40 Days of Change - Week 4

This week marks days 21 – 27 of the Office of Sustainability’s 40 Days of Change campaign, 40 opportunities to make a CHANGE in your home, life and world. Some of events on campus and in Gainesville this week include:

FOOD WEEK - 5 Days, 5 Issues Sponsored by UF Student Organizations

Diverse student groups will host events highlighting the problems, solutions, and opportunities presented by our current food system. The events will cover local to global food issues. Come hungry and be prepared to leave with a full stomach and mind.

Monday April 5
Stop Hunger Now!
Broward Basement, 630pm-830pm

Tuesday April 6
Be Organic & Slow Food
Plaza of the Americas, 1pm-3pm

Wednesday April 7
Young Farmers and the Future of Agriculture
New Physics Building 1002, 630pm-830pm

Thursday April 8
The True Cost of Food
Williamson Hall 100, 630pm-830pm

Friday April 9
The Bitter Side of Sugar
CSE E119, 6pm-8pm

Saturday April 10
The Old Homestead Trail
Dudley Farm, 10am-12pm

Sunday April 11
Food and Faith: A Panel Discussion on Sustainability, Food and Religion
Friends of the Music Room, University Auditorium

Next week's events include the Florida Food Summit (April 12 - 13). The event at UF’s Reitz Student Union will facilitate networking, dialogue, and visioning among members of the Florida food system, and help develop the connections needed for robust farm-to-institution programs. All FFS events are free and open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, follow the links below.

Food Summit Day 1: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=105157976186258&ref=ts

Food on the Lawn Farmers Market and Fair: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=108291702532173&ref=ts

Food Summit Day 2: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=108765575813525&ref=ts

Weaver Hall wins Battle of the Halls water usage competition

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Weaver Hall is the winner of the 2010 “Eco-Challenge: Battle of the Halls” water usage competition in University of Florida residence halls. Weaver residents saved 23.26 gallons of water per resident, per day, in January, compared with average water usage from February and March 2009. This is a savings of 122,580 gallons of water in Weaver Hall during January.

This year, 18 of 24 residence hall communities used less water per resident, per day, during the competition. The water savings ranged from slight to impressive, from 1.52 to 23.26 less gallons of water per resident, per day. One hall used slightly more gallons of water, 7.95 more gallons per resident, per day. Five halls had disqualified or missing meter readings for the comparison time periods.

Campus-wide cost savings, as a result of this competition, were moderate and are viewed in the context of a year-long budget for utilities. The utility charges campus residents pay are a pass-through cost included in semester rent. Utility charges for the fiscal year are set each March and are based on usage averages established over many years and the prevailing water rates charged by local utility providers.

“Our Eco-Challenge contests focus on saving resources rather than on saving money,” said Sharon Blansett, Housing Green Team captain. “We encourage residents to practice behaviors that will reduce their environmental footprint now and in the future.”

“Eco-Challenge: Battle of the Halls” competitions are cosponsored by the Inter-Residence Hall Association and the Department of Housing and Residence Education Green Team. The winners of the energy challenge and overall winner will be announced later in March. The winning residence hall communities will be recognized campus-wide prior to Finals Week.

Credits: Sharon Blansett, SharonB@housing.ufl.edu

Campus Kitchens

At the intersection of sustainability and community service, the student group Campus Kitchens is hard at work helping to meet hunger needs in Gainesville while promoting sustainable attitudes towards food use. Campus Kitchens at UF was founded in 2007 as a chapter of the national organization with the mission to both recycle food and address hunger issues in the surrounding area.

Campus Kitchens works with a strong volunteer base that meets periodically in the Reitz Union kitchen to put together nutritionally balanced meals from the surplus food they acquire, including unused food from campus dining and catering services. They have an output of around 150-200 meals a week, which are delivered to various locations around the community.

Partnering organizations include Porter's Community Center, Woodland Park Boys' and Girls' Club and Lake Forest Elementary School. "We'll be picking up another partner agency this semester", said chapter president Nicole Johnson. "It is a facility for pregnant teens and teen mothers who are victims of abuse or neglect or who are homeless while they continue their education. We're excited to work with them since they need our help and it helps us diversify our clientele."

Sustainability is an important part of Campus Kitchens' mission. "The Campus Kitchens project seeks to more equitably distribute our resources of food, intellectual capacity, and space for a long-term goal of community development", said Treasurer and Fundraising Chair Amanda Monaco. "We use food that would otherwise go to waste to create meals for those in need, we draw on students' and adults' creative capacity to link community resources to increase social well-being, and we make maximum usage of kitchen facilities by using the Reitz Union kitchen while it would otherwise be sitting unused. Campus Kitchens invests itself in giving these resources to those who need them most, and assuring that this creates a positive and long-term change in our local community."

There are plenty of ways to get involved with the work Campus Kitchens is doing. Volunteers can help with the cooking shifts, participate in their nutrition education programs, or staff their special events, such as their "Stop Hunger Now!" banquet this spring. To volunteer, email Community Relations Chair Sonia Hudson.

UF To Represent U.S. In International Solar Decathlon

Two years of planning, designing and building will end with the final phase of competition for the Solar Decathlon Europe in Madrid, Spain this summer. The UF Solar Decathlon Team will be one of only two U.S. universities in the competition. For the decathlon, 19 university teams from around the world compete against each other to build the best 797-square-foot modular sustainable home, according to criteria in 10 different areas.

UF’s design is unique among the competition as it takes inspiration from Florida’s own vernacular buildings, specifically the Florida Cracker House. The UF house includes passive, natural techniques – such as a central breezeway, porch and elevated platform – for a design approach that integrates traditional means of housing with innovative solar technologies to create a house that is both efficient and functional.

The competition itself has brought together students and faculty from all over the university, from as many as eight different disciplines. There is a core group of about 15 students working on the project, but approximately 120 students have had a hand in the designing or planning. Students were separated into teams with some working on design, some on communications and some on construction, according to their specific skill set.

The house is being constructed by the students at a University of Florida site, appropriately known as the Energy Park, and construction will continue this spring. Steel and wood flooring have been delivered to the site recently and students have begun construction on the Project RE:FOCUS house. Interiors and mechanical systems are the next construction tasks, followed by the deck and outdoor area.

To learn more, or to join the effort to showcase the talents of UF students in this international competition, please visit their website.

“Battle of the Halls” Kicks Off

Residents looking to live more sustainably are in luck. The annual Battle of the Halls eco-challenge competition encourages residents to reduce resource consumption and compete for great prizes. The challenge aims to help students integrate sustainable practices into their daily lives and reduce their environmental impact.

Watch for bulletin boards and activities around waste reduction, water and energy conservation developed by Eco-Reps. The Sustainability Hut will also be tabling with fun, interactive activities at housing locations throughout January and February. Residents who are “caught green handed” doing environmentally conscious activities will be eligible for prizes.

During the months of January and February, residence halls at UF will be competing to see which group of students can reduce their water and energy consumption the most (based on a percentage reduction from last year’s readings). Points for the waste reduction competition will accrue throughout the challenge. Everyone can make a difference with small changes in their daily routines:

* reducing waste by recycling, printing double sided, and using a reusable water bottle or to-go container

* reducing energy use by turning off computers at night, unplugging electronics when not in use, and washing clothes in cold water

* reducing water use by taking shorter showers and turning off the water while brushing their teeth

The winning residence hall will be announced during the Earth Day celebration on campus, Wednesday, April 21. The winning team will win a trophy made from recycled goods and a celebration sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, a party from Gator Dining Services and a structural improvement to their hall.

It is our hope that all students will carry the skills they will learn with them into the future, implementing them for the rest of their time at UF and as they become citizens and leaders in the world.

Tailgator Recycling

Tailgator Green Team Recycling celebrated its fourth year this football season. The program is more successful each year, with more volunteers getting involved and more seasoned tailgaters on the lookout for green-shirted volunteers handing out recycling bags to reduce waste.

Football game-days have a huge environmental footprint, with an estimated 16 tons of waste associated with each game. This year, the stadium also increased access to recycling, with a recycling bin for each trash can within the stadium. This effort, in conjunction with the Tailgator Recycling program captured nearly four tons of recyclables per game!

The Tailgator Green Team relies on a student intern from the Office of Sustainability for management, and exclusively on student volunteers to spread the word about recycling and distribute bags campus-wide. This year, Jordan Weinstein led the program, supporting over 190 volunteers who came from a wide range of student groups to help the cause. Volunteers donated more than 600 hours over the 7 home games.

“Everyone can make a difference by recycling their cans and bottles on Game Day,” said Weinstein. "We truly appreciate all the hard work the volunteers and the staffers put into helping to make this season a resounding success. Seasoned tailgaters know who we are now and are looking for our volunteers before they get out there. We're looking forward to growing success in the years to come."

Renewable Energy Considered At Power Shift Conference

On October 24th, students from across Florida gathered at the University of Central Florida to discuss strategies for achieving positive change toward a more sustainable energy future. The event, Florida Power Shift, lasted for two days and consisted of a series of lectures, workshops, and breakout groups designed to allow students to brainstorm and network among themselves.

Students also heard from representatives of various groups who work in renewable energy and sustainability, such as the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy, Campus Progress, and the Alliance for Climate Protection. Issues discussed ranged from local to global concerns about sustainable energy. Alex Mourant, a former intern and Vice President of Internal Affairs of Gators for a Sustainable Campus, attended the conference as part of a group representing UF.

"Power Shift gave us the chance to get together and set up a game plan for the Renewable Energy fee," said Mourant. The UF Renewable Energy ballot referendum was passed in 2006, with 78% voting in favor of the $.50/credit hour fee. It is now a piece of state legislation that when approved will support renewable energy sources for the UF campus. Similar efforts are underway at other Florida institutions.

"We're going to work with legislators through petitions, letter writing and phone banking to try and promote more sustainable energy policy,” said Mourant.

The student groups at PowerShift resolved to keep in touch with one another to maintain focus and stay on track with their efforts. They plan to periodically conduct conference calls to stay up-to-date on efforts throughout Florida.

YES Summit Held Around Legislative Efforts

University of Florida students are hard at work pursuing more renewable energy sources for our campus power needs, as are many students around the nation. On September 25 and 26, Gators for a Sustainable Campus and the Southern Energy Network, a grassroots group of students advocating for sustainable energy, hosted the Youth Energy Sustainability ("YES") Summit in Pugh Hall. The event consisted of informational workshops, breakout sessions and a variety of other activities, all centered around training and preparation for an effort by students to support comprehensive renewable energy legislation.

"I really enjoyed networking with students from different universities and hearing about what they are working on," said Jamie Schindewolf, a second year UF student who participated in the summit.

One aspect of the summit that stood out was the Renewable Energy Fee breakout session. The Renewable Energy Fee is a student-led initiative that has been in the works for several years, as student leaders attempt to ensure its success in the state legislature. The fee would be included in State University System (SUS) student fees and would go towards renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts at institutions across the state. "We are doing our best to get it passed by the legislature in the upcoming year!" said Schindewolf.

The Summit also served as preparation for Florida Power Shift, an event being held in Orlando on October 24 and 25, where students will demonstrate in favor of sustainable energy legislation. For more information about this event, visit Florida Power Shift's website.

Gator Volleyball Hosts A Green Night

Opportunities to participate in eco-friendly activities

As part of the University Athletic Association’s efforts to go green, the UF Volleyball Team is hosting Green Game festivities for the UF vs. Kentucky match on Friday, October 2 at 7 PM at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Come out to the match and check out all the eco-friendly initiatives being provided by the University of Florida’s Office of Sustainability and Neutral Gator.

Neutral Gator will participate in the UAA's Green Game festivities at the UF vs. Kentucky Volleyball match. Fans can visit their table at Gate One to participate in activities geared toward developing a greater understanding of a carbon footprint and what each person can do to reduce it. They will have shirts, stickers, buttons, and wrist bands for fans who want to take a pledge to reduce their footprint.

The Office of Sustainability will have on site the Sustainability Hut, which has interactive games and opportunities to learn about how you can apply sustainability in your own life. Fans are also encouraged to take alternative transportation to the match, such as riding a bike, taking the bus, or car pooling. The first 100 fans that have chosen to ride their bike to the match will receive Gator Reusable shopping bags (bike racks will be provided outside and between Gates 1 and 4).

In addition to these activities, the UAA and the Alachua County Library District have teamed up to raise books for the United Way of North Central Florida Success by 6 Book Drive. Bring two like-new children’s books on October 2nd and receive free admission to the volleyball game.

Books collected before the game will go to benefit the Success by 6 local literacy programs. Books collected through this effort will be used to create home libraries, and will also be distributed to selected child care centers in the Gainesville area.

For more information on the Gator Volleyball match, visit GatorZone.com's Volleyball page.

Gators Going Green

New Student Government agency on campus

UF Student Government has taken recent strides toward pursuing a more sustainable campus with the creation of the Gators Going Green Agency.

"The agency will act as the sustainability conscious for Student Government," said Bailey Kilbourne, the agency's newly appointed student director. "Gators Going Green will execute projects that will continue to lead students and our campus towards our goals of Carbon Neutrality and Zero Waste, as well as educate students throughout the entire campus on sustainability topics and issues."

Kilbourne brings not only her own valuable knowledge as an Environmental Science Major and Sustainability Studies Minor, but experience as an intern right here at the UF Office of Sustainability, where she helped spearhead the Sustainability Hut project as well as a variety of other successful campaigns.

The agency will oversee a host of upcoming projects, such as a campus wide lecture hall recycling pilot, green graduation pledge and green alumni network, as well as serving as a general resource for many student organizations across campus in the area of sustainability. The office is looking forward to seeing the agency effect positive change across student government and assist in the implementation of the university's sustainability-oriented goals.

Alternative Transportation Fair

Don't miss this exciting event

Gators looking for an easier way to get around that's better for the planet are in luck. UF is hosting an Alternative Transportation Fair on Tuesday, September 1st at the Reitz Student Union North Lawn.

The fair will run from 9 AM through 2 PM and will feature many local organizations and campus clubs. Organizations will provide information, services, and demonstrations. Students can learn more about cycling on campus, bus transportation opportunities, and can enroll on site for this year's One Less Car Challenge.

A ZipCar will also be on display so visitors can learn about on campus ride-sharing opportunities. Students are encouraged to stop by the North Lawn between classes and learn how to take advantage of all the alternative transportation options Gainesville has to offer.

Neutral Gators Weather(ize) In Gainesville

Volunteer today to help in local homes

Neutral Gator is at it again—this year’s goal—to offset the carbon footprint of the entire Gator 2009-10 athletic program.

Toward this effort Neutral Gator will take on its first-ever weatherization project. Volunteers will perform a variety of activities on Village Green apartments, such as installing low-flow showerheads and compact-fluorescent light bulbs, checking for leaks, and insulating water heater pipes.

The project will take place Saturday, August 29 from 10 AM to 6 PM and again on Wednesday, September 9 from 9:30 AM to 4 PM.

The residents of Village and Forest Green in east Gainesville will soon be reducing their environmental footprint and cutting back on their monthly utility expenses thanks to this joint project between Neutral Gator and the Community Weatherization Coalition (CWC).

No weatherization experience is necessary to volunteer, just contact Angelica Ramdhari. In addition to the direct energy savings, Neutral Gator and the CWC will use this project as an opportunity to educate both volunteers and residents about lowering their environmental impact. The end result will be a smaller ecological footprint and lower monthly utility bills for this low-income community.

The carbon offsets created from this project, and others in our local community, will go toward Neutral Gator’s goal of creating the first-ever UAA carbon neutral athletics season. Last year, Neutral Gator was successful in offsetting the carbon emissions for the entire football season.

“I think it’s great that we can provide energy-reducing retrofits to low-income families all in the name of Gator athletics,” said Jacob Cravey, co-founder of Earth Givers, Inc. and Director of the Neutral Gator Initiative.

- Article courtesy of Aubrey Siegel

A Blooming Garden

Student leaders wanted

The UF Ethnoecology Society, which began in the 1980's following a visit by the eminent ethnobotanist Richard Schultes, is seeking expanded student involvement. During the last several years, the Society has been active in bringing speakers to campus, organizing journal discussions and field trips, and, most especially, planting and caring for the educational/experimental ethnoecology garden on the UF campus, located near the bat house.

The garden has blossomed in the last two years, and at last count was home to 100-plus unique species. The Society maintains extensive trellis systems, a vermiculture box, a small nursery, and an active compost program using coffee grounds from Starbucks in Library West. The garden also is the venue for weekly gatherings for work, socializing, and eating.

The Society and the garden are ripe for more student involvement. Leadership is needed to ensure the continuation of the group's mission and gardens. If you are interested in Ethnobotany, Ethnoecology, Economic Botany, Agroforestry, Permaculture, etc., please consider becoming involved.

Visitors are welcomed to the garden Fridays from 5 PM to sunset. E-mail ethnoecology@gmail.com to join the Society’s e-mail list or inquire about future activities.

Students Welcomed To Committee Participation

Serve with a committee

The UF Provost's Office is accepting student applications for university committee membership through Friday, June 12, 2009 for the 2009-2010 academic year.

The list of committees, committee descriptions, and applications are online at University of Florida - Academic Affairs. These committees generally meet monthly. Among the committees of particular interest to students regarding sustainability issues:

Lakes, Vegetation and Landscaping Committee for students interested in landscape plant selection, irrigation practices, tree removals and mitigations, stormwater/drainage systems, water bodies and natural area management.

Land Use and Facilities Planning Committee for students interested in campus master planning and building design.

Parking and Transportation Committee for students interested in parking facilities, parking management (including carpool program), scooters/motorcycles, transit, biking, and walking.

Preservation of Historic Buildings and Sites Committee for students interested in preserving cultural, architectural, and archaeological resources on campus.

Green Gators Take the Pledge

An important commitment

The Green Graduation Pledge reads: “I pledge to explore and take into account the social and ecological consequences of my decisions. Furthermore, I pledge to use the knowledge I gain at UF to improve the sustainability of the communities in which I live, learn, and work."

Sign on for this important commitment Tuesday through Friday, April 29 through May 1, 10 AM to 2 PM, at the University Bookstore (next to cap and gown pick-up). You may also pledge online at http://www.ufgreenalumni.org/.

3rd Annual Green Graduation Pledge

The Office of Sustainability and Student Government are offering graduating students the opportunity to pledge their commitment to sustainability. The goal of the pledge is to encourage students to carry the knowledge of sustainability—that they gathered here at UF—out into the world.

The Green Graduation pledge reads:

"I pledge to explore and take into account the social and ecological consequences of my decisions. Furthermore, I pledge to use the knowledge I gain at UF to improve the sustainability of the communities in which I live, learn, and work."

It is hoped that Gator graduates will leave campus not only with a diploma, but with a lifelong sense of responsibility regarding their role in sustainability.

The pledge is available for signing in the University Bookstore during cap and gown pick-up. When signing the pledge, students will receive a Gator pin to wear on their regalia during graduation and a pocket-sized pledge card. Those signing the pledge will be included in UF’s sustainable alumni network.

2009 marks the third year the pledge has been available to graduates. In 2008, over 400 seniors signed on. The future looks green, as Gators grads move their tassels from right to left and bring sustainability from the UF campus into their careers and communities.

A Big Thank You

The Office of Sustainability would like to thank all who made Gator game day recycling a success. With in-kind and financial help from Sam’s Club and Pepsi, as well as hours of hard work from UF volunteers and staff, over 25,700 pounds of cans and bottles were collected.

Game day recycling efforts are headed up by the TailGator Green Team, a group of student volunteers. Every game day, here at the swamp, the TailGator Green Team sets up their tent where volunteers sign-in, pick up their recycling tools, namely rubber gloves and bags, and get their tailgating zone assignment.

The volunteers visit tailgating parties across campus, dropping off bags, so football fans can collect their recyclables, and educating fans on the benefits of recycling. Just before kick-off, the volunteers visit the tailgators again, check the bags, and remove any non-recyclables.

Claire Long coordinates the recycling efforts and is quick to point out that game day recycling wouldn’t be possible without support from staff from the physical plant and the University Alumni Association (UAA). Roving the campus, physical plant employees collect the tied-off bags from all of the tailgating spots and consolidate the recyclables for pick-up. The UAA also contracts to have the recyclables separated out from the trash during the post-game stadium cleanup.

Besides diverting waste from the landfill, the team has racked up almost 900 volunteer hours in over 500 shifts. Each shift lasts from two to four hours and when the bags are tied-off, volunteers are treated with praise and refreshments. If you’re interested in volunteering with the TailGator Green Team visit the Gator Green Team Facebook page on the UF network.

Erase the Waste

The University of Florida has set an ambitious goal – to be zero waste by the year 2015. Reaching this goal will undoubtedly require an effort from all fronts.

Gator Dining Services, as part of its “Erase the Waste” campaign, is encouraging students, faculty, and staff to sign a pledge to reduce their individual contribution to food waste generation on campus. The pledge, running during the months of October and November, gives some helpful tips on waste reduction and signatories will be eligible for prizes at the end of the campaign.

As part of the campaign, Gator Dining is also working closely with employees on training and education aimed at ensuring efficient use of food during meal preparation. A series of internal competitions between the two dining halls will encourage employees to cut down on the amount of waste generated during preparation.

To sign the pledge, visit Erase The Waste. Prize winners will be notified by e-mail at the end of the campaign.