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Table of Contents for 8/2/2011:
NEWS
Buildings
1. Winona State U Plans Sustainability Theme House
Co-Curricular Education
2. Clark U Student Orchestrates Bike Initiative for Campus Police
3. Dartmouth College Greek Community Creates Sustainability Council
4. New Jersey IT, Rutgers U Students Build Sustainable Home
Coordination and Planning
5. Campus Sustainability Planning: An August Update
Curriculum
6. U Toledo Creates New Green Chemistry School
7. San Diego State U Students Assess Sustainability in the Dominican
8. U Delaware Class Installs Green Roof
Dining Services
9. Messiah College Creates Sunflower Power Project
10. U South Florida Dining Services Eliminates Styrofoam
Energy
11. EPA Announces Top Campus Purchasers of 'Green Power'
12. U Minnesota Hits Energy Reduction Goal of 5%
13. Pennsylvania State U Installs Wind Turbine
Grounds
14. Macalester College Raises Chickens
15. U Chicago Transforms Dormant Campus Space into Garden
Human Resources
16. U Minnesota Research Touts Benefits of Flexible Work Schedule
Other News
17. U Michigan Creates Peregrine Falcon-Friendly Campus
Public Engagement
18. U Colorado at Boulder Holds Low-Income Youth Computer Intensive
Purchasing
19. Oregon State U Offsets Nearly 100% of Energy Use
Research
20. Canadian Research Teams to Study Climate Change Adaptation
21. U Texas Conducts Solar Panel Research
Waste
22. U Missouri Dining Starts Composting Program
23. U Oregon Initiates Take Back the Tap Campaign
NEW RESOURCES
24. New and Improved AASHE Member Directory
25. AASHE Releases Annual Campus Sustainability Review
26. New Issue of Int'l Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
27. New Issue: Journal of Ag, Food Systems, Community Development
OPPORTUNITIES
28. Call for Stories: Global Edition of the AASHE Bulletin
29. Northwest Earth Institute EcoChallenge
30. Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
31. Call for Papers: Building a Global Future Conference
JOBS & INTERNSHIPS
32. Student Sustainability Programs Coordinator, Pennsylvania State U
33. Organic Farming Coordinator, Berea College
34. 2 Postdoc Researchers, Sustainability Science, U California Davis
EVENTS
35. 2011 Bioneers Conference
36. EPA Webinar: Converting Food Waste to Energy
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY DISCUSSION FORUMS HIGHLIGHTS
37. Community Sustainability Partnerships (STARS)
News
Buildings
1. Winona State U Plans Sustainability Theme House
If approved by the Winona City Council, Winona State University (MN) plans to build a pilot theme house dedicated to sustainability. Ten students with similar interest and studies in sustainability will live together in the university-owned house. If the university can demonstrate that the pilot house is successful, it plans to implement more theme houses in the future. University officials describe the pilot project as a compromise solution to concerns that have been raised as the city works through the process.
Co-Curricular Education
2. Clark U Student Orchestrates Bike Initiative for Campus Police
A student at Clark University (MA) has launched a University Bike Patrol initiative on campus. Funded by the university's Big Idea Contest, one officer was outfitted with a patrol bike and uniform. In a show of support, the Police Department purchased a second bike and uniform. In addition to increased safety and officer visibility among students, the bike patrol will help decrease the university's greenhouse gas emissions with fewer sports utility police vehicles.
3. Dartmouth College Greek Community Creates Sustainability Council
Two Office of Sustainability interns at Dartmouth College (NH) have begun working to initiate a new Greek council on sustainability. The council will provide a forum for Greek organizations to share ideas and work together to promote efficient use of resources. The current council has identified short and long-term goals, the first of which is to increase recycling in Greek houses. Long-term goals include conducting energy audits, energy-efficient lighting and ensuring that there is insulation in place for the winter. Additionally, the council hopes to organize a competition that would award a prize to Greek organizations for improvements in sustainability.
See also: AASHE Student Diary Series: Greening Fraternity Practices at U Chicago
4. New Jersey IT, Rutgers U Students Build Sustainable Home
A group of architecture, planning and engineering students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University (NJ) have built a one-story house as a submission to the 2011 Solar Decathlon, an international green technology contest staged every two years by the U.S. Department of Energy. The 940-square-foot house features a modular structure, precast concrete walls and an inverted roof to catch water and sunlight. Solar and thermal technology is integrated into every exposed surface of the house, which produces enough energy to power all of its appliances and maintain a comfortable temperature year-round. Coordination and Planning
5. Campus Sustainability Planning: An August Update
The University of Kansas has created its first Campus Sustainability Plan. For the past year, a group of more than 150 administrators, faculty, staff and students have been working on a host of action steps and recommendations that will build a more sustainable community over the next 40 years. The plan focuses on nine major areas: administration, built environment, campus grounds, curriculum and research, energy, procurement, student life, transportation and waste reduction.
In related news, Pennsylvania State University has begun drafting its first strategic plan for sustainability. The development will involve students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni, supporters and corporate partners. The council’s plan aims to make the university a living laboratory of sustainable ideas. The goals under consideration include ensuring that graduates have a deep understanding of sustainability; engaging the community in learning about and pursuing sustainability; creating an integrated living laboratory for global sustainability; and advancing sustainability within the greater community.
Curriculum
6. U Toledo Creates New Green Chemistry School
The University of Toledo (OH) has announced the creation of a new school that will teach students about green chemistry and engineering. The School for Green Chemistry and Engineering will focus on the need for sustainability with the design of products that use renewable raw materials and environmentally safe processes. The university is positioning itself to be a leader in teaching, researching and applying green chemistry and biomimicry, which is green chemistry and engineering that uses natural raw materials and processes that mimic nature and produce zero waste.
7. San Diego State U Students Assess Sustainability in the Dominican
San Diego State University students recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to complete research for a sustainability evaluation of the Punta Cana region as part of a four-week study abroad program on sustainable development. The students are developing a sustainability evaluation that will create benchmarks based on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and will be used to assess development in the region as the region applies for the United Nations Global Cities Compact Certification.
8. U Delaware Class Installs Green Roof
A University of Delaware professor and a group of chemical engineering students have created a green roof as a solution to their classroom building’s hot temperature. The idea bloomed on an especially hot day in 2008, when the temperature was 86 degrees inside and the construction outside was too noisy to open the window. The class treated it as an engineering problem and came up with a green roof as the solution. The roof contains 14,000 square feet of small sedums planted in trays with 4 to 8 inches of soil. The plants act as a natural heat shield, absorbing and deflecting the sun’s radiation. Recent temperature readings revealed that the plants cause the peak temperature of the roof to occur later in the day. Dining Services
9. Messiah College Creates Sunflower Power Project
Messiah College (PA) has launched the Sunflower Project, a plan to squeeze the oil out of the sunflower seeds to be used in the campus dining hall and biofuel. The college is growing five acres of sunflower plants for cooking oil. Once it is used in the dining hall, it will be converted to fuel for campus vehicles. The college expects to produce 500 gallons of oil. The college has been recycling cooking oil for the last three years to power some of its vehicles and heat some of its buildings.
10. U South Florida Dining Services Eliminates Styrofoam
The University of South Florida's Dining Services has eliminated Styrofoam take-out boxes in campus dining halls in favor of reusable to-go boxes. The plastic containers are offered to students for a $4 refundable deposit. The university purchased 7,500 reusable containers for $17,000 but has saved $23,000 by not using Styrofoam. With the reduction of plastic foam, the university aims to reduce carbon emissions and landfill space.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Dining Initiatives on Campus (AASHE Members Only) Energy
11. EPA Announces Top Campus Purchasers of 'Green Power'
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has revealed its top 20 list of campus green power purchasers. Four universities in Pennsylvania are among the 10 institutions in the U.S. that bought the most "green power," characterized by renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products. The University of Pennsylvania topped the list, purchasing nearly half of its total electricity in the form of solar and wind power.
12. U Minnesota Hits Energy Reduction Goal of 5%
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities has reduced its energy consumption by 5 percent for the second consecutive year, avoiding $2 million in annual energy costs. The savings were the result of the campus-wide "It All Adds Up" conservation program, initiated in 2009 by the university's Energy Management department. The program includes recommissioning buildings and engaging the campus community to reduce operational energy use. Since the program began, the university has avoided $4.6 million in annual energy costs and the reduced carbon emissions by 50,000 tons annually.
13. Pennsylvania State U Installs Wind Turbine
Pennsylvania State University has installed a 2.4-kilowatt wind turbine. The turbine is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America Program. The university will collect data from the turbine and work with K-12 schools that want to set up their own small-scale turbines for hands-on learning.
See also: AASHE Resource: Wind Power on Campus Grounds
14. Macalester College Raises Chickens
Macalester College’s (MN) Urban Land and Community Health program has begun raising chickens on campus. Students, faculty, staff and community members will be provided with an ongoing hands-on education and will have an opportunity to learn how to care for chickens as part of a more sustainable urban landscape. A group of students worked with Amish furniture makers to design and construct the coop. The eggs will be distributed among the caretakers.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Supported Agriculture (AASHE Members Only)
15. U Chicago Transforms Dormant Campus Space into Garden
Three University of Chicago (IL) departments have announced a collaboration to convert a dormant campus space into an "Avant Garden." University staff and interns volunteered to transform a large empty lot into a common space for interaction, production and innovation. Herbs and vegetables will be harvested in the space and the plants were strategically placed in locations that emphasize their aesthetic qualities.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Landscaping on Campus Human Resources
16. U Minnesota Research Touts Benefits of Flexible Work Schedule
Two sociology professors at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities have published a study about the effects of flexible work time on employees. In 2005, Best Buy introduced Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) to its employees, an initiative that allows employees to choose their work hours and places, as long as they achieved the desired results. Surveying 608 Best Buy employees, half who were given a ROWE work environment and half who continued under standard work hours and locations, the study found that flexible scheduling reduced work-life stress and increased enjoyment and commitment to the position. The employees also reported that they could avoid rush hour and reduce their commuting time by up to 75 percent.
Other News
17. U Michigan Creates Peregrine Falcon-Friendly Campus
To celebrate the first known hatchlings of a breeding pair of peregrine falcons that have nested on the University of Michigan's campus for several years, the university is offering children at a local hospital the opportunity to name the baby falcon through an online contest. The university hopes to create awareness of environmental stewardship and sustainability on campus and in the community. The falcons nest on the roof of the University Hospital, where staff modified the box to withstand higher wind speeds and other weather damage. The university also plans to build an access hatch that will allow Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff to band future chicks and better track their movements. Public Engagement
18. U Colorado at Boulder Holds Low-Income Youth Computer Intensive
For the first time, the University of Colorado at Boulder's decade-old "Computers to Youth" program has selected students to come onto the campus for a week to get a sneak peak of college life. The program, which provides computers to college-bound students from low-income families, exposes the students to the anatomy of computers in an attempt to bridge the "digital divide" that can affect economically disadvantaged groups. At the end of the camp, the students get to take home the donated computers that have been recycled and refurbished.
Purchasing
19. Oregon State U Offsets Nearly 100% of Energy Use
Oregon State University has purchased $430,000 in renewable energy certificates for a total offset of nearly 100 percent of its campus energy use. The certificates were initially purchased from student green fees but the students wanted to redirect the money to fund local energy projects. The university administration agreed to continue to purchase renewable energy off-site. The certificates were purchased from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which reinvests profits from the sale of carbon offsets into watershed restoration and renewable energy programs. Research
20. Canadian Research Teams to Study Climate Change Adaptation
Five teams made up of Canadian institutions and universities in developing countries will participate in the International Research Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change (IRIACC). Each team will receive $2.5 million over five years to study how best to protect people, communities and vital economic sectors, like agriculture and tourism, that are most at risk from the effects of climate change. Two teams will focus specifically on vulnerable indigenous populations. Together, the research projects, which will take place in Canada and in developing countries across four continents, aim to address how to anticipate, manage and reduce climate risk vulnerability through adaptation.
21. U Texas Conducts Solar Panel Research
A University of Texas mechanical engineering research team will study the output of three different types of solar panels from three different manufacturers under the same conditions. Research on the new solar panels will show how they respond to different temperatures, partial dirtiness and aging. The project is being funded by a $195,000 grant from federal funds. Waste
22. U Missouri Dining Starts Composting Program
The University of Missouri’s Campus Dining Services has partnered with the Bradford Extension Farm to compost discarded dining hall food. The farm plans to combine food waste with animal waste to make compost and will use the compost to grow vegetables to be served on campus. The university is currently constructing an aerated compost facility. The potential in food waste is up to 250 tons per year of compostable food. The Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District has donated a grant to help cover the costs of the new facility.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Composting Programs (AASHE Members Only)
23. U Oregon Initiates Take Back the Tap Campaign
The University of Oregon’s Dining Services has announced plans to implement a pilot program in support of the Take Back the Tap campaign in the fall. The campaign is a trademark of Food and Water Watch that promotes access to quality tap water and the discontinued use of plastic water bottles. Members of the university's Climate Justice League received support for the campaign in May from the university's president, and recently held meetings with Student Affairs, Housing and Athletics in an effort to promote the use of tap water over sales of single-use plastic bottled water. The campaign has also received support from Fraternity and Sorority Life, Campus Recycling, various student groups and more than 1,700 students. To encourage more student interest, the Climate Justice League has installed more than 25 spigots, posted informative fliers and handed out reusable water bottles.
See also: AASHE Resource: Bottled Water Elimination and Reduction on Campus (AASHE Members Only)
New Resources
24. New and Improved AASHE Member Directory
AASHE has debuted a new and improved Member Directory. Institutions, businesses and other members are now consolidated into one dynamic searchable listing. Visitors can now search by location, keyword and type of organization, as well as see which organizations are STARS participants or ACUPCC signatories.
25. AASHE Releases Annual Campus Sustainability Review
AASHE has released its "2010 Campus Sustainability Review." Revealing new ways of thinking about and incorporating sustainability into campus operations, planning and curriculum, the publication takes a look at the higher education sustainability movement through AASHE Bulletin statistics, stories focused on notable practices and interviews with campus sustainability champions including Oberlin College’s Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics David Orr. The inaugural Campus Sustainability Review format is a move away from past AASHE Digests. AASHE's Bulletin Interactive Archive, which debuted in October 2010, does most of the work of the Digests, eliminating the need for a comprehensive list of stories each year. The publication is available to AASHE members in PDF format and is also available as an e-book to members and non-members.
26. New Issue of Int'l Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
The latest issue of Emerald Group Publishing Limited's International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education looks at how to integrate sustainable development into operations management courses; assess greenhouse gas emissions from university purchases; and promote sustainability in postgraduate education in the Asia Pacific region. The issue also explores two approaches to curriculum development for sustainability education.
27. New Issue: Journal of Ag, Food Systems, Community Development
"Using a Supply Chain Analysis To Assess the Sustainability of Farm-to-Institution Programs" is among the papers in the latest issue of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD). The study focuses on how to foster farm-to-institution programs by exploring barriers, opportunities and potential solutions from different perspectives in the supply chain. JAFSCD is an online, international, peer-reviewed publication focused on the practice and applied research interests of agriculture and food systems development professionals.
Opportunities
28. Call for Stories: Global Edition of the AASHE Bulletin
AASHE will publish the fifth edition of its semi-annual AASHE Bulletin: Global Edition in August. We invite press releases and news article suggestions from institutions outside the U.S. and Canada for inclusion in the upcoming issue. The Global Edition covers the continued strides made by college and university campuses around the globe toward sustainability in areas including new sustainability educational programs, waste reduction efforts, public engagement initiatives, green buildings, climate and energy initiatives and more. Institutions from nearly 15 countries were represented in the March 2011 issue and we'd like to hear from even more. To submit an item for consideration, email a hyperlink to the news story or press release that is posted online to bulletin@aashe.org with the subject line, “global edition.” The deadline for submissions is Aug. 11, 2011.
29. Northwest Earth Institute EcoChallenge
Registration for the Northwest Earth Institute's EcoChallenge 2011 is now open. The event, to be held Oct. 1-15, 2011, will challenge students, faculty and staff to choose one action in the areas of water, trash, energy, food or transportation to reduce their environmental impact and stick with it for two weeks.
30. Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
The Professional Certificate in Sustainability Leadership from Ithaca College (NY), offered in partnership with AASHE, is for practitioners who want to apply best practices in leading sustainability initiatives. The certificate catalog features 12, two-week seminars delivered online - anytime, anywhere - with open enrollment. The program currently has three upcoming seminars that will take place Sept. 8-24, 2011. "A Systems Approach to Sustainability" will cover awareness of sustainability as a multidimensional, dynamic interaction between interrelated and interdependent elements in an organization. Participants in "Establishing Sustainability as an Organizational Purpose" will learn how to implement a sustainability branding strategy for their organization that defines their values and interactions. "Marketing Metrics that Matter" will provide an orientation to qualitative research methods and their use in designing and implementing tools and methods for identifying high value opportunities. The registration deadline for all is September 8 and discounts are available for AASHE members.
31. Call for Papers: Building a Global Future Conference
Co-sponsored by West Chester University (PA) and Universidad Nacional at Heredia (Costa Rica), the Knowledge Crossing Borders conference is seeking conference workshop papers that focus on border-crossing perspectives in broad contexts. Themed "Building a Global Future through Research and Innovative Practices," the international conference will examine how knowledge crossing regional and international borders creates both challenges and opportunities for cooperation, change, creativity and innovation. Paper topics may be related to tracks including sustainability, technology and science, globalization and transnationalization in higher education, and funding models for higher education. The conference will take place May 29 - June 3, 2012 in West Chester, Pa.
Jobs & Internships
32. Student Sustainability Programs Coordinator, Pennsylvania State U
Pennsylvania State University's Campus Sustainability Office is looking for a student programs coordinator. Typical duties will include coordinating the Student Eco-Rep Program including program development, team building, training and assessment; making presentations to classes and student groups and tabling at events; working with faculty, students and operations experts to develop effective facilities-relevant class projects; and managing multiple communications channels to build a student sustainability community using social media, mobile devices, the Web, email, video, and events (such as energy challenges). Successful candidates will have a bachelor's degree or higher plus two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. To apply, click on the title link above and search for job number: 34636.
33. Organic Farming Coordinator, Berea College
Berea College (KY) seeks an individual with a bachelor's degree in agriculture or a related field and experience in commercial-scale organic crop production to manage and oversee certified organic and transitional organic cropland as the college's organic farming coordinator. Successful candidates will have the equivalent of at least three years of practical experience in organic field crop production including grain, hay and pasture; an understanding of USDA organic regulations; and practical experience operating and maintaining planting, cultivating and harvesting equipment.
34. 2 Postdoc Researchers, Sustainability Science, U California Davis
The University of California, Davis' Agricultural Sustainability Institute is looking to fill two two-year postdoctoral researcher positions for its new initiative to improve the sustainability of global agricultural raw materials sourcing. With particular emphasis on key commodities, the project is intended to critically review current best practice and prototype indicators of key dimensions of food system sustainability at various scales (from global concerns to sustainable intensification at the field level), and to assess and test indicators for a comprehensive range of sustainability issues.
Events
35. 2011 Bioneers Conference
October 14-16, 2011; San Rafael, CA
The 22nd Annual Bioneers Conference will focus on "Reimagining Civilization in the Age of Nature." The event will feature pre- and post-conference intensives including "Schools and Food: Invitation to a Revolution," the inaugural meeting of its Education for Action Educators Network, and a women's leadership program. AASHE members will receive 20 percent off the registration price.
36. EPA Webinar: Converting Food Waste to Energy
August 17, 2011; 1:00 -2:00 p.m. Eastern; Online
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership will host this webinar examining how food scraps can be diverted from landfills and used to generate renewable energy. Highlighting a partnership between Purdue University (IN) and the City of West LaFayette, Ind. where food scraps from the university's cafeteria are sent to the city to be used as an energy source, the webinar will review the environmental impacts associated with food waste disposal, the anaerobic digestion process, food waste collection programs, biogas usage for energy, available EPA resources and tools, and the opportunities and hurdles associated with expanding the anaerobic digestion of food scraps.
Campus Sustainability Discussion Forums Highlights Click on the titles below to view the full discussion thread.
37. Community Sustainability Partnerships (STARS)
This post is about STARS, AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System.
I'm seeking clarification as to what is meant by "formal partnerships" in PAE-19, Community Sustainability Partnerships. At one point, I was under the assumption that this would require some form of "compacts, statements of intent, or MOUs." However, from STARS 1.1, I can see that a panel discussion related to sustainability concerns seems to suffice. Would various programs offered through the college's field station, outreach to school districts, and public issues forums all be considered partnerships even though there has been no formal agreement by "partners"?
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