STU Campus

All throughout our STU campus we come across certain blue recycling bins that are placed in classrooms and I noticed the other day when I was walking to class that students aren’t really aware of which materials to place in these blue bins. I understand some of us might be nervous not knowing which materials to place in these blue bins, but don’t worry because you are not alone.  I believe students weren’t thought the proper way to recycle these materials and that’s why they decide to place them in the undesignated bins, but hopefully by YOU placing these materials in the right bins we can teach others by example and help our STU community become a green campus.The materials that should ONLY be placed in these blue bins are: plastic, cardboard, newspaper, office paper, metal, and glass.
*Action Tip of the Day- Get rid of the Plastic
2.5 million individual plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in the US. Start using a reusable water bottle and just say no to plastic

The Effects

There are major effects that can lead to global warming.  Here are just a few.

• As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate north, bringing plague and disease with them.
• As the temperature of oceans rises, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes
• Increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves
• Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other areas will suffer serious droughts and heat waves.
• It will raise sea levels.
• Melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are fresh water, and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean, or in plain English – make it less salty. The desalinization of the gulf current will “screw up” ocean currents, which regulate temperatures.
• Global Warming could snowball with the ice caps gone. They reflect sunlight, much of which is reflected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the ice caps melt, the only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb sunlight, further warming the Earth.

• Rising temperatures could lead to the extinction of more than a million species for examples sea lions, polar bears, red foxes, many birds and fish, penguins, orangutan

Taking Action Now!

There are many ways to help our planet from global warming.  Here are a few helping tips to keep in mind in your daily life.

• Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
• Inflate Your Tires
• Change Your Air Filter,
• Use Recycled Paper
• Adjust Your Thermostat
• Change the AC Filter, Take Shorter Showers
• Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
• Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
• Carpool When You Can
• Don’t Idle in Your Car
• Reduce Garbage
• Plant a Tree
• Unplug Un-Used Electronics
• Put on a Sweater 
• Air Dry Your Clothes
• Buy Organic Food
• Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
• Turn off Your Computer
• Ditch the Plastic

* Action Tip of the Day-Unplug all electronics when not in use especially your phone chargers, which saves 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. 

Recycling Materials

Many of us probably think we know which materials to place in the recycling bins, but did you know that a large percentage of materials placed in trash cans should actually be recycled.  For example; batteries are categorized as hazardous waste and recycling is always the best option.  Building material like metal (aluminum and steel), wood, and glass, could be resold and reused.  Clinical waste like needles and syringes that can be very infectious. Computers, which can be simply returned to the manufacturer. Paint/oil such as paint, paintbrushes, car oil, and oil filters.  Paper, which can be separated into different groups like magazines, newspapers, office papers, and cardboard. Electrical equipment, furniture, glass, mobiles, printer cartridges, clothes, and cars are just a few ways of helping save our earth from distinction. 

*Action Tip of the Day-Turn off Your- ComputerShut off your computer when not in use, and save 200 lbs of C02. Conserve energy by using your computer’s “sleep mode” instead of a screensaver.

How come?

Have you ever thought to yourself why in November or December in Miami we still do not get any cold weather or why these unquestioned catastrophes are happening all around the world?  Well think no more my friends I have the answer to this questions and it’s called Global Warming!  Carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than it has ever been before. This carbon stays in the atmosphere and acts like a warm blanket, and holds in the heat.  We exist in this planet because the earth logically traps just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very safe range, this creates conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depends on to persist.  As humans we’ve burdened the atmosphere with heat trapping from our cars and the factories that have power plants.  If we do not do something about this now we will experience dangerous temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms that will ultimately destroy us.