ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE
June 20, 2001
EMU Umpqua Room

ATTENDEES: Mary Clayton, J.R. Gaddis, Robyn Hathcock, Kay Coots, Julia Heydon, Vera Kewene

Annual Report

Mary submitted a draft of the EIC annual report for the committee’s review. Several minor clarifications were made and the report was approved as amended.

Student Position

Eight candidates were interviewed for the Student Green Campus/Sustainability Promoter position. None of the candidates possessed the desired level of web experience. Two finalists are being considered for the information gathering phase. It may then be necessary to hire another person to assist Robyn and the subcommittee with the web design. Vera suggested that once this project is completed, the web information could be sent out in the form of an announcement to other universities via HENSE.

Future Issues
The energy conservation and box lunch recycling issues will be carried over into 2001-2002.

• Julia stressed the need to make energy conservation education the focal point next year. She notices that the simplest thing, such as turning the lights off, is not being done. It is imperative to get more support from deans, directors and department heads.
• Is there a way to recycle boxes from catered lunches without contamination? Who would be responsible for pickup and how would it work? Could a different type of recycling container be used with a small, elongated opening large enough to fit a flattened box only? Consider a pilot program in one building such as the EMU.

Old Business

Tom Discoll forwarded some information on composting. Food for Lane County collects a garbage can of vegetable waste from the UO prep kitchen three times per week. This amounts to about 250 pounds of compost waste each week.

Jane Steckbeck forwarded a newspaper article on compostable, food-based substitute for plasticware. Earthshell makes knives, forks and spoons out of corn starch and cottonseed.

New Business

Robyn received a request from a faculty member asking that the EIC look into alternatives to the practice of sending dead week memos every term. Is there any way to reduce the paper waste and redundancy of this practice? This will be added to next year’s agenda.

A concern was raised about how the EIC list serve is set up. It may better serve the committee to set up a mailing list for the minutes and an open discussion list sponsored by the EIC for environmental issues. Linda will contact Connie French to research possibilities.