The Global Food System

I just stumbled upon this infographic illustrating the global food system and all I can say is wow.

As in, wow it's complex.

Wow, it's convoluted.

Wow, this certainly makes the case for supporting local food systems.

Wouldn't you much rather have a diagram that looks like this: Farmer - Farmer's Maket - Consumer? Or even: Farmer - Consumer? Or even: Backyard - Consumer?

That would look at a whole lot lovelier to me.

See the Global Food Sysem in detail here.

Recycling Works Training for Business

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 28.

That's when the Illinois Recycling Association (IRA) and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will be hosting a free recycling training workshop, "Recycling Works: A Toolkit for Reducing Waste in the Workplace."

The workshop will introduce attendees to the new statewide Online Workplace Recycling Toolkit developed by Shaw Industries. In addition, it features a light lunch and an introduction to the new Springfield Green Business Network.

The agenda includes:

10 a.m. to Noon - Workplace Recycling Toolkit
Noon to 1 p.m. - Light lunch
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Springfield Green Business Network

Sign up by visiting the Illinois Recycling Association website or contact Mike Mitchell at executivedirector@illinoisrecycles.org or 708-358-0050.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local

The benefits of buying fresh, local food are many. For starters, you'll find that local produce is often fresher, more flavorful, and even more healthful than food shipped from long distances.

And by purchasing local food rather than items from, say, California, you're supporting your area farmers and contributing to the success of your local economy.

But sometimes, finding sources from which to purchase fresh, local food can be tricky. Fortunately, the Illinois Stewardship Alliance is here to help Springfield and Bloomington-Normal residents with the release of its new Buy Fresh Buy Local Central Illinois directory.

It's loaded with information on farmer's markets, grocery stores that stock fresh produce and other locally produced food items, and restaurants that use local food.

Download the directory from the Illinois Stewardship Council website and, while you're there, don't forget to check out the organization's Local Flavors lunch and dinner series. It's the perfect opportunity to try out the tasty, local fare Springfield-area restaurants offer.

Rapping for a Greener Economy

Regardless of where you stand politically, this video by Morehouse College graduate Markese Bryant is worth checking out for its inspiring message about taking back our neighborhoods and building a green economy.



"The Dream Reborn: My President is Green" by Markese Bryant from YouTube.

At the Green Center: Green Jobs Webcast

Want to get the scoop on green jobs opportunities and learn about the training offered at Lincoln Land Community College? Head over to the Illinois Career & Technical Education website.

Yesterday, I sat down with CTE Industrial Technology Facilitator Dr. Robert Hotes and LLCC Director of Workforce Development Julie Rourke to discuss careers in energy efficient technologies specifically related to construction. The 27-minute webcast also delves into what Illinois educators can do to expose their students to green jobs and prepare them for work in the industry.

Click here to go directly to the webcast.

Seeing Solar

There are some exciting developments in the world of solar these days. Check out some of these highlights from the past week:

SoloPower just launched a new thin-film solar product called SFXI-i that's lightweight and flexible. It could be the direction solar heads in the future.

Then again, so could Envision Solar's solar groves, 1,000-square-foot canopies of photovoltaic panels that shade parking lots while generating energy.

And the U.S. Government is putting money behind solar too: President Obama announced last week that the government is spending about $2 billion to fund the world's largest solar power facility in Arizona and the commercial-scale manufacture of thin-film solar panels for two plants.

Photo: Wayne National Forest via Flickr

Green News Roundup

Here's a brief roundup of what's going on in the green world this week:

• Research links green buildings to employee morale and productivity (plus green buildings can boost a company's bottom line). (Source: Greener Buildings)
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are under fire for backing out of an innovative home energy program for homeowners called PACE. (Source: Solve Climate)
• The U.S. Department of Energy likes to tell people saving energy is easy, but it's struggling to slash energy use in its own buildings, according to an energy audit released this week. And many of its offices still use fluorescent bulbs rather than the CFLs the DOE promotes. (Source: NY Times)
• Sustainability and energy efficiency aren't synonymous, argues Seth Scott. So what's the difference? (Source: GreenBiz.com)

No More Phosphates

On July 1, Illinois was one of 16 states to begin a dishwasher detergent phosphate ban, according to a recent report from Environmental Leader.

Why does it matter? The phosphates in our dishwashing products are washed down the drain and eventually end up in our waterways, where they promote plant and algae growth. Bacteria increase to feed on the plants and algae when they die, and these bacteria reduce the oxygen available for other water wildlife. (You may have heard the term "algae blooms" before. That's the result of phosphates in our waterways.)

That's why the U.S. banned high phosphate levels in laundry detergents quite a while ago. The always informative Umbra over at Grist explains in this Q&A why dish detergents have lagged behind. And even this change doesn't mean all detergents must have the maximum 0.5 percent phosphorous levels laid out in the new ban, because commercial detergents are exempt.
 
You probably won't see much of a change on store shelves, because most manufacturers are simply offering the usual brands in low-phosphate formulas. Still, it's still best to opt for eco-friendly options for all your dishwashing needs.
 
Why? Because phosphates are only one of many problematic ingredients.

Dishwasher detergents and liquids often contain toxic chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution. And some chemicals such as petroleum, alkyphenol ethoxylates, and ethoxylated alcohols have been shown to harm human, animal, and ecosystem health and contaminate waterways and drinking water. Learn more about ingredients to avoid over at The Green Guide.

As if that doesn't make searching for the right detergents difficult enough, remember that terms such as "natural," "nontoxic," "eco-safe," and "environmentally friendly" are not regulated at all, which means anyone can slap them on their labels whether they're actually better for the environment or not.

Lucky you, we're going to address that very topic on the LLCC Green blog soon. In the meantime, check out Ecover, Seventh Generation, and Naturally Yours, all of which offer less toxic dishwashing products.

Photo: Telstar Logistics via Flickr

What is the Green Center?

Right now I'm in the throes of whipping our Green Center website into shape. It has a great look and some handy information, but it hasn't been updated in a while. So I'm busy making it over to provide everything you need to get informed about the Green Center.

In case you're wondering what exactly the Green Center is and what it is we do, head over to the new About page at our website. There, you'll learn a bit about the mission of the Green Center at Lincoln Land Community college, get the scoop on IGEN (the Illinois Green Economy Network), and even find out about a few terms you might be wondering about.

(If you aren't sure what "sustainability," "green jobs," and "green economy" really mean, perhaps our FAQs at the bottom of the About page will provide a starting point.)

I hope you'll bookmark not only this blog but also the Green Center website, so you can stop back often. Soon, there will be more information on our website than you'll know what to do with!

In the meantime, let me know what it is you'd most like to learn about when it comes to green jobs, the green economy, or sustainability. I'm open to suggestions, so leave a comment below or visit our page on Facebook and join in the discussion there.

Welcome to LLCC Green

Hello! Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many blog posts on green jobs training, sustainability, and the green goings-on around Lincoln Land Community College and the Springfield area.

I'm Julie, the new Green Center Manager at LLCC. I'll be your guide on this blog. Follow along with me for a look at what's happening in the world of sustainability, including green jobs creation and training, business, building and remodeling, landscaping, energy and water conservation, renewable energy (such as solar, wind, and geothermal), local and organic foods, waste reduction and recycling, transportation, and more.

Whew! That's a lot to cover, isn't it? But that's a good thing. My goal is to make this blog informative, engaging, and useful to you in your life, whether you're looking for ways to make your everyday actions more environmentally friendly or are interested in pursuing a new career path related to a growing green industry.

So come along for the ride. And thanks for visiting!