5 Unconventional, Sustainable Things to Keep “Earth Month” Going After April

Every day is Earth Day, so every month can be earth month! (Written by BASSP student Carter J).

Happy Earth Month! 🌎💚 (Just a post for the last day of April!)
We hope you enjoyed the Spring weather and the Earth Month activities available on campus.  Following in the spirit of Earth Month, we’d like to try and inspire you to incorporate at least one of these easy eco-friendly habits into your regular life choices.

Many people aspire to live greener, cleaner lives to mitigate the many ecological challenges we currently face today. However, figuring out where to begin can be daunting, and many suggestions provided on lists like this aren’t accessible for everyone. So we’ve compiled a short list of uncommon sustainable choices requiring little time, effort, or money. Each of these items are small, simple changes that you can make to help support the Earth, while also benefiting you. 

Without further ado, here are 5 sustainable life choices that you won’t find on other lists:

1.       Get thrifty 🛍️

Looking to spice up your wardrobe for Spring and Summer? Check out your local thrift stores!

Obtained from Instagram @heavydutyvintage, photo taken at Bon Voyage Vintage

Not only will you discover durable pieces with character that you won’t find anywhere else, but you’ll also likely snag them at budget-friendly prices. By choosing thrifted fashion, you’re making a conscious eco-friendly choice. You’re reducing textile waste and curbing the demand for new clothing production. This means fewer resources are used and less strain is put on our planet. Plus, when you opt for second-hand, it sends a clear message to clothing companies to produce only what’s truly wanted and needed, rather than overstocking on fast fashion.
Thrifting is a thrilling adventure of unpredictability – you never know what surprises you’ll find! Plus, we’re doing Free Markets of Thrifting on campus – we had 2 over the Earth Month events, and will be hosting more for Spring Fest and Dorms Move out. Come bring any spring cleaning donations to the LBA, or find one of the on campus bins!

2.       Chaos gardening 🌱

Not all gardening has to be a high maintenance endeavor. Especially if you plant local species that are already adapted to live in the area without human assistance. 

Obtained from iStock.

Chaos gardening and guerilla gardening techniques have been on the rise lately. The main idea behind these practices is to just throw some seeds somewhere that gets sun and water and wait to see what sprouts! You can try this for yourself by buying some seeds and just tossing them around in a barren patch of dirt or grass to see what magic happens. Just remember to prioritize native species to support local pollinators, biodiversity, and our ecosystems. Be doubly sure to steer clear of invasive pests like these Class A, B, and C noxious weeds!

3.       Don’t wash that yet! 🧺

Hopefully, this doesn’t give you too much of an ick, because I’ll let you in on a little secret.

Obtained from iStock.

If your clothes don’t look, smell, or feel dirty, they’re still fine to wear! If you’re the type to toss a shirt into the laundry basket after wearing it just once, this tip is tailor-made for you. Instead of immediately washing your clothes, consider wearing them for an extra day or two before laundering. This simple change not only extends the lifespan of your garments but also conserves water and reduces detergent use in the long term.

Of course, some items like underwear, socks, and workout gear are best washed after each wear for hygiene reasons. Yet, certain items, like jeans, can easily go several days, and sometimes even weeks without needing a wash. Embrace the ‘wash as needed’ approach to keep your clothes looking fresh while saving time, water, and energy!

Bonus Tip: You can increase the lifespan of your clothes even more by washing them in cool water! 

4.       Carpool Commander 🚗

We’ve all been told to try carpooling, but that’s a lot easier said than done. It’s especially hard to even broach the topic when you have no idea where your colleagues live or what type of transportation they use regularly.

Obtained from @Tanxmir on Pinterest.

Well here’s a tip to help you take charge! You can start by setting up a carpool sign-up sheet for your coworkers and classmates. This simple initiative can serve as a catalyst for organizing carpools and fostering eco-friendly commuting habits. Just pop on to Google to find templates for these sign-up sheets and post one somewhere visible to make it convenient for everyone to participate! Even if you don’t find the perfect carpool partner right away, your efforts can still make a difference by reducing gas emissions and cutting costs for those around you.

Additionally, consider exploring alternative public transit options such as Vanpooling or Vansharing. These services offer additional flexibility and convenience for commuters seeking sustainable transportation solutions.

Furthermore, don’t overlook the wealth of online platforms dedicated to facilitating carpool coordination. These websites provide efficient tools for organizing rideshares and connecting with potential carpool partners.

5.       Relax with your roots 🌲

The last item on our list is really quick and easy so you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO IT.

Obtained from iStock.

Now that we’re finally getting some warm weather, it’s the perfect time to get outside and experience the natural parts of the world. It doesn’t really matter what you do while you’re outside, just get out there and enjoy the sun (or the rain!), smell the flowers, and relax! 

Doing homework in the grass, taking a nap, or reading books under a tree are all perfect activities to accompany a relaxing afternoon in the sun. You could also learn the names of your local rivers, creeks, or forests, or, you could try identifying a plant or animal that you’re curious about! You could even take pictures and post your favorites to Instagram, just make sure you tag us @sustainabilityatcascadia!

In the end, as long as you get some time outdoors, chances are you’ll experience a significant boost in your mental health.

Remember too, sustainability is for everyone! We hope you enjoyed these different ideas, and if you’d like to find a career pathway in this field, come check out our Bachelors of Applied Science in Sustainable Practices, and our new Water Resource Management AAS-T program!

Recycled Art – Non-recyclable Plastics

This series of blogs features guest student author Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this final article in the series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – through non-recyclable plastics! 

With confusion around plastic recycling, another motivation for my capstone project was aiming to find a temporary solution for plastics that are typically not accepted at recycling plants. Plastics with Nos. 3-7 on the bottom are less likely to be taken at recycling facilities throughout the United States. If these plastics are not accepted and end up in a recycling bin, they get sent to landfills. This is also similar for a lot of PLA’s – plant-based plastics – and plastics that are too small to be recovered in the sorting process [1]. These plastics that make into our landfills, oceans, rivers, and so forth, and pose a threat to our environment, animals, and us. These plastics pollute our waterways, get mistaken as food by animals, break down into microplastics (which poses threats we have yet to fully uncover), and so on [1]. 

These pieces were painted on large plexiglas plastics – which are not recyclable.

By using plastics that are generally not recycled, in the creation of art pieces, people can find a temporary solution for keeping non-recyclable plastics out of our waterways and oceans. More education on what plastics are accepted in an individual’s county/processing service are needed, but this is a fun way to encourage people to learn about their local recycling inputs, while also making art and contributing to less harmful waste in our waters. Eventually, it is possible for this art to take off, with styles emerging, and plastics becoming recognized for their art potential, resulting in less plastic polluting our water. This would be a temporary solution until plastic recycling is advanced, and or different packaging materials become the norm, or we find more ways in daily life to use less single-use plastics. While I recognize this is idealistic, I do believe there is potential showing this message by making art with current-day, non-recyclable plastics.  Read the next blog in this series to consider more about reducing consumption and use of single use plastics!

These pieces were painted on large plexiglas plastics – which are not recyclable. These were submitted by Chris Gildow’s class!

Citations:

1. Frost, K., & Goodman, A. (2023, March 29). The inconvenient consequences of a culture of convenience. ASU News. https://news.asu.edu/20181003-solutions-asu-researchers-plastics-pollution-recycling

Recycled Art – Over Consumption

This series of blogs features guest student author and BASSP student Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – by considering overconsumption and making unused items into art!

When looking at the United States’ consumption patterns, it is clear that we consume more than we likely should. Our capitalist economy encourages this behavior, through constant advertising, sales, and the next “best” thing. This leads to many of us owning more than we will ever likely need. Overconsumption is seen in our food purchasing, energy usage, clothes/goods purchasing, and so forth. This takes a toll on the environment and ourselves [1]. With art in mind, I believe many Americans can repurpose and or upcycle their excess items into something great. If these items are in working order, they should be donated or given to someone that needs them, but if they are broken and or unwanted, there is potential in repurposing them into art, or donating them to someone that has plans to.

Devon in the art gallery exhibit!

This concept is reflected in the Japanese practice of Kintsugi, which takes broken pottery and repairs it through the use of lacquer and/or powdered silver, gold, or platinum. This technique embraces the idea that items are prone to breaking, and rather than hiding it, Kintsugi highlights the imperfections of the broken pottery. Kintsugi explores the ideas of loss and rebirth, while repurposing an item that would otherwise be deemed a throwaway item [2]. Conversely, there is also merit in living with more of a minimalistic approach to our lives. While the saying can be cliché, less is more. Studies have shown that a minimalistic approach to consumption can lower stress and anxiety levels, save mental energy, increase introspection and reflection time, and a myriad of other positive benefits [3]. A minimalistic approach can make it easier to get rid of items taking up space, while also encouraging people to think about their household items and consumption habits in a different light. This promotes a repurposing mindset and may result in less overconsumption, and fewer values attached to material items. 

Recycled Glass made into Art!

See some of Devon’s and others’ recycled art in the first blog of this series. https://cascadiaupdates.wordpress.com/2024/01/08/recycled-art-inspiration/

Citations:

1. Wiedmann, T., Lenzen, M., Keyßer, L. T., & Steinberger, J. K. (2020). Scientists’ warning on affluence. Nature communications, 11(1), 3107. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16941-y

2.Deng, C. (2023, Nov 23). kintsugi. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/kintsugi-ceramics

3.Jain, V. K., Gupta, A., & Verma, H. (2023). Goodbye materialism: exploring antecedents of minimalism and its impact on millennials well-being. Environment, development and sustainability, 1–27. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03437-0

Recycled Art – AI Artists…

This series of blogs features guest student author Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. All the opinions and statements are his own. Join us here for this series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – through AI art discussion! 

Another motivator for my capstone project was the recent interest and shift towards corporations/companies using AI art in their promotional pieces and entertainment. This is becoming more common practice, and is concerning for the future of job security in art/entertainment, as well as a plethora of other unrelated sectors/industries. With mega corporations such as Disney – which pride themselves on their art/creations – using AI tools to craft their promotional pieces and parts of their show sets a standard for other corporations, businesses, people, etc. This standard encourages and normalizes the use of AI tools for work previously done by a human, trained in their expertise. 

Corporations utilizing AI instead of specialized workers paints the picture that this is the new “normal”, and that the use of AI should be accepted in the art-space. This is risky behavior, especially from corporations with massive budgets that could very well pay the artists for promotional work, and have done so in the past. Not only does the use of AI art take the livelihoods of artists, but in most cases, its datasets and learning is based on the work of millions of artists, without their consent – creating an IP and copyright can of worms. With AI models learning from millions of pieces of art, corporations using AI programs to generate their art are possibly committing copyright infringement [1]. This creates an ethical, moral, and legal dilemma – all in the name of saving money. Ironically, the legal fees associated with settling lawsuits and settlements could cost more than the savings achieved from utilizing AI art. 

If there is any time for the creation of human art, now is the time to encourage it. With AI art being normalized and encouraged, even for people that are not artists, now is an appropriate time to focus on human art and the people behind it. AI art will likely never be able to truly capture the nuances and characteristics of human art, this is advantageous for artists and society.
Human concepts and new artistic designs cannot be created by AI art currently, as it mainly re-uses and changes existing pieces in its creation. More must be done in terms of laws and regulations surrounding AI and copyright infringement, as well as job protection for artists and other careers potentially impacted/replaced by AI – this was in part the cause of the recent strikes from actors, writers, and more. 

Sustainability vs. AI Art

AI art also relies upon a large amount of electricity and server farms to operate, with cooling and other required infrastructure, all needing electricity and energy to run. While there is no specific data surrounding AI art and the energy requirements(as AI art is relatively novel), expected energy requirements for AI servers and infrastructure could match some heavily-populated European countries [2]. AI computation and its requirements has the potential to take-over cryptocurrencies in terms of emissions generated through use of these services. Opposition of AI art can be endorsed by supporting artists and human-made art, creating your own art, opposing media made with AI, and contacting your congressional representative with your concerns on the implications of AI and AI art. 

Citations:

1. CAIR. (2023, May 2). Ai open letter – cair. Artistic Inquiry. https://artisticinquiry.org/AI-Open-Letter
2. Erdenesanaa, D. (2023, October 10). A.I. Could Soon Need as Much Electricity as an Entire Country. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/10/climate/ai-could-soon-need-as-much-electricity-as-an-entire-country.html

Recycled Art – Inspiration

This series of blogs features guest student author Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – through recycled art! 

The main inspiration for my recycled art capstone project was a documentary we viewed in one of our classes in the Bachelor’s program in Sustainable Practices, with professor Soraya Cardenas. The name of the documentary is called Waste Land, which follows the Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz. Earlier in Muniz’s career, Muniz would work on a piece called Sugar Children, which involved photographs taken of children on a Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Upon viewing the photographs, Muniz wondered why the children photographed seemed so happy, while the adults were the opposite. Muniz realized it was the 16-hour work shifts on sugar farms that changed the adult’s moods. In other words, the sweetness was taken out of them over time, due to intense, grueling work. He realized he could use sugar to recreate those photographs, symbolizing the value of these materials and resources, while also using a medium not commonly seen in the art-world. These art pieces went on to transform Muniz’s career. The act of using sugar as an unconventional medium for art blossomed into using trash for art pieces. 

Muniz’s plan was to spend two years at one of the world’s largest garbage dumps in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, looking to explore the vastness of classicism rooted in the country; to learn from the locals and workers in the area, trying to find the intentions and plans behind his upcoming pieces. Upon meeting the catadores (garbage pickers), Muniz was amazed by the spirits of these workers in unfavorable working conditions. Their spirits shifted Muniz’s plans into a collaborative effort between the catadores and Muniz. Muniz took photographs of the catadores, projected them onto a warehouse floor, and constructed the portraits using recyclables and trash collected from the trash dump. This inspired me to explore using trash/recyclable materials as a medium for art [1].  

With an art medium that is not commonly used, but found everywhere, creativity and improvisation are necessary. In my experience, using trash and recyclable materials in art was a fresh undertaking. Going through the process reminded me of how much waste is generated on a daily basis, even for one household. Additionally, it raised questions around our current consumption habits, packaging amounts, future use of packaging materials, and so forth. 

Art can show us the hardships and beauties present in our society. Furthermore, it can show us the intricacies and inner workings of the minds’ of artists. In exhibits and pieces like Muniz’s work, people can see workers such as catadores in a new light, and with a new level of respect, while also re-imagining art in a fresh, new way, with infinite possibilities. So below are some images from my capstone project art show in Spring 2023 in the Mobius Gallery, showcasing various artists’ art from recycled materials!

Citations:

1. Almega Projects. (2011). Waste land. 

Keeping Community

This article will be more focused on helping faculty and staff connect and be involved in our ‘community’, but we wanted it to be public for students or new staff to learn about how to engage or what things our campus community does, as a culture on campus for Winter 2022! One of the things that’s important in a workplace, community, or center, I’ve always found, is knowing what resources are available to you. We have a lot of new people (friends?) here at Cascadia currently, and so I wanted to share out a bit more of opportunities Cascadia has in various areas to support you in your quest for sustainable, equitable, and happy living.

Lunch Rooms CC1 book sharing shelf – Little Library

Little libraries are all over the Seattle area, and even if you’re not a visitor to these things, you can find all sorts of interesting things and books in them. We have a bookshelf in the CC1 lunchroom, come take a book, leave a book, or other useful things for other employees! I know I’ve gotten some great things from it, and have shared some of my recent favorite reads to that shelf! You can also find old Yours Truly Magazines there!!

Sustainable office supplies: – Refillable Pens and Whiteboard Markers

Our office for Student Learning has a variety of pens for use for staff – and they’re refillable, and made from recycled plastic. They have a variety of color inks and refills, so please take advantage of refilling pens. If you do have plastic pens or writing materials that are ready to discard, consider the Terracycle box in the main CC1 lobby!

Mini-max and waste sorting

Minimax bins are in all individual offices – in place of trash cans. They are Cascadia’s (and UWB’s) joint efforts to reduce office waste – and add a little personal responsibility. You control what goes in the actual “waste” trash bins, and move those to the triple stations in the hallways. Please read more FAQs on this site: https://cascadiaupdates.wordpress.com/2019/03/12/waste-sorting-mini-max-and-faqs/

Compostable Event items – can request compost bins at events

Cascadia also works to reduce single-use plastic or non-compostable items. All our on campus events use compostable silverware, plates, napkins, and (usually) cups! If you want to use those for your event (when we can host them…) please contact our admin assistants!

Access to gym in ARC

The ARC, Activities and Recreation Center, is open to access for Staff, Students, and Faculty for a variety of things. There’s a full fitness center in the lower level, which employees also have access to (with a pass).

Access to Library materials

As a staff, student, or faculty member of campus, you can check out library materials with the UWB/Cascadia library! We also have access to all the library materials for all the UW System libraries! They have more than books too – from videos, media, and more!

Community Reads with the Library

One of the most impactful things I’ve experienced with my time at Cascadia has been being able to participate in the community reads with the library. Each year/quarter, the library offers readings and programming to discuss, learn, and share experiences with powerful readings. They’d love to have you all be involved! https://guides.lib.uw.edu/bothell/communityreads

Campus Farm/ Food Forest

Our open permaculture grounds are pesticide free, and there are numerous spots on our edible campus where you can pick and peruse and forage. Check out our other Grounds and Food Forest blogs on what we grow on campus, open to the public! Our Food Forest just won a national AASHE campus Sustainability Achievement Award!

From Samantha Brown in HR, other wonderful options:

Breath and Relaxation Sessions

Samantha – “I’ve been offering these since 2014 and people find them nourishing and helpful. Sessions are every Monday and Thursday from 11:30-Noon and take place via Zoom. I offer simple breath practices, universal imagery, and supportive language to guide people into a state of greater relaxation and ease. Please email me (Samantha Brown) if you’d like to receive calendar invites. No need to write if you’re already on the invites. The invites don’t mean you need to attend! They just give you the option.”

Wellspring Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All Cascadia employees and their family members have access to Wellspring EAP services. Please view the attached PDF (below) to learn more about Wellspring EAP offerings that are available to you and your family at no cost. It offers comprehensive information and will answer most questions.

wellspring EAP services documentDownload

In addition: Here is the winter edition of the Cascadia College resource list to support mental health and social well-being in the workplace. This list is tailored to employees, though we hope the resources also offer information that could be useful to students and to anybody in their personal lives. This list is not intended to be comprehensive. We recognize mental and social well-being is an individual journey and that there are a lot of quality resources you can access online and in libraries. This list offers resource recommendations only to help you get started and as a reminder that your mental health and social well-being matters.

Mental Health Support list Dec 2021Download

Mental Health website: https://www.cascadia.edu/advising/mentalhealth.aspx

List of Black Therapists in WA

Attached is a list of Black therapists in Washington. This list has been making its way around the community and technical college system, though I do not know its exact origins. Please share with anybody you think may find the list helpful, along with a reminder that all research into the therapists and their pricing/insurance carriers would need to be conducted by those who reach out to individuals on the list.

list-of-black-therapists-in-waDownload

Did we forget anything? Any other resources or things to help our campus community? Please share them with us, or in the comments!

Wetlands Ecology and our Mobile Lab

Tucked alongside the library, just beyond the Cascadia food forest is a colorful little trailer, our mobile laboratory, Mo.  Mo was purchased, renovated, and beautifully redesigned by members of our faculty and students in Chris Gildow’s art class in 2015. Natural Sciences Professor and resident soil scientist, Midori Sakura uses the mobile laboratory in conjunction with her Wetlands Ecology class (ENVS 220) which is held each year during Spring Quarter.  The ecology class is one of the opportunities for Cascadia students to get a Natural Science and an Integrated Learning designation. Our 55-acre restored wetland combined with the Professor Sakura’s expertise in soil science provides Cascadia College students with a unique opportunity to study the inner workings of a wetland in an up close and personal manner.

One of the largest events in which Professor Sakura makes use of the mobile laboratory is the joint campus Sustainability Festival on Earth Day (April 22nd).  The Earth Day lab “It’s Not Dirt” is interactive and informative teaching students and the public about soil science (the often forgotten system) and all of the vast and critical ecosystem services that soil provides. 

In the latter part of May, Professor Sakura and her ENVS 220 students celebrate Wetland Day with a day full of tours and public outreach (to campus and beyond) about wetlands and their valuable ecosystem services. The students conduct tours of the campus wetlands (with her guidance) for students of classes such as philosophy and ESL classes who wouldn’t have the opportunity to “muck about” in the wetlands in their regular class schedule.  They also give public tours which are quite popular since the wetlands aren’t open to the public beyond a short and small boardwalk.  Last year, some folks from the city of Bothell participated in the tour.  Every year (including this one), Professor Sakura has folks contacting her about when the tour will be.  In fact, she has already been contacted by a staff member about the next opportunity to go “off-roadin’ “(as Sakura calls the tours) in the campus wetland.  

ENVS 220 – Wetland Ecology is offered at Cascadia every spring quarter. It can be found on Cascadia’s course schedule. You can learn more at the main webpage!

Yours Truly’s Six-Word Memoir Project!

You are invited to participate in a campus-wide Six-Word Memoir Project brought to you by Cascadia’s Yours Truly Magazine!

 

• Share something about yourself or your life in just six words!
• Submit as many memoirs as you like!
• Your memoir(s) will be part of an art installation at the Yours Truly publication launch event in June!

Join the “Creativity at Cascadia” Canvas site to submit! 

Here are some examples:

“Life is one big editorial meeting.” – Gloria Steinam

“Former Boss: ‘Writing’s your worst skill!'” – Amy Tan

“Found true love. Married someone else.” – Dave Eggers

“I turned 11. No Hogwarts letter.” – Laura Murray

“There are consequences to my color.” – Afua Richardson

 

 

We hope you participate! For more information, email yourstruly@cascadia.edu.

Ending spring quarter, here were the community’s submissions!

Mobile Lab Exterior Graphics Summary

by Christopher Gildow, Art Faculty, Mobius Gallery Director

During fall quarter 2016 my ART 110 2Dimensional Design students began a project to design graphics for the exterior of the mobile lab trailer (affectionately named “Mo”). As a run up to this project, the trailer’s interior had been demolished down to the frame, then rebuilt with a new interior designed by a group at Mithun Architects in Seattle. The exterior was then repainted with white primer.

My class divided itself into three working groups. Over the course of the quarter, they developed draft designs using both paper and digital methods. The process was difficult and technical, with lots of input, discussion and collaboration from all the students. Some of the working drafts are included in this summary.

Near the end of the quarter we decided on a final design – a background of mid tone gray tree silhouettes overlaid with a line of crows flying in an arch across both sides of the exterior. The front piece includes a lightbulb – a symbol of ideas and learning, surrounded by garlands of flowers. The back of the trailer includes the tree background, Cascadia’s logo, and a series of bumper stickers designed by my students.The digital files were sent to Jeff LaVasseur at Vinyl Attraction Seattle to print out into sectional vinyl sheets. The installation of the vinyl sheets onto the exterior of the trailer was completed in the spring of 2017.

Submission Deadline!

The submission deadline for Yours Truly, Cascadia’s award-winning creative arts magazine, is fast approaching!

Submit your poems, stories, and personal essays; your paintings, drawings, photography, collages, pottery, and sculptures; and your original music, songs, spoken word, video essays, short films, and digital creations. The time is NOW!

Deadline: 11:59pm on New Year’s Eve (that’s tomorrow)!

Open to all Cascadia employees and students, alumni, and local-area artists and writers!

To learn more and submit, please visit our Submittable portal. If you’re new to Submittable, just create a free account in a few easy steps and you’ll be able to submit your creative works to us with ease.

Thank you for sharing your creativity with us and for supporting creativity at Cascadia!

all the best,

Courtney Putnam and the Yours Truly students