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2011 Greenhouse Gas Report Submitted

LSC has recently submitted its bi-annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report to the ACUPCC (American Colleges and Universities Presidents’ Climate Commitment) reporting site.  Here’s a quick summary:

Want more info?  Find it on the official ACUPCC Reporting site.

Meeting Agenda 12/2/2011

9:00-11:00
Location:  Student Life Conference Room

Announcements
Another 5R Recycling Event?
Recruiting/Campus Ambassadors

Work Group Reports

New Business
Duty-Day clean up, office moving, re-use room planning  (Kristi)
Tree Campus USA update (Kristi)

Old Business

Budget 
Balance as of 12/1/2011: $3127.32

Next meeting
December 16th, 9:00, Student Life Conference Room

Meeting Agenda 12/2/2011

9:00-11:00
Location:  Student Life Conference Room

Announcements
Another 5R Recycling Event?
Recruiting/Campus Ambassadors

Work Group Reports

New Business
Duty-Day clean up, office moving, re-use room planning  (Kristi)
Tree Campus USA update (Kristi)

Old Business

Budget 
Balance as of 12/1/2011: $3127.32

Next meeting
December 16th, 9:00, Student Life Conference Room

Meeting Agenda 11/16/11

9:00-11:00
Location:  Student Life Conference Room

Announcements

Sub-Committee Reports
GHG Inventory Due 1/15/11

New Business
Recruiting/Campus Ambassadors meeting, Dec 2nd  (Deanne)
Duty-Day clean up, electronics recycling (April), office moving, re-use room planning (Kristi)
Tree Campus USA (Kristi)
New H&S Building Open House (Kristi)
EC Budget proposal for FY13
Facebook and “tip of the week”

Old Business
NEW EC Structure: any changes/suggestions?

Budget 
FY12 Budget start: $5,000
8/8/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Membership: $150
8/9/11 Airpark Services for FY12 plastic bag pick-up: $208 for year
9/12/11 UMACS registration for 2 Student Senate members: $60
9/12/11 UMACS hotel: Best Northland Prairie Inn, Morris: $87.03
9/12/11 UMACS mileage & food reimbursement for Brett and Brian: $328.40
9/12/11 Kristi’s Sustainability Leadership Certificate: $550
10/15/11 AASHE Dues: $260
11/1/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Meeting Registration: $45
11/1/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Meeting mileage: $169
Balance as of 10/28/2011: $3142.57

Next meeting
December 2nd, 9:00, Student Life Conference Room

Meeting Agenda 11/16/11

9:00-11:00
Location:  Student Life Conference Room

Announcements

Sub-Committee Reports
GHG Inventory Due 1/15/11

New Business
Recruiting/Campus Ambassadors meeting, Dec 2nd  (Deanne)
Duty-Day clean up, electronics recycling (April), office moving, re-use room planning (Kristi)
Tree Campus USA (Kristi)
New H&S Building Open House (Kristi)
EC Budget proposal for FY13
Facebook and “tip of the week”

Old Business
NEW EC Structure: any changes/suggestions?

Budget 
FY12 Budget start: $5,000
8/8/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Membership: $150
8/9/11 Airpark Services for FY12 plastic bag pick-up: $208 for year
9/12/11 UMACS registration for 2 Student Senate members: $60
9/12/11 UMACS hotel: Best Northland Prairie Inn, Morris: $87.03
9/12/11 UMACS mileage & food reimbursement for Brett and Brian: $328.40
9/12/11 Kristi’s Sustainability Leadership Certificate: $550
10/15/11 AASHE Dues: $260
11/1/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Meeting Registration: $45
11/1/11 Minnesota Waste Wise Meeting mileage: $169
Balance as of 10/28/2011: $3142.57

Next meeting
December 2nd, 9:00, Student Life Conference Room

Spring Sustainability Newsletter

The Spring 2011 Sustainability Newsletter is now available!

Meeting Agenda 4/1/2011

April 1st , 2011
9:00 – 11:00
Location:  Student Life Conference Room

Announcements

Sub-Committee Reports

New Business
Spring newsletter items, please send other ideas to Kristi by April 8th.  Stories Kristi is working on:
-SPA Submitted to ACUPCC
-Plant Sale
-Disk-Golf Course Re-Vegetation Project
-Disk-Golf Course Maintenance Crew
-Interpretive Trail and Annual Tree Planting
-LSC Rain Gardens: Spring Workshop and Maintenance
-Watershed Festival & WLSSD rain barrel/composter sale (rain barrel composter flyer)
-LSC Earth Day Re-Cap
-Shredder Wins Gold!

Rain Garden(s) signs

Choose Waste Wise Success Story

Old Business
SPA Updates/Timeline:
–Kristi met with Student Senate Friday afternoon
–Carol finished proofing the SPA this week and Kristi is finishing up changes this weekend.
–Kristi will send plan to Kathy D., Mark W., Cathy C., and Gary A. next week
–Meeting with Pat-meeting time scheduled? (Wade)
–Release to campus April 14th
–Submit May 6th

Earth Day Updates
–posters galore

Budget
Funds for this FY need to be encumbered by late April to be used.

Balance as of 2/8/2011: $3,596.40
3/1/2011-MN Waste Wise: Plastic Bag recycler + shipping: -$200
3/1/201-Holtzman Betchel Co.: 2 compost bins: -$253
YTD Printing: -$4.42
3/18/2011-CURRENT BALANCE: about $3,138.98 (does not include Earth Day or e-junk posters)

Next meeting
April 15th, 2011 at 9:00 in the Student Life Conference Room

Minutes 3/18/2011

April 18th, 2011
9:00 Student Life Conference Room

Faculty/Staff members present: Cliff Koski, Deanne Roquet, Glenn Merrick, Kevin Futhey, Kristi Heintz, Heather Grillo, Patty Dorn, Wade Gordon
Student members present: Amy Alves, Kent Olson, Tom Deschenes
Guests present: Rebecca Ronning, student

Announcements
USGBC/LHB discussion forum is April 7th at 7:30.  Contact Deanne for more information on attending.

Sub-Committee Reports
Earth Day
-Patty gave us the finalized workshop schedule for Michael Monroe
-Student Life will pay to print event posters for LSC Earth Day activities
-The Environmental Council and Patty’s grant will share costs to pay for posters related to the concert/workshops.  Janet Blixt and Sandy Pederson are in charge of these 2 poster designs and will get the designs to Kristi when they are finished.  Kristi will work with Mat, Janet, and Patty to decide how many to print.  Patty and the Council would also like postcard sized flyers made to be handed out.
-After discussion, Patty decided to try to avoid as much paper use as possible and do concert “programs” in a PowerPoint format.

SPA timeline
–Kristi will meet with Student Senate March 25th
–EC complete draft to Carol March 28th-31st for proofing
–Kristi will send relevant sections to Kathy D, Mark W, Cathy C, Gary A after proofing is complete
–Wade will arrange meeting with Pat, tentatively for April 11th , Kristi will get a copy of the Plan to Pat before this meeting.
–Release Plan to campus on Earth Day, April 14th
–Final revisions done by May 6th and submit.

April 21, 22 Duty Day
-Mat is working on the promo posters for the 5R e-waste collection.  Kristi will follow-up. That printing cost will come out of the $500 set aside for Earth Day poster printing.  Kristi will also have postcard sized flyers printed to be handed out at the Earth Day concert and LSCs Spring Open House April 15th.
-Glenn suggested we keep the outside projects grouped as 1 activity to sign-up for in Stars, then we can divide people as needed.  The 3 outdoor projects will be:
1. Parking lot trash, debris and sand clean-up
2. Interpretive Trail Maintenance, ie limestone placement, tree trimming (trail conditions permitting)-Glenn
3. Rain Garden and Rock Swale Workshop/Clean-out-Jeri
Kristi will send this info to Mary.

New Business
Spring Sustainability Newsletter will be sent out after Earth Day and Duty Day

Duluth Trail and Bikeway Plan Glenn will discuss this with Dick.

Rain Garden(s) Signs
The Council looked at some preliminary wording for signs.  Input included the need to make the information directly relevant to all levels of understanding ex: how much water it catches, less technical wording…Glenn will work with Kristi on wording.  Wade will talk with Max about materials.

Review Kate’s Waste Wise Report and choose success story-tabled until next meeting

Purchasing Agent call for hiring committee members The Council agreed it would be a good idea to have a representative on the committee to hire for Dave Olson’s position as buyer for LSC.  Dave was in the process if helping us with the Purchasing Policy, and we’d like to have a voice in hiring his replacement.  Kent agreed to sit on the committee as a student representative.  Thanks Kent!

Old Business
Energy Walk-Through results of the walk-though were discussed, Deanne brought info on toasty toes foot warmers.  The Council decided we would bring this information to Pat along with the SPA discussion in April.

Budget Report
EC balance YTD:

Date    Item    (-)    Balance
7/1/2010    Beginning FY11 Balance        $ 5000
7/9/10    MN Waste Wise Membership dues    $ 150    $ 4850
8/24/10    Print/Laminate 2 compost posters    $ 7.50    $ 4842.50
8/25/10    Print/Laminate 2 energy miser posters    $ 7.50    $ 4835
9/17/10    Waste Wise Annual Meeting Registration-Kevin & Kristi    $ 70    $ 4765
9/24/10    MN Waste Wise Meeting Mileage-Kevin & Kristi    $ 296.18    $ 4468.82
11/24/10    AASHE Annual Dues    $250    $ 4218.82
2/7/11    Online Cert. in Sustainability Leadership, Ithaca-Kristi    $550    $ 3668.83
2/8/11    Northland College Sustainability Meeting mileage-Kristi    $72.42    $ 3596.40
3/1/11    MN Waste Wise: plastic bag recycler + shipping    $200  $
3/1/11    Holtzman Betchel Co: 2 Rubbermaid compost bins    $253
3/18/11    Printing YTD    $4.42

balance:  $3138.98

Motions
No motions made
Next meeting
Next EC meeting will be on April 1st at 9:00 in Student Life Conference Room

Submitted by Kristi Heintz

Meeting Minutes 3/4/2011

9:00 Student Life Conference Room

Faculty/Staff members present: Deanne Roquet, Kevin Futhey, Kristi Heintz, Theresa Hornstein, Dave Olson, Heather Grillo, Patty Dorn

Announcements
Energy Audit:  Kristi, Kevin, Wade, and anyone else that would like to join, will be doing an energy audit/inventory as a follow-up to the 2009 inventory.  Kristi will send out an email to all employees today letting them know we’ll be doing the audit over break and also give them energy saving tips and the stats from 2009.

Sub-Committee Reports
April 21, 22 Duty Day: 5R will be contacted to do public electronics collection on April 22nd.  Employees and students can also bring in acceptable items for free.  LSC will only dispose of items not accepted by the usual e-waste hauler with 5R.  10 volunteers are required to help with the public collection.
Kristi will talk with Mat and Gary about doing a press release for 5R and other options for advertising the event.
Besides campus-wide clean-out, workshop ideas need to be sent to Mary Neinauber.  The Professional Development Committee will post all workshops/projects set for April 21st and everyone will be asked to join.  The Environmental Council will announce a Rain Garden workshop (Jeri will lead) and Kristi will look into the possibility of organizing a Biology Department lead Native Plants Plot for the campus front yard.

Earth Day
-Patty updated the group on the $2 suggested donation for Michael Monroe’s performance.  Food donations cannot be substituted for the suggested donation.
-Kristi discussed plans to release the final draft of the SPA in conjunction with launching the First Annual Green Stars Award.  She put together a related PowerPoint presentation as part of her Sustainability Leadership Certificate.  The PowerPoint will be emailed out to employees along with the SPA on April 13th and the EC will have a table for questions/comments related to Green Stars or the SPA on April 14th.  Kristi will talk with Max about designing the Green Stars trophy.
-Heather asked the Council for suggestions for Earth Day food.  Students thought of making worm/dirt cups (hydrox cookies and gummie worms).  The Council suggested using the compostable cups then advertising they should be placed in the worm bins.  We will work on signs for directing people to the worm bins.
-Heather is still looking at several options for re-usable water bottles.

New Business
MN Waste Wise meeting follow-up and LSC Success Story Ideas (discussion postponed until next meeting)
City of Duluth Connectivity (discussion postponed)
Rain Garden Signs Kevin and Kristi talked with Max about having the Integrated Manufacturing team design and build informational rain garden signs.  Kristi will work with Glenn on wording of the 8”x10” signs.

Old Business
It’s in the Bag plastic bag recycler: Theresa will pick up the recycler with she is in Minneapolis on March 17th.  Kristi faxed the PO to Kate and has started working on the contract with Airpark for pick-up service.  It was decided that collection could begin at any time after the receptacle is here, but because of the need to communicate with Airpark for pick-up, we will hold off on pick-up service until Kristi comes back from break in August.  Until then, any bags collected can be stored in the loading dock (or Kristi’s office!).

Budget Report
EC balance YTD: $3,143.40

Date    Item    (-)    Balance
7/1/2010    Beginning FY11 Balance        $ 5000
7/9/10    MN Waste Wise Membership dues    $ 150    $ 4850
8/24/10    Print/Laminate 2 compost posters    $ 7.50    $ 4842.50
8/25/10    Print/Laminate 2 energy miser posters    $ 7.50    $ 4835
9/17/10    Waste Wise Annual Meeting Registration-Kevin & Kristi    $ 70    $ 4765
9/24/10    MN Waste Wise Meeting Mileage-Kevin & Kristi    $ 296.18    $ 4468.82
11/24/10    AASHE Annual Dues    $250    $ 4218.82
2/7/11    Online Cert. in Sustainability Leadership, Ithaca-Kristi    $550    $ 3668.83
2/8/11    Northland College Sustainability Meeting mileage-Kristi    $72.42    $ 3596.40
3/1/11    MN Waste Wise: plastic bag recycler + shipping    $200
3/1/11    Holtzman Betchel Co: 2 Rubbermaid compost bins    $253

Motions
No motions made

Next meeting
Next EC meeting will be on march 18th at 9:00 in Student Life Conference Room

Submitted by Kristi Heintz

Employee Feedback from “Unveiling the SPA”

All Faculty/Staff Suggestions

Re: Sustainability Plan of Action (SPA) from January 6^th, 2011 Duty Day

Information/Transparency

• Publicize cost and energy savings
• “What are the true costs and savings of the hallway lamp retrofits? Cost of new lamps? Cost of disposing old lamps? Costs to install? What about aesthetic considerations-fixture design and lighting quality?  Transparency-who decided this change?”
• “Cost savings vs. cosmetic”
• “Fluid ways to reduce computer copy paper”
• “Does keeping things plugged in-does that use energy-ex. Not shutting off monitors”
• “Where do leaves, grass clippings go” Are they mulched/composted?”
• “Styrofoam shredder-newer version”
• “Environmental Technology Certificate (in progress)”
• “Data on campus closing over holiday-related to energy savings”

Finance

• “Optional fee for green initiatives”
• “Use Department of Energy grants”

Building/Energy efficiency

• “Concentrate classes required for programs to reduce miles per time on campus”
• “1-2° warmer temp in summer-less AC costs”
• “Climate control”
• “Control of how we are heating/cooling bldg?”
• “Windows that open in south facing rooms and fans”
• “Get involved in Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP)”
• “Look at reclaiming energy losses-buildings”
• “Capture heat from kilns in the art building”
• “Capture heat from ceramic kilns for art building heat”
• “Capture heat loss from art bldg.”
• “Heat recovery for existing air handling units (reclaimed from exhaust air)”
• “Capture electricity in fitness equipment-pedal power”
• “Overhead lighting throughout campus-greater efficiency and more “natural” light if possible”
• “Media Studies: studio lighting energy and cost saving with compact fluorescents and common work light fixtures”
• “Start solar and seed planting now”
• “Solar panels-snow/reflectivity”
• “Solar energy for the building”
• “Solar panels”
• “Solar and wind power”
• “4 day work weeks”
• “4 day work week”
• “4 day work week starting summer 2011”
• “4 day week M-Th”
• “4 day week (no classes scheduled)”
• “4 day work week in summer especially”
• “4 day work weeks-10 hr days”
• “Reduce work week in summer (especially)”
• “Close campus on Fridays (summer or winter)”
• “Limit weekend classes or only open sections needed in building”
• “Close campus 3 out or 4 Saturdays”
• “Eliminate individual fridges, coffee pots, heaters, etc.”
• “Turn off unnecessary power and computers”
• “Locker room shower efficiency”
• “Green rooftops”
• “Garden roof, grow herbs and vegetables”
• “Wasted flushes from electric eye toilets (ex. 2^nd floor East building women’s restroom)”
• “More efficient automatic flushes (flushes a lot-wastes water)”
• “Dual flush toilets”
• “Hand driers (amt of paper) electronic versus paper”
• “Utilize hand dryers in all washrooms-cost of elec less than paper, easier cleaning, less work to dump garbage”
• “Increase use of light sensors in buildings”
• “Motion sensing lights”
• “Motion sensor-what point turn on lights?”
• “Decrease office and campus lighting”
• “Decrease energy use by machines”
• “Wind turbine 2027? HOW ABOUT SOONER?”
• “Add a wind turbine before 2027 (by ~2015)- or geothermal”
• “Wind turbines”
• “Roof wind turbines”
• “Maintain wind energy systems”
• “Sell back [energy] to Excel Energy, Hartley Nature Center”
•  “Recycling bins should replace ALL garbage cans”
• “Recycle Machine Technology coolant”
• “Use of Ronald McDonald cardboard boxes for pop-can tops to help children at the Ronald McDonald House”

Technology

• “Eliminate disposable electronics
• “Electronic filing system, portals, etc.”
• “Eliminate excess electronic equipment/outdated tech”
• “Electronic communication options”
• “Turn off computers”
• ““Don’t print this” on all emails”
• “Video conferencing”
• “Make equip be up to date for decreasing energy cost including computers”
• “Increase use of recycled office paper”
• “Need for better quality printers in classrooms that would handle double-sided printing would save tremendous amt of paper in lab classes”

Employee Training

• “Educate faculty/staff on tech use”
• “Offer faculty an incentive to reduce paper usage (copies, paper handouts)”
• “D2L training to show students and faculty how to use IMS to reduce paper use”
• “Maintenance-safety/environmental training”
•  “Foundation participation in sustainability”

Landscape

• “More rain gardens to beautify campus-more trees and landscaping”
• “Planting more trees on campus”
• “Bulk trees from DNR”
• “Rain barrels to water existing landscaping”
•  “Picnic tables”
• “Better outdoor gathering areas”
• “Green space for sports/recreation on hilltop behind science building”
• “New approach to landscaping”
• “Native prairie grass seed study to make seed and see what grows well here (make vegetative swales between parking lots)”
• “Reduce mowing-more natural planting”
• “Quit mowing entirely-let the “true native” grasses grow”
• “Natural herbicide to get rid of weeds in rocks”
• “Planting differently to reduce mowing”

Campus Access/Commuting

• “Add LSC as a voice in support of the cross-town connector trail between the Lakewalk to Munger Trail”
• “Partnership w/ city for biking ability in all weather i.e snow
• “Sidewalks and accessibility”
• “Sidewalks!”
• “Crosswalk”
• “Safety for peds/bike use”
• “Move defined entrances/exits biking areas to access to campus-how do we promote this?”
• “College shuttle to the DTA hub downtown”
• “Better bussing to outlying areas – Park & Ride East, West, Superior, Hermantown…”
• “Duluth-Downtown public transit”
• “Shuttle-Downtown”
• “Better bus service generally”
• “More of bus service, less reliance on personal transport”
• “Provide more frequent bussing-Saturday, evenings, early morning”
• “Beef up the bus service
• “Continue free bus passes”
• “Help city identify and develop bike paths that end at LSC”
• “Facilitate rideshare board”
• “Carpool board-electronic/online”
• “Carpool incentives (zip codes)”
• “Duluth carpooling incentives”
• “Database-travel routes”
• “Carpool parking spaces in first row”
• “A carpool/bike to school day once a quarter (with donuts)”
• “Safe bike lock-up areas”
• “Schedule faculty to commute less”
• “Schedule 2/3 days wk”
• “Allow employees to work from home-even part-time
• “Common meeting time”
• “Parking fee incentive”
• “Have bikes on campus

Education/Curriculum

• “Solar and wind power-made here by students in construction and electronics”
• “Increase the number of courses offered in “hybrid” mode”
• “Hybrid courses-all syllabi, assignments, etc online”
• “Offer more courses online”
• “All paper should be online or involved with hybrid class”
• “Web streaming of classes to students”
• “Citrix access-secure site for working at home”
• “D2L training to show students and faculty how to use IMS to reduce paper use”
• “Expand use of D2L”
• “Grading papers through drop box-no papers handed in”
• “Encourage e-text use”
• “Electronic books
• “E-books for students”
• “Less PowerPoint packets to the bookstore, more online for student print choice”
• “Incorporate sustainability into courses such as writing topics etc.”
• “Establish a Sustainability Program to train people for the future -probably could get grants for all the necessary equipment”
• “Lorie Doering as guest speaker on sustainability cooperatives and their work with 3^rd world countries”
• “Native prairie grass seed study to make seed and see what grows well here (make vegetative swales between parking lots)”
• “Greenhouse, community garden”
• “Greenhouse/community garden”
• “Carpooling activity in class as ice-breaker for students, put them into “geographic” groups”
• “Carpools w/in class”
• “Community Ed classes”
• “Green Week”
• “Create a Sustainability Program”

Cafeteria

• “Grow food to serve in cafeteria on campus”
• “Plant planters w/ vegetables, herbs, peas.”

ERTC

• “We have posted signs above light switches to remind folks to turn them off.”
• “Put Rigs (Truck Drive tractors) inside, instead of plugging them in”
• “We need at bus stop at ERTC! (lots of our students live in the college areas for UMD and CSS)”
• “We could explore using “Dirty Propane” in the Large Aircraft simulator”
• “Shuttle from LSC to ERTC and back”
• “Bike lock-ups”

 Suggestions compiled by: Kristi Heintz k.heintz@lsc.edu (January 10, 2011)