Research Paper

Here is the conclusion to my research paper entitled- Coffee and the Environment: 

A return to the more environmentally friendly Shade Grown coffee is easily achievable if consumers can be educated and then use their purchasing power to persuade farmers, companies and governments to choose Shade Grown over Sun Grown Coffee.  Even though Donna A. Favor’s words were not uttered with the environment in mind, they seem to hold true when considering coffee and the environment: “It’s amazing how the World begins to change through the eyes of a cup of coffee.” 

Research Paper

Here is the conclusion to my research paper entitled- Coffee and the Environment: 

A return to the more environmentally friendly Shade Grown coffee is easily achievable if consumers can be educated and then use their purchasing power to persuade farmers, companies and governments to choose Shade Grown over Sun Grown Coffee.  Even though Donna A. Favor’s words were not uttered with the environment in mind, they seem to hold true when considering coffee and the environment: “It’s amazing how the World begins to change through the eyes of a cup of coffee.” 

Coming to the End of Our Green Journey

So, the semester will soon be wrapping up which means my Contemporary Green Living blog will soon conclude as well. 

My last bit of green behavior will not however end with the conclusion of the class.

I'm going to take my recycling habits, and my ability to debate people with me always.

If anyone has learned anything from reading this blog, its that even a poor college student can have an impact on the environment. You too can impact the world, just recycle bibles and ride in hybrids!   :D 

Coffee and the Environment

So, I am writing my research paper for my Freshman seminar on Coffee and the environment. 

As I've made it very clear in a pervious post, I love clothing. And along with clothing, there is another thing that I love unconditionally, coffee. 

I don't want to give away to much about my paper to anyone from my class that may eventually read this, but I am setting out to prove that Sun grown coffee is detrimental to the environment, as opposed to the traditional, shade grown coffee. 

My advise. Check out the lables on your packaged coffee, or ask your barista. Is your coffee fair trade AND shade grown? 

If it's not, your a communist and you hate America! 

Just kidding.... but really, don't drink Sun grown coffee. 

Clothing

If you have ever met me, then you know that I LOVE CLOTHING. 

I love looking at clothes, talking about clothes, and of course, I have TONS of clothing. 

While having a mountain of jeans and shirts might not be the most "green thing" to do, I at least try and be green with my clothes once I'm done with them. 

Whenever I decide it's time for my gently used jackets, shoes and shorts to go their own ways, I pack them up and ship them off to different charity organizations.

Most of my clothes in the past several years have found their way to the "Boys and Girls House," and organization which rehabilitates children from broken homes. 

So, my materialism isn't just for me... it helps others as well :D 

Recycle at the Rock (sort of..)

So, a requirement for my Contemporary Green Living class is that we volunteer at the "Recycle at the Rock." Recycle at the Rock is a program to encourage recycling of beer bottles and the like during tale gating at home football games. Sadly, my avarice for money lead me to get a job as soon as school started, which requires me to work during each football game. So needless to say, I have not been able to attend  any of these required events. HOWEVER, at my job doing catering in the luxury boxes during home games I put green recycle bags in each of my suites, and I have encouraged ALL of my clients to recycle.

So, I am unable to fulfill my class requirement, but I am still doing my part, right??? 

Water Incased in Boteylerie

So.... I have a bit of a bad habit, in Green terms anyways.

I Love Bottled WATER! It's sick, I know. But I don't think I will ever stop purchasing cases of bottled water and here is why: I AM LAZY.

I have a reusable water bottle, several to be precise. And I make it a priority to wash and use them as often as possible. But sometimes I'm running out the door and my reusable bottle is dirty or not full of cold water and being the self satisfying consumer that I am, I will not go without! 

So, I grab a Dasani or Aquafina (whatever has been on sale) and go on my way. 

My roommate, who is a sustainable development major just shakes his head at me. 

But, I recognize my not so eco-friendly habit, and like anyone with a sick obsession, I'm doing my part to cover up my shame so future generations will never know about it; I recycle! 

I'm a Good/Bad Person

On the way into my math class today, this guy was handing out little books that were turned upside down so you couldn't see the title. I had yet to consume my whole cup of coffee so I just took it and went inside. I then discovered that it was a copy of the new testament of the bible. 

Without thinking, I put my arm out as I walked past the first trash can I saw. I ALMOST THREW A COPY OF THE BIBLE INTO THE TRASH CAN.

I stopped myself just inches short of the trash can (Pat Robertson could have been anywhere in the building). 

So, I had a copy of a book I've read before, and have no intentions of re-reading, and I thought to myself: "What would a responsible person with a blog about contemporary green living do?" 

So, upon arriving back at my dorm, I recycled the booklet in hopes that the word of God could be reused again, and again, and again :D 

Green Disillusionment

So, as you can tell, I'm down with the green. What I'm not down with is idiotic logic. I think that the world is our responsibility to take care of, but I also don't think we should all jump on the band wagon and support every crack pot extremist idea that comes along; Green Washing, remember!!! 

Anyways, what I'm complaining about is organic vegetables. I don't want to call anyone out (so i won't) but that is one concept that aggravates me to no end. May I start by saying that buying organic is a GIMICK. There is no genetic difference between an organic tomato and a non-organic tomato. There is no way to make 100% sure that what you are paying exceptionally more for is in fact organic, and on top of that, what benefit are you REALLY getting from organic foods.

People call me a label-whore, but I've got enough common sense not to pay $100 for a fleece from Diesel Jeans that I can get at Old Navy for $8. Organic foods are nothing more than designer labels for food. 

And don't try and defend your organic fixation by saying its "better for you." Because listen to me, my organic loving friend. You may feel all warm and fuzzy after preparing a meal from organic vegetables you purchased from a local farmers market, but if later that night you go to Cook Out and eat the tomatoes and lettuce on your burger (and I promise you, those veggies Cook Out uses are NOT organic) what happens to all that "good" you are doing by organics if your diet lack consistency. 

I'm all for taking care of yourself and trying to be environmentally responsible but lets use our thinking caps, people! 

A Prious is Green, right??

So, as you most likely know from reading this blog, I'm a student at Appalachian State University. With that being said, its fairly easy to be green on a campus infested with hippies. But, I have recently crossed over to the REALLY green side, and have been driving around in a Prious. 

My Friend Kris drives a black Prious, and we have been taking in the beautiful sights of Boone, NC via hybrid. 

I must admit that I have taken infinite pleasure in watching the dashboard computer indicating when the car switched from battery to engine propulsion. It is quite exhilarating.....  

So, I feel really good about myself after this week. VIVA LA HYBRID!!!

Not so Green....

This last weekend I went home to Charlotte, NC to get a little R&R, and by R&R I mean PARTY! 

While the argument could be made that I contributed to global warming with all the heat energy I produced while dancing when my friends and I went out, I would think that the more likely damage in inflicted on the environment as due to all the driving I did. 

Charlotte is a spread out city. You've got to DRIVE to get anywhere, and sadly, night life does not flourish in the suburbs, so I did A LOT of driving. 

I know that that behavior is not conducive to sustainability, and I offer to excuses. My careless driving makes me no better than...... dare I say it: a Republican.

If it is any consolation, I brought the water bottle I drank the last night we went out home and recycled it.

I'll be better this week! 

R-E-C-Y-C-L-E

I've always been one to try and recycle, but there is something about ASU that makes you want to go into hyper-recycle mode. I have found myself recycling EVERYTHING. (there is a closet on my floor that is full of recycling containers, so there is really no excuse not too.) I have recycled plastic bottles, Pizza Hut advertisement flyers, returned homework assignments, and a flyer promoting a bands performance Saturday night. Everything I use seems to be recyclable..... and it feels like I would be committing a crime by not recycling here. Living in a green building, recycling everyday, using a reusable water bottle, and not driving my car in 3 weeks, I really feel like my carbon foot print has shrank in the small amount of time I have been here..... oopss, I've been blogging, I just used a TON of energy :P 

Does Blogging Cause Global Warming?

Our Instructor gave us the link to the website bellow, and told us to read the article and respond to the question it poses. Does blogging, a term synonymous with social justice, actually contribute to the threat of global warming, something social vigilantes strongly oppose? 

 

The blog "Green Living Ideas" by Scott James, is a collection of tips for "going green" and minimizing your carbon footprint. In his post "Does Blogging Cause Global Warming?" James supplies shocking statistics on the amount of energy that is needed to

run a computer. He includes statistics like the amount of CO2 emissions that one creates by emailing or searching on

google. James even goes as far as to furnish his reader with an equation that allows them to calculate their own

carbon emission; I produced 2.600 mg of CO2 while skimming over James's blog.

 

While the idea that blogging is singlehandedly punching holes in our ozone is "plausible," an environmentally conscious

blogger would do more good for the environment by not driving a gas guzzling SUV than turning off their laptops.

 

 

http://greenlivingideas.com/topics/technology/blogging-global-warming

 

First Post :D

Hello to all! 

I'm writing this blog for my freshman seminar, Contemporary Green Living. I will be discussing concepts we will discus in class, as well as share tips I learn for "living green." Like today, I used a reusable plastic water bottle. I've been using it everyday since I've come to Boone: "30 minutes on the treadmill. 100 years in a landfill."

More tips on how to become an Appalachian Hippie and safe the world are forthcoming!