Get Schooled on the Environment: U of M to offer more environmental study courses

 Professors at The University of Memphis are teaming up to add more courses in environmental studies to the school catalog next semester, which could lead to the creation of a new minor in the department of interdisciplinary studies.

Although professors are unsure when the environmental studies minor will be offered, they are in the process of unifying courses into a single program.

Professors said the push for more classes is the result of more student interest in environmental issues.

Dawn Wiest, associate professor of sociology, recently received approval for a new environmental sociology class. 

"We are all very interested in strengthening an environmental studies minor at The University and are eager to work together to make that happen," Wiest said.

Erica Christensen, president of The U of M chapter of the Environmental Action Club, said the department of interdisciplinary studies already offers an introductory course to environmental studies. The course also fulfills a general education requirement, she said.

"It's not about hippies or anything. It has a lot of ecology, biology, economics and sociology," said Christensen, senior double major in political science and international studies. "There are many different avenues that it explores, and it gives you a good understanding of what the most important current events are right now."

The anthropology department has been offering the class Health, Culture and Environmental Justice, as well as courses about cultural perspectives on the environment and how tourists affect the environment.

Amy H. Moorman, assistant professor with the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, will offer an environmental law course next semester. The course will focus on federal policies as they relate to air and water quality control, hazardous substances and releases, and national environmental policy, she said.

Moorman said studying the environment is "extremely important" and that the level of student interest in the classes is "very high." 

Reza Banai, regional and economic development professor, is currently teaching a course on planning sustainable cities and regions.

Banai said he was excited to see that the students in the class usually come from diverse academic backgrounds.

"Given that the course is an elective, the enrollment in the course is evidence of student interest from wide ranging backgrounds on the subject of environmental sustainability," Banai said. "And specifically when considered in the context of planning cities and regions, where the majority of the world population resides."

Science programs such as the biology department are offering courses like ecology and environmental issues that will discuss the impact of global warming on natural ecosystems.

The discipline of environmental studies is spreading to the philosophy department, too.

Bryan Smyth, assistant professor of philosophy, will be discussing how people rationalize the way we treat the natural "non-human" world, in his environmental ethics class, which will also be offered in the spring.

"The importance of this lies in the fact that as urgent environmental questions become increasingly global, genuine solutions will only emerge on the basis of a conceptually sound common ground," Smyth said.

The U of M's department of public health is aiming to provide students with strategies for understanding what effect environmental damages have on a person's health. The courses Principles of Exposure and Risk Assessment and Environmental Health describe how environmental quality promotes health and global sustainability.

Wiest said the field of environmental studies has grown in the last few years "because there has been renewed interest in national and international policy circles around environmental issues such as climate change."

"Students should also know that the job market is changing to reflect interest in environmental sustainability," she wrote in an e-mail. "All kinds of new environment-related jobs are being created."

The pursuit of environmental studies is spreading not only at The U of M but also at other colleges in the area. Rhodes College now offers minors in both environmental studies and environmental sciences. One class, Nature and War, examines how natural resources around the world are often exploited by war.

Freshman urban anthropology major Scout Anglin, said she is taking the Health, Culture and Environmental Justice class this semester.

"In the class, we've discussed several issues relating to race, class and health in relation to environmental racism and justice.

"The University is trying to play catch up with the green movement," Anglin said. 

"With the new recycling program and biodiesel projects going on, they are off to a great start, but it would be nice if more of a green presence were around. Offering more environmentally-focused classes is a good way to start."


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Green Eatery Plans to Cushion the Move Downtown for Law Students

 "Local, Seasonal and Delectable" is the motto of Market Café, a new restaurant that caters to environmentally responsible patrons. 

Employees at the Market Café said the restaurant could cushion the move for University of Memphis law school students and faculty, who will be moving to a new location downtown Jan. 16. The café, which is on Madison Avenue between Second Street and Third Street, is about two blocks from The U of M Cecil C. Humphrey's School of Law construction site.

Steve Mulroy, associate professor of law and Shelby County commissioner, said the restaurant was "a great development for the law school and downtown." 

"I believe that there is a market for locally grown, organic food that is affordable for students and faculty," he said. "If the law school can be a catalyst for this kind of development, it will be good for Memphis."

The eatery will serve gourmet-quality meals for $10 per person Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The café's chef, Kjeld Petersen, will create the dining selection from locally grown produce and will change the menu regularly to adapt to regional and seasonal foods.

Ed Bell, manager of the café and a partner of the ownership group Nouveau Memphis, said the restaurant would welcome a fresh wave of downtown students.

"It's not all about the dollars," Bell said. "We want to provide a comfortable environment for students, bankers and attorneys."

As part of its green mission, Market Café has begun the certification process of Project Green Fork's grassroots campaign that encourages restaurants to develop eco-friendly practices, like donating kitchen scraps to local gardens.

John D. Smith, president of OUTLAW - a law school oriented student organization that promotes civil rights for the gay population - said he is looking forward to enjoying a quick bite to eat at the new café.

"Everybody's up to their eyeballs with class and court cases," Smith said. "I'd personally be happy to check it out. We eat what we can, when we can."

Despite the recent loss of businesses in the downtown area due to the recession, Bell is confident that Market Café will weather the storm because of its green principles.

"I think it's a trend across the nation," Bell said. " I think that customers who understand what we are doing here will support us." 

David Wyant, third year law student, said businesses around the new law school would welcome the support from students. 

"People will start frequenting places near the law school," he said. 

"All of the downtown businesses should get a jolt."

Michelle Bliss, recent law school graduate of The U of M, said some students would welcome the new eatery's nutritious menu.

"Law students have a habit of eating a lot of pizza and junk food," Bliss said. "So it is good that there will be a healthy option for food so close to the school."
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From Scraps To Succulent Soil: Local bar gives back to The University's gardens

Kitchen waste from the local bar and grill R.P. Tracks is destined to help the greater good - as compost for the edible campus garden. 

The transport of waste to the compost site, located at the gardens, is less than one mile from its source, ensuring a low-emissions opportunity to supply the gardens with important soil nutrients.

University students working with the gardens will pick up the buckets from R.P. Tracks once a week.

For example, Karyl Buddington, chairwoman of TIGUrS committee, and committee member Kim Wilson, recently hauled re-purposed, five-gallon pickle buckets filled with food scraps to the garden, located on the east side of campus near the Elma Neal Roane Fieldhouse. 

Jeff Potter, the restaurant's general manager and resident head chef, said he is happy to give kitchen waste away to a good home.

"It's a symbiotic relationship," Potter said. "We produce it, and someone else needs it."

To prevent cross-contamination, all leftovers from customers in the restaurant will not be saved for the compost. Only waste produced in the kitchen during food preparation will be used as scraps for the garden.

"Composting is a way to reduce overall waste, which would otherwise go to a landfill," Potter said. "It's a way to give back to the Earth."

The soil in a garden becomes depleted during the growing season because plants feed off macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Beneficial bacteria in the soil break down raw materials to produce these three important soil nutrients. 

The use of real vegetable scraps, rather than chemical fertilizers, supports the survival of the beneficial bacteria that helps establish healthy soil structure. Proper structure allows roots from plants to grow deeper into the ground and have a better chance to thrive.

"The gardens get the compost while it is raw," Potter said. " We're supplying them with the fuel they need." 

R.P. Tracks recently allied itself with Project Green Fork, a non-profit organization that encourages local dining establishments to begin and maintain sustainable practices. Project Green Fork's restaurant auditor, Garrett Minor, is also a student at The University.

Minor, senior business management major, is responsible for uniting R.P. Tracks and the TIGUrS gardens. 

"I feel that the environment is a good thing to try and protect," Minor said. "I think that everyone should be on board for getting campus-wide composting in place."

As a member of the Environmental Action Club, Minor responded to the call for volunteers in the TIGUrS garden. He spoke with Buddington after considering the connection he could establish between the gardens and R.P. Tracks.

"I went out and volunteered to set up limestone paths and I worked for a few hours," Minor said. "Afterwards, I went to (R.P.) Tracks and told Jeff (Potter) that he would have a new person getting the compost." 

As the only intern for Project Green Fork, Minor knows what standards are required for restaurants to maintain a climate of sustainability.

"A lot of people feel that environmentalists and businesses can't be linked." Minor said. "I think it can be, and that's what we are doing."

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MOUSE TRAP: U of M explores chemical impact on mice offspring

Two University of Memphis psychologists are testing possibly toxic chemicals on pregnant mice and their offspring this semester to learn how chemicals in plastics affect humans.

Behavioral psychologist Helen Joan Sable and her graduate student, Jenna Nelms, are studying the possible toxic neurological effects of bisphenol A, or BPA, on the furry rodents. The chemical is found in a wide variety of common products, including plastic bottles, soda cans and children's toys. 

The psychologists are concerned that BPA can leech out of some plastic containers when exposed to heat or to cleaning agents like detergents. 

Sable said the study, which is in its initial phase, will examine the offspring to see if they show any signs of abnormal behavior or neurological problems as they develop into adulthood. The study will also test the mice for any signs of depression or anxiety.

Sable said the doses given to the pregnant mice are "well below" the Environmental Protection Agency's required levels and are considered relatively harmless.

"These are doses that produce no obvious effects on the mice at all - they don't have any birth defects," she said. 

A study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program in 2008 showed that low doses of BPA provided "limited evidence for adverse effects on development in laboratory animals."

But other studies have found that BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it acts like estrogen in the body and can lead to unnatural changes in hormone levels.

A hormonal disruption produced by foreign estrogenic chemicals, also called xenoestrogens, may lead to serious health problems such as an increased risk of infertility, breast and prostate cancer, and impairments to the brain's structure and function during fetal development.

While the full effect of BPA on humans is still unclear, products with BPA can be found in many products like bottled containers, plastic cutlery, printer ink, recycled paper, and especially in the epoxy - an adhesive substance - contained within canned food items.

Water bottles are one of the most used products with BPA around the world. In the United States alone, roughly two million water bottles are used every five minutes.

Sable said students should buy a BPA-free bottle or use a stainless steel container to hold their water, just in case.

Liel White, senior nursing major, said she had used the same water bottle "two or three times" and had washed the container with detergent before she found out about BPA. 

"I am not using water bottles over again," White said. "I don't usually buy a lot of water bottles - I use a Nalgene, which is a reusable jug."

There are a few ways to reduce exposure to chemicals like BPA. When cooking food, use metal or wooden utensils. Ceramic or glass containers are best when reheating food. 

Students can also switch to BPA-free containers for beverages and food items at home or for take out from restaurants.

Childrens' toys, bottles and pacifiers can also be checked for a BPA-free label.

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Midtown Shop Shifts Into Gear

Some students are shifting gears this semester and revolutionizing the way they use transportation.

The Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop in Midtown is teaching volunteers how to build and maintain their own bikes using recycled bicycle parts. 

"The emphasis here is on community," said Kyle Wagenschutz, director of the nonprofit organization. "One of the goals of the bike shop is to create a community of people who know each other through cycling." 

Revolutions is located in the basement of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ in the Cooper-Young area. Students can become members by volunteering a minimum of 10 hours and paying an annual $40 fee. Membership includes free bike maintenance year-round. 

"The whole concept is genius, and I would recommend anyone to go down there and check it out for yourself," said Jordan Rogers, senior international business major. 

Rogers became a member of Revolutions in May of this year. He built his bike there in two weeks.

"It's been a great experience," Rogers said. "For people who don't have $500 to buy a bike, there is Revolutions, and it only costs $40 to become a member." 

The $40 fee goes toward paying for bike cables, grease and other small necessities for keeping the shop running, such as light bulbs.

Wagenschutz, a graduate student in city and regional planning at The University of Memphis, said he bikes 16 to 17 miles round-trip to school each day.

"It can be done," he said. 

He began as a volunteer three years ago. He learned how to construct and maintain a bicycle from the ground up and soon became a member.

"The cycling community is actually a lot bigger than people in Memphis think it is," Wagenschutz said.

George Boyington, freshman criminology major, rides his three-wheeler bike to and from his dorm room in Richardson Towers. "I have not heard of [Revolutions] but it sounds pretty cool," he said. 

"I love my bike," said Boyington. "You don't have to worry about parking. Just leave your car in one place and you can go to all of your classes, and you can get there a whole lot faster."

The momentum fueling Revolutions comes from its founder Anthony Siracusa, a recent graduate of Rhodes College. 

"Anthony began fixing bikes for free at the age of 16 because he wanted to provide bikes to the poor," Wagenschutz said. "He is the biggest force behind improving the bike culture in Memphis."

In the last two months Wagenschutz has taken "the reigns of the beast" while Siracusa has been out of the country, he said. 

Siracusa received a grant upon his graduation to travel the world and study differing bike cultures. Siracusa is currently abroad in Amsterdam.

"The focus [of Revolutions] has always been on recycling, but we are not going to let people leave here without having an interaction with others and learning something," Wagenschutz said.

Memphis is not yet a very bike-friendly city in the U.S., he said. 

"Revolutions' goal is to make a positive impact on our community, one bicyclist at a time," he said.

The shop has impacted Senior psychology major Nadia Rachel.

"The best thing about [Revolutions] is that you can custom build your own bike, " she said. "You can ride your bike everywhere, whether you are going to class or you are going to grab a bite to eat."

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TOP 5 GREENOVATIVE TIPS

True-blue Tigers can explore their green side and save the environment at the same time. Take a minute to think about all of the different products one student consumes in a day. Then add all of the trash that one dorm room generates on a weekly basis. 

The number of students at The University, this fall, is approximately 21,700. The garbage alone that is produced on campus adds up quickly but takes many years to break down in landfills. 

Are your habits adding to the problem or is your eco-conscience guilt-free? Unfortunately, most of us fall somewhere in between. There are many ways to curb environmental impacts. Here are a few tips to help students stay green along the way: 

1 - Learn Why Going Green Should Start NOW

Raise your awareness. Education is the antidote to ignorance. Look up news on local and global environmental issues such as the levels of toxins in the air quality of Memphis or the catastrophic deaths of hundreds of miles of coral reefs around the world due to rising sea temperature. For eco-news, visit motherearthnews.com, grist.com or webecoist.com.

2 - Be Proactive. B-E--PROACTIVE

Find something you really care about. Then, go out and join organizations like the Environmental Action Club here on campus to donate your time and ideas. The E.A.C.'s first meeting will be Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Panhellenic Building room 104. 

Start recycling with your family and friends. If you live in a dorm, ask your resident advisor about starting a recycling program and get your roommates to commit to it with you.

3 - Get Rolling

If you've got a knack for adventure, then consider getting a bike. Riding a bike is a great way to save money and burn calories, not to mention it's eco-friendly. 

"If I think that there is something I can do to reduce my emissions then I do it," said junior economics major, Curtis Gibbs.

Gibbs rides his bike to class everyday. He recommends bicycling.

"It's fun to ride a bike," he said. "Many times when you are in an urban area bikes are quicker and easier to get around on."

4 - Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is

Cast your dollar as a vote. Seek out and support local restaurants and businesses that are environmentally conscious. Customers should look for biodegradable containers, energy-efficiency and kitchens that have a partnership with locally grown food vendors.

The Farmers' Market is hosted by the Memphis Botanic Garden every Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m through Oct. 28. Farms from around the area meet there and sell fresh organic produce. Buyers will find a variety of plants and flowers as well as heirloom fruits and vegetables that are not available in many grocery stores.

5 - Know Your Food

Most people don't know where their food comes from. Often the produce and meat products bought in stores are driven hundreds of miles to get to the shelf. How many gallons of gas does it take for Memphians to eat an apple?

The produce is usually picked before it is ripe, after which it ripens on the truck. If more people begin eating local foods, then the total emissions of the transportation involved will be cut down.

Planting a garden is an easy way to assure that your food has the most flavor and nutrition because it is allowed to ripen naturally. It is not too late to plan a garden for the fall.

Many vegetables like carrots, beets, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, peas and fava beans make excellent fall crops.

Beginner gardeners should try container gardening or raised beds for their first year. Patti Moreno, The Garden Girl, has helpful videos on urban sustainable living at youtube.com/user/GardenGirltv.

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TIGURS In The Garden

Hungry students don't have a lot of time to find healthy alternatives to fast food as they duck in and out of classes. But after this semester, students can pick and eat fresh produce at eight edible gardens on campus - for free.

The Tiger Initiative for Gardening in Urban Settings, also called TIGUrS, will start planting the gardens the first week of May.

The fruits, vegetables and herbs will be grown organically. The committee said it hopes to sustain the environment and provide healthy, local food for students and staff.

Karyl Buddington, committee chairwoman and director of Animal Care Facilities at The U of M, first introduced the idea and is leading the project.

"I would love to see more people with ideas about how we can make this a success," she said. "Can we be a leader? Can (The University) be a model to the rest of the Memphis community?" 

Members of the TIGUrS committee meet and discuss sustainability issues at weekly meetings held at the Physical Plant. The group consists of "diverse and unique people from different departments all around campus," said Randy Buddington, a teacher from the department of sports and health sciences.

He said he is "very excited about the gardens because good nutrition is important to our curriculum."

Horticulturists, professors and Physical Plant employees have laid out a list of priorities, which include securing enough seeds, plants and organic materials to fill the beds.

The University should try to extend its leadership beyond sports, said director of custodial landscaping services Calvin Strong.

"I am a huge basketball fan, but The University of Memphis needs to do something that everyone can get behind, other than basketball," he said.

He smiled and shrugged as he said his favorite sport "neither begins the world, nor ends the world."

Participation through education and awareness within The University and campus school is another goal of the committee.

"I hope it will enlighten (students)," said committee member Kim Wilson. "It's going to make people more aware of the environment and what you can do for yourself. You have to be interested (and) willing to your hands dirty."

Setting up all eight of the gardens will be the hardest part of the project. The digging of plant beds has already begun, just south of Jones Hall and north of Hayden Hall, where cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, savory and nasturtiums will be planted.

The gardens will be located in different areas around campus and will include a variety of different plants. For example, the lawns surrounding the clock near Wilder Tower will have a selection of beets, bush beans, carrots, chives and sage.

Jamie Wells, a student looking forward to munching a few of the carrots, said the gardens will be "very useful to vegetarian/vegan students and it will be aesthetically pleasing."

Basil, cilantro, garlic, hot peppers, parsley, rosemary and Swiss chard will also be planted on both sides of the old clock.

"It will draw more students to be active and plant things," said student Ian Rosenthal. "It's a good thing for the environment."

The gardens will contain companion plants that promote healthy growth and flavor in fruits and vegetables. Edible flowers, such as borage, will attract beneficial pollinators, like bees and butterflies, and add colorful hues of indigo with a mild sweet taste to salads. A variety of pest-repellent plants, like marigolds and nasturtiums, will protect the borders of beds from damaging insect invasions.

Fruit trees, blueberry bushes and strawberries will also be incorporated into many of the planting areas.

"On my way to class and back, I'll be taking strawberries constantly," said freshman Laquisha Walters. "If you are walking to class and there's an apple tree, then hey, grab an apple. It's right there in plain sight for someone to get, and it's healthy, of course."

Crab apple trees are already located near the Life Sciences Building.

The largest garden will be planted near Ball Hall and called the "Urban Oasis."

In the Oasis, students will find a field full of eggplants, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes and other plants like oregano, lavender, flax and bee balm. Pathways and sitting areas will be designed into the landscape to provide quiet places for students to enjoy nature and unwind from the daily grind.

Chastity Pegues, a freshman dentistry major, said the convenience of fresh produce will be "helpful for those who don't have transportation to the grocery stores."

"It will be easy-access for vegetables and things they need to cook," she said. "All students need to come together for some common interest, so I think this will help."

Despite differing opinions on how involved students will become, "(The gardens) can only be positive," said Jamie Wells.

"Most won't (get involved), but there will be a determined minority," he said. "I might even be one of them." 

Pegues said The University can get people interested in several ways, like "letting us know about it, letting us help hands-on, asking our ideas about the project."

Buddington said she looks forward to seeing student leadership in the gardens.

"I want this to be a fun thing," she said. "Many (students) will be excited. Many of them will be watching. College students are incredibly creative people. The best thing about a college student is that they are not bound by preconceived ideas. When you help (them) see the bigger picture, then it gets creative thought going."

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