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December 2014
Sustainability Bulletin
Upcoming
RecycleMania
February 1– March 28
Trashion Fashion
March 31
Earth and Wellness
Day
April 23
Click here for the full calendar of events.
Energy Campaign
Terra Awards
Sustainability Programs
Around Town
Opportunities
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6
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20
Cover Photo by Paul Miller
The Energy Campaign, the 10-week period in which the UAlbany community
is challenged to reduce our electricity consumption by 10%, marks a
concentrated effort of 17,000 students and over 4,000 faculty and staff to
reconsider their everyday energy habits. This year, we saved over a million
kilowatt hours in electricity with simple flips of the switch. Though we
missed our goal of 10%, we feel invigorated by the collective power of our
UAlbany community.
The living residences accepted the Energy Campaign challenge with gusto.
The dorms and apartments reduced their energy consumption by 14%. This
large savings represents the collective behavioral changes of students,
choosing to flip off the lights when leaving a room and powering down
computers and TV's when not using tem. Alumni Quad walked away as the
Quad winner for the Percent Reduction challenge, while Colonial has the
largest kilowatt savings in the Quad division. Over on the apartments,
Freedom was the largest reducer in terms of percent reduction from their
baseline, while Empire had the largest kilowatt savings.
The academic buildings proved to be a tougher nut to crack. After ten
weeks, the buildings only achieved a 4% percent reduction. Even so, three
buildings reached over a 20% reduction! Social Sciences led the pack with an
impressive 24% reduction. The Student Energy Team targeted the
Humanities building, powering down computers and lights in the evenings.
Over the course of the campaign, Humanities rose from –20% to a full 6%
reduction.
Thanks to everyone for your participation! We could not have done it
without you!
UAlb
any’s
Energ
y C
am
paig
n
Final
Leaderboard
See how your living
residence
performed!
66.9 homes’
energy use for one year
82,553 gallons
of gasoline consumed
788,022 pounds of coal
burned
Saving 1,063,951
Kilowatts Hours is
equivalent to
saving the CO2
Emissions from:
Living Area Percent Reduction CO2 Reduction Kilowatt Savings
Freedom 37% 20 67,043
Empire 32% 71 230,155
Alumni 18% 31 70,368
Colonial 16% 36 122,218
Dutch 13% 31 103,500
State 10% 23 80,679
Indian 7% 16 52,939
Liberty Terrace 1% 6 5,369
Academic Building Percent
Reduction
Kilowatts
Savings
Co2 Reduction
Social Sciences 24% 52,252 19
Education 21% 23,152 9
Physics 20% 41,837 16
PAC 14% 21,712 8
Lecture Centers 12% 79,839 30
Earth Science 11% 27,785 10
Arts and Sciences + Computing
10% 32,611 12
Business Administration 7% 14,278 5
Fine Arts 7% 14,015 4
Humanities 6% 10,331 4
Campus Center 6% 48,420 18
Science Library 3% 17,035 6
SEFCU 3% 8,218 3
Physical Education 1% 2,702 1
Chemistry 1% 9,037 3
University Library 1% 3,682 1
University Hall 0% 188 0
Downtown Campus -3% -8,210 -3
Life Sciences -4% -48,262 -18
Biology -8% -18,940 -7
Final
Leaderboard
See how your academic
building performed!
Final
Leaderboard
See how your living
residence
performed!
Undergraduate Student: Dylan Card
Senior Dylan Card has taken on a leadership role within
sustainability ever since his freshman year when he began to
campaign for the procurement of more local foods and the
labeling of these purchases in the campus dining halls. Since
then, he has served as a World Ambassador for the LLC and
President of the UAlbany Students for Sustainability. As a
student worker in the Office of Environmental Sustainability,
Dylan has taken on ta myriad of responsibilities including:
reading energy meters reads for the Energy Campaign,
creating the Empire Commons bills, recording our recycling
numbers and managing the ink jet/toner recycling program.
In addition, he assisted in recruiting students to attend the
People's Climate March this past fall and organized many
other sustainability events and programs.
Graduate Student: Lisa Cassidy
Lisa Cassidy, M.S. Biodiversity, Conservation, and Public
Policy, came to UAlbany with the intentions of starting
a community garden on campus. The idea of a on-
campus garden, was attempted in the past but it had
never successfully been done. Lisa's passion for the topic
of sustainable food sourcing and eating local along with
her persistence and hard work, made it possible for the
University at Albany to now be in the final stages of
completing an on-campus heritage garden. She has also
worked very closely with faculty such as Gary Kleppel
and many outside organizations to pursue research in the
effects that sustainable land management may have on
ground-nesting birds. Lisa continues to volunteer at and
support any on campus movements related to the topic
of sustainability.
Each semester, the Office of Environmental Sustainability awards one faculty member, one staff
member, and one student a Terra to recognize their individual commitments to advancing
sustainability on campus. This semester, the student nominees were so strong that the selection
committee decided to bestow the award to two students. Take a moment to read about the dedication
and achievements of a few of UAlbany’s outstanding individuals.
The Terra Awards
Faculty: Dr. Roberta Johnson
Dr. Roberta Johnson is a beloved professor of Environmental
Science who seeks to inspire her students with activity driven
and experiential lessons. Robert's teaching sets the ground
work for our students who are interested in the Earth, its
systems and our impact on the planet. She teaches a large
number of freshman and inspires them to continue their
studies about the environment.
She has created the Earth Day Family Event that provides a
rich experience for local families to explore and wonder about
our natural resources and the ecological processes. In addition,
Roberta heads the National Earth Science Teacher's
Association (NESTA), which provides wonderful and far
reaching services not just locally but throughout the nation.
Staff: Todd Jones
Todd serves as Assistant Director for Facilities in Residential
Life, where he integrated sustainability into the operations of
student living. Todd oversees the implementation and
management of the popular Bike Share Program, and provide
support for the Energy Campaign, Recyclemania and the Give
and Go Move Out program.
Todd instituted the Residential Life Pro Staff Sustainability
committee, which has had a far reaching impact. On this
committee, our young and enthusiastic professional staff take
ownership for sustainability programming and initiatives on the
quads. As the pro staff educate and influence the student RA's,
more student engagement and education around sustainability is
created. His implementation of this committee coupled with the
appointment of Res Life reps to the Student Sustainability
Council and the development of sustainability committees at
each living residence, has set a standard for strategically
implementing sustainability within the department. This work
was recognized on a national level as Todd was selected to
present UAlbany’s model at the prestigious AASHE national
sustainability conference in Portland this fall.
In the month of November, State Quad held its large scale event for sustainability called
The Green Games. The Green Games took place from the 3rd to the 6th of November.
The students of State Quad were able to come together to spend time to learn more
about the meaning of sustainability at UAlbany while participating in fun activities in the
span of a week.
To start off the week, students gathered into teams of five to try to collect the most
recyclable bottles throughout the week. For the second day, students gathered together
for some snacks, raffles, and sustainable bowling, a game of pins made from half-filled
single-use plastic water bottles and billiard balls. On the final day ,the teams that were
created throughout the week brought forth their bottle collections and came together to
celebrate their successes throughout the entire event. There was dinner served and
prizes distributed. As a team, State Quad’s Sustainability committee decide to put our
plastic bottle donations towards our goal for Holiday Heroes.
State Quad: Green Games By Jennifer Obeng
Sustainability Programming in
the Residences
This fall, Residential Life formed sustainability committees on each
quad and in the apartments to bring a large scale sustainability
program for the residents. Enjoy a glimpse into the creative ways
students learn about sustainability outside of the classroom.
Alumni Quad’s Sustainability Committee was comprised of Tishana Lawhorne, Kiya Williams, Emma Dennehy, Freisi Alfonseca, Tony Deng with Resident Director Marinel Martinez overseeing the programming group for the Fall 2014 semester. We together created the “Reuse It Campaign” program held on October 20th, 2014. This program featured approximately six tables in Waterbury Basement, with each one having an activity which challenged students to reuse different materials such as water bottles, tee shirts and everyday residence hall items. To keep the students engaged, we had various Minute to Win it games at our program as well. By promoting the reusing of recyclables through various arts and crafts workshops, the Sustainability committee expected to showcase how everyday items can gain new life in a fun manner. Students gained a better understanding of sustainability in our Alumni Quad community.
Alumni Quad : Reuse It Campaign By Marinel Martinez Candelario
Dutch Quad: Spice Up Your Space
In October, Dutch Quad hosted its large-scale sustainability program titled “Spice Up Your
Space!” The program took place outside of Dutch Quad’s Stuyvesant Tower on a beautiful,
sunny fall day. All afternoon students passing by stopped to paint and decorate their very
own flower pots. In addition, students were able to pick from an assortment of flower seeds
and herb seeds to plant in their pots and bring back to their dorm rooms to nurture and
grow. By taking care of their very own plants, students will be able to gain a greater
understand of, and appreciation for, the process of growing the food they consume every
day.
In addition to decorating pots and planting seeds, the program also featured an interactive
display board about the importance of soil and taking care of the earth. Refreshments were
provided in the spirit of fall including freshly sliced apples, sweet caramel dip, and
deliciously cold apple cider – all courtesy of UAS. Over 100 residents came out and
participated in the Spice Up Your Space program, making it a huge success!
Colonial Quad: Swapmania
On November 5, 2014, the Colonial Quad Sustainability Programming
Committee hosted Swapmania! This reuse-it themed event attracted the
participation of approximately 140 residents and featured organic snacks
donated by Honest Weight Food Co-op. Swapmania served as a venue to
encourage students and staff members to recycle and reuse items under
the premise that “One person’s trash is another’s treasure.” The
Swapmania team worked hard in preparation for Swapmania by collecting
items from over 75 individuals. Swapmania featured raffle items donated
by the Office of Environmental Sustainability, Panera Bread, and the
Department of Residential Life. In conjunction with this reuse-it thrift
shop themed event, the Planning Committee collected 8 jumbo bags of
gently used clothing items that were donated to the Capital City Rescue
Mission.
For Swapmania, residents were encouraged to donate or bring gently used
or new electronics, books, décor, and other miscellaneous items to the
“swap.” Students took useful items home from the event and exchanged
items that were no longer of importance or use to them. The Swapmania
Planning Committee’s goal was to bring to light the importance of reducing
the amount of “trash” dumped into landfills by providing items to students
and staff members that could find a use for them. Swapmania also served
as a venue to expose attendees to the importance and benefits of eating
organic, local, and natural foods. Attendees received information regarding
how consuming these types of food positively contributes to the health of
the environment and sampled some organic snacks from local Honest
Weight Food Co-op! The Swapmania Team and Colonial Quad are
extremely happy with the results of Swapmania and hope that this
program has a large impact and carries over into the everyday lives of
Swapmania participants. The take home message of Swapmania is clear;
reduce your waste, recycle items you no longer use, see if someone else
may have a use for your no longer needed items, and consume foods that
are positive for environmental health. Ultimately, Swapmania was a small
step in promoting a brighter, more sustainable future for all!
Apartments: Harvest Fest
The third annual Harvest fest was held at
Liberty Terrace on Saturday, November 8th to
celebrate local food and the do it yourself
spirit.
Students had the chance to sample some
local fare provided by Honest Weight Food
Coop and. They also made their own ice
cream using milk from a local creamery.
Read about the details of the process here.
Other DIY projects included hemp bracelets
and beauty products. Students made their
own lip balms out of beeswax, shea butter,
and coconut oil. A homemade nontoxic
astringent was created from apple cider
vinegar, distilled water, and essential oils.
Indian Quad: SusDANEability
Festival Indian Quad had a great semester for
programming, bringing freshmen residents to a
variety of diverse and important events around
the Quad and around the campus. Indian Quad’s
student and professional staff are all very
dedicated to the concept of sustainability on
campus. Resident Assistants Saben, Karan, and
Vickie along with Wellness Assistant James led the
charge this semester. RA Saben and WA James
collaborated on the SusDANEability Festival, which
celebrated local agriculture and small steps
toward sustainability that all members of the
campus community can take. RA Karan made a
splash with his water bottle initiative which has
significantly raised the profile of reusable water
bottles on campus. RA Vickie also got into the
spirit of sustainability, using recycling as a way to
raise money and awareness for Lung Cancer
research.
Large mammals represent an important component of the animal community at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve yet are not well documented. To gather data about the large mammal community and its response to management, we have been using Reconyx HC600 wildlife cameras in restored and actively managed areas of the Preserve. Since camera deployment began in March 2012 we have captured over 60,000 images of 14 species of mammals. Join us for this interactive lecture as Field Ecologist and Environmental Educator Amanda Dillon details the methods and results of our ongoing camera trapping project. Program begins at 7pm on 12/30.
Mammal Camera Trapping
Lecture Celebration of
the Solstice:
Dudley Night Sky
Adventure
Explore the night sky
and the solstice with
Astronomy Educator,
Megan Dominguez and
volunteers from the
Albany Area Amateur
Astronomers at
Museum of Innovation
and Science. $3 plus
admission. Program
runs at 6pm on 12/16.
Come out to Honest Weight Food Coop on
Thursday, December 18th at 6pm to learn
about Solarize.
Solarize is a bulk purchase of solar equipment
and installation services. By working together
with many households interested in buying
solar, we can get better prices on better
equipment.
This process has been used successfully around
the US to dramatically reduce costs and make it
easier for home and business owners, because
the Solarize team does a lot of the hard work
for you. This increases overall demand for solar,
a true win-win for all local installers, for our
communities, and for the environment.
If you are interested in helping make this a
reality for the Albany area, or putting solar on
your property, please email Dave Hochfelder at
dphochfelder@gmail.com.
Solarize the Capital District Green Drinks
Co-hosted by Creo and the NY Upstate Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, this event welcomes all who have any interest in connecting with other local “greenies” be they actively working for sustainable options in their day job, concerned about buying healthier foods and products, interested in understanding alternative energy, curious about local business opportunities, or simply interested in meeting some of the coolest people in the area.
Every fourth Tuesday of the month at Creo Restaurant at Stuyvesant Plaza beginning at 5:30.
Scholarship Opportunity
Food Recovery Network
Fight campus food waste and community hunger! Food Recovery Network is hiring two full-time fellows: one to join the Member Support team and one to join the Expansion team in the national office in College Park, MD for the spring 2015 semester. Fellowships are 19 weeks, starting on January 5 and ending on May 15, 2015. Fellows receive a $1,500 per month stipend plus a modest benefit package. Applications will be considered until positions are filled. Find job descriptions and application instructions here.
Founded in September of 2011, Food Recovery Network (FRN) is the largest national student-led food recovery movement working to bring food recovery programs to colleges across the country. Made up of over 100 chapters at colleges and universities, FRN has recovered over half a million pounds of food and is rapidly expanding.
The Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, Inc. Founders Fund Scholarship is a
merit scholarship offered annually in the name of the TGF founders,
to a single recipient who has demonstrated excellence and
outstanding dedication in a field of study that falls within an
environmental field of a school or department. It was the hope of
the founders, as it is the hope of the current membership of
Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, that the recipient will use this
scholarship to assist his or her studies, and after graduation seek
employment in the tri-state region in either the public or private
sector furthering the cause of environmental protection and riparian
habitat conservation for the benefit of all. Read more
The Office of Environmental Sustainability is seeking two motivated and energetic
interns to assist with the publication of monthly sustainability bulletin, developing
flier templates for a variety of sustainability engagement initiatives, assisting with
social media management and completing other assignments as requested. The
interns are expected work a minimum of 10-12 hours weekly. Internships are unpaid
though students may obtain academic credit through the Communications
Department.
Deadline: Applications for the spring internships will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
If interested, send a resume and letter of intent to Mary Alexis Leciejewski
at mleciejewski@albany.edu.
The Office of Environmental Sustainability is seeking a motivated intern to assist
with Farm to SUNY, a project that connects four SUNY campus with our food and
agriculture industry partners to increase the volume and variety of locally-grown
vegetable products available at the target universities and beyond. The intern is
expected work an average of 5-10 hours weekly at $10 per hour over the course of
the semester. The ideal intern will be available for spring and fall 2015.
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Outreach Projects- Develop student outreach projects with a corresponding
timeline, beginning in fall 2014. Project examples may include food samplings,
Meet the Farmer days, etc.
Team participation – Participate in team marketing calls to develop coordinated
strategies across campuses.
Data collection- Assist with any data collection and/or research needs related to
local food procurement
Qualifications:
Excellent writing and communication skills; Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Suite applications, especially Publisher; Background or strong interest in
environmental issues/sustainability; Project-oriented with strong self-initiative;
Adaptable to organizational changes and new projects; Positive attitude,
commitment and follow-through; Photography skills a plus
Deadline:
Applications for the spring internship will be reviewed until the position is filled. If
interested, send a resume and letter of intent to Mary Alexis Leciejewski
at mleciejewski@albany.edu. Questions about the internship can be addressed to
Mary Alexis at 518-442-2592.
Office of Environmental Sustainability
Farm to SUNY Project