Sustainability on Campus

On Wednesday, July 16, 2008 UofL President James Ramsey and Provost Shirley Willihnganz unveiled plans for a greener, more sustainable, campus and discussed a road map for saving millions of dollars in energy costs. The announcement included naming a new head of UofL's Sustainability Council, Dr. Barbara Burns.

Sustainability Council

• Barbara Burns - Psychological & Brain Sciences

• Avery Kolers – Philosophy
• Nat Irvin – Management
• Tony Arnold – Law
• Ade Troutman – SPHIS
• David Simpson – Urban and Public Affairs
• Teddie Phillipson-Mower – Teaching and Learning, CEHD
• Joy Hart – Communication

• Keith Inman – Advancement
• Mike Mardis – Student Affairs
• Larry Owsley – Business Affairs
• Mike Curtin – Finance

• Melissa Laning (Libraries)

• Brent Fryrear – KPPC, SSE

• Russ Barnett – KIESD, EVPR
• Cam Metcaff – KPPC, SSE

• SGA Representative
• Non-SGA Representative

The Council will:

Consistent with STARS categories, have oversight over three subordinate committees:

• The Education and Research Subcommittee
• The Operations Subcommittee
• The Administration and Finance Subcommittee

Develop and review policies to recommend for implementation to the President and Provost.

Set metrics and provide oversight to measure progress in STARS specific categories, as well as other areas that are considered important.

Create new subgroups or committees as appropriate to move agendas forward.

Serve as a clearinghouse for university activities related to sustainable practices.

Encourage engagement in this endeavor among faculty, staff, and students and work with the office of communications and marketing to publicize our efforts both internally and externally.

* For more information on current sustainability efforts on campus visit the University's Planning, Design and Construction Website.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Frustrated with the lack of recycling initiatives on campus? Surprised at how much plastic is being consumed? Interested in a call to action? The UofL Center for Environmental Education wants your input! Keep checking the site for a student meeting in August! Until then check out the websites below.

• Sustainable Campus Information Center sponsored by the Energy and Environmental Education Resources, Inc. This site covers defining sustainability, driving forces, campus transition and obstacles and challenges in adopting a sustainable campus focus. In addition, campuses that have already made the commitment are linked. Issues and concepts (peak oil, global warming, carbon neutral, Triple bottom line, energy, zero waste, ecological protection and restoration, and social equity) and ideas for taking action and resources are also given.
• The EcoTipping Points Project features nearly a hundred environmental success stories collected from around the world by a team of environmental scientists and journalists. Despite the diversity of detail, the stories have a similar script. A critical action – a lever that they call an "EcoTipping Point" – turns environmental decline around, setting a community and its environmental support system on a course toward sustainability. In addition to the stories, the website offers lessons learned from the stories and how communities can identify and create their own EcoTipping Points.
• Plastic Consumption Statistics
• Talloires Declaration
• Campus Ecology
• Calculate your ecological footprint
• Agenda 21
• Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). A network of professionals dedicated to excellence in planning for higher education.
• North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).
• Bioneers is a forum for connecting the environment, health, social justice, and spirit within a broad progressive framework. Founded by Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons, bioneers was conceived to conduct programs in the conservation of biological and cultural diversity, traditional farming practices, and environmental restoration. Bioneers seeks to unite nature, culture and spirit in an Earth-honoring vision, and create economic models founded in social justice. The Beeming Bioneers Conferences are a highlight of local systems within the larger global environmental context. The UofL Center for Environmental Education hopes to host a conference in the near future.

Campus Environmental Organizations and Centers

Greenthumb Environmental Club

The purpose of Green Thumb is to inform students of various environmental issues affecting our world; develop simple solutions to environmental problems; benefit both the city of Louisville and the state of Kentucky. Contact Greta Landenwich or Margaret Peake for more information.

Students for Environmental Action

The purpose of Students for Environmental Action is to raise awareness on local and world wide environmental and animal rights issues; and also to provide opportunities for people to become active in their communities on environmental issues. Contact Tiffany Davis for more information.

Other UofL Environmental Centers

There are eight Environmental Centers at UofL that fall under the Kentucky Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development. For more information on these Centers visit the KIESD website.

Book Recommendations

Check out our list of books covering environmental topics [PDF] and recommended by members of the surrounding community, including UofL's President Ramsey, JCPS Superintendent, Sheldon Berman, and Kentucky author, Wendell Berry.

UofL Environmental Courses

Interested in classes dealing with the environment and environmental issues offered at UofL? Try our list of undergraduate and graduate level UofL EnviroCourses [PDF].

Student Research

Students from the UofL in collaboration with Metro Government and Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) conducted five pilot studies that addressed some of the most critical questions concerning environment education and achievement. These studies were conducted by a team of graduate students and undergraduate students under the direction of a team of faculty and staff. The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences supported these projects and funded a graduate student who could work full time on project coordination. The School of Public Health funded MA students as part of their internship program. This was truly an interdisciplinary research initiative with grass roots support. The major questions addressed in these studies were:

1. What is the relation of environmental education field trips and achievement test scores?
2. What is the relation of canoeing field trips and classroom behavior and attendance in school?
   Report [PDF]
3. Do children who participate in environment classrooms differ in achievement test scores from children in traditional classrooms?
   Report [PDF]
4. What is the relation of physical activity during the school day and behavior in the classroom?
   Report [PDF]
5. How can we characterize student diet, nutrition, eating habits and obesity in JCPS?
   Report [PDF] | Presentation [PPT]

Each of these projects obtained Internal Review Board (IRB) approval.

The enthusiasm and broad interdisciplinary connections among these topics concerning environmental education and achievement led to a major initiative in the Honors Program at U of L. Faculty from across the university learned about the Green City Partnership and a new initiative that would allow interdisciplinary study followed by research and service learning in the community was developed by John Richardson, Director of the Honors Program. Beginning in the Fall 2007 semester, undergraduate students in the UofL Honors Program will focus there studies on environmental issues. In the Spring 2008 semester, these students will have the opportunity to conduct environmental research projects.

Publications and Newsletters

Sustain

SUSTAIN: A Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Issues is published semi-annually by the Kentucky Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development (KIESD). The most recent Spring/Summer 2008 issue is comprised of student research regarding environmental and sustainability issues at the University of Louisville.

Global Connections

Global Connections: Staying in Touch with Culture and Environment is a monthly publication of the Center for Environmental Education and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Multicultural Education at Jefferson County Public Schools. The purpose of the online newsletter is to explore, celebrate and promote ideas, teaching strategies and educational opportunities that help us understand and appreciate the environment and the cultural diversity of our community.

Louisville Green Guide

The Louisville Green Guide was created to connect people in our community who care about our environment and the future of Louisville, KY. The website includes news and events as well as a directory of businesses and organizations that help to promote Louisville’s environmental health.

Watchdog Earth

James Bruggers covers environmental topics for The Courier-Journal and is on the board of directors for the National Society of Environmental Journalists. He studied journalism, forestry and environmental studies at the University of Montana. In his blog, Watchdog Earth, Bruggers shares his observations and ideas regarding local, regional and global environmental issues from an insider’s perspective.