A Best Practice Approach to an Environmental Sustainability Committee

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On Wednesday, May 9, 2012 two Office of Residence Life Environmental Sustainability Committee members, Amberdawn Griffith and Katie Pifer, spoke about their committee structure, best practices, and major initiatives. The goal of the talk was to provide more information to Green Liaisons about the Residence Life Environmental Sustainability Committee, look for collaboration opportunities, and share ideas.

The Environmental Sustainability Committee is strategic about providing opportunities for students to participate in sustainability initiatives and allows for centralized efforts in this area. Major initiatives this year have been Recyclmania, the Kill-A-Watt energy metering program, support of the installment of Hydration Stations in University Student Centers, and the creation of a student leadership position named the “Green Guide.” The Green Guide leadership position provides an opportunity for students to take the lead and partner in sustainability. The committee hopes that it helps students find environmental sustainability easier to practice than they think; that environmental sustainability really is accessible.

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The Newark Bike Project helps you “learn to do-it-yourself” through free repair facilities and community education

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In April, Niki Suto, one of the founders of the Newark Bike Project came in to our Green Liaison Sustainability Lecture Series to share information about the sustainability of biking. The Newark Bike Project is a Newark-housed community program based on the Urban Bike Project of Wilmington. The mission of the program is centered on the three pillars of Community, Education, and Empowerment all housed under the umbrella of Sustainability. The initiative is about more than putting bikes on the road and getting cars off the road;

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Making a Home for Native Plants & Species through the Backyard Habitat Program

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The November Green Liaison Lunch was host to Delaware Nature Society representative Greg Gagliano. Serving as the Backyard Habitat coordinator, Mr. Gagliano encourages us all to “bring our backyards to life!” Of course, he’d also be happy if we extended these same principles to the University of Delaware. Through the use of a sustainable gardening checklist and a quick application, your yard or any outdoor space adjacent to your office can be certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.

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The Benefits of Organic Gardening

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 Growing a Greener UD

At the October Green Liaisons Lunch, Dan Kasper, a PhD student at the Center for Environmental Policy, offered an enlightening and inspirational talk about Community Gardening. Mr. Kasper discussed the background of the Food and Gardening Policy Committee (FGPC) (of which Dan Kasper is chair), why organic gardening is beneficial, the community garden at the University of Delaware, and its successes and hopes for the future at UD. Mr. Kasper concluded his presentation (Link Above) with a list of resources and ways to get involved.  Continue reading →

First lunch of 2011-2012 announced

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The first GL Lunch of the new year will be …
held on Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Rooms 209/211 of the Trabant University Center and will feature Dan Kasper, graduate student in the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy and chair of the UD Food and Gardening Policy Committee, who will discuss on-campus gardens and organic gardening practices. He will share some of the upcoming projects the committee is planning, including workshops and garden expansion, and will be available to answer questions on establishing gardens and other food-related projects.
All lunches are open to Green Liaisons and will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at locations to be announced. Drinks and dessert will be provided.

Green Purchasing

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Please see the speech below of the April 13 Green Liaison Lunch program. Please email jgugino@udel.edu if you would like the PowerPoint presentation.

Click here to view the video!

Buy Greener, Be Greener: The Theory and Practice of Green Purchasing – by Adam J. Smargon

Thank you. I am pleased and honored to be here this afternoon. By way of introduction, I am a doctoral candidate and research associate at the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy here at UD.

Before I moved to Delaware, I was part of the campus community at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, and I was fortunate to be part of the UNH Speakers Bureau, which is an outreach service from volunteering members from the faculty and staff to every corner of the Granite State. This speech was one of three I used for that bureau.

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UD Energy Efficient Project Updates

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Green Liaison Lunch Notes

March 9, 2011 Session

Topic – UD Energy Efficient Project Updates

Guest Presenter – Drew Knab, Business Analyst, Facilities and Planning Construction

Click here to view the video of the Lunch

NOTES:

Drew Knab spoke to the group attending the Green Liaison Lunch and provided an update on UD’s Climate Action Plan. Drew is a member of the advisory committee who developed the plan.

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Transportation

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  • The University of Delaware currently uses the old blue buses in its fleet for transportation.These buses are considered “not clean” in terms of energy efficiency and utilization.
  • Two years ago UD decided to acquire newer buses as a way of expanding and improving their fleet.The question of purchasing newer buses with better and improved energy efficiency and utilization rates was brought up.

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Recycling and Waste Management

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Current Status of UD Recycling and Waste Management Program

  • Two years ago the Grounds Department at UD started to recycle some materials and they went from solid waste recycling to a fully fledged single stream recycling process.
  • This increased its collection percentage from a 7% to the current 25% through the single stream process.This means that 25% of all materials collected is diverted from being dumped in the landfill.

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Take Your Caps Off

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Single Stream change

DSWA has recently clarified whether soda bottle caps can be recycled. Remove caps and discard in regular trash. Soda bottle caps are made from a different type of plastic and mold, and can cause problems if the bottles are being baled. The cap keeps air in bottles and makes them difficult to compact.