UAF Office of Sustainability Newsletter

Vol 9, June 2011

The Office of Sustainability is looking for recycling enthusiast to serve on the UAF Recycling and Zero Waste Committee. Last week UAF recycled a total of 32 tons (see totals below). That is commendable, but we can do more! We are looking for motivated individuals to help UAF reduce and ultimately eliminate waste on campus with the ultimate goal of a net zero waste campus. Our long-term environmental sustainability vision includes using purchasing renewable and recycled materials.

“What would it take for UAF to be a Zero Waste campus? We would have to analyze our waste stream -- trash, used equipment and vehicles, coal ash, etc. -- and then determine what to do with each component. Institution-wide would be challenging, but we could start with the Fairbanks campus. Wouldn't this be an exciting project?” --Chancellor Rogers

The recycling committee will meet weekly for the first month to get things up and running. The committee will be initially charge the following three items:

• Examining the University Waste Stream
• Decide What Type of Collection Process Will Work Best
• Design a program to get broad participation and program longevity

These items may be addressed in group or through subcommittees.This first meeting will be Friday, June 17, 2011 (12-1 p.m.). Contact Michele Hebert at the Office of Sustainability if you are interested.

UAF - As the school season comes to a close and summer classes are about to begin our university continues to set a standard of what can be done if each individual takes just a few moments each day and source separates recyclable material.

Plastic: 3,340 lbs
Glass: 22,880 lbs
Paper: 38,960 lbs

Total: 65,180 lbs/ 32.5 tons

The Honors program was awarded $4,145.00 in RISE funds to reduce energy usage. The goal was replace the inefficient appliances at the UAF Honors House with updated energy efficient appliances. The funding provided the capital needed to purchase the appliance needed to renovate the UAF Honors House into a more energy efficient building.

Students volunteered labor for de-initialization of old appliances, and re-initialization of the new. All appliances were recycled through the Home Depot Sustainability Recycling program.

The UAF Nenana parking lot recycling collection site is a big success but was experiencing problems with overflowing paper dumpster. The main culprit is unflattened cardboard boxes that take up a lot of room.

Employees responded to this problem by building a tool, the recycler crusher, that could be used daily to compress mixed paper in the dumpster.

It is estimated to save one trip to the recycle company weekly. You can do your part by flattening cardboard boxes so the bins do not fill up so quickly.

During this year's Commencement, UAF’s students made a statement about the environment and their commitment to sustainability.

The students wore gowns made completely out of recycled plastic bottles.

Each gown was made out of 23 bottles, according to officials at Oak Hall Cap & Gown, the manufacturers of the student regalia. Students were also able to recycle them immediately after their graduation. Special recycle bins for the robes were placed around the Carlson Center for the caps and gowns.

Our students have been very active in efforts that promote sustainability and an environmentally sustainable University. The look and feels of the gowns worn on graduation day were nearly identical to those worn in the past. We are proud that our students are carrying their passion forward as they enter the next stages of their lives.

Join Us: The Office of Sustainability and Chancellor Brian Rodgers request your attendance. The first step in reducing our footprint is to adopt the tools and methodologies needed to calculate it. Through student initiate proposals the Office of  Sustainability has partnered with Clean Air-Cool Planet to provide UAF with a 2 hour kickoff workshop. 

The CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator™ is by far the most widely-used tool for GHG tracking and project modeling in US higher education; in fact, more than 90% of U.S. colleges and universities currently tracking their greenhouse gas emissions do so using the Campus Carbon Calculator™.

• When : June 3rd,  10am - 12pm (2 hours)

• Where : Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, 3rd floor, room 340 (Media Room)

• Who needs to attend: • All interested people. • Administrators • Faculty • Facility management staff  • Students • Community representatives • Public relations representatives

• What you will learn: We will walk away understanding the steps needed to calculate UAF’s carbon foot print. How the data gathering will take place. What will be needed from each department? How the CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator can aid in creating a UAF action plan

The Fairbanks Community Foodbank welcomes almost any type of food donation to help feed the hungry in the Tanana Valley. Non-perishable and canned goods are especially appreciated, along with other packaged food.

They also welcome meat donations from sportsmen and sportswomen.

Companies and individuals that donate food items are protected from liability by the Good Samaritan Act. 

In addition to food donations, we also ask for items needed to pack food boxes such as:

• Plastic bags (grocery sack and produce sack size)
• Clean boxes
• Egg cartons
• Paper sacks

www.fairbanksfoodbank.org/donate/food.html