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Sustainability in the News
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IUB Celebrates National Nutrition Month
Mohammad Torabi, interim dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at IU Bloomington, shows off his nutritious meal.
In recognition of National Nutrition Month, a coalition of health and nutrition professionals at IUB is encouraging the campus community to make healthful food choices by sharing information about new federal dietary guidelines, conducting a photo contest to showcase nutritious and tasty meals and offering free nutrition counseling.
The deadline for the contest has passed, but free nutrition counseling is available to IUB employees through March 31st.
Read the full article >>
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Deadline approaches for IU sustainability research grant
Trout Lily and Spring Beauty - two native wildflowers growing in Dunn's Woods.
The Indiana University Office of Sustainability is reminding the IUB community of a funding opportunity for support of research related to sustainability.
Now in its fourth year, the Sustainability Research Development Grant program provides opportunities for faculty members and graduate students to develop new, externally funded research projects related to environmental sustainability. Applications are due by Friday, March 23.
Previous grants have been awarded for research on topics including food waste at IU, sustainable development, and the removal of exotic invasive plant species from Dunn's Woods (image above).
Read the full article >>
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Indiana University named a 2011 Tree Campus USA by Arbor Day Foundation
 | | Volunteers plant a tree in Dunn Meadow. Efforts were especially relevant this year because of the hundreds of trees lost on campus during severe weather. |
The Arbor Day Foundation has named Indiana University Bloomington a Tree Campus USA in honor of its commitment to effective community forestry management. This is the fourth year of recognition for Indiana University.
IU Bloomington achieved the designation by meeting the required five core standards for sustainable campus forestry: a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
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IU Athletics first among Big Ten in two EPA Gameday Challenge Categories
IU Athletics announced that the department finished first among Big Ten schools in two categories in the EPA Gameday Challenge. IU's results were tabulated during the Oct. 29 IU-Northwestern football game. IU received top honors in the greenhouse gas reduction and recycling categories. IU also finished fourth in the Big Ten in the diversion rate category. Among 50 participating schools, IU ranked in the top 25 in all three categories. Participation was part of the Greening Cream and Crimson initiative, an ongoing effort by IU Athletics to promote sustainable policies and decrease its environmental impact.
IU Athletics took the top spot in the Big Ten in the greenhouse gas reduction category by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12.91 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to the annual gas emissions of 2.3 cars or emissions from 1,313 gallons of gasoline. This bettered results from the last challenge, where IU finished fourth among Big Ten schools.
Read the full article >> |
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Wild orangutans in Borneo stressed by eco-tourists, but not for long, IU study finds
Wild orangutans that have come into contact with eco-tourists over a period of years show an immediate
stress response but no signs of chronic stress, unlike other species in which permanent alterations in stress responses have been documented, new research from an Indiana University anthropologist has found.
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Jenny, a wild orangutan about 32 years old and living in Borneo (pictured here) and her 11-year-old son Etin were subjects in the study looking at the stress effects of eco-tourism on animals in the wild.
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IU anthropologist Michael P. Muehlenbein can't say yet what makes the wild orangutans of Borneo deal with stress differently than other species in other locations, but an analysis of orangutan stress hormone levels recorded before, during and after the apes interacted in the wild with eco-tourists found evidence of acute elevation of the stress hormone cortisol the day of an interaction, with levels then returning to baseline afterward.
"Transiently elevated stress hormone levels must be interpreted conservatively, as these may simply reflect normal responses to stimuli," Muehlenbein said. "But nature-based tourism programs that result in permanent alterations of stress physiology in their animals cannot be viewed as sustainable. However, low levels of predictable disturbance likely result in low physiological impact on these orangutans."
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E-House Open House - this Friday, March 23rd
By Bill Brown
On Friday, March 23rd, E-House, the new headquarters for the IU Office of Sustainability (IUOS), will have its open house from noon to 2 p.m. I invite you to stop by 704 E. 10th for a visit to see why this is a valuable new asset in the quest to make IU Bloomington an international leader in campus sustainability by 2020. The E in E-House refers to the E-words we use every day in the Office of Sustainability: Energy, Environment, Equity, Economics, and Education, but it could also stand for Example. When IUOS was first offered a residence in the University Courts historic district as our first permanent office, we immediately began to think about how it could be used as more than just an office. How could it provide an example of a new approach to energy and the built environment? How could it embody some of the principles we talk about under the umbrella of sustainability?
Toward that end, E-House was designed to be powered by sunlight, yet also preserve its historic character. A 4-kilowatt photovoltaic system, discretely located on the back slope of the roof, is designed to produce as much or more electricity in a year as will be used in the building. This all-electric building uses little energy thanks to a geothermal heating and cooling system that transfers heat to and from the limestone bedrock, utilizing two 250-foot-deep vertical bore holes hidden below the back of the house. Respecting the historic character of this 1930 Dutch Colonial Revival jewel, the original windows were retained and storm windows were added. Insulation was added, where practical, and all of the lighting was changed over to LED lamps.
But the efficient new technology melded with the embodied energy of an historic building is not the most exciting thing about this new place -- it is the people that come through the door and the ideas they share with each other that will make E-House electrifying.
E-House was conceived as a place where campus and community groups can meet, learn, plan and implement sustainability initiatives. Although we have yet to receive most of the furniture, E-House has already been host to scores of campus and community group meetings, workshops, seminars, class tours and research. If you are involved in moving the campus or the community toward a more sustainable future, we hope you will join the excitement at E-House.
Read the full article >>
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Profiles in IU Sustainability
This new feature will profile a student, faculty member, staff member or IU alum who has inspired us as a sustainability leader here at IU. We hope you enjoy these stories, and we encourage you to send along your own!
Heather Reynolds is this month's featured sustainer: Reynolds 101  | | Featured Sustainer Heather Reynolds |
- Position: Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Jordan Hall
- Time at IU: 12 years
- Hobbies: Gardening with native plants; reading books about nature, native landscaping, and sustainability; Knitting
- Favorite book: What Matters? by Wendell Berry
- Favorite Green Tips: 1) Participate in the local economy of small, sustainable businesses, 2) Hang washed laundry outside for zero emissions drying that makes clothes smell fresh, 3) Reuse glass jars for pantry items bought in bulk (walnuts, oatmeal, etc.), 4) If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down, 5) Use those foam soap dispensers right - don't turn on the water until you've rubbed the foam on your hands and need to rinse.
What does "sustainability" mean to you? Sustainability means flourishing of human systems *and* the ecological systems within which we are embedded. Another way of saying this is "flourishing within ecological limits." The key is to understand that humanity is a subset of nature. As such, our biggest challenge, and I believe the greatest source of joy and satisfaction yet before us, is to reconnect with what truly matters: e.g. good food, good relationships, healthy people and ecosystems, creativity. This will allow us to redefine prosperity in a way that allows us to achieve "enoughness" and live within the regenerative and assimilative capacity of the biosphere. This is going to require a shift toward steady state thinking and prioritizing of qualitative development over the current paradigm of endless economic growth. There are many fine books to recommend here: Prosperity Without Growth by Tim Jackson, Better Not Bigger by Eben Fodor, The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken, Beyond Growth: The economics of sustainable development by Herman Daly, Small is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered by EF Schumacher. Anything by Wendell Berry! What is the connection between your research area and sustainability? Broadly, ecology is about connections, and so is sustainability. My research program studies a variety of plant-environment interactions, with the goals of advancing ecological theory - for e.g. about how plant species coexist, or why certain plant species become invasive - and applying this knowledge to help make human-environment interactions more sustainable - for e.g. via ecological restoration and methods of sustainable agriculture.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for sustainability at IU? The biggest challenge for sustainability at IU is the same as it is for humanity in general: shifting the mindset from one of endless economic growth as the source of well-being to flourishing within means as the source of well-being. We need to move from thinking of ourselves as primarily consumers of, frankly, a lot of ill-made petrochemical-laden stuff that harms people and the earth, to producers - of good food, clean water, diverse habitats, happy families and communities, song, dance, art, compost...the list of wonderful things to produce goes on and on. Teaching our students how to be such producers is a related challenge that IU faces. While our system of education is efficient at producing new generations of consumers, savvy and adept at navigating the latest electronic technologies, offerings of consumer products, and the rat race of the suburban jungle, we are deficient at producing citizens who understand the native inhabitants, past and present, of their environment and who are connected, intellectually and emotionally, to the natural world that is the ultimate source of their food, water, and other life-supporting and life-enhancing resources and services. We need many more courses at IU that teach the theory and practice of being good producers.
Read the full interview >> |
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 Friday, April 6th will mark the first annual Green Teams Leadership Summit. From 9-11 AM we will assemble at the new home of the Office of Sustainability, E-House, to continue a conversation first started through program reflections in Green Teams meetings and surveys. Building on lessons learned, we are asking at least one member of each team to join us in a visioning and strategic planning exercise aimed at shaping the Green Teams Program for the next five years.
Specifically, the summit will be framed around the following questions:
- What are the barriers and benefits to the current Green Teams Program?
- What is our (faculty, staff and students) collective vision for the future of the Green Teams Program?
- What role should faculty, staff, students, the Office of Sustainability and university administrators play in supporting this vision?
- How do we translate this vision into tangible and measureable goals, and what leadership body should hold us accountable to them?
We envision this summit as a hands-on workshop for all attendees. This process will inform other strategic planning efforts among working groups, and other sustainability programs and initiatives.
We hope every school, building or department currently involved in the Green Teams Program will send a representative, but we hope those unaffiliated with the program will also attend. To RSVP for the event, click here.
Many thanks in advance for your support of this initiative, and we look forward to seeing your team on Friday, April 6th.
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Be the Change
By Mark Milby, IUOS Waste Audit Intern
Over the years, I've done some things that I would consider to be difficult: I've climbed mountains, run races, taken organic chemistry exams... you know, hard stuff. Right? We'll, now I'm not so sure. That's because recently I've been working on changing human behavior.
Think I'm joking? Just think about it - you know how hard it is. We've all failed miserably with New Year's resolutions, and we've all crashed and burned on day three of the eat-less/run-more plan. Most people can't even change little habits; so imagine convincing someone to trade their car for a bike or the bus, a few degrees on the thermostat for a sweater, factory farm meat for local veggies, or a mall shopping spree for a trip to the thrift store. Not so easy. But whether you like it or not, sustainability is 99.9% about changing human behavior.
 It's hard to accept sometimes, because part of us thinks that we shouldn't have to give up stuff. And in a way, we're right - being comfortable and having a reasonably decent quality of life shouldn't wreak havoc on the world. But it's the reality we live in. And until the day arrives when electricity comes from rainbows and food comes from clouds, we're going to have to consciously shift our consumption towards lower-impact habits. Moreover, behavior-shifting has serious potential: U.S. households, which together represent a chunk of energy consumption greater than any county except China, could reduce their energy use by 30% right now, using existing technology. Going meatless just one day a week prevents more greenhouse gas emissions than sourcing 100% of your food from local sources. IU staff members spend 11,000 hours per year picking litter off the ground (1,500 lbs. every day!) - hours they'd rather spend (and we'd rather have them spend) planting trees, caring for the land, and beautifying campus.
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Events and Opportunities
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, March 22
Energy Challenge Information Breakfast
When: 9:00 - 10:00 am
Where: E-House, 704 E. 10th St.
Description: Come learn about the Spring 2012 Energy Challenge and enjoy free coffee and bagels. Register here.
Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District 2012 Annual Meeting
When: Dinner at 6:00 pm, movie at 7:30 pm
Where: Liberty Crossing Ball Room (former MCL cafeteria, off of Bloomfield Rd across from Walmart)
Description: Doors open at 6:00 pm for dinner which begins at 6:15 pm. Meal is provided by Ivy Tech Culinary Team (Chef Jeff Tabor, instructor) and cost is $8 per person. The movie Green Fire will be shown at 7:30 and is free to attend thanks to a partnership with the USDA Forest Service. Tickets are required and space is limited, so please call 812-334-4325 x115 to obtain tickets.
Friday, March 23
Ballantine waste audit - volunteers needed
When: 9:00 - 11:00 am
Where: Ballantine Hall loading dock
Description: Want more recycling opportunities on campus? Want to help IU towards sustainability? Then come help us conduct our final waste audit!
We'll be sorting recycling and trash at the Ballantine Hall loading dock from 9 - 11 a.m. - come for any amount of time you can. By volunteering, you'll be helping us figure out how our campus trash and recycling systems are doing. The information we'll learn will help us design the future of recycling at IU. Learn more about volunteering and register! See you there!
E-House Open House
When: 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Where: E-House, 704 E. 10th St.
Description: Come tour the new home for the Office of Sustainability! A presentation about the historic, net-zero building will be given at 12:30 pm. If you know you can come, RSVP here so that we can best plan for refreshments.
Livable Cities Speaker Series presents Dr. Gilbert Liu
When: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Where: Monroe County Public Library Auditorium
Description: Dr. Liu will present a talk titled, "Urban Greenness, Physical Activity, and Child Obesity." Dr. Liu is a Research Scientist at the Children's Health Services Research Program in Indianapolis. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and adjunct faculty with the IU School of Public Health, and the IUPUI departments of Geography and Economics. Dr. Liu teaches general pediatrics and researchers community-based causes of child obesity. He has led numerous studies on the relationships between child obesity, physical activity, diet, neighborhood-level socio-economic factors, school characteristics and programs, and urban-form factors such as street design, population density, land-use, access to greenspace, and proximity to supermarkets.
IU Campus Garden Initiative: Spring Workdays
When: 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Where: Hilltop Gardens
Description: Volunteer with us at the Campus Garden Initiative's new plot at Hilltop Gardens: learn and practice skills for planning, planting and tending to edible plants; help shape the plan for using produce grown this summer; and meet fellow volunteers passionate about growing food for our campus. Workdays will take place every Friday from 2-4pm. For more information, contact Stephanie Hopkins, Garden Coordinator at iugarden@indiana.edu or visit iugarden.wordpress.com.
Monday, March 26
Volunteer and help improve IU recycling When: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Where: TBD
Description: Help make IU's recycling program be the best it can be! Your task, should you choose to accept it, will be to investigate recycling practices in an IU building and identify opportunities for changes. We'll provide all the information you need to figure out what IU's recycling system needs to comply with best practices. Time commitment of one hour minimum, with the opportunity to continue this project on your own at times other than those listed. If you have one, a smart phone would be helpful. Contact No Waste Coordinator Meredith Dowling to sign up: medowlin@indiana.edu.
Tuesday, March 27
Greek Energy Challenge Prep Session
When: 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Where: E-House, 704 E. 10th St. (one block east of Yogi's)
Description: Come learn how your house can be successful in the Greek Spring 2012 Energy Challenge. Register here.
Wednesday, March 28
Green Drinks Bloomington presents Dave Rollo
When: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Where: Banquet Facility of the Upland Brewing Company, 350 West 11th Street
Description: At 6 p.m., Dave Rollo, City Councilman and Farm Manager for Stranger's Hill Organics, will provide a presentation entitled "Peak Oil: Evidence and Consequences". The March Green Drinks Bloomington is sponsored by Lisa Pantzer, DVM with Holistic Veterinary Services.
Green Drinks Bloomington is a lively, informal social networking event for people from all walks of life who are interested in making a greener world. Folks gather every month to share libations and ideas, discuss, debate, explore and make new friends and business connections. It is held the 4th Wednesday of every month from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Banquet Facility of the Upland Brewing Company. There's a $5 suggested donation, some food will be provided. To receive a monthly reminder, write greendrinksbloomington@gmail.com. To learn more about Green Drinks visit www.greendrinks.org.
Saturday, April 7
Bloomington Community Orchard Planting Day
When: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Where: BCO, 2120 S. Highland Ave.
Join fellow orchard volunteers in the planting of 25 fruit trees, perennial flowers, cover crops, and a rain garden. Community potluck with follow. Visit www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org for more information.
Friday, April 13
2011-12 Academic Year Sustainability Internship Symposium
When: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Where: Neal Marshall Grand Hall, 275 N Jordan Ave. Description: Registration now open for this year's symposium! The symposium will feature the academic year research projects of IU Bloomington's sustainability interns. The agenda will include:
- Complimentary lunch featuring local food
- Project presentations by three interns
- A poster session illustrating project findings for each intern
Visit the webpage for the 2010-11 academic year symposium to get a better idea of the event's structure. A full listing of this year's interns and their projects can be found here. We encourage you to register now to help us plan appropriately for the event. We hope you will join us in celebrating our students' contributions to the campus sustainability initiative.
News, ongoing events, and opportunities:
Indiana State University seeks applications for two sustainability positions
ISU seeks an Assistant Director and an Administrative Assistant for its Institute for Community Sustainability. Full position descriptions are available in this PDF. The postings should soon be on the ISU Applicant Tracking System where candidates can apply.
City of Bloomington seeks Energy Management Intern, application due 4/4
The intern will work directly with the Sustainability Coordinator and facilities staff to perform energy assessments of and develop energy reduction strategies for 10-15 city-owned facilities. The intern will also help gather and maintain energy and water data. Please click here for full PDF position description.
Now scheduling: presentations and events in Bloomington with Farm Sanctuary President Gene Baur
Hailed as "the conscience of the food movement" by TIME magazine, Farm Sanctuary president and co-founder Gene Baur campaigns to raise awareness about the negative consequences of industrialized factory farming. He will be coming to Bloomington April 10-11, 2012 for a series of speaking engagements and events. If you are interested in having Gene present to your class or organization, would to attend or sponsor a public lecture or special event, or help support Gene's visit in other ways, please contact Maria Heslin, Deputy Mayor at 812.349.3569 or heslinm@bloomington.in.gov. Click here for a PDF flyer with more information.
Earth Charter Indiana revises position description for summer internship, applications due 4/10
Sustainable Indiana 2016 is a collaborative project initiated by Earth Charter Indiana to leverage our upcoming bicentennial as a catalyst for Indiana becoming a much greener state through grassroots education and motivation. Tasks of this summer's interns will include
- Identify, certify and honor, through signage and press conferences, innovative gardens in a 10 county region.
- Conduct garden site visits and interview gardeners.
- Encourage community connections (garden pot-lucks, plant a row for the homeless, cooperative work days).
- Showcase innovative gardeners on websites, YouTube, and print media.
To download the full position description and instructions on how to apply, click here. Applications are due April 10th, 2012.
Sierra Club extends deadline to apply for "Best Internship on Earth 2012"
The Sierra Club is excited to share that we've just extended the deadline to apply to our 3rd annual "Best Internship on Earth" search for an Outdoor Youth Ambassador (www.sierraclub.org/bestinternship)! The new deadline is Monday, April 2nd. Details about the program are available on our website, including a generous stipend and $2,000 to spend at The North Face!
Workshops provided at Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
For all of you who have spring fever and are eager to begin gardening - and hunting for mushrooms, we have some fun and helpful workshops at the Bloomington Winter Farmers Market the last two Saturdays in March! Come and get some great local food and flowers, stay and have breakfast - or lunch - and enjoy the FREE seminars! Saturdays, 9am to noon, at Harmony School (909 East 2nd Street). The market is open throughout the winter until March 31, 2012.
Submissions for "What makes your campus green?" student video contest due 4/6. Cash prizes to winners!
What makes your campus green? Answer that question in Herman Miller's third annual student video contest. From bike commuting to school-wide recycling, show us how your campus is looking out for the earth. Be heard. Be creative. Have fun. And win up to $2,500 cash. Click here to
view complete contest rules, and visit the contest website to submit your video here. If you'd like, forward your submission on to the IU Office of Sustainability (sustain@indiana.edu), and we may feature it on our webpage!
Summer 2012 sustainability course listing now available
Learn about sustainability this summer and get credit. Check out the sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses offered on and off-campus through the IUOS web site or Office of the Registrar. Contact alamm@indiana.edu with questions or suggestions for the listings.
University of Notre Dame seeks Director of Sustainability
The University of Notre Dame seeks to hire a Director of Sustainability to collaborate with University leaders, students, faculty and staff to achieve the goals outlined in the University Sustainability Strategy, approved in the fall of 2011. This position will lead and foster a campus culture that embraces sustainable policies, actions and attitudes related to energy conservation and reduction of emissions as well as conservation of resources and waste reduction. She/he will partner with colleges and departments, administrative units and students and student groups to identify and complete projects that contribute to the University's sustainability goals and foster behavior change. Master's degree or commensurate experience required; preference for Engineering, Science or Environmental-related degree. Must have 7 or more years of experience in a similar role. Compensation will be in the range of $71,044 - $110,000. Apply directly online at the ND jobs site - Job #12095 - or visit https://jobs.nd.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=58184.
Bread & Roses announces new nursery extension
Bread & Roses: Edible & Beautiful Landscapes has expanded to include a nursery with the aim of providing local, high quality, sustainably grown, edible, useful, and medicinal plants. Pre-orders are now being accepted for Spring 2012. Plants will be available beginning in early April, and we will be co-hosting a series of spring plant sales with Keith Johnson at Renaissance Farm this April-May. Please send any inquiries to Salem at salemwillard@gmail.com.
IU participates in national recycling recycling competition - help us win the Big 10!
2012 marks IUB's 3rd year participating in RecycleMania, a North American college and university recycling competition. RecycleMania offers IUB the opportunity to compare our recycling and waste reduction habits to our peer institutions so we can learn where we're succeeding and where we can improve. Over an 8-week period each spring, colleges across the United States and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are in turn ranked in various categories based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis, as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling.
With each week's updated ranking, the IUB community can track our performance against other universities and see where we need to improve. The RHA EcoReps are promoting waste reduction activities in residential centers across the IUB campus-look for events in your center!
Check out IUB's rankings online and rally your friends to help us beat Purdue!
Public input sought for ImagineBloomington city planning process
ImagineBloomington is a community visioning process to decide what Bloomington will be like in 25 years. According to the ImagineBloomington website, "results of this process will create the foundation, Bloomington's vision, for the City's comprehensive plan. Having a new vision for the community is the first step in the process for updating the City's Plan - known as the Growth Policies Plan." The process offers several ways for citizens to be involved, including community workshops, surveys, and online forums.
A long-term plan such as this offers much opportunity for weaving sustainability ideals and practices into the fabric of Bloomington's infrastructure and policies. By using tools such as renewable energy, effective public transportation, stormwater management, and support for local farmers and businesses, we can try to offer some solutions to these questions. Public input is vital to the planning process, and we want to make sure those who value sustainable policies are included. Whether you take a few minutes to fill out the survey or spend a couple of hours at a workshop, make your voice heard!
Applications due 4/10 for internships with Earth Charter Indiana
Sustainable Indiana 2016 is a collaborative project initiated by Earth Charter Indiana to leverage our upcoming bicentennial as a catalyst for Indiana becoming a much greener state through grassroots education and motivation. This year the theme is "Plant a Garden." We have funding to field a summer intern in each of the nine regions of the state. The summer interns will locate gardeners in every county of the region, thank them for contributing to sustainable food security, discover how they are building community relationships through their garden, and offer to honor their garden with an attractive sign reading "Indiana Bicentennial Green-Legacy Garden." To download the position description and instructions on how to apply, click here. Applications are due April 10th, 2012.
Seeking Operation Team Leaders/Members for the Bloomington Community Orchard
Are you interested in the day-to-day maintenance, hands-on work, systems building, or volunteer involvement of Bloomington's ever-evolving, publicly-owned, volunteer-run Orchard? We are looking for team members to fulfill many different roles needed for upkeep, including: organizing workdays, creating and preparing projects, deciding when things will happen and how, connecting volunteers with certain activities, and preparing the Orchard for all the activities we do. If you would like to get involved with the Operations Team, please contact Stacey Decker at staceyldecker@gmail.com.
Byron Fellowship 2012: Request for Nominations
The Byron Fellowship is an interdisciplinary course in sustainable communities that uniquely engages participants through place-based learning. We are looking for 18 to 20 exceptional upper class undergraduates, graduate students, or recent graduates that have a passionate interest in creating sustainable communities.
This year's Byron Fellowship will take place May 20 - 25 at Turkey Run State Park in Parke County, Indiana.
During the five and a half day program, participants will learn from a collection of academic teachers and active practitioners. Participants and mentors represent a wide spectrum of disciplines including the arts, natural science, social science, engineering, and theology. The teaching methods include tutorial mentoring, collaborative discussion, team building, and individual reflection.
More information is available at: http://www.byronfellowship.org.
Join the Student Committee for the IU Fall Involvement Fair
Interact with other students, build relationships and gain leadership experience through this volunteer opportunity. The committee will be broken up into smaller committees that include: Publicity, Entertainment andSustainability. Students involved will attend committee meetings and work with other students starting this semester. Plan sustainability initiatives and be a part of the "Green Team" at the fair!
We need creative students to help make the next Student Involvement Fair a success! Students with ideas for the fair or just an eagerness to be involved with the process should contact Allie Medellin at sif@indiana.edu.
Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9am to noon, Harmony School (909 East 2nd Street)
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is a great opportunity to buy directly from local growers during the winter months. Our cozy indoor market features local products, live music, and a wonderful community. Join us for breakfast and buy local produce, meats, baked goods, dairy, and more! The market is open throughout the winter until March 31, 2012.
Permaculture interns sought for Bread & Roses Gardens
Bread & Roses Gardens is a woodland homestead in Will Holler, on the south side of Lake Monroe, 10 miles south of Bloomington in the heart of Hoosier National Forest. Certified Permaculture Designer Salem Willard founded Bread & Roses in January of 2011 to create a thriving example of sustainable living. Interns will be asked to commit to a minimum of 4~6 hours/week. Ideally interns will be able to join us throughout the growing season (March~October), however seasonal positions will be considered. In addition to cerebral and kinesthetic learning at B&R Gardens, we will naturally send helpers home with handfuls of hearty goods to feed their hearts and hungry stomachs. We are more than willing to negotiate hosting independent learning projects for credit through the University. Visit http://www.breadandrosesgardens.com/index.html to learn more about Bread & Roses. Click here to download PDF flier with more information about the internships.
Opportunities with Pick Up America
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with us this year! In 2012, we will be completing our three year coast-to-coast roadside litter pick-up by walking from Colorado to the California coast. We are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. We are a one-of-a-kind traveling nonprofit crew aiming to connect with one-of-a-kind individuals. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visit http://pickupamerica.org/connect to find details about the available positions.
Green Corps Now Accepting Applications
Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps' year-long paid program, you'll get intensive training in the skills you'll need to make a difference in the world. You'll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems - global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others - with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we'll help you find a career with one of the nation's leading environmental and social change groups. In the next few months, we'll invite 35 college graduates to join Green Corps in 2012-2013. We're looking for people who are serious about saving the planet, people who have taken initiative on their campus or community, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work for change over the long haul. If you think you're one of those people, visit http://www.greencorps.org/apply to submit your application to join the 2012-2013 class of Green Corps' Field School for Environmental Organizing. Green Corps' year-long program begins in August 2012 with Introductory Classroom Training in Boston, and continues with field placements in multiple locations across the U.S. Candidates must be willing to relocate. For more information, visit www.greencorps.org or contact Aaron Myran, Green Corps Recruitment Director, at aaron@greencorps.org or 617.747.4302.
Applications for FoodCorps due 3/25
FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, is now accepting applications for its second annual class of service members. The selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems - expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and sourcing fresh, healthy, local food for school cafeterias. FoodCorps seeks up to 100 men and women with a passion for serving their country as AmeriCorps service members by building healthy communities in 12 states around the country. Emerging leaders interested in getting more information should visit http://foodcorps.org/become-a-service-member.
Downtown Bloomington Recycling Center Now Open for Business
A new recycling center has opened downtown in the parking lot behind the Showers Building on 10th Street. The center is part of a collaboration of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County Solid Waste Management District and Pedal Power owner Chad Roeder to make recycling more sustainable and accessible to downtown residents.
The recycling center is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Materials accepted at the center include:
- Steel and aluminum cans (no scrap metal)
- Plastics #1-7
- Clear and colored glass bottles and jars (no window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, etc)
- Mixed paper/fibrous products (junk mail, newspaper, office paper, paperboard, etc)
- Corrugated cardboard
All materials must be free from food contamination, and paper and cardboard products must be dry. The center does not currently accept hazardous materials such as paint, aerosols, poisons or batteries, but these items may be taken to the Monroe County Recycling Center at 3400 S. Walnut Street. Visit their facebook page or website for more information. For further questions about the recycling center downtown call Chad Roeder at 325-2777.
Got aquarium?
Moving out and can't take your aquarium pets with you? Don't dump them in the lake or into local waterways! Many aquarium plants and animals are non-native species that can wreak havoc on our local environment. Contact the Bloomington Animal Shelter at (812) 349-3492 or the Monroe County Humane Association at (812) 335-9453.
Sign a petition for local transit funding referenda
Bloomington Transportation Options for People (B-TOP) has passed a resolution supporting a petition from the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority calling for dedicated funding for transportation. To read and sign the petition, visit http://www.cirta.us/. Also, if you are involved in an organization that may want to pass a resolution, the coalition is looking for more supporting organizations to sign on.
Common Circle Education announces cross-country bike trip & permaculture design course
This three-month intensive course combines our Urban Permaculture and Regenerative Leadership Certificate training, followed by a Wilderness First Aid training before we head on the road cycling from Eugene, Oregon all the way across America to Washington DC (we'll be roughly following the
TransAM bike route - about 4200 miles), promoting and learning about sustainable living and intentional communities. Program takes place between June 1 - August 31, 2012 and is designed for beginner to intermediate cyclists. More details @ http://commoncircle.com/cross-country-bicycle-tour.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore Seeks Volunteers
As a volunteer run organization, the ReStore has made great strides this past year, such as sponsoring an energy star rated Habitat home as well as diverting over 228 tons of goods from the landfill. With your help, we can go further. At the heart of the Habitat ReStore's operating philosophy is a sense for the green and the hope that we can create a more sustainable community in Bloomington. With daily volunteer opportunities available, this is a great way to make a direct impact in your community. Contact Bruce Murray at 331-2660 or murray@monroecountyhabitat.org for more information about how you can help!
Winter Thermostat Settings - a message from the IU Physical Plant
Cold weather is here, so please set down the thermostats to the winter set point of 68 degrees for classrooms, offices, hallways, lounges and general rooms (excluding labs with critical temperature requirements). Set points can be slightly higher for rooms that have window, ventilation or other comfort problems. Vestibules should be set at 60 degrees. The thermostats that control cooling only units should be left at 78 degrees.
Please contact the Operations Dispatchers to have Work Request initiated for each building involved with this work. These Work Requests will be part of Project No. 2012. If these set points cause problems for particular rooms please contact Doug Trueblood (rtrueblo@indiana.edu). Thank you for the many ways you continue to help us keep our energy cost down as much as possible.
Green Acres Neighborhood Ecovillage
Want to grow sustainable community right here in Bloomington? Our "retrofit cohousing" ecovillage offers sustainability-related events, community potlucks, music jams, and much more. Come learn with us (even if you don't live in the neighborhood) and make new friends. We welcome folks of all ages who are attracted to our vision. Learn more at www.ganecovillage.org/vision-and-values. To get involved, join our email list by sending a blank email to: green-acres-neighborhood-ecovillage+subscribe@googlegroups.com.
Bloomington Community Orchard Workdays and Events
The Orchard has many opportunities for all interest levels. Workdays, team meetings, limestone benchmaking workshop, tabling at community events, tours at the Orchard..the list goes on! Check out our calendar (http://www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org/site/calendar) for details or email Stacey at getinvolved@bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org for more information.
Monroe County Pharmaceutical Disposal Program
The Monroe County Prosecutor's Office this week announced a new effort to collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose, and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal. For more information visit http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor and follow the link to the Monroe County Pharmaceutical Safe Disposal Program, or call 349-DRUG.
Take the Pledge - Go Phosphorus Free!
Clear Choices for Clean Water is a campaign to increase awareness about lawn care and its impact on our streams and lakes. Water quality friendly lawn care includes practices such as using phosphorus-free fertilizer, landscaping with native plants, managing yard and pet wastes, and overall lawn reform. Click here to take the pledge: http://www.clearchoicescleanwater.org/
Student Conservation Association Internships
The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. See http://thesca.org/serve/internships for more information and to apply.
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About Us
The mission of the Indiana University Office of Sustainability is to advance sustainable human-environment interactions within the Bloomington campus and community by facilitating collaborative academic and operational initiatives.
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Contact Us
IU Office of Sustainability
E-House
704 E. 10th St.
Bloomington, Indiana 47408
812-855-1822
www.indiana.edu/~sustain
sustain@indiana.edu
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