Sustainable Campus Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, October 5, 2009
UC 331 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Members Present: Lindsay Becker, Derek Kanwischer, Dan Corti, Erica Bloom, Robin Saha, Mark LoParco, Brian
Kerns, Mike Panisko, Sherrie Peacock, Whitney Hobbs
Other’s Present: Christina Voyles, Whitney Bird, Amy Ratto-Parks, Liz Roosa-Millar, Vicki Watson, Matt Fennell,
Matt (EVST student), Whitney (EVST Student), Yaicha Bookhaut
Old Business:
The September SCC meeting minutes were approved.
Student ASUM membership voting update (Mike & Cherie):
The SCC discussed potential changes to the bylaws concerning student members such as:
Making the ASUM Sustainable Coordinator a permanent SCC member.
How the SCC will elect student members in the future (have ASUM recommend all students? Current bylaws state both the
SCC and ASUM can appoint students to the SCC).
One year term limits renewing in September, with the ability to serve again for a total of two years (staggering the terms).
Maintain three student representatives maximum (the SCC currently has five student members which is an anomaly; the
SCC will go back to three once current students complete their terms).
**ACTION Mike & Cherie: Email the proposed changes to the bylaws, as well as the original wording, SCC will vote via email.
Green Cleaning Work Group Update (Mark):
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The first Green Cleaning Work Group (GCWG) meeting was September 15 the next meeting will be Thursday, October 8 . Members
are compiling information on current cleaning products used in their departments. The GCWG will discuss drafting a policy based on
examples found from the University of California and Rutgers. They will also look at various Green Product Certifying agencies to
better understand what Green Products to endorse.
**ACTION ERICA: Erica will coordinate with Robin & Mark on involving students.
Discussion of RELF Committee (Erica):
The RELF committee has been formed: Erica Bloom, Jake Armstrong, Robin Saha, Len Broberg, and Laura Howe. Based on RELF
bylaws, an ASUM student at large and a representative from VP Duringer’s office are still needed to serve on the committee. VP
Duringer felt that having Facilities Services represented on the committee omitted the need for representation from his office. Robin
discussed needed representation from VP Duringer’s office to aid developing criteria to decide which RELF projects to fund.
**ACTION RELF: VP Duringer’s office will be invited to attend RELF meetings and supply expertise and involvement that way.
UM Day of Climate Action through 350.org (Erica & Yaicha):
The SCC was asked to provide partial funding for a “350” event (raising awareness on the effects of carbon emissions) planned for
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October 23 11am – 2pm, on the Oval. The group hosting the event will have a booth with information and will contact Max Bacus
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and Jon Tester with for further support. For PR there will be a photo of a human 350, Wednesday, October 7 at Griz Stadium. Erica
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and Whitney agreed to host a table representing the SCC during the Oct 23 event, and will get student feedback on the Climate
Action Plan.
**ACTION: The SCC will donate $200 for remaining supplies needed.
**ACTION Whitney & Erica: Will put a table up from 11am – 2pm, to get student input on the Climate Action Plan.
Update on CAP (Cherie):
Cherie passed out a draft of CAP goals (emailed to the SCC earlier) showing comparisons to what other universities are doing
regarding carbon neutrality (many have chosen 2030 for neutrality). (As a reminder, Cherie mentioned that the ACUPCC commits the
UM to achieve climate neutrality, UM to decide when. Guidelines via other groups like the National Wildlife Federation, suggest a 2%
reduction per year until neutral, which is greater than 80% by 2050).
UM Projects: The UM currently has one project which came out of the energy audits of 16 buildings, funded via house bill 5, with an
anticipated 4.5% reduction in GHG emissions, in place by 2012. There are ongoing projects from Transportation, Dining Services, and
a lighting project from Facilities. To assess other potential projects, Cherie looked at reduction goals of 10% by 2012 and will develop
better strategies once there is further data (will have new information via the carbon calculator within a few weeks). Cherie
calculated that if UM implemented every project that came from the audit, we would save enough money in energy costs to buy all
the offsets needed to be neutral in one year. Cherie suggest the SCC endorse a specific CAP project to UM as a whole, calculate how
realistic it is and make adjustments accordingly.
Campus Community Buy-In & Funding:
There was discussion on gaining support by showing UM Administration information on what other universities are doing to reach
carbon neutrality. Funding was cited as an obvious obstacle and carbon offsets will likely be needed to achieve carbon neutrality.
The SCC is currently getting suggestions from the public like changing behaviors. Mark stressed the importance of the educational
component from a funding standpoint (education to change behaviors to reduce carbon won’t cost as much as many projects will).
Mike agreed, and felt changing behaviors can make the largest impact with the least amount of funding required (for example,
changing the five day work week to four days).
Students voiced supporting more aggressive carbon neutrality tactics, and felt UM has a great capacity to educate the campus
community, as well as opportunity to seek outside funding. There was discussion on adding a student fee that would go to
purchasing carbon offsets, some felt buying offsets are valuable but that there also needs to be behavioral changes.
The suggestion was made to keep all current ideas on the table, but stress a recommended baseline (like the 80% by 2050).
**ACTION ALL: This discussion will continue via email and at subsequent SCC meetings.
NEXT MEETING
Monday, November 2nd 1pm – 3pm; UC 329