2007‐08
State
of
the
Sustainable
Campus
Sustainable Campus Committee
The University of Montana
AY 2008-09
Students
Staff
Williamson
Faculty
Administration
Dustin Leftridge (Chair), Jessie Davie, Jordan Hess
Mike Panisko (Vice-Chair), Kelly Chadwick, Paul
Phil Condon, Curtis Noonan, Lisa Swallow
Mark Loparco, Charles Couture, Perry Brown
Table of Contents
Executive
Summary ............................................................................................................. 3‐5
Activities
Related
to
ACUPCC................................................................................................................................................ 3
Recommendations
.........................................................................................................................................................................4
Campus
Achievements
................................................................................................................................................................4
State
of
the
Budget
........................................................................................................................................................................5
SCC
Recomendations ..........................................................................................................6‐10
UM
First
Comprehensive
Action
Plan
(CAP1)
for
Climate/Carbon
Neutrality ............................................... 6
New
Construction
Standards ....................................................................................................................................................8
Affiliated
Campuses
................................................................................................................................................................... 10
ASUM
and
Student
Contributions ..........................................................................................11
State
of
the
Budget................................................................................................................12
2
The
Sustainability
Campus
Committee
(SCC)
reports
significant
progress
on
sustainability
efforts
at
The
University
of
Montana
(UM)
in
2007‐08.
Central
to
the
Committee’s
efforts
this
past
year
were
the
fulfillment
and
progression
towards
the
commitments
that
The
University
of
Montana
has
made
as
a
charter
signatory
to
the
American
College
&
University
Presidents’
Climate
Commitment
(ACUPCC)
in
February
2007.
The
SCC
Annual
report
focuses
on
four
areas:
1) Activities
related
to
the
ACUPCC
in
2007‐08;
2) Recommendations
for
the
advancement
of
ACUPCC
in
2008‐09
and
beyond;
3) Highlights
of
achievements
and
activities
in
sustainability
at
UM
in
2007‐08;
4)
Accounting
Record
for
SCC
allocated
funds
2007/08
and
request
for
2008/09.
Each
of
these
areas
is
briefly
summarized
below
with
further
supporting
documentation
available
upon
request.
1. Activities
directly
related
to
the
ACUPCC
in
2007­08:
a. UM
Greenhouse
Gas
Inventory.
Jessie
Davie,
the
ASUM
Sustainability
Coordinator,
compiled
UM’s
first
comprehensive
Greenhouse
Gas
Inventory
(GGI),
and
the
GGI
was
printed
this
summer
and
will
be
disbursed
on
campus
at
beginning
of
fall
term.
With
this
document
UM
met
its
major
commitment
of
the
ACUPCC
by
the
September
15,
2008
deadline.
This
document
will
be
an
invaluable
resource
as
the
campus
moves
towards
developing
a
Comprehensive
Action
Plan
(see
also
Recommendation
#1).
b. Tangible
Actions.
Within
two
months
of
signing
the
ACUPCC
UM
was
asked
to
commit
to
two
tangible
actions
as
concrete,
meaningful
actions
UM
could
take
in
the
short
term
to
demonstrate
its
commitment
to
climate
neutrality.
Both
the
selected
tangible
actions
below
have
been
achieved
by
UM.
The
SCC
notes
that
continued
adherence
and
improvement
in
these
and
other
tangible
actions
are
expected
in
the
near
future
(See
also
Recommendations
#2
and
#3).
• Adopt
an
energy‐efficient
appliance
purchasing
policy
requiring
purchase
of
ENERGY
STAR
certified
products
in
all
areas
for
which
such
ratings
exist.
• Encourage
use
of
and
provide
access
to
public
transportation
for
all
faculty,
staff,
students
and
visitors
at
our
institution.
c. Curriculum.
One
of
the
components
of
the
ACUPCC
is
the
inclusion
of
sustainability
and
climate
change
material
in
the
curriculum.
The
SCC
is
pleased
to
report
substantial
progress
across
campus
on
introducing
and
integrating
sustainability
and
climate
change
throughout
campus.
• Focus
the
Nation.
Under
leadership
from
EVST
over
50
faculty
participated
in
the
national
Focus
the
Nation
teach‐in.
• Green
Thread.
With
support
from
the
UM’s
Provost’s
Office,
the
Green
Thread
Initiative
held
its
inaugural
event
and
plans
to
initiate
a
training
3
•
•
program
in
Spring
2009
to
assist
faculty
in
integrating
sustainability
concepts
across
several
disciplines.
Climate
Change
Minor.
A
multi‐disciplinary
group
of
faculty
developed
and
submitted
a
proposal
for
a
Climate
Change
undergraduate
minor.
Wilderness
Institute
2008
Lecture
Series.
The
lecture
series,
“Climate
Change:
Moving
from
Science
to
Solutions”
(RECM/EVST
371),
introduced
undergraduates
to
a
broad
array
of
national
experts
in
this
interdisciplinary
field.
2. The
SCC
makes
the
following
3
recommendations
for
2008­09,
and
beyond.
(Please
see
pages
4­6
for
fuller
discussion
of
these
3
recommendations.):
Recommendation
#1:
UM
First
Comprehensive
Action
Plan
(CAP1)
for
Climate/Carbon
Neutrality.
The
SCC
recommends
that
the
CAP1
for
moving
toward
carbon
and
climate
neutrality
be
made
the
#1
priority
and
focus
for
all
sustainability
and
climate
change
activities
at
UM
through
September
15,
2009,
or
until
it
is
completed.
Recommendation
#
2:
New
Construction
Standards.
The
SCC
continues
to
recommend
that
the
best
way
to
achieve
lasting
reductions
in
carbon
emissions,
energy
usage,
and
energy
cost
in
all
new
construction
at
UM
is
for
all
construction
to
be
built
and
officially
certified
with
the
United
States
Green
Building
Council
(USGBC)
as
LEED
(Leadership
in
Energy
and
Environmental
Design)
standard
Certified
or
higher.
Recommendation
#
3:
Responding
to
ACUPCC
on
the
other
UM
Campuses.
The
SCC
recommends
the
establishment
of
parallel
committees
and/or
the
designation
of
sustainability
representatives
on
the
three
UM
affiliated
campuses
to
guide
ACUPCC
efforts
at
each.
As
signatory
of
the
ACUPCC,
the
UM
has
obligated
to
meet
goals
and
deadlines
on
all
four
campuses.
As
noted
above,
the
UM‐Missoula
campus
has
made
substantial
progress
towards
these
commitments
and
is
meeting
the
ACUPCC
deadlines.
The
SCC
is
not
currently
informed
about
efforts
on
the
three
UM
affiliate
campuses
and
notes
that
these
campuses
may
not
have
met
the
deadline
for
the
two‐month
status
reports
to
ACUPCC
due
November
15,
2007.
(See
related
letter
to
President
from
SCC
on
this
issue,
Fall
2007.)
3. The
SCC
reports
on
the
following
sustainability
achievements
and
activities
that
have
occurred
in
the
broader
campus
community
during
2007­08.
• Commitment
to
the
hiring
of
a
full‐time
sustainability
coordinator.
• The
establishment
of
ASUM/SCC
intern
and
associated
sustainability
projects
by
that
office.
• Student
projects
led
by
Facilities
Services
sustainability
intern.
• Commitment
to
LEED
certification
of
the
Native
American
Studies
building.
4
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Commitment
to
sustainable
building
for
the
Think
Tank.
Earth
Day
2008.
ASUM
Recycling
Program
hiring
of
a
full‐time
dedicated
employee.
Initiation
of
UM
FLAT
project,
a
student‐led
sustainable
housing
demonstration
project.
Efforts
to
develop
a
plan
to
meet
Governor
Schweitzer’s
goal
to
achieve
20%
reduction
in
facility
energy
requirements
by
executive
branch
agencies,
by
the
end
of
2010.
Nobel
Prize
awarded
to
UM
Forestry
Professor
Steven
Running
as
a
co‐
author
of
the
2007
IPCC
report.
UM
Dining
Services
continued
commitment
to
sustainability
efforts
such
as
the
Farm
to
College
program,
Trayless
Dining,
and
collaboration
with
PEAS
farm
to
recycle
food
waste.
The
purchase
and
use
of
electric
vehicles
by
Facilities
Services.
•
4. The
SCC
reports
FY
2007/08
expenditures
of
$5,391.00
from
the
$10,000.00
allocated
in
summer
2007.
The
SCC
requests
that
a
new
balance
of
$10,000.00
for
FY
2008/09
be
allocated
for
SCC‐
approved
expenditures.
The
new
SCC
allocation
monies
would
be
co‐managed
and
co‐
approved
by
the
full‐time
Sustainability
Coordinator
and
the
SCC,
with
all
expenditure
requests
signed
by
both
the
Sustainability
Coordinator
and
SCC
Treasurer
Phil
Condon.
5
SCC
Annual
Report
2007­08
Recommendation
#1
Discussion:
UM
First
Comprehensive
Action
Plan
(CAP1)
for
Climate/Carbon
Neutrality
The
SCC
recommends
that
the
CAP1
for
moving
toward
carbon
and
climate
neutrality
be
made
the
#1
priority
and
focus
for
all
sustainability
and
climate
change
activities
at
UM
through
September
15,
2009,
or
until
it
is
completed.
In
the
American
College
&
University
Presidents’
Climate
Commitment
(ACUPCC),
UM
is
committed
to
developing
by
9/15/09
its
First
Comprehensive
Action
Plan
(CAP1)
for
moving
toward
climate
and
carbon
neutrality.
Developing
a
plan
that
incorporates
information
from
the
first
UM
Greenhouse
Gas
Inventory
(GHGI1)
and
outlines
specific
goals,
target
dates,
contexts,
and
strategies
is
the
only
way
to
move
UM
toward
long‐range
sustainability
and
carbon
neutrality.
Without
a
GHG
inventory,
we
didn’t
know
where
we
were;
without
a
CAP1,
we
cannot
know
where
we
are
going
or
how
we
can
get
there.
Yet
the
task
of
developing
a
viable
CAP1
will
require
careful
planning
and
extensive
coordination
and
should
involve
as
many
parts
of
the
UM
community
as
possible.
The
SCC
recommends
the
President,
the
VP
for
A&F,
the
Provost,
and
other
EO’s
discuss
and
propose
a
strategy
and
timeline
for
the
development
of
CAP1
as
soon
as
possible.
Coordination
of
the
CAP1
planning
itself
would
be
a
likely
central
task
of
the
new
full‐time
Sustainability
Coordinator,
with
assistance
from
the
ASUM
S.C.
The
SCC
is
ready
to
help
develop
the
CAP1
and
sees
its
most
effective
role
in
offering
conceptual
guidance
and
ongoing
advice
and
review.
As
President
Dennison
stated
publicly
on
4/16/07,
the
vision
to
achieve
sustainability
goals
resides
within
the
SCC.
In
terms
of
conceptual
guidance
and
vision,
the
SCC
offers
these
specific,
foundational
recommendations
regarding
CAP1:
• ACUPCC
has
multiple
resources
that
should
be
consulted
in
developing
UM
CAP1.
For
examples,
at
www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org
see
Solutions
and
then
see
Overview
&
Examples
of
Climate
Action
Plans.
• The
GHGI1
should
be
widely
dispersed,
publicized,
discussed,
and
critiqued
as
prelude
to
developing
the
CAP1.
Stakeholders
should
become
aware
of
the
larger
findings
and
the
inherent
limitations
of
this
first
inventory.
CAP1
should
include
timelines
for
future
GHG
inventories
and
specific
steps
to
address
the
limitations
of
GHGI1
in
those
subsequent
inventories.
• CAP1
should
include
long‐range
(2050,
e.g.)
and
intermediate
(2020,
e.g.)
carbon
emission
reduction
goals
consistent
with
recommendations
of
the
ACUPCC
and
the
International
Panel
on
Climate
Change
(IPCC).
Realistic
short‐term
UM
reduction
goals
(1
to
5‐year,
e.g.)
should
be
developed
in
the
context
of
the
intermediate
and
long‐range
goals.
• GHGI1
indicates
that
UM’s
carbon
emissions
increased
between
2000
and
2007,
both
absolutely
(total
emissions)
and
per
capita
client
(emissions
per
student
6
served).
Before
UM
can
reduce
emissions,
it
must
stop
increasing
them.
Thus
it
is
essential
that
CAP1
outline
strategies
and
target
dates
to
stabilize
UM
carbon
emissions
as
quickly
as
possible.
•
CAP1
must
recognize
a
central
dilemma:
continued
growth
at
UM
(added
facilities,
students,
and/or
personnel)
and
the
simultaneous
reduction
of
carbon
emissions.
This
is
particularly
vital
in
terms
of
all
new
construction,
which
almost
certainly
represents
added
carbon
emissions
and
energy
demands
for
many
decades
to
come.
Therefore,
it
is
essential
CAP1
address
both
how
future
increases
of
carbon
emissions
from
new
construction
can
be
most
limited
and
how
any
such
increased
emissions
can
be
offset
by
specific
reductions
in
UM
emissions
elsewhere.
7
SCC
Annual
Report
2007­08
Recommendation
#
2
Discussion:
New
Construction
Standards
The
SCC
continues
to
recommend
that
the
best
way
to
achieve
lasting
reductions
in
carbon
emissions,
energy
usage,
and
energy
cost
in
all
new
construction
at
UM
is
to
ensure
all
construction
be
built
and
officially
certified
with
the
United
States
Green
Building
Council
(USGBC)
as
LEED
(Leadership
in
Energy
Efficient
Design)
standard
Certified
or
higher.
Achieving
official
LEED
Certified
standard
or
higher
with
the
USGBC
for
new
construction
has
the
potential
to
recruit
students,
faculty,
administration,
and
staff
to
UM
from
around
the
country‐‐over
the
entire
life
of
such
buildings.
USGBC
LEED
certification
is
widely
known
and
immediately
recognized
nationwide,
and
thus
can
be
an
effective
recruitment
and
publicity
tool
with
prospective
students,
parents,
alumni,
donors,
faculty,
administration,
and
staff.
On
the
other
hand,
the
SCC
sees
the
proposed
Green
Griz
in‐
house
construction
standards
as
less
effective
in
the
following
ways:
• In‐house
standards,
even
if
similar
to
LEED
in
language
or
intent,
are
not
nearly
as
viable
as
an
ongoing
recruitment
or
publicity
mechanism:
few
outside
of
personnel
associated
with
their
development
would
recognize
them,
and
whatever
credence
they
are
likely
to
accrue
would
be
limited
to
some
parts
of
the
existing
University
community.
• In‐house
standards,
even
if
similar
to
LEED
in
language
or
intent,
do
not
carry
the
credibility
of
USGBC
certification
precisely
because
they
are
warranted
only,
or
primarily,
by
personnel
who
are
at
the
same
time
responsible
for
sometimes
competing
construction
costs,
deadlines,
etc.
In
essence,
in‐house
certification
of
in‐
house
standards
carries,
inherently,
and
independent
of
any
particular
personnel
at
any
particular
institution,
a
risk
of
the
appearance
of
a
conflict
of
interest.
• New
construction
standards
and
practices
that
significantly
affect
carbon
emissions,
energy
usage,
and
energy
costs
at
UM
for
the
remainder
of
this
century—a
century
in
which
the
single
most
pressing
issue
is
likely
to
be
global
carbon
emissions—are
simply
too
crucial
not
to
have
the
independent,
third‐party
accreditation
that
USGBC
LEED
Certified
or
higher
standards
offers.
• Outside,
independent,
third‐party
accreditation
is
a
hallmark
and
precedent
throughout
higher
education.
Not
without
expense,
all
academic
unit
standards
and
practices
at
UM
are
reviewed
by
outside
agencies;
in
fact,
units
recruit
widely
and
well
precisely
because
they
are
reviewed
and
accredited
by
the
appropriate
outside
organizations
whose
standards
are
recognized
nationwide.
While
the
SCC
understands
that
implementing
in‐house
standards
does
save
some
immediate
expense,
compared
with
acquiring
official
USGBC
LEED
Certified
or
higher
standards,
the
SCC
believes
the
pursuit
of
such
savings
risks
being
short‐sighted
in
the
following
ways:
8
•
A
1%
to
3%
capital
cost
(associated
with
USGBC
LEED
“paperwork”
or
“plaques”
etc.)
is
a
very
small
fraction
of
overall
building
costs,
and
that
small
fraction
could
be
more
than
made
up
for
by
the
increased
recruitment
of
students
(and
their
families)
from
around
the
nation
who
would
immediately
recognize
official
USGBC
LEED
certification,
over
the
long
life
of
the
construction.
•
Given
an
ever
rising
recognition
of
the
necessity
to
cut
carbon
emissions,
donors
could
be
found
to
contribute
toward
such
fractional
capital
costs,
in
order
to
bring
the
full
range
of
benefits—in
long‐range
reduction
of
carbon
emissions,
energy,
and
cost,
and
in
national
credibility
and
recruitment—of
the
world’s
most
accredited
building
energy
rating
system
to
UM.
To
the
SCC’s
knowledge,
a
targeted
campaign
to
focus
specifically
on
fundraising
for
the
fractional
extra
costs
for
USGBC
LEED
certification
for
new
building
has
not
been
proposed,
explored,
or
tried
at
UM.
9
SCC
Annual
Report
2007­08
Recommendation
#
3
Discussion:
Affiliated
Campuses
The
SCC
recommends
the
establishment
of
parallel
sustainability
committees
and/or
the
designation
of
sustainability
representatives
on
the
three
UM
affiliated
campuses
to
guide
ACUPCC
efforts
at
each.
Each
of
these
representatives
should
communicate
directly
with
the
President
and/or
the
UM
Sustainability
Coordinator
and/or
the
UM
/
ACUPCC
Liaison
about
the
status
of
their
efforts
regarding
the
ACUPCC.
As
signatory
of
the
ACUPCC,
the
UM
has
obligated
to
meet
goals
and
deadlines
on
all
four
campuses.
As
noted
above,
the
UM‐Missoula
campus
has
made
substantial
progress
towards
these
commitments
and
is
on
track
to
meet
the
ACUPCC
deadlines.
The
SCC
is
not
currently
informed
about
efforts
on
the
three
UM
affiliate
campuses
and
notes
that
these
campuses
may
not
have
met
the
deadline
for
the
two‐month
status
reports
to
ACUPCC
due
November
15,
2007.
10
Student
and
ASUM
Contributions
During
the
past
year
the
Associated
Students
of
The
University
of
Montana
have
worked
with
the
SCC
and
the
UM
Administration
to
ensure
the
expansion
of
structural
foundations
necessary
for
the
sustainability
movement.
Based
upon
the
committee’s
past
recommendation
regarding
a
full
time
staff
coordinator
ASUM
began
to
assess
the
feasibility
of
creating
the
position
within
student
government.
Early
in
the
Fall
Semester
the
ASUM
Senate
voted
to
approve
half
of
the
funding
necessary
to
hire
a
part
time
graduate
student
position
to
fill
the
newly
created
office
of
Sustainability
Coordinator
for
the
ASUM
Sustainability
Center.
The
Office
of
the
President
and
the
Provost’s
Office
provided
the
remainder
of
the
funding
necessary
to
continue
the
position
until
the
end
of
the
fiscal
year.
Members
of
the
SCC
and
ASUM
collaborated
to
interview
and
hire
a
graduate
student
based
upon
a
modified
job
description
that
was
created
by
the
SCC
for
past
annual
reports.
Jessie
Davie,
a
graduate
student
for
the
Environmental
Studies
Department
was
hired
and
began
to
immediately
work
on
her
various
duties
outlined
in
her
job
description.
Jessie’s
main
role
was
to
assist
the
SCC
in
fulfilling
the
tenants
of
the
President’s
Climate
Commitment
and
completing
the
Greenhouse
Gas
Inventory
for
UM.
She
launched
her
mission
by
recruiting
a
number
of
dedicated
interns
to
assist
in
the
data
gathering
and
created
strong
working
relationships
with
various
entities
around
campus
that
were
involved
with
aspects
of
sustainability.
Jessie
also
collaborated
with
the
Office
of
the
President
to
work
on
a
number
of
outreach
and
education
projects
including
a
web
cast
regarding
sustainability
on
college
campuses,
and
UM’s
participation
in
Focus
the
Nation,
a
national
teach
in
day
that
culminated
with
a
presentation
by
the
Governor
of
Montana,
a
message
from
Senator
Baucus,
and
a
panel
consisting
of
the
Mayor
of
Missoula,
the
Director
of
the
State
of
Montana
Department
of
Environmental
Quality,
and
professors
from
UM
to
speak
on
behalf
of
the
science
and
the
SCC’s
and
UM’s
commitment
to
reduce
our
greenhouse
gas
emissions.
Jessie
also
worked
to
highlight
the
efforts
of
UM
on
a
national
scale
which
led
to
ASUM
Transportation
winning
an
award
for
campus
commitments
to
curbing
climate
change
from
the
National
Wildlife
Federation.
The
award
came
with
a
monetary
prize
as
well
as
national
recognition
on
a
web
cast
in
Washington
DC
that
was
attended
by
ASUM
President
Dustin
Lefrtridge
as
a
recipient
for
the
award.
The
Sustainability
Coordinator
position
began
as
a
pilot
project
to
be
extended
into
a
full
time
position
for
the
2009
fiscal
year,
however
due
to
a
lack
of
funding
in
ASUM
as
well
as
the
willingness
of
Vice
President
Duringer
to
create
a
full
time
position
in
Facility
Services,
the
ASUM
Position
will
remain
at
a
half
time
position
for
the
next
fiscal
year
funded
in
part
by
the
Office
of
the
President,
ASUM,
and
Administration
and
Finance.
11
UM
Sustainable
Campus
Committee
Income/Credits
&
Expense/Debits
Inc/Cr
Source
Date
Exp/Dbt
Payee
Purpose
Date
10,000
Sus
Coord
Position
Grn
Events­E.
Peters
GHG
Inv.
Consulting
Sus
Webcast
Focus
Nation
Focus
Nation
GHG
Report
Wrtg
Intern
Fredrickson
Gift
Cert’s
Provost
GT
Luncheon
UM
FLAT
research
9/07
1,500
ASUM
President
8/07
Office
1,168
50
Fac
Serv
Kaia
Peterson
Catering
Prt
&
Grph
Catering
ASUM
500
UC
Bkstore
305
Stdt­­Derek
Kanwischer
TOTAL
123
361
884
500
Record
for
AY
2007/08
9/07
10/07
12/07
1/08
1/08
2/08
4/08
6/08
10,000
TOTAL
5,391
Total
Inc/Cr
=
$10,000
Total
Exp/Debit
=
$5,391
Unspent
=
$4,609
Notes:
Dining
Services
Director
Mark
Loparco
generously
matched
$500
from
SCC
for
the
Gift
Certificates
for
attendees
at
the
Provost’s
Green
Thread
organizing
luncheon
in
April
2008.
SCC
considered
the
request
from
UM
undergrad
student
Belinda
Hayes
for
$400
for
20
soil
tests
for
test
lawn
plots.
SCC
reviewed
her
materials,
listened
to
her
presentation,
discussed
project,
and
unanimously
voted
at
the
March
08
meeting
to
support
her
research
and
cover
the
soil
test
costs.
Apparently,
the
project
has
not
been
done
and/or
was
not
further
approved
through
other
channels
subsequently;
however,
the
SCC
was
in
support
of
her
research
and
her
funding
request.
12