Faces of Sustainability

Martin “Marty” Werts
Physical Plant Division - Grounds Superintendent, Organic Citrus Vendor

Martin “Marty” Werts has been a dedicated employee to the University of Florida for the past 30 years, incorporating sustainability into his every day routine as naturally as waking up in the morning.

On campus, Werts supervises our Grounds Division, working hard to maintain the beauty and ecological integrity of campus. Marty oversees campus landscaping, ensuring that native and low-impact plants are used to reduce resource and chemical use - helping to curtail associated impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity on campus. Thanks to Marty campus-goers can now also see vegetation and foliage that attract butterflies, as well as edibles, scattered across the landscape.

Marty’s commitment doesn’t stop when the work week does. His dedication to protect our grounds and keep campus clean is evident even on home football Saturdays.

“Marty is a tremendous asset to the game day recycling program. He wholeheartedly supports it week after week, and actively seeks opportunities to best serve the initiative’s needs,” says Jordan Weinstein, intern program coordinator for the Office of Sustainability’s TailGator Game Day Recycling Program. “He is an essential component, and a fierce ally that we are lucky to have at our disposal.”

In addition to these efforts, Werts has also been an organic citrus farmer for the past 5 years. His oranges, grapefruits and other fruits can be found in campus dining halls, a part of the sustainability legacy taking shape here on campus that UF students, staff and faculty can experience.

Not only does he utilize more environmentally friendly methods to grow his products, but his Melrose-located farm means these fruits help reduce shipping related emissions (only a 22 mile footprint) and keep dollars within the local economy. His produce can also be found at Fresh Market in Gainesville.

Student Agricultural Gardens reopen at UF; plots now available

The Student Agricultural Gardens on Museum Road at the University of Florida are back in operation after nearby construction disrupted normal activities. After nearly a year of renovation efforts, a revitalized area is now open for a new generation of exploratory gardeners.

The UF Agronomy and Soils Club manages the gardens and provides information to new gardeners. Garden plots are available in two sizes on a yearly basis: 26 by 21 feet for $35; and 13 by 21 feet for $20.

For more than 30 years, the gardens have provided students, faculty and staff with space in which to pursue and experiment with food production, gardening and sustainability.

“Agriculture is yet another area where each of us can reconnect with something so essential, yet often underappreciated in our culture,” said Anna Prizzia, director of the Office of Sustainability. “With something as intimate as food, the gardens provide a hands-on opportunity for people to explore the origin of what they are eating and recognize the importance of self-sufficiency and being an informed consumer.”

The communal nature of the gardens also provides fulfillment to gardeners of all experience levels.

“There is nothing quite like hands-on experience, especially with something like agriculture,” said student intern Zach Tucker. “The gardens allow people to see a wide variety of crops and methods for growing those crops in a small area, and to connect with each on something so elemental.”

Plots are rented for a period of one year on a first-come first-served basis. It is garden policy that no synthetic pesticides or herbicides be used, and organic practices are preferred. Winter crops are getting under way, so sign up is recommended now.

For information on how to obtain a plot, contact Zach Tucker at tucker@ufl.edu.

Source: University of Florida News

Energy Summit Projects Show Strong Returns

Many people across campus often know little about the myriad ways sustainability is taking shape behind the scenes at the operational level, and they are sure are many. One area that has seen prolific consideration is energy. Over the last two years, UF has invested millions of dollars into a number of energy efficiency projects throughout campus. Energy Summits, convened by Vice President of Business Affairs, Ed Poppell, brought stakeholders from throughout UF together to identify projects that would save energy, improve operations & maintenance, and reduce UF’s carbon footprint. Representatives from Housing, University Athletic Association, IFAS, Physical Plant Division, Facilities, Planning & Construction, and the Health Science Center came together to identify and implement key projects to accomplish these goals. Since electricity for the university has a $43 million dollar price tag last year, and buildings account for over 70% of our carbon footprint, these projects help reduce costs as well as environmental impact.

As a result of the energy summit projects, most of UF’s buildings are now individually metered for electricity, allowing staff to monitor energy use more accurately and customize building systems to operate more efficiently. Major renovations and equipment replacements included chillers, boilers, and air handlers throughout campus. One project, replacing T-12 lighting fixtures with T-8’s had a return on investment of 61%, with $300,000 annual savings! Smaller projects, like installing occupancy sensors, upgrading filters, and replacing windows were also a part of the Energy Summit projects.

The upgrades and efforts conducted in response to the Energy Summit meetings reflect UF’s commitment to sustainability and carry the institution closer to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. However, based upon information gleaned from the 2005 Greenhouse Gas Inventory conducted, it was determined that around 30% of a building’s energy use is attributable to small equipment and behavioral conditions. This insight helped inform the design and implementation of the “Chomp Down on Energy” efficiency campaign to help educate and empower students, staff and faculty to consider the impact their individual actions have on the cumulative energy use (and footprint) of UF. All Gators can learn tips for energy conservation, and actively be a part of the sustainability story unfolding across campus.

Faces of Sustainability - Facilities, Planning and Construction

When it comes to the long-term vision for the physical space of the University of Florida, Linda Dixon, Assistant Director in Facilities, Planning and Construction, plays an enormous part in incorporating sustainability into each step of the planning process. The UF Campus Master Plan puts sustainable practices at the forefront of planning and managing the campus’ built and natural environments including buildings, transportation, utilities, and environmental protection. The current plan was adopted in 2005 following extensive input from faculty, staff, students and the community. An update for 2010 is underway, but most of the overhaul to incorporate sustainability was included in the 2005 plan according to Dixon. “The plan is based on a land use pattern that seeks to make it easy to walk, bicycle and use transit while protecting the significant habitats and open spaces that we have on campus.”

The plan’s transportation policies are very progressive, and Ms. Dixon works with many stakeholders including UF’s Transportation & Parking Services, Office of Sustainability, Physical Plant Division, and Gainesville Regional Transit System to make those policies a reality. She advocates for funding to construct new bicycle and pedestrian facilities, such as the new bike paths through Bartram-Carr Woods and near the Cancer-Genetics building. She also serves on the Parking and Transportation Committee, and facilitates an ad-hoc Sustainable Transportation Work Group that meets regularly to improve conditions such as bicycle parking, carpooling, bicycle safety, and employee transportation options. She herself enjoys using the FPC department bike to get around campus.

On environmental issues, Ms. Dixon relies heavily on the Lakes, Vegetation and Landscaping Committee as well as Erik Lewis, Senior Planner in Facilities Planning and Construction. Mr. Lewis maintains Conservation Area Land Management (CALM) Plans that prescribe environmental protection measures to be taken in natural areas on campus. Many of these recommendations were recently implemented with student funding from the Capital Improvement Trust Fund and grants from the Department of Environmental Protection.

To round out sustainable measures, Ms. Dixon also devotes significant time to issues such as energy efficient lighting, green building, and historic preservation, but adds that all of these efforts rely on a network of students, faculty and staff that are knowledgeable and willing to learn and contribute – all of which are in abundant supply at UF! Campus Master Plan and CALM Plans can be viewed at University of Florida FP&C Campus Planning .

Pick your commute for One Less Car Day on Oct. 6

UF is challenging students, faculty and staff to give up their cars and use alternative transportation throughout the fall semester and especially on Wednesday, October 6, One Less Car Day, with the hope that it becomes a habit.

As part of the One Less Car Challenge, a celebration for participants will be held from 11 AM to 1 PM on October 6 on the Reitz Union North Lawn (or the Colonnade should it rain). The event will include free cupcakes for decorating, prize drawings and giveaways, and various games where attendees can have fun while learning the benefits of alternative modes.

Tickets to the Women’s Volleyball match against Tennessee—this season’s green game—will be distributed to the first 200 staff and faculty attendees, compliments of the University Athletic Association. Office of Sustainability Director Anna Prizzia and Student Body President Ashton Charles will also speak and honor those who have committed to alternative transportation through the challenge.

In the evening, Chipotle Mexican Grill on University Avenue will offer free burritos from 5 PM to 7 PM to anyone wearing a One Less Car t-shirt or button and RUB Entertainment will host an Alternative Transportation Forum from 8 PM to 10 PM in the Orange and Brew. The public is invited to join City Commissioner Randy Wells and Alachua County Sustainability Program Manager Sean McLendon to discuss energy conservation and alternative transportation in Gainesville.

The One Less Car Challenge runs through November 19, with various mini-challenges and prize opportunities along the way. For more information, visit www.sustainable.ufl.edu/onelesscar or follow One Less Car on Facebook.

Curriculum Development: First Annual Prairie Project Workshop Held

While most of campus was on summer vacation, a small group of dedicated faculty participated in UF's first annual Prairie Project Workshop. The two-day event drew together 28 faculty from diverse fields across the university (and Santa Fe College) to learn about environmental issues and sustainability. Based on a national program started at Emory University, and endorsed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the program was designed to provide the foundation for the development of new courses or course materials and to build a skill set for leaders in the effort to infuse sustainability concepts into university curricula.

During the two-day workshop a professional facilitator led discussions about sustainability, environmental issues, the local Florida/Alachua County ecosystem, and the political, economic, social, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of these issues. Local resource experts provided information on local ecology, public health, environmental justice, and an overview of campus environmental efforts. The lectures, discussions, outdoor time, and workshop materials highlighted connections among these issues, the campus, and broader national and international issues of sustainability.

At the conclusion of the workshop, each participant was asked to develop a work plan and become a sustainability resource person within their college. Throughout the school year, Prairie Project fellows will attend follow-up meetings to report on their progress and share their experience integrating sustainability into the curriculum at UF.

Faces of Sustainability - New Student Programs

The Division of Student Affairs as a part of the University of Florida is dedicated to creating and supporting a sustainable UF. As part of an educational institution we believe it is our responsibility to not only be good stewards of the environment in our day to day work, but to also help educate our students and community about sustainability and the important role they have in creating not only a more sustainable UF but also a more sustainable world. "We are in a unique position when it comes to reaching the student audience, and while we work hard to be more sustainable internally, it is a key focus of ours to spread the message and create the experience of sustainability for students," said Jaime Gresly, Assistant Dean and Director of New Student Programs.

As a member of the Division of Student Affairs, New Student Programs is committed to exemplifying these values and behaviors in their facilities, programming and daily work. These efforts come in many forms, from printing double sided to using compostable plates as well as reusable plates, cups and silverware when possible at large events. This year's preview staffers received a specific presentation on sustainability so they can inform incoming students and their families about the various efforts and opportunities that exist at UF, and the selection for the 2010 Common Reading Program (CRP) similarly reflects a commitment to provoking thought and passion around sustainability. In addition to bringing the CRP book author - William Kamkwamba - to campus, other speakers in their Featured Speaker Series focus on topics of social and environmental sustainability. "It is our hope that the students who interact with our staff, utilize our facilities and engage in programs will not only learn about how we incorporate sustainable practices in our daily operations but in turn will learn how they can incorporate sustainable practices too!"