Annual Report
2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 President’s Commission on Sustainability .......................................................................................... 4
1.2 Context of Modern Sustainability ....................................................................................................... 4
1.21 Defining modern Sustainability. .................................................................................................... 4
1.22 Expanding human society. ............................................................................................................ 6
1.23 Fossil fuels. .................................................................................................................................... 6
1.24 Supply of fossil fuels...................................................................................................................... 7
1.25 Atmospheric effects. ..................................................................................................................... 7
1.26 Land effects. .................................................................................................................................. 7
1.27 Rationale for sustainability efforts................................................................................................ 7
1.28 Scale of sustainability. ................................................................................................................... 8
1.29 Sustainability methods.................................................................................................................. 8
1.3 East Stroudsburg University Profile .................................................................................................... 8
1.31 The University. .............................................................................................................................. 8
1.32 Academic Schools and Colleges. ................................................................................................... 8
1.33 Academic Programs and Degrees Conferred. ............................................................................... 8
1.34 Faculty and Staff............................................................................................................................ 8
1.35 Enrollment..................................................................................................................................... 8
1.36 Admissions/Retention. .................................................................................................................. 8
1.37 Costs. ............................................................................................................................................. 9
1.38 Physical Facilities. .......................................................................................................................... 9
1.4 EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA STRATEGIC PLAN 2005 ‐ 2010 ....................... 9
1.41 Vision statement. .......................................................................................................................... 9
1.42 Mission statement. ....................................................................................................................... 9
1.43 Values Statement. ......................................................................................................................... 9
2. Mission Statement of The Sustainability Commission ............................................................................ 10
3. Sustainability Commission Report .......................................................................................................... 10
3.1. Rationale for the Report .................................................................................................................. 10
3.2. Quick Summary ................................................................................................................................ 11
3.3. MemberSHip .................................................................................................................................... 11
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3.4. Collaboration within Northeastern PA Community ......................................................................... 11
4. Subcommittee reports ........................................................................................................................... 12
4.1 GREEN OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE ................................................................................................ 12
4.1.0 Quick Summary .......................................................................................................................... 12
4.1.1 Members .................................................................................................................................... 12
4.1.2 Objective. ................................................................................................................................... 13
4.1.3 History ........................................................................................................................................ 13
4.1.4. 2010 Accomplishments. ............................................................................................................ 13
4.1.5. New initiatives........................................................................................................................... 14
4.2 CARBON FOOTPRINT SUBCOMMITTEE ............................................................................................. 15
4.2.0. Quick Summary ......................................................................................................................... 15
4.2.1 Members .................................................................................................................................... 16
4.2.2 History ........................................................................................................................................ 16
4.2.3 Accomplishments ....................................................................................................................... 16
4.2.4 Goals for 2011 ............................................................................................................................ 17
4.3 Recycling Subcommittee ................................................................................................................... 18
4.3.0 Quick Summary .......................................................................................................................... 18
4.3.2 History/Administrative Notes: ................................................................................................... 19
4.3.3 Objectives: ................................................................................................................................. 19
4.3.4 2010 Accomplishments .............................................................................................................. 20
4.3.5 Recycling at ESU: ........................................................................................................................ 23
4.3.6 Recycling legacy at ESU: ............................................................................................................. 23
4.3.7 Budget request for 2011 ........................................................................................................... 24
4.4 Transportation Subcommittee .......................................................................................................... 25
4.4.0. Quick Summary ......................................................................................................................... 25
4.4.1 Members: ................................................................................................................................... 25
4.4.2 Objective: ................................................................................................................................... 26
4.4.3 Accomplishments: ...................................................................................................................... 26
4.4.4 Goals for 2011 ............................................................................................................................ 27
5. SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS ........................................................................................................................ 28
5.1 Grant Applications............................................................................................................................ 28
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5.1.1 US Dept of Energy- $1,300,000 requested – DENIED ................................................................ 28
5.1.2 PennDot- $150,000 requested- DENIED .................................................................................... 28
5.1.3 PA Dept. of Environmental Protection Recycling Project $44,000 requested – DENIED........... 28
5.1.4 OSHA- Emergency Preparedness and Pandemic training $75,000 – DENIED ............................ 28
5.2 Opportunities .................................................................................................................................... 28
5.2.2 National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Fellowship Grants (Deadline: November 14) .. 29
5.3 Involvement from other groups ....................................................................................................... 29
5.3.1 East Stroudsburg University Foundation—EC(H)O Tour 2011 .................................................. 29
6. Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................................... 30
Appendix A.—Sustainability Programs at ESU ............................................................................................ 31
Appendix B— Facilities................................................................................................................................ 33
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABILITY
At the behest of President Dillman and Provost Borland, the President’s Commission on Sustainability
was formed and met for the first time in April 2008. A letter from Provost Borland suggested that the
Sustainability Commission focus on three areas: 1. Education – by bringing “all members to a similar
understanding of the issues relative to sustainability”, 2. developing a sustainability strategic plan, and 3.
developing implementation strategies.
During the past academic year, the Sustainability Commission has undertaken several activities to
promote sustainability and to increase the amount of sustainable practices on campus. Much of the
work has been done by the five subcommittees (Mission Statement, Green Outreach, Carbon Footprint,
Recycling, and Transportation) established in the fall 2009 semester. These subcommittees, which are
chaired by members of the Sustainability Commission, have met separately throughout the year.
Summaries of the subcommittee activities are included in the following section.
In addition to the meetings and activities of the Sustainability Commission and its subcommittees,
significant progress was made in two other areas. Patricia Campbell has worked with faculty, staff, and
administration to apply for several sustainability-related grants (see section 5). Darlene Farris-Labar
and Steven Labadie have developed a sustainability webpage as part of the ESU homepage, which has
helped to publicize some of the end-of-spring-semester sustainability events. The sustainability
webpage, http://www4.esu.edu/today/sustainability/index.cfm, can be found by clicking on the “News
& Events” icon on the lower left-hand side of the ESU homepage and then clicking on the “Sustainability
at ESU” icon.
1.2 CONTEXT OF MODERN SUSTAINABILITY
1.21 Defining modern Sustainability. The term, “sustainability,” is derived from the verb “sustain,”
which means “to give support to,” to “keep up,” or “prolong” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010). In
recent decades, the term has assumed a connotation that has implications beyond its strict dictionary
definition and, more specifically, implies a way of responsibly managing the continuous developing
activities of human societies with regards to the earthen environment. A variety of publications,
institutions, and activist groups each define the concept of modern sustainability differently, and, at the
present, the connotation of modern sustainability remains open to interpretation. However, useful
definitions for the sake of this report may have been offered by the United Nations. In a 1987 report,
the United Nations remarked that sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United
Nations General Assembly, 1987), and more recently, at the World Summit of 2005, the same assembly
suggested that sustainability is the balance between the “three pillars of sustainability:” environmental,
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social, and economic factors, in order to achieve sustainable development (United Nations General
Assembly, 2005).
Figure 1: a Venn diagram showing
the constraints of economy by human
society and the earthen environment
(Iacchus, 2009).
Figure 2: a Venn diagram showing
the same constraints of Figure 1 as
reinforcing factors (Forestry
Commission of Great Britain, 2010).
Figure 1 illustrates the realistic ecological constraints of human economy. Economy (or business,
industry, development, progress, general human activity) can be considered to exist within the context
of human societies. That is, without human societies, there can be no human economy. Furthermore,
the existence of human societies is constrained by environmental factors (eg. land, food, water, sun,
atmosphere, resources, etc). Since human beings are biological organisms, it can also be said that,
without a suitable environment in which to exist and with which to interact, there can be no human
societies. The sum of environmental resources on the planet represents a carrying capacity for life on
Earth.
At first, the three factors in Figure 1 may appear mutually exclusive. For example, a strict economist
might argue that there is no merit in having an economy without having resources from which to draw,
and he might argue that the environment exists to sustain (sensu stricto) the human economy.
Contrastingly, a strict ecologist might view sustainable development as a paradox—that a growing
human economy essentially implies the erosion of its necessary environment.
Figure 2 illustrates how the three factors may instead serve to reinforce rather than exclude one
another. Whereas the polarized viewpoints in the two examples of the previous paragraph assume
extreme perspectives, it may be said that a moderate practice of Sustainability incorporates a
compromised balance between the three aforementioned “pillars” of modern Sustainability.
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1.22 Expanding human society. All biological organisms can be said to interact with the environment
and impact it in some way, but this introduction will focus on human activity. In recent centuries, the
world human population has increased sharply. The expansion of human society has been affected by
the relatively recent expansion of human industry, including the developments of powerful machines,
faster transportation means, efficient communication media, and advanced medical practices; yet, all of
this expansive growth continues to exist within the limitations set by the physical environment. As with
the kinetics of any physical system, the growth of human society requires energy input as some level.
Modern technology is fueled by methods realized during the Western Industrial Revolution, during
which human beings realized and harnessed the power of vast reserves of potential energy contained in
fossil fuels and raw materials harvested from the environment (see Figure 4).
Figure 3: Growth of world human population,
10,000 BC to 2,000 AD (EIT, 2006).
1.23 Fossil fuels. Energy can come from a variety of forms. At a basal level, plants utilize energy from
sunlight to manufacture carbon-based biomass by fixing carbon from the atmosphere. The anaerobic
decomposition of carbon-based biomass over hundreds of millions of years produces fossil fuels. Fossil
fuels contain varying amounts of potential energy in their chemical bonds, most of which involve the
element, carbon. Volatile fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas contain high percentages
of carbon, and the potential energy stored in the chemical bonds with carbon can be transferred into
useable kinetic energy when the carbon is oxidized (burned), producing carbon dioxide and water as biproducts.
While plants utilize sunlight as their primary energy source, human society utilizes fossil fuels as an
estimated 86.4% of its primary energy source (U. S. EIA, 2010). Fossil fuel resources are considered nonrenewable because of their very long generation time. Other energy sources for the sustainment and
growth of human society include hydroelectricity, nuclear power, and wind and solar power.
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1.24 Supply of fossil fuels. The current paradigm of human societal development raises concern aimed
at the defabrication of the underlying environment. Based on current trends, the energy expenditure by
human society will potentially exceed the energy available. A presentation by Chugthai and Shannon
(2006) at the University of Michigan estimated that there were, at the time, about 800 billion barrels of
oil contained in the Earth’s crust and that the United States, as of 1995, consumed about 3 billion
barrels per year. Although estimates like these are difficult to make with high accuracy, it is generally
agreed that the amount of fossil fuels available is fixed and that the rate at which human society uses
fossil fuels is substantial.
1.25 Atmospheric effects. Besides the depletion of reserves, the burning of fossil fuels also produces
about 21.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually (US Dept of Energy). Carbon dioxide is a
greenhouse gas, which can affect the ratio of incoming versus outgoing solar radiation through the
atmosphere, thus affecting the Earth’s climate, ie. global warming. Only about half of the 21.3 billion
tonnes can be absorbed by natural processes; each year, there is an estimated net increase of 10.6
billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere (U. S. EIA, 2004)).
1.26 Land effects. Humans depend on land for the establishment of their home ranges, for the
production of most of their food energy, and for raw materials for building and industry. The
exponential human population growth coupled with industrial growth has translated into more
demands being put on available land. In 2008, it was estimated that 2.7 “global hectares” were required
to sustain the average person. When using the world population and the total earthen landmass as
factors, only an estimated 2.1 global hectares per person were found available (World Wide Fund for
Nature, 2008). Expansive human development has also affected the degradation of half of the world’s
forests and over half of the world’s wetlands; wetlands are valuable for their water-purifying action and
are widely regarded as the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems. Furthermore, habitat destruction
is currently listed as the number-one cause for organisms being added to the Endangered Species list,
and the Earth is currently losing about 27,000 species per year to habitat loss—significantly higher than
a normal extinction rate of 10-100 species per year (PBS, 2001).
1.27 Rationale for sustainability efforts. The modern trend of human development is often viewed as
ecologically unsustainable because the expanding society, at its present rate, will potentially create a
resource deficit between itself and its environment—a deficit which is greater than the amount of
resources that can be regenerated through natural processes. That is, the environment will no longer be
able to sustain an expanding human society after human society has reached a certain carrying capacity.
A sustainable society is one which does not threaten its carrying capacity, and modern sustainability
efforts are aimed at dealing with this dilemma.
One of the main focuses of sustainability efforts is the management of human business—taking into
account the cumulative amounts of energy and raw materials consumed versus the refined materials
and waste produced. This is a call for individuals and inherent organizations thereof to become more
responsible and to consider the reality of ecological economics. The environment, often viewed as an
externality of human society, is really an intrinsic part of it.
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1.28 Scale of sustainability. The concept of Sustainability as well as the impact that the environment
and human beings have on each other can be viewed on a gradient scale and in a variety of contexts.
On a grand scale, these would include the impacts that the human species as a whole has on the Earth
as a whole; while on a small scale, these would include the impacts that a single person has on his living
space. Human communities, businesses, institutions, and nations all have an impact, albeit somewhere
in between the two extreme examples mentioned previously.
1.29 Sustainability methods. Ways that a person or a group of people can have measureable impacts
on the reductions of energy and raw materials consumed and waste produced are:
 to reduce the quantity of materials and fuels he or she takes from the environment,
 to reuse products so that more do not need to be manufactured,
 and to recycle products, preparing the waste for use as a future raw material.
1.3 EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY PROFILE
1.31 The University. Located in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains, East Stroudsburg University is
one of the 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1893 as a
normal school to prepare teachers, the institution changed its name in 1927 to East Stroudsburg State
Teachers College and again in 1960 to East Stroudsburg College, reflecting the addition of liberal arts
and science curricula. In 1983, it achieved university status.
1.32 Academic Schools and Colleges. The University is comprised of 4 colleges: Arts and Sciences,
Business and Management, Education, and Health Sciences.
1.33 Academic Programs and Degrees Conferred. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is
accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools as well as a variety of discipline‐specific accrediting agencies. Academic offerings include 58
bachelor’s degrees and 23 master’s degrees. During the 2008‐09 academic year, the University awarded
1,274 bachelor’s degrees and 319 master’s degrees.
1.34 Faculty and Staff. In Fall 2009, there were 759 full‐time employees and 233 part‐time employees
at East Stroudsburg University. Of these 342 were full‐time faculty and 56 were part‐time faculty. 82% of
the full‐time faculty was tenured or tenure‐track and 74.0% hold the doctorate or other terminal
degree.
1.35 Enrollment. Fall 2009 enrollment totaled 7,576, which included 6,391 undergraduates and 1,185
graduate students. 91.3% of undergraduates and 34.9% of graduates were enrolled on a full‐time basis.
The undergraduate student body was 45.6% male and 13% minority.
1.36 Admissions/Retention. 1,358 first‐time freshmen enrolled for the fall 2009. 28% of all accepted
freshmen enrolled and 20% of all freshmen applicants enrolled. The average total SAT scores for
entering freshmen was 983. On average, 77.2% of first‐time full‐time freshmen return for their
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sophomore year. 53.5% of all undergraduate transfer applicants were accepted and 578 enrolled for the
fall 2009.
1.37 Costs. Academic year 2009‐10 tuition and fees were $5,554 for resident undergraduates and
$13,886 for nonresident undergraduates. Total 2009‐10 cost of attendance for resident undergraduates
was $13,812. This amount included tuition and mandatory fees, and room and board charges.
1.38 Physical Facilities. The University occupies and maintains 66 buildings located on approximately
252 acres in the East Stroudsburg Borough and in Smithfield Township. Forty six acres of the property in
Smithfield Township are leased to University Properties Inc. which has constructed 541 beds of student
housing in six buildings on 43 acres, and to the Visiting Nurses Association which is constructing a six bed
Hospice House on three acres. The 61 buildings in East Stroudsburg borough include academic facilities,
nine residence halls (housing 2,200 students), a 1,000‐seat dining hall, a Student Center, and a new
Recreation Center. The Student Activity Association, Inc., owns Stony Acres, a 119‐acre off‐campus
student recreation area near Marshalls Creek, that includes a lodge and a small lake.
1.4 EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA STRATEGIC PLAN 2005 ‐ 2010
1.41 Vision statement. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania will be first choice for students
seeking a comprehensive university with a small college climate distinguished by innovation and
tradition where they will learn to serve, lead and succeed in a global society.
1.42 Mission statement. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania will provide:




challenging and contemporary undergraduate and graduate curricula that engage and equip
students to critically appraise and apply knowledge in their lives and chosen fields of study;
a learning community that promotes diversity and views teaching as the university’s primary
focus;
varied opportunities for student and faculty research, creative endeavors and involvement in
public service; and
leadership and service in the educational, cultural and economic development of the region.
1.43 Values Statement. We are committed to the principles of intellectual integrity, freedom of
expression, the fair and equal treatment of all, good citizenship, environmental stewardship, and
accountability for our actions and the resources entrusted to us. [emphasis added for this report]
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2. MISSION STATEMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
“ East Stroudsburg University commits itself to environmental sustainability in its overall philosophy and
day-to-day practices. This commitment involves collaborative efforts among our students and
employees, and our greater Northeastern Pennsylvania community. We strive to inspire our
constituents towards achieving climate neutrality through education, exposure to green values and
attitudes, and, most of all, conscientious action. “
Historical note: A subcommittee of the sustainability commission produced this mission statement in
2008-2009. Volunteer members of the committee were drawn from a campus-wide invitation sent that
year. The committee was led by Jeff Hardy.
3. SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION REPORT
3.1. RATIONALE FOR THE REPORT
As Sustainability becomes an increasingly focal topic among institutions, it is important for East
Stroudsburg University to demonstrate its commitment to conserving global energy reserves and
minimizing waste output in order to meet the needs of the present without compromising the potential
success of future generations.
A successful effort towards Sustainability is not only a civil responsibility of the modern age, but such an
effort will also increase positive relationships between the university and its stakeholders, such as:
present and potential students, the local public and businesses, the State of Pennsylvania, and ESU
alumni. Sustainable practices will also allow the university to remain competitive as similar institutions
adopt similar practices.
An annual report by the Sustainability Commission is necessary to document the endeavors that East
Stroudsburg University is making towards sustainability. This report will be to depict the collaborative
efforts of the five subcommittees of the President’s Commission for Sustainability.
It is hoped that the process of documenting our progress and goals that our campus can better focus
our efforts and most effectively achieve a more sustainable campus.
Though much of the work done by the sustainability commission falls under one of the four subcommittee headings, some items are best addressed separately. These are listed below.
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3.2. QUICK SUMMARY
Goal
Improve Collaboration with
Northeastern PA
Track and publish (where
appropriate) our progress
towards becoming a more
sustainable campus
Maintain a structure at ESU
that efficiently assists our
sustainability efforts
Initiative
Collaborate with Sanofi in a
tangible way related to
sustainability
Collaborate with other businesses
such as the hospital
Generate and publish to our
website our sustainability annual
report
2010 Actions
Two conference calls, a
visit to Sanofi recycling
Expand resources
Hired second
sustainability GA –
Michael Hoffman.
Codify the sustainability
commission
A first set of bylaws were
presented, but not
accepted
none
2011 Goals
More concrete action –
collaboration related to
Earth Day
Establish a collaboration
Pass a set of bylaws
3.3. MEMBERSHIP
Chair Jan 2010 – August 2010: Jeff Hardy
Chair August 2010 – August 2012 (projected): Mark Stewart (mstewart@esu.edu)
Conrad Bergo
John Bloshinski II
Patti Campbell
Scott Dietrich
Jeff Hardy
Scott Heinrich
Michael Hoffman
Darlene Farris-Labar
Bob Moses
Doug Smith
Richard Staneski
Mark Stewart
Syed Zaidi
3.4. COLLABORATION WITHIN NORTHEASTERN PA COMMUNITY
This past year, the ESU sustainability commission has begun a collaboration with Sanofi Pastuer, a large
employer in the region. The collaboration, initiated by Sanofi, involved 2 conference calls regarding how
we can together help the region become more sustainable. ESU visited Sanofi’s recycling efforts in an
effort to share ideas on what more can be done in this area.
This type of collaboration is true to our mission:
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“This commitment involves collaborative efforts among our students and employees, and our greater
Northeastern Pennsylvania community.” – ESU Sustainability Commission Mission Statement
4. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
4.1 GREEN OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE
4.1.0 Quick Summary
Goal
Initiative
Progress for 2010
Goals for 2011
Engage students in issues related to
sustainability
Workshop: Sustainability
Promotion and Development
Held on April 16, 2010
Attendance estimate :
?
Number of Student
Posters: ?
Host another similar event
Formation of Student Group
Baseline Survey
Essay Contest
EC(H)O Tour
Completed
Spring
2010
Discussion phase
Discussion phase
Planned for 3/25
Maintain an informative
sustainability website
Ongoing – this report
will be posted there
Engage the community on the
subject of sustainability
Conduct the survey
Hold the contest for Earth day
Scheduled for March 25th, 2011
4.1.1 Members
Chair: Darlene Farris-LaBar
Chair: Conrad Bergo
Art, 2009-2011
Chemistry, 2008-2009
Caroline DiPipi-Hoy
Joseph Eshun
Darlene Farris-LaBar
Conrad Bergo
Mihye Jeong
Margaret Persia
Eugina Skirta
Samuel Strauser
Karen Stylianides
Cem Zeytinoglu
James Hunt
Jenny Collins
Virginia Reiner
Patricia Kennedy
Michael Jay Hoffman
Special Education and Rehabilitation, 2008-2011
Business Management, 2008-2009
Art, 2008-2011
Chemistry, 2008-2011
Physical Education Teacher Education, 2008-2011
Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, 2008-2009
Mathematics, 2008-2011
English, 2008-2009
Physical Education Teacher Education, 2008-2010
Communications Studies, 2008-2011
Biology, 2010-2011
Music, 2009-2011
Academic Enrichment, 2009-2010
Communication Studies, 2010-2011
Graduate Assistant, 2010-2011
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4.1.2 Objective. This subcommittee looks at ways to ensure that there are educational aspects to our
sustainability efforts. Academic sustainability initiatives should look at ways that will ensure there are
educational aspects to our sustainability efforts. Increasing sustainability awareness throughout the
curriculum will help encourage environmental stewardship throughout the campus community and
beyond. Opportunities and resources that will equip undergraduate and graduate education, academic
research, co-curricular and service learning, and community outreach with success in supporting
sustainability responsiveness are requested.
4.1.3 History
Created in the Fall 2008, the committee was originally chaired by Dr. Conrad Bergo. The subcommittee
first met on October 9, 2008. During this meeting, several types of action were discussed. Over the
ensuing months the curriculum subcommittee quickly decided to focus on two primary courses of action
(termed “projects” above):
1. organize, publicize, and hold a workshop on incorporating sustainability ideas and practices into
teaching and
2. form a student group to help promote sustainability on campus.
During Spring 2009, the committee held a workshop called, “Sustainability and Promotion Workshop.”
This workshop was designed for both current faculty and those who plan to teach. It explored ideas on
incorporating information on environmental issues into curriculums, offering practical applications, and
best practices. As part of the new Sustainability Commission at ESU and the Curriculum Subcommittee,
the workshop included presentations by ESU educators, community leaders, and students actively
involved in sustainable and environmental issues. Throughout the day, the workshop offered ample
time for discussion and networking of ideas.
4.1.4. 2010 Accomplishments.
Both of these project objectives were successfully met during the 2010 school year. The second
Sustainability Promotion and Development workshop was held in Beers Hall on April 16, 2010. The
workshop included five speakers and a Student Poster Session. Several students and ESU faculty
attended the event.
A student organization, Students for Sustainability was also formed. Cem Zeytinoglu (professor,
Communications) is the group’s advisor. Many of the student presentations at the workshop were by
members of the Students for Sustainability group. Students for Sustainability is a voluntary student
group which aims to create a general awareness in and around the East Stroudsburg University campus
about the significant sustainability problems, and works towards to instill necessary attitudes, especially
within the student body, to attain a more sustainable campus. Students for Sustainability primarily plan
to work on the following issues: alternative energy sources, reducing carbon footprint, zero waste, and
ecological conservation. For most of the past year after the spring event in 2010 the group was inactive;
the last action was with the curriculum committee during the last year’s spring event. See appendix C for
a list of sustainability programs at ESU.
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4.1.5. New initiatives.
The green outreach group has set as a goal to organize three events, a student survey, a student essay
contest and an ECHO tour.
The EC(H)O tour has been scheduled for March 25. The tour, designed to connect aspects of our
campus with environmental features of the surrounding Pocono communities, will visit waste
management sites, water resource, and successful “green” sites in the ESU community, as well as
sustainable sites on ESU’s campus in order to get students out to see those places effecting the
environment and hear people speak about what they are doing to be more sustainable. This event has
been funded through both the East Stroudsburg University Foundation Grant and East Stroudsburg
University FDR Grant. The EC(H)O tour will feature various sites and speakers that will help increase the
knowledge and awareness of the natural environment.
An essay contest is scheduled, with the due date of March 15. The topic of the 650-word essay deals
with how students can use their potential careers as an instrument to foster sustainability in society. All
ESU students are invited to participate. The Green Outreach Subcommittee will judge the entries, and
prizes of $50, $75, and $100 will be given to the winners.
The Green Outreach Subcommittee has taken to initiate a Baseline Survey in order to assess student
knowledge and attitudes about a sustainable environment. The subcommittee is consulting an external,
online source for organizing and administering the survey and plans to complete the analysis of survey
results in logistics being discussed. This effort is currently in the discussion phase.
A workshop has been planned for Earth Day on 19 April, 2011. This will mark the fourth annual Earth
Day event by the committee. The workshop will carry a theme of reducing carbon footprint, although a
specific title is still being debated. Actual content is under discussion and is awaiting finalization.
Content and photos of past Earth Day events at ESU can be viewed at : [http://www4.esu.edu/
today/sustainability/earth_day.cfm].
A poster session for ESU students is scheduled for the Earth Day workshop with a due date of 25 March.
Posters can deal with any topic related to sustainability. Past poster titles have included: Combat
carbon emissions: non-commuters; Trash: it’s a disease; Solar cells indoors?; Combat carbon emissions:
commuters; Ecological conservation; Alternative energy sources; Modeling stream temperature on
Forest Hills Run; Respiratory diseases in the United States; Reducing ESU’s CO2: focus on commuters;
Automated thermostat regulation using users position and schedule to statistically predict users’ arrival
times; Yellowstone grizzlies—analyzing the past to preserve the future; improving fuel economy: air
filtration and power; A kinetic look at making a carbon footprint in physical education. Full abstracts can
be found on the Sustainability Commissions website: [http://www4.esu.edu/today/sustainability/
student_research.cfm].
Balance Workshops are being planned for next year at Stony Acres to educate the ESU community. The
content of the workshop will focus around the sustainable efforts and environmental stewardship of the
Stony Acres administration. Additionally, a session on the local flora and fauna of the area is scheduled.
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A cookout will ensue as a close to the day. The workshop is scheduled for 30 September, 2011 from
11:30-4:00 pm.
4.2 CARBON FOOTPRINT SUBCOMMITTEE
4.2.0. Quick Summary
Goal
Initiative
Progress in 2010
Goals for 2011
Determine and track
ESU’s environmental
impact
Determination of Carbon
footprint
Initial estimate at 40,000
tonnes per year (direct use
plus some transport – see
below)
Recalculate and compare – possibly
improve methodology
Use a national algorithm to
track our program
Environmentally friendly new
construction
Discussion of ASHHEE STARs
program
Construction begun on two
new residence halls with
geothermal wells
Decide on a strategy to begin tracking
a subset of its parameters
Build 2 new residence halls and
renovate one (Monroe) building to
LEED standards
LEED certification for new
buildings
Identified possible buildings
for LEED work – Monroe
renovation
Note: Henry A. Ahnert Jr.
Alumni Building meets LEED
certification; features
ground-source heat pump
heating/ cooling, also
recycled/ green construction
materials and finishes.
Under construction
Reduce ESU’s
environmental impact
Increased Energy Starcertified purchases
Increased sustainability
(Facilities Managementfocused) awareness on
campus
$10 million dollar project –
Guaranteed Energy Savings
Act project
Pursue campus wide
reduction in energy
consumption utilizing the EMS
(Energy Mgmt. System)
Develop a building
temperature control policy
Added signage to new
walkway from Univ. Ridge to
Campus to indicate it was
bike friendly
Substantially complete
Develop guidelines for use by
Procurement Department
Have the campus community pledge
to sustainability
Install signs on light switches in 3
buildings
Begin monitoring and tracking energy
savings
Development of more
aggressive building use
schedules underway
Curtail energy use in buildings based
on effective utilization of EMS
Under development
To seek approval of the policy
15
4.2.1 Members
Chair: Syed Zaidi
Director, Facilities Management
Members:
Olivia Carducci
Scott Heinrich
Mark Stewart
Mathematics
Manager, Energy and Plant Service, Facilities Management
Physics
4.2.2 History
The carbon footprint committee was formed at the same time as the other subcommittees – originally
with the task to examining the document called the “President’s climate commitment” and seeing what
ideas might be best applicable to ESU. ESU did not sign the commitment, but this subcommittee
continues to review ESU’s overall carbon footprint and examines ways that we may lessen our campus’s
environmental impact.
4.2.3 Accomplishments
ESU’s Carbon Footprint Calculation: The primary focus of the subcommittee has been determination of
the carbon foot-print of the campus with a view to establish a baseline and then to explore strategies to
reduce it. Scott Heinrich worked to prepare an inventory of all direct carbon emissions on campus.
Various departments on campus including the Business Office and Office of Academic and Institutional
Effectiveness furnished data that was used in the calculations. Another part of this process was
estimating the emissions related to commuters (students, faculty and staff) and University
owned/operated vehicles. Using data collected by Office of Academics and Institutional Effectiveness,
Olivia Carducci and her math modeling class, the committee was able to capture the carbon emissions
from commuter and ESU vehicles. Based on this work, a rough estimate of ESU’s carbon footprint is
37,000 tonnes per year.
Procurement Intuitive:
a. The University purchased electric carts for parking wardens and an electric vehicle for
carpenter shop and is currently in the process of ordering a second one for the custodial crew.
This is particularly good since these vehicles do not cause direct carbon emission and while
they rely on electric to charge, their indirect impact on carbon footprint is significantly lower
than that caused by vehicles with internal combustion engines.
b. Purchase of flex fuel vehicles. Under this initiative shop vans used by Facilities Management
were replaced with three new vans that offer the option to run on flexible fuel.
Construction Initiative:
a. The University has made a commitment to building all new buildings to LEED standards
(possibly Silver). The first project in this category is the major life cycle renovation of Monroe
16
Hall. In addition, the two new residence halls currently being built on campus are also
intended to be LEED certified. The largest construction project in the coming years will be the
Keystone Center which is intended to be similarly LEEDF certified. That project is fully funded
and awaiting design professional selection by the Department of General Services.
b. A pedestrian walkway was completed from University Ridge to Main Campus which is bike
friendly and made from environmentally porous paving material.
Energy Related Initiatives: The University completed a $10 million Guaranteed Energy Savings project.
The project consisted of the following:
LIGHTING PROJECT: The Lighting project replaced and/or retrofitted approximately 10,110 lighting
fixtures throughout campus with more efficient lamps and ballasts. This is estimated to reduce the
lighting energy consumption by 500 KW and 2.4 million KWH annually while maintaining or improving
current light levels.
PLUMBING PROJECT: Plumbing upgrades have replaced or retrofitted 700 toilets and urinals on campus
to water conserving units, replaced 160 faucets with more water conserving models, installed 650 low
flow aerators and replaced 110 shower heads to conserve an estimated 10.2 million gallons of water
annually.
CENTRAL STEAM PLANT: Provided opportunity to use the central steam plant more effectively through
stack economizers, upgraded burner controls, and distribution system-manhole repairs.
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING: Stroud Hall received a new 4-pipe hydronic system. Many buildings
received new HVAC equipment and control systems.
PROJECTED ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT: The reduction to date of electricity is 4,230,610 kWh and 278,790
therms of natural gas. This has reduced the environmental impact of the University by preventing 4,432
tons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere or 963 cars removed the road for a year.
According to the annual energy usage report prepared by Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute
(PSFEI), ESU was rated as the most efficient boiler plant in all 14 PASSHE universities for the year 2010.
4.2.4 Goals for 2011
a. Hold symposiums and seminars on sustainability (collaboration being attempted with
Grainger). It is expected that such a seminar will provide regional businesses and
organizations to better understand the opportunities available and advantages associated
with procurement of more sustainable products.
b. Develop guidelines for the procurement of equipment that are Energy Star certified.
c. Increase sustainability (& energy conservation) awareness on campus (Facilities
Management focus.
17
d. Develop policies that reflect a commitment to sustainability (such as reduction in air travel
and purchase of clean fuel).
e. Continue to pursue LEED certification for all new construction (includes Monroe Hall, new
student housing and Keystone Center).
f. Develop and seek approval of the temperature control policy.
g. Reduce building energy consumption utilizing the EMS .
4.3 RECYCLING SUBCOMMITTEE
4.3.0 Quick Summary
Goal
Improve
campus
recycling –
reduce waste
Initiative
Increase Aaramark
recycling
University Ridge
recycling—
initiated in 2010
Gooseneck water
fountains in
residence halls
Additional comingle recycling
containers
Purchase of
reusable water
bottles for
students
Recycling of
printer cartridges
Water taste test
Mattress recycling
Campus cleanup
Phone book and
textbook recycling
Styrofoam
recycling
Battery recycling
Elimination of free
printing
Training session for
custodial/ facilities
staff
Plastic bag
recycling
2010 progress
Aaramark recycles glass, plastic, and aluminum; also
uses reusable “clamshells” instead of Styrofoam ones.
Initiated in 2009
Ongoing project—initiated in 2010
2011 goals
n/a
Underway. Goosenecks have been installed in all
residence halls (except Lenape, due to issues with the
fitting) and several other campus buildings including
Stroud Hall.
Underway
Newly-purchased water
fountains come equipped with
goosenecks
Done –total of 2,300 purchased: one per residential
student
Underway –ongoing since 2001. Approx 3-4 cartons of
20+ cartridges collected per month.
Complete - Majority of students preferred tap water to
bottled
Underway –Conigliaro Industries collects loads of 200
mattresses. 220 were collected in June 2010.
Complete - Collaboration with Biology Club, Chem
Club, and Art Association.
Partnership with local recycler, Charlie Cahn. This has
been completed once.
Art department has offered to take Styrofoam. They
can use it.
Complete. Receptacle placed in front of SciTech. A
battery recycling flyer has been proposed.
Proposed, but not finalized.
n/a
12 more containers for areas
where containers were lacking
(see 2011 budget below)
1,300 more containers for 2011
n/a
n/a
200 more collected mattresses
expected for Sept 2011 and 700
more following Fall semester
due to closure of 2 dorms.
Repeat the effort once per
month.
Expected to continue
n/a
Go Green committee to finalize
flyer.
Finalization unlikely
Proposed; Grangier Supply has resources to administer
these programs
Contract Grangier to host
training session
Collection bin made available for plastic bag recycling
by the bookstore.
Bins to be placed by bookstore
and convenience store.
18
Raise
awareness and
improve
campus
participation in
recycling
Cash-for-trash
initiative
Initiative in place. Few students actually found picking
up trash. $5 given to students found properly
disposing of refuse. Distributed $100 to 20 students.
Battery recycling
flyer
Have a presence at
the Earth Day
event
A flyer was proposed to the commission
Recycling group operated a booth at ESU’s annual
Earth Day event to raise awareness of recycling efforts
Patrick Dorian (professor,
Music) has agreed to chair a
subcommittee to solicit faculty
donations to replenish funds.
Go Green committee has
agreed to finalize flyer.
Plan to attend Earth Day event
in 2011.
4.3.1 Members:
Chair: Robert Moses
Residence Life and Housing
Leslie Berger
Conrad Bergo
Christine Brett
Charlie Cahn
Tim Campbell
Madeline Constantine
John Freel,
Carl Dinardo
Pat Dorian
Sally Duffy
Sarah Goodrich
Kate Langenburg
Pam Loven
Jim Martin
Sailor Moore
Maria Ocola
Matt Wallace
Sharon Wary
Library
Chemistry
Physical Education
Community Member
Go Green
Stony Acres
Aramark Representative
Kemp Library
Music
Enrollment Services
Camps and Conferences
University Bookstore
Facilities Management
Facilities Management
Custodial Worker
Physics
Biological Science
Student Activity Association
4.3.2 History/Administrative Notes:
This committee, composed of students, faculty, staff and administration, met on the third Thursday of
every month at 3:00 in the third floor conference room of the Science & Technology Center.
4.3.3 Objectives:

To encourage entire campus to participate in the recycling and waste minimizing effort in order
to maximize the recycling effort and accomplish the campus recycling objectives: to conserve
energy, recover resources, protect the environment, save on disposal costs, and promote
responsible resource use through green purchasing, conservation, and smart technology.
19

To raise awareness of reduced use, reuse, and recycling of resources on the ESU campus among
faculty, staff, and students, implement strategies to enhance campus recycling systems, and
promote responsible resource use through green purchasing, conservation, and smart
technology.
4.3.4 2010 Accomplishments
Improve campus recycling—reduce waste








At encouragement of the Recycling Subcommittee, a representative from our campus caterer,
Aramark, joined the committee, and as a result, Aramark entered into a recycling contract with
Chrin Hauling and began to recycle glass, plastic, and aluminum in their various dining facilities.
Aramark also purchased green reusable “clamshells” for takeout food orders to replace the
white styrofoam containers that were previously used.
At the encouragement of the Recycling Subcommittee, a recycling program was scheduled to
begin at the University Ridge Apartments which houses 539 students. This ongoing endeavor
was implemented in Fall 2010.
We suggested that gooseneck attachments be installed on the water fountains in the residence
halls, the Recreation Center and in various other areas across the campus to enable students to
fill reusable aluminum water bottles with cold drinking water rather than purchasing bottled
water in plastic bottles. As new water fountains are purchased for the campus they will come
with these goosenecks already attached and will not need to be retrofitted.
One of our first projects was for the subcommittee members to conduct an environmental scan
of the buildings in which they were located, noting areas that needed recycling containers. At
the following meeting, members reported where additional containers were needed in their
areas.
Additional co-mingle recycling containers were placed externally and internally around the
campus in areas that still did not have them. This was a continuation of a project that began last
year. We have requested funding for still more containers in next year’s budget.
In our sub-committee budget request we have asked for funds to provide free aluminum water
bottles to all residence hall students for the upcoming academic year. If this initiative is not
funded, the Residence Life department will come up with the money to make this happen. In
January 2010, we purchased these bottles for our Resident Advisor staff.
We advanced the promotion, collection and recycling of printer cartridges on campus. Several
offices routinely bring used cartridges to Shawnee Hall where they are sent to recycling
company. The cartridges that they don’t accept are taken to Staples.
The “Go Green” student committee under Residence Life continues to be active conducting
monthly campus clean-ups, often in conjunction with a special weekend such as Homecoming,
ESU Open House, or Family Weekend. They conducted a blind taste test in the university center
where students were asked to select which water they preferred: East Stroudsburg borough
water or commercially processed bottled water. The vast majority selected the tap water. This
taste test was administered twice.
20









A contract with Conigliaro Industries to collect and recycle old mattresses and upholstered
furniture was signed. They are a commercial mattress recycling company whose primary
purpose is to keep these items out of the landfills. 220 mattresses were collected in June 2010,
and several more loads are expected in Fall 2010.
Sailor Moore developed the Text Book Box collection/recycling project with the University Store.
For every book box that was returned to the store to be reused, we received $.40 toward our
Earth Day booth up to a maximum of $100.
Other successful programs that were continued included the massive cardboard collection
program in the residence halls during the first few weeks of each semester, and the “Swap Spot”
program at the end of the semester where students leave items that do not want/need in a
designated location. Other students are encouraged to take anything they can use from that
location for free.
The subcommittee worked collaboratively with other campus groups and organizations such as
the Residence Life’s “Go Green” subcommittee, the Biology Club, the Chemistry Club, and the
Art Association. We divided the campus into quadrants, assigning each group an area to collect
litter. Monthly campus clean-ups were conducted by the student groups, especially the “Go
Green” subcommittee members, most of whom are resident advisors. Clean-ups were
frequently scheduled prior to large campus events such as Family Weekend and Homecoming in
order to make the campus more attractive to visitors on those dates.
In addition to the litter pick-ups, the “Go Green” committee took on several other projects such
as: coordinating a cardboard recycling project at the beginning of the semester, conducting a
litter control poster contest, organizing an athletic shoe recycling competition among the
residence halls, and adopting a Go Green pledge. This group also helped our subcommittee
distribute the new recycling flyers and stickers to all the departments across campus.
Their final campus clean-up on April 14th prior to Earth Day featured our ESU mascot, Burgy. (See
Go Green Accomplishments 2008-2009.) The Biology Club assisted in the clean-up, as well.
In October, members of the Sustainability Commission visited and toured the recycling facility at
Sanofi Pasteur and obtained information about the vendors they use and the different products
they recycle. Sanofi recycles “non-recycleable” plastics via a vendor, Systek, who charges $42/
ton and $135/ pickup. Sanofi produces about 100 tons of trash/ month and about 40-50 tons of
recycleables/ month.
The Recycling Committee has partnered with Charlie Cahn, a local recycler, to pick up the extra
phone books in each residence hall and the any unusable books from the University Store. In
the past, many of these were simply thrown in the trash.
With the assistance of the Residence Life Department’s “Go Green” committee, all recycling
containers across campus have been marked with stickers and have had flyers posted above
them, indicating what materials are acceptable in each of the various recycling receptacles. This
includes all campus offices and buildings. In addition, campus clean-ups are scheduled and
conducted at least once a month by the committee, often the Friday before a major campus
even such as Homecoming, Family Weekend, or ESU Admission Open Houses.
21

Styrofoam from packaging on campus is being directed to the Art Department, to Prof. Darlene
Farris-LaBar, for an Art class project in Three Dimensional Design course..
Raise awareness and improve campus participation in recycling





Through seed money donated by Charlie Cahn, a community member of our committee, we
instituted a “Cash for Trash” program where students found picking up and properly disposing
of trash or recyclables would be give $5.00 on the spot. (Two of the Residence Life graduate
assistants were the undercover spotters). A total of $100 was given to 20 students. Patrick
Dorian (professor, Music) has agreed to chair a subcommittee to solicit faculty donations to
replenish the fund.
Both the Recycling Committee and the Go Green committee staffed booths at Earth Day on the
Quad on April 23, 2010. They offered handouts with facts and hints on recycling, conducted a
raffle for faculty and staff to win a basket of energy saving and environmentally friendly
products, and had participants complete a brief survey on their recycling practices both at home
and on campus. At the Pocono Mountain Chamber of Commerce Expo in March, members of
our committee helped staff the ESU Sustainability booth. We also made a contact with a
representative from PP&L who gave us several cases of energy efficient light bulbs to distribute
to members of the campus community.
Flyers and stickers with recycling guidelines were designed and distributed to all the
departments across campus to be posted above or on the appropriate containers.
The Recycling Committee is recommending another email blast go out to the entire campus,
recruiting interested individuals to populate the various sub-committees of the President’s
Commission on Sustainability.
Stickers with energy saving messages are being ordered and will be placed around all light
switch covers on campus. The messages will remind folks to turn off the lights when they leave
a room, etc. This initiative is being resurrected from a similar program that occurred at ESU
many years ago). Also, during the recent drought emergency in East Stroudsburg, water-saving
messages, flyers, and publicity was distributed and posted throughout the eight residence halls
on campus, urging students to conserve/use water wisely.
22
4.3.5 Recycling at ESU:
Table 4.361—Amounts of recycled materials at ESU 2009-2010
Material
Amount
Mixed paper and cardboard
23.0 tons
Co-mingled (glass, plastic & aluminum)
22.6 tons
Metal
6.2
tons
Mattresses
200.0 mattresses
Composting
425.0 cubic yards
4.3.6 Recycling legacy at ESU:
Table 4.3.6—Legacy of recycling at ESU
Material
Commingled-glass, plastic, aluminum
Paper, cardboard, newspaper, phone books
Yard waste
Wood pallets
Florescent light bulbs
Mixed metals
Ink cartridges
Mattresses
Time (years)
18+
18+
15+
10+
8+
8+
7+
just started 2010
Mattresses
Mattresses
Ink cartridges
Ink cartridges
Mixed metals
Flourescent light bulbs
Materials
Wood pallets
Yard waste
Flourescent light bulbs
Wood pallets
Paper, etc.
Yard waste
Comingle
20
Mixed metals
Paper, etc.
15
10
5
Years
Figure 4. Legacy of Recycling at ESU
23
0
Comingle
4.3.7 Budget request for 2011
Item
Breakdown
Cost per item ($)
number
Total cost ($)
12 Exterior Co-mingling
recycling containers—
front loading, dual
opening for bottles and
cans
lids/tops
163
12
1956
56 gal. bottoms
131
12
1572
60 gal. trash bags
1
288
288
6 interior comingling
recycling containers—
front loading, dual
opening for bottles and
cans
lids/tops
163
6
978
56 gal. bottoms
131
6
786
60 gal. trash bags
1
144
144
18 blue, paper recycling
containers
23 gallon size
47.2
18
849.6
marketing/publicity at
SAA, Inc. Graphics
Center
signs with updated
information for recycling
containers
0.35
300
105
1
5500
2.50
6,250
8/2 x 11 signs
Mattress recycling
contract with Conigliaro
Industries
cost to recycle 200+ old
mattresses
Water bottles
Al bottles to all
residence hall students
2500
24
4.4 TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE
4.4.0. Quick Summary
Goal
Reduce
parking
needs on
campus
Increase
walking
Increase
Biking* main
goal for 2010
Initiative
Statistical study on singleoccupancy vehicle trips to
campus
Propose solutions to
alleviate our parking
troubles while reducing our
carbon footprint
Establishment of
Greenways & Trails
Leadership Forum
Host an event to promote
bicycling
Increase bike parking - Bike
racks
Build ESU bike route
Increase
rideshare
(private or
public)
Bike sharing program
Promote rideshare and
carpooling
Promote accessibility to
MCTA trans.
2010 Accomplishments
Preliminary Obs Data collected in Dec
Obs1 - 44sov/1mov (0:15) the “Pit”
Obs2 - 240sov/9mov (1:00) the “Pit”
a) Observational tool was developed
b) Data collection has begun
2011 Goals
Development of Student voice survey
to collect data on motivators to
rideshare.
a) Data collection to continue
b) Complete a final report
Legislative breakfast held 9 April, 2010 –
agreed to focus on Godfrey Ridge property
along Brodhead Creek.
Hosted Bicycling day - 14 April 2010.
Increased awareness of benefits of bike
riding. University employees encouraged
to ride bikes to work. Attended by
professional mountain biker Jim Dellavale.
Addition of 54 bike racks, campus-wide Increased student-to-bike-rack ratio from
77:1 to 37:1
Geography Students working with GIS to
create potential bike routes.
Nothing to report
WeCar, short-term car rental service –
- Contract developed
- Bid Process Completed
- Waiting PASSHE Approval
Proposed
Continue to develop working
relationship with SROSC.
Host another successful bike day 2011
event.
Present GIS map proposals to student
senate for discussion/approval.
Discuss options with recreation center.
Promote ZimRide.com
- On-campus eboard
- Monitor data on usage
Develop Transit Tuesdays Lunch Trips
4.4.1 Members:
Chair: Scott Dietrich, Faculty
Faculty & Staff Members
John Bloshinski II
Kevin Casebolt
Madeline Constantine
Maria Ocola
Richard Staneski
Robert McKenzie
Howard Whidden
Lyn Washburn
Michael M Prestoy
Michelle Martin Wilson Arnold
Michelle Star
Patricia Kennedy
Richard Franzo
Student Members
Andrew J Lopchinsky
Sheneika S Wright
Tim Trebilcock
25
Community Members
Eastburg Community Alliance
Michael Luna -ESSAD
Susan Holbert - SROSC
Aimee Ellison
Francesca Tuttoro - Youth Infusion
Tim Trebilcock - MCTA Intern
4.4.2 Objective: The transportation committee strives to develop and implement innovative,
sustainable ideas for improving transportation on our campus within four key areas: 1) Walking, 2)
Biking, 3) Transit, and 4) Rideshare. The main goal of the subcommittee during the 2009-2010 academic
year was to increase the presence of bike transportation on campus.
4.4.3 Accomplishments:
 Our committee met regularly throughout the 2010 calendar year, and worked diligently on
several different objectives. Most notable accomplishments include: 1) increasing the number of
bike racks on campus, hosting a Greenways & Trails Legislative Forum; 2) successful
procurement of WeCar ridesharing bid/agreement; and 3) Hosting the second annual bike day
celebration in conjunction with earth day.
 Increase of On-campus Bike Racks: In the 2009-2010 academic year ESU had only 12 bike racks
on campus, offering just 99 bike parking spaces to 7,576 (1.3%) students, which yields a ratio of
1 space for every 77 students. Based upon the recommendation this committee, ESU facilities
management purchased an additional 54 bike racks adding an additional 108 spaces. The
addition of these spaces has improved our 2010-2011 Space to student Ratio to 1 space for
every 37 students. ESU now offers a total of 207 bike parking spaces for 7,576 (2.7%) students.
In addition to the aesthetically pleasing design of these racks they are also scalable and can be
easily be added or removed to meet the changing demands of students who choose to bike on
campus, because they are not one large unit.
 Greenways & Trails Leadership Forum: Our committee established the goal of becoming
recognized as a leader in our region by educating local officials about the importance of
planning for smartgrowth and investing in sustainable transportation initiatives. To accomplish
this goal we introduced a forum on the development and linkages of “key” properties among
Monroe County greenway systems, and their crucial connections to land and water trails
throughout the Pocono’s and beyond. The Greanways and Trails Leadership forum & legislative
breakfast was held Tuesday, April 9th, 2010 at East Stroudsburg University’s Stony Acres Hosted by ESU - Sustainable Transportation Committee, Monroe County Planning Commission,
the Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission, and, the first of the series focuses
on the Godfrey Ridge property along the Brodhead Creek.
 Partnership with WeCar for Short-Term Car Rental service: As an alternative to car ownership,
short term car rental is designed to replace the need for up to eleven cars in areas with high
population densities. At ESU transportation is a concern for many freshman and sophomore
who are not allowed to have a vehicle on campus. Many of these students try all sorts of
methods to bring their cars on campus, anyway. Our committee hopes to show students that
there is a sustainable alternative to car ownership and that membership in a WeCar program
can give them access to an automobile without the hassles of owning and maintaining car.
Please visit [http://www.wecar.com/] for more information on how it all works.
 Some of the other transportation ideas examined during the year include: ride share (e.g. We
car through Enterprise car rental), bicycle racks – improving existing ones and adding new ones,
26

and increasing student use of MCTA buses. Discussions continue to see how ESU and MCTA can
partner in providing low cost access to the county-wide public transit system. Currently we sell
discount tickets at the student union, possibly a memorandum of understanding with student
senate can bring cheaper fares and greater student ridership.
A highlight of the transportation committee’s efforts occurred on Bicycling Day, April 14th 2010
which was held on campus in conjunction with ESU’s Earth Day celebration. University
employees were encouraged to ride their bicycles to work that day. Professional mountain
biker Jim Dellavale set up a bike pump track to promote mountain biking skill development and
health benefits of bicycle riding. The transportation committee hosted a booth to gauge
student interest in bicycle riding on campus. MCTA also had a representative on the quad to
hand out information pamphlets and to answer questions regarding the county’s bus system.
4.4.4 Goals for 2011
Our subcommittee has established the following goals for the 2010-2011 academic year, with a primary
focus on Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips to campus.





Goal #1 - Establish a statistically relevant study on single occupancy car trips to campus; and a
survey analysis of student, faculty and staff opinions of sustainable transit options with the
target of further developing strategies to minimize or reduce these trips, exploring the viability
of creating of regional satellite parking lots for commuters.
Goal #2 - Continue to build momentum and raise awareness about the many positives of biking
to/on campus: -- a) increase bike parking [x] b) identify/build an ESU bike route /paths c)
develop encourage a bike sharing program on-campus.
Goal #3 - explore unique ways to promote and encourage more rideshare/ carpooling options
on campus. (i.e. Zimride/ Carpool bulletin boards)
Goal #4 - promote student, faculty, staff accessibility to MCTA Transit a monthly transit lunch
special events).
Goal #5 - build upon the success of Annual Bike Day Event - Apr 2011
In fall, the Transportation Subcommittee began investigating commuter traffic at ESU to survey for SOV
trips on campus. The Transportation Subcommittee suspects that the vast majority of vehicle trips to
campus are single-occupancy and this contributes to an increased carbon footprint and parking
dilemmas. While more observations are necessary from multiple lots, two observations prior to finals
week in December show that 97% of car trips to “the Pit” parking lot are SOV. Observation 1 – showed
44 SOV and 1 MOV (multiple) in a 15 minute time span. A second independent observation – showed
240 SOV and 9 MOV in a 60 minute observation also taken at “the Pit.” ** 97% (284/294) of car trips to
the Pitt are SOV. The motivation for this investigation was to obtain data to use in encouraging efficient
ride-sharing among students and faculty as well as decreased overall vehicle use.
27
5. SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS
5.1 GRANT APPLICATIONS
5.1.1 US Dept of Energy- $1,300,000 requested – DENIED
Geothermal Proposal to renovate Monroe Hall using Ground Source Heat Pumps.
5.1.2 PennDot- $150,000 requested- DENIED
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) requested $150,000 in funding to support a
comprehensive campus-wide Smart Transportation plan that would increase safety for the community
as well as provide the campus and surrounding community with options to make wiser environmental
choices when they travel around campus and into the local community. A comprehensive campus-wide
Smart Transportation plan would result in a more effective, efficient, and safer Multi-modal (pedestrian,
bike, transit) transportation corridor both within the University and the surrounding area.
5.1.3 PA Dept. of Environmental Protection Recycling Project $44,000 requested – DENIED
This proposal requested the funds to buy the start up equipment necessary to begin composting at ESU.
ESU ground staff will be responsible for the on-going operation of the composting project. It was
anticipated that some of the dining and catering services food preparation waste will also be integrated
into the composting piles.
5.1.4 OSHA- Emergency Preparedness and Pandemic training $75,000 – DENIED
5.2 OPPORTUNITIES
5.2.1 The Sustainable Energy Fund’s Solar Scholars Program
The Sustainable Energy Fund's (SEF) Solar Scholars Program is open to colleges and universities
throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and offers funding, incentives and academic credit for
students to design, build and operate a photo-voltaic (PV) powered solar installation of significant
impact on their campus. The program includes financial sponsorship for selected students to attend a
weeklong, hands-on training and certification workshop on applied PV and design. Participants return to
campus as "solar champions" who are prepared to advocate for solar power as a viable, efficient and
environmentally sound solution. Campuses also receive internet-based education resources on solar
and other emerging clean energy technologies to support an academic curriculum on sustainability. The
goal of the program is for Pennsylvania to be the first in the U.S. to have PV systems installed on each of
its 152 institutions of higher education. Bucknell University, Clarion University of Pennsylvania,
Mercyhurst College, The Pennsylvania State University and Villanova University have already been
selected to participate in the program.
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ESU’s Mark Stewart and Maria Ocola both participated in a summer program on solar energy as part of
this solar scholar’s program.
5.2.2 National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Fellowship Grants (Deadline: November 14)
National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program awards fellowship grants to undergraduate and
graduate students National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Fellows confront global warming on
their campuses and help to educate and engage the campus community on global warming impacts and
solutions. Grant awards:
Up to $2000 for Undergraduate Students
Up to $5000 for Graduate Students
Visit http://www.nwf.org/campusecology/fellowships/
5.3 INVOLVEMENT FROM OTHER GROUPS
5.3.1 East Stroudsburg University Foundation—EC(H)O Tour 2011
Proposed by the Green Outreach Committee, the EC(H)O tour is a designed as a means to increase ESU
students’ awareness of sustainability issues firsthand by taking them on a tour to different areas.
Proposed destinations include waste management and recycling facilities, water treatment plants and
reservoirs, and places with winning building and land designs. The event will also feature speakers that
will help increase the knowledge and awareness of the natural environment.
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6. LITERATURE CITED
Chughtai, Osman, and David Shannon. (2006). Fossil Fuels (presentation given 19 Oct 2006). Retrieved
2 November 2010 from: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/fossilfuels.htm.
EIT. (2006). World Population (est.) 10,000BC—2000AD. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from Wikimedia
Commons at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Population_curve.svg.
Forestry Commission of Great Britain. (2010). Retrieved 2 November 2010 from:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/images/diagram.gif/$FILE/diagram.gif.
Iacchus, Sunray. (2009). Nested Sustainability. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from Wikimedia Commons
at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nested_sustainability-v2.gif.
Jancovici, Jean-Marc. (2001). Energy and Choice of Life. Retrieved 2 Novermber 2010 from:
http://www.manicore.com/anglais/documentation_a/articles_a/palace_may2001.html.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2010). Sustain. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from the online MerriamWebster Dictionary at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustain.
PBS. (2001). The current mass extinction. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/2/l_032_04.html
United Nations General Assembly. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and
Development: Our Common Future. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from: http://www.undocuments.net/ocf-02.htm.
United Nations General Assembly. (2005). 2005 World Summit Outcome, Resolution A/60/. Retrieved
on 2 November 2010 from: http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/
unpan021752.pdf.
U.S. EIA. (2010). International Energy Statistics. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from:
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/IEDIndex3.cfm.
U. S. EIA. (2004). Greenhouse gasses, climate change, and energy. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html.
World Wide Fund for Nature. (2008). Living Planet Report 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2010 from:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/living_planet_report_2008.pdf .
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APPENDIX A.—SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS AT ESU
Biology – Environmental Studies Degree Program
The curriculum in Environmental Studies has been designed to meet the needs of students seeking an
integrated interdisciplinary background within the tradition of a liberal education. The program is
intended to provide students with an opportunity to select courses from various disciplines that will
strengthen their understanding of environmental problems. The broad interdisciplinary nature of the
program permits students to enroll in courses offered by different academic divisions and by various
departments.
Bachelor of Arts — Environmental Studies Major - 37 semester hours
Coordinator: Professor Paul Wilson
Bachelor of Science – Environmental Studies Major - 57 semester hours
Coordinator: Professor Paul Wilson
Interns have served with park departments, state and federal wildlife agencies, water and sewer
treatment plants, and a variety of government conservation agencies both in the United States and
abroad.
Sustainability Components – not programs, but courses or sets of courses that have an environmental
focus
Marine Science Consortium Courses
Courses taught with a BIOM rubric are those courses normally taught at the Marine Science Consortium
field station at Wallops Island, Va. These BIOM courses are taught through the Department of Biological
Sciences and, unless specified otherwise in the course description, BIOM courses will count as Biological
Sciences courses toward a major within the Department.
Coordinator: Professor James C. Hunt
This is a directed degree program whereby students have an opportunity to acquire firsthand knowledge
via field experiences at the Wallops Island Marine Station as well as in-depth training in the theoretical
aspects of marine science.
Program components of the Marine Science Consortium include: barrier island transects, salt marsh
expeditions, beach profiling, water sampling, organism investigations, plankton labs, and guest lectures.
PHYS 117: Energy
This course introduces the concept of energy in all its forms and discusses its role in modern society.
Discussions include sources of energy, along with their social and environmental impact.
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PHYS 118: Solar Energy
This is a course designed to inform the student of the source of solar energy, what's being done to
harness this energy, and how students may benefit from solar devices they may build themselves. The
course requires very simple calculations and includes the construction of one solar device. Also included
are several detailed analyses of the economics of home solar systems.
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APPENDIX B— FACILITIES
Marine Science Consortium
The university is a member of the Marine Science Consortium which provides students in Marine
Science and related disciplines with access to a marine station for field trips, summer courses, and
research. The Consortium’s field station at Wallops Island, Va., is only a short distance from
Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, which are well-known for their abundant wildlife. For more
information, see the Biological Sciences section in the Degree Programs and Course Descriptions portion
of this catalog. Non-matriculated students have the opportunity to take varied courses to acquire
academic credit and professional competencies.
The official Summer Session bulletin, containing information on courses, expenses, and general
regulations, may be obtained in late February by contacting the Summer Sessions Office at 570-4222853.
Stony Acres
Stony Acres, a 119-acre student-owned recreation area, is located just nine miles north of the university
in Marshalls Creek. A multipurpose lodge, six cabins, a climbing tower, a challenge course, a camping
equipment program and a variety of activities including canoeing, camping, fris-bee golf course, cross
country skiing, ice skating, hiking, fishing, and picnicking have made Stony Acres a popular spot year
round. The Stony Acres lodge is available free of charge to campus organizations for meetings,
workshops and other programs. For lodge reservations, call Stony Acres directly at 570-223-8316. Cabin
reservations and other information may be obtained by contacting the University Center at 570-4223749.
Alumni Building
Henry A. Ahnert Jr. Alumni Building meets LEED certification; features ground-source heat pump
heating/ cooling, also recycled/ green construction materials and finishes.
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