2/9/05 - sustainability group meeting minutes
Wednesday, February 9, 2005; 3:00 - 4:30 pm; Building 16, Room 211

Attendees:
Barbara Dumbleton, Science
Denise Gosar, Student
Jennifer Hayward, College Operations
Marie Matsen, College Operations
Bob Mention, Facilities Management & Planning
Mike Sims, Recycling & Surplus Property
Susan Tatar, Facilities Management & Planning
Rick Venturi, Specialized Employment Services
Krystine Watkins, Associated Students of Lane Community College

Minutes:

1. Proposed Fall Sustainability Conference at Lane

Matsen reported that she, Hayward, and Vice President for Instruction & Student Services, Sonya Christian, presented information about sustainability program plans and activities to the Executive Team earlier this week. Matsen explained that one of the outcomes of the presentation was that President, Mary Spilde, recommended that Lane host a conference on sustainability this fall.

Matsen proposed that the conference have the following characteristics:

• be one day;
• have inspirational and well-known keynote speaker (Anthony Cortese);
• take place in the CML; and
• be co-sponsored by community partners (Mayor, City of Eugene, City of Springfield, 4J, EWEB, SUB, BRING).

Members agreed that Lane should host a conference on sustainability and discussed what the focus of the conference could be. Proposals included:

• sustainability basics;
• exploring the meaning of sustainability;
• why work toward sustainability;
• what are the basic things that an individual can do to move toward sustainability; and
• sustainability at the organizational level.

Members will provide additional feedback or ideas to Hayward via e-mail or at the next sustainability group meeting.

2. Facilities Council Policies

Hayward reported that the Facilities Council has prepared a draft policies document. The document will provide the Council with high-level guidance when making decisions. Hayward and Mention served on the subcommittee that worked on drafting the policies and have included statements that are meant to help the Facilities Council make decisions that promote responsible environmental stewardship.

Members will e-mail Hayward suggestions for additional statements that should be included in the policy document by Friday, February 11, 2005. In the future, the sustainability group will work on developing more specific policies about sustainable facilities that the Facilities Council could adopt. The draft Facilities Council Policies document is attached.

3. Update on Projects

• Sustainable paper: Sims reviewed the status of the sustainable paper project. The group is focusing on ensuring that all paper is double-sided. Strategies include ensuring that all printers and copiers have duplexers and working with IT on making computer print settings default to double-sided printing. Sims reported that he is meeting with Printing & Graphics Director, Gary Anderson, on February 11, 2005 to begin discussing possibilities for increasing double-sided printing on campus. Venturi suggested doing a campus-wide survey to determine support for and barriers to double-sided printing.
   
• Biodiesel: Hayward reported that a group of interested parties are meeting to discuss the Biodiesel project on Monday, February 14, 2005. Participants will include Diesel Program faculty, Science faculty, students, the Facilities Director, Venturi, and Hayward. Hayward will obtain quotes on purchasing biodiesel locally. Venturi will obtain information on Willie Nelson’s biodiesel co-op and determine whether the co-op would provide any benefit to Lane.

4. Green Bag Lunch Updates

• Foodservices: Sims reported that a Green Bag Lunch on foodservices is scheduled for Thursday, February 24, 2005. Executive Chef, John Onstenk, will present his plans for incorporating environmentally preferable practices into the foodservices operations and participants can provide feedback.
   
• Rainwater harvesting: Hayward reported that a Green Bag Lunch on rainwater harvesting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 2, 2005. The workshop will focus on Lane’s new rainwater harvesting system and how participants can set up rainwater harvesting systems at their homes.

5. Other Business

• Board Presentation: Matsen announced that she, Hayward, and Christian will be doing a presentation on Lane’s sustainability program at the March 9, 2005 Board Meeting. Matsen invited sustainability group members to attend.
   
• Education for Sustainability Western Network Spotlight Campus: Matsen reported that Lane is the February spotlight campus of the month for the Education for Sustainability Western Network. Information about Lane’s sustainability program can be found at www.efswest.org.

Minutes prepared by: Jennifer Hayward                  

Date:   3/9/05                       

Action Items

• Venturi to audit environmental practices in the Laundry to determine whether improved environmental practices could be implemented. The investigation will include: chemical use; water volumes; temperatures; and heat recovery (Ebbage noted that an Energy Management class could help the laundry investigate heat recovery strategies).
• Hayward to ask the Green Chemistry Club coordinator, John Thompson, whether the Club’s students would be interested in researching Laundry chemical use as a project.
• Matsen and Hayward to propose a weekly time for Core Group meetings that will start after the first of the year.
• Members to brainstorm on sustainability themed books that would be appropriate for Reading Together via e-mail.
• Hayward to determine the status of the Reading Together Committee selection process for 05/06 and let the group know.

Earth Week

• Demers to determine ASLCC’s interest in participating or co-coordinating a commute challenge.
• Members to brainstorm films that could be included in the Earth Week film series via e-mail.

Coordination with Facilities Council

• Members to e-mail Hayward suggestions for additional statements that should be included in the Facilities Council policy document by Friday, February 11, 2005.
• Hayward to send an e-mail to the sustainability group asking people to let her know if they are interested in being on the Facilities Council’s Long Range Transportation Planning Task Force.

Fall Conference

• Members to provide additional feedback or ideas about a Fall 2005 Conference on Sustainability to Hayward via e-mail or at the next sustainability group meeting.

“Green bag” lunches

• Hayward to determine whether architect, Galen Ohmart is available to do a presentation on Lane’s proposed Model Sustainability Building as a green bag lunch.
• Hayward to ask Marie Matsen to ask Tracy Simms if the monthly sustainability green-bag lunch event could be a regular event listed on the Lane home page.

Foundation account

• Matsen to provide suggested talking points for group members to use when promoting the sustainability account.

Biodiesel Project

• Hayward to obtain quotes on purchasing biodiesel locally.
• Venturi to obtain information on Willie Nelson’s biodiesel co-op and determine whether the co-op would provide any benefit to Lane.