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Greenbelt GuideFor Sustainable Living atFurman University

Welcome to the Greenbelt!These four cabins are together known as the “Greenbelt” and house 22 students. TheGreenbelt is intended to foster sustainable living and lifestyle choices among itsresidents and to provide a residential community for sustainability minded students tocome together to live, learn, and develop sustainability leadership skills. This livinglearning community is designed to serve as an incubator for the training anddevelopment of sustainability student leaders on campus and in the surroundingGreenville community. Residents will help contribute to campus wide sustainabilityinitiatives and facilitate and contribute to community action through service. Theprimary goal of this community is not only to promote sustainable living, but also toempower students to make a difference in sustainability initiatives at Furman andbeyond.The Greenbelt does not require any previous experience with sustainable living, but awillingness to explore and experiment with being more sustainable in your day to daylife! This guide has been created by past Greenbelters and is intended to provide youtips, resources, and information to help you on your sustainability journey!1

ContentsWater Conservation3Dish Washing4D.I.Y. Cleaning Supplies5Energy Conservation6Recycling7Composting8Waste Reduction9Eating Sustainably/Locally10-11Windowsill Herb Gardens12-13Getting Outdoors in Greenville14Transportation15-16Get Involved17-192

Water Conservation Tips Turn off the water when you are not using it, whether you’re brushingyour teeth, shaving, or washing dishes when you are not rinsing. Reduce the amount of time you are in the shower with the water running.This may mean taking shorter showers or simply turning off the waterwhile you are lathering, washing your hair, or shaving. Reuse water whenever possible: is the water too cold to get in the showeryet? Fill up a cup or bucket with some of the water to water your plants,rather than letting it flow down the drain. Report leaks (in the toilet, sink, washing machines) to Housing (x2092) assoon as you notice them and fill out a maintenance request availablethrough Housing and Residence Life website. Make sure you have a full load of laundry (or combine with a friend)before using the washing machines. Use the “Bright Colors” setting on thewashing machine – it uses cold water, which requires 90% less energy percycle. Don’t buy bottled water, instead use a reusable water bottle and put apitcher of water in the fridge.Leaky faucetsthat drip at therate of one dropper second canwaste up to2,700 gallons ofwater each year.You can saveup to 2 gallonsof water witheach minuteyou shave offyour shower!3

Staying Green While You’reKeeping CleanWashing dishes isn’t fun, but it has to be done. Here’s the mosteco-friendly/efficient way to do it: Use a wash tub or plug the sink Fill the sink/tub with warm, soapy water and use minimal dish soap**Only fill the tub as high as you need to fully submerge a dish. If the wateris too high, every time you dunk a dish you’ll be making a bigger mess.** Place a sponge or dish rag in the sink to get it soapy. Starting with the noneating surface of the least-dirty dishes, use the sponge or rag to scrub theentire dish until it is clean. Dip the dish in the water that is in a separate tub. This way you can rinse thedishes without having to run more water. Continue this method until done, dumping the rinsing tub water andreplacing it whenever its water gets too sudsy. Set each clean dish to the side on a towel or drying rack, and dry withseparate towel once all dishes are clean. For dishes that are too big to rinse in the tub, like pots and pans, rinse withcold water under the faucet being careful not to let the water run longerthan you’re using it.Green cleaningbrands likeSeventhGeneration andMethod areavailable at Publix.4

D.I.Y. Green Cleaning SuppliesAll-purpose cleaner½ cup of white vinegar ½ cup of water 2 tablespoons baking soda 10 drops of tea tree,lavender, or lemonessential oilDissolve and mix Drain Cleaner ½ cup baking soda ¼ cup white vinegarAdd baking soda thenvinegar. Let sit for 1 hourthen pour hot waterdown the drain to rinseClothing Stain Remover 1 part hydrogen peroxide 1 part baking soda 2 parts waterMirror/glass cleaner ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup isopropyl alcohol 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 cups waterShake wellLiquid laundrydetergent ½ cup Borax ½ cup washing soda ½ cup Dawn dish soap 4 cups hot waterCombine first 3ingredients into gallonplastic jug. Pour water todissolveToilet bowl cleaner 1 cup vinegar 1/4 cup baking sodaScrub5

Energy Conservation Tips Instead of turning on lights, use natural daylight when possible. Turn off lights when you leave an area and/or are not using them. In the summer, set the thermostat as high as you can comfortably stand it,and in the winter, set it as low as you can comfortably set it. Items that are plugged in still use energy even when they are poweredoff! So unplug devices that you are not currently using to avoid “phantompower use”! Use LED light bulbs for your desk lamps. Wash clothes on the cold cycle and do only full loads. Dry laundry on a clothesline or drying rack to avoid using the dryer. Reduce hot water usage when taking a shower, doing laundry, or doingthe dishes.LEDs use at least75% less energy,and last 25 timeslonger, thanincandescentlighting.Cooling andheating accountfor roughly 50% ofhome energy use!6

RecyclingHere is what can be recycled on Furman’s campus.Do Recycle (single stream) Plastics #1 & #2 (soda/waterbottles, milk jugs)Aluminum (cans)Tin/Steel (cans)Paper (all kinds and colors)NewspaperMagazinesUncoated CardboardAluminum foil (clean)Small electronics andbatteries (in P2X container inTrone)Do NOT Recycle StyrofoamPlastic bagsCoated cardboardChip bagsCandy wrappersPlastics #3-7GlassLook for thesesymbols on thebottom of plasticcontainers toidentify the typeof plastic.Ways to Reduceand Reuse––––Use water bottlesUse reusable bagsUse scrap paperShop at thrift store7

CompostingIn the United States, food and yard waste is an estimated 20-30 percent ofthe total waste stream. Composting these materials instead of throwingthem away enriches soil, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, andminimizes waste sent to landfills.What to CompostGreens‣‣‣‣‣‣All fruits and vegetablesCoffee grounds and filtersLeafy plant trimmingsGrass clippingsAnimal WasteMeat and Dairy (ONLY atFurman Farm)Browns‣‣‣‣‣‣EggshellsPaper productsTea BagsDry leavesDryer LintCompostable to-gosMaking Great Compost and Using itEach cabin has a compost bucket that you canfill and then either dump at the Furman Farmor in your rotating compost bin on the backporch. Strive for roughly equal amounts of“greens” and “browns”, and be sure to flip thebin about every 2 weeks. The more you flip it,the faster you will produce compost.The compost can be used as eco-friendlyfertilizer for houseplants or donated to theFurman farm.8

Waste Reduction Buy less stuff! Try to avoid disposable items and items with excessive packaging,and possibly buy in bulk Don’t contaminate recycling bins with trash. Donate to Goodwill when you have items you no longer need,especially upon move out. Buy secondhand furniture, books, and clothing to save moneyand reduce your resource use. Take reusable shopping bags to the grocery and other storeswhen you shop. Edit papers on screen instead of printing. If you print, be sure to print double-sided copies. Carry a refillable water bottle and use the water bottle refillingstations located around campus.The typicalAmericangeneratesabout 4.4pounds oftrash per day!Globally, 22 billionplastic bottles arethrown out eachyear!9

Eating SustainablyHere are some easy tips for eating moresustainably: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants! Avoid processed foods.Eat less and avoid food waste.Eat less meat. Aim for a plant based diet.Eat locally. Buy from local markets. Eat organically. Eat seasonally. Celebrate produce in season!Buy Fair Trade. Look for fair trade items which indicates farmers are paidand treated justly.10

Eating LocallyLocal Farmer’s MarketsTD Saturday MarketMain Street at McBee Ave, Greenville, SC 29601Saturdays, May – October, 8 AM to NoonTravelers Rest Farmers Market115 Wilhelm Winter Street, Travelers Rest, SC 29690Every Saturday, May – September, 8:30 AM to NoonSlow Food Earth MarketAt Swamp Rabbit Café, 205 Cedar Lane RoadFirst and Third ThursdaysMay – November, 3:30 – 7 PMLocal Produce StandsGreenville State Farmers Market1354 Rutherford Rd.Greenville, SC 29609Monday – Saturday, 8 AM–6 PMThe Tomatoe Vine4120 Old Buncombe RdGreenville, SC 29617Year Round Organic MarketRestaurants Featuring Local FoodsRoost220 N. Main St., GreenvilleSwamp Rabbit Café and Grocery205 Cedar Lane Road, GreenvilleBacon Brothers3620 Pelham Road, GreenvilleKitchen Sync1609 Laurens Road, Greenville11

Windowsill Herb GardensFor the plant-loving, overloaded college studentWindow-sill herb gardens are perfect for the plantloving college student because they: Require little maintenance/gardening backgroundSave money and reduce carbon emissions (no need todrive to the grocery store to buy herbs!)Spice up meals with nutritious, organic ingredientsRelieve stress through aromatic therapy (along withthe instant stress-relief that comes from tendingplants)Provide an educational experience, allowing studentsto try different gardening techniques and learn aboutdifferent varieties of herbs and their benefitsFoster a communal sharing of herbs within the cabincommunity12

Window Sill Herb Gardens Assessyour sunlight situation: Most herbs need about 6 or more hours ofsunlight a day. Windows are ideal for indoor gardens. For outdoor gardens, anysurface that is exposed to sunlight will do! Pot:You can put multiple herbs in one pot, as long as each herb has anappropriate amount of space for its roots to develop. Potting soil:You want a potting mix that is made specially for containers, notanything that reads “gardening soil”. Ask for assistance at the store if you’re notsure. Plants: Startingwith seeds requires more attention and increases the chances ofplants dying before they mature. To get results fast with less maintenance, buyseedlings (established toddler herbs and veggies). The farmers market is a greatlocal source to purchase baby plants! Don’tovercrowd your plants: Leave several inches between plants and limit afew plants to each pot. This allows their roots to fully develop and prevents themfrom competing over resources. Makesure pots have drainage holes: This prevents you from drowning yourherbs! Watering: Eachplant has specified watering needs. If plants start to wilt, theyare dehydrated. This may take some trial and error to figure out! Keep your dirthealthy: Try sprinkling some compost over the surface of the soilto enrich its quality. Keep ontrimming: Trim herbs from the top regularly so they continue to grow.Don’t cut leaves from the bottom, this may damage their solar-source!13