Student-run environmental groups have the biggest impact

Written by GABRIELLE GROW

Published October 1, 2009

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the greenest of them all? Soon the answer could be UC Davis if the campus maintains the high rankings that have helped it receive accolades from environmental groups.

UC Davis was recently ranked among the top 10 campuses nationally by Greenopia, an organization that rates universities based on a seven-part sustainability criteria including sustainable architecture, recycling and composting. The College Sustainability Report Card scored the campus with a B as a "campus sustainability leader," and Sierra Magazine scored it with an A-, rated 24th out of 135 colleges in its Cool Schools survey.

It is the dedication of sustainability groups on campus that make it possible for UC Davis to achieve such ratings, with nearly all of the work falling on the shoulders of students.

To read more, click here. 

The health care reform bill is the main draw in Washington, but there's another big show soon to come: a bill to protect the climate from global warming.

The bill is the Senate's version of an energy and climate measure the House of Representatives passed in June. California Democrat Barbara Boxer is expected to unveil it Wednesday. It would essentially remake the entire energy economy of the country.

So far, the word is that the Senate bill will be tougher on climate warming pollution than the House version. Boxer wants American industry to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The House bill asks for a 17 percent drop.

Read more by clicking here.

Honing your green skills is part of growing and learning to walk softly on the earth. How many things do you really know how to do in order to increase your green and decrease your carbon footprint?

Here is a list of 100 essential skills for the green do-it-yourself-er.

Essential Food Skills

1. Read and understand product labels

2. Bake bread

3. Make your own bread starter and keep it going

4. Make cheese, yogurt, and kefir from local milk

5. Preserve food by canning

6. Preserve food by drying

7. Forage for local wild foods safely

8. Raise a couple of backyard chickens

9. Make your own tofu,tempeh, and soy milk

10. Eat locally and in season

11. Grind your own flour

12. Grow your own produce

13.Grow your own herbs

 For the complete list, click here.