Environmental Issues Committee

May 15, 2008 in EMU Century Room E

 

Attendees: Chuck Kalnbach, Jim Blick, Lynn Giordano, Steve Mital, Art Farley, Bill Cresko, Deb Merskin

 

Review of Recommendations for Final Report

Approved with the following changes:

 

Class I:  Physical infrastructure

Definition:  add - all property owned and leased by the university (properties leased out by the university should be included in a phased approach)

 

Sources:  add - heating with natural gas

 

Class II:  Direct transportation activities

Definition:  specify - university sanctioned travel

 

Goals:  add – reduce travel where appropriate and encourage modes that emit fewer emissions and increase café standards in motor pool

 

Measurement:  change - “staff member” to “user”

 

Other suggestions:

-  Consider idea of a travel budget

-  More explicit wording needed to reflect that -- after doing everything possible to reduce emissions would need to purchase offsets in order to reach the goal of carbon neutrality

 

Class III:  Indirect transportation activities

Definition:  change to: Emissions resulting from travel to and from campus by users that is not paid for by the university, except for Study Abroad travel.

 

Sources:  change - “International Affairs” to “Study Abroad”

 

UO Responsibility:  delete the word “automobile” and clarify that the UO is responsible for reducing demand but not for mitigating the remaining emissions

 

Measurement:  After Estimate add - carbon emissions in absolute terms per user

 

Monitoring:  change 5-7 years to 5 years

 

Additional comments:

- add more shuttle services to provide safer transportation to parking areas after hours

- more awareness needed when setting faculty teaching schedules may lessen extra trips to and from campus 

 

Class IV:  Goods & services

UO Responsibility – change “and develop” to “and enhance” the Campus Recycling program…

 

Other comments:

- Increase purchase of local and cruelty free products (more feasible as monitoring tools become available)

- Should include construction related & embodied emissions in new buildings/products (i.e., Berkeley model)

 

Next Meeting:   2:00 – 3:00 p.m. on June 12^th in EMU Century E

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Contact:
Kay Coots, R.S., CSP
Environmental Health and Safety Director
Phone: (541) 346-5421
E-Mail: kcoots@uoregon.edu