Greenhawks

Capturing the Last of Summer

Welcome back to Oxford, Miami students! Whether Oxford is a new or familiar place to you, it must be exciting to be here. However, between the excitement of this new time and its accompanying anxieties, it can sometimes be difficult to find space to breathe. This weekend, I took some time to find spots that provide a serene space where you can hit the reset button and take a moment to be still. Here is a series of photos I've collected while exploring natural areas in and around Oxford– and if possible, I'd encourage anyone to take a moment of your spare time to find some calm in the abundant nature around campus!

Sustainable Brands for Athletes

Growing up as an athlete was always tasking. Your body is constantly asking more from you, and you’re doing the best you can to treat it with patience and kindness. You train for hours on end to get one play right. It’s a constant go-go-go with little time to recover.

City of Oxford Makes Strides to Combat Climate Change

On Sept. 3, 2019, the City of Oxford signed the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Now, in conjunction with Miami University President Gregory Crawford signing the President’s Climate Leadership Commitments (PCLC), Mayor Mike Smith will reaffirm this pledge on Sept. 22, 2020. The event will highlight both commitment to taking action on climate change and raising awareness of the sustainable initiatives in our community. I was able to talk to Seth Cropenbaker, Assistant to the City Manager, and Jessica Greene, Assistant City Manager, to learn more about this collaboration and the City of Oxford’s pledges to a sustainable future.

Carbon Offsets: Miami’s Pathway to Carbon Neutrality

As a student enrolled in Miami’s Master of Environmental Science program, I conducted research over the summer of 2020 regarding the University’s impending commitment to carbon neutrality and the steps a university needs to take to produce a viable carbon offset. The intended product of this practicum is a report that administrators at Miami can utilize when implementing carbon offsets.

Community Gardens: A Solution to Growing Food Insecurity in the Face of Degradation

Almost 2,500 years ago, Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Yet with each coming year, people are finding it increasingly difficult to meet their daily nutritional needs. In 2018, nearly 40 million Americans alone were food insecure, meaning they lacked reliable access to a sufficient quantity of food. And this dilemma isn’t disappearing anytime soon, as experts fear that climate change and environmental degradation will only exacerbate rates of food insecurity in the future. Our growing population puts great strain on our food system- a system built on unsustainable agricultural practices that contribute to soil and land degradation, further hindering our ability to produce food. 

That Time I Climbed Everest Base Camp

My 2019 trek to Everest Base Camp was very eye-opening to the startlingly real environmental problems that the Himalayan region faces. I reached base camp in Nepal in the beginning of June of last year. The trek took a total of eight days to reach base camp from Lukla, Nepal, and three days to return. Since I hiked on the Nepali side, I was in the Khumbu region, which is home to three of the top ten tallest mountains in the world: Mt. Everest at number one, Lhtose at number four, and Annapurna which ranks at number ten.

Outdoors in Oxford: New Trail Loading...

A new trail is officially open in Oxford! Once finished, this 12 mile trail will run around campus and up to Talawanda Middle School and Oxford Community Park. Anyone is able to use this trail, and you can travel it any way you want: rollerblading, walking, running, biking, with pets or without. It is covered by a canopy of trees and follows alongside Four Mile Creek and through the woods. Further along the trail there is a beautiful, historic covered bridge to take pictures in front of and enjoy!

Plant-Based Staples for College Students

Before going plant-based last October, I always had the misconception that a plant-based diet was more expensive than an animal-based one. As a college student, this was one of the factors that kept me away from trying out a plant-based lifestyle. However, as I near the one year mark of being plant-based, I have actually found that my groceries are cheaper. Here is a list of seven plant-based items that I live on (in addition to lots of fruits and vegetables) that are wallet friendly: 

Climate Crises in the Time of a Pandemic: Update

A few months ago in April, Helena Wolenski wrote an eye-opening piece highlighting the environmental impacts we have witnessed as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic this year. Some of these impacts include a decrease in carbon dioxide and fossil fuel emissions in many of the largest emitting countries , including China, the United States, India and the European Union (E.U.). However, as Helena pointed out, emissions following an economic or public health crisis have a precedent of reaching even greater levels when the economy returns to more normal behaviors. In the months following the start of the pandemic, we have witnessed even more devastating environmental impacts that may have a greater effect on the future of the environment and our public health. 

GHM Alumni Profile: Advice From an Aspiring Green Architect

To celebrate GreenHawks Media’s 10th anniversary in 2020, the site will continue to feature profiles of alumni staff writers that contributed to the publication’s content and mission during their time at Miami University. Our first September spotlight is Danny Nolan, a 2019 alum.

Photo Series: Raising Miniature Horses

Even though I am only 20 years old, I've already spent over 10 years raising horses. My grandpa spent his life raising horses on our family farm in Iowa, and my mom grew up riding so naturally that I fell into horse work as well. I have focused most of my efforts into raising miniature horses after my grandparents gifted me a miniature when I was little. They are purely pets and a fun hobby for me. I don't show them, use them for profit or anything like that. I've had a herd of up to 16 horses at one point in time, but currently I just have seven. They all have unique personalities and can be as much of a companion animal as a dog. 

Recycling in Oxford: I Called Butler County So You Don't Have To

When moving into college, whether you live off campus or in a dorm, something that will shock you is the sheer amount of trash produced by students and their families. Piles and piles of plastic, cardboard and Styrofoam crowd trash rooms and front porches all around town. In dorms, there are often helpful infographics in the trash rooms that help students figure out what can and cannot be recycled. However, I live off campus, and after being overwhelmed by how crowded my trash bags were, I decided to check out the recycling services Butler County offers. 

Interning at Cope Environmental Center

What an unexpected year it has been! At the beginning of the year, I was ready to be a camp counselor in Pennsylvania; however, COVID-19 kept me home and looking for opportunities to learn more about sustainability and the nonprofit sector. Cope Environmental Center , just 15 minutes away from my house, was the perfect combination to learn more about both! Cope is an environmental center that promotes sustainability in their 130-acre outdoor classroom through sustainability and nature-based programming. The passion of its founders, Jim and Helen Cope and Francis Parks, continues to shed light on the importance of conserving natural resources and living a sustainable lifestyle. With the construction of the Sustainability Education Center in 2009, Cope has been able to expand its programming about sustainability and cultivate new programs for the surrounding districts.

Summer Travels Photo Series

My Internship With Three Valley Conservation Trust

This summer I spent my time interning at Three Valley Conservation Trust here in Oxford as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Intern. GIS uses computer programs to map and analyze data on earth’s surface. Three Valley works to conserve and protect natural areas and family farms in Southwest Ohio. The Trust does this through conservation and agricultural easements: legal agreements between an organization and the landowner which protects the land from development in order to maintain its agricultural or ecological value.

How to Make a Reusable Face Mask

Whether you’re living in Oxford or not, face coverings are required just about everywhere. While these mandates are slowing down the spread of coronavirus, the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) ending up in our environment has increased. According to the World Economic Forum, although the pandemic has reduced overall carbon emissions, there is a growing number of PPE equipment being discovered specifically in our oceans. One study claimed that if everyone in the UK used one disposable mask a day, it would create an additional 66,000 tonnes of contaminated waste and 57,000 tonnes of plastic packaging.

Taking the Scenic Route: My Summer Road Trip Out West

Similar to most people, COVID-19 impacted the plans I had for the summer. I found myself at home, bored, and baking way too much banana bread for my own good. So when my dad, a high school teacher, suggested we go on a camping road trip, I was already halfway out of the door. On July 1, we hit the road in our trusty old Dodge Caravan with a stack of U.S. maps and an open schedule. There is no better place to socially distance than the great outdoors; we were armed with masks, sanitizer, and even a pop-up shower to stay safe during the pandemic. 

Until Next Fall!

Cover photo courtesy of Sofia Liszka

See You Soon, GreenHawks

Photo courtesy of Caroline Roethlisberger

A GreenHawks Goodbye