South Campus Conceptual Master Plan

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1 South Campus Conceptual Master Plan A Master Plan is a document which looks ahead to the future potential of a parcel of land in terms of development. The plan considers the present day needs, but then projects those needs into the future, based on long-range themes of the institution. It is a working document without a fixed time table, evolving with the shifting needs of the institution. Below is a conceptual master plan for the 208 acres of land South of 301 Bypass, Veteran Memorial Parkway. This parcel will be linked to the main campus by extending Akins Blvd. to Lanier Drive. This extension will become the primary connections between the two sides of the campus. A variety of buildings are being considered for this site, creating distinct sectors such as Academic at the North and Center, Student Housing to the Southwest, Research facilities to the East, Special Use facilities on the Northeast, and Support facilities to the South. A Student Commons/Dining facility is being suggested at the center of the site. Some of the defining features of the site are Wetlands on the West and Northwest, and a Georgia Power easement at the North sector of the site. Preservation of the Wetlands, and sustainable strategies will be implemented in the development of this site.

2 Georgia Southern s Black Gold July 27, 2015 Over the past five weeks, Georgia Southern s Center for Sustainability (CfS) has partnered with Eagle Dining and Facilities Services to begin a compost program on campus. The compost process begins in the dining facilities by collecting organic waste such as coffee grounds, egg shells and orange peels. The organic waste is then mixed off-campus with green materials such as leaves, wood chips and fresh grass clippings. Eventually, bacteria will break down the materials, creating a dark brown, nutrient-rich substance that looks like soil. It s like Georgia Southern s own black gold, said Lissa Leege, biology professor and director of the CfS. The CfS hopes to use food waste from the dining commons to create a nutrient-rich soil that can assist food growth within the campus garden. The compost could also be used by other facilities on campus, including the Garden of the Coastal Plain. Everything that is thrown away here at Georgia Southern is trucked away 120 miles to a landfill, said Leege. Whatever we can defer from that landfill is a really important step in Georgia Southern s path toward sustainability.

3 Because it takes two to four months for the composting process to complete, there is currently no material ready to be used. However, Leege is pleased with the success of this pilot study and hopes it will provide information to help Georgia Southern increase the scale of composting, encompassing all food waste on campus. The pilot study focused on only fruit and vegetable scraps for compost production. This August, the CfS plans to visit the University of Georgia to get an understanding of how they process all food waste produced there including meat and dairy products into compost. Scott Blair, the graduate student overseeing this project said, The partnership with Eagle Dining and Facilities Services is what allows this program to happen. The kitchen workers are the ones who separate the fruit and vegetable scraps we use in the compost and Facilities Services transports it to our composting site. Currently, the campus gardening program has produced close to 50 pounds of produce with compost that they have imported. With almost 2,000 pounds of food composted, the CfS is optimistic that they can increase the amount of food produced on campus. These are the student s sustainability fees at work, said Leege. There are plenty of opportunities for volunteering, so to get involved please contact: cfs@georgiasouthern.edu

4 Summer Safety Bulletin Spring Safety Bulletin You are exposed to variety of noises every day at home and at work that could endanger your hearing if you exposed for an extended period. Our ears are incredible sense that take sound waves and convert them into signals that our can brain recognize. Please take a moment and think about your daily routine to identify potential noise sources that could impact your hearing. Please use the following information to make you aware or to remind you of the dangers of hearing loss and how to protect yourself. Parts of the Ear & Hearing Loss A hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear or auditory (hearing) system is not working in the usual way. Outer Ear ear lobe (known as pinna) & ear canal Middle Ear - the eardrum (tympanic membrane) comprised of three small bones called ossicles (hammer, anvil, & stirrup) that send the movement of the eardrum to the inner ear Inner Ear snail shaped organ for hearing known as the cochlea, the semicircular canals that help with balance, & the nerves that connect to the brain Auditory (ear) Nerve sends sound information from the ear to the brain. Auditory (Hearing) System pathway processes sound information as it travels from the ear to the brain so that our brain pathways are part of our hearing. Types of Hearing Loss 2 Sensorineural Hearing Loss occurs when there is a problem in the way the inner ear or hearing nerve works (noise induced hearing loss). Conductive Hearing Loss caused by something that stops sounds from getting through the outer or middle ear. This type of hearing loss can often be treated with medicine or surgery. Mixed Hearing Loss conductive and a sensorineural hearing loss. Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder occurs when sound enters the ear normally, but because of damage to the inner ear or the hearing nerve, sound isn't organized in a way that the brain can understand. Common hazards to your hearing Excessive noise at work Volume controls on home electronics Concerts and discos Restaurants and cafés Loud tools and machinery Lack of knowledge Foreign bodies in the ear Disease and infection Trivia Questions 1? (Answers on Pg. 2) 1. Do insects have ears? 2. Where does the sound in a seashell come from? 3. How many muscles does a cat have in each ear? 4. Does double hearing protection (eg. muffs on top of plugs) provide double the protection? Did you Know: Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. Common Sources of Noise/Sound Levels Hunting rifle 163 db Gun muzzle blast, jet engine 149 db Sandblasting, loud concert, car horn 115 db Impact wrench 108 db Chainsaw, pneumatic drill db Circular saw, hammering 96 db Lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic 90 db Grinder 86 db Traffic 80 db Speaking voice db

5 Summer Safety Bulletin Spring Safety Bulletin A Few Facts on Hearing Loss 2,3 ~22 million U.S. workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work ~$242 million is spent annually on worker s compensation for hearing loss disability Almost 50 million Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear, including 1 in 5 teenagers. Men are more likely than women to experience hearing loss. Depression and isolation are common among those with hearing loss. Smokers are linked to higher risks of some types of hearing loss. 60% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan come home with hearing loss and tinnitus; it is the #1 war wound. Those with a mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia, and this risk increases with the severity of the hearing loss. Cognitive abilities of older adults (ages 75 to 84) with hearing loss declined 30% to 40% faster than in older adults with normal hearing. Hearing loss becomes more prevalent with age; hearing impairment occurs in about 18% of American adults between ages 45 and 54, 30% of adults between ages 65 and 74, and 47% of adults ages 75 and older. About 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises at work or in leisure activities. Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss Identify high noise sources, above 85 decibels (db). Wear appropriate hearing protection (eg. generally ear muff & plugs). If possible, increase your distance to the noise source. The sound level will decrease by 6 db every time the source to the listener's distance is doubled. Noise levels should not exceed 85 db without hearing protection. Keep the volume of your TV, radio, or stereo as low as you can. Keep your windows up in your vehicle if driving for an extended period, because hearing loos can occur to the ear closest to the open window. Wear ear protection around loud tools and machinery, such as lawnmowers, weed eaters, edgers, circular, etc. Be aware that toy guns and some electronic games can also be hazardous for hearing. Never use cotton buds the damage they cause far outweighs the benefits. Cotton buds often do not remove ear wax but instead push it deep into the ear canal right in front of the ear drum. This increases the risk of an ear infection, especially for children. Another side-effect of cotton buds can be an increase in the production of ear wax. The same applies to handkerchiefs, corners of towels, fingers, etc. Trivia Answers 1. Many insects can hear sounds but they do not hear in the same way as you or I. Cicadas have their hearing organs in their stomachs. Crickets have their hearing organs in their knees. Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae. 2. Contrary to popular myth, the sound of waves in a seashell are not made by the echo of blood pulsing in the ear. In fact, what we are hearing is environmental noise that sounds different because it is reflected off of the interior of the seashell. This distorts the sound we hear, and depending on the size and shape of the shell, amplifies certain frequencies and muffles others. 3. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. Acknowledgements 1 HearingCenterOnline.com 2 Center for Disease Control 3 Hearing Health Foundation Occupational Safety & Health Administration

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