ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE
December 13, 2001
Facilities Services Conference Room
ATTENDEES: Bob Jones (chair), Dean Livelybrooks, Anne Forrestel, Dorene Steggell, Christine Thompson, Kay Coots, Vera Kewene, Robyn Hathcock, Courtney Hight,
Sean Henderson
New Business
The President's office asked the committee for its input and recommendation on the Tallories Declaration and Indiana University's recently announced policy of prohibiting the purchase of wood products derived from old growth, tropical and temperate rainforests. A subcommittee was formed to look at these two items and a possibly a third topic related to the merits of the UO becoming actively involved in the West Coast Sustainability Network. This meeting will be held on Friday, January 4th. Bob will
send background information and location via e-mail. Recommendations will be presented at the January 17th meeting.
Old Business
The Transportation Resource Center will be added to the January agenda.
Steve Mital, GTF in Environmental Studies, will be invited to the February meeting to discuss how EIC can help facilitate the Environmental Service Learning Project.
Sustainability Web Page
The committee viewed the site located at http://www.geocities.com/uosustainability, while Kay Coots explained the current set up. The following suggestions were made:
· Add a link detailing what individuals can do, such as is found on the Recycling page
· When reference to another web site is made, a link should be inserted at that point
· Expand the list of departments, i.e., put all College of Business together (currently academic departments are found under Academic Affairs)
· Courtney Hight is working on a committee that is talking to all building managers about conservation practices. She can provide more information from this project.
· Add an explanation indicating that information is still being compiled so that people understand that this is not all and that these are some examples of things being done. This should be close to the beginning of the web site.
· Titles in the blue bar at the top of each page need to be changed to reflect page content
· Will there be a search engine?
· There are many policies in use which are part of official policies. For example, the Sustainable Development Plan is part of the Long Range Plan. Find a term to differentiate these.
· Invite student groups to participate. Courtney can help contact them.
· So that it doesn't look like the site is just about one person, move hero of the month photo down, and/or add title "Meet Our Sustainability Hero of the Month."
· Add a picture of a sustainable project each month to draw browsers in
· Click on a photo to link to a project such as the bioswale, rather than on a person (the hero photo could be changed to an icon/button/pop-up window)
· Launch the site on Earth Day and try to get The Daily Emerald to do an article
· Anne Forrestel will try to enlist the School of Journalism ad club for promotion help to launch site on Earth Day.
· If a portfolio of pictures was added on the front page, a script could be written to rotate between these pictures automatically each week. Bob Jones offered to work on this.
Energy Fee
Courtney Hight is working on a committee started by the ASUO to try to repeal or reduce the $30 per term energy fee and to educate people about conservation. The University had begun conservation measures; however, students felt that there was still a lot more that could be done. Other groups involved are ASHRAE, EDC, OSPIRG. Their faculty advisor is Charlie Brown.
Due their success last term, the administration has decreased the fee by $10.00. The name of the group is Doin' It In The Dark Energy Committee. Initially they are meeting with departments and building managers with the main goal to decrease heating levels. They've run a full-page ad called Doin' It In The Dark Energy Challenge 2001.
The group is working with EWEB to get an energy meter installed (possibly in the EMU), reduced rates or free fluorescent light bulbs, automatic shut-off power strips. Competition between dorm complexes is being planned. They also plan to look at air conditioners and summer energy use.
The next Environmental Issues Committee meeting is on Thursday, January 17 in the EMU Board Room at 2:00 p.m.