, produces 75 percent less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer.

Students at various universities across the country, including Tulane University and the University of California at Berkeley, have created Energy Star demonstration projects to showcase Energy Star dorm rooms. For more information, visit the Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Campus Program, at http://www.ase.org/section/program/greencampus/.

Energy Star Higher Education Information
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=higher_ed.bus_highereducation

Eleven of the 12 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2005.

Below are some key facts on energy use by the government’s Energy Star Program.

 

Increase in greenhouse gas emissions between 1970 and 2004:	70%
U.S. Contribution of global greenhouse gas emissions:	About 20%
U.S. population relative to the world:	5%
Portion of energy used in U.S. Commercial & Industrial facilities inefficiently or unnecessarily:	30%
Percentage of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions generated by commercial and industrial buildings:	45%
Percentage of energy use reduction targeted by the ENERGY STAR Challenge:	10%
Amount of money saved by improving commercial and industrial energy efficiency by 10%:	$20 billion
Amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by a 10% improvement in commercial and industrial energy efficiency:	Equal to about 30 million vehicles (roughly the total autos registered in Illinois, New York, Ohio and Texas combined).

Energy Star Appliances and Home Electronics
The difference in the use of electricity between Energy Star and standard appliances and electronics can be significant. Energy Star home electronics use as much as 60% less energy to perform basic functions. Here are a few Energy Star facts for common appliances and household electronics.

 

Washers – Energy Star washers use 50% less energy than standard washers and about half of the water per load.

 

Refrigerators  - Energy Star refrigerator models use at least 15% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.

 

Compact Refrigerators – Energy Star compact refrigerators and freezers use at least 20% less energy than standard units.

 

Window A/C Units – Energy Star room air conditioners use at least 10% less energy than conventional models. If every room air conditioner sold in the U.S. were Energy Star, it would prevent 1.2 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions - the equivalent emissions from 100,000 cars.

 

TVs – Energy Star Tvs use about 30% less energy than standard units.

 

DVDs – According to the government, Americans spend more money to power DVD players when turned off than when actually in use. When they’re off Energy Star DVDs use as little as 1/4 of the energy used by standard models. If all DVDs were Energy Star, air pollution would be reduced by 6 billion pounds – the same as taking 75,000 cars off the road.

 

Home Office Equipment/Computers – Energy Star qualified office and imaging products use as much as 60% less electricity than standard equipment.

 

Computers -     By requiring efficiency savings across operating modes, new computer specifications in effect since mid-2007 are expected to save consumers and businesses more than $1.8 billion in energy costs over the next 5 years and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual emissions of 2.7 million vehicles.

 

Copiers & Fax Machines -     Energy Star imaging equipment delivers the same performance as less efficient, conventional equipment and is, on average, 25% more efficient. Energy Star Imaging products will save more than $3 billion over the next five years and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 4 million cars.

 

Battery Chargers - In the U.S., more energy efficient battery chargers have the potential to save Americans more than 1 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy per year, saving Americans more than $100 million annually while preventing the release of more than one million tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equivalent to the emissions of 150,000 cars. On average, Energy Star battery chargers will use 35% less energy than conventional models.

 

Exit Lights -     Energy Star exit signs operate on five watts or less per sign, compared to as much as 40 watts for standard signs. One Energy Star sign alone can save about $10 annually on electricity costs and can last up to 10 years without a lamp replacement, compared to less than one year for an incandescent.

All the talk of greenhouse gas emissions, rising seas and global warming is alarming and overwhelming. Change is in the air, but how is it taking form? Catch phrases like “eco-friendly” and “sustainability” are ever-present, but what do they mean, especially in relation to products we buy and use everyday?

Berrin Tansel, associate professor in civil and environmental engineering, is not only answering these questions, she is teaching the business of thinking, creating and being all things green.

Tansel, who is also a Kauffman Professor of Entrepreneurship with the Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center, created the Environmental Entrepreneurship course to teach students how to develop marketable, innovative products or services from technical concepts to address contemporary environmental issues. “It’s an entrepreneur class with an environmental angle,” she said.

According to Alan Carsrud, director of the Pino Center, Tansel’s proposal for the course came at an opportune time.

“About two to three years ago, we really starting thinking about what we should hang our hat on and what will impact our city the most,” said Carsrud. “We decided that green was simply what we should be doing.”

Dr. Tansel’s course fit well with the center’s decision to move toward more sustainable and eco-friendly business concepts, especially with the exceptional rate of growth South Florida is experiencing.

“It really was a no-brainer,” said Carsrud.

And Tansel has tailored the course to South Florida.

“When talking about the ecosystem, for example, we asked ‘How can we continue to grow our infrastructure, with increasing numbers of people, and still keep the pristine ecosystem in Miami and South Florida?’”

The graduate-level course is open to undergraduate and graduate engineering students and bridges the gap between environmentally conscious product design and the business of product conceptualization, development and manufacturing. The Pino Center also holds regular meetings as part of its Green Series Forums. The next meeting in April will focus on new green technologies and innovations.

“The demands for consumer products that exhibit sound environmental and social responsibility are increasing,” says Tansel. “We are now talking about issues such as climate change, clean production, energy efficiency, green supply chain management, sustainable development. And environment is already a big marketing strategy for corporations.”

Indeed, eco-products range from appliances to cars, and from building materials to furniture, Tansel noted. The most familiar example of a successful eco-product is the hybrid car, which is designed with fuel efficiency and lower levels of exhaust emissions.

But while “we have environmental engineering, we don’t really know how to market our talents to make money with our knowledge,” said Tansel. “This is the missing link.” Thus, the course isn’t just about turning out green or energy-efficient products. It also covers “big idea” topics related to the business of developing and marketing products, such as eco-commerce, the economics of sustainability and environmental justice.

“The eco-commerce model is about technology development with environmental awareness,” says Tansel. “It links social, environmental, and corporate responsibilities with product development.”

Tansel points out that natural processes use widely available forms of natural energy, such as wind, sun and water, however, man-made processes are not usually designed with such eco-efficiency. “The eco-commerce model uses these efficiency concepts in product design in terms of environmental performance such as recyclability, resource savings, and energy savings. This change of paradigm is changing the way products are designed.”

By using renewable resources and renewable energy in a product’s development process, the eco-commerce model promotes sustainability.

“Sustainability is the new terminology that has evolved from earlier terms such as pollution prevention and life-cycle analysis,” said Tansel. “The only difference is that sustainability also includes the human component for impacts on quality of life as well as impacts on resources.”

And this is at the heart of environmental justice, which deals with inequitable environmental burdens among different communities. One example of this would be locating facilities with high environmental risks and hazards at or near lower income or minority communities. Think manufacturing plants. Think Love Canal. Think nuclear waste sites near or on Native American reservations.

Too often, cost savings is the motivator behind such potentially disastrous commercial decisions. But according to Tansel, going green does not mean spending green. In fact, it has significant savings as well as non-monetary benefits.

“Sustainability concepts incorporate using natural resources more efficiently, reducing the inefficiencies in how the resources are used, reducing energy needs, as well as increasing the recycling potential of the products,” said Tansel. “It is simply redefining the value of know-how to include efficient use of resources and energy. I guess you can call it eco-innovation.”
 

For those of us who have never visited FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus (that would be me), one would never know what natural beauty lies just behind the cluster of buildings that make up FIU’s north Miami campus. Indeed, the property sits on the bay, making it both ideal and idyllic for a Saturday morning kayaking trip.

FIU’s Kayaking Days on the Bay, which happen every last Saturday of the month, offer free and fun guided kayaking tours through the pristine bay. The tours give priority to FIU students and their friends and family.

The Saturday I chose seemed iffy. Previous days of drizzle and damp, cool air seemed to foreshadow more clouds and less sun. And the program’s director and guide, Jonathan “J.T.” Torrey, recreation specialist at BBC, told me that unless a thunderstorm came through, we would be suiting up and wading in. I was ready for whatever adventure was to be had.

But the morning was perfect – a strong January sun and a crisp breeze. And J.T.’s simple directions led me nearly to the water’s edge, where our group of about 12 would be shoving off to paddle toward Oleta River State Park’s kayaking trails.

We were met by the program’s other guide, lifeguard and hospitality management student Alex Sergov, who with J.T. walked us through the customary waivers and safety instructions. Even though I have done my fair share of kayaking and canoeing, this was still important information. (My last kayaking trip had left me nearly submerged in open water by what seemed like a 12-foot-long, red banana.

Fortunately, the kayaks FIU uses are virtually tip-proof. Many in our group had never been kayaking, and we all left with wet feet and dry hair. “Capsize” would thankfully not be on my To Do list for the day!

The leisurely paddle out was just beautiful. J.T. and I estimated the water to be a refreshing 77 degrees. It was very calm. Paddling east past about a half dozen anchored sailboats hidden in an idyllic cove, we were warmed by the rising sun.

It took us about 15 minutes to cover about 500 yards, with J.T. leading and Alex making sure no one was left behind, to reach the mouth of the trails. It seemed odd to call the narrow waterways trails, but they did wind and bend, challenging our navigational skills as we did our best to steer clear of the mangroves that hugged both sides of the trails. Other obstacles to be negotiated included a few pedestrian bridges and fellow kayakers. There were a few kayak collisions, but all in good fun and accompanied by a lot of laughter!

Along with the fun, I was able to satisfy my nature-fix. It was almost like two different kayaking trips. Paddling on the bay was open and wide, and the water was clear, turquoise and tempting. I could almost smell the beach. Once inside the kayak trail, I was surrounded by green and brown nature on both sides, with walls of mangrove roots and canopies of branches overhead. The water took on a more earthy, brackish character. In moments of quiet, I could hear the rhythmic “swoosh” of the paddles entering and leaving the water’s surface.

The loop trail, which took us about 45 minutes, is really an ideal length – just long enough to be relaxing and energizing but not too long to be tiring. (I always forget how much of a full body workout kayaking really is.) At the end, the trail opened back up into the bay, allowing us one final opportunity to spread out and take in the tranquility and wildlife – a few jumping fish and a handful of egrets. J.T. said he has seen a manatee or two surface on previous trips, and in the open water of the bay, dolphins are common. Alas, we saw none on this day. Perhaps a second trip is in order…

Kayak Days on the Bay: The Facts Where: FIU’s Biscayne Bay campus, TBD When: Excursion departs at 10 a.m. every last Saturday of the month Cost: Free to FIU students, faculty and staff, and family and friends Time: Approximately 1 hour What to wear: Bathing suit; visor or hat; flip-flops, sandals or water shoes; and plenty of sunscreen Contact: Jonathan Torrey, Recreation Specialist – 305-919-4701 Oleta River State Park: http://www.floridastateparks.org/oletariver/