Happy Green Day!

Today is Saint Patrick's Day, and whether or not you know (or care) that Saint Patrick lived in the 5th century A.D. and is regarded as the most famous patron Saint of Ireland, you'll undoubtedly notice a lot of green today. It's inspired me to put together a personal top ten green list - here goes:

10. Green public "art": Chicago River on St. Patick's Day. Yes, the Chicago Irish contingent actually does dye the River green for today.

9. Green restaurant: Nora, in Washington, DC. Restaurant Nora was America's first certified organic restaurant, given that distinction in 1999 before it was so hip.

8. Green drink: Dr. Oz's Green Drink. Never did I think I'd utter this ubiquitous doc's name, yet alone quote him in a blog, but his green smoothie is both good for you and tastes SO good you won't even want that doughnut in the conference room.

Green UB

The University of Baltimore gets greener. At the end of last month, the University announced a new green roof was being installed on the law school. This roof offers stormwater management, oxygen generation, and will help cool the building during those Baltimore Augusts we love so much. This is the latest in several steps UB has taken to be more sustainable. As UB is building a new structure for the law school, replacing a parking lot, there is another opportunity for the University to get even greener.

Now when will UB let me hold a picnic up there?

Going Green...One Step at a Time

I've been continually impressed by the UB administration's commitment to "going green" these days. I mean, who can't appreciate sunlights, solar panels, and some smart recycling? It'll also be pretty cool to see some gardening on top of the new law school building (http://www.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=3090).

Still, I can't help but think that there is more we can do. In particular, it just seems to make sense that for a campus to really be committed to sustainability, the students--in addition to the administration--need to asked or given an option to get involved.

So this brings me to my first rant of the summer season: printing at UB sucks.

I'm not talking about how the printers are always "warming up" or how the printers like to take their smoking "breaks" and send your print job into cyber limbo. I'm talking about how wasteful printing at UB can be. There is simply too much excess paper caused by the student ID coversheets. I know it seems like I'm being fickle, but hear me out. The often-discarded student ID coversheets swarm the printing desks and overflow in the little recycling bins.

According to UB tech staff I once asked, those sheets are mandatory. You can't turn them off. OK, yes, it's nice to separate your print jobs. And recycling is there--but we can do better. So, borrowing a few concepts I've seen at other universities, I'd like to put these ideas out there for the good techies at UB to do with what they will:

Double-Sided Printing... I don't make printers for a living or even as a hobby (thankfully), but I've seen it done and I think our printers look fancy enough to have this capability. It doesn't really take any longer to complete the print job, it looks more professional/book-like when you get your final paper, and it saves trees by reducing paper use...well...in half. Holla.

ID Watermark on the First Page...Let's see if I can describe this clearly. What I'm talking about is giving students the option to NOT print a coversheet; but rather, to have their student ID automatically printed in small font on the top of the first page of their print job. Now, we know that no one is going to want to print something uber important with a UB ID on it. But if I'm printing out Google maps or a draft, why not? I would also like to think that the Great Printer Wait--that eternal line of students standing in queue for their print jobs--would be reduced even if only a third of students were printing one fewer page.


Alright...rant over. As my buddy Kermit would point out: "It's not easy being green."