Sustainability Subcommittee of Campus Planning
California State University, Fresno
A
ugust
20,
2009
8
:30am9:30am
Madden Library Room 2108
Members Present:
Andrew Bethke, Tonya Bojorquez, Ronald Durham, Alaia Howell,
Andrew Jones, Lisa Kao, Lanny Larson, Peter McDonald, David
Moll, Michael Mosinski, Gary Nelson, Joseph Oldham, Nate
Willis
Absent:
Amy Allen, Ronald Leach, Christopher Pluhar, Jerilane Willis
Meeting called to order by David Moll at approximately 8:35 AM
Agenda Item #1 Welcome & Introductions:
Announcement: Thomas McClanahan and Briana McDonald no longer members
of Sustainability Subcommittee. Introductions went around the room. New
members Andrew Bethke, replacing Briana McDonald as President of Recycling
Club, and Tonya Bojorquez, Founder and President of new student organization
The Green Issue.
Agenda Item #2 Review & approval, minutes from July Meeting
No minutes for July. Meeting was cancelled. June meeting had no quorum.
Confirmed continued meeting pattern of third Thursday of every month at
8:30am.
Agenda Item #3 The Green Issue—Bojorquez
The Green Issue is newly formed organization associated with the School of
Engineering. Have been working over the summer to get student interest and will
begin official club meetings and member sign-ups in the upcoming fall semester.
Spoke with Alaia Howell about Sustainability Day and plans for the event. Ms.
Bojorquez has ideas for future Sustainability Days that can be incorporated into
the event. The first of her ideas is a Sustainability Pledge for students, faculty and
staff members to commit to sustainability practices in their daily lives. Another
idea is to utilize the Fresno State Farmers Market to demonstrate organic produce
and composting. Other examples include scavenger hunts, movie night, group
bike ride, poster or recycled art contest, and roundtable discussion. She believes it
would be good to work with University Dining Services to provide incentives to
people who bring in their own cups. Dean McDonald inquires about The Green
Issue starting in the engineering school but having campus-wide impact. Ms.
Bojorquez states that she is looking to help with Sustainability Day, not so much
for the club. Mr. Moll gave background that Ms. Bojorquez originally contacted
President Welty not knowing of the Sustainability Department and with plans of a
large-scale Sustainability Fair that was not exactly feasible at the moment.
Dean McDonald suggests that the draft of the Sustainability Pledge be directed
more toward the campus efforts than a generalized life change. He believes it
would appeal more to faculty and administration. Dean McDonald also suggests
that she and Ms. Howell contact Chris Fiorentino who has list of student
organizations, such as the Smittcamp Honors College. He believes it would be
beneficial to present a formal documentation to suggest practices and sustainable
efforts within these groups. Mr. Moll also advises that the three student members
present at the meeting contact Chris Fiorentino with a list of “green” groups
currently on-campus, and if too few, make efforts to get more organizations up
and running.
Dean McDonald also asks if the pledge form is targeted just toward students. Ms.
Bojorquez states that the pledge is for students, faculty and staff (the entire
campus community). Mr. Oldham states that he can see the pledge extending past
campus environment. He would like to take a copy of the pledge back to the City
of Fresno and encourage the staff to take a similar pledge. Ms. Bojorquez would
like to see the pledge posted online. Lisa Kao says there is a Healthy Air Living
Pledge hosted by the Valley Air Pollution Control District webpage. She suggests
that we either use some of their concepts or offer a link to their pledge along with
our own.
Agenda Item #4 Sustainability Day, October 21 update—Howell
Ms. Howell has confirmed a guest speaker for Sustainability Day, Undersecretary
Cindy Tuck of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA). Tuck
is not asking for an honorarium but is only requesting to have meal paid for.
Lecture will take place at Alice Peters Auditorium at 6:00pm. She was
considering whether lecture should be rescheduled for earlier time, considering
the number of students on-campus at that hour and its effect on audience
attendance. Mr. Moll asks if anyone has ideas. Dean McDonald suggested that
having food at the venue, prior to the lecture, would get students to stay oncampus and attend the lecture. He would be willing to provide funding for the
food. Andrew Jones stated we would need to get an exemption from having food
catered from University Dining Services. Mr. Larson also stated that it would
have to take place outside the building, not only due to the fact that Alice Peters is
under contract with University Dining Services, but also food is not allowed
inside the auditorium. He also mentioned that Alice Peters Auditorium is a fairly
small venue, holding only approximately 199 people. Mr. Moll made note that it
would look better for the event if the keynote lecture of the first Campus
Sustainability Day was standing room only; make the event appear to be even
more successful. Larson asks whether Cindy Tuck will be available for media;
says that there is no guarantee they will be there but it would also add to publicity
of the event if some news people came and get footage of the event. Dean
McDonald also offers to have the HM Library as another possible location for the
lecture; auditorium holds only 100+ but there is upstairs seating making it 200+
people. Lisa agrees that it would be a good contingency plan. Mr. Larson also
commented that it is a central location on campus and would eliminate the issue
of parking. Mr. Bethke stated that along with food, alerting faculty would be the
best way to get students to attend the lecture; academic incentives, such as extra
credit, in the Environmental Science classes. Lisa Kao believes it should be an
opportunity for extra credit not only in the Earth and Environmental Sciences, but
campus-wide. Mr. Moll made note that it was done for Earth Day and it turned
out to be a success. Dean McDonald told Ms. Howell that if a good email is
crafted, it can be sent to the Provost to be sent out to the chairs’ list and would be
the quickest way to connect with faculty.
Ms. Howell is also confirming the participants that will have tables at Campus
Sustainability Day. She reiterates that the event will take place from 10:00am –
2:00pm at the USU Balcony, with a set-up similar to Safari Day. Dean McDonald
asks if there is any way to incentivize good deeds done on-campus. Mr. Jones
suggests that it could tie into public safety; as with some cities where officers give
out tickets for good driving, we could give out tickets for good sustainable
practices. Dean McDonald is willing to contribute to prizes if need be. Ms.
Bojorquez had been to some conferences where other universities are using a
similar program where students “Get Caught Green Handed”.
Agenda Item #5 Sustainability web site—Howell
Ms. Howell stated that the test site had been completed this week. Mr. Moll states
that he will send out the test site address for the committee to review and edit. He
would like to have the web site up and running no later than early September. Mr.
Larson states that it would be a good publicity “stepping stone” for the Campus
Sustainability Day.
Agenda Item #6 Pacific SW Organic Residuals Symposium—Howell
Ms. Howell received an email from the California Resource Recovery
Association (CRRA) about a symposium regarding ways of achieving greater
greenhouse gas reduction. It involves a field trip to the East Bay Municipal
District Main Water Plant on September 22-24th. She was wondering whether a
member of faculty or staff would be interested in attending. Mr. Moll says that if
anyone is interested in the symposium to send an email to Ms. Howell.
Agenda Item #7 County HHW proposed location update #2—Moll
Mr. Moll says we are working with the county with proposed location #2 for
household hazardous waste; at the calf-barn on Barstow. This will allow people to
bring their hazardous waste (i.e. WD-40, fluorescent bulbs, car batteries, etc.) to a
safe location to be disposed. It will be open weekly on Fridays and Saturdays. Ms.
Kao makes note that it is only used as a collection and sorting site, but it will be
transported to another location for disposal. She says there will also be a reuse
center. Mr. Moll says that since the current building has a living quarters for
students working on the farm, the steering group is working with the farm to
arrange for an alternative site for housing the students. Mr. Moll is awaiting
formal approval from the Ag Board and Campus Planning. We will know within
the next 30 days whether will be able to move forward with the project.
Agenda Item #8 Report on local & regional transportation planning—Moll
Mr. Moll met with Sam Lott, a consultant working specifically with personal
rapid transit concepts. Mr. Lott is interested in using the university as the
centerpiece for the proposed rapid transit system being proposed to the City of
Fresno. He will extend the model to connect with locations where students are
living based on data and demographics. Mr. Moll says that it is similar to a
“horizontal elevator” that runs on a track and sends small groups of people to
designated stops. Mr. Oldham is very excited to incorporate into the bus rapid
transit. He believes it would also be great to have a similar system in Downtown
Fresno and the Tower District. He says one of the challenges will be the aging
demographic and people incapable of walking, and this new system will help
improve the quality of living for these residents.
Agenda Item #9 Library green Team report—McDonald
Library Green Team has been meeting regularly throughout the semester. Dean
McDonald stated that Ms. Howell has joined the Green Team. The major focus of
the group is to change the culture of faculty and staff. They began creating a
report that was once designed as a piece of literature, but is now looking into
creating a website that lays out basic concepts and benefits of sustainable
practices. Green Team is waiting until Ms. Howell’s Sustainability Website is
completed as not to duplicate it. The Green Team website will be targeted at the
administrative level. Dean McDonald meets with Bill Covino the next day about
the website. Ms. Howell stated that there will be a connecting link on the
Sustainability Website to the Green Team Website.
Agenda Item #10 Fresno Green Team report—Oldham
Mr. Oldham stated that the city has submitted the Energy Efficiency Conservation
Block Grant Application on May 22nd. They also launched a new division called
Sustainable Fresno, focused on long-range planning for revised community
development and encouraging the kind of density viable for rapid transit. They
have also begun energy surveys for data and to help communities to become more
energy efficient. They are working on a huge renewable energy project as well as
a revolving loan program for residents who are revising their homes to be more
energy efficient. Revolving loan would be a part of the property tax bill and not
come up on residents’ credit reports. He stated that they plan on working with
HUD and other federal agencies to plan a program where consumers will be able
to compare home values. Sustainable Fresno has also received a grant from
PG&E for about $15,000 for a media outreach event that will take place in
September. Mr. Oldham put the program together in December and says they
have $4.6 million toward sustainable efforts for the city as well as tremendous
support from the major and the city council. They are looking to Fresno State as a
key partner with these efforts.
Mr. Moll also reminds Mr. Oldham that if he needs to, he can send a delegate to
cover for him at the Campus Sustainability Subcommittee meetings. Mr. Oldham
is still looking for someone to serve as a liaison for when he is unable to attend
meetings.
Agenda Item #11 Roundtable—all
Dr. Jones states he has met with faculty regarding issues of sustainability and was
sent information about composting and a recycling unit. Also, he has been asked
to serve as a radio host for KCFC to discuss environmental issues within the
Valley. He makes note that he will be looking to have Mr. Oldham as a guest. He
also spoke to Dr. Dennis Nef recently about the Sustainability Minor. They are
thinking of Geography as the home department for the Sustainability Minor. He
says Dr. Nef is considering looking toward having it as a system wide
implementation of sustainability programs.
No other comments.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:40 AM. Next meeting will be Thursday,
September 17th, 2009. Location: Madden Library Room 2108.