UMC Sustainability Committee

Our perspective, charge, and initiatives

Our Perspective

• Sustainability defined– “meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

• (United Nations Brundtland Commission, 1989)

Our Perspective

• Sustainability is focused on the future.

• Sustainability is a global and local issue.

• Encompasses the major challenges of our time

National SecurityArable LandClean WaterEnergy CrisisClimate ChangePopulation Growth

Our Perspective

Sustainability happens here!

Our Perspective

• How does sustainability happen?– Education– Research– Policy making– Planning– Creating markets at appropriate scale

Our Charge

• The committee is charged with providing overall leadership for [sustainability] work, while at the same time encouraging broad participation from across the campus, community, and region. It is our responsibility to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability by what we do, and how we do it. The success of our sustainability efforts depends on building broad based support.

Our Charge

The committee is encouraged to:

• Create an inventory of current campus initiatives

• Identify energy conservation practices on campus

• Identify strategies to reduce/reuse/recycle (RRR strategies)

Our Charge

The committee is encouraged to:• Identify strategies to decrease the carbon

footprint caused by transportation• Explore opportunities to increase the use of

local foods and reduce food waste• Explore new program majors as well as

integrating sustainability into the curriculum across the academic disciplines

Our Charge

The committee is encouraged to:

• Develop a communications plan to increase awareness of the work of the committee

• Identify internal and external funding sources for those initiatives requiring funding

Our Charge

• U of M President, Robert Bruininks, signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).– Signatory date: January 15, 2008– Signed for all campuses in the U of M system

Our Charge

UMC’s Responsibilities per ACUPCC1. Establish an institutional structure to oversee the

development and implementation of the schools program to comply with the ACUPCC.

2. Complete a green house gas emissions inventory (May 15, 2009)

3. Establish a climate neutrality action plan and set a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral (January 15, 2010);

Our Charge

UMC’s Responsibilities per ACUPCC cont.4. Take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions by choosing from a list of tangible action options;

5. Integrate sustainability into the curriculum, making it part of the educational experience; and

6. Make our climate action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available.

Our Immediate Initiatives

• Green House Gas inventory– Clean Air - Cool Planet carbon calculator

• Climate Neutrality Plan• Divide and Conquer strategy

– 5 Working Groups

•Recycling•Curriculum•Communication and Outreach

•Physical Operations•Food

Recycling Working Group Membership

• Peter Phaiah, • Leela Hier, • Chris Waltz, • Melanie Meyers, • Andrew "A.J." Wilson,

• Thomas R Melhorn, • Terry Fredrich, • Jenna Benoit, • Brian Christensen, • Shawn Friedland

Recycling Working Group• Formalize campus-wide recycling program for cans, bottles,

paper and cardboard by the start of fall ‘09.

• Decrease the volume of recyclable materials that are thrown away with campus trash. The specific goal is to reduce tipping by 25%.

• Develop a marketing and educational plan by August 21st.

• Showcase best practices and increase awareness

• Incorporate tote bags made from recycled material into Freshmen Orientation.

• Change behaviors and make individuals more conscious about recycling

Curricular Working Group Membership

• Katy Smith

• Dan Svedarsky

• Chris Waltz

• Paul Aakre

• Martin Lundell

• Recruiting more students and Business and AHSS Faculty

Curricular Working Group

• Identify methods to integrate sustainability into the curriculum – Sustainability degree programs– common reading programs– formalize sustainability components in existing courses across

both degree programs and the liberal education curriculum– identify and promote sustainability Internships and Service

Learning opportunities for students– identify and promote study abroad experiences with

sustainability focus

Foods Working Group Membership

• Linda Kingery• Peter Phaiah• Terry Nennich• Deborah Zak• Eric Castle

• Harouna Maiga• Natalie Brown• Sharon Stewart• Ken Myers• Anna Ogaard

Foods Working Group• Inventory current sustainability initiatives/practices on campus

related to food.• Make recommendations for increasing the amount of locally grown

foods on campus.• Develop and promote procurement process with incentives for

local food procurement.• Support local growers in providing produce, meat, grain, dairy

products for the campus.• Identify strategies to reduce food waste, compost organic fraction.• Identify opportunities for teaching and learning to interface with

dining services in food production, processing, presentation, nutrition, food service, business, etc.

Communication and Outreach WG Membership

• Rachel McCoppin

• Linda Kingery

• Elizabeth Tollefson

• Heather Donati Lewis

• Stephanie Onken

Communication and Outreach WG

• Focus initially on internal communication (UMC News, e-update, Golden Eagle Mix, Eagle News, Eagle's Eye, Insight Radio)

• Work with UMC University Relations Office to develop a website to highlight sustainability activities and events (http://www.umcrookston.edu/committees/sustainability/index.htm)

• Develop Face Book page for student discussion

• Promote the sustainability message for other events and groups (e.g. Women's History Month)

Physical Operations Working Group Membership

• Paul Aakre• Donn Anderson• Jason Brantner• Doug Langer

– Looking for more

Physical Operations Working Group

• Participate in establishing baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory (carbon footprint)

• Identify energy conservation practices/ideas to reduce carbon footprint

• Identify practices for management and reduction of peak electricity load

UMC Sustainability Committee Membership

Paul Aakre - FacultyJason Brantner - Research FellowShawn Friedland - StudentLeela Hier - StudentPat Kelly - Crookston Public WorksLinda Kingery - Program Director (Extension Service)Douglas Langer - UMC StaffMartin Lundell - Co-ChairRachel McCoppin - FacultyPeter Phaiah - Associate Vice Chancellor for Student AffairsTricia Sanders - Interim Director of FinanceJon Steiner, Polk County Environmental Services OfficerChris Waltz - Co-ChairBarbara Ricord - Asst to Chancellor

Crookston Students for Sustainable Development

(CSSD)

Overview

• Student Support

• Mission/Goals of CSSD

• Students Role

• Challenges

• What can we do

• A Look Ahead

Student Support

• First LEED certified building on the University of Minnesota, Crookston campus

• Recycling (DTS)

• Attendance to Sustainability Speakers

Mission

• Mission Statement: The Crookston Students for Sustainable Development Committee Commissioned by the Crookston Student Association will serve as the student group for exploration, research and collaborative conception of a number of sustainability initiatives for our campus and community.

Goals

Sustainable Initiatives

Cut Energy Spending

Research OpportunitiesCollaboration

Students

Students Role

• We pay to come here.

• We make our experience

• We are a valuable resource

• We have a say in sustainability (CSSD)

Challenges

• Dedicated staff/faculty time

• Getting to Carbon Natural

• Costs/Funding

What can we do NOW???

• Turn off the TV/video games

• Always recycle

• Unplug/Turnoff everything

• Short/cold showers

• Go to bed earlier

• GO OUTSIDE

Looking Ahead• Sustainability Week: April 20-24• Possible $20,000 Grant through CERTS

Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon Program • Communal Wind and Recycling Project with

The Red Lake Nation• Maroon, Gold, and Green Recycling Stations

Policy• Freshmen Orientation (Green component)

“What you do to the earth you also do to your children” Red Lake Nation

Photo by Dr. Dan Svedarsky