SHADES OF GREEN

1. SHADES OF GREEN Petroleum in Sustainable Initiatives Jordan Ansell, Nate Eberly, and Margie Weiner 1 2 3 4 Today, institutions are praised for releasing “green” products, pursuing more sustainable methods of production, and focusing on a reduced carbon footprint. Environmentally conscious schools like Colby take pride in LEED certified buildings and use of local and organic food, placing a strong emphasis on conservation. That said, even the most sustainable institutions are dependent on petroleum products for day-to-day life. In-fact, current efforts continue to rely on petroleum, even under a “green” title. • Most people are not conscious of how much energy is required to produce their food and then get it to their plate. • It takes 7.3 units of energy inputs to produce 1 unit of food energy. • More energy-efficient machinery and reduction in the use of pesticides and fertilizers can help reduce reliance on petroleum. • In addition, there must be a more widespread effort to eat locally in order to achieve a sustainable food production system. • PETROLEUM USE IN CONVENTIONAL FARMING • Direct uses of energy include: powering machinery, planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying, irrigating, and heating/cooling greenhouses. • More than 3/4th of the direct energy used on farms comes from petroleum via gasoline, diesel, or liquefied petroleum gas. • Indirect uses of energy include: the manufacturing and utilization of pesticides and fertilizers. • Together, pesticides and fertilizers account for 35% of the total energy used on farms. • On average, it requires 5.5 gallons of fossil fuels to produce 1 acre’s worth of fertilizer. • Production of pesticides requires 4 to 5 times more energy per pound than fertilizers. Indirect uses of energy include: the manufacturing and utilization of pesticides and fertilizers. • Domestically grown produce travels approximately an average of 1,500 miles before reaching the American consumer. • COLBY’S SUSTAINABLE FOOD EFFORTS • Colby spends 20% of its food budget on local items from over 100 farmers and producers. • The Colby organic garden provides about 3,000lbs of food annually. • 100% of the used cooking oil is used by a local farmer for biodiesel. Petroleum: A Key Ingredient for Feeding America Peddling In Greenwash • The world is finally waking up from a decades-long plastic nightmare. The problem is not that we use plastic, but we’re consuming more than can be regenerated by the biosphere • THE PERIL OF PETROLEUM-BASED PLASTICS • Health Concerns – Plastics expose us to hazardous chemicals, including dioxins and BPA • Production - In 2002, 107 billion pounds of plastic were produced in North America. • Slow rate of degradation (approx. 500 years) • Dependence on Oil - About 16% of petroleum produced from oil wells is devoted to plastic • Alternatives / Solutions – Can degradable plastics solve the waste problem? • Our current applications for plastics are neither sustainable nor healthy! • Utilize bio-plastics made from renewable materials like corn-based polylactic acid, wood pulp, sugars, starches, vegetable oils, cellulose, etc. • SUSTAINABILITY ON MAYFLOWER HILL • Buildings like Diamond, strive to be Green by using recycled materials and locally sourced goods, creating healthy air quality, and marketing Colby as a steward of the environment. • Diamond is LEED certified – • All electricity purchased for the building is 100% renewable • During construction, almost 90% of the waste generated was recycled • Walls – Studs contain 21.7% post consumer and 8.6% post industrial recycled materials • Restrooms - Low flow toilets and waterless urinals to reduce water consumption • Is Diamond as green as people give it credit? The building is still filled with petroleum-based plastics and synthetics. • SMOKE & MIRRORS: WHEN LEED FALLS SHORT • Rewards such as LEED certifications make it seem like there‘s not much work to be done. • LEED Parameters – Uses a point system based on a broad checklist of features • Bureaucratic Greenness – Take advantage of the system by using superfluous “green” features, ex: installing bamboo floors • Certification process must catch up to the pulse of the market. Gap between design, construction, and performance. • Irony of a LEED certified plastic bottled water facility • Does this sort of initiative allow companies to “green-wash” public perception? • Differentiate the stamp of a green company VS. a green facility • A GREEN FUTURE • Although LEED is a benchmark for environmental performance in the buildings sector, it makes it easy for us to forget how unsustainable our use of plastics is. 6 7 5 • Capital investment in the implementation of green heating technologies is costly and particularly unpopular in a weak economy, however, long-term savings and environmental benefits make sustainable heat economically sensible. • 14% of the petroleum used in the United States is used in propane, natural gas liquids, and heating oils. • The burden of reduced petroleum consumption in heating processes falls on both individual homeowners as well as large institutions. • HEATING SUSTAINABILITY ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE • Large corporations rarely place economic value on environmental savings, and thus see the initial costs of sustainable heating projects, like geothermal and solar, as unjustifiable. • Long-term cost-benefit analysis shows that capital investment in this technology is an economically sound decision that requires valuation of long-term savings and environmental benefits. • Colby itself can be seen as an excellent example of large-scale implementation of petroleum-free and energy-reducing heating technologies. • Geothermal heating and cooling in new and newly renovated buildings • Use of a feed water economizer to make use of waste heat • ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND REDUCED CONSUMPTION AT HOME • It is unrealistic to think that the average American homeowner is financially willing or able to invest in such drastic changes as the complete conversion to sustainable heating. • Instead the goal should be increased efficiency within the confines of currently used oil-based systems. This can be done using a variety of methods that are not necessarily financially demanding. • Thermal Efficiency • Improving seals around windows and doors and eliminating air leaks, which has the potential to cut annual energy costs of the home by 5% to 30% • Improving insulation in the attic and walls • Reduced consumption • New thermostats and motion sensors that allow rooms to be heated only when necessary. • Use of newer heating systems that are more efficient • CONCLUDING THOUGHTS • Many fear that the recent economic downturn could spell the end of initiatives promoting green energy, however, in the area of heat energy consumption, the potential for long-term savings are evident and should act as an incentive to anyone looking to be more cost-efficient. The Economics of Green Heat A sustainable food system will require both technical and social adjustments to the way we eat. Eating locally is an essential part to minimizing our reliance on petroleum for food production. “THE PLAQUE SHOULD BE INSTALLED WITH REMOVABLE SCREWS!” – Henry Gifford 9 IMAGE SOURCES: 1. http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content_2/size-of-shoe-footprint.jpg 2. http://veganfusion.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/img_3559.jpg 3. http://www.yourenvironmentinc.com/images/spraying-pesticides_9be6.jpg 4. http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/get-more-green/article35269.html 5. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1358/539680168_e697c88f95.jpg?v=0 6. http://www.greeninmedusa.com/blog/images/2008/01/04/leed_feature.jpg 7. http://gardeninggarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/organic-gardening-compost.png 8. http://www.cooley.edu/virtualtour/images/small_classroom1.jpg 9. McLaughlin, N.B., et al., Comparison of Energy Inputs for Inorganic Fertilizer and Manure based Corn Production Canadian Agricultural Engineering.  Vol. 42, No 1, 2000. 8