Brown and Green
The Office of Sustainability Newsletter
Director's Message
With the winter holidays around the corner, the Office Of Sustainability would like to wish you a merry and bright end to the semester and to calendar year 2022. Over the course of this semester Brown has continued its focus on longstanding sustainability priorities. Dedicated staff continue to identify new ways to boost energy efficiency and to drive down greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to spearhead renewable energy projects within the state to accelerate the University's climate action efforts.
This fall also saw growth in many new and exciting areas. The Office of Sustainability awarded it's first ever batch of Sustainability Seed Grants. This fund encourages students, staff, and faculty to use the campus as a testbed for sustainability innovation. The Office also hired its first ever Living Lab Manager. This staff member will look to enhance coordination between the University's academic communities and its operational sustainability efforts.
As we near the end of the year, we feel grateful for the tremendous efforts of students, faculty, and staff working in the sustainability space while we remain cognizant of the challenges ahead. On behalf of the Office of Sustainability, we hope you have a wonderful upcoming break and a very Happy New Year.
- Jessica Berry, Director, Office of Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITIES
Sustainability Seed Grants
The Office of Sustainability and The Climate Solutions Initiative are pleased to announce that three campus projects have been awarded seed grant funding from our inaugural Sustainability Seed Grant Competition. Funding this semester will be used to support two student-led programs and one faculty research project which aim to address a diverse range of sustainability topics ranging from fashion and accessibility to methane leak measurement. Read more about the winning projects below.
Quantifying Carbon Dioxide and Methane Concentrations in Providence
Atmospheric methane is the second-most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide in terms of concentration, and more potent as a greenhouse gas when compared to carbon dioxide on a per molecule basis. To implement effective greenhouse gas mitigation policies, it is necessary to understand sources of methane emissions and curtail leaks. Leakage is particularly problematic in areas with aging infrastructure, such as urban centers in New England. The research project, Quantifying Carbon Dioxide and Methane Concentrations in Providence, RI, led by Professor Meredith Hastings, Deputy Director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES), will support the continuous measurement of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in Providence to aid in the calibration of a network of sensors for air quality and greenhouse concentrations across the city, report data that can contribute to baseline understanding for decarbonization plans at Brown University and for the City of Providence, and support goals outlined by the Providence Climate Justice Plan.
Detection and Measurement of Methane Gas Leaks on Brown’s College Hill Campus
Brown’s energy and heating system relies on natural gas which, when leaked, releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. There is currently no system for detecting or quantifying gas leaks on Brown’s campus, despite their massive warming potential. Using detectors funded by the sustainability seed grant, the goal of the Methane Leak Measurement on Campus research project, led by Caitlyn Carpenter ‘25, is to create a comprehensive, living map of methane leaks across the main campus. This data can help inform Brown’s action towards net-zero emissions, and teach Brown students about the prevalence and dangers of this greenhouse gas.
Fashion Sustainability Conference
Brown Fashion Week is an annual event sponsored by fashion@brown, bringing the industry’s most creative and interesting individuals with the intention of informing and representing what the world of fashion is and inspiring what it can be. This year, a main pillar of fashion@brown will be a Fashion Sustainability Conference led by Samantha Martin ‘23, to highlight sustainability in the fashion industry and how it interacts with accessibility. Sustainability in the fashion industry has many moving parts and fashion@brown wants to showcase the work that is being done and encourage the next generation of fashion figures to practice sustainability with intention.
NEWS @ BROWN
Brown Bookstore Highlighted in The College Store Magazine
The Brown Bookstore has been committed to implementing sustainable practices, and was recently recognized for their efforts with a cover photo for the November/December issue of The College Store magazine. The cover photo features some of their upcycled apparel items, and the article “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: College stores are doing it all and more in the campus movement to sustainability” highlights Brown’s collaborations with various upcycle apparel brands, sale of reusable notebooks, and energy efficiency practices.
BEYOND BROWN
Sustainability news you might have missed in Rhode Island, the nation, and the world
Rhode Island News:
Bringing a Sustainable Commute to Everyone
In October, the Rhode Island Governor’s office announced that $250,000 will be used to subsidize the purchase of e-bikes for residents across the state, $150,000 of which will be reserved for those with a low to moderate income. The standard rebate is up to $400 or 30% of the purchase price, whichever is lower. Low- and moderate-income applicants can get rebates of up to $1,000 or 75% of the price, whichever is lower. E-bikes are an excellent option for those who want to make their commute more sustainable and don’t pose the same cost barriers that a car does. However, e-bikes are still out of the price range of many individuals who could benefit from them the most. If you’re interested in learning more about the program, read the article linked below.
U.S. News:
The Inflation Reduction Act Climate Provisions
In August of this year, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which allocates hundreds of billions of dollars to various climate-friendly initiatives. These include the utility sector’s shift to renewable energy, electrifying transportation systems, and environmental justice. In sum, the substantial climate investments of the IRA will create as many as nine million American jobs over the next ten years and could reduce the country’s carbon emissions by about 40% as early as 2030. Read more at the links below.
World News:
Natural Disaster Preparedness on the Global Level
As natural disasters become less natural and more violent due to climate change, hundreds of millions of people across the globe will be forced to leave their homes over the course of the next few decades. The ten most expensive disasters of the past decade have cost the world approximately $998 billion, and these costs, as well as the loss of human life, will only rise if we don’t take action. Assisting low-income nations with building the infrastructure they need to create sustainable and resilient communities will protect against these losses, and preparing for the arrival of climate refugees will help address the impacts that we are unable to mitigate through preparedness.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESOURCES
In November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of version 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), which will be used to make sure that the environmental justice programs are actually achieving their goals. Brenda Mallory, the chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality stated:
“The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool identifies communities that have faced historic injustices and have borne the brunt of pollution so we can ensure they’re some of the first to see the benefits of climate action. This is a major step toward meeting President Biden’s environmental justice goals and forging a better, cleaner future for all.”
This version was created from feedback of the beta version, which was released in August of this year. Updates from the beta version include the adding of tribal and territorial data, additional indicators of burden, and increased accuracy.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Glory Lee, a Brown/RISD dual-degree student, has been working towards a sustainable future with her brand Missing Button, which uses upcycled materials to divert much of the waste that would ordinarily be sent to the landfill and instead give it a new life. This semester, Lee and the Brown Bookstore launched a collaboration where the bookstore provides Missing Button with their overstock and they turn these otherwise wasted textiles into brand new, one of a kind items. As seen in the above photo, they have a wide variety of unique styles that may not receive enough demand as general stock, but are perfect for Lee's brand. The collaboration has proved to be a rousing success, with thousands of dollars of the brand’s products being sold since their release in October.
LOCAL VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
New Harvest Coffee
New Harvest Coffee, a Brown Dining Services vendor, is one small part of University's efforts towards a sustainable and resilient future. They have committed to paying at least 20% more than the Fair Trade minimum for direct trade coffee and they often pay more than double the minimum for certain specialty coffees. New Harvest sources their coffee directly from farmers and, since 2007, they have been building their Source Direct program which allows New Harvest to visit the farms they buy from to ensure “the best outcome for the producer, the roaster, the brewer, and all of our communities.” The program also allows New Harvest to donate to their local communities, so that their loyal customers are also supported. They do this through donating to and hosting fundraisers for nonprofits, especially those geared towards teens, literacy, women's health, and the arts. Learn more about your coffee at the link below!
RESEARCH @ BROWN
Erica Walker, MSc, ScD
Dr. Erica Walker, RGSS Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, has done extensive work with environmental exposure assessments, environmental exposure modeling, community surveying, and community engagement. Here at Brown, Walker runs the Community Noise Lab, which takes a holistic approach towards the relationship between community noise and health by working directly with communities to support their specific noise issues. They do this by situating their work in a real-world setting and using the experiences to inform policy and other modes of tangible change towards reducing environmental injustices. The lab also works with other forms of pollution (air and water), but is rooted in Dr. Walker’s personal experiences of environmental injustices in her home state of Mississippi that is so deeply embedded in our communities and directs the trajectory of our health and well being. Read more about the Community Noise Lab at the link below.
SUSTAINABILITY TIPS
Do you know where to compost on campus?
Currently, our only dining hall where students compost their own food at the end of a meal is the Ratty. However, you can compost on your own by contacting SCRAP, a student-run composting group. They will provide you with a bucket, and you can empty it as needed at the student garden run by SLUG (Students Learning Urban Gardening).
Bike Resources:
For those who prefer to bike through campus, DPS has resources available for avoiding bike theft. In the winter months, remember to protect your bike from harsh weather and stay warm on long rides!
Off meal plan but on campus?
It's easier than you think to eat sustainably while on campus! Brown Market Shares allows students to sign up for weekly or biweekly shares of produce, dairy, meat, eggs, and more. They offer subsidized pricing for those who need assistance paying, and market days are held at Hillel making it convenient for students on campus to access.
When getting takeout:
Invest in a good set of reusable utensils. Many come with a case for easy travel, and since plastic utensils are still widely distributed, this is one easy way to keep excess waste to a minimum.
OS SUGGESTS
Hailed as “deeply felt” (New York Times), “a revelation” (Pacific Standard), and “the book on climate change and sea levels that was missing” (Chicago Tribune), Rising is both a highly original work of lyric reportage and a haunting meditation on how to let go of the places we love.
With every passing day, and every record-breaking hurricane, it grows clearer that climate change is neither imagined nor distant―and that rising seas are transforming the coastline of the United States in irrevocable ways. In Rising, Elizabeth Rush guides readers through some of the places where this change has been most dramatic, from the Gulf Coast to Miami, and from New York City to the Bay Area. For many of the plants, animals, and humans in these places, the options are stark: retreat or perish in place.
Weaving firsthand testimonials from those facing this choice―a Staten Islander who lost her father during Sandy, the remaining holdouts of a Native American community on a drowning Isle de Jean Charles, a neighborhood in Pensacola settled by escaped slaves hundreds of years ago―with profiles of wildlife biologists, activists, and other members of these vulnerable communities, Rising privileges the voices of those too often kept at the margins.
- from the publisher
Author Elizabeth Rush is an elected fellow at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) and Assistant Professor of the Practice of English at Brown University. Rising was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction.