Following the screening, five panelists discussed their involvement in the waste industry and their actions to change it.

- Roger Bail, Operations Coordinator for the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District
- Kyle O’Keefe, head of Rural Action’s Zero-Waste Initiative
- Andrew Ladd, Ohio University’s Recycling and Refuse Manager
- Dr. Geoff Buckley, a Professor in the Department of Geography
- Dr. Michele Morrone, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Science

Geoffrey Buckley, one of the panelists, talks with the audience before the showing of “Trashed.”

The five panelists wait for the beginning of the question and answer session after the showing of “Trashed.”

Current College Green Magazine editors listening to the five panelists.

Dr. Michele Morrone speaks during the panel session.

Dr. Geoff Buckley, a Professor in the Department of Geography, is a teacher at Ohio University and was featured on the panel after “Trashed.”

Kyle O’Keefe, head of Rural Action’s Zero-Waste Initiative, speaks out during the panel session about ways to personally take action for the waste crisis.

Photos: © 2013 Gracie Umana

The red petals of the bloom are actually sepals. Photo by Emma Dean.

By Emma Dean, CG Science Editor

Tolerant of both varying types of soil and sun, it’s likely that you’ve seen the distinctive blooms of wild columbine during its early to mid spring flowering season.

The red petals are in fact not petals at all, but the flower’s sepals. Stemming from the sepals are several horn-like extensions known as spurs. The spurs are tubes that contain the sweet nectar that attracts insects such as bees and butterflies. The spurred sepals directly reference the genus name, aquila that is Latin for eagle, alluding to the bird’s sharp talons.

The inner yellow petals are the flower’s modified petals. A mass of bushy yellow stamens protrudes from the nodding flower head.

In addition to nectar-seeking insects, hummingbirds are particularly attracted to Aquilegia canadensis. The foliage, though, is toxic and deters mammalian herbivores such as deer. In addition, this species is also resistant to leaf miner.

Columbine growing atop a large boulder alongside various other plants. Photo by Emma Dean.

Fast Facts:

• Though somewhat common and unthreatened in most of its habitats, Aquilegia canadensis is an endangered species in Florida.
• Other names for Wild Columbine include Red Columbine, Eastern Red Columbine and Little Lantern.
• Native Americans crushed the seeds and rubbed the resulting product on the hands as a love charm.
• Aquilegia canadensis will readily hybridize with the popular Southwestern yellow columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha.
• This particular species has a decent resistance to leaf miner.
• Aquilegia canadensis  is a larval host for the Columbine Duskywing butterfly, Erunnis lucilius.

Sources:

Missouri Botanical Garden

Native Plant Database

USDA Plant Database

Illinois Wildflowers

Prairie Moon Nursery

American Beauties Native Plants

2013 RecyleMania tournament results released

Ohio University’s Athens campus finished the 2013 RecycleMania Tournament first among the Mid-American Conference (MAC) schools in four categories, according to final results that were released Monday. A total of 523 schools participated in this years tournament. After eight weeks of RecycleMania, OU topped the MAC in overall pounds recycled (the Gorilla Prize), per capita Cardboard collection, per capita Cans and Bottles collection and Food Service Organics collection. These winning efforts resulted in the university’s highest ranking of 33rd in the Cardboard category and 42nd in the Gorilla Prize category in the overall competition. Specifically, OU diverted 425,591 pounds of targeted recyclable materials from the landfill and 157,285 pounds of food waste by composting, with a total of 593,626 pounds recovered, including electronic waste and film plastics. More than 15 pounds were recycled per person on campus.

Read the full article

National Geographic photographs ‘Extreme Green Buildings’ 

1) BedZED: Zero Energy (Wallington, England)

2) Bullitt Center: Living Building (Seattle, Washington)

3) Hawaii Prep’s Energy Lab (Kamuela)

4) BIQ Algae-Powered Building (Hamburg, Germany)

 NASA physicist explains increasing concerns about solar power

Read the full article

Trashed is Thursday from 7-9:30 p.m.

This event is FREE and open to the public! Free refreshments will also be served during the screening.

In celebration of Earth Month, join College Green Magazine at the Athena Cinema on Court Street to watch “Trashed,” an environmental documentary.

Following the screening will be an interactive discussion panel concerning local waste issues featuring:

- Roger Bail, Operations Coordinator for the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District
- Kyle O’Keefe, head of Rural Action’s Zero-Waste Initiative
- Andrew Ladd, Ohio University’s Recycling and Refuse Manager
- Dr. Geoff Buckley, a Professor in the Department of Geography
- Dr. Michele Morrone, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Science

About the film:

“Trashed looks at the risks to the food chain and the environment through pollution of our air, land and sea by waste. The film reveals surprising truths about very immediate and potent dangers to our health. it is a global conversation from Iceland to Indonesia between the film star Jeremy Irons and scientists, politicians and ordinary individuals whose health and livelihoods have been fundamentally affected by waste pollution. Visually and emotionally the film is both horrific and beautiful: an interplay of human interest and political wake-up call. But it ends on a message of hope: showing how the risks to our survival can easily be averted through sustainable approaches that provide far more employment than the current ‘waste industry’.”

Spring Beauty’s flowers have five petals ranging from white to pink in color. Photo by Emma Dean.

By Emma Dean, CG Science Editor

Generally blooming between mid to late spring, Spring Beauty’s five-petal flowers last for about a month before forming an ovoid capsule containing several seeds. The petals tend to range between white to pink, each with a light to dark pink stripe. The flowers each boast five stamens with pink anthers and a tripartite-styled pistil.

The flowers are formed in a raceme, opened and perky in warm, sunny weather, but closed and slightly nodding during cloudy conditions or at night. The raceme sits on top of a flowering stem that is either light green or slightly reddish green. The stem is glabrous or hairless and somewhat succulent. Two grass-like leaves protrude from the mid-region of the stem.

Spring Beauty’s leaves are edible, as is its underground tuber. The root is rich in starch as well as vitamins A and C. Supposedly, the root tastes similar to a radish when eaten raw. Cooked, Spring Beauty’s flavor is a cross between a potato and chestnut. The tuber is somewhat small, but is still eaten by those interested in edible wild plants.

Native to eastern North America, Spring Beauty’s range extends from Quebec to Texas, excluding Florida. The flowers also attract several types of bees such as Carpenter bees or Mason bees as well as many kinds of flies, including Carrion flies and Muscid flies. The insects generally are in pursuit of nectar, but some of the bees also collect pollen from Spring Beauty blooms.

Claytonia virginica creates a pinkish carpet of flora that, when it retreats belowground, does not leave a gaping hole in the garden space. Photo by Emma Dean.

Fast Facts:

• Unlike many of College Green’s featured creatures, Claytonia virginica is native to North America.
• This plant is also commonly known as Virginia spring beauty.
• According to the USDA Plant Database, Spring Beauty is endangered in both Massachusetts and New Jersey.
• Spring Beauty survives in moist to slightly dry conditions, preferring rich loamy soils with plentiful organic matter.
• After the seed capsules have ripened, Spring Beauty disappears from above ground, but does not leave a noticeably large gap in the garden space.
• Supposedly both Native Americans and colonists consumed the underground tubers.
• Southeastern United States is home to a similar species that has broader leaves, Claytonia carolina or Carolina Beauty.

Sources:

USDA Plant Database

Native Plant Database

Spring Beauty

Plants for a Future

Encyclopedia Britannica

Henna is a great all-natural solution to coloring your hair! Photo by Audrey Bonfig.

Now that summer is in the air, it’s the perfect time to try out a fun, new hair color.

But before you pick up that box of commercial hair dye, consider all the damage that it could potentially do to your hair. Commercial dyes are known to be chock full of harmful chemicals and additives that can do everything from stripping your hair to drying it to causing breakage and damage. So if you want to try a different color, try henna instead.

Henna is an all-natural dye that comes from a flowering plant. Henna has been used as a dye since antiquity, where it was commonly used in ancient Egypt, India, and Africa. Henna spread to the west around the turn of the century, when bright red hair was considered desirable and beautiful. Today henna can be readily and easily found and has risen in popularity in recent years.

As far as choosing your henna goes, there are various options. Henna hair dye can be found in cream, solid, liquid, and powdered forms. This particular how-to will focus on the powdered version; powdered henna is the most natural and non-abrasive form of the dye, as it usually contains no additives.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Powdered henna dye (I found mine at the Farmacy), the number of bags
needed will depend on how long your hair is.
• A bowl
• Water
• A plastic bag
• Plastic gloves
• Lemon juice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour your powdered henna into a bowl and mix it with enough water until
the mixture resembles mashed potatoes.
2. (Optional Step) Add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice; the lemon just
brightens the color.
3. Smear the henna around your hair. (Make sure to wear your gloves, henna
can stain your hands if you don’t!) If your hair is longer, clip up sections and
coat them a section at a time, you want every strand of hair to be covered
4. Massage the henna into your hair so it is evenly coated.
5. Tie the plastic bag around your head, this will add warmth and help the color
to absorb better.
6. Let the henna sit anywhere from 40 minutes to 4 hours, depending on how
dark you want the color to be.
7. Rinse the henna from your hair and add a conditioner, do not shampoo.
8. Dry your hair, and enjoy your beautiful new color!

City of Athens to host spring cleanup next week 

From April 22-26, the City of Athens spring cleanup will take place. During the week, residents can place unlimited bags of trash on their curb without being charged an extra fee. Larger items can be placed on the curb for pickup, however, a minimum special haul charge will be applied and building materials, tires and liquids will not be picked up. Residents can call the Athens Engineering and Public Works Department to schedule a pickup of yard waste.
Dumpsters will also be available at the Athens Service Garage  for scrap metal and trash disposal. Residents can deposit large items and scrap metal for free in these containers between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and must show a photo ID or copy of a utility bill that includes their current address in order to verify their city residency. Additionally, a household hazardous waste disposal and paper shredding day will take place on April 27.

Read the full article

National Geographic photographs threatened freshwater environments

1) Night Heron, Anacostia River

2) Drought-Stricken Field

3) Smith Reservoir Drought

4) Fen River Pollution

5) Dead Tilapia

6) Laborer at Waste Water Plant

‘Minute 319′ agreement to restore parts of the Colorado River Delta

Read the full article

Veronica persica often appears as a creeping ground cover and is distinguished by its large blue blooms. Photo by Emma Dean.

By Emma Dean, CG Science Editor

Creeping along the ground, Veronica persica, is easily mistaken for ground ivy, but the plant is unmistakable once it blooms to reveal a pale blue flower with darker blue lines with a light blue to white center. In addition, as the flowering stems mature, they become erect and the plant no longer appears similar to ground ivy.

There are several Veronica species, but Veronica persica has the largest blooms. Veronica pollita is similar in appearance except for the blue flowers being noticeably smaller in size.

The plant will thrive in an area with partial to full sun, moist conditions and rich soil. Typical habitats that Persian speedwell are commonly found include gardens, edges of yards, damp waste area, disturbed or manmade habitats as well as meadows and fields. Being somewhat larger than most winter annuals, Veronica persica does not survive well in environments that are subject to regular mowing.

Not only are the flowers aesthetically appealing, the flowers are also attractive to small bees and several types of flies. Other than that, it is assumed that herbivorous wildlife, such as rabbits, consume the foliage, which is not known to be toxic.

Of the Veronic sp., Veronica persica has the largest flowers. Photo by Emma Dean.

Fast Facts:

• Veronica persica was introduced from Europe.
• Persian speedwell is found in North America, located in most of the United States and Canada.
• Most of this plant’s growth occurs during the springtime when the amount of moisture is higher than average.
• First recorded in Europe in 1805, Veronica persica rapidly stretched across the world during the following century.
• Veronica persica is known as a weed of agriculture and human disturbance.

Sources:

USDA Plant Database

Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide

Illinois Wilflowers

Go Botany