Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day. Founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, WI, it brought the environment to the forefront of awareness – on both personal and political levels. It also led to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1990, Earth Day went global, with 5,000 environmental groups in 84 countries participating.¹

There are more and more creative ways to reuse, recycle, and repurpose our waste products. Many of these solutions are being developed globally. “My Shelter Foundation,” based in the Philippines, uses recycled plastic bottles as solar light bulbs in the project, “Liter of Light.”² In parts of Ethiopia it doesn’t rain for as much as 6 months in a row, which makes growing food a struggle. “Roots Up,” an organization based in Gondar, north of Ethiopia, has designed a new greenhouse that will use dew to not only water the plants in the greenhouse, but also provide clean drinking water.³ 

A smog-eating building has been designed to help battle air pollution. Torre de Especialidades, a hospital in Mexico City, is shielded by a façade  made with special air-scrubbing tiles. Milan, Italy, is preparing for a world’s fair and the main pavilion is being constructed with photocatalytic concrete with titanium dioxide, which, when hit by sunlight, will break down air pollution. The pavilion also includes a rooftop solar array which will heat the building during the day.⁴

Wondering what is going on locally this month?

Over the years, Earth Day has evolved into Earth Month, and the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability, along with the UI Environmental Coalition, has scheduled a variety of fun and educational events throughout April. Activities include a Bike Tune Up, Student Garden Open House and a Sustainability Celebration. Visit their website to access the calendar and learn more about the activities. Be sure to like our facebook page and  and check our Twitter feed (@UIEngLib) to find out about all the resources we have here for you!

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.The LEED program encourages sustainable building practices, believing better buildings are “…places that complement our environment and enhance our communities…”⁵ The University of Iowa maintains a minimum LEED Silver Certification standard for all new construction and any major renovations. There are currently eight LEED buildings on campus and four more projects pending.⁶ 

All of the Iowa Universities are working to expand energy efficiency. The UI is implementing “Energy Smart Scheduling” over the summer months. The program “…compacts classroom scheduling and consolidates the use of occupied spaces on campus…” Instead of cooling seldom-used buildings for summer classes, classes are relocated to buildings which need to be cooled. This is the second summer for the program at UI. The first year saw savings of $10,000.⁷

So, what can you do?

Before you till up the weeds to add a garden – look at which weeds are growing and where. Different weeds require different types of soil and studying them can help you know what your soil is like. Some need an acidic or alkaline soil and others thrive in damp, deep and fertile soil. And, when you do pull those weeds, think before tossing them in your compost pile – the temperature of the compost needs to be warm enough to kill the seeds or when you spread that lovely, rich, compost, you’ll be planting new weeds. ⁸

Is disposing of food waste in a garbage disposal more green than putting it in the trash? Generally, a garbage disposal is greener than having food waste end up in a landfill, because a garbage disposal more efficiently turns that waste into energy.⁹ A disposal still uses resources like energy and water, so, an even greener way is to compost food (not all food waste is compostable).¹⁰  The greenest way to deal with food waste, however, is to reduce the waste that is produced!¹¹

Have cockroaches? Use thin slices of cucumbers on a paper towel in the back of cupboards. They are also repelled by bay leaves, pyrethrum and vanilla beans.  Spiders? Leave the daddy-long-legs alone. Their pincers can’t pierce human skin, but they are venomous and when they fight with other spiders – they win. Silverfish like cereal, so put some cereal in a glass jar and put tape around the outside of the jar. The tape will help the silverfish climb in after the cereal, but once they are in the jar, they can’t get out!¹²

 

 

Need more incentive to live green? Here are 12 ridiculously adorable reasons to protect Earth!

 

 

 

Changes are happening globally and locally. Are you making changes?

Remember one person can make a difference!

 

RESOURCES:

1. Earth Day. Earth Day Network. Date Accessed April, 2015.
2. My Shelter Foundation – Global Lighting Project. 2015. Sculpt the Future Foundation.
3. This dew-harvesting greenhouse waters itself. 2015. Fast Company & Inc.
4. Smog-eating buildings battle air pollution. March 18, 2015. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
5. LEED. 2012-2015. U.S. Green Building Council.
6. Energy & environment. The University of Iowa Facilities Management. Date Accessed, April 2015.
7. Iowa universities expand energy efficiency. April 8, 2015. The Gazette.
8. Hanson, James Ralph. 2011. Chemistry in the kitchen garden. Cambridge UI ; RSC Pub. Engineering Library QK861 .H332 2011. 
9. Myth: Putting food waste down the disposal is greener than in the trash. 2009-2015. EcoMyths.
10. What you can and cannot compost. Composting instructions: how to compost at home.  Date accessed April 2015.
11. Crampton, Norman. 2008. Green house : eco-friendly disposal and recycling at home. Lanham, Md. : M. Evans ; Distributed by National Book Network. Engineering Library TD171.7 .C73 2008.
12. Ha, Tanya. 2011. Greeniology 2020 : greener living today, and in the future. Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press. Engineering Library TD171.7 .H3 2011.

 

MORE RESOURCES:

1. Nunan, Jon. 2010. The complete guide to alternative home building materials & methods. Ocala, Fla. :  Atlantic Pub. Group. Engineering Library TH4860 .N86 2010
2. Goldsmith, Elizabeth B. 2009. Green cleaning for dummies. Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley. Engineering Library TX324 .G65 2009.
3. Allaby, Michael. 2010. Plants: food, medicine, and the green earth. New York : Facts on File. Engineering Library QK45.2 .A45 2010.
4. Roots Up for a personal impact. 2015. Roots Up.
5. Global Green U.S.A: helping the people, the places and the planet in need. Global Green, USA. Date Accessed April 2015.
6. Backyard Abundance. 2015.
7. Rodale’s OrganicLife. Date Accessed, April 2015.
8. Earth right now. April 8, 2015. NASA Global Climate Change.

 

 

The University Libraries is pleased to announce that faculty, graduate students, honors students, and P&S staff will now be able to go online (via My Account) and renew annual loans (currently due in June 2015).  You no longer need to bring your loans to a campus library to be renewed on-site.  This service change seeks to provide more convenient access to library collections and recognize the long-term needs of our users.  Questions can be directed to your library liaison or Amy Paulus, Head of Access Services.

This class focuses on tips and techniques for carrying out a successful literature search in support of a systematic review.

Topics include:

• learn to develop a search strategy
• deciding which databases to search
• how to seek out grey literature for a given topic
• selecting journals for hand searching
• documenting search strategies
• saving and organizing references.

This class meets Wednesday, April 22 from 12-1pm in Information Commons East.

Can’t make this time?  Request a personal session of this or any of our other workshops online.

Head Qurs. Co. “A” 129th Ills. Vols.
Raleigh, N. C, April 20th 1865
My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 9th inst. I found on my table to-night on my return from Church, and, as I have not written for two days past & will probably be very busy to-morrow, I will write to-night. I feel very thankful to our Father that you are both [Mrs. Culver and Howard] in reasonable health & trust you may be very soon perfectly well. Good health is one of the greatest blessings our Father bestows upon us. My health has been most excellent with the exception of a few days shortly after we came into this place.

The prospects for Peace are very flattering & possibly by this time has been consummated. Genl. Sherman notified this army yesterday that all had been accomplished, & he was awaiting the approval of the Government at Washington.¹ If Lincoln is still alive, we have no doubts; but, as a doubt was cast around the first rumor & we have no certain information, yet we are much in the dark not knowing what a new Govt. may demand. The probability of the President’s death has cast a greater gloom over the Army than the severest defeat of this war, &, while we fear the rumor may be too true, yet we pray God it may prove untrue.²

We held a mass meeting of the Brig. yesterday to receive Genl. Sherman’s order, &, though every heart rejoiced at the prospect of so soon returning home, yet the occasion more resembled the commemoration of departed ones than the anticipations foreshadowed by the order. Cols. Case, Dustin, Doan, & Genl. Harrison addressed the meeting. Three cheers were given for Genl. Sherman & the Union restored, then every one retired to his Quarters.³ You receive all the news long before we do, as we are very far from our base of communication, &, before this reaches you, you will know all the results of present negotiations.

We have Johnson’s army securely hedged in, but it is not impossible that he might turn one of our flanks and get away should the present efforts fail to bring Peace.⁴ We have gone into camp here & are very pleasantly situated. I am busy with my Ordnance returns & other reports, preparing for our muster out of the service.

I am very much surprised at Mrs. Remick’s representations. I agreed if absolutely necessary to give $10—on the instrument but never thought or spoke of doing more. Do not agitate the matter by raising the question. I am very much grieved over misconduct of that kind. I have overlooked a great deal for I felt deeply indebted to the family for their kindness in my extremity, &, while I have often earnestly desired that the most friendly relations might ever exist between my family & theirs, yet I have no wish paramount to your happiness. I hope I never have, & by God’s grace, I never will lay any restrictions upon your judgment in your choice or rejection of friends and associations. Your opportunities for judging social character far exceed mine. I do not think I ever have informed you my real opinions of the worth or demerits of their society, yet I hope you will not think me unkind or thoughtless. I have thought in my own case that our obligations might be of such a nature as to overbalance everything of self but would never yield at the sacrifice of happiness or even feelings of love of those I love as life itself & better than all else save God. Believe me then, I confide wholly to your own judgment the selection of your friends & associates believing that I can fully enjoy with you all social blessings & believing also in my heart that you would readily yield as much and infinitely more to any request I might make.

I shall rejoice with you to find Howard well & able to creep when I return. I wrote from Goldsboro concerning Asa Alden & presume you have recd. the letter ere this. He is in the Hospital there & is doing very well. We had a letter from Henry Polk to-night from Dwight. I suppose all know he is safe ere this. The boys are all well.

Allen Fellows was in my tent a few minutes ago inquiring the news. As you did not mention Lou’s name, we presumed she was well. He has not heard from her since we left Goldsboro though I have recd. two letters. Bro. John Lee was here to see me this evening; he & Bro. Gaff are well.

We had a good meeting to-night, five at the alter [sic]. God is still with us. Pray for us.

Remember me very kindly to Mrs. Johnson & family. I feel that I owe them much for their kindness to you & their efforts to make you happy. I shall not forget their kindness should I be permitted to return home. Remember me kindly to all our friends. I have had so many things upon my mind all day that I cannot write with that ease I could wish.

By Genl. Harrison’s return, Col. Case comes back to the Rgt. Cris [Yetter] & Nate [Hill] are well. Cris seems to be bored somewhat over Lib Keif’s fortune and his. Nate says he intends to get married & settle immediately. I suggested to the boys that there was one portion of the military drill they should study more closely now: that is the “guard against Infantry. ”

From present prospects, we all expect to start for home in a few weeks. “Home, Sweet Home.” These war worn veterans are well prepared for its enjoyments. I trust in God we may lose none of our numbers before that happy time arrives.

I must bid you “Good Night.” The wind is troubling my candle & will soon leave me in darkness. May Our Father in Heaven bestow upon you the riches of His grace & our hearts’ most ardent desires be speedily granted.

Your affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. On the 18th General Sherman had returned to the Bennett House, where he met with General Johnston and Secretary of War Breckinridge. There he prepared a paper outlining terms for surrender of all Confederate forces still in the field. The terms were very liberal and in general provided for “the war to cease; a general amnesty, so far as the Executive of the United States can command, on condition of the disbandment of the Confederate armies, the distribution of the arms, and the resumption of peaceful pursuits by the officers and men hitherto composing said armies.” It also provided for recognition by President Andrew Johnson of the “several State governments, on their officers and Legislatures taking the oaths prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, and where conflicting State governments have resulted from the war, the legitimacy of all shall be submitted to the Supreme Court.” This agreement, as it touched on both military and civil affairs, would have to be submitted to Presidents Johnson and Davis for their approval. John G. Barrett, Sherman’s March through the Carolinas (Chapel Hill, 1956), pp. 239-40. General Sherman on the 19th had issued Special Field Order No. 58, announcing ,”a suspension of hostilities and an agreement with General Johnston and other high officials, which when formally ratified, will make peace from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.” O. R., Ser. I, Vol. XLVII, pt. III, p. 250.
2. Although it had been announced officially, J.F.C. and many others were unable to make themselves believe that Abraham Lincoln was dead and Andrew Johnson had succeeded to the presidency.
3. Bvt. Brig. Gen. Harrison again commanded the 1st Brigade, Third Division; Col. Daniel Dustin, the 2d Brigade; Col. Henry Case, the 129th Illinois; and Lt. Col. Azariah W. Doan, the 79th Ohio Infantry. General Harrison told the brigade that he hoped the Confederate leaders would not accept Sherman’s “terms of surrender, that we might get a chance to tame the enemy, who had given a terrible blow to the army by this foul murder, and that we might subdue the enemy, and drive the last remains of rebel spirit out of them.” Grunert, History of the 129th Illinois, pp. 236-37.
4. In accordance with the agreement with General Johnston, a line passing through Tyrrell’s Mount, Chapel Hill, University, Durham Station, and West Point on the Neuse River would separate the armies. O.R., Ser. I, Vol. XLVII, pt. III, p. 250.

Cambridge Archive Editions Online presents a wealth of historical reference materials which otherwise would remain unknown, difficult to access, or fragmentary. Considered collectively, this body of documents represents many thousands of original documents of the National Archives (UK) represented in facsimile, including numerous maps, on the national heritage and political development of many countries. The value and discoverability of this content is enhanced immeasurably through CAE’s document-level citations and rich indexing. For many years CAE has specialized in the history of the Middle East, Russia and the Balkans, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and China and the Far East. Now, through collaboration between Cambridge University Press and East View, these materials are made searchable and accessible as never before in e-book form.

Please send additional comments to Brett Cloyd.