Welcome Back!!

Results from the voting poll at the end of last year indicated that Rabun Gap students are ready to compost!! Using the funds raised from last Spring's Penny Wars, Mr. Malot purchased two styles of composting bins for Dining Hall food scraps. The plan for the finished product of this endeavor, a nutrient-rich soil, can be used by groundskeepers in flower beds and around shrubs, as well as a good starter for a community garden.

Also from the funds will emerge a large, three-drawer system to house vermicompost - a project Environmental Science teacher, Mr. Phillips, will begin this year with students. A vermicompost uses red earth worms to digest food scraps and other organic materials to produce an extremely nutrient -rich material.

The E.S.P. Recycling Team is in full swing! Students are collecting and filling up buses and trucks to take recycled materials from all over campus to the proper receptacle: our very own community recycling center. It should be habitual on this campus by now to never allow an aluminum can to plunge into a garbage bin! Never would someone here let an empty plastic water bottle or a crumpled piece of paper submerge to the depths of a dooming brown can marked "Trash!" These things have many uses ahead of them...don't forget to do your part and get them to the Recycling bins!

More to come in future posts. For now, check out this video reminding us of the irresponsibility associated with letting grocery stores load us up on plastic bags!!

Click here to watch!

This Green House - New York Times video story

Here's a look at another school's green efforts. See what you think!

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=7e8b04d484923da2a67c3a55bc8fb6d6e51ced0d

Not sure where you think the ESP money should be invested?

Read below to figure out which option you like best! Then vote, and tell your friends to vote! The future of Rabun Gap is in YOUR hands….

***Everyone is encouraged to elaborate upon his or her answers in the comment section below! After casting your vote/s, please leave a comment about your decision- this can remain anonymous- by clicking on the comments link below. Your participation is greatly apprectiated.***

Solar panels: With a solar infrastructure already set up outside Mr. Malot’s classroom, the ESP money would best be spend on adding to the current array to produce even more power at the science building.

Hydro power! Rabun Gap has its very own spring, which could be harnessed for clean hydro power which would not disrupt an existing waterway (one of the major drawbacks to most dam projects). We should spend our $$ on this clean energy source!

Large food composter to reuse our food waste: The $$ should be spent on composting at least some of our huge amounts of food waste (currently one ton per month…yikes!!). A composter would yield rich and valuable “castings” which could be sold to local landscapers, or used to improve our very own grounds!

Windmill: Our campus should have several windmills…it’s a no brainer. But we have to start somewhere. Small units are affordable, so perhaps we could power a small faculty home, or even just one classroom with a small windmill. Given our location in a “wind gap,” wind power could be the way forward for Rabun Gap!

Geothermal heating and cooling: This is the wave of the future in energy reduction, using the simplest tool at our disposal: the earth itself! Mr. Malot has already found used pipe that would work as a geothermal cooler at his house. Pipes go down into the earth, providing easy and free cool air in the summer, and warm in the winter. We could power the pump with a small solar array if desired to make it completely electrically neutral.

Biodiesel! We already use tons of cooking oil in the Dining Hall and grill that could be reused as a cleaner and renewable fuel supply than dirty and non-renewable fossil fuels. The $$ should go to increased biodiesel production at the plant Mr. Malot already has up and running. We could even run RGNS vehicles on our cooking byproducts. Now THAT is green!

Compostable/biodegradable products: It would be beneficial for the RGNS community to spend the ESP funds on biodegradable plates, cups, bowls, utensils etc. Last weekend during MADD Fest, I visited the Grill and found compostable cups for use. After a little research, I found that the cups require less energy to manufacture, and each cup is coated with a corn-base so the cups can be composted rather than thrown in a landfill. I was happy to see the school pursuing sustainability on campus, but unfortunately Monday lunch rolled around and another stack of Styrofoam cups sat next to the drinks. The ESP needs to invest in purchasing compostable dine ware for our every day needs at RGNS and show the school that we don’t just showcase our sustainability, we live by it. -Lynsi Wavra

Community bikes: We drive too much. Investing in community bikes around campus would encourage people to drive less. Teachers could use their cars to drive less around campus and be good role models! It has been proven that most fuel in America is used on very short trips….we MUST become a nation of bikers for our long term sustainability.

Carbon footprint offsets: ESP funds should be spent on carbon footprint offsets. Our campus leaves a HUGE carbon footprint every day (that is, the amount of global warming gasses we release simply by going about our business. Think of the huge and/or inefficient buildings that we need to heat and cool, of all the people that drive to (and around) campus, of all the food we throw away, etc etc. We are obligated to offset that harmful effect by buying carbon offsets, which is money that goes toward funding alternative energy sources. Many people use carbon offsets to make their driving carbon neutral. Some people even buy carbon offsets for every flight they take, due to the high amount of carbon released by planes. This is the most direct way we can reduce our huge carbon footprint, and this is where our money should go. The only disadvantage, admittedly, is that the $$ goes of campus. BUT, it would go to established alternative energies.

"Paper or Plastic?" by Sean Quigley

How about neither? Plastic bags are worthless. They are given away by the trillions for free by Wal-Mart and other grocery stores. We use plastic bags so much that we’ve lost track of how many are even in existence. The Wall Street Journal estimates that 100 billion bags are used each year in the US alone, while the Environmental Protection Agency puts that number at 380 billion. It’s almost impossible to obtain accurate figures for annual worldwide bag consumption, but even conservative estimates come in at around 1,000,000,000,000, meaning that we humans consume almost 2 million plastic bags per hour.

Still, in this age of excess, producing a whole lot of a good thing shouldn’t be so bad, right? Plastic bags are useful and unobtrusive. They’re great for carrying stuff from place to place, or for lining the inside of a garbage can. Best of all, these humble little helpers are free! But though it may seem harmless, the mass production of plastic bags is an expensive and ultimately non-sustainable habit. Recall that non-sustainable means that we can’t do it forever, so we need to change now so that our children and grandchildren don’t inherit a messy burden we hand to them.

Plastic bags, like all plastic products (including bottled water. Remember?), are made from petroleum. It takes petroleum to mold the petroleum itself into that thin little sheet we all use to carry our milk and deodorant, sometimes even a single pack of gum! All told, it takes .48 Megajoules to produce one plastic bag. To put that into perspective, it takes most cars 6.73MJ to drive 1 mile. So, the energy used to create just 14 plastic bags could fuel a car for 1 mile. The energy used to produce the world’s 1 trillion plastic bags each year, then, could be used to drive a car 70,000,000,000 miles—or 2.8 million times around the Earth. And that’s just each year! Once again, like plastic water bottles, is this really a good use of petro-dollars? Of course not!

While the obvious solution to this ridiculous and unnecessary waste of oil and resources might at first seem to be simply use paper bags instead of plastic, brown-bagging, sadly, is not the answer. According to the EPA, the production of paper bags creates 70% more greenhouse gasses and 500% more water pollution than that of plastic bags. In 1999, Americans used 10 billion paper shopping bags, consuming 14 million trees. While paper bags seem to be a greener alternative to the already documented waste of plastics, they are, regrettably, more harmful to the environment.

So, what to do? The first step is clear: never walk out of a store with a plastic bag you didn’t walk in with. With minimal planning and thought, you can reduce your plastic bag consumption to zero. We all could! Be sure to tell the clerk “no bag, thanks, I’ve got my own.” Be sure to do so before he or she places your stuff in the bag! Nothing is more frustrating than when the clerk takes your stuff out of the bag, and then throws the perfectly good bag away! : \ So, use old bags, use your pockets, use your hands….use your head.

The best long-term option is reusable bags. Reusable canvas and cotton bags are a great alternative, and their cost (anywhere from $4-$25) is more than offset by knowing you’re doing the right and sensible thing. Think of the plastic bags you’ll save if you switch to reusable!

Some countries have imposed a modest plastic bag tax, and even just a nickel-per-bag charge reduces plastic waste substantially. So, stand and be heard: Demand this action from your own elected officials. Some places in the U.S. are even trying to ban plastic bags entirely, but it can be difficult owing to, wouldn’t you believe it, the plastic bag lobby!

Either way, our petroleum problems would not be solved even if every American instantly switched to reusable bags, or even to no bags at all. The real way to eliminate this issue is to BUY LESS STUFF. Less consumption means fewer plastic/paper bags to be thrown away or recycled.

So, next time you walk into a store, remind yourself that you won’t walk out with a wasteful piece of petroleum-based, non-biodegradable trash. Future generations will thank you!

Much of the information used to write this article comes from onebagatatime.com, where you can purchase your own reusable bag. Keep an eye out at your local grocer as well.

What's the Big Deal? by Lauren Lyons (8th grade)

Here's the irony: fashion is an eternal fad while fabric and pollution are not. After all of the inspiration, image-making, and excitement pass, the clothes remain. Pouf skirts. Acid-washed denim. M. C. Hammer pants. They're out there still, in closets, thrift stores, and land fills. Eco-savvy fashion choices mean not only reducing post-consumer refuse, but also pre-consumer waste and pollution. After its origins on the farm, forest, or oil field, that jacket spent some time morphing into its present form. What chemicals were used to grow it? Were the dyes safe? As more designers and manufacturers create with eco-concerns in mind, it's easier to find satisfying answers. Through smart wardrobe management and consumer choices, you can cut down on closet clutter, support clean industry, and look fabulous.
1. Shop with a plan When you bring an article of clothing into your life, it’s kind of like adopting a dog or cat. That cute little number has to have a place in your wardrobe, and you’re agreeing to provide for and give it the longest possible life with you. Abandoning the impulse buy may sound boring, but how exciting is a closet full of stuff that doesn’t work? In the long run, knowing what you're looking for before you shop will save time and eliminate clutter. You'll get more use out of a piece that looks and feels great: What colors work for you? What fits work the best? How will the piece get along with everything else in the closet? If the answer to "Will I still want to wear this rhinestone-studded bustier in two years?" or “Can I eventually find a way to use it in a craft project?” is no, skip it.
2. Love your duds Whatever you've chosen, take good care of it. When you get home, change out of work gear and into your famous dressing gown or leisure suit. Don’t cook or check the tire pressure in clothes you want to wear in public. Learn how to sew a button back on, or how to coax a nimble friend into doing it for you. Get the name of a local tailor or seamstress for major repairs or alterations.
3. Don't go dry Though the industry has improved much since 1992, there is still a high likelihood that your trusty corner cleaner uses perc (tetrachloroethylene), a known carcinogen. See if there is a local green cleaner employing "wet cleaning" or liquid CO2 techniques. Many articles whose tags ask for the dry clean treatment can actually be hand washed, especially silk, wool and linen.
4. Buy vintage or used People unload clothes for all types of reasons, and you know that adage about trash and treasure. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece you’re looking for second hand. You’ll be giving a cast-off garment a second life, and possibly supporting charitable work in the process.
5. Wash well Washing wreaks the most havoc of all. It requires lots of water and energy, so only do it when you absolutely need to and have a full laundry load. Turn articles inside out and use the lowest temp possible. If you know you glowed all over a piece, make a thin salt paste and soak the affected fabric for a half hour before washing. Choose phosphate-free and biodegradable detergents and line dry as much as possible. Treat stains quickly with nontoxic removers. If you’re buying a new washing machine, look for one with an Energy Star label.
6. Wear organic Though cotton is marketed as clean, fresh, and natural, conventional varieties are anything but. It takes a third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce the cotton for one T-shirt! That means lots of direct, unhealthy exposure for farmers and nearby wildlife, and heaps of unnecessary pollution. Ick. Luckily, organic cotton is becoming easier and easier to find. As mega-stores get into the game, however, it’s important to stay vigilant about what organic means, so you know you’re really getting clean clothes. Also know that though the cotton may have been organic to start with, your T may be full of processing chemicals and metal-laden dyes. See below for more info on labeling and certification.
7. Choose clothes that work for you It’s hard to feel beautiful in your raw silk dress when it’s likely that children’s scalded hands were part of the production chain. Conventional clothing might not say it, but clothing made under fair-wage and labor practices will usually advertise it. SweatShopWatch.org and BehindTheLabel.org are good sources of info.
8. Don’t throw it all away Finally, a stain, a tear, or changing fashion threaten to separate you from your favorite dress shirt. Don’t just abandon your old friend to the waste-stream! If the condition is perfectly good, you can always donate or Freerecycle.org it (see below for donation resources).

Made with info from treehugger.com

RGNS Students Visit LEED-Certified Home in Atlanta

(submitted by Meg Trau)

On Friday, February 29th, a group of environmentally concerned students embarked on an epic journey to the Eco-Manor. After missing the exit by a long shot, we eventually found ourselves on the curb of a beautiful suburban home in Buckhead, Atlanta. For a moment we wondered if this truly was our final destination, for it seemed far too humble to be a “manor.” After a few awkward minutes staring from the sidewalk, we were graciously greeted by Laura Seydell and her glorious assortment of hot pizza. We continued to gorge ourselves on our second lunch and learned how to flush their toilets (left button for “#1”, right button for “#2”), and it was soon time for the first presentation of the day.

A group of Georgia Tech engineering students talked to us about the Solar Decathlon project. Essentially, the goal is to construct an entirely solar-powered house that can be self-sufficient for ten days. Germany won, but we digress. After this presentation, it was time for the tour of the house.

Rutherford Seydell began the adventure with the introduction of the magic panel. This all-encompassing panel could control the lighting, and essentially anything electrical, throughout the house with the push of a button. It even had a “party” setting – fancy! It also monitored energy consumption and savings and other such important data. Before continuing upstairs, Laura Seydell pointed-out various environmentally aspects in the house, such as VOC-free paint and household objects (such as curtain rods) made from recycled materials. Every minute detail contributed to the green aspect of their home.

We then journeyed upstairs to the bedrooms where Mr. Seydell explained solar tubes. They are essentially more effective sky lights that use reflective paper that optimize the natural lighting that illuminates the room. Next, we ascended to the roof where we found a blanket of energy – solar panels, that is. Our very own Senora Carlson had a bright idea which would increase their effectiveness (this same idea was suggested by a professional just days earlier!). En route to the roof, we were able to see the insulation, a foam made from soy, and other insulating substances such as recycled paper. From the very top we descended into the depths, the basement. It is the entertainment hub of the house, but that does not make it less environmentally-minded. Also housed in the basement is the water-filtering system. We all crammed into a closet-sized room to see how it was done. Mr. Seydell explained that rainwater and gray water from showers and such things are reused to accomplish miscellaneous tasks such as watering the lawn and flushing the toilets. The Seydells could monitor all of the water, electricity, and greenhouse gasses they were saving by looking at a monitor, which was the brain of the water system. After this explanation, we met one of the men behind the magic; as we were preparing to depart Mr. Seydell’s next appointment arrived. We briefly talked with him about the installment of solar panels. After that we took our leave and took note of the permeable drive way and the water drainage collectors. We then traversed back to our parked buses and departed to return to our lovely home.

We took back with us knowledge that we hope to disseminate across our growing campus and various communities

What’s Wrong With Tap Water?

Absolutely nothing. So then why do we drink so much bottled water? The answer is simple: marketing. The bottled water industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth that convinces us we need “crystal clear” water shipped from faraway places. Pretty silly, considering we have crystal clear and healthy water right under our noses at the nearest tap, and for free!

A closer look at the bottled water biz reveals some surprising stuff: If bottled water is called “Spring Water,” it is allowed to be, and often is, bottled tap water. Bottlers are not required to put the actual source on the label. So if you drink a bottle labeled “Spring Water,” be aware that it may very well come from a tap just like the one in your bathroom! Indeed, over 25% of bottled water comes from municipal water supplies, that is, “city water.”

Ironically enough, that could be a good thing: the FDA has stricter rules for tap water than it does for bottled water. That’s right: tap water is tested more frequently and is required to be cleaner than the water we get from plastic bottles. Regardless of this, we very often, spend 250 to 10,000 times the amount we pay for tap water. Bottled water is more expensive than gasoline!!!

And gasoline is where the real cost of bottled water lies:

Consider this: Plastic water bottles are literally made out of oil drilled from the earth. In fact, we use 17 million barrels of oil every year just to make plastic water bottles (that excludes soda/coke bottles, etc.). We are literally sending our petro-dollars overseas to an unstable region in order to bottle something that is already free, right here under our noses. If your head isn’t already spinning, consider this: The process to make water bottles doesn’t just take oil, it also takes….water! That’s right: it takes 72 billion gallons of water each year just to make the empty water bottles.

But wait: the energy cost still does not stop there: consider the incredible amounts of energy it takes to send something simple as water great distances, when we can get it at our very own tap.

So the next time you buy bottled water, consider the oil used to make the bottle, and the very large “carbon footprint” you are leaving by spending the vast amount it took to get that water from the faraway source to your mouth. Simply put, bottled water is a non-sustainable habit, which we will have to stop doing someday (because we’ll have to….that’s why it is called “non-sustainable”: we can’t do it forever). So it is best for everyone to stop the habit now, not later.

The solution? First and foremost, STOP buying bottled water. If you must, buy it in a large container, so the plastic to water ratio is lower. But NEVER buy bottled water from far away places. Make sure it’s local if you must buy this senseless product. And of course, recycle any plastic. If you don’t, you’re literally throwing away oil as well as the energy it took to make it.

Reusing plastic bottles seems like a good option, but be aware, plastics do, over time, leach chemicals into the water, especially if cracked or exposed to high temperatures (e.g. a hot car). If you DO reuse a plastic bottle, only do so a few times before you recycle it, and be sure it is kept clean. The best choice of all is to, ideally, never use one-time use plastic. Reusable glass or stainless steel is best. Here are a few places to order reusable containers: kleancanteen.com & mysigg.com.

While it might require some thinking and effort at first to eliminate plastic water bottle use, once you recognize the true cost to our world, it will soon become second nature to OPT FOR THE TAP.

A Little Bathroom Reading...

As you move about on campus, you may be noticing some strategically placed reading-material. Here's the buzz, put together by our very own E.S.P.:

So, what’s all this talk about “Sustainability” about anyways?

It’s actually pretty simple. We live on one planet, with only so many materials and resources to go around. Simply put, at our current rates of very high consumption and exponential population growth, we are going to run out of supplies. We literally can’t “sustain” ourselves as a species. As our population grows exponentially, we’re eventually going to run out of gas, water, wood, metals, even certain foods. We’re simply burning out our planet.

Is running out of supplies inevitable? Nope! That’s where sustainability comes in. We each have the power, each and every day, to make either sustainable choices, or non-sustainable choices. Here are just a few things YOU can do, today, and forever, to make sustainable choices, for yourself, and for future generations who’ll inherit the planet we give to them:

1. Power down! Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, turn off lights and computers, buy local seasonal food (food takes enormous energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up heat, use clotheslines instead of a dryer, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money.
2. Waste less. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless!
3. Talk to everyone about these issues. At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
4. Make Your Voice Heard. Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and especially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Don’t forget the RGNS blog! (sustainablergns.blogspot.com)
5. Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That’s a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
6. Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less. Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.

(PRINTED ON REUSED PAPER & BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE E.S.P. Come to the next meeting if you want to get involved! Much of the info on this page is adapted from storyofstuff.com)

Be Part of a Good Thing...

Hey Readers! Have something to share regarding sustainability or efforts to befriend the planet? Have your thoughts published on the blog! 

Be sure to read the articles below and check back from time to time. There's more to come!

Send articles or blurbs to mcphillips@rabungap.org.

"Solar Panels on Campus" by: Laura Schott

Recently, a grid-tied solar system was installed on campus to power Woody Malot’s physics class room. Funding is a combination of a grant from our parents association, the Gap Connection, and a grant from current parent, Tom Quigley. The system is currently a 500-watt system with room to grow to 3500-watts. It is designed, built, and monitored by the students in ESP (Environmental Stewardship Program). Mr. Malot will use the data from the panels for labs in both the concepts of physics class and the AP physics class. A goal is to install other types of panels in the future to compare panel efficiency and develop a model of what works well here at RGNS

Wasting Plastic: Why Can't We Recycle All of It? by: M.C. Phillips

This week I dove in to try and find some answers about why our recycling center won't take those pesky #5 yogurt cartons and other plastics not marked with a #1 or #2. I spoke with Rabun County's Recycling Director, Tim Browning. He was able to share a lot of information over the phone about exactly where Rabun County stands, as far as recycling and the potential for incorporating more. Below are a few of the important facts he was able to share.

The bottom line is this: WE MUST CREATE AWARENESS AND CONVINCE OUR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT ALLOWING FUNDING WILL ALLOW THE RECYCLING DEPARTMENT TO RAISE MORE MONEY FOR THE GENERAL BUDGET!!

In answer to the question about recycling plastics higher than #2:

1. 1-6 could be recycled if we could find a buyer. Right now there isn’t enough recycling collected to require a buyer for #3-#6.

2. We have increased our sales of recycling material from 95,000 lbs in 2006 to 104,000 in 2007, so it is getting more popular. In the last 6 months we’ve done 75,000. That’s huge! That’s because of our efforts!

3. $58,000.00 saved by recycling and 60-70,000 lbs saved from landfill just this year.

4. Recycling is the only department under the Waste mgmt. that is actually making money for the government’s general budget.

Ways to get there:

1. Convince “powers that be” that recycling more not only brings in more government money, but decreases waste costs.

2. They have worked out an agreement with the public schools for next year’s budget where they will pick up TIN, CARDBOARD, MIXED PAPER, and PLASTICS.

3. The recycling department HAS the trucks and equipment necessary for pick-up to do neighborhood and AT LEAST school pick ups.

4. People to write: (Those “powers that be”)
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
JIM BLECKLEY – County Administrator
(Contacts found at: http://www.rabuncountygov.com/rabun_county_board_of_commission.htm)

Ask them to fund the recycling pick up by recognizing the money that the volume would bring in and save for the county. In doing this, we will increase our numbers and therefore be able to sell to a larger buyer, thus including #1-6.

Bioplastics:
Corn starch and sugar cane Styrofoam imitators!! They are compostable! Some research will need to be conducted to find out the possibilities of bulk trays and biodegradable eating utensils. According to Tim Browning, these are not much more expensive than regular Styrofoam.

Manual About Recycling:
There is a manual at Bogg’s Mountain waste management facility, where Mr. Browning works. It might be useful as it shares exactly what happens to our recycling once it is collected at the center. Mr. Browning is also willing to give tours, or talk with groups or individuals at any time.