SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS: 
HIGHER ED. EDITION

August 

2013  

  

 

     Facts that are not frankily faced have a habit of biting us in the rear. 

 

 

  
Pellissippi State Recognized as Green Achiever for Sustainability Work
             

Pellissippi State Community College was recognized as a Knoxville leader in sustainability initiatives at a GoGreenET event May 14.

Attended by L. Anthony Wise Jr., Pellissippi State president, and Karen Lively, the college's new sustainable campus coordinator, the event included recognition of the school as a "Green Achiever," a program dedicated to recognizing East Tennessee businesses for sustainability initiatives.

 

"Pellissippi State is proud to join the ranks of other East Tennessee Green Achievers," said Wise, "and we look forward to continuing to be a leader in environmentally responsible initiatives and programs that reduce our carbon footprint and benefit our students, faculty, and staff."

 

"It was wonderful to see how many businesses and organizations in the area are adopting greener practices," Lively said.

 

To be recognized as a Green Achiever, Pellissippi State completed a survey outlining more than 100 ways an organization could encourage green business practices. Green Achievers must have accomplished at least one item in each category and have scored at least 30 points.

 

"It's very exciting that Pellissippi State met most of the criteria in the recycling, energy and water conservation, and waste reduction categories," said Lively. "We've already implemented some effective sustainability measures and will be incorporating even more in the future, such as providing reusable bags and water bottles to students at New Student Orientation and constructing a solar pavilion."

 

Pellissippi State has launched a number of green programs through its Sustainable Campus Initiative in recent years. The college employs recycling, water refilling stations, purchase of "green block" renewable energy, automatic light switches and faucets, hybrid vehicles for staff and faculty use, electric charging stations for alternative fuel vehicles, and replacement of traditional lighting with low-energy LED in the Clayton Performing Arts Center.

 

Pellissippi State students even voted to enact a sustainable campus fee of $10 per student for each semester. The funds go toward initiatives to make the college a healthier, more environmentally friendly space.

 

One recent initiative embraced by students and the full-service Cafeteria on the Hardin Valley Campus is Meatless Monday, an international movement aimed at reducing meat consumption by encouraging everyone to avoid meat one day of the week.

 

GoGreenET.com is an online resource hosted by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal. The site provides information to guide East Tennessee businesses and organizations toward improved environmental responsibility and energy efficiency.

For additional information on the college's sustainability efforts, call at (865) 694-6400.
  
            
 ETSU Receives Aquatic Stewardship Award
  

East Tennessee State University's Department of Sustainability has received the Higher Education Aquatic Stewardship Award from the Boone Watershed Partnership.

 

The department has worked closely with the Boone Watershed Partnership during the past year, coordinating volunteer workers from ETSU to aid in the beautification of Brush Creek, which runs along the railroad track next to the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs property and into downtown Johnson City.

 

Frequent flooding of the stream and surrounding area pulls a variety of litter and waste into the creek. In addition, complications from such contaminants as fertilizers, farm waste and other pollutants have contributed to Brush Creek's classification as an impaired stream.

 

Several creek clean-ups organized by the Department of Sustainability successfully removed large amounts of litter from the creek, leaving the area more aesthetically attractive and ecologically sound. Over the course of five clean-ups, more than 2,000 pounds of debris were removed. Volunteers recovered the usual items, such as plastic and glass bottles, but also discovered other waste, like construction debris and tires.

 

Fifty students from Dr. Aimee Govett's Science in Education classes were heavily involved in the effort, along with other campus groups including Alpha Phi Omega Honor Society. Through their participation, students gained a deeper understanding of the ecology of local waterways and discovered why streams should be kept in good condition.

 

The Department of Sustainability has worked to provide students with a variety of sustainability and environmentally related service opportunities that encourage interaction with community groups. This type of service work supplies students with a hands-on learning experience, connects them to local groups and initiatives outside the university and helps to enhance their retention of curriculum related to these topics.

 

At least two creek clean-ups are scheduled for the fall semester in conjunction with Volunteer ETSU's Service Saturdays. The Department of Sustainability aims to continue this ongoing project, as there is a fairly constant influx of litter into Brush Creek.

 

In addition to the clean-ups, the Boone Watershed Partnership, Washington County Economic Development Council and the Department of Sustainability have made it their mission to educate the campus community about the hazards of stream contaminants and waste build-up and to provide suggestions about ways individuals can reduce litter.

 

For further information, contact Kathleen Moore, director of the ETSU Department of Sustainability, at (423) 439-7766 or [email protected].

 

              
 VU Student Wins First Prize in DOE Fuel Cycle Competition
  

Lyndsey Morgan Fyffe, a doctoral student in environmental engineering, has been awarded a first place prize in the U.S. Department of Energy's Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards competition. 

 

Fyffe's award is in the category of energy policy, and her award-winning research paper, "Developing Operational Safety Performance Measures for Nuclear Chemical Facilities," was presented at the American Nuclear Society's International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Meeting in April 2013.

This year's meeting concentrated on the 'back end' of the nuclear fuel cycle, including waste generation, transportation, storage, treatment, disposal, facility remediation, regulation and stakeholder involvement.

 

Fyffe's research focus is safety and performance measures for nuclear chemical processing facilities. Her faculty co-advisers are James H. Clarke, professor of the practice of civil and environmental engineering, and director of graduate studies in environmental engineering, and Steven Krahn, professor of the practice of nuclear environmental engineering. Fyffe received a B.E. in civil and environmental engineering from Duke University in 2011.

 

"At present, the nuclear and chemical industries each have their own approach to safety management. DOE uses a systematic, detailed occurrence categorization process-informed by the practices of the commercial nuclear power industry. The chemical industry combines regulation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration with detailed investigations performed by the Chemical Safety Board. In a nuclear chemical processing facility, these two industries intersect and integrated safety metrics would be desirable," Fyffe said.

 

Fyffe's research includes reviewing the large database available in more than 60 published chemical industry accident reports completed by the CSB over the past 15 years to develop potential performance measures that will improve operating efficiency and safety for such facilities.

The Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards program supports academia and the goal of the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy to develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycle options by encouraging innovative research in fuel cycle related disciplines.

 

The program awarded 19 prizes in 2013 for student publications and presentations relevant to the nuclear fuel cycle. In addition to cash awards, winning students will have a variety of other opportunities, including presenting their research during the American Nuclear Society Winter meeting, participating in an Innovators' Forum, and participating in the DOE Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies Annual Meeting.

 

          

 Training Announcement

 

Composting on Campus:  Trends, Innovations, & Best Management Practices on October 10 at 1:00 p.m., EST. 

 

Click on the logo to the left to register for this informative webinar.

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