As temperatures rise this summer, remember to adjust your thermostat accordingly. Increasing the temperature in your office conserves energy as well as saves Yale money.  Below are Yale’s summer temperature guidelines:

Classrooom: Occupied  73-78^o F; Unoccupied  HVAC Off (Temp. Uncontrolled)

Offices: Occupied  73-78^o F; Unoccupied  HVAC Off (Temp. Uncontrolled)

Laboratory: Occupied  73-78^o F; Unoccupied  78-80^o F Night Setback

Library: Occupied  73-78^o F; Unoccupied  78-80^o F Night Setback

If you are not in control of your thermostat and your building is over air-conditioned, contact the University’s Energy Manager Tom Downing at energyconservation@yale.edu.

Saving energy is a major money-saver, too. Below are six easy and inexpensive tips for reducing energy consumption.

1) Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).

2) Reconfigure rooms so that electronic items (such as TVs and DVDs plugged into a power strip) can easily be turned off when not in use.

3) Turn off your computer when not in use.

4) Decrease the temperature on your thermostat in the winter and increase it in the summer.

5) Shut windows in the winter and overnight to reduce heating load.

6) Purchase Energy-Star certified equipment.

If you haven’t already been reading “Yale Environment 360,” Yale’s environmental e-zine about global environmental issues, you should check it out.  The e-zine received two awards this month, the Yale Daily News reports.  Treehugger.com awarded e360 “Best New Science Site,” and the e-zine was named an Official Honoree in the Webby Awards “Best Science Site” and “Best Site for Copy/Writing” categories.  Check out the YDN’s article about the e-zine and the awards here, or visit the site itself at http://e360.yale.edu/.

Sponsored by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Office of Strategic Initiatives and the Yale Office of Sustainability

On Friday May 8, Alex Steffen, the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Worldchanging, will present a talk entitled “Building a Bright Green Future that Works” from 1:30-3:00 pm at Burke Auditorium in Kroon Hall (195 Prospect Street).

Below is more information as it appears on the event’s poster:

Imagine a prosperous zero-carbon, zero-waste, non-toxic, pleasantly urban and yet leafy green community. That’s where you’ll be living in 20 years, if we do our work right. Steffen talks about Worldchanging’s forthcoming breakthrough book, Bright Green, and shows how the tools to transform our cities and suburbs into sustainably prosperous communities are already emerging, and why that transformation will leave us all better off.

Join Alex as he takes us on a tour of the sort of bold answers and innovative solutations that are redefining what’s possible in America… and what’s hopeful for the billions of people struggling for prosperity in the developing world.

1)    Organic Flowers: Send a traditional Mother’s Day bouquet made with organic and eco-certified flowers.  Ask your local florist for organic options, or shop online at places like Organic Bouquet.

2)    Charitable Donation: Make a donation in your mother’s name to an environmental NGO or a charity such as “Save the Children”.

3)    Origins Gift Set: Pamper Mom with Origins lotion, body scrub, or a gift set. Origins products are made with plants, organic ingredients, and 100% natural essential oils. Origins is committed to environmental practices and uses renewable resources, wind energy and recycled materials as much as possible.  Before May 5th, enter “FF” at checkout and receive 25% off.

4)   Eco-friendly Jewelry: Give your mother eco-friendly jewelry from the online boutique Jaszy’s Jewelry, which uses Fair Trade and recycled resources and donates a portion of its proceeds to environmental organizations.

5)    Adopt-an-Animal: For $25, your kids can “adopt” one of 90 animals in honor of Mom. Proceeds support WWF’s conservation activities around the world. For more information, check out WWF’s Gift Center.

6)    Envirosax: Give your mom Envirosax and make it even easier for her to live green. These stylish, extremely compactable shopping bags can fit into even the tiniest of purses, and are super convenient for last-minute shopping trips. From April 24 – May 5, purchase any pouch (set of 5 bags) and receive a Retro Kitchen pouch ($28.50 value) free.

7)    La Chamba Cookware: Support fair-trade practices and give your mother high-quality, all-natural clay cookware handmade in Colombia.  To locate a retailer near you, email La Vida Verde Inc.

8)   Paddywax Candles: Introduce your candle-loving mother to Paddywax’s Eco Collection. These high-quality soy candles are packaged using soy-based inks, hemp twine, and FSC-certified recycled paper.

Want to take the train or carpool to work, but worried about not being able to run errands during your lunch break?  Here are four ways to get around campus:

1) Walk or bike! Getting around campus on foot or bike is easier and faster than one might think.  It only takes about fifteen minutes to walk one mile outside of central campus to bike three miles outside of central campus.

2) Ride the Yale shuttle. To get to locations around campus, East Rock, or the train station, use the Yale shuttle.  For information about daytime routes, visit http://www.yale.edu/transportationoptions/shuttle/dayshuttle.html.

3) Use a departmental bike.   Several departments offer bikes, helmets, and U-locks for errands.  If your department is interested in participating in this program, contact Erin Sturgis-Pascale at 432-3266.

4) Rent a Zipcar. Use a Zipcar for only $8.50/ hour (which includes gas and insurance).  There are 14 Zipcars located at 7 different locations around the Yale campus.

DID YOU KNOW? If every American ate one local and organic meal per week, the nation would consume 1.1 million fewer barrels of oil each week (http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/3l.pdf.pdf).

Work towards this goal by growing your own herbs and vegetables!  The Yale Sustainable Food Project has developed a guide to growing food in small spaces.  Access this guide at: http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/Onlinegardeningguide-final.pdf

Bike to work tomorrow (Friday, April 17) and get free breakfast!

From 7:30-9:30 a.m., join Elm City Cycling and Bru Café outside of New Haven City Hall on Church Street (across from the Green) for breakfast, information, and bike accessories. For more information, email bicyclenewhaven@gmail.com.

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