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Sustainability Subgroup, February 23, 2012

2/23/12 Sustainability Subgroup Meeting, HIG 223

In attendance: Melissa Acker, Scott Arico, Dee Eggers, Macon Foscue, Don Gordon, Norm Richards and Christine Riley

Christine Riley called the meeting to order at 12:32 pm. Rob Nelson was not able to attend due to a death in the family.

The subgroup worked on refining the top-level categories to include in a sustainability plan for UNC Asheville. After substantial discussion, we agreed on the following categories:

  • Building and Renovations
  • Environmental Stewardship/Climate Protection
  • Education
  • Energy Conservation and Efficiency
  • Landcare/Greenspace Preservation
  • Procurement
  • Food
  • Transportation
  • Waste reduction, reuse, recycling, waste management, and composting
  • Water

We agreed that in order to make this project manageable, each of these topics would be tackled by one or more of our subgroup. Because the topics are so broad, these sub-subgroups [?] will need to confer with other experts on and off campus, in order to fully explore each topic.

The subgroup also discussed what sub topics should be addressed in each of the categories of the plan.

Topic [i.e., “water”]: Example: Narrative statement of continuous improvement [i.e., by implementing the strategies in this plan, UNC Asheville will continuously reduce the amount of potable water needed for campus operations in each of the next 10 years. Continuously increase the amount of rainwater captured. Reduce cost associated with water. Use water so that it enhances campus operations, athletics, etc. Reduce pollutants, etc.]

  • Sub-topic: Conservation
  • Sub-topic: Waste Reduction/Mgt
  • Sub-topic: Recycle/Reuse
  • Sub-topic: Cost Savings
  • Sub-topic: Storm water
  • Sub-topic: See Water in Building and Renovations

The subgroup decided that the metrics (what we measure, how we measure our progress and what goals we use to do that) need to be included in a separate document, much as the dashboard for the strategic plan is separate from the overall strategic plan itself. The group discussed whether this document should be a policy or a plan, and decided that they would revisit the question later, once we review the policy draft in April.  

Dee Eggers updated the group on research of best practices already being done by her as well as by the State Energy Office grant group and the Strategic Plan Workgroup on Environmental Sustainability on many of the categories. She suggested that our subgroup members work on the categories that she and others were not currently researching.  She is pulling best practices from other Colleges and Universities and organizing the information. Once we have the information Dee is compiling, we can decide what the best pieces are to include for UNC Asheville’s plan.

Dee and the other groups are not currently working on the following three categories:

  • Landcare/Greenspace (including storm water)--Melissa Acker and Macon Foscue
  • Education (besides curriculum)--Curriculum-related (Ed Katz & Grace Campbell with the SP workgroup); Employees/Professional Development: Christine Riley
  • Environmental Stewardship/ Climate Protection--Scott Arico

Homework: Each of us named above will research what best practices are out there on other campuses and compile what we can find. It is too early at this point to determine whether those practices are applicable to UNC Asheville; we are just gathering the information.

Here is the complete topic list with assigned subgroup members as well as topics that will need additional subgroup members to work on:

  • Building and Renovations--Don Gordon
  • Environmental Stewardship/Climate Protection--Scott Arico
  • Education                                                                   

Curriculum: Ed Katz/Grace Campbell
Employees: Christine Riley

  • Energy Conservation and Efficiency--Norm Richards
  • Landcare/Greenspace Preservation--Melissa Acker and Macon Foscue
  • Procurement--Dee Eggers
  • Food--TBD*
  • Transportation--TBD*
  • Waste reduction, reuse, recycling, waste mgt--TBD*
  • Water--TBD*

*Subgroup members who were not at the meeting may choose any of these topics to work on. Ideally, we will have at least one member on each topic, but several members may choose to work on a single topic. We agreed that this plan will take longer than the current academic year to build, so not all topics need to be addressed this year.

Christine concluded the meeting at 1:56 pm.

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