Student Environmental Center Start-Up

2007-2008 Annual Report Mission

A student led initiative, the Student Environmental Center (SEC) at UNC Asheville is a campus community resource dedicated to increasing campus awareness surrounding environmental issues and improving the environmental performance of our University.

Major Accomplishments

Student Environmental Center Start-up

Our office was established in September. This entailed:  Procuring office supplies and furnishings  Establishing office hours for all interns, keeping office open during business hours  Planning, advertising, and hosting a grand opening ceremony. Several community members were present and spoke (City Council members Robin Cape and Brownie Newman, and Heath Schuler’s campaign manager, Randy Flack) as well as Chancellor Ponder. Approximately 50 member of our campus community were present  Solicited the help of a graphic designer to design a logo for the center, which will serve to “brand” our organization and projects, including all materials and displays on campus.  Created the advisory board to receive feedback on our projects, approve next year’s budget. Joan Walker (director, spring ’08) worked with the advisory board chair (Christy Clevenger) to draft bylaws for the advisory board, which were approved by the board.

Recycling and Waste Reduction

The Student Environmental Center (SEC) is working to improve recycling on campus, beginning with Highsmith Union. SEC interns coordinated with Highsmith staff and members of the facilities management team to implement a pilot program for improving methods of collection for recyclables on campus. The pilot program in Highsmith is testing measures that we believe will increase recycling rates by making recycling more convenient and reminding people to recycling at the point of decision—i.e. at the trash can. The major components of this project are:  Waste Audit: o The SEC carried out a waste audit last semester to track baseline recycling rates, amounts of recycling being thrown away currently, and amount of contamination in recycling. Data will be compared to waste audit after recycling is improved to determine if new system works.  Better labeling for containers: o More consistent labeling that is more eye catching o Labels for trash cans that say “Not for recyclables” o Better placement of recycling and trash receptacles (i.e. making sure that recycling containers are placed next to all trash cans.) o Posting easy to read guidelines at recycling containers informing people about what can be recycled and how to prepare it. o Streamlining collection across campus

The SEC succeeded, with Information Technology Services, in changing the default print setting to double-sided in all campus computer labs. Dr. Peg Downes, chair of faculty senate, agreed to encourage all of faculty to encourage students to hand in assignments with double sided printing.

Technology and Energy Efficiency

The SEC, with facilities management, began a project to install occupancy sensors on lighting fixtures in all appropriate room in Highsmith Union. The project began by testing occupancy sensors in 4 spaces in Highsmith Union that have now been permanently installed in 16 Highsmith spaces. o The next phase of this project is to install occupancy sensors in campus buildings where electricity bills are paid by student money (Highsmith, dorms, dining hall). Because student fees provide for the green fee, it is only appropriate that they benefit from the savings. Our goal that successful implementation of these occupancy sensor will lead to them being used in all campus renovations, as well as new construction.

SEC interns submitted comments on UNCA’s Strategic Water and Energy plan to Tom Baldwin with facilities management.

Events and Community

The SEC assisted in planning and coordinating several events on campus events with other groups, including:  Greenfest with SGA (organized the reading of the endangered species list and assisted Kim Quick)  Focus the Nation with ASHE, this event drew in over 200 community members and was well attended by students  teamed up with UNCA Outdoors to organize a river cleanup  Organized and advertised our participation in the National Campus Energy Challenge, in which we competed with schools all across the country to cut our energy usage. Also had an inter-residence hall challenge. The winning residence hall, Founders, cut their energy usage by 16% compared to previous years.  Planned Earth Day events with ASHE  Petition and letter to the Grandfather Mountain Forest District head ranger to urge her to halt plans to log old growth forest  Campaign to protect open space on our campus, focusing on Chestnut Ridge and the Urban Forest. We have been in discussion with administrators about this issue and are working toward getting a public commitment to protect these areas.  We are always adding to our newsletter group and sending updates to let people know what we’re working on, how they can get involved, and volunteer opportunities.  This year will have the first Green Leaf awards for faculty and staff who have shown a commitment to sustainability, this not only recognizes them for their accomplishments but also sends a strong message to other members of the campus community that sustainability is an important part of our campus culture.  Two members of the SEC have been chosen to participate in the UNC Tomorrow project, helping to incorporate sustainability throughout the University system.  Fall 2007: Attended Ball State "Greening of the Campus" Conference 2007-2008 Budgets

Sustainability Fund

Income Student Activity Fee $28,585.48

Expense Student Environmental Center $9,000.00 Campus Police GEM Car $12,943.00 Highsmith Lighting Project $4,450.00 Highsmith Recycling Signage $200.00 Credit Card Fees $50.00

Total $26,643.00

The nearly $2,000 remaining in the Sustainability Fund will carry over to the next fiscal year and be used to complete the Highsmith Recycling project and to make signage and prompts related to recycling and energy use reduction around campus.

Student Environmental Center Fund

Income Sustainability Fee allocation $9,000.00

Expenses Student Wage $5,690.00 Office Supplies $549.68 Printing/Copying $378.23 Events/Programs $899.26

Total $7,517.17

Most of the nearly $1,500 remaining in the Student Environmental Center funds were left-over programming funds. The SEC had a high amount of staff turnover in the programming position, resulting in fewer programs than expected. Goals for 2008-2009

Events & Programming

 Create “green” introductory packets for freshman and transfer students including sustainable restaurants, recycling information, information about the SEC, information about unpaid internships, energy-saving tips, school product suggestions, info about tailgate markets and local grocery stores with organic/local food, etc.  Mountain-top removal theme for campus events  Organize a trip to West Virginia coal mining country (likely Glen Alum Mountain, the source of Asheville power) as part of a campaign to increase awareness of the issue and UNCA’s connection to mountain-top removal. Possible co-sponsorship with UNCA Outdoors.  Coordinate an energy audit for dorm room residents, possibly alongside Underdog Productions’ “Dorm Makeover” on Sept. 13. Tour dorm rooms of consenting students and then provide suggestions for better individual energy conservation  Plan a second river-cleanup event (coordinate with Riverlink and UNCA Outdoors)  Plan a campus clean-up event for Chestnut Ridge  Host one speaker per month

Technology and Energy Efficiency

 Develop a climate commitment for Chancellor Ponder. Work with members of ASHE and other students/faculty on a strong and realistic approach to this that is specific to the capabilities of our university  Continue with the Urban Forest Campaign. Make goal of 1,000 signatures by end of semester. Begin dialogue with Board of Trustees. Collect letters of support from students, faculty, and staff. Develop a specific proposal.  Increase the number of occupancy sensors on campus  Continue research into information regarding UNCA’s sustainable campus operations for future signage displays Recycling

 Implement recycling prompts throughout the campus  Continue to coordinate with Melissa Acker and local mill operators to better utilize UNCA’s timber resources for local use  Continue to coordinate with local artists and mill operators for annual Greenleaf awards plaques  Continue efforts to begin composting in the Dining Hall. Work with Melissa Acker on the possibility of compost and/or reduced organic waste in the Dining Hall

General SEC Goals

 Get more students actively involved in SEC through unpaid internships and increased, well- published volunteer opportunities  Create and maintain a SEC website to increase campus presence and highlight accomplishments  Increased faculty involvement and communication. Possible group of supportive faculty, composed of at least one member of each major academic department, that would agree to help promote our events, host speakers/presentation in their classes, and otherwise to increase student environmental awareness and participation.  Develop a monthly E-Newsletter highlighting community and campus events, vegan/vegetarian recipes, book suggestions, links to online websites and articles, etc. Proposed 2008-2009 Budgets

Sustainability Fund

Income Student Activity Fee $28,500

Expense Student Environmental Center $15,500 Signage & Prompts $4,000 Technology & Equipment $9,000

Total $28,500

Signage and prompts include:  Educational signage showcasing green building features and promoting awareness about energy and resource usage  Energy conservation and recycling prompts reminding people to turn off lights and close windows when leaving the room  Labels for recycling bins, informing people what they can and cannot recycle

Technology and equipment includes:  More efficient lighting and energy saving technology (motion sensors and timers in classrooms)—with preference given to the cafeteria, Highsmith Union, and residence halls, where student fees pay for all of the electricity. All of these will be featured in educational signage  Technology and other purchases which will directly improve the environmental quality of our campus (example: GEM car directly improves air quality on campus)  Recycling bins or other materials for which there is not other funding

Student Environmental Center Fund

Income Sustainability Fee allocation $15,500

Expenses Student Wage $7,500 Office Operations $900 Printing/Copying $600 Events/Programs $4,500 Staff Training & Development $2,000

Total $15,500 The additional student wage dollars are for a summer intern to improve continuity in completing projects and to increase the hours for the director. The SEC is making a deliberate effort to offer more programming and events related to sustainability for the campus community. The SEC also plans to make the internships more valuable to the students who fill them by offering more intentional training and professional development opportunities. Last year some of the training and development costs were covered by Campus Commission, rather than the SEC operating budget.