Blog Post 10

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Parkhurst’s Facebook

UNE Parkhurst Dining Needs You!

For those of you who are current UNE students that eat in the dining hall on the Biddeford Campus, you all know by now that Parkhurst has made the obligatory decision to return to the use of disposable dishware, cups, and utensils. If you are not sure of the reason, it is because UNE Parkhurst is extremely understaffed to the point where they are unable to keep up with washing all of the dishes that have been used in the dining hall each day.

Although Parkhurst has not specifically reached out to me to request this, I wanted to take the opportunity to share the dishwasher job posting they have available. If you are interested in earning $15/hour, look no further! UNE Parkhurst has stated that they are paying dishwashers starting at $15/hour!

If you are not interested in dishwashing, but still interested in helping out, check out the 7 other available positions at the dining hall on their Student Workforce website: https://unedining.catertrax.com/shopportal.asp?pageid=135&intOrderID=&intCustomerID=.

All you have to do is text “Parkhurst” to 85000 or apply at parkhurstsmiles.com!

I understand that we are all busy college students, and maybe you have a different job and cannot take the workload of an extra, that’s okay! Just spread the word and be considerate towards your Parkhurst staff.

The last thing Parkhurst wanted to do was bring back disposable items, considering their environmental impacts, but they ultimately had to make the decision best for as many parties as they could. They simply don’t have a staff big enough to ensure that dishes are cleaned.

Implications of This Disposable Switch

UNE’s dining hall finally emerged from the depths of COVID-19 disposable waste, just to be met with another problem introducing this need: a need that causes negative impacts on the environment.

UNE has an amazing recycling system that allows for us to recycle certain materials that would otherwise not be recyclable at other companies; however, not everything can effectively avoid a landfill. Since the rise in the use of disposable containers engulfed the country, single-use food packaging has been swamping our landfills more than ever before. Slowly but surely we are returning to our old ways, but some issues are still capable of rising and causing the same problems as we see now in our own UNE dining hall.

No photo description available.
Parkhurst’s Facebook

Usually, the solution to issues such as those outside of our campus is difficult for the average consumer. When bringing home a food container from a restaurant, the container is less likely to be recycled or composted properly since we may not have simple access to the proper channels or we are simply too lazy to educate ourselves on how to accurately/sustainably dispose of these items. Thankfully, there is a very simple solution to this problem at UNE, which I have stated above.

Join the team! I’m sure you all know just how kind and amazing all of Parkhurst’s staff are from just eating your meals there. It would be a great environment for you to work in, plus you get to help yourself out with extra money and help the environment out as well.

Blog Post 9

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Hiking Boot Shoes Winter - Free vector graphic on Pixabay

Looking for a Nice Place to Spend Next Week’s Warm-ish Weather?

Although New England is very well-known for its cold, brisk weather, next week is about to introduce the Spring wake-up call we have all been waiting for with temperatures in the mid-50s to low-60s starting next week. If you can’t find somewhere to spend outdoors on these days ahead, let me help narrow down some options for you.

UNE Habitats

If you were unaware, the University of New England has about 190 acres of preserved University land, including seasonal pools of water that house a diversity of wildlife.

Walking Tour of 363 Acre Woods | University of New England in Maine
UNE’s 363-acre Forest

Here are just a couple of the outdoor places UNE has to offer right here on campus:

  1. UNE Nature Trail – campus trail system that runs along the Saco River.
  2. UNE’s 363-acre forest – explored in many classes – is also great for mountain biking and hiking!
Local Habitats

Looking to get further away from campus for a well-deserved break? Say less.

  1. Basket and Stage Islands – accessible at low tide over the sand flats.
  2. East Point Bird Sanctuary – owned by the Audubon Society – with views of Wood Island lighthouse.
  3. Biddeford Pool – the largest tidal pool in Maine – great for observing coastal wildlife.
  4. The Saco Heath – a raised peatland (bog), home to the carnivorous pitcher plants (protected by the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy).
  5. Clifford Park – a 52-acre woodland preserve owned by the city of Biddeford – great for mountain biking and cross country skiing (in Maine’s colder temperatures).
Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary
East Point Bird Sanctuary
Regional Habitats

If you need to get even further from campus, and would like to take the day away from all the stress of the end of the semester, consider visiting one of these protected locations:

Big A Trail - Mt. Agamenticus Conservation Region, ME | MyHikes
Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
The Best 3 Day Itinerary: Acadia National Park - Pack More Into Life
Acadia National Park
  1. Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region – 10,000 acres of bio-diverse undeveloped forest.
  2. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge – a national wildlife refuge that spans 50 miles of coastline between York and Cumberland counties.
  3. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve expands our knowledge about coasts and estuaries with an emphasis on ensuring healthy salt marsh ecosystems.
  4. White Mountain National Forest – 800,000 acres of federally managed forest and mountains in western Maine and New Hampshire. A 75-minute drive from campus.
  5. Acadia National Park – Comprised of a cluster of islands on the Maine coast, Acadia is positioned within the broad transition zone between eastern deciduous and northern coniferous forests, and hosts several species and plant communities at the edge of their geographic range.  A 3.5 hour drive from campus.

Reminders!

If you do take the chance on these lovely locations, please keep in mind that they are all protected environments and you must be respectful of your surroundings at all times.

Make sure you wipe off your shoes before and after starting on a new trail (to prevent the introduction of invasive plant species), do not leave anything behind (especially any trash!), do not start your own trails, but rather follow the already designated paths, do not interact with wildlife in harmful ways (refrain from touching and/or feeding wildlife), and most importantly, HAVE FUN!!! 🙂

Blog Post 8

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Image was taken in the Commons

What Earth Month Looks Like at UNE

Teach-In on Climate and Justice

A panel on climate and justice gathered this week (03/30/22) in order to discuss and learn about climate change and how it can be avoided. If you managed to miss this week’s panel, a video recording is available to watch. Click here to watch.

Residence Hall Energy Competition

If you were lucky enough to have attended UNE last year, you know that an “energy competition” takes place during the month of April where each dorm hall competes to save the most electricity. The winning dorm will receive reusable water bottles! To learn more about how you can save electricity, and maybe win, keep an eye out for posts on UNE’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/beeswax-wrap.html
DIY Beeswax Wraps

I, unfortunately, don’t know much more information about this event; however, what they describe on the poster sounds very promising! If you like sustainable/eco-friendly and FREE stuff, check out the UNE’s Honeybee Conservation Club’s DIY event to make and design your own beeswax wraps that you can use to store perishable foods or to pack a lunch!

https://www
.hsph.harvard.
edu/nutritionsource/
sustainability/plate-and-planet/
The Planetary Health Plate: Eat Like a Climavore

If you missed yesterday’s panel, don’t you worry! Another panel is meeting on 04/06/22 to discuss how food impacts our health, community, and world. You can view the online video (once the date has passed) if you are not able to attend this meeting.

Climate Action Plan Workshop

Learn about UNE’s environmental footprint at this Climate Action Plan workshop designed and presented by UNE’s assistant director of sustainability, Alethea Cariddi. You will also be allowed to share your thoughts or ask questions when the floor is open to you during the workshop’s interactive discussion about the development of the Climate Action Plan.

Sustainable Ocean Foods

Learn about sustainable and local fisheries, all taught by Sophie Scott, from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Don’t forget, a seafood lunch will be provided by UNE Parkhurst in the Ripich Commons.

Local Food Vendor Fair

Come learn more about the food you’re putting in your bodies here at UNE! Learn where your food comes from and why!

Environmental Council Pot Luck

Don’t miss UNE’s last Environmental Council meeting (which just so happens to meet on Earth Day!). A potluck lunch on the Ripich Commons lawn is just what you need to finish out the semester. Learn what members of UNE’s Environmental Council do around campus to advocate for sustainability here at UNE.

AgroEcology for Resilient Communities

UNE’s Sustainability Office will be joining Drew Dumsch from The Ecology School to discuss how the Ecology School uses sustainable practices in their green building and regenerative agriculture practices , allowing UNE to take inspiration for the future.

Community Garden Party

The UNE Sustainability Office along with the UNE Hunger Initiative Club is working on UNE’s community garden. Take the opporunity to join in the fun, peacful activity of gardening and spending time in nature. Help is happily accepted, come join in the fun and dont be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Blurry but hopefully it still works
Beach Clean-Up Kiosk Unveiling

The UNE student environmental club, Earth’s E.C.O., wants your help at cleaning up our community. They strive to normalize the frequency of beach clean ups, calling on you and the surrounding community to help take a stand and keep our beaches clean. Join to see Earth’s E.C.O. reveal a surprise strucuture, crafted to inpire spontaneous and regular beach cleanups in the area.

Scan for more information:

Blog Post 7

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UNE’S Switch Back to a Sustainable Kitchen

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COVID-19 took a toll on every aspect of our lives, but let's look at how it affected UNE's dining hall waste system...
Introduction of Disposable Dishes, Cutlery, and more.

As everything as we knew it began to shift into this unfamiliar reality, there were many difficult questions to answer and problems to solve. One of many the problems that UNE officials had to debate was how they were going to set up dining for students during such a delicate time.

As we know, UNE prides itself on its “Innovation for a Healthier Planet” so they obviously wanted to choose a sustainable option for waste in the kitchens during the pandemic; however, it was not the safest option for students, staff, and faculty. They ended up having to make the tough decision of removing ceramic dishes and metal cutlery and replacing it with aluminum dishes with aluminum foil coverings, plastic silverware, and paper cups. This luckily meant their water use would decrease since they no longer had to wash diner-used dishes; however, the plastic, paper, and aluminum waste was – in my opinion – extremely detrimental. The total amount of waste disposed is an incalculable number.

Of course, UNE still composted the food waste, so that was not an issue. The issue was by far the fact that every dish was a take-out dish. UNE made sure to buy compostable napkins (which they still use) and compostable plastic silverware, yet they chose to use disposable aluminum to-go containers that end up going into landfills 17% more than they would be recycled. Aluminum foil, on the other hand, cannot be recycled at all, as it is too thin of material. Each to-go container was wrapped with at least one layer of aluminum foil on top, causing a very lasting impact.

It is reported that residential waste volumes remain up by an average of 5% or more nationally as a result of this increase in take-out container use.

Bringing Back the Ceramic and Metal!

Once COVID numbers began to decrease, UNE decided to return to their previous use of ceramic dishes, glass cups, and metal cutlery. The dining hall went back to how it used to run before COVID and it has actually become easy to forget the struggle that was the UNE dining hall.

Introduction of Reusable To-Go Containers

Now, I am unaware if UNE used to have this program implemented before 2020 since I was a freshman the year the dining hall changed, but nonetheless, if this was an already existent idea, pre-pandemic, it is a wonderful idea. Many students on campus have full schedules that don’t allow them the time to stop for lunch, or even dinner, so introducing a system that allows them to get dining hall food to-go while also remaining sustainably conscious, is a big win for UNE.

The program basically entails the use of a thick reusable plastic to-go container that is returned to be cleaned after use. When you return your container, you can either grab a clean new one to use for a future time, or you can grab a green carabiner. This carabiner is essentially what you trade-in to get a new to-go container whenever you need one. It is very convenient and something you can easily put on your keychain or your backpack.

This system is very beneficial in my opinion and manages to successfully provide a to-go option without compromising UNE’s sustainable goals.

Blog Post 6

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LEED Certification of UNE’s Sokokis Hall

LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is “the most widely used green building rating system in the world”.

LEED Certification | construction companies

Back in 2012, the University of New England’s building, Sokokis Hall, became LEED certified. To become LEED certified, a building must meet certain requirements when it is built. Sokokis Hall meets 33/69 of these requirements, granting it a Silver Certification.

Sokokis’ scored:

  • – 4/14 Sustainable Sites
  • – 4/5 Water Efficiency
  • – 10/17 Energy & Atmosphere
  • – 3/13 Materials & Resources
  • – 9/15 Indoor Environmental Quality
  • – 3/5 Innovation

The numbers may not appear to be that high, and of course there is room for improvement; however, this was a huge step in the right direction for the university. UNE is currently building/planning to build a new campus for the College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Portland campus and I would hope they would strive to build their buildings up to LEED standards and hopefully be Gold Certified. That truly is the goal.

A few ideas to raise Sokokis’ ranking would be to add solar panels to the top of the building seeing as it gets a large amount of sunlight, which would save the University roughly $77,000 dollars after 20 years. I understand that this seems like a long time; however, I would consider it to be an investment. It would not only save UNE money, but it would also prevent about 21.1 metric tons of CO2 annually. Sokokis could also implement new wastewater technologies that would properly and sustainably dispose of wastewater in a way that benefits both the building and the environment.

I would love to see UNE take more incentive to build their buildings with regard to LEED certification. It would build up the university in more ways than one.

Blog Post 5

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UNE’s Sustainability Facebook Page

I had no clue that UNE had a Facebook account discussing their sustainable practices on campus until I started searching around for inspiration for a blog post. I was happy to find that there was a (somewhat) active account that is promoting sustainability on UNE’s campus.

I would like to address the metaphorical elephant in the … room? The web-iverse? In the internet? Regardless, I believe that this Facebook page needs to be much much much more active. If it takes multiple people collaborating, so be it. This resource could be especially useful for those who are interested in joining in on sustainable practices on campus.

Here are just a few ideas that I feel that this Facebook account could incorporate into their page:

  • – They could link to more information about UNE’s Eco-Rep Program
  • – Maybe they could work with UNE’s APB club in order to create more ways student can get involved in fun, sustainable activities on campus
  • – They already do, but they could increase the amount they work with UNE’s Environmental Science majors in order to bring even more sustainable practices on campus
  • – My final suggestion would be that they start more programs on campus, advertising them on their Facebook page*

*An example of a program could be to put up multiple (I mean a lot) birdhouses around campus, giving local birds as many safe homes as we can make possible. This is definitely just a start of course.*

Honestly, I hope my Blog gets out there and maybe I could broadcast some ideas in collaboration with all of these groups as well. Who knows?

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Blog Post 4

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An Optimistic Look UNE’s New Block Schedule

I would like to begin by saying that I do not agree with UNE’s implementation of the new block schedule and especially how they went about establishing it. However, it is looking more and more like it going to happen, so I wanted to bring forth a positive that may come from it that doesn’t just benefit the University and its stakeholders.

UNE students currently have “free” or mostly free Fridays, with maybe one class at the most for the average student. This allows for students to travel home to see family and friends, work at home, travel for sports, attend internships, and much more. In my opinion, as someone who lives 16 hours away from this school, family time is extremely important for some people. It benefits mental health to see loved ones, especially in stressful times such as college.

Although going home is a luxury that many here at UNE treasure, I believe that we fail to look at the downside of traveling home every weekend. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “The average passenger vehicle emits about 404 grams of CO2 per mile.“ Sustainably, driving anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours (what I would consider a reasonable distance to be traveling weekly/bi-weekly) would create a pretty large carbon footprint. In a school year, it would add up to be roughly equivalent to burning 53.6 pounds of coal or charging your phone 5,897 times for just one student.

By switching to the new block schedule, adding more classes to Fridays, the overall student body would lower its carbon footprint by approximately 25% or by 12,120 grams of CO2 per person (assuming that about 1/4 of the student body travels home on weekends).

To be clear, this may not seem like a lot, because, in comparison, it’s only about half of an hour-long plane ride’s worth of CO2 per person. But if you think about it, estimating that about 1/4 of the student body travels home for the weekends (at an average of about 2 hours), roughly 148,409,400 grams of CO2 would be prevented from entering the atmosphere if the block schedule were to be put into place (in a perfect world where no one would leave campus, which is not reasonable).

This is the equivalent to:

  • – 27 homes’ electricity use for one year
  • – 16,700 gallons of gasoline consumed
  • – 164,034 pounds of coal burned
  • – 2 tanker trucks worth of gasoline
  • – 344 barrells of oil consumed
  • – 18,052,912 number of smartphones charged

So, is the schedule change worth the positive environmental impact it would have? Leave a comment below stating what you think.

*Calculations and estimations were made by me with the help from online sources, all calculations are open for interpretation*

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - A Year of Living Better Guides - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint
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Blog Post 3

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What UNE’s Ripich Commons is Doing RIGHT

For students who experienced the dining hall food (at the Ripich Commons) last year, in the midst of COVID, you know about the amount of waste that was produced by trying to prevent the spread of the pandemic. Now, I really appreciate UNE’s measures to try and mitigate COVID here on campus, but I feel like there was a much more sustainable way to approach the wanted safe environment. I don’t want to get too deep into this topic, because it is not what I will be discussing in this post today, but I felt like I needed to mention that all of the waste that was generated last year could have been prevented.

On a more positive note, and what today’s topic is about, The Ripich Commons is not all that bad when it comes to their overall sustainability. UNE’s “Know Your Source” website for the dining hall provides information as to where the food you eat here is coming from, and most, if not all of it, comes from sustainable or local sources. 

"Know Your Source has allowed us to work directly with farmers and small business owners to forge trusted and fruitful relationships and ultimately serve nutritious and sustainably sourced food to our guests."
Local Farms Where You Can Buy Produce, Meat, and More | Family Fun in Omaha

They began their process towards a more “green” dining hall back in 2002 when they developed their EcoSteps® program which was established so they could work with local farms to “put food on [their] guests’ plates”. Although I would have loved a link of some sort to a website listing all the farms they’re partnered with so I could do further research, I appreciate that they note just how many farms they work with so you know that it’s something they’re passionate about. They also put the costs into words, helping to visualize how this economically supports local farms. Sadly, only about 20% of the food they supply in the dining hall is local. I would love for this number to grow as the years continue. Maybe even establishing a gardening program/internship over the summer and into the fall semester, just as another way to contribute and keep activity on campus sustainably focused.

There is always so much we can improve on personally, but especially as a community as well. Voice your concerns or any idea you may have for Parkhurst or the Ripich Commons by leaving a message on their review/suggestions board near the entrance stairs!

Blog Post 2

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Composting at the University of New England: RIGHTS & WRONGS

What UNE is doing RIGHT

If you briefly research what UNE is doing on campus to help innovate a healthier planet, you don’t find much. However, one program that UNE has been active in since 2017 is composting. UNE’s website explains (in vague detail) that they collect the food scraps that come from the dining hall and send them to Benson Farm in Gorham, ME. They also have a free composting program for the resident halls where they provide compostable garbage bags and a key to the locked compost bins that are located on campus. There are two bins: One is near Sokokis Hall and the other is outside of Avila Hall, near the quad.

It is refreshing that I attend a school that cares about the environment and it was definitely a factor in my choice of where to go to college. Doing a small amount of composting is always better than none; however, I would love to see more initiative for such an important program.

What UNE could work on

Like I stated above, UNE just needs to work on the amount that they actually compost/contribute to this cause. I cannot find information as to whether or not every dining hall (The Ripich Commons, The Pub, and the Forum) actively participates in this program today. If not, incorporating this practice into the waste disposal of each of these dining halls at the highest rate possible, would propel this program to even higher limits – which is what UNE should be trying to aim for.

Additionally, UNE should expand the residential composting program it has on campus. Two compost bins and optional composting allows for the program to fall through. These bins are not properly maintained in the winter, by just glancing you can tell that there is a thick layer of ice on top, preventing anyone from being able to access them. The addition of an internship program for the Environmental/Marine Science majors would allow for a more affordable option when staffing people to maintain these bins. Another idea to improve composting here on campus would be to implement somewhat “mandatory” composting in residence halls. Of course, everyone has free will and you cannot force anyone to compost, but supplying small, cheap kitchen compost bins (provided free by the University) would encourage students, in a much easier way, to contribute to the program just like many do with recycling today.

These bins would allow on-campus residents to collect their organic food waste in a more reliable location other than a bag and would hopefully provide more incentive to keep up with the task. The current recycling bins that are provided for each room on campus seem to be working wonderfully. Everyone I know personally uses them continuously. Similar to the recycling on campus, I believe it is necessary for there to be more compost bins located on campus. More bins for students to dump their food waste means more students actually willing to participate.

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