State of the Sustainable Campus Report, April 2003-04

approved by the UM Sustainable Campus Committee on April 9, 2004 &
presented to President George Dennison on Earth Day April 22, 2004

On Earth Day 2002, UM President George Dennison signed the Talloires Declaration, rededicating UM to promoting sustainable development, self determination and social justice on local, state, national and global levels.  President Dennison appointed a Sustainable Campus Committee to guide and document efforts by UM and by campus groups to meet the goals of the Talloires Declaration. The SCC is also charged with developing an annual State of the Sustainable UM Campus report to be delivered each Earth Day. The report for 2003-2004 is below and begins with highlights of UM efforts to build sustainability over the past year. The SCC also wishes to recognize the efforts of various campus groups acting on their own to build sustainability; some of those efforts are listed below the list of official UM efforts. Finally, SCC’s proposed projects for the coming year appear at the end of the report.

UM efforts to build a more sustainable & equitable campus & community      

UM joins western sustainability network --President Dennison arranged for UM to join the Education for Sustainability Western Network (www.efswest.org) as a charter member. He did this with the strong support of Deans Perry Brown (Forestry), Gerald Fetz (Arts & Sciences), Paul Rowland (Education) and Paul Williamson (Technology). The network provides members with information on sustainability efforts at campuses around the western US and organizes conferences on sustainability in higher education.

Farm-to-College brings more local food to UM-- The Farm-to-College program hosts special events at UM dining venues, featuring Montana grown food and the local farmers who produced the food. The program also added local items to UM’s regular daily menu and created the Farm-to-College retail section in UM’s Cascade Country Store, featuring Montana farm products. In the past year, UM’s Farm-to-College program has worked with over 40 local food producers & processors and purchased $9000 of safflower oil from a grower in eastern Montana. By allowing members of the campus community to ‘think globally and eat locally’, this program helps them understand the social and environmental impacts of their food choices. By shrinking our foodshed (the area where our food is grown), we support local farms, re-circulate money in the state and local community, and reduce the energy invested in food. Farm-to-College program is a joint effort of UM Dining Services & the Environmental Studies program.

Earth Tubs turn Food Scraps into Compost --The UM Recycling Program teamed up with Dining Services, Facilities Services, Forestry, and Environmental Studies, to initiate a campus composting program. With the purchase of two Earth Tubs, UM is now turning food scraps into useful compost

The First Greening UM Award --The UM Sustainable Campus Committee created the Greening UM award and presented the first award to Mark LoParco, director of UM Dining Services for his leadership in initiating the UM Farm-to-College program, for working with Sustainable Systems to recycle waste fryer oil into biodiesel to power the UM Biobus, for beginning a food scrap composting program (using Earth Tubs), and for making great omelets.

Montana ’s First Transit-Oriented Housing Development --UM, Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association (MRTMA), Missoula Urban Transportation District, City of Missoula, Technical Transportation Advisory Committee,  Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee, Missoula Parking Commission have formed a partnership to build Montana's first Transit Oriented Development. The Lewis and Clark transit oriented development - includes housing with reduced parking surface, MRTMA offices and vanpool storage, a community park and ride, a transfer and TDM resource center, increased transit to both the University and downtown Missoula, bike check out availability, and several  bicycle/pedestrian amenities including a connecting trail, new sidewalks, bike lanes and covered bike storage. Most of these facilities are scheduled to be complete by the fall of 2004.

World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Campus --UM-MCOT obtained a $750,000 grant to begin planning a proposed Sustainable Campus/ Hydrogen Future Park which is envisioned to be the first campus powered by hydrogen from renewable energy sources. UM-MCOT also moved ahead with development of an Alternative Energy Learning Center, acquiring a 10 kw wind turbine, solar voltaics, and a fuel cell. Plans for this student-accessible lab include acquisition of an electrolyzer, hydrogen storage & fueling station, & micro-turbines.
 
Training an Alternative Energy Workforce --UM-MCOT & Montana Tech have teamed to develop web-delivered training programs in Energy Technology & Energy Engineering. Students will be able to obtain a one-year certificate, 2-year associate degree, or four-year engineering degree. UM-MCOT also teamed with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to submit a grant proposal to establish a new learning center in Montana to train an alternative energy work force. UM-MCOT also provided hydrogen curriculum materials to high schools.
 Old Biobus gets New Job--The UM COT obtained UM’s old Biobus and is repairing it for use as a shuttle between the UM east campus & the west (COT) campus.

Environmental Topics Explored by UM Lecture Series --The UM President's Lecture Series featured public & occupational health scientist Barry Castleman speaking on ‘The International Struggle Over Asbestos’ and environmental writer William McKibben, speaking on “The Environment as a Moral Issue” and on ‘ Thinking Local: What Comes Next in our Economy & Culture?’ These speakers were co-sponsored by the Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Environmental Studies Program. In collaboration with HomeWORD & MT Museum of Art & Culture, UM provided a summer lecture series on Science & Culture, that featured speakers on food security & democracy, biomimicry (design inspired by nature), and the interaction of art & science.

UM Facility Services Staff studies sustainable construction, landscaping & maintenance -- Three UM groundskeepers attended Missoula County Extension's Master Gardener course (which focuses on organic methods and use of native & water-wise plants).  Kevin Krebsbach, Associate Director for Planning and Construction, attended a LEEDS training course on Green Building design. Gerald Michaud, Assistant Director for Custodial, Grounds and Labor, gathered information for current and future use of environmentally friendly cleaning products.

National Conference on River Restoration-- UM River Center hosted a national conference on Restoration & Renaturalization of Streams Impacted by Mining in September, 2003.

Efforts of campus groups to build a more sustainable & equitable campus & community

Note the many partnerships with community groups, businesses & local government agencies .

Montana Researchers Strike Sustainable Oil --UM Dining Services teamed up with Sustainable Systems (a local business started by 2 UM graduate students) to investigate the use of a fryer oil produced by Montola Growers Inc. This Montana product is high in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and contains no hydrogenated trans-fatty acids or GMOs. This makes it better for human health & Montana’s economy & environment, and easier to turn into biodiesel. The oil also has excellent fryer life and does not stick to food. And when it is no longer good for making French fries, it is made into biodiesel and used to power UM’s BioBus! Now that’s cooking!

UM Hosts International Biodiesel Workshop-- UM hosted a week long Solar Energy International Biodiesel Workshop in Aug 2003, organized by Sustainable Systems (see above) and Nancy McKiddy of ASUM Transportation. The workshop featured information on making & marketing biodiesel fuel & related products and creating the infrastructure to make biodiesel a viable energy resource. Sustainable Systems also placed biofuel-mix pumps at 2 Missoula service stations (CENEX). The SCC helped build campus support for this effort.

Celebrating & Serving the Earth & Public Lands --UM Office of Civic Engagement, Environmental Studies Program, Division of Biological Sciences, Campus Weed Management Committee, ASUM Transportation, Facility Services, UM Advocates, and the student chapter of the American Fisheries Society organized campus & community celebrations and service projects on Earth Day/Clean Start & Public Land Day.

Nourishing bodies, souls, land & community --The UM PEAS farm and its community partner Garden City Harvest provided opportunities for the community to grow its own food and to produce food for the needy. At the UM PEAS farm, 100 students produced 25,000 pounds of food for food banks and grew food for 70 community supported agriculture members. At Garden City Harvest community garden sites, 92 gardeners tended 130 garden plots, including food aid plots that produced 9500 pounds of food for food banks and over 10,000 pounds for their own families. Gardeners learned about food production and nutrition and built a sense of community as they shared work & food & learning throughout the growing season and beyond.

Sustainable Beer -a critical development need--UM Environmental Studies Program and School of Business hosted Dr. George Lai Chan of the Ministry of Economic Development, Mauritius, who spoke on: Integrating agriculture & related industries for more sustainable development. Local entrepreneur Jim Lueders presented his plans for developing an organic, zero-emission brewery near Missoula, using such design principles.

International Sustainable Business Organization meets in Missoula--UM Environmental Studies program partnered with the National Center for Appropriate Technology & Missoula Sustainable Business Council to host the International Association of Sustainability Businesses and Organizations (IASBO) meeting in Missoula. Two members of UM’s Sustainable Campus Committee (Paul Williamson & Vicki Watson) were presenters.

Eating for Sustainability and Social Justice --UM Environmental Studies program hosted Dr. Jack Kloppenburg, Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in October. Kloppenburg spoke to classes & gave a public lecture on "Coming into the Foodshed: Eating for Sustainability & Social Justice in the 21st Century".

UM Instructors are Bioneers --UM instructors Josh Slotnick & Dan Kemmis appeared as featured speakers at the Bioneers Conference in Bozeman in October. The Bioneers Conference is an ongoing national discussion of the scientific & social challenges & visions of achieving sustainability.

Watershed Clinic Helps Community Protect Water Resources --The UM Watershed Health Clinic partnered with the Missoula Water Quality District to provide Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days & with the Watershed Education Network to provide adult guides to help local school groups monitor local streams. The Clinic also served as a host site for a satellite broadcast conference on obtaining funding for watershed conservation efforts.

Solar Radiation Monitoring at UM-Western --The University of Montana-Western is participating in a solar-radiation monitoring program administered by The University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory. In October, solar radiation monitoring equipment was installed the equipment on campus. The Western site is one of 29 in a network around the Northwestern United States and is the only one in Montana. In addition, the UM Western campus is working with the Idaho National Engineering Lab to produce some wind-generated power for the campus.

UM Course Studies Sustainability of Food Systems in Cuba --As part of a UM course, a group of UM students & instructors visited Cuba to study their low input, sustainable cropping systems. The group provided a multimedia public presentation on their trip to a capacity crowd in UM’s Urey Lecture Hall.

UM Hosts Forum on Healthy Forest Initiative —UM student group Environmental Action Community (EAC) and the Environmental Studies program organized a Public Forum on the Healthy Forest Initiative, featuring Debbie Austin, Lolo Forest Supervisor; Ron Wakimoto, UM Forestry; Tom Powers, UM Economics; Matt Koehler, Native Forest Network. EAC also led field trips to monitor timber sales conducted under the Healthy Forest Initiative.

MontPIRG’s Green Campus initiatives –Student interns working with the Montana Public Interest Research Group teamed with the UM grounds crew, Environmental Health officer, and grad students in Environmental Studies to compile a list of pesticides used on campus, their health and ecological effects, and possible alternatives. This database will assist in UM efforts to minimize pesticide use. Future plans include organic turf test plots.

SCC Plans for next academic year (2004-2005)

Find funding to support an intern for the Sustainable Campus Community

Investigate approaches to securing a state allocation of funds for the installation of elements of energy conservation or sustainable building design in all new construction projects on state property.  This would be similar to the requirement of artistic installations (at a cost not to exceed 1% of the total project cost) that is currently required on
construction of buildings with state funds, however, in this case the funds would require the installation of energy conservation or sustainable building design features in all new construction projects on state property. An attempt to use locally and sustainably produced building materials would also be emphasized.

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Questions concerning the above report may be directed to
UM Sustainable Campus Committee
Chair Phil Condon, Environmental Studies, 406-243-2904