Month: January 2017

Outcomes of our Tree Haüs meeting last evening:

Please forthwith proceed with the following tasks (based on the projects you are working on):

For the meeting with Dan McGee on Wed at 4 please get me an agenda for the meeting by noon tomorrow. This includes discussion points including:

• reusable food containers (pizza boxes?)
• composting
• Yellowbird Food Network
• Food Recovery Network and related efforts; left over food (Ryan food fight); catering guidelines for preserving food
• stats on bottled water sales
  • http://www.bizbash.com/5-tips-for-donating-food-after-events/new-york/story/29700/
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/restaurants-that-dont-donate-because-of-liability-are-just-making-excuses-experts-say_us_577d6f92e4b0344d514dd20f
  • https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm
• other issues?

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For the meeting with Peter from B&G and also Res Life on Friday at noon in 207 SCSC: please get me an agenda for the meeting by noon Thursday; review Peter’s comments about what he wants to hear about (in the email from a few days ago) and review the stuff in the online shared Drive folder. Other issues

• cost of getting the College Chunks to move junk left behind in rooms (cost to students; maybe use as a way to encourage participation in May Move Out)
• how to incorporate recycling in the May Move Out

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Other groups: proceed with stuff as we discussed last night

• Composting guy: Ray Leard (not Loard): http://www.thecompostexchange.com/local-garden-partners/
• list of Garden interested students
• things i missed or forgot
• additional things i missed or forgot

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Other stuff I have in my notes:

That Denison event: Eva is going to find out if OWU is an official sponsor if we pay the $2000; Get this event on our class calendar and work on a presentation that overlaps with our class presentation at the student research symposium and Green Week

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For Green Week:

• consider teaming up with other orgs like Greeks and maybe international student groups to get more participation. Many of the frats/soror. have green programs. Many international students sometimes have a very different perspective on sustainability from their home countries.
• consider involving the Citizens Climate Lobby, Sustainable Del. and the Watershed Coordinator in Green Week to get some off campus people involved

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Projects for Spring 2017

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Green Week & Earth Day 2017: For all project groups: plan events, information, outreach related to projects for week of April 17.

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Priority: OWU Sustainability Plan Adoption
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little Helpers: For all students in 499, selected help with outreach to groups and attendance at some meetings.

Goal: submitted to OWU Administration for adoption by end of semester

1. Research and compose a signable letter of support for Plan that does not entail a financial obligation.
2. Select groups to meet with to review Plan and sign support letter:
   1. Sustainability Task Force (present at February meeting [tba])
   2. Executive Committee (meet by ?)
   3. WCSA (meet by ?)
   4. Environment & Wildlife (meet by ?)
   5. ?
3. Arrange meetings
4. Present to Faculty during last faculty meeting (Green Week): April 17

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Priority: May Move Out: Planning and Implementation Spring 2017
Project Boss: [Eva Blockstein, James Ormerod, Sydney Spotts]
Little Helpers:

Goal: successful 2017 May Move Out with improvements in promotion and outreach

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Arrange a meeting with Peter Schantz (B&G): cc Krygier & Howald (by Friday, Jan 27). Have Krygier review email before it is sent.
3. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: May Move Out
4. Prepare to discuss (briefly) effort in class meeting Friday Jan. 27
5. May Move Out Foci:
   1. Planning and implementation of May Move Out
   2. Promotion
   3. Recycling
   4. ?

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Priority: Reusable Food Containers (& Chartwells Sustainability)
Project Boss: [Ryan Bishop, Sarah Hanes, Izzy Sommerdorf]
Little Helpers:

Goal: increase the ease of use and use of reusable food containers

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Arrange a meeting with Dan McGee (Chartwells): cc Krygier & Howald (by Tuesday Jan 31, noon) after discussion about the range of issues to be discussed. Have Krygier review email before it is sent.
3. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Reusable Food Containers
4. Prepare to discuss (briefly) effort in class meeting Friday Jan. 27
5. Prepare to discuss effort in class meeting Monday Jan. 30
6. Chartwell’s Sustainability
   1. Reusable Food Containers
      1. Promotion
      2. Problems with return options (lack of scanners)
      3. Problems with “image” of food containers
      4. ?
   2. Composting: status of composting
      1. Alex the Worm Guy
      2. New composting company
   3. Additional Chartwell’s Initiatives & Issues
      1. Food Recovery Network & related efforts
      2. Red meat reduction
      3. Purchasing Local Foods (Yellowbird Foodshed)
      4. Bottled water sales (check if still in decline)
      5. Other waste issues (coffee cups, etc.)
      6. ?
   4. ?

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Priority: Green Infrastructure in Residence Halls & SLUs
Project Boss: [Ryan Bishop, Emily Howald]
Little Helpers:

Goal: implement at least Phase 1 of the plan below

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Sustainable Residence Halls
3. Develop a proposal in phases for green infrastructure
   1. Phase 1: Split recycle/garbage bins in rooms on one res hall floor / one RA
      1. Understanding the recycle and waste stream on the residential side of campus. Contact B&G.
      2. Understanding the procedures for moving recyclables: housekeeping (Aramark) vs. students managing their own waste/recycling.
      3. Funding of the recycle/garbage bins (WCSA grant?)
      4. ?
   2. Phase 2: more extensive infrastructure changes to floor / RA
      1. Sustainable Living Vision + Treehouse SLU ideas
      2. Evaluation?
      3. Include ideas in development of new SLUs?

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Delaware Foodshed Collaborative
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little Helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: continue the conversation about how a sustainable campus garden can be established and maintained.

1. Arrange meeting of the following
   1. Chris Fink, Laurie Anderson
   2. Seminary Hill Farm: Tadd Peterson, Noel Dheer
   3. Stratford (?)
   4. Chris Burger (Master Gardeners of Delaware)
2. Related issues:
   1. Activity courses (gardening)
   2. Salvaging current garden and prepping future garden space
   3. Potential to use existing gardens (south of campus)?

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Composting
Project Boss: Eva Blockstein

Goal: Proposal to evaluate composting for students and efforts towards that goal established (implement outdoor composting, acquire Zera composter).

1. Develop proposal for implementation and evaluation of composting on campus
   1. Traditional outdoor composting bins for SLUs
   2. Kitchen food scrap composter: https://www.zera.com ($999)
      1. Grant money from WCSA or SIP?
   3. Scraps and food waste saved and picked up by company potentially working with Chartwell’s and City of Delware
2. Goal: recommend a sustainable approach to composting for students and SLUs

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Activity Courses: Sustainability
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: to have two activity courses (gardening, some kind of repair focus for 2nd module Spring 2017 or Fall 2017)

1. Emily Howald will continue to work to get instructors and help define two initial courses.
2. Assistance with recruiting students to take courses, document ideas for additional courses

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Proposed Environment & Sustainability Program
Project Boss: John Krygier
Little Helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: OWU approves an Environmental Science major and revised Environmental Studies major as part of the new Environment & Sustainability Program.

1. Wait on forthcoming faculty meetings to work out details of program and major revisions
2. Ideas for a new introductory Environment & Sustainability course
3. Potential assistance to get proposal adopted

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Green Fee Revisited
Project Boss: Ryan Bishop

Goal: review efforts in 2012 to implement green fee and assess the viability of reintroducing the idea (as a way to fund a sustainability coordinator).

1. 2012 materials in Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Green Fee (2012)

 

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Additional Projects: Potentially Outsource to Geog 360 or Independent Studies

1. Outreach to regional campuses: Ohio Five Student Coalition for Climate Action (OFSCCA)
2. Earth Hour & Light Pollution (w/ Mallory Cochran, Max Kerns)
3. Reduction in Bottled Water Purchases & Hydration Stations
4. Bikeshare Revisited: evaluate the utter failure of past projects and the potential of a collaboration with the City of Delware on a sustainable bike project.
5. Plastic Bag Reduction on Campus

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Outreach for Spring 2017

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1. Jenifer Way-Young, Delaware Health: recycling, composting, food recovery, May Move Out, community gardens
2. Karen Crosman, OWU Development: Grants
3. Colin Smith, Delaware Watershed Coordinator
4. Rand Griffin
5. Delaware Citizens Climate Lobby
6. Sustainable Delaware