Month: May 2014

May 30, 2014

bring your own coffee cup…

“GOOD TO GO is dedicated to changing the way New Yorkers enjoy their coffee. We want to improve the to-go coffee experience and reduce waste at the same time.  We are working with coffee retailers, reusable cup companies, local artists, bloggers, journalists and members of NYC government to make this change happen.” ….BUT it has good info + ideas  for anyone who goes out and grabs a cup of joe not matter where you live….we all need to be change agents to make anything happen.  Read about their research and approach to this project. But what I really wanted to show was their cool and enlightening infographic: 

 

 

 

coffee_cup_price_FINAL

May 22, 2014

Stoss Wins Green Education Award!

Fred Stoss (librarian at University at Buffalo) is know in library world for his work in the sustainability area. He has been a long advocate, presenters, writer, and educator in ALA and beyond in the area of greening libraries. Internationally he has been working with libraries in the Caribbean and recently won an award for his efforts:  the 1st  Friend of the Biblioteca Nacional Aruba (BNA, National Library of Aruba) Award for his work with in green education programming, helping to create the library’s Caribbean Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Program. He received the award at the 3rd annual Green Education Symposium Aruba in April.   Read more  here and Congrats to Fred!

 

 

May 19, 2014

Tool Lending Libraries

Don’t you just love that libraries are now lending so many different things for patrons? Isn’t it greener to share tools then buy you own that you might once a year? Tool lending libraries allow patrons to borrow tools or equipment (sometimes for a fee but often free of charge!)   This article in the Seattle Times also reminds u that these types of libraries  “help build community.”  The article notes tha Seattle has a number of these tool lending libraries:

But there is a lot more tool lending libraries in the US and beyond.  Check out the list on Wikipedia if you are curious of one near you.  My home state of Maryland has oen at the Station North in Baltimore and is a good example to check out: you can borrow for 8 days, they ask for donation (even just a $1), they offer Tool 101 workshops and soon will be having workspace for public! And you can even check out their inventory online.

 

Hmm my current state of North Carolina doesn’t have one – someone should get on that 🙂

May 14, 2014

Charney publishes on shifting paradigms of academic librarians

Wonderful read by Madeleine Charney who just published her research study in the Collaborative Librarianship ejournal called “Academic Librarians and the Sustainability Curriculum:Building Alliances to Support a Paradigm Shift”  This article discusses her survey of sustainability LibGuides and follow up interviews with some of these librarians. She finds a wide range of professional work in sustainability by librarians but also the need for librarians to collaborate and learn from others in areas beyond libraries.  Also noted is that library administration needs to realize the importance of having a librarian with sustainability responsibilities.  Don’t miss the list of best practices found at the end of the article. One  of the outcomes of this study was the creation of an ALA roundtable focused on sustainability called  SustainRT!

May 5, 2014

ALA’s new SustainRT now has its first elected officers!

SustainabilityRoundTableExcited that all the hard work to get the Sustainability Round Table of ALA up and running, finally paid off and we are official now with elected officers:

  • Ashley Jones as our Coordinator
  • Madeleine Charney as Coordinator-Elect
  • Treasurer Betsy Evans
  • Secretary Matt Bollerman
  • Members at Large:  Rebecca Aldrich Smith + Eileen Harrington

JOIN SustainRT!

Find out more on our website, and other ways to stay in the loop (thanks to our webmaster Carrie Moran:)

The ALA Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT) is the newest professional forum within the American Library Association. The motion to create a sustainability round table was passed unanimously by ALA Council at Midwinter 2013 in Seattle.

SustainRT was created as a venue in which members exchange ideas and opportunities regarding sustainability in order to move toward a more equitable, healthy and economically viable society. The mission of the organization is to provide resources for the library community to support sustainability through curriculum development; collections; exhibits; events; advocacy, communication, library buildings and space design. SustainRT is open to all ALA members and will include both individual members and organizational members. An interim Steering Committee is in the process of creating by-laws.

Find SustainRT….

 

May 2, 2014

TRASHeBAGS

trashebags-footer-logoLooking for a place to recycle or upcycle all our used coffee bags, I found this site called TRASHeBAGS.I was really excited to read more about this small company that is located in one of my favorite states Colorado as well as :

  • Employs people in the USA
  • Provides occupations for disabled individuals
  • Raises household awareness of upcycle opportunities
  • Makes products from 90% repurposed items. Yes, upcycles trash.

They are looking for items you can donate as individuals as well as looking to schools or scout troops – maybe a LIBRARY? –  to organize a collection.  They have some partners already.  You can read more about them and their plans for the future.  Follow their blog for resources, info and updates too.

joegirlfront_1

Of course you can also check out their  store where you can buy all sorts of cool bags, purses, wallets etc.

totallyehicaljoe

 

 

 

 

(PS TerraCycle is another great place for recycling, er “eliminating the idea of waste” but they are not collecting coffee bags now unfortunately)