With recent media hype surrounding the mind-blowing Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered plane set to travel around the globe, it is clear that this renewable energy source has come a long way since it first appeared commercially in the ‘50s [1].  Over the last century, photovoltaic (PV) technology has developed immensely, playing an increasingly significant role in environmental initiatives to move away from fossil fuels and mitigate climate change.  Unfortunately, opportunities for everyday homeowners to solarize have seemed few and far between.

Luckily for Connecticut residents, UConn has been selected to participate in Solarize U – a program that allows state homeowners to get involved in the solar movement.  Through Solarize U, CT locals can implement PV technology in their own homes at low rates from reputable solar installers.

Interested in learning more?  Here are the top five reasons why you should check out Solarize U for yourself.

1.) Save money on your electric bill

By installing solar panels on your home, you will immediately begin to generate your own electricity.  As you make payments towards your loan or purchase, you will be generating enough electricity from your solar panels to be cash-flow positive.  Additionally, excess electricity produced in your home can be sold back to the grid at the end of year.

2.) Receive the lowest installation rates on the market

Currently, solar panel installation rates range widely from company to company.  How do you know if you’re getting a good deal?  Through SolarizeU, Connecticut residents automatically receive some of the best rates on the market with the programs pre-screened installers.

3.) It’s easy

SolarizeU has created a simple, online process for taking the next steps towards going solar. All you need to do is head to UConn’s “EnergySage” website to get started.

          Step 1: Register online

               – Register and complete your property profile

          Step 2: Pre-screened installers submit quotes online

               – Installers compete for your business

          Step 3: Compare quotes online

               – Pick the best quote for you and save with solar!

4.) There’s no obligation

If you decide against all of the solar quote options, no worries!  Solar installers will only contact you if you so request.

5.) Combat climate change

Climate change has become a major issue on the environmental forefront.  Through using solar power as your home’s energy source, you will be decreasing your carbon footprint and releasing less harmful emissions into the atmosphere.  Help do your part in saving the environment!

Act fast!  The program ends on June 30^th.

If you have further questions, please contact Bernie Pelletier and Kate Donnelly, Solarize U Outreach Managers, at bpelletier@smartpower.org and kdonnelly@smartpower.org respectively, or call the Office of Environmental Policy at (860) 486-5773.

[1] http://www.sunlightelectric.com/pvhistory.php

February 28^th was quite a day for UConn Women’s Basketball. Not only did the Huskies win their second-straight American Athletic Conference regular season crown; Kiah Stokes earned her 300^th block, and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis joined UConn’s 2,000 point club!

Despite all of the excitement, UConn fans still found time to recycle their bottles at the game. This season’s Women’s Basketball Green Game Day was a success, yet again. Volunteers from EcoHusky, EcoHouse, and the Office of Environmental Policy encouraged fans to recycle, promoted future green events, and collected countless bags of bottles after the game. The responses from fans of all ages were enthusiastic and positive. So many of them expressed that they already practice great recycling strategies, which is fantastic to hear, and others appreciated the efforts and devotion of the volunteers to such a great cause.

A big thank you to all of the volunteers and fans that came out to the game and brought with them their excellent approaches to recycling!

Recycling is the law! According to the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, every single resident of Connecticut must recycle. Fortunately, UConn has worked very hard to ensure that recycling on campus is effortless and accessible. Between 2013 and 2014 alone, our recycling rate has increased nearly 2 percent, equivalent to over 50 tons! 

In the past, recycling was a confusing, time consuming task, especially for students in a rush to get to class. If there were no visible recycling bins nearby, one would simply toss their bottle into a garbage can. Even with recycling bins in sight, so many individuals were unsure of what items belonged in what bins, so they would either throw their bottle into an incorrect bin or a garbage can. The problem did not stem from a lack of motive, but from confusion and inconvenience.

New mixed recycling bins are designed to eliminate confusion regarding what items can be placed in what bin. Indicated by the bright blue color and distinct lid shape, these mixed recycling bins are all over campus. With an opening configured for both bottles and paper, nearly any recyclable, including plastics bottles, metal cans, milk cartons, newspapers and magazines, paper, books, and cardboard, can be tossed into this type of bin. It is no surprise that in 2014, 32 percent of the waste diverted at UConn came from mixed recycling. Now, when students are rushing to class, it takes no more time or effort to place a bottle in a mixed bin than it does to throw it into a garbage can.

Despite UConn’s efforts to make recycling timely and convenient, there still exists a lack of knowledge and understanding of the concept of mixed recycling bins to a degree. Many are not aware of the new guidelines, and are still unsure of what can be thrown out where. It is imperative that those who understand the concept and intention of these bins educate those students, faculty, and staff that do not. Spreading the word will make a world of a difference on our campus!

Last month, UConn’s Office of Environmental Policy joined the company of many other universities, large companies and institutions by signing the U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge. The goal of the challenge is to have the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging to increase tenfold by 2018. By joining, UConn shows a commitment to providing charging station access to employees, assessing demand for charging stations, establishing a workplace charging plan, and sharing workplace charging progress and best practices to other institutions. UConn already fits the basic criteria for this challenge with three active Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations and one on the way. These charging stations are located in the Motor Pool parking lot off of North Hillside Road and in North Garage. Benefits for joining the Workplace Charging Challenge include informational resources and technical assistance for EV charging stations, assistance in assessing the feasibility of charging stations, exchange of information and networking with other organizations, and recognition of UConn’s EV charging station progress.

Signing the Workplace Charging Challenge is great for the university as it promotes an initiative we’ve already invested in!

-Chris

Are you the owner of an electric vehicle?  The University of Connecticut has recognized the importance and efficiency of both hybrid and fully electric alternative fuel vehicles.  Recently, grants have been acquired to allow UConn to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations around the Storrs Campus for your convenience!  Currently, there is one EV station in the Motor Pool parking lot off of North Hillside Road, two in North Garage on North Eagleville Rd, and plans to install stations in South Garage in the near future.  The North Garage stations were open for use on Friday, February 6, 2015.  All stations located on campus are free of charge for public use for the first 5 years of operation.  In addition to the campus stations, there are 4 more charging stations in the parking garage off of Dog Lane in Storrs Center, as well as one in the parking lot of the Mansfield Community Center.  These stations charge $1/hour of charging to the public, or a flat rate of $3 per charge for residents with a garage pass.

Not only was February 4^th a great day for UConn Men’s Basketball; it was an outstanding day for recycling on our campus. The Huskies beat East Carolina 65-52 at Gampel, and over 400 bottles were collected by over 15 student volunteers: a win on multiple levels. Thank you to all that came to the Men’s Basketball Green Game Day to support UConn athletics as well as our recycling initiatives!

For those of you who don’t know, Green Game Days take place multiple times a year during football and basketball seasons. The objective of these fun events is to advocate recycling and environmental initiatives to the UConn community.

After entering Gampel Pavillion, fans were greeted by student volunteers who reminded and encouraged them to practice efficient recycling habits. Fans were also given a list of dates of upcoming green events, such as Earth Day Spring Fling.

Along with the volunteers, the UConn cheerleaders joined the cause, wearing green ribbons and wristbands.  Even the Husky Mascot was involved in promoting recycling, sporting an EcoHusky t-shirt with phrase, “Big dog. Small ecological footprint.”

Student volunteers dispersed throughout Gampel to “man the can,” educating fans and ensuring that they placed the correct waste in the correct bins. At the end of the game, all bottles were gathered into bags, and the profits, five cents per bottle, went to EcoHusky to promote further environmental awareness. Again, we offer a big thank you to all that came out to this past Green Game Day. For those of you eager to attend the next Green Game Day, it will take place on February 28^th, when UConn Women’s Basketball takes on Memphis. We hope to see you there!

The UConn Office of Environmental Policy’s blog began in 2011, and has since accumulated over 20,150 views. Covering topics such as outreach events, study abroad experiences, news, and achievements, it has provided students, faculty, and community members alike with a wealth of informative, eye-catching reports. We are only a month or so into 2015, and the OEP blog has acquired more views during that time than all of 2011!  If that doesn’t impress you, you should also know that the blog reached 114 countries last year alone and 131 countries over the course of its existence. Individuals have found their way to the page from a variety of different sources, the top being Facebook and the OEP website. If you have not yet had the chance to read through some blog posts, you are missing out.  Tune in for new posts weekly!

KK Back in the USA

Hello, OEP followers!  After a semester abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, the European Green Capital of 2014, I am ecstatic to say I am back in Husky territory and ready to share the global environmental knowledge I have accumulated over the last four months.  My travels through the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark have shown me a vast range of environmental policy and practices present in Europe, pros and cons associated with different approaches taken towards energy and waste management problems, innovative ideas for incorporating environmentalism in education and across cultures, and much more.  Over the next few months, I will be writing a series of blog posts explaining the most significant experiences I had with sustainability while overseas, so be sure to be on the look out!

To kick off the series, I figured what better a topic to start with than the city that is nearest and dearest to my heart: wonderful, wonderful København.

A Green Nation’s Best Friend

In Copenhagen, they are everywhere.  Sitting snugly in designated train cars, whizzing past traffic jams and slow-moving pedestrians, accessorizing every available lamppost or railing, these masses of metal and rubber have an undeniable presence in Danish society.  Each day, everyone from bright-eyed toddlers to silver-haired seniors, from daily commuters to the Crown Prince, Frederik, hop on these emission-free vehicles with ease, powering through whatever treacherous Scandinavian weather is thrown at them to get to their final destination.  What is this magical environmental speed demon?  The classic, reliable, bicycle!

So why do Danes love their bikes?

As environmentalists, I am sure many of us would like to say the appeal of an emission-free transportation method is the driving force behind the Danish bike trend.  Surprising enough, however, only 1% of Danes surveyed sited environmental reasoning as their major motive for daily pedaling.  61% of responders said they bike because it is “convenient, fast, and easy,” 19% named exercise as their motivator, and 6% said financial reasons made biking ideal (Van Deurs, C.).

These percentages are not meant to be discouraging.  Regardless of reasoning, it is an amazing fact that 18% of all trips in Denmark are made via bicycles.  These sort of statistics should motivate the critical thinkers within us, bringing questions to the surface like “how did the Danish government create such a user-friendly bike system?” as well as, “what do we need to do to replicate such a system in other major cities, like New York or Boston, or non-urban environments like Storrs, for example?”  If this avid biking culture could be transferred to other areas of heavy automobile use, imagine the environmental benefits that would arise!

Making a Bike System “Convenient, Fast, and Easy”

          Creating a convenient bike system is no easy feat.  Walking around Copenhagen and experiencing the bike life firsthand, it seemed every aspect of bike travel was thought out down to the most minor details.  After careful observation and evaluation, here is a list of the top concepts that have made biking so popular in modern Denmark:

Accessibility: The network has an incredibly extensive presence, with an impressive 7,500 miles of bike lanes weaving throughout the country.  This enables riders to travel to loads of desirable destinations both within in the city center and throughout the beautiful countryside.

Safety: Biker safety is key, and is enabled through clearly marked bike lanes, which are frequently separated from roadways by an actual physical barrier.  Additionally, separate traffic lights for bikers assist users in properly understanding right of way, reducing unnecessary accidents.

Integration in Public Transportation: Need to take a cab, the Metro, or S-tog as part of your daily commute?  Have no fear!  Special train cars with bike racks make bike transportation a breeze.  Elevators in metro stations reduce the need to carry bikes up and down the stairs.  Taxi cabs carry attachments that allow travelers to lock their bike to the car and hop inside within minutes of the cab stopping.

The Little Things: Probably some of the most notable aspects of the Danish bike system that enable its success are small, practical solutions to problems of convenience.  Bike racks are ubiquitous, which minimizes the time consuming anxiety of finding a place to park and promotes a quick commute.  Metal ramps line the edges of staircases so users can push their bikes up and down stairs with little effort, rather than strenuously carrying the bikes.  Ledges alongside the lanes allow an easy stopping process at traffic lights.

In addition to all of this, Denmark is a fairly flat country, which makes biking an easy task.

 Food for Thought

            The development of the Danish bike system has played a significant role in decreasing Copenhagen’s emissions and moving the city towards its commitment of carbon neutrality by 2025 (Copenhagen: CPH Climate Plan 2015).  For the most part, however, the initiative was not motivated and pushed to fruition by environmental reasoning.  Ultimately, it was the architectural planners’ constant, proactive thinking of human behavior and the ease with which users could ride their bikes that led to the immense integration of cycling into Danish culture.

To progress to a greener world, I believe we must continue to approach environmental problems with unique and creative mindsets.  Successful policy and project implementation may not always lie in the environmental logic, but in the other underlying positive social motives.

Sources

Copenhagen: CPH Climate Plan 2025. (2014, January 1). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://cityclimateleadershipawards.com/copenhagen-cph-climate-plan-2025/

Cycling in Denmark. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.visitdenmark.co.uk/en-gb/denmark/nature/cycling-denmark

Van Deurs, C. (n.d.). Copenhagen Changing mindsets towards ‘Cities for People’. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.mobiliteit2050.be/gallery/multimedia/presentatiessprekers/camillapresentatie.pdf

Kerrin is a 6th semester Environmental Studies major and an undergraduate intern at the Office of Environmental Policy.

I hope you all enjoyed the winter break, and are as excited as I am to be back for the spring semester. Now that we are living in dorms again, we must continue to think about what we can do to protect the environment, and follow the ideals which resulted in a successful EcoMadness month in the fall.

Every single dorm is equipped with recycling bins situated on either all floors or the ground floor for convenience. It is important not only to recycle items such as cans, bottles, and paper, but to aim to reduce your total waste production. Just by switching from disposable water bottles to a reusable bottle, you can eliminate a significant amount of plastic waste. Not to mention, this can save you money in the long run. On the subject of recycling, UConn also provides bins to recycle electronic waste, such as ink cartridges and cell phones. These can be found in the Student Union, Co-op, and Homer Babbidge Library.

There are also efforts that can be made in order to conserve water while living in dorms. By taking faster showers and washing clothes in one large load rather than multiple smaller ones, we can all save an incredible amount of water and energy. It is especially important to report all leaks and dripping faucets to Residential Life in order to “Stop the Drop.” This is a simple act that can prevent unnecessary water loss.

There are so many effortless ways to conserve energy and water, and save the environment. Make it a goal to turn off lights when you leave the room and unplug electronics when not in use. Now that we are back at UConn for the spring semester, it is of even greater importance that we contribute in any way that we can. Because we attend a university that puts the utmost effort into protecting the environment, we have no excuse not to.

-Christen Bellucci

Hello everyone!

My name is Christen Bellucci, and I recently joined the intern staff at the Office of Environmental Policy. I am a freshman majoring in biology, quite undecided about what career path I would like to pursue. I have explored opportunities such as marine science, medicine, and teaching, all which touch upon my many interests and strengths. I am anxious to determine a clear direction; however, I have lots of time to experiment with these options.

Prior to coming to the University of Connecticut, I attended Hampton Bays High School on Long Island, New York, and graduated top of my class. It was there that I realized my love for math and science, as well as an unanticipated passion for painting after creating a mural within the school. My closest friends refer to me as the “mom,” and I have been told that I don’t have a mean bone in my body. I believe that this is quite an exaggeration; however, I strive to be kind, honest, and reliable every day.

I care deeply about the environment, and am incredibly proud that the university I attend goes to such great lengths to protect it. I am especially honored and thankful to now be a small part of this, and am excited to see what the future holds.