Sustainability — How Can You Help?

In a recent issue of The Sonoma State Star, it was brought to my attention that our student government, ASI, has been examining methods to provide the campus with ways to adopt sustainable practices. Not much has been set in stone however, because the student government is not certain that Sonoma State University students will favor and enforce the sustainable practices put in place.

Nevertheless, there are some sustainability projects that have recently been put in place. Hopefully these practices will work well and set an example of success for future projects.

According to a press release on the subject, Sonoma State will be using paper bags exclusively as part of the effort. It states that “the bookstore and all campus dining venues will begin exclusively carrying paper bags that are 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable. These sturdy, quality bags are stamped with a leaf design made out of open books.”

How we can apply this to our everyday lives as consumers is to ask for paper over plastic when you go grocery shopping or what have you, or you could bring your own cloth grocery bags with you to these stores.

Another initiative at SSU is one regarding composting. The Zinfandel Dining Hall on campus has started composting the remains of food that would ordinarily be placed in the garbage. Working with the SOUP-ER program that repackages food from the dining hall to give to the St. Vincent De Paul dining room, I have seen the change first hand. There are bins specifically for compost materials which were not there even a month ago.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency Web Site, “yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 27 percent of the US municipal solid waste stream. That’s a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead!”

The dining hall will be in charge of sorting the compost it collects. North Bay Recycling picks up the organic material and transports it to the Carneros Ranch in Petaluma.

Housing services is in the process of adopting this composting method. When this happens, residents of student housing will be able to put their organic material to use, instead of placing it in the garbage. Community Development Coordinator Stacey Murray sent me an email regarding the program which stated that the pilot program will possibly begin come March — but in its infancy will remain in one building in the Sauvignon community.

Living in a different campus community, Beaujolais, I am looking forward to the success of this program simply because each time produce of mine has gone bad, I have had to throw it out in the garbage. This act disappoints me for two reasons, one of which is that I am losing money on it and two, I know it could be put to use if the program took place in all housing areas.

With this however, I think it is important to note that all SSU housing practices recycling. There is a dumpster for trash and one for recycling. I don’t see why they just don’t put some sort of container among those dumpsters for compost material, but then again it is not my program to run. Or why can’t the compost from the housing go to the garden we have on campus?

If you are reading this and have been inspired to compost yourself, here is what can be composted according to the EPA:

• Animal manure
• Cardboard rolls
• Clean paper
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Cotton rags
• Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
• Eggshells
• Fireplace ashes
• Fruits and vegetables
• Grass clippings
• Hair and fur
• Hay and straw
• Houseplants
• Leaves
• Nut shells
• Sawdust
• Shredded newspaper
• Tea bags
• Wood chips
• Wool rags
• Yard trimmings

Also, here is the list the EPA provides about what not to compost:

• Black walnut tree leaves or twigs

Releases substances that might be harmful to plants

• Coal or charcoal ash

Might contain substances harmful to plants

• Dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt) and eggs

Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

• Diseased or insect-ridden plants

Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants

• Fats, grease, lard, or oils

Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

• Meat or fish bones and scraps

Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

• Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)

Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans

• Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides

Might kill beneficial composting organisms

With all this being stated it seems to me that for any sustainability practice it is important to learn about how to do it properly and more importantly why we do it in the first place. If I am told to do something and cannot see the logic in it then the likelihood that I will do so goes down dramatically. It is important to be clear of the motives of sustainability, even though people assume it is to help the planet, sometimes that is not enough to persuade, and this is one of the main issues that student government is facing right now.

To learn more about sustainable practices visit www.epa.gov.