Friday, February 29, 2008

SHINE ON....


It is when the night is darkest that the stars shine most brightly... a further challenge remains, the one Martin Luther King characterized as the need to...

Only then can we truly learn. Socrates should have written comics. ... our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. ...

-Martin Luther King, Jr. "Love is the light that dissolves all walls ..... and never fear the darkness, for that is when the stars shine the brightest. ...

Martin Luther King. Peace is not the absence of conflict, ... and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest. ...

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. .... Martin Luther King, Jr.:. An individual has not started living until he can rise above the ..

I have wished to know why the stars shine. ..... Martin Luther King, Jr.:. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. ...

Martin Luther King Jr. You cannot control what happens to you, ... while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... The truly wise person is color- blind. ...

Friday, February 22, 2008

Declaration of Interdependence

THIS WE KNOW

We are the earth, through the plants and animals that nourish us.
We are the rains and the oceans that flow through our veins.
We are the breath of the forests of the land, and the plants of the sea.
We are human animals, related to all other life as descendants of the firstborn cell.
We share with these kin a common history, written in our genes.
We share a common present, filled with uncertainty.
And we share a common future, as yet untold.
We humans are but one of thirty million species
weaving the thin layer of life enveloping the world.
The stability of communities of living things depends upon this diversity.
Linked in that web, we are interconnected—
using, cleansing, sharing and replenishing the fundamental elements of life.
Our home, planet Earth, is finite; all life shares its resources and the energy from the sun,and therefore has limits to growth.
For the first time, we have touched those limits.
When we compromise the air, the water, the soil and the variety of life,
we steal from the endless future to serve the fleeting present.

THIS WE BELIEVE
Humans have become so numerous and our tools so powerful
that we have driven fellow creatures to extinction, dammed the great rivers,
torn down ancient forests, poisoned the earth, rain and wind, and ripped holes in the sky.
Our science has brought pain as well as joy; our comfort is paid for by the suffering of millions.
We are learning from our mistakes, we are mourning our vanished kin,
and we now build a new politics of hope.
We respect and uphold the absolute need for clean air, water and soil.
We see that economic activities that benefit the few while shrinking the inheritance of many are wrong.
And since environmental degradation erodes biological capital forever,
full ecological and social cost must enter all equations of development.
We are one brief generation in the long march of time; the future is not ours to erase.
So where knowledge is limited, we will remember all those who will walk after us, and err on the side of caution.

THIS WE RESOLVE
All this that we know and believe must now become the foundation of the way we live.
At this turning point in our relationship with Earth,
we work for an evolution: from dominance to partnership;
from fragmentation to connection; from insecurity,
to interdependence.

THE DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION
Suite 219, 2211 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C., Canada v6k 4s2 · Telephone: (604) 732-4228 · Fax: (604) 732-0752

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Public Access versus Private Feudal Road Feb 16/08

Dear Editor,

Citizens and business owners have questions regarding the feudal arrogance of the Ambassador Bridge Company’s arbitrary closure of the northbound Huron Church Road access for our U.S. customers and visitors:

How is it allowable for a private company to arbitrarily re-direct public traffic? How can this be done without any notice or even city approval let alone Transport Canada’s approval?

As business owners we obviously favour private enterprise, but at what point does private enterprise undermine the public good?

How can such a crucial public artery remain under private, unaccountable ownership and control?

This week it was the unilateral closure of the Huron Church Road access; what if tomorrow the Ambassador Bridge Company finds it in their interest to restrict traffic to cars only or to trucks only or to their private company trucks only? What if the Ambassador Bridge Company finds it more expedient or profitable to sell the steel bridge for scrap on the global market?

Is there nothing in place to stop the Ambassador Bridge Company except trust? Has the Ambassador Bridge Company again proven itself unworthy of the public trust? What happened to Bill C-3? And speaking o Bill C-3… why does it not mention anything about improving the environment so that it will be safe for citizens to live, work and breathe?

If this road closure was a simple faux pas by the Ambassador Bridge Company, how much more damage will the next faux pas create? Will the next arbitrary decision hurt you, the reader, or your employer or your business? Can Windsor businesses, downtown and Olde Sandwich Towne and elsewhere, withstand more arbitrary, unaccountable Ambassador Bridge Company behaviour?

How does the Ambassador Bridge Company propose to compensate businesses that have lost customers because of this faux pas? Surely a public body would be held financially responsible if the roles were reversed. How can the Ambassador Bridge Company repair the “never again” experience of the tourist who gets lost trying to find Sandwich Town businesses via College Avenue? How can the Ambassador Bridge Company repair the “its-not-worth-it” experience of the tourist who gets lost trying to find our prized riverfront via College Avenue? How many more tourists can Windsor afford to leave with a negative experience?

How does the Ambassador Bridge Company propose to compensate homeowners on California, Randolph, Bridge, McKay, Campbell and other residential streets for the increased traffic from people trying to find the river, downtown, Sandwich Towne or the University?

More questions were raised as we question arbitrary, unaccountable behaviours by the Ambassador Bridge Company:
Why does every bridge crossing the Niagara River only cost $3.25 for a round trip when we are forced to pay $8.00 for a round trip to Detroit?

Why can the Niagara area receive millions of dollars per year in local “impact area” improvements from the bridges and we do not? Why can the Ambassador Bridge Company allow its many rental properties to become unsafe eye sores when any other property owner would have to endure endless visits/fines from the property bylaw enforcement officers of the city? Why is the city council afraid of a law suit every time it even thinks about keeping the Ambassador Bridge Company accountable? Why is the Ambassador Bridge Company pushing to proceed with a second span when it agreed in writing to not twin the bridge at the time it received city cooperation in expanding six truck lanes west of Huron Church Road? What is the difference between a “twin” and an “enhancement”? Why can the private bridge company put up traffic lights over public roadways without consultation or permit? Why doesn’t the Ambassador Bridge pay property tax to the city for the bridge asset when every other business or factory or homeowner pays property tax?

Regarding noise levels, why can’t the Ambassador Bridge Company be a good neighbour like the Bluewater Bridge and at least put up signs asking trucks to not use ‘compression brakes’?

Why does the media leave Ambassador Bridge Company officials unquestioned when they push for City Council to be more open (read legally exposed) when every price increase or decision by the Ambassador Bridge Company happens behind solidly closed doors?

Is it time to end feudalism (again)?

Mike Cardinal

On behalf of Olde Sandwich Towne business and home owners

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Public access or feudalism?

There will be a demonstration at 1pm on Monday February 18. The plan is to meet at Wyandotte and Huron Church in front of the graveyard and then at 1:15PM to walk to the street where the trucks come off with signs demonstrating the fact that the public should have access to and control of such an important artery for traffic.

Below is a link to information regarding legislation:

Bill C-3: International Bridges and Tunnels Act (LS-524E)
Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, introduced Bill C-3, An Act respecting international bridges and tunnels and making ...
www.parl.gc.ca/common/bills_ls.asp?lang=E&ls=c3&source=library_prb&Parl=39&Ses=1 -

If you're available it would be great if you could make it out.

Drivers morouned

Gord Henderson, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, February 16, 2008

You have to hand it to the folks from the independent Republic of Moroun who run that perpetual money machine called Ambassador Bridge. They've just underlined, as no one else could, the urgent need for a new downriver bridge owned and controlled by the governments of Canada and the U.S.

In erecting barriers blocking the main access route to downtown Windsor for motorists entering Canada, the company might have scored points in its running feud with the city, but its move calls into question something far bigger, this country's sovereignty.

How can Canada call itself an independent, self-respecting nation when it allows a privately owned firm, headquartered in another country, to arbitrarily determine how and where visitors get to enter this country from the U.S.? Where is our legitimacy as a country when one billionaire, 80-year-old American transportation tycoon Matty Moroun, and his supporting cast, can call the shots in determining whether motorists arriving in Canada are allowed to use a key artery, northbound Huron Church Road, to reach city destinations.

The Stephen Harper government has made highly popular noises about defending Canadian sovereignty in the remote high Arctic, even if it means conducting costly show-the-flag exercises, constructing a naval harbour and building expensive ships to patrol the Northwest Passage, and yet here, right on Canada's front doorstep, at the busiest and most valuable trade crossing in North America, it has to live with choices made by a U.S. businessman, regardless of their impact on visitors or returning Canadians.

One has to wonder. Where could this end? If the bridge company were to up the ante and shut down the bridge for a week, in order to undertake "necessary" repairs, would the governments of Canada and the U.S. respond? Or would they wring their hands in impotent indignation while cross-border trade is tied up in knots?

EARLIER BATTLE LOST

We didn't make much of it at the time. But we surely understand now why Herb Gray moved heaven and earth, as Liberal minister responsible for FIRA (Foreign Investment Review Agency) in the early 1980s, in a failed effort to prevent Moroun's trucking empire from acquiring the Canadian half of the bridge. That battle was lost in the federal courts and ended with an out-of-court settlement following a marathon legal struggle.

Gray understood what was at stake. An economic nationalist, he recognized that having the nation's most critical border crossing owned and operated by a private company, a foreign controlled one at that, would not be in Canada's best interests. He knew that real countries, serious countries, don't let private companies run their borders.

But don't blame Moroun for being pugnacious in defence of his licence to print money. If you purchased an item for a reputed $29 million, and it returns at least twice that amount annually (which makes the bridge purchase the best deal since the Dutch acquired Manhattan), you too would fight like a cornered mongoose against anything that might affect the value of that asset.

Bridge barrier annoys mayor

Move forces travellers entering city to go out of their way to access core
Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008

The Ambassador Bridge has taken an unexpected step in its fight with the city of cutting off the main access route to Windsor's downtown.

The company has put up barriers blocking access to northbound Huron Church Road as drivers exit the bridge.

Every vehicle coming off the bridge must now head south on Huron Church, forcing many Windsorites to travel out of their way, while also setting up the potential for U.S. travellers to get lost trying to find the downtown.

Since the barriers are erected on private bridge company property, there appears to be little the city can do about the move.

"Once again, they are doing this the Ambassador Bridge way," said an exasperated Mayor Eddie Francis.

"They have been aggressively seeking permanent closure of that stretch of Huron Church. They know I have expressed (that) any closure of the road will hurt downtown.

"We need that exit to secure access to the casino, to downtown businesses and restaurants. This clearly eliminates that."

The issue was already scheduled to be debated at Tuesday's city council meeting to deal with a bridge request to temporarily shut down the stretch of Huron Church between the bridge exit and Wyandotte Street West.

The bridge wants it closed so it can complete maintenance work.

City administration has recommended council deny the request until the bridge company provides more information about the exact nature of the construction work.

Francis and council also have fears the bridge company is vying for permanent closure of the local road so that it can successfully expand the footprint of its customs plaza operations over to the west side of Huron Church Road -- a key requirement demanded for federal approvals of its twin span proposal.

A race to build the next Windsor-Detroit border crossing has entered its final stages, with a government-backed downriver bridge proposal expected to be unveiled in late March or early April.

Council supports the government process and is fighting against the Ambassador Bridge's twin-span proposal.

Blocking the northbound Huron Church exit with barricades should not be looked upon as a big deal, said Dan Stamper, president of the bridge company.

"We're doing some work on the bridge and to make that safer we need to close that part of Huron Church. People make more out of what we do than reality.

"We are try to maintain (border) traffic and do whatever maintenance is needed. We will open it back up as soon as we can."

He guessed the bridge maintenance work would take about three months to complete and offered that the bridge may open access to the local road occasionally during construction.

He said the road needed to be closed this week because the company is "doing inspection on work that's going to be done."

Stamper then took aim at the city for remaining unco-operative.

"The City of Windsor is not willing to do anything to be helpful for us," he said.

"We are doing what we need to do to make sure the bridge is secure and safe. We hope some day the city will see it's in their interest for the bridge to be efficient. Until that happens we are just plodding along with things we have to do."

Sunday, February 10, 2008

How Do You Develop a Green Paper Procurement Policy?

1. Establish Executive Commitment and Develop an Organizing Committee
* It is important that commitment to change procurement and purchasing practices be initiated from senior management.
* Those charged with the purchasing decisions are instrumental for evaluating and bringing about change
* Include members from every level of the organization in the committee. This will help ensure goals are perceived as reasonable and attainable as well as increase program buy-in.
* Companies and organizations often seek out the help of independent non-profit or non-governmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) or Metafore to help navigate the social, political and technical landscape and lend credibility to their environmental initiatives.

2. Define Benefits and Rationale

The second step involves clarifying and explaining why your company or organization wants to pursue green paper procurement. This is an opportunity to evaluate how environmental and social values fit within your company’s objectives and focus.

* Document why your company/organization is undertaking a green paper procurement policy
* Document what you want to achieve by implementing this policy
* Learn about the issues – what are the environmental performance criteria of papers?
* Outline the various environmental efforts you have considered and will be supporting with this procurement policy
o What environmental issues should be considered?
As outlined in the 5 Minute Guide to Green Paper, there are various environmental issues that can be considered in both the resource extraction for and the production of paper.

An environmentally friendly paper can include any of the following characteristics:
- FSC-certified (FSC recycled, FSC Mixed Sources, FSC 100%)
- Contains recycled or post consumer waste
- Endangered or ancient forest friendly
- Derived from responsibly managed forests
- Does not contain genetically modified tree species
- Manufactured with minimal or without chlorine bleaching (PCF, ECF, TCF)
- Manufactured with wind power or other alternative power sources

3. Perform a Self-Evaluation

Completing a self-evaluation is an exercise to analyze current purchasing and consumption behaviour and will help in later stages when developing the implementation plan.

a. Purchasing
i. Who purchases paper?
ii. What types of paper are being purchased?
iii. In what quantities?
iv. At what costs?
v. What purchasing policies exist?
1. Are there preferential contracts?
2. Do we receive volume discounts?
3. Is there centralized buying?
4. Who has the authority to change current policies?
vi. Who are our current suppliers?
1. Do they currently offer green paper alternatives?
2. Would they be open to providing such alternatives?
3. Ask them to provide the environmental specifications of the products they are currently offering.
4. Evaluate these specifications against green paper characteristics

b. Consumption:
i. Who are the major users?
ii. What quantity of paper is being used?
iii. What types of paper are being used?
iv. For what purposes?
v. What are the environmental specifications for these papers?
vi. Are there any efforts in place to reduce paper use?
If so, can they be improved? If not, what can be done to reduce paper use?
vii. Are there any efforts in place to reuse paper? If so, can they be improved? If not, what can be done
to reuse paper?
viii. Are there any efforts in place to recycle paper? If so, can they be improved? If not, what can be
done to recycle paper?

4. Develop Paper Specifications and Identify Suppliers

In this step you must clearly specify what characteristics you will be seeking in your paper, then identify suppliers who can meet these requirements.

* Discuss the key areas of environmental performance you are committed to seeking out. For example;
o Recycling and Pollution Reduction
o Responsible Forest Management and Conservation
o Reduction of Energy Use
* Specify and document what characteristics are required of the various types of paper your organization consumes (e.g. copy paper should contain a minimum 30% PCW content, be chlorine free, FSC certified etc)
o Consider the various uses and purposes of the paper your company/organization consumes. Different uses may be better suited to different papers (e.g. internal paper can have a higher grade of recycled content than published documents etc)
* Provide a glossary for environmental terms used in your specifications to clearly communicate your intentions (e.g. Post consumer waste is considered by this policy to be paper products used by the end consumer and then reclaimed through recycling programs).
* To ensure best practices are being employed, stipulate requirements for suppliers to possess third party FSC certification in all tenders (e.g. “Tenderer shall be third party certified to FSC standards and offer FSC certified papers. Samples of each item for which the tenderer intends to quote shall be submitted in a separate envelope/cover superscribing “Technical Tenders” “)
o How can my supplier become certified? Click here
o Who are FSC certified paper suppliers? Click here
o What FSC certified papers are available? Click here
* Comparison shop amongst existing and prospective suppliers to determine the degree to which they can offer products or employ practices consistent with the environmental specifications you have set out.

5. Set Goals

* Set goals using a two-pronged approach
o First set the final goals (with timelines) you wish the policy to achieve
E.G. 100% use of environmentally preferable papers by January 1, 2008
o Second, set incremental milestones (with timelines) that work towards the ultimate goals
E.G. Use of environmentally preferable paper for all public documents by June 1, 2006
* Ensure targets are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound)
* This approach allows all the stakeholders to understand it takes many small, measurable actions to achieve overall program success
* These goals should be based on:
o The breadth of the change (i.e. company-wide, department-wide, regional level, national level, etc)
o Amount and purpose of current paper consumption
o Existing contracts with suppliers
o The availability of satisfactory green paper alternatives. See what FSC papers are currently available here.
* In addition to purchasing environmentally friendly paper, set goals to reduce overall paper use and improve recycling.

6. Implementation and Evaluation

* Develop and document a detailed action plan based on the goals you have set out above
* Establish an internal feedback and monitoring system to ensure continual improvement and adherence to the policy
* Periodic review of the procurement program should be carried out to ensure that goals and objectives are being met.
o Assess what changes in consumption have been made:
1. What products are being purchased?
2. Do these products meet the specifications set forth in the policy?
3. What is the level of employee knowledge and/or commitment to the policy?
o Conduct regular supply vendor reviews requiring all forest product suppliers to submit annual performance reports detailing their progress in environmental management and forest certification programs.

7. Communicate the Policy

When communicating an initiative it is important to explain to all stakeholders how the set goals will be reached as well as why the program is being launched.

* To Suppliers:
o Inform current suppliers of your new policy, why you have adopted it, and work with them to implement it.
o Encourage them to obtain FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification and inform them as to how they can do it. See 'Chain of Custody' fact sheet for more information
* To Employees:
o Communicate to employees why your company/organization has adopted this procurement policy
o Educate them as to how they fit into the process (through paper consumption, purchasing etc)
* To Customers: Communicate to customers that you have adopted a green paper procurement policy in an effort to reduce the environmental impacts of your company/organization.
* Make your procurement policy publicly available to further communication with employees, customers and stakeholders and to ensure transparency.

8. Resources

For more information on FSC certified paper products visit
www.fsccanada.org/FindCertifiedPaper.htm

For more information on FSC certification visit
www.fsccanada.org/Certification.htm

For more information on the differences between FSC, CSA and SFI certification visit
www.certificationcanada.org/english
International Council of Forest & Paper Associations

The Environmental Paper Network

Markets Initiative: How to Go Ancient Forest Friendly
David Suzuki Foundation: What are Transgenic Trees?
Forest Ethics: Information on Endangered Forests
Metafore Paper Working Group
Greenbiz.com: Information on Eco-labels
Consumer’s Guide to Eco-labels

Government of Canada’s Eco-logo program

The Talloires Declaration:

University Presidents for a Sustainable Future

We, the presidents, rectors, and vice chancellors of universities from all regions of the world are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of environmental pollution and degradation, and the depletion of natural resources. Local, regional, and global air pollution; accumulation and distribution of toxic wastes; destruction and depletion of forests, soil, and water; depletion of the ozone layer and emission of "green house" gases threaten the survival of humans and thousands of other living species, the integrity of the earth and its biodiversity, the security of nations, and the heritage of future generations. These environmental changes are caused by inequitable and unsustainable production and consumption patterns that aggravate poverty in many regions of the world.

We believe that urgent actions are needed to address these fundamental problems and reverse the trends. Stabilization of human population, adoption of environmentally sound industrial and agricultural technologies, reforestation, and ecological restoration are crucial elements in creating an equitable and sustainable future for all humankind in harmony with nature. Universities have a major role in the education, research, policy formation, and information exchange necessary to make these goals possible.

The university heads must provide the leadership and support to mobilize internal and external resources so that their institutions respond to this urgent challenge. We, therefore, agree to take the following actions:

1. Use every opportunity to raise public, government, industry, foundation, and university awareness by publicly addressing the urgent need to move toward an environmentally sustainable future.
2. Encourage all universities to engage in education, research, policy formation, and information exchange on population, environment, and development to move toward a sustainable future.
3. Establish programs to produce expertise in environmental management, sustainable economic development, population, and related fields to ensure that all university graduates are environmentally literate and responsible citizens.
4. Create programs to develop the capability of university faculty to teach environmental literacy to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students.
5. Set an example of environmental responsibility by establishing programs of resource conservation, recycling, and waste reduction at the universities.
6. Encourage the involvement of government (at all levels), foundations, and industry in supporting university research, education, policy formation, and information exchange in environmentally sustainable development. Expand work with nongovernmental organizations to assist in finding solutions to environmental problems.
7. Convene school deans and environmental practitioners to develop research, policy, information exchange programs, and curricula for an environmentally sustainable future.
8. Establish partnerships with primary and secondary schools to help develop the capability of their faculty to teach about population, environment, and sustainable development issues.
9. Work with the UN Conference on Environmental and Development, the UN Environment Programme, and other national and international organizations to promote a worldwide university effort toward a sustainable future.
10. Establish a steering committee and a secretariat to continue this momentum and inform and support each other's efforts in carrying out this declaration.

http://www.ulsf.org/programs_talloires_implement.html

Friday, February 8, 2008

University of Windsor Proposed Environmental Policy

"Human demands upon the planet are now of a volume and kind that unless changed substantially, threatens the future well-being of all living species. Universities are entrusted with the major responsibility to help societies shape their present and future development policies and actions into the sustainable and equitable forms necessary for an environmentally secure and civilized world" (The Halifax Declaration, see Appendix A).

1. Introduction

The University of Windsor is one of the many worldwide signatories of The Talloires Declaration (see Appendix B) which promised a commitment to an environmentally sustainable future. Fourteen years later, the University still does not have an environmental policy in place.

Through specialised courses (see Appendix C), the educational component of such commitment has come closer to being fulfilled. Individual campus services have made improvements in a variety of areas such as waste reduction and recycling. Furthermore, the Ontario Minister of Environment has recently articulated its goals for reducing municipal waste. However, even with such improvements and motivations, the University has not constructed, adopted nor implemented a policy that would direct future decisions regarding environmental practices on campus, as well as off-campus practices that are in conjunction with University projects.

In order to ensure the University’s commitment to an environmentally sustainable future, a documented environmental policy is necessary. The University’s Environmental Coalition (see Appendix D) proposes that the following policy be implemented immediately.

2. Preamble
The University of Windsor is located in one of the nation’s most polluted cities. Action to ameliorate the stresses of such pollution has begun to take place through provisions for alternative forms of transportation and waste reduction. Air, water and soil quality in the Windsor area remain particularly poor, and the concerns of those living in and around Windsor cannot be ignored by the city’s pillar of education. The University hereby commits to address those concerns by extending and intensifying its environmentally sensitive practices and teaching. The University strives to provide its students with a broad educational experience that reaches beyond academic knowledge alone. We therefore commit to operating an institution that is exemplary in its environmentally responsible approach.

As a signatory of the Talloires Declaration, the University now seeks solutions to environmental challenges and implements practices that minimise our impact on the environment. The University also ensures that all members of the University community are aware of our environmental concerns and are provided with sufficient information to participate in environmentally friendly practices.

The University’s environmental commitment involves an ongoing program of and implementation of measurable and realistic improvements. By demonstrating the means to a sustainable community on campus, we improve the learning conditions on campus and contribute to a healthy society not only by example but also by making certain that our graduates leave this institution with a broad awareness of the environmental problems and their solutions. In doing this, we join many Canadian universities with similar concerns, policies and practices.

3. Purpose
• to develop a campus community that is environmentally responsible;
• to make connections with the surrounding area in an effort to improve regional environmental conditions and enhance the vitality and diversity of our biotic community;
• to work towards a sustainable future by signing the Talloires Declaration; and
• to become an exemplary campus through practising sustainable development
and instilling sustainable development values in its graduates and employees,
through research, teaching, and operations.

4. Policy
The University of Windsor is committed to improving its operations and educational programs in an environmentally sustainable manner. The University shall develop appropriate standards, action plans and evaluation instruments necessary to achieve the objectives outlined in this policy.

4.1. Areas of Action:
Pollution – the University recognises how important the issue of pollution is in the City of Windsor. This industrial lowland zone is one of the most polluted areas in Canada. The University will do its part to minimize pollution of air, water and soil and participate in local initiatives to reduce pollution in Windsor and the surrounding area.

Waste reduction – the University will seek ways to conserve resources and reduce waste by educating students, faculty and staff, providing appropriate waste diversion facilities and setting an example with its own practices.

Recycling – the University shall continue to improve its recycling program and ncrease the waste diversion rate every year.

Composting – the University will implement a comprehensive composting program incorporated with landscaping services. Central ideas of sustainability shall be applied where biodegradable waste would be used on site for gardening. Potential for developing educational programs at the elementary and secondary levels will be explored and developed where feasible.

Purchasing/packaging – the Purchasing Department shall make a careful selection of products purchased by the University based on minimized packaging, recyclable and biodegradable supplies and environmentally sound cleaning and landscaping chemicals. As an environmentally conscious buyer, the University can make it clear to distributors that the University’s purchasing decisions are influenced by these criteria.

Chemicals/cleaning – the University shall practice chemical-free cleaning routines. Alternative/natural cleaning supplies are to be used campus-wide.

Energy/retrofitting – the University shall minimize on-campus energy consumption and
reduce the use of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy resources. Any renovation/retrofitting work done on the existing buildings shall be done in accordance with this policy. Any new buildings on campus shall be designed and constructed in accordance with this policy. Solar panels, green roofs and walls and the use of natural lighting where feasible are encouraged as some of the ways that buildings can be made more energy efficient.

Alternative Vehicles – the University now purchases alternative vehicles that cause less ecological damage, such as hybrid and electric automobiles. When on-campus vehicles(i.e. Food Services trucks, maintenance and Campus Police vehicles) need to be replaced, alternative vehicles shall be the preferred replacement.

Carfree Campus – the University will give priority to pedestrians and bicyclists, and shall continue to designate more campus space for these forms of transportation (except for service vehicles – see previous category). The University shall encourage improved bus access from city residential areas to campus.

Water – the University will continually modify its practices to reduce the overall consumption of water on campus. Infrastructure shall be put in place for the collection, treatment and reuse of wastewater.

Education – the University shall actively promote sustainability, educate its students, staff and faculty and, where possible, incorporate environmental content into the curriculum either by including such content into the existing courses or by offering new, environmentally conscious courses. Where appropriate, programs that provide basic environmental-oriented education for elementary and secondary levels will be developed, preferably by university students who have an interest in childhood education.

Ecosystems/Naturalisation – the University is to embrace comprehensive ecological approaches to sustainability, understand its effect on the existing ecosystems and actively work to improve the ecology of the campus by increasing its natural areas (i.e.planting trees, promoting potted plants for the indoors, introducing wetlands, etc.). Any researchers working under the umbrella of the University, on land or on water, will be conscious of these approaches. All future projects shall avoid the introduction of foreign species, using only indigenous trees and plants that will flourish and contribute to the ecological diversity of the area. Any use of pesticides and/or artificial fertilisers shall be eliminated.

Cooperation – the University shall perpetually be aware of its role in the larger academic and community context. Partnerships shall be established with other university and college campuses across Canada, with local environmental groups and with government agencies including the Municipality of the City of Windsor.

4.2. Environmental Committee
The Environmental Committee is responsible for implementing this policy. The
Environmental Committee is formed from the following membership: one member appointed by each of the student representative bodies [e.g. University of Windsor Student Alliance (UWSA), Graduate Student Society (GSS), Organization of Part-time University Students (OPUS)] and one member appointed by each active student environmental organizations [e.g. Environmental Studies Club, the Ontario Public Interest Research Group - Windsor, Green Corridor, etc.], one member appointed by the Faculty Association and at least two members appointed by the University Administration. Local environmental groups and University of Windsor Unions are also invited to send representatives. The Environmental Committee is committed to exemplary sustainable practices, meets monthly and ensures that maximum consideration is given to environmental/ecological effects of the University’s operations.

4.3. Action plans
Action plans will be developed for each of the above listed areas by the relevant
department (s). These plans are to be responsibly implemented and undergo careful annual reviews by the Environmental Committee.

4.4. Reviews and Performance Indicators
The Environmental Committee shall perform biannual environmental audit, which evaluates all areas of action. The Environmental Committee will report the results of this audit to the president, student associations (both undergraduate and graduate) and make the report available to all members of the University community. If the audit indicates that certain areas of action require improvement, the Environmental Committee is responsible for providing, within reasonable time, an updated action plan with specific recommendation. Performance indicators used for the audit are developed for each area of action with each version of every individual action plan.

5. Future Hopes for the University and Surrounding Area
The University of Windsor plays an important and influential role in the understanding,actions and effects of its own community members, as well as those who make the Windsor area their home. Environmental health is necessary not only for our very survival, but is also fundamental to our ability to build lives in a sustained manner. The University of Windsor is concerned with the state of the environment within which the community – campus, city, region, and planet – lives. It shall use its position as a public education and research institution to build heightened awareness of immediate and long-term conditions, explore potential courses of action for addressing those conditions, and involve all interested parties in working to improve environmental conditions in this area. Actions and decisions that the University engages in its daily operations will be motivated by a genuine desire to reverse the environmental degradation that has occurred in this area, and to cultivate a stimulating, diverse and luscious bioregion. Program curricula will continue to be developed in conjunction with such an environmentally sensitive orientation. Students, staff, and faculty will be encouraged to construct and implement solutions that are prompted from their own concerns about environmental issues. Networks will be built and enhanced, bringing together people from all forms of community to strive towards common goals through mutually supportive projects. It is hoped that the entire University Community will discover a new excitement and vitality about this place in which we live, work and play together, and that this discovery will propel continued concern about, and responsible action toward, the health of our environment.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Alternative Ink (aka Vegetable Paste)

Conventional Ink Vs. Alternative Vegetable-based Ink

  • certain pigments used in ink contain metallic substances that are harmful to human health & enviornment such as cadmium, chromium, lead & mercury
  • conventional printing inks are petroleum-based and are typically used with alcohol-based solvents
  • as alcohol & petroleum evaporate, VOCs aka Volatile Organic Compound are emitted
  • this leads to atmospheric pollution when the VOCs react with nitrogn oxides
  • in the presence of unslight, this creates ozone pollution or photochemical smog
  • Alternative to conventional inks are soya or vegetable-based inks
  • these have a greatly reduced rate of VOC emissions
  • whilee petroleum inks emit 25-40% VOCs when they dry, soya & begetable-based inks emit as low as 2-4%
  • thus, vegetable and soya-based inks are virtually non-hazardous
  • while energy required for extraction, refining and treatment for conventional inks are high, vegetable oils are derived from renewable resources
  • additionally, soya and vegetable-based inks are easier to remove during the de-inking process of recycling
  • when the LA Times switched to soy-based ink, they reduced their VOC emissions by 200 tons per year, earning them an air quality award from South Coast Air Quality Management

Tree-Free Paper

  • alternative fibers such as kenaf, cereal straw, and sugar beet pulp can be used to make beautiful paper that is made from 0% of trees!
  • Ecopaper (Costa Rica Natural) offers eco-friendly paper that uses recycled materials. Furthermore, they are based on principles of fair trade and sustainable production by relying on partnerships among first and third world businesses. Every sheet of the treeless paper is handmade in an organic process. http://www.ecopaper.com/
  • For additional information on waste management, the CIWMB (California Integrated Waste Management Board) website is a good place to start. http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/
  • The CIWMB even has a section that offers a variety of recycled items that can be purchased, ranging from textiles to furniture to jewelry to birdhouses!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Printer Ink - Regular

Printer Ink
- A pigmented liquid or paste
- A dark liquid ejected for protection by most cephalopods, including the octopus and squid
- A dispersion of a pigment or a solution of a dye in a carrier vehicle, yielding a fluid, paste, or powder to be applied to and dried on a substrate
- Fundamentally, inks are composed of four major material categories: (1) Colorants (which include pigments, toners, and dyes) provide the color contrast with the substrate. (2) Vehicles, or varnishes, act as carriers for the colorants during the printing operation. Upon drying, the vehicles bind the colorants to the substrate. (3) Additives influence the printability, film characteristics, drying speed, and end-use properties. (4) Solvents (including water), besides participating in formation of the vehicles, are used to reduce ink viscosity and adjust drying ease and resin compatibility. Ingredients from these four classes are weighed, mixed, and ground (dispersed) together or separately, according to the formulas preestablished in the laboratory

Health Aspect
- There is a misconception that ink isn't harmful even if swallowed. Once ingested, ink can be hazardous to one's health. Certain inks, such as those used in printers, and even those found in a common pen can be harmful. Though ink will not cause death, inappropriate contact can cause effects such as severe headaches, skin irritation, or nervous system damage. These effects can be caused by solvents or by pigment constituents such as p-Anisidine, which is used in the process of creating the ink's color and shine. The poison control center has stated that any consumption of ink should be reported to a local hospital or poison control center
Environmental Aspect
- Recycled ink and toner cartridges reduce its environmental impacts
- Dry ink printers generate 90% less waste than laser printers
- Buy recycled, Use recycled, Send to recycling