Welcome to the Guide to Living and Working Green at Tufts!

Your Guide for putting sustainability into action.

The goal of the Guide is to provide you with helpful tips and information about ways you can join the efforts of the Tufts community to conserve reserouces, reduce our ecological footprint, and foster a sustainable university community.

Environmental stewardship and active citizenship are strong Tufts traditions, and with your help we can continue to integrate sustainable habits into everyday campus life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this Guide. Use our recommendations as a starting point for taking steps to integrate sustainable behaviors into your life. We appreciate your participation and welcome your ideas and feedback!

Among the things a student can do to "go green" is to:

1. Leave your personal refrigerator - use the common refrigerator provided
2. Use the common microwave instead of your own
3. Leave your car home - share rides, ride a bike, etc.
4. Purchase high efficiency electronics (e.g. Energy Star)
5. Plug electronics into power strips and turn them all off when not in use
6. Bring only high efficiency (compact fluorescent or LED) desk lights. Avoid bringing decorative lights.
7. Buy and use recycled products (paper, etc.)
8. Expect to dress for appropriate temperatures (cooler in winter and warmer in summer)

At Tufts, students can also elect to purchase wind power for their rooms. see Get Clean! Power Your Room Green!

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Recycling in On-Campus Buildings

	Please Recycle in Blue Bins: Cardboard, Magazines, Newspaper, Envelopes (Plastic Windows are OK), Paperback Books, Cereal Boxes, Notebooks, Folders, White, Colored and Glossy Paper, and Beverage Cartons. All paper is recyclable. Don't worry about staples, paper clips, binders, etc.
	Please Recycle in Green Bins: #1- #7 Plastics, Cans (tin, steel, and aluminum), Glass bottles, Aluminum Foil and Trays, Empty Aerosol Cans, Aseptic "Drink Boxes", Juice and Milk Cartons, and Empty Photocopier Toner Bottles
	Trash (these items cannot be recycled): Pizza Boxes, Carbon Paper, Coffee Cups, Plastic Bags, Film, Plasticware (e.g. from Tufts Catering), Styrofoam, Paper cups and Plates, "Soft Paper" like Tissues or Napkins
	Need a bin? Ask Tufts Recycles! for one. Contact Tufts Recycles! at 617-627-3810 or email recycle [at] tufts.edu Click here for answers to "how-to" recycling questions..

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Recycle Your Electronic Waste (E*Waste) in Campus Buildings

Ever wondered what to do with outdated technology? It is hazardous and does not belong in the trash!
Computers, monitors, printers, TVs, VCRs, and DVD players should be recycled because they contain mercury, cadmium, chromium, and other hazardous metals and materials. Due to lower environmental standards and working conditions in developing nations like China, India, and Kenya, America's electronic waste is often sent to these countries to be processed, in most cases illegally and unsafely.

Quick fix Leave your old technology in a Jumbo Drop box* at the end of the year. * Broken computer equipment in the Jumbo Drop box should be labeled "Broken". This helps to distinguish between items for donation and recycling.

Outdated computers Try to donate or recycle your old computers before they become totally obsolete. If you wait too long to dispose of your computer, you'll have to recycle, not reuse. The EPA estimates that 75% of computers sit in storage for several years before finally getting thrown away! Contact your computer manufacturer about their recycling program. (Dell, Apple, IBM, and others will recycle your computer for $30 or less including shipping!) Learn more from the EPA's e-cycling website.

Cell phones, batteries, and ink cartridges: Recycle cell phones on campus. Cell phones can be recycled with batteries and ink-jet cartridges in collection containers like this one. Tufts Recycles! donates collected phones to MassRecycle. Almost all batteries (including computer batteries!) can be recycled at Tufts, with the exception of liquid and gel acid batteries (e.g. car batteries) Please put a piece of tape over the ends to prevent a fire hazard. Ink-jet cartridges from desktop printers can be recycled on campus in the cell phones and battery containers.

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Smart Shopping

Remember, the greenest shopping is no shopping. Reduce your environmental impact and buy less stuff. Ask yourself, "Do I really need this?"

Quick fix Dining Services offers a 5 ¢ discount on beverages served in reusable mugs. Dining services sells mugs at Brown n' Brew and the Tisch Tower Cafe.

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1. Eat Less Meat

Eating less meat will greatly reduce your negative impact on the environment. Beef production requires a tremendous amount of water and energy, including all the corn and soybeans that have to be grown--with pesticides and fertilizers--to feed the cattle!

If you would like to eat meat, choose poultry. Poultry production uses less water and energy and creates less pollution. (It's also healthier!)

Buy organic meat products. If you still like to eat beef or other meats now and then, organically-produced meats use sustainable agricultural practices and involve much more humane treatment of animals.

2,500 gallons of water are required to produce 1 lb. of beef. 625 gallons of water are needed to produce an equivalent amount of chicken (based on protein content). 250 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 lb. of tofu. Animal agriculture industries are responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. More on meat and climate change

Tufts Dining Services offers vegetarian options at every meal. Tufts Dining is also proud to support a number of animal welfare initiatives, including 100% cage-free eggs and a sustainable seafood program. In addition, veal - a product often associated with low animal welfare standards - is not served on campus.

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2. Buy Local

Buying local has economic, health and environmental benefits. Local procurement provides an important strategy for curbing sprawl through the preservation of small farms and farmlands. Local food systems are based on direct sales, with no middlemen so more money goes into farmers' pockets.

Food miles matter. The average distance food travels from farm to supermarket has increased dramatically over the past few decades, with current estimates ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 miles. Local food systems cut down on transportation-related fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollutants by reducing the mileage that food travels to the consumer. Read more...

At Tufts
In September 2004, Tufts Dining began implementing revised menus that include a wider variety of locally grown products, including apples, squash and other seasonal New England produce.

At Farmers' Markets
Shopping at farmers' markets is a fun and easy way to show your support for local farms and businesses, while accessing a delicious mix of produce, baked goods, cheeses and more.

• Davis Square Farmers' Market: Wednesdays, 1 to 6 pm. Located just down the road from Tufts at the corner of Day and Herbert Streets in Davis Square (behind Starbucks). Runs May to November.
• Harvard Square: Tuesdays, 12:30 to 6 pm. On the corner of Kirkland and Oxford St., next to Memorial Hall on Harvard's campus. Weekly cooking demos from local chefs! Runs June to October.
• Union Square in Somerville: Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm. In Union Sq. Plaza at the intersection of Bow Street, Union Avenue, and Washington Street. Runs June to October.
• Central Square in Cambridge: Mondays, noon to 6 pm. At the corner of Bishop Allen Drive and Norfolk Street, behind the Harvest Co-op. Runs May to November.
• Copley Square in Boston: Tuesdays and Fridays, 11 am to 6 pm. Along Saint James Ave. in front of the Trinity Church. Runs May to November.

See our local foods page for more info about farmer's markets near Tufts.

More information: Federation of Massachusetts Farmer's Markets MA Farmers' Markets by County National database of local food from farms, CSAs, farmers' markets, restaurants, and grocery/co-ops Sustainable Foods: A Guide to Conscious Eating in the Boston Area: A quick guide to restaurants, grocery stores, farmers' markets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) offering locally produced foods and goods in the Boston area.

At Local Grocers committed to supporting local farmers and sustainable ingredients.

• Wild Oats on Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford (just past Boston Ave.)
  Tufts students, staff and faculty save 10% every Tuesday!
• Whole Foods at Fresh Pond in Cambridge or throughout Boston
• Harvest Co-op in Cambridge
• Boston Organics, home delivery of fresh organic fruit and vegetables and other select organic products
• Pemberton Farms on Mass. Ave in Cambridge, has tons of organic options for food and household items

At Local Restaurants

• Casablanca, Harvard Square, Cambridge
• Centre Street Café, Jamaica Plain, Boston
• Garden of Eden Café, Boston 1
• Henrietta's Table at The Charles Hotel, Harvard Square, Cambridge
• Nashoba Brook Bakery, Boston
• Oleana, Inman Square, Cambridge*
• Perdix, Boston
• Sel de la terre, Boston
• The Independent Bar and Restaurant, Union Square, Somerville 1
• Veggie Planet/Club Passim, Harvard Square, Cambridge

Member of The Chefs Collaborative, a national network of members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine by celebrating local, seasonal, and artisanal cooking.

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3. Choose Organic

Organic food is produced with only organic pesticides and fertilizers, is not genetically modified and does not involve the use of antibiotics or hormones.

Organic products are certified based on production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include:

At Tufts and Local Grocers
Organic whole wheat pasta, legumes, whole grains and tofu can be found at the vegetarian stations in the halls and on sale at Jumbo Express. Many of these producets and more can be found at local grocers.

For greener food shopping, check out the world's largest directory of green and organic businesses.

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4. Buy Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a response to unfair trading practices that have jeopardized the livelihood of small-scale farmers and their employees, as well as the environment in which their products are produced. Fair Trade Certified products guarantee that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product. Every step has been monitored and certified by Transfair USA, a neutral 3 rd party certification agency.

At Tufts
Choose Fair Trade at Dining Facilties. Fair Trade bananas are available in Tufts dining facilities; Fair Trade coffee is served exclusively at the Tower Café, Oxfam Café, and the Rez; and Fair Trade options are available in Brown & Brew, Carmichael, Mugar, Hotung Cafe, and the Campus Center Commons.

Beyond Tufts
Look for products with Fair Trade Certified and Fair Trade Federation labels. Only these products are certified by the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO), indicating that they adhere to the Fair Trade principles.
Ask for Fair Trade Certified products.
Learn More

Fair Trade benefits over 550,000 coffee farmers in 22 countries and 42,000 cocoa farmers in 8 countries. North American consumers usually pay $4-11/lb. for coffee bought from growers for ~80 ¢/ lb. Starbucks CEO's annual salary: $2.5 million Small-scale coffee farmer's annual revenue: $300 M&M/Mars annual revenue: $16 billion African cocoa farmer's annual revenue: $30-$108

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Look for green attributes: Non-toxic (e.g. no ammonia) Not tested on animals Biodegradable Not solvent-based Ingredients from renewable resources (e.g. vegetable versus petroleum) What do words like non solvent-based mean?

Buy laundry detergent that is phosphate free. Detergents are released with sewage water. When phosphates are present, they enter the environment and poison aquatic life.

Look for cleaners that are ammonia free (non-toxic), biodegradable, and not animal tested. These products are not as harmful to the environment when they leach into water and soil, and do less harm to animals in the manufacturing process.

Read How to clean your house without hurting the planet

Some green brands to look for:
Imus Greening the Cleaning
Seventh Generation
Sun and Earth
Method
Ecover

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Environmental Impacts
Cotton is the most pesticide-intensive crop grown in the United States. To make the average cotton T-shirt, requires 500 liters of water and 40g of pesticides.
An alternative? Organic Cotton

Social Justice Impacts
14 million Americans consume water contaminated with agricultural pesticides. Sweatshop workers in Mexico earn 85 ¢ per hour for their labor. In Indonesia, workers earn 15 ¢ per hour.

What can you do?

• Buy fewer clothes!
• Avoid clothing brands that have been known to use sweatshops.
• Donate your old clothes to thrift stores like Goodwill, or buy inexpensive "recycled"
  garments from these stores.
• Purchase at least some items from up-and-coming fair trade brands and makers of organic cotton and natural fiber clothing.

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Online Green Shopping Resources

On your favorite online shopping site, search for "organic" product lines.
Check out
Green Step, "the Planet's Homestore".
Abundant Earth, "Saving the Galaxy one Planet at a Time"