Campus sustainability advocates are thinking ahead, but working now, to impact the environment. The release of a university Climate Action Plan and waste reduction through recycling are two main goals of the Campus Sustainability Office in the new year.
“During the first half of this year, our focus will be on (the) Climate Action Plan,” said Noelle Studer-Spevak, campus sustainability manager. “We are trying to spread the awareness about it to all departments in the university.”
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) was originally due out in September 2009, but its release was pushed to this Friday to better prepare the working document, which will serve as a template for PSU’s 40-year plan regarding sustainability.
“We are going to come up with a very good draft for a climate action plan by this weekend,” Studer-Spevak said.
The Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) will submit the CAP to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in support of its aim to model ways to eventually eliminate global warming and to educate on the dangers of climate change in the hopes of achieving carbon emission neutrality.
The following actions will be taken as a part of this plan: An energy conservation study of campus buildings, a greenhouse gas audit and an incorporation of Transportation and Parking Services’ strategies for energy conservation, as well as work with the Office of Information Technology to develop a plan for meeting the goals of ACUPCC.
Barry Messer, Urban Studies and Planning professor, is working with a class of students on the CAP, Studer-Spevak said. CSO is also working with the Portland State Green Team, which consists of university employees and students interested in issues related to energy conservation.
“While we would like to continue working with the Green Team on the Climate Action Plan, we also would like to start working on waste reduction,” Studer-Spevak said.
CSO is trying to save money through reducing its paper usage by 30 percent, and is choosing to invest its funds in energy conservation projects that will see payback within five years or less. For instance, CSO will replace old equipment with new energy-efficient equipment.
“We are working with student government to create a four-year Green Fee that would create a dedicated fund for energy conservation projects with paybacks of five years or less,” Studer-Spevak said.
Through the Green Fee project, CSO hopes to establish the following:
– FlexPass subsidy: Provide a subsidy to decrease the cost of the current FlexPass program. This is the first of many steps to creating a universal pass for all students at PSU
– Special sustainability projects fund: Establish a student-governed, grant-issuing committee for small-scale sustainable capital projects, such as bike parking stations, bikes for the new bike loan program, water bottle refilling stations, etc.
– Conservation and renewable energy manager: Provide a living-wage salary for a new energy manager, who will focus on coordinating energy efficiency projects, in addition to managing the Green Revolving Loan Fund
– Green Revolving Loan Fund: A fund to support sustainability projects that will result in long-term savings for students; such projects include energy-efficient lighting, energy and water conservation projects and highly efficient computer labs