Monthly Sustainable Newsletter
UH Sustainability
Informing the UH community of the latest green events
and initiatives on campus, spanning from recycling to research.
Volume 1, Issue 1, Feb. 2011
Sustainable Spotlight
Emily Messa
Assistant Vice President of University Services, Emily Messa, is dedicated to sustainability on campus
and in Houston. She oversees all green initiatives at UH, serves as the chair of shared governance on the
Sustainability Task Force, and serves on the City of Houston Clean City Commission.
Messa was instrumental in creating the Sustainability Task Force, establishing a relationship with the
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and decided that the biggest green initiative on campus would be recycling. She
advocates for sustainability through education by teaching a section of Sustaining the City HON4397-02. The course focuses on evaluating different
strategies for understanding and creating a culture of sustainability both at UH and in the city of Houston.
“Sustainability is a reality on campus because (Messa) is dedicated to uniting students, faculty, staff and administration to support UH green initiatives ,”
said Jonas Chin, University Services Constituent Relations Coordinator.
NEWS:
Athletics is Going Green
The University of Houston Athletics Department is going green! Crowds gather on the UH campus to support our Cougar athletes during sporting events
and with those crowds, unfortunately, comes a lot of trash from food and drink consumption during the game. However, since August 2010, some of that
trash can now make its way to be recycled with the addition of recycle bins throughout UH Athletic facilities.
Bins for paper, plastic and aluminum cans were placed inside and outside of Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavilion where during home football and
basketball games, mass quantities of plastic and other recyclable products are used. With the presence of the recycling bins, chances are increased that
these recyclable products will not end up in a landfill.
“’Go Green’ initiatives are very important to the environment we live in so we want to do our part in the efforts,” said Alan Villavasso, Assistant Athletic
Director - Facilities and Operations. “We also want to support the university in any way that we can.”
Recycling bins are also currently in place at the Athletics Alumni Center where they are utilized on a daily basis in break rooms and mailrooms. Villavasso
said now Athletics is working with the university and an external company sponsor to broaden recycling efforts by the 2011 football season by adding
more recycling bins inside the stadium and outside in the parking lot tailgating areas. With the extensive amounts of plastic bottles and other recyclable
products sold and used before and during the games, the bins would help in collecting those recyclables.
Since the 2009 football season, UH Athletics has further displayed their commitment to green initiatives by hosting a “Go Green” game to raise awareness
about sustainability on campus. At the green-themed game, participants hear messages from green sponsors and watch as a weather balloon is launched
by students from the UH Earth and Atmospheric Sciences program. Also, winners from the Art of Recycling Contest are recognized, and fans can play and
enjoy recycling games during tailgating.
– Lindsay Marshall
University Services Communications Coordinator
EVENTS:
RecycleMania Kick-off Event
Help us start RecycleMania off with a bang, and join us from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Feb. 10 outside of the UC
Satellite.
RecycleMania is a ten-week recycling competition between universities across the nation. Last year, UH was
number one in the state for actual weight recycled and number seven in the nation for waste minimization. During RecycleMania, UH hosts a series of
events that are held from Feb. 7 to April 5.
Complete list of events: http://www.uh.edu/af/recyclemania/calendar.htm
UH Recycling Contest
On February 6 let the battle begin! Green UH holds a campus-wide recycling competition during RecycleMania
between student and employee teams.
All recycling collected for this competition is added to our weight for RecycleMania (the national competition).
The top three employee teams and student teams that recycle the most will win a large credit from UH Catering
Services—the top prize is a $150 credit. READY, SET, RECYCLE!
Registration: http://www.uh.edu/af/recyclemania/competition.htm
Info. and rules: http://www.uh.edu/af/recyclemania/rules.pdf
Community Garden Info. Session
UH’s Community Learning Agricultural Sustainability Program is hosting the Community Garden Info. Session at 4 p.m. on Feb. 7
at Cougar Woods– the intersection of Cullen and Wheeler. Learn more about the community garden, C.L.A.S.P. and how to get
involved.
RSVP and more info.: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campus-Community-Garden/160638127118
Green Commuter Fair
UH is hosting the Green Commuter Fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 8 and 9 at the PGH Breezeway and the UC Satellite. Students,
faculty and staff can sign up for a METRO Q-Card at the fair. Students get a 50 percent discount on every METRO ride. Reduce UH’s
carbon footprint and sign up today. METRO stations are located all over the greater Houston area. Come to the Green Commuter Fair
and find one near you!
Sustainability Tabling
Learn how to be greener on campus and in everyday life at Green UH’s educational tablings. Representatives will be
available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the UC Satellite and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the UC.
Caught Green-Handed
Recycling experts will be walking around UH and waiting for you to complete eco-friendly deeds such as
recycling materials, picking up trash and encouraging others to be green from 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. Feb. 22 and 23.
People around campus who are caught green-handed will be rewarded for their environmentally-conscious actions and may even be featured in the
March sustainable spotlight.
Want more information on Green UH?
Website: www.uh.edu/green
Email: gogreenuh@gmail.com