Next school year, Iowa State University will reduce the environmental impact of their on-campus buses.
ISU is adding two new buses – each of which is twice the size of a traditional bus. These buses can run on biodiesel, which produces much less polluting emissions than conventional diesel fuel.
These buses will also help the school save money on fuel expenditures.
Read more from Iowa State Daily here.
The Iowa State University custodial staff has made sustainability part of their daily routine.
The ISU custodians use Echo Mops made from recycled bottles. An estimated 4,976 bottles are reused through this practice.
Additionally, ISU uses LEED products including recycled paper towels, toilet paper and chlorine free solutions.
Read more about ISU’s efforts from Iowa State Daily here.
Iowa State University is working to cut back on their use of coal. The ISU power plant is over 115 years old, and currently uses five coal boilers. The plant will soon cease using its three oldest boilers for coal, and instead will use them to burn natural gas.
ISU also implemented wind energy back in 2010 to cut back on their use of coal. Six percent of the university’s energy needs are met by wind energy.
Coal emits greenhouse gasses and other harmful toxins, including mercury, when burned.
Read the full article about ISU’s energy changes here.
For more information on the environmental impacts of coal, visit the EPA’s website here.
Looking for new winter clothing? Consider some green options.
Many companies, including manufacturers of winter clothing, are now utilizing many environmental practices.
The Iowa State Daily reports that in addition to donating a portion of their sale’s revenue to environmental organizations and research, Patagonia is increasingly using recycled materials for their clothing. To date, Patagonia has made 34 tons of clothing from recycled material.
Other winter clothing companies such as REI and the Mountain Equipment Co-Op also show a firm commitment to the environment. REI hopes to become climate neutral by 2020, and the Mountain Equipment Co-Op uses recycled and organic material in most of their apparel.
For those into Do-It-Yourself projects, National Geographic offers tips for creating your own recycled clothing.
Iowa Environmental Focus 