Courtesy of Swimfinfan/Flickr

Ever-evolving Slovenian electronic music producer Gramatik (Denis Jasarevic) refuses to be put in a box. When I first saw that Gramatik was playing at the Tabernacle on March 2, I couldn’t remember why I knew his name. It was familiar; I knew it before the age of Spotify and Soundcloud. I searched for Gramatik on YouTube and came across “Hit That Jive,” which boasts a cool 18 million views. I instantly remembered Gramatik’s anachronistic blend of classic Hollywood and 1940s corny yet endearing samples, reworked into easy listening electro swing tunes. The chill vibe reminded me of Wax Tailor’s cheeky remix of “Que Sera, Sera” as performed by Doris Day in the 1950s.

I was highly anticipating his Atlanta concert, but was dubious of how he would enthrall a crowd at a 2,500 capacity theater; his music seemed to evoke the feeling of sinking into a plush leather couch with a few of your friends.

He started the concert with a bang, a stark departure from my expectations. I could hear strains of his laidback hip-hop vibe within the electronic beats, but they were layered beneath a new-age techno sound. Gramatik took the Adele approach to performance and stayed behind the DJ booth, allowing his talent to speak for itself. His experience behind the turntable was evident as he seamlessly transitioned between tracks.

Energetic performer Martin Vogt, who goes by Haywyre, opened the show. The 25-year-old musician brought his classically trained jazz piano skills and linked them to a DJ mixing table for a brain-tingling effect. It is obvious why Gramatik identified Haywyre as a perfect addition to his North American Re: Coil tour. Both performers brought a surrealist sound that was reflected in the outlandish costumes that some of the crowd, an eclectic blend of young professionals and diehard ravers, was wearing (apparently I didn’t get the memo). My fears of a lukewarm zombie crowd listening to electronic study music were fully dismantled. The prevalent use of live instruments added a constant focal point that acted and reacted to the crowd’s cheers. The clever use of real-time video capture allowed the four large LED panels to show the audience Haywyre’s fingers fluttering across the keyboard. Between the variety of live music production and mesmerizing visual, the audience surely got their money’s worth.

Gramatik collaborated with ethnomusicologist Will Magid, also known as Balkan Bump, who plays the trumpet and utilized his wide-spanning ethnographic cultural audio samples to transport the crowd from the seedy Berlin nightclub of Gramatik’s electroswing to an ‘80s outdoor beach party. An electric guitar player accompanied Balkan Bump from behind the turntable.

The combination of sounds and references culminated in a show that was beyond any couch-bound hang out. The thumping beats had the entire crowd bouncing for hours and blew my expectations out of the water. Just when the crowd began to fatigue, Balkan Bump would jump in front of the DJ table and churn out another reinvigorating tune. With his influence, Gramatik’s sound has evolved from chill, hip-hop study music to nightclub music with integrity. However, he stayed true to his roots in his homage to older musicians as he performed an instrumental rendition of Stevie Wonder’s 1974 “Superstition.”

But Gramatik has evidently made a number of sonic shifts as an artist. He began his music career 20 years ago as a 13-year-old hip-hop music producer in Portoroz, Slovenia, where Beatport, an online music store, scouted him. He has since been represented by numerous music agencies including the Pretty Lights Music label and recently started his own record label, Lowtemp Recordings, in 2013. The length of his career and wide range of influences resulted in a dynamic performance that raised my expectations for any other DJ or electronic music producer.

Gramatik’s forward-thinking sound is accompanied by a savvy sense of self-branding. In 2017, he launched a cryptocurrency called GRMTK as a move to bring other big artists into his creative fold. His enthusiasm for cryptocurrency was apparent in his Tabernacle set design, where Bitcoin icons floated across the LED screens. He has also said that music should be freely accessible and cash flow should come from other venues. Using the cryptocurrency business model, he hopes that his fans can invest in him, and grow their own capital at the same time. It is impossible to guess Gramatik’s next career move or sound, but you can bet that he’s already thinking two steps ahead of the herd.

The post Gramatik Graces Tabernacle with New Brand of EDM appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Berkeley organizations strive toward food sustainability

For the groups paving the path to a more sustainable food future in Berkeley, food sustainability is about more than just being ecologically friendly — it means ensuring food access and affordability, and the reform of food distribution structures.

Berkeley is home to a host of restaurants and associations dedicated to promoting sustainable food practices, a movement notably championed by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Various campus organizations, including Cal Dining, the Berkeley Food Institute and the Berkeley Student Food Collective, have all been working toward individual goals to create a sustainable future for the campus.

“When you talk about food sustainability … What does food sustainability mean? It’s such a broad term. It’s huge,” said Edmond Allmond, the communications manager at the Berkeley Food Institute.

For the Berkeley Food Institute, sustainability includes not only how food is grown but also the systems that produce and distribute it.

Berkeley Food Institute is an organization on campus that actively works toward creating more sustainable food systems by using donations to support individuals’ research geared toward creating a sustainable future.

According to Allmond, the institute supports various forms of research that study food systems. In 2016, the institute funded the seed grant for an initiative to improve the Oakland Unified School District lunch program and create a more nutritious menu for students.

“Oakland Unified School District has been an example of how to improve menus for children,” Allmond said. “We were able to … bring the resources forwards that were blended to allow these researchers to present some really robust work to Oakland.”

The Institute’s work also encompasses raising awareness about the CalFresh program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to students on campus.

For members of the Berkeley Student Food Collective, a nonprofit, volunteer-run grocery store, food sustainability is “intricately tied with food access.”

“When you look at the numbers, four out of every 10 UC students is someone who has had food insecurity at their time at Berkeley,” said Jeff Noven, executive director of the Berkeley Student Food Collective. He added that the food collective has goals to “make an impact at that middle stage of food insecurity... (for) folks that … couldn’t spend that eight to 10 dollars to go out and eat on Telegraph for every meal.”

In order to combat food insecurity and promote food sustainability on campus, the food collective fosters programs such as its community kitchen program, according to Tamara Sharf, the strategic partnerships coordinator at the Berkeley Student Food Collective. The program involves volunteers taking food that isn’t aesthetically pleasing and making meals out of it, for which students can then pay however much they are able.

In addition to addressing food insecurity, Cal Dining has set another ambitious goal — to reach zero waste by 2020. To attempt to reach this goal, Cal Dining is currently taking part in various forms of waste reduction, including a compost project and the Chews to Reuse program, according to campus spokesperson Adam Ratliff.

Students can purchase reusable to-go containers from dining halls under the Chews to Reuse program, while in the food donation program, the association partners with Copia to donate overproduced food to students and community members in need.

“Sustainability is never and will never be about just simply sourcing foods that are ‘better for the environment,’ ” Noven said. “There needs to be ways in which that food can be broadly available to the people that need it.”

Contact Sabrina Dong at sdong@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter at @Sabrina_Dong_.

The Daily Californian

For many undergraduates, the start of spring term marks the beginning of a lengthy search for summer jobs and internships.

It is easy to see why. The pressures of rising tuition and increasing demand among employers for skilled job applicants make summer work necessary for most students.

As the upcoming undergraduate research symposium demonstrates, however, jobs and internships are not the only worthwhile student positions. On May 17, hundreds of students will gather in the Erb Memorial Union to present the results of their work and network with professionals. For many of the students that plan on attending, this event will likely be another step toward their careers of choice.

With these benefits in mind, it is important for applicants to consider undergraduate research positions as well as this seasonal round of job-hunting begins. These positions offer access to professional networks, technical skills training and publishing opportunities — all of which can significantly contribute to a résumé.

Some undergraduates might mistakenly believe that research is only helpful for students majoring in the sciences. Although it is true that research techniques are not of great use to everyone, the work environments for these positions are highly professional compared to the standard part-time job. This is a significant asset. An undergraduate that demonstrates a strong work ethic and success in a research position is hardly worse off compared to a similar student in a selective internship.

Professor Kevin Hatfield, the Director of Academic, Residential and Research Initiatives, says that the undergraduate research symposium has been working to break down the misconception that research is only valuable to STEM students.

“Early on, there was this perception among students that research is all STEM-related. Students would self-select out of research… research can help an English major no differently than a chemistry major,” Hatfield said.

Regardless of their postgraduate plans, college students can almost always benefit from the networking opportunities that undergraduate research positions present. These roles offer students the chance to work with professionals in their field, and these potential mentors can often provide valuable advice throughout the early stages of a student’s career.

The technical skills that most student researchers practice throughout their work are also helpful in a competitive job market. Undergraduate research used to be a relative rarity in the past. In recent years it has become so common among students — especially those in scientific fields — that many graduate schools and selective programs expect it from most applicants.

Hatfield underscored the importance of undergraduate research in applying to graduate school.

“I think that as graduate schools become more and more competitive, we need to build more research relations and have enough faculty hours to support more undergraduate research,” Hatfield said.

The other strong, but not always realized, assets that undergraduate research positions provide are publishing opportunities. Once again, co-authoring a scientific or scholarly paper is a feat that might not seem particularly useful to students outside of scientific fields. However, the professionalism such a paper demonstrates is almost universally helpful. Whereas most part-time jobs and internships produce no tangible product, a completed research paper can serve as a strong, immediate addition to any student’s work portfolio.

Costa Capellas, vice president of Pacific Capital Resource Group, Inc., explained at the recent spring career fair what employers look for in job applicants.

“One of the… important traits we look for in candidates is a consistent history of achievement, [whether] it be academic, athletic, community-based, and so on” Capellas said.

There is little doubt that co-authoring a published research paper, or at least significantly contributing to a laboratory, are strong indicators of achievement to both potential employers and postgraduate programs.

Regardless of their major, undergraduates should add undergraduate research positions to their list of considerations for both this coming summer and all subsequent years. The application process, be it for graduate school or a job, is highly competitive by its nature. A few years of research experience might be all it takes to get a leg up on the competition.

The post Hanson: Undergraduates should consider a research position this summer appeared first on Emerald Media.

Cardi B is a badass with a big mouth and a big ego, and she lets you know on her debut studio album “Invasion of Privacy.” While people watched as her single “Bodak Yellow” rose to the top of the charts, many wondered if Cardi B was a one-hit wonder or if this was just […]

For the second night in a row, the Gators gymnastics team held the same narrative. Similar to its performance at the NCAA Championships on Friday, it all came down to the floor routine if Florida wanted to stay afloat in…

With Oregon up 4-1 and three outs away from another win, junior Megan Kleist stepped into the circle for one last inning.

Kleist stared at the tying run at the plate twice in the final inning, and the Ducks’ ace did not disappoint, forcing an out at second and a popup to end the game.

No. 4 Oregon (38-7, 11-3) took care of business against Stanford for the second time in as many days, with six different starters earn a hit in a well-rounded 4-1 win over the Cardinal.

The Cardinal scored first thanks to a couple of infield hits combined with a bizarre error that saw Oregon catcher Gwen Svekis throwing to an unoccupied first base as Mia Camuso came inside in an effort to field a ground ball.

But the Ducks managed to erase the deficit immediately in the bottom of the first when Jenna Lilley smashed a solo home run to right field to tie the game.

“They worked really hard to get one run then all of a sudden, one batter, one swing and it’s tied up,” head coach Mike White said. “That’s some of the things that happens in this game sometimes.”

Mary Iakopo had another big game for the Ducks at the plate with the freshman playing as a designated player while Svekis played catcher.

Iakopo went 3-for-3 at the plate, hitting a double and two singles as she crossed home plate for one of Oregon’s four runs.

“I think when I’m catching I get to see where the strike zone is during that first inning, get a feel for the umpire,” Iakopo said.

The Ducks were efficient from lower down in the order with 2-of-3 hitting and an RBI from Lauren Burke, and 2-of-3 hitting from Haley Cruse, while the Ducks first four of the order went just 2-for-13 on the day.

“Bottom of the order is coming in big time for us,” White said. “Those guys are doing well so I’d just like to see that 2-3-4 pick up that slack.”

Steadily, the Ducks added to the lead with runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings while Kleist continued to deal with some hiccups but nothing major.

“I thought Kleist pitched well,” White said. “It wasn’t her best game but again that’s Stanford over there. They’re making her work a lot. They’re not swinging at marginal pitches. They’re doing a good job.”

While Kliest completed her outing with six hits and seven strikeouts to her name, White says he will put Miranda Elish back in the circle for the final game of the series on Sunday at 12, giving the sophomore a chance to start twice against the Cardinal this weekend.

“She hasn’t really had an opportunity to have two games in a weekend — two starts,” White said. “This is a good opportunity to maybe prepare down the future when she could be the number one.”

Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow

The post Spread out scoring leads Oregon softball to 4-1 win over Stanford appeared first on Emerald Media.

ST. LOUIS—The Bruins needed a 9.975 on the final routine. Just as she did multiple times this season, redshirt senior Peng-Peng Lee delivered.

No. 3 UCLA gymnastics (37-2, 4-1 Pac-12) finished as NCAA champions for the first time since 2010 with a comeback victory in the six-team field in Chaifetz Arena. The Bruins passed the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners (28-2, 3-0 Big 12) on the final event to take the victory, putting up a final score of 198.0750.

The win marks UCLA’s 115th NCAA title. The Bruins are now tied with the Stanford Cardinal for the most team championships in the nation.

UCLA started the night on the floor exercise in the second rotation. Sophomore Kyla Ross, yesterday’s all-around session winner, fell on her routine for the first time this season, dropping her scoreto a 9.3125. After junior Katelyn Ohashi anchored the Bruins with a 9.9500, they held a 49.4625 score after the event.

UCLA moved to the vault for the third rotation. The Bruins put up a consistent showing in the event, with each gymnast scoring between a 9.8000 and 9.8875. They entered the halfway point of the meet in fourth place, trailing the Sooners by .3250 points.

The Bruins competed on uneven bars for the fifth rotation after a bye on the fourth. Lee scored a perfect 10, while Ross concluded the event with a 9.9500 to keep the Bruins within striking distance. UCLA’s team score of 49.6375 on the event is the second-highest ever in Super Six history.

In the final rotation, UCLA ended on the balance beam, needing to come from behind to win the championship. Lee and Ross carried the Bruins again, scoring a 10.0 and 9.9875, respectively. This was just enough to put the Bruins on top to claim the title.

On Friday night, Lee took home the balance beam individual title. Her score of 9.9875 topped the field for her first NCAA title. Ohashi won the national title for the floor exercise. Her Michael Jackson-themed routine scored a 9.9625.

The topics of gun control and domestic violence are coming together in the one-woman show “Natural Shocks,” on Saturday, April 21 at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. A direct reference from William Shakespeare’s famous Hamlet, Act III scene, “To be or not to be…,” where he says,“The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to: ’tis a consummation,” this play explores the thoughts and testaments of a woman waiting in her basement for a tornado to hit. The twist, however, is that she is a domestic violence survivor, and she is also pro-gun.

“That’s what’s so exciting about this play,” director Ellen Gillooly-Kress said. “It raises all of these interesting complex issues in a creative and aesthetic way to open conversations about what is the role of guns and protecting ourselves.”

According to the movement’s website, the main character is a humorous woman filled with stories and a final secret that puts the reality of guns in America in perspective. On Saturday, over 100 women throughout the nation will perform their own readings of the play.

Written by Lauren Gunderson, the most produced playwright in America, just after the February 2018 Parkland shooting, this play hopes to showcase the correlation between gun violence and domestic violence. Gunderson said she decided to make her play available for community theaters, colleges and high schools to produce the weekend of April 20. This weekend is also the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting and the start of the National School Walkout.

The show is free, and Gunderson’s only request is that donations are given at the door to support anti-gun violence. All of the proceeds from the Eugene performance will go to Women’s Space, an organization that helps combat domestic violence in Lane County.

The University of Oregon version of this play will be read by Graduate Educator Liz Fairchild. Though Fairchild considers herself to be a feminist and can relate to some of the character’s life, her struggle with playing this role comes solely from the characters love for guns.  

“It comes down to a fire versus fire kind of mentality, and so that’s what I really can’t agree upon,” Fairchild said. This mentality is what theatre is all about, according to Gillooly-Kress.

“You can bring characters together on stage that you wouldn’t necessarily agree with in real life and really get a chance to examine them and what motivates them as well.” According to Gillooly-Kress, this is what the cast wants people to get out of this play.

Not having a clear target audience, “Natural Shocks”  is expected to raise awareness to everyone on the role of domestic violence in mass shootings.

You can find more information at https://www.naturalshocks.org/.

The post Oregon students are taking a stand on gun violence with Oregon students are taking a stand on gun violence with ‘Natural Shocks’ theater movement appeared first on Emerald Media.

Recently, I’ve been replaying Rockstar’s underrated video game “L.A. Noire” on its PS4 remaster. It made me realize how much I miss the noir genre in film, but I couldn’t really place where the last film of the genre I’d seen had been. The trailer for “Gemini” came out a good while back, back in the late months of Summer 2017, but I’ll be honest in stating that it didn’t do much for me. The trailer seemed attractive, but incredibly far off from its late March limited release date. The premise seemed interesting, I loved the cast and the poster was absolutely gorgeous. I was interested, even if I wasn’t excited about the film. As I waited for its release, the film basically went radio silent, and it wasn’t until I had to actively search for it online to find out it was ever playing here in Charlotte.

But dammit, I’m so glad I did.

Jill LeBeau (Lola Kirke) is the personal assistant to mega-movie star Heather Anderson (Zoë Kravitz) based out of the Hollywood Hills. Jill and Heather share not only a close professional bond, but an incredibly close friendship. As of late, Heather’s want to step away from the spotlight has placed her in hot water with a few industry colleagues banking on her success. After attending a meeting with a studio on Heather’s behalf, Jill returns to Heather’s home to find her brutally murdered. After being questioned by lead detective Edward Ahn (John Cho), Jill begins to realize she’s the prime suspect in the murder. Alone in Los Angeles, and avoiding the cops before her eventual arrest, Jill must traverse Heather’s final interactions with her hotly contentious circle of acquaintances to get to the bottom of her murder.

I expected to enjoy “Gemini” at least, but I did not expect “Gemini” to be the slam-bang neo-noir diamond it is. This film doesn’t go in any of the directions you might think it would from the get-go, and its grounded nature makes the film really come together by the finale. This isn’t a salacious or over-the-top mystery film, nor does it intentionally lead you in a million different directions before pulling the rug out from under you. Like Jill says to a character at one point in the film “This isn’t a movie, this is real life,” and despite a few inconsistencies in the general behavior of investigations, “Gemini” feels like it, a neon-drenched, lavish reality.

Kirke steals the show here in “Gemini.” Jill is smart, but not so smart that she’s unlike any person you’ve ever met in your life. Jill isn’t some Lisbeth Salander type, the clues are unfolding for her at the same rate as her opposition, and she only ever stays at most one step ahead of those looking to lock her up. She’s daring, but she’s not reckless. Realistic, but not boring. Kirke brings a sort of energy to the role that feels fiercely subdued in her desperation, which I found really refreshing for a female protagonist. She’s the assistant to someone richer, more famous and more successful than her, but she never feels like the mousy servant, but rather a paid companion. Kravitz is also really good here, with a different side to her than seen in other films starring her. She’s a tough cookie, but not one with a hard exterior. She keeps herself guarded for the cameras, but opens up easily to those she trusts. Heather and Jill’s friendship is a really admirable one that almost makes being a personal assistant not seem too bad.

Bathed in richly saturated neon lights (ironically, the film is also distributed by Neon), “Gemini” is one hell of a looker, but not one so enveloped in a strange sub-reality of Los Angeles that it feels disconnected from the world. “Gemini” almost feels somewhere in between the foreign romanticism of “La La Land,” and the horrifying underbelly of’ “The Neon Demon,” and it’s a beauty to look at. Director Aaron Katz and cinematographer Andrew Reed paint a semi-loving portrait of Los Angeles, with one foot in the mysticism of Hollywood, and the other one in the leeches that come out at night when one gains notoriety. Unlike the previously mentioned films, “Gemini” is about the struggle that comes after fame and fortune are won, and the target that is placed on one’s back once the public gaze is turned on them.

At 93 minutes, “Gemini” is a short stay, but not one that ever drags, or even feels rushed for that matter. There isn’t a need for the film to constantly barrage you with twists at every single turn, as the film moves with an organic flow that doesn’t feel the need to assault the audience with ridiculous ways to shock the audience. Rather, the entire film feels like a police line-up of potential suspects all doing perhaps the most suspicious things possible, making the explanation of any of them being the one who killed Heather ultimately understandable.

And what about the third act? Does it deliver? Sure. In a way one might not expect, which is good for a mystery such as this. I’ll admit that while I was hashtag shook at the revelation, some might find it to be a bit too much of a left turn, albeit one that doesn’t feel so out there that it’s not plausible, but just not generally anticipated. Of complaints I’ve heard of the film, its final act is what is drawing the most criticism, yet I found “Gemini” to be riveting up until the very last frame.

There’s a sort of hazy bliss to “Gemini,” that even in its dark gritty moments, shines through. It’s a murder mystery film that doesn’t feel inherently salacious or obnoxious about being so unique and twisty that it begs for your attention. It’s a slower, glossier take on the neo-noir genre that marks a stunning achievement for Katz and a wonderful breakthrough for star Kirke. It’s a film that is short, sweet, to the point, and can almost feel slight in its unpretentious nature, but make no mistake, “Gemini” packs a serious punch that is not to be underestimated, and certainly won’t be forgotten (at least by me) for quite a long time.

5/5

Photo courtesy of Neon

Directed by: Aaron Katz
Starring: Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Greta Lee, Nelson Franklin, Reeve Carney, Jessica Parker Kennedy, with Ricki Lake, and John Cho.
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: R for pervasive language and a violent image.
Now playing exclusively at Regal Ballantyne Village.

Neon and Stage 6 Films present, in association with Filmscience, a Syncopated Films/Pastel production, in association with Rough House Pictures, “Gemini”

We watch videos of stingrays and dolphins dodging milk gallons, plastic bags and litter. We even tweet about how sad it is and swear we recycle.

But we hardly take steps needed toward sustainability. Our globe is polluted with smog in our air and trash in our oceans. Humans are natural consumers and everything that we eat, drink and buy are eventually discarded and end up in landfills, oceans or along our streets.

Your impact can start small by recycling and reusing packages, water bottles or anything paper. This Earth Day, take a pledge to take an active role in trying to save the planet one day at a time with these seven easy tips.

1. Withdraw from the straw  

Plastic straws may seem like a small inconvenience but the presence of straws in the ocean are actually a pretty big deal. According to the National Park Service, Americans use 500 million straws a day. Those small plastic tubes then make their way into our oceans and because of their transparency, are usually swallowed by fish and even get stuck in the noses of sea turtles, as seen in this viral video. Pledging to refrain from using straws at restaurants, fast food places or even at home could help our oceans.

2. Pass on plastic

Plastic is everywhere and it’s unavoidable. It packages our goods, holds our morning coffee and provides drinking water for on-the-go people. If you aren’t constantly recycling then you are committing to the plastic waste issue that our world is facing. According to a report by The New Plastics Economy, by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic than fish. To do your part, use reusable cups and refillable water bottles for your favorite drinks. (Using your own cup at Starbucks even gives you a discount.) Using a water filter on your sink is also a good investment and you will have unlimited drinking water and no plastic waste. You can also opt-out for packages of water bottles and opt-in for water gallons to refill every week at water stations or fountains.

3. Repurpose

Most everything that you throw away can be repurposed. Instead of throwing away old clothes or junk you find, see if they can be donated for reuse. Austin Creative Reuse is a creative reuse center that takes donations and sell materials of all kinds like lightbulbs, CDs, glass, tile, magazines, posters, fabric and anything else you can imagine. The items you buy can then be used to make art, projects, crafts or anything you can invision to create.

4. Safe shopping

Try to ditch the plastic bags and use canvas bags. They are sturdy and can be reused over and over. While Amazon is convenient for two day purchases, the plastic inserts and the cardboard boxes are always tossed in the trash rather than the recycling bin. By doing your shopping at actual stores can help reduce cardboard in our landfills. If you must make your purchases online, be sure to recycle its package or reuse and repurpose your boxes.

5. Eco-friendly home

Even in a dorm room or apartment complex you can live more eco friendly. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and take advantage of natural daylight instead of electrical light. Use less water when showering and limit frequent dishwasher use. When you wash your clothes, consider air drying and unplug all chargers and turn off surge protectors when they aren’t in use. Turn off your AC when you leave even choose to open windows to get fresh air.

6. Get out and about

Spend some time soaking up vitamin D, being active and being sustainable. UT students get a free membership to B-Cycle bicycles so you can ditch the Uber and ride for free. Spend time volunteering at local plantings, park and creek clean ups or recycling efforts. Even do your part by throwing away trash if you see it wherever you are.  

7. Be aware

Be aware of your impact and find out where you stand on the road to sustainability. Find out your ecological footstep for free at http://www.footprintcalculator.org/ and make the changes you can to help our planet. Spread the word to friends and family to make sure they also try to make the changes to save our planet.