Environmental
Issues Committee
May
11, 2005
EMU Roque
ATTENDEES: Ben Farrell, Steve Mital, Mitch Layden,
Karyn Kaplan, Robyn Hathcock,
Taylour Johnson, J.R.
Gaddis, Christine Thompson, Jim Blick, Paula Staight, Kay Coots,
Bob Jones
Announcements:
- Karyn
contacted
Kyle Allred to request a copy of his environmental literacy PowerPoint
presentation. She offered to forward it
to the Sustainability Task Force and anyone on the committee who like
this
information.
- The
Willamette
Valley Folk Festival begins May 20 and many volunteers are needed.
- The
ASUO is
hiring an Environmental Coordinator next year.
Taylor
can e-mail a copy of the position description to the committee and
would be
happy to forward any project ideas. One
of the job duties will be to meet with Steve Mital and Karyn Kaplan as
needed.
- Steve
announced
that electricity for the EMU is being provided by Stateline Wind
- The
Earthtub is
up and running. Over 350 pounds of food
waste has been added and the temperature is climbing.
Karyn asked Steve for a write up that she
could forward to the US Composting Council.
Earth Day:
Taylor said that
this Earth Day was a great success. Next
year Earth Day falls on a Sunday, and
the UO event will be Thursday, April 20.
Transportation
Survey:
DPS provided
the funding
for a survey of faculty and staff transportation habits when traveling
to and
from campus. Steve distributed a handout
that highlighted some of the information with graphs. He will meet with
Tom
Hicks, Rand Stamm, and a representative from LTD on June 8th
to
review the entire report; and subsequently it will be made public.
- Approximate
1/10 of
the target population were surveyed with 404 people interviewed by
telephone.
- The
objectives were
to: 1) gage faculty and staff knowledge
of parking and transportation modes; 2) knowledge of existing
alternatives; and
3) the likelihood that they would take advantage of possible incentives.
The committee
applauded
Fumi and Public Safety for funding the study.
Christine said that it is good timing, as it will assist
with update of
the campus plan transportation section next year.
Tallories
Declaration:
Ben asked for
feedback on
the letter he drafted to President Frohnmayer.
Christine suggested that it be changed to a one-page
letter with the
Talloires Declaration attached.
Kay mentioned
that the
President had asked the EIC to review and provide a recommendation on
this
document. Bob recalled that it was in
the fall of 2001. It would be beneficial
to reference that the committee has recently reevaluated the
declaration and
taken into account that progress has been made over the past few years. The University is in a better position to
accept the responsibilities and challenges outlined in the Tallories
Declaration. Christine pointed out that
President Frohnmayer’s support of the EIC, environmental studies, and a
wide
range of sustainable endeavors across campus has helped make this
recommendation possible at this point in time.
Steve shared
that the
person who was instrumental in developing the Tallories Declaration
will be in Eugene
this October. There is an effort underway
to bring him to
the University.
Ben will
revise the letter
before the next EIC meeting. It was
suggested that Dan Williams be asked to review the letter as well. If the President decides to endorse the
declaration, the committee suggested that he consider singing it in
October.
Ben will
draft the
year-end report for the committee to review before sending it to the
University
Senate, Dan Williams, and a copy to Francis Dyke. Karyn
asked that the report include a
recommendation for the Vice President’s office to continue funding
environmental ads in the Oregon Daily
Emerald.
The next
Environmental Issues Committee meeting will be
held on June 8, from 2:00 – 3:30 in the EMU Roque Room.
Contact:
Kay Coots, R.S., CSP
Environmental Health and Safety Director
Phone: (541) 346-5421
E-Mail:
kcoots@uoregon.edu
