Issue 124/28/11
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Sustainability in the News
Kelley, Briscoe and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority crowned IU Energy Challenge winners

Energy Challenge Poster

As the 2011 Spring Energy Challenge came to a close last week, the Kelley School of Business, Briscoe Residence Center and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority emerged as winners. The four-week challenge to reduce electricity and water consumption is designed to foster behavioral changes in students, faculty and staff. This marked the fourth spring running of the Energy Challenge.  Read More >>

IU to host free e-waste recycling events

2011 E-Waste CollectionsIU will host its third annual Electronic Waste Collection Days, providing free e-waste recycling for schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations and the general public. The events will take place at various times and locations, and will provide free recycling collection services for items such as computer systems and accessories, phones and handheld devices, audio and video equipment, and office electronics. Read More >>

Volunteers and donations needed for Hooiser to Hoosier Community Sale effort 

Hoosier to Hoosier Logo

Donate:  If you have items you'd like to donate you can drop them off at the Fieldhouse on May 5 (2-6pm), or you can contact us throughout the summer to arrange a pickup (email [email protected]).  Please also pass this information to neighbors who might be moving, and if you teach a class, let your students know how to donate!  

Volunteer: Interested in volunteering to pickup donations, sort items, or help with sale day?  We need lots of volunteers on May 5-6 and May 9-10 (9-noon and 1-4pm each day), and there will be plenty of other opportunities throughout the summer.  Email [email protected] for more info. Read More >>

Coal Free IU finances 8 solar panels at IMU

Solar Panels at IMU

Eight solar panels producing two kilowatts of clean energy were installed on the roof of the Indiana Memorial Union on Thursday. The panels are each 250 watts and are located on the left side of the Whittenberger Auditorium entrance, said Jill Minor, Mann Plumbing Inc. solar website designer and School of Public and Environmental Affairs dual masters candidate.  Read More >>

IU Foundation Green Team first at IU to receive Sapling certification 

IU Foundation Green Team

The IU Foundation Green Team, the oldest of the 25 Green Teams at Indiana University, just earned the third of four levels of certification from the IU Office of Sustainability for its active efforts to improve the office environment. The IU Foundation's Green Team is the first to achieve the 'Sapling' certification from the Office of Sustainability through its Green Team Office Certification program.  Read More >>

'Edible Campus' project links food, gardens, sustainability 

Campus Garden Volunteers

With nearly 2,000 acres of real estate, Indiana University Bloomington offers intriguing possibilities for growing food. The Designing an Edible Campus project is exploring how campus gardens, landscaping with fruit and nut trees and other efforts can contribute to sustainability.  Read More >>

Student artists display their talents in support of campus sustainability 

More Art, Less Trash Artist

For the rest of the semester, student designed and painted recycling bins will be stationed around campus to encourage outdoor recycling. The project, organized by the Volunteers in Sustainability and titled "More Art, Less Trash," is intended to increase the student recycling effort by having bins available outside. Read More >>

IU students work to make annual Little 500 events more environmentally sustainable

Little 500 Greening Project

"Run, Ride, Recycle" -- green takes the black-and-white checkered flag this spring as student organizers work to make Indiana University's 2011 Little 500 bicycle races more environmentally sustainable.The IU Student Foundation this year established a special class campaign committee which has been working with the IU Office of Sustainability and the student organization Volunteers in SustainabilityRead More >>

IU center involved in conference and study: 'Driving Change: Greening the Automotive Workforce'

Driving Change Logo

The Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business is one of the organizers of a conference taking place next week outside Detroit on the transformation of the auto industry.  Read More >>

Lilly Library hosts Deam Wilderness Celebration, Memory Fest April 20

Lilly Library

How did a forest near Bloomington become Indiana's only national wilderness area? Some of the people who made the Charles C. Deam Wilderness possible will gather at 5:30 p.m. April 20 at IU's Lilly Library to discuss how the area was formed. The event is free and open to the public. The evening also celebrates the Indiana Forest Alliance's donation of Deam Wilderness papers (collected by Claude Ferguson) to the Lilly Library.   Read More >>

IU Athletics holds second green spring football game  

Greening Cream and Crimson Logo

The annual Cream & Crimson spring football game, to be played at 11 a.m. Saturday (April 16) at Memorial Stadium, will mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Indiana University Athletic Department's Greening Cream and Crimson game-day initiatives.

Read More >>

IU Earth Week activities focus on urban sustainability  

Patricia Foreman

Chickens do much more than lay eggs, Patricia Foreman says. They contribute to backyard agriculture, divert food and yard waste from landfills, lower carbon footprints -- and even contribute to national defense through better food security. Foreman, an Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs alumna and the author of City Chicks: Keeping Micro-flocks of Chickens as Garden Helpers, Compost Creators, Bio-recyclers and Local Food Supplies, will be a featured speaker for IU Earth Week activities.

Read More >>

InPIRG hosts first Renew Fest in Dunn Meadow

Renew Fest Poster

The Indiana Public Interest Research Group (InPIRG) Local Foods and Sustainable IU campaigns have teamed up to host Renew Fest, a festival focusing on local foods and sustainability. This is Renew Fest's first year and it will take place Tuesday (April 26) from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Dunn Meadow. Renew Fest will feature tabling areas for local farmers, businesses, artists, and several local bands to play on the stage.    

Read More >>

IU Bloomington climate scientist Sara C. Pryor to advise U.S. government

Sara Pryor

Atmospheric scientist and Provost's Professor Sara C. Pryor has been named to the new National Climate Assessment and Development Committee, convened by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help the U.S. government prepare for and deal with climate change.  The committee, composed of 40 of America's best climate scientists and 13 ex-officio members representing federal agencies, has been tasked with developing a National Climate Assessment report no later than June 2013. Read More >>

Sustainability in the News
New spring course: Farming in the City
Support the Office of Sustainability
Give Now
Plant a Living Memory to Celebrate Arbor Day    
by Bill Brown
Arbor Day Volunteers
"Each generation takes the Earth as trustees." J. Stirling Morton

 

When J. Stirling Morton moved to the Nebraska Territory, something was missing. As a newspaper publisher, he planted an idea that grew into the first Arbor Day celebration in 1872, when an estimated one million trees were planted. Since that time, Arbor Day has grown into an international event with official observances in over 30 countries.

 

Bloomington is recognized as a Tree City USA, and Indiana University Bloomington is recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Both are teaming up for an Arbor Day event on campus, Friday, April 29, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, in the new arboretum south of 17th Street. Volunteers are welcome to help plant 25 trees. IU Landscape Architect Mia Williams will kick things off and introduce Vice President Tom Morrison for his brief remarks. City urban forester, Lee Huss, will discuss tree planting techniques and introduce Mayor Mark Kruzan, who will make a proclamation.

Our Campus Master Plan recommends a doubling of the tree canopy from 20% to 40%. Benefits include summer cooling, reduction in stormwater runoff, carbon sequestration, pollution mitigation and campus beautification.  The Tree Campus USA Steering Committee and the Environmental Quality and Land Use Working Group are studying ways to double the tree canopy while also maintaining the vitality of our current urban forests.

Arbor Day festivities will begin at the tent located at the rear of the DeVault Alumni Center. Celebrate this holiday with us in the traditional way. Help plant a tree. Wear your digging shoes. Coffee and rolls will be provided. Experts will be on hand to teach everyone the proper techniques of tree planting.

When you return to campus in later years, you can be amazed by how much the tree you planted has grown and how the arboretum has matured into a campus jewel.

2010-11 Academic Year Sustainability Internship Symposium Wrap-up  

Symposium 

Last Friday, April 22 the Office of Sustainability held its second annual Academic Year Sustainability Internship Symposium in the Neal Marshall Grand Hall.  

 

We had such a great time, we made a new webpage to celebrate the day!  Visit www.indiana.edu/~sustain/Intern/symposium.html to view: 

 

 - The symposium program, 

 - Student intern presentations, 

 - Photos from the event, and

 - Student intern posters.

 

Thank you again to those of you who were able to attend!

Green Teams Update   
IU Foundation Green Team
IU Foundation Green Team is first to receive Sapling certification.

 

Two green teams have earned the third level of Green Teams Office Certification.  The IU Foundation team was the first to earn "Sapling" certification and the Office of Environmental, Health, and Safety Management team completed their application shortly thereafter.  Both teams fulfilled 20 sustainable actions, including placing desk-side recycling bins in every office, providing reusable cups and dishware in break rooms, and establishing a centralized location where green tips, actions, ideas and events  can be shared with their coworkers.

 

Upon receiving the certificate, IUF green team leader Aliza Pain stated, "This was all possible because of the long-time participation of IU Foundation staff members and the commitment of management.  We started with a recycling program in 2005; now we are excited to be helping the university lead the way in creating sustainable working environments."

These two teams show that the sustainable actions included in the Office Certification program are feasible in both large and smaller-sized units.  Indeed; both the IUF and the EHS teams provide outstanding models for others to follow. 

For more information about IUOS's Green Team Program, visit www.indiana.edu/~sustain/Green_Teams/index.html.  Questions or comments can be directed to [email protected].  

Events, Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities

For a complete listing of sustainability events, visit:

http://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/calendar/index.html 

THIS WEEK 

See below for next week's events.

 

Thursday, April 28

 

Platinum Bike Summit

When: Thu, April 28, 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Where: Bloomington Convention Center (map)

Description: Socialize with fellow cyclists and voice your opinion at the Platinum Bike Summit on Thursday April 28th at the Convention Center! Reception from 5:30-6:30, public forum from 6:30- 8:30pm.   Bloomington's Platinum Task Force would love to hear your thoughts about biking in Bloomington as we work towards making Bloomington an exemplary bicycling community!

 

ViS: Film Screening: 'Truck Farm'

When: Thu, April 28, 6pm - 7pm

Where: Showalter Fountain Circle

Description: As part of this spring's Local Food campaign, ViS will be screening the movie Truck Farm. COME EARLY though, because Audrey, Spring Campaign manager, has converted her own truck into a lovely garden! We hope to have the truck (and other educational signage) on display outside the auditorium on the Showalter Fountain Circle by 6PM.

 

Friday, April 29

 

Arbor Day Tree Planting Event

When: Fri, April 29, 9:30 am

Where: DeVault Alumni Center

Description: IUB/City of Bloomington Arbor Day Tree Planting Event coordinated by campus landscape architect Mia Williams and City Forester Lee Huss.  Coffee and rolls will be served. The event will take place at the IU's DeVault Alumni Center (on 17th St. across from the basketball arena).  All are welcome.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

 

Donate to Hoosier to Hoosier 

When: Thu, May 5, 2-6pm

Where: Gladstein Fieldhouse (across from IU Outdoor Pool)

Description:  If you have items you'd like to donate you can drop them off at the Fieldhouse on May 5 (2-6pm), or you can contact us throughout the summer to arrange a pickup (email [email protected]).  If donating to H2H isn't convenient, there are numerous other organizations in town that will make pickups (like St. Vincent de Paul and Habitat ReStore) and accept donations (Opportunity House, Goodwill, Salvation Army).  Please also pass this information to neighbors who might be moving, and if you teach a class, let your students know how to donate!  If you live in an apartment complex, encourage your landlord to provide an area for tenants to make donations.  If you live on campus, all residence halls have a donation area. 

 

Volunteer with Hoosier to Hoosier 

When: Thu-Fri, May 5-6; Mon-Tue, May 9-10

Where: IU Campus 

Description: Interested in volunteering to pickup donations, sort items, or help with sale day?  We need lots of volunteers on May 5-6 and May 9-10 (9-noon and 1-4pm each day), and there will be plenty of other opportunities throughout the summer.  Email [email protected] for more info.

 

Electronic Waste Collection Days 

When: Thu-Sat, May 12-14, 9am - 2pm (See ewaste.indiana.edu for Indianapolis and South Bend collection information)

Where: Memorial Stadium Purple Lot 

Description: Electronic Waste Collection Days, a free electronic waste recycling drive sponsored by Indiana University Bloomington will take place in Bloomington at the IU Stadium parking lot May 12-14, 2011.  None of the electronics will be processed for resale.  Everything that could potentially contain sensitive data, such as cell phones or computers, will be shredded.  One hundred percent of the equipment dropped off will be recycled and kept out of landfills.

Contact Us

General comments and questions should be directed to [email protected].

Our address:

IU Office of Sustainability
1001 E. 10th St.
Geology 429
Bloomington, IN 47405

For IUOS staff:

Bill Brown
Director of Sustainability
[email protected]
812-855-1822

Emilie Rex
Assistant Director of Sustainability
[email protected]
812-855-2678