“Ecology and Language,” Ohio State’s 9th annual Martin Luther King Day Linguistics Symposium, explores “the interface between ecological and linguistic lines of evidence.” It’s tomorrow and Saturday (Jan. 13-14). Details (pdf), including the topics and speakers (including from Ohio State, the University of Chicago, and the University of Kyiv, to name a few).
Month: January 2012
‘Vital in healthy environments’: What does she see in bees?
Denise Ellsworth joins our entomology department as program director for honey bee and native pollinator education. “These insects are crucial to our food supply and play a vital role in healthy environments,” she says. “I’ll be working to support and teach beekeepers, farmers, and gardeners through a variety of workshops, written materials, and electronic resources. Keeping honey bees and other pollinators healthy and protecting their habitat is critically important in Ohio.”
Climate change and corn
What does climate change hold for corn? How can we help it adapt? Rattan Lal and Richard Moore, both of the School of Environment and Natural Resources, speak on the topic tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 13). They’re part of a major USDA grant aiming “to keep Midwest corn-based cropping systems resilient in the face of future climate uncertainties.” (3:30 p.m., 244 Kottman Hall, Columbus; video link to 121 Fisher Auditorium, OARDC, Wooster. Sponsor: Environmental Sciences Graduate Program.)
Local foods, sustainable foods?
Jeff Sharp, School of Environment and Natural Resources, presents “Critical Thoughts on Local Food System Movement and Goals,” tomorrow (Jan. 12) at 3:30 p.m. Details. Read about some of his past work here and here.
‘Overwhelming scientific evidence’
Couldn’t make Dan Herms’ talk (“Earth Is Warming and We’re the Cause”) this past Friday? The screencast is now available. Watch (computer slides plus audio narration, 59:44).
Spotlight on soluble phosphorus
A meeting set for Jan. 17 in Columbus looks at ways to cut soluble phosphorus in surface water. Experts from our college (from OARDC, OSU Extension, and Ohio Sea Grant) are some of the speakers. Complete list here (pdf). Why the interest? Excess soluble P can run off into surface water and cause harmful algae blooms, such as the one shown here (shot at Catawba Island, Ohio, on Lake Erie in 2009). Note: Register by this coming Tuesday (Jan. 10) and save $10.
The earth is warming: Are we the cause?
Dan Herms, new interim chair of our entomology department and an expert on insect-plant phenology, presents “The Earth Is Warming and We’re the Cause: An Overview of the Evidence for Anthropogenic Climate Change” tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 6) at 3:30 p.m. Where: 244 Kottman Hall on our Columbus campus, or by video link in 121 Fisher Auditorium at OARDC in Wooster. It’s part of the Environmental Science Graduate Program’s winter seminar series.
‘Sowing the seeds of food sovereignty’
Scientists from our college will give a dozen of the 70-plus workshops at next month’s Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association annual conference. They’re in good company — it’s the biggest sustainable food and farm conference in the state.
How can beneficial insects, such as this orchard bee, help farmers grow vegetables better? It’s just one of many topics …
Throw it in the right bin!
We’ve all seen it: people throwing away plastic bottles in the trash can, when they should be putting them in the recycling bin. Why do they do this? Do they not realize how much of an impact they will have on the environment? Do they not realize how much of a difference they could make? Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees. With over 50,000 undergraduate students, just think of how much of a difference Ohio State could make! It is for this reason that Ohio State needs to set the standard for other colleges around the country.
Recycling at Ohio State is easy and effective with the All-In-One recycling program. We conducted a survey at three residence halls on campus. From the results of our survey, we were able to conclude that students believe recycling is easy, well-displayed and important to the environment. So why do students throw stuff away in the wrong bin!?
We wanted to answer the following questions: 1) How can we raise student awareness 2) How can we create a more effective recycling program? 3) How can we persuade and inform students to recycle more? To make the recycling program more effective and to eliminate recycling confusion, we propose a few new ideas: New colored lids, shadow boxes above bins displaying the type of items that can be placed in the bin, and a recycling course could increase the amount of recycling and make Ohio State more sustainable. So next time you go to throw your unwanted recyclables away, please, make sure you throw it in the right bin!
Ohio State's combined trash and All-in-One recycling containers.
Students propose riparian forest on campus
The infrastructure of Ohio State’s campus is slated to change over the next few decades. A central element of this change is the Olentangy River and how it will be restored. This presents an innovative opportunity, one in which the Ohio State community can create a healthy, sustainable riparian forest.
The river is identified as the literal and figurative center of Ohio State’s future campus. Beyond that, however, detailed plans are lacking. Ohio State decision-makers have expressed the desire for natural, green space on campus. We see this as a springboard to propose a riparian forest along the Olengtangy River through campus.
The benefits to the campus community will be many, including health benefits (both physical and mental), social and community benefits, and any number of educational opportunities. These benefits will be evident throughout the implementation and management of the forest.
Plans must be a cooperative, inter-disciplinary effort. Professors can oversee restoration efforts as well as research projects, while both graduate and undergraduate students can conduct these projects. Student organizations and possibly other local schools can be involved in ongoing volunteer opportunities as well.
The chance to make the best of this situation is one not to be passed up. Education, sustainability and environmental stewardship will be championed by this project, making Ohio State a flagship university for ground-breaking initiatives.
Image from the Ohio State Framework plan, http://fod.osu.edu/afp/framework.pdf