November 2010
To:
Keith Watkins, Director of Facilities
Colin Koffel, Coordinator for the Office of Environmental Sustainability
From:
Resource Conservation Team
Recycling Information Communication (Amanda)
OSCA
•
Met with Dennis Greive and Grounds members to assess the issues. Decided to work
with the Environmental Concerns Committee to require each semester’s new recyclers to
briefly meet with Dennis to acquire information on how, what, where, and when to
recycle. (11/4)
ResEd
•
Met with Dennis Greive and Grounds to assess the issues. Decided to ensure that
information is provided to all Village Housing residents via e-mail, physical flyers, and
information posted on each refrigerator at the beginning of each year.
•
Met with Kourney Kosel to confirm the possibility of these solutions. (11/5)
Union Street Composting (Amanda)
•
Met with Kourtney Kosel to brainstorm ways to engage residents in composting at the
tumbler.
•
Decided to include a blurb in this semester’s newsletter to residents, put flyers on doors,
send e-mails, and conduct a fun composting event at the beginning of next year for new
residents.
Kahn Composting (Heather)
•
Secured paid positions with the Office of Environmental Sustainability.
•
Developed and began to initiate compost plans for Winter Term (garage of Dean’s
House) and for the month of February (tumblers replaced with bins that are emptied at JHouse once a week).
•
Organized “Compost Summit” to discuss on-campus composting. Attendees included
representatives from Facilities, Grounds, Res Ed, CDS, Bon Appetit, OSCA, Compost
Work Group, CDS Recyclers, Resource Conservation Team, Office of Environmental
Sustainability, New Agrarian Center, and George Jones Farm.
Conservatory Green Roof (Daniel)
•
We have contacted the involved parties to assess the status of the Conservatory
renovations. The project is currently in the discussion stage, and the idea of a green roof
is one that is being considered.
Johnson House Garden (Sophia, Heather, Ali, Corey)
•
Finished first draft of the proposal for RCT management of the Garden.
•
•
Met with SEED House to discuss future collaborative efforts between SEED House and
RCT. The two parties will be writing a mission statement for their relationship, a
description of the potential J-House/SEED House liaison, and a plan for how to develop
and maintain this relationship.
Finalizing a proposal for cinderblock compost bins on-site.
Recycling Center Research (Sophia, Daniel, Ali)
•
Redefined this project as researching ways to improve recycling within current
infrastructure as well as researching whether and how we can change the infrastructure.
•
Weekly meetings to brainstorm and check-in on recent updates.
•
Met with Tony Ely of Ely Enterprise to discuss the possibility of installing a cardboard
baler on campus. The meeting was a success, and we are currently compiling information
about fiber recycling on campus and local markets.
•
Talked with representatives at BFI. Discovered that soon we will be able to recycle
plastics 3-7, with renovations that BFI’s center is undergoing.
•
We are in the process of obtaining information pertaining to the amount of cardboard
waste produced on campus in our attempt to gauge the feasibility of operating our own
cardboard baler. We are also assessing the difference between what we pay for cardboard
collection and what we could sell the cardboard for if we were able to bale it ourselves.
Building Walkthrough Training (John, Heather, Amanda, Corey, Daniel)
•
Went through the basics of the Service building storage room involving ordering
recycling bins and the various types available
•
Did a practice walkthrough in the new Kahn student dormitory and conversed with
custodians and students about the status of the building’s environmental impact
Winterizing Village Houses (Ali)
•
Working on a proposal for the Green Edge Fund to purchase some winterizing tools for
next year.