A Workshop on Sustainability & IT

About 60 leading researchers, program managers, and others gathered in Washington, DC, last Thursday and Friday to discuss new fundamental CSE research opportunities that will meet important enabling needs as the nation and world seek long-term sustainable technologies and behaviors. Thistwo-day meeting, co-sponsored by NSF’s CISE Directorate and the Computing Community Consortium, sought to go beyond routine uses of information technology to identify high-risk, high-reward research directions in sustainability that may not yet have received adequate attention or funding.

The workshop comprised three sessions with plenary talks followed by breakout discussions and report-backs, as well as a fourth session that served as an integration/wrap-up period.  The NSF’s Tim Killeen helped set the stage at the outset by describing the Foundation-wide, multi-year Science, Engineering, and Education of Sustainability (SEES) initiative.  Thursday morning breakouts focused on IT areas, such as cyber-physical systems, human-computer interaction, big data (including security and privacy), modeling and simulation, etc.  That afternoon, participants looked at application domains, i.e., energy, transportation, environment/climate, etc.  And the next morning, three topics served as the basis for the breakout groups:  the data deluge; transparency of models; and systems integration.

Some key highlights:

- We learned about several large-scale projects that are meeting with success because computer scientists have been brought together with application domain experts rather effectively.  For example, Carla Gomes (Cornell) described her Expeditions project on computational sustainability broadly; Vipin Kumar (U of Minnesota) presented on his Expeditions project on climate modeling; and Dave Waltz discussed his Con Edison-funded work on machine learning and the electric grid.

- We also heard from application domain experts who clearly articulated the role of basic computing research in their areas.  For example, Michael Meyer(Georgia Tech) — a transportation systems engineer — gave an excellent overview of the transportation system, including where we are today, where we could be in the future, and how IT research is critical for facilitating/enabling this transition.

- And Bill Tomlinson (UC-Irvine; author of “Greening for IT”) gave a fabulous talk coupling technology with basic human needs, such as happiness and safety.

Several new ideas emerged from the discussions, such as the sustainability of sustainable data; the breadth of the sustainability space and the richness of the computational problems; and the challenges particularly in transportation.

The organizing committee hopes to have a final report describing the sustainability space — and particularly the role of CSE research — in about a month’s time.  Stay tuned!  In the meantime, check out the workshop website which includes the full agenda, speakers’ slides, and two-page white papers from many of the participants, along with a wealth of other info.  And we’ll have videos of the plenaries and breakout report-backs posted shortly, too.

Special thanks to my fellow organizing committee members for putting the workshop together on a short time fuse:  Bob Sproull (Oracle; chair); Randy Bryant(CMU; co-chair); Doug Fisher (Vanderbilt); Carla Gomes (Cornell); Krishna Kant(Intel & NSF); Bill Rouse (Georgia Tech); Prashant Shenoy (UMass-Amherst); andDave Waltz (Columbia).  And thanks also to everyone who contributed their time and ideas as participants!

(Contributed by Erwin Gianchandani, CCC Director)

After several weeks of editing text and updating code, and countless discussions with Technical Advisors, AASHE launched STARS 1.1 on February 9th. This version of STARS includes what we call “minor substantive changes.” This means that a few credits have been restructured (OP credit 6: Food and Beverage Purchasing, for example), but we have not added or deleted credits or changed the points allocated to specific credits. We have also attempted to clarify many of the credits and corrected grammar, mechanics, and formatting issues.

The release of 1.1 highlights two of the fundamental principles of STARS that I think are extraordinary strengths of the program. One is a belief in a process of continuous improvement, with a willingness to seek out feedback. We recognize that STARS is not perfect and even if it was perfect, it would become imperfect over time with changes in technology, values and beliefs. Many of the changes we have made to STARS come from concerns, questions, and suggestions that were raised by STARS Participants, Technical Advisors and our Steering Committee. Thanks to everyone that has participated in the process. As a bit of encouragement to those who haven’t participated thus far, please feel free to share your thoughts about STARS by emailing us at stars@aashe.org.

The other principle that seems to make STARS stand out is transparency. Not only can you look at a record of the changes we have made to the system, you can also download the complete STARS Technical Manual and a Credit Checklist and determine how many points you would earn in STARS – without paying a dime. Of course, to earn a STARS Rating and gain access to the Reporting Tool (which, by the way, is an awesome way to track your data) an institution would need to first register for STARS. However, the resources that are available to anyone with an interest and an internet connection are impressive. (You might also want to check out the STARS Reports of the institutions that have already submitted for a Rating.)

As excited as we are about the changes we’ve made for STARS 1.1, we know we still have a lot of work to do! In the STARS Technical Development Process (which is, of course available online), “major revisions” are the next level of change after “minor revisions.” If you have made a suggestion for credit improvements and haven’t seen it implemented, it may be that the change was deemed too significant for the minor revisions in STARS 1.1 and that we are working to include your suggestion in STARS 2.0. Although we will likely make administrative changes and possibly even another set of minor changes before we are ready for “major” change, we are thinking about what those major changes might look like. In fact, less than 24 hours after we released STARS 1.1, we were brainstorming for STARS 2.0. (Don’t worry. We don’t expect to release this version of STARS for quite some time.)

I would like to congratulate AASHE and the STARS Team for the progress we have made so far and the exciting changes to come. Good work!

The below article was reposted from the Advancing Education for Sustainability blog published by Second Nature. The article is written by Jim Elder, the Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy.

Winter brings the beginning of the annual federal budget battles, and we are again seeking help and leadership from college and university presidents. You were instrumental in convincing Congress to create and partially fund a new grant program for sustainability in higher education (the University Sustainability Program, or USP), and now it is time to move the ball the last few yards over the goal line and get USP funded as a standalone program.

Nearly 300 ACUPCC presidents endorsed the original bill proposing USP, a major factor leading to passage of that bill in 2008. Last year, 150 presidents signed on to letters to Congress requesting that this new program be funded.

These letters were organized by state, and led by Rick Torgerson (Luther College), Diane Harrison (CAL State, Monterey Bay), Kevin Reilly (UWisconsin System), Marvin Krislov (Oberlin College), Ronald Thomas (U of Puget Sound), Mary Cantor (Syracuse University), and Thomas Purce (Evergreen State). These presidents led the process to garner signatures from other presidents in their state, demonstrating to their members of Congress the broad support and need for this kind of funding. We are particularly grateful for their leadership.

As a result, Congress made the USP one of six priority funding areas for the Department of Education’s $28 million Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education’s Comprehensive Program in FY2010. Subsequently, the Department of Education funded five sustainability proposals totaling over $4 million, a tremendous step in the right direction.
As Second Nature’s partner, the Campaign for Environmental Literacy (CEL), has been leading the USP campaign since the beginning. CEL believes that 300 signatories to letters from key states this year could, even in this difficult political and economic climate, convince Congress to fund USP as a $25 million stand alone program.

So if you reside in MT, IL, NJ, MS, TX, RI, HI, AR, OH, AL, KY, GA, or LA, please consider leading a support letter from your state by contacting Ulli Klein at Second Nature (uklein@secondnature.org or 617-722-0036 ext. 206). We will provide you with draft letter templates, background materials, and any other support you might need. Our target is to get letters out to key members of Congress in March.

With your help, this concerted effort can finally realize the full potential of the University Sustainability Program, bringing much needed new funding for sustainability to campuses across the country.

Brad McAllister, one of this month’s guest bloggers, is a partner and managing director at WAP Sustainability. He holds a B.S in ecology from the University of Georgia and an M.S in environmental science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Brad is an adjunct professor of Enterprise Sustainability at the Institute for Sustainable Practice at Lipscomb University and a member of the Climate Project.

In this time of heated political discourse and animosity it’s always comforting to find an agreement that we can hang out hats on. Just was the case a few days ago when both Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck emerged to declare, even as the heartland and northeast braced for another winter blow, that spring was on its way. Agreement was even found on the international stage as Canadians Shubenacadie Sam and Wiarton Willie both concurred with their American counterparts. Rejoice, rejoice! Nature has spoken spring is around the corner!

For many, Groundhog Day also brings to mind images of a 1993 comedy by the same name. The film starred Bill Murray as a dejected, self-centered, and down-right rude meteorologist forced to relieve, day-after-day, February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The cycle was only broken when Murray’s character allowed himself to see what the small town and its residents had to offer.

So what does this have to do with sustainability in higher education and on college campuses? Many professionals trying to implement sustainability in a university setting feel that they are in a groundhog cycle; reliving the same experiences and not making progress in their fight to create a more sustainable campus community. For all their good intentions and work, progress just doesn’t seem to happen.

Does any of the below sound familiar?

• You’ve scheduled a meeting to discuss the state of sustainability on your campus and all anyone wants to do is talk about what the definition of sustainability is?

• Despite best intentions, you’ve experienced deadlines pass you by, (including, perhaps, GHG inventory and Climate Action plan deadlines required by the American College & Universities Presidents’ Climate Commitment?)

• You’ve delivered presentations to student groups who look like they would rather be in an organic chemistry or finance class.

• You’ve received commitments and confirmation of financial resources only to find that the resources have been reallocated.

When these and other roadblocks repeatedly happen they become much more than hiccups, they become serious obstacles is seeing a sustainability vision to fruition. I can assure you that these issues are not only specific to the campus setting but occur throughout government and industry as well. The good news is, like Murray’s character, campuses are finding ways to break this cycle.

Take for instance, the University of Colorado at Boulder's recent achievement of STARS GOLD status or Duke’s Corporate Sustainability Program and Carbon Offset Initiative.
Numerous other institutions are also finding ways to break the cycle. Here in Tennessee, Lipscomb University has seen success with its Institute for Sustainable Practice by offering degrees and certificates in both sustainable business and science.

Over the next month we will be breaking down the Groundhog Cycle that many campuses find themselves in by using insights uncovered from our sustainability experience in government, industry and higher education. We will cover a variety of topics including:

• Effective engagement by removing barriers of departmental segregation.

• Purchasing and the power of life cycle thinking in the supply chain.

• Success Stories from the world of effective messaging.

• Building momentum from the local community and business leaders.

• The Integration of Sustainability and Traditional Curriculum.

• The Power of Sustainability in Higher Education

Be sure to check back with us. We hope you’ll read, enjoy, and by all means, let us know what you think by commenting or emailing the authors directly.

AASHE is gearing up for the fourth edition of its semi-annual Global Edition! From building solar cars in Palestine to adopting fair trade campus policies in New Zealand, the AASHE Bulletin: Global Edition covers the continued strides made by college and university campuses around the globe toward sustainability. Institutions from more than 15 countries were represented in the August 2010 issue and AASHE would like to hear what your institution has been up to since then.

We invite press releases and news article suggestions for inclusion in the upcoming issue, slated for a late-February release. Topics include green buildings, climate and energy initiatives, new educational programs, waste reduction efforts and more. To submit an item for consideration, email a hyperlink to the news story or press release that is posted online to bulletin@aashe.org with the subject line, “global edition.” The deadline for submissions is Feb. 21, 2011.

Please review the Global Edition Submission Guidelines before sending articles.

(S non-lab) GEP

Th 4:30PM - 7:00PM

Engineering Building Rm. 104

Dr. Ana Prados

This course will utilize NASA Satellite Imagery, newly created visualizations, and analysis and decision-support web-tools to provide a First Year Seminar (FYS). The course will provide students with an opportunity for early exposure to the Earth Sciences by learning how earth satellite monitoring is currently utilized in environmental and societal applications. The course structure will be a combination of in-class lectures, directed web-based hands-on activities, and student presentations, and will be taught at a computer lab on campus. In-class time will be divided evenly between lectures and hands-on computer exercises.

The course curriculum will primarily rely on NASA imagery and tools to teach 1) basic earth system science principles, climate variability and atmospheric chemistry and 2) Environmental and societal implications of climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and air pollution. Students will form 2-person teams to produce a total of 10 Student presentations to be provided throughout the semester. Students will choose (and/or will be assigned) one of the lecture topics and then utilize the concepts and tools learned in the course to deliver a Case Study at the local or regional level in the U.S or internationally. A Case Study uses imagery and analysis tools to explain current or past environmental conditions and provides a discussion of at least one environmental (e.g. crop damage, acid rain, biodiversity loss) and one societal (e.g. health, economics, flood damage, etc) aspect.

FYS 101R - Sustainability in American Culture

(AH) GEP

TuTh, 2:30PM - 3:45PM

Fine Arts Building Rm. 530

Rita Turner

In this installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series, members of the Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) at the University of California, Berkeley give a behind-the-scenes look at the process of opening up their sustainable food storefront for the campus community. Diary contributors include BSFC members Ruby Yoon, Justina Byrne, Christina Oatfield, Adam Merberg, Bree O'Keane and Katherine Walsh. AASHE welcomes questions and invites feedback on each Sustainability Student Diary entry. Submit diary entries of your own for consideration to bulletin@aashe.org.

November 17, 2010:
A year and a half ago, a group of University of California, Berkeley students created a movement called the Berkeley Student Food Collective. The movement was initiated against a fast-food company that was trying to move onto the UC Berkeley campus. We proposed a student-run food collective that would provide fresh, healthy sustainable food as an alternative. We also sought to provide education on healthy sustainable food.

One of the biggest tasks of the Food Collective was fundraising enough money to have a viable and sustainable business plan. Most of our funds came from grants, notably receiving $91,000 from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF), a UC Berkeley fund available for campus sustainability projects. Fundraising events, such as our Annual Harvest Gala, and donations from individuals also contributed to finally gathering enough funds to open.

Another big part of establishing or storefront was finding a physical location. After considering options like a mobile food cart, and looking into several locations, we obtained our current space at 2440 Bancroft Way, right across the street from the UC Berkeley campus. The process of opening up the store was long and complex, especially for a group of students with no experience as entrepreneurs. Business plans, permitting, passing inspections, gathering volunteers, researching inventory, locating equipment, etc. was a huge task, but with countless hours of time and effort put into the project, it happened. The store had its grand opening on Nov. 15, 2010.

The store is definitely still a work in progress, but everyone involved is so ecstatic about our opening, the things that need to happen will happen. Our store is run by volunteers who work one two-hour shift each week and receive a 10 percent store discount. If you come into the store now (open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.), you'll find lots of fresh produce, grab-and-go lunch items like sandwiches and wraps, bottled beverages, bulk bins, staple grocery items, dairy, coffee/tea, etc.

The following is a chronological look (from the formation of the collective to the present) at some of the nitty-gritty details that went into the opening of our storefront.

June 2009:
With help from a $91,000 grant from The Green Initiative Fund, the Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) is formed with the motto:

“We're dedicated to providing fresh, local, healthy, environmentally sustainable and ethically produced food at affordable prices to the Berkeley campus and greater community. We seek to educate students about nutrition and food systems, empower new leaders, and train youth to work in and manage a sustainable business. Through inclusive, democratic decision-making, we will operate a cooperative grocery market that promotes community-building and environmental stewardship.”

September 2009:
• Having already achieved nonprofit status, the BSFC works on documents for tax-exemption status.
• Grant applications are submitted to Tom’s of Maine, Organic Valley and Clif Bar in an effort to raise at least $250,000 to open a storefront.
• Negotiations with Naia Lounge (on-campus space) and for a site on Euclid Avenue fall through; BSFC re-evaluates its cost options and looks for alternative options to a storefront, including mobile carts.

November 2009:
• The BSFC holds the Harvest Gala, its first major fundraising event that features a silent auction, dinner and several speeches about sustainable and ethical food.
• Plans are made to sell food on campus on a weekly or monthly basis in spring 2010. An advisory board member offers to let BSFC prepare food in his commercial kitchen, and an intern is appointed to oversee the production and sale of food.
• After a presentation on its progress to the Berkeley Student Cooperative’s Board of Directors, BSFC signs a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the group.
• BSFC is notified that its storefront idea is a finalist for the Clinton Global Initiative University grant.
• With assistance from a graphic designer, BSFC finalizes its new logo for all future website and promotional materials.
• As part of its market research plan, BSFC sends members to count foot traffic and transactions at local eateries.

February 2010:
• BSFC prepares to sell sandwiches on campus and finalizes an agreement to prepare food in the kitchen at Blakes on Telegraph.
• BSFC is still exploring various possibilities for an on-campus location for its storefront. In accordance with a vote of the membership, BSFC researches the feasibility of a temporary or permanent food cart. Naia Lounge returns as a possible location.
• BSFC Policy Coordinator and ASUC Senator Christina Oatfield drafts an ASUC Senate bill to give the BSFC preferential treatment in the space allocation process. BSFC members plan to lobby the ASUC to pass the resolution with strong support.
• BSFC is designated as a supported project by Sustain Us with a recommendation to Clinton Global Initiative University Grants. The group also waits to hear about its grant status from Columbia Foundation, National Resources Defense Council, Growing Green Awards, Echoing Green and Rainbow Grocery. The group expects the Clif Bar Family Foundation to come to a decision on its application soon.

April 2010:
• BSFC members unanimously approve a motion to pursue a mobile kitchen. A group is assembled to negotiate with the university to allow the use of parking spaces in the lot near Sproul Hall, additional storage space on-campus, and to cooperate with its efforts to comply with permitting and licensing requirements.
• Three members of the Board of Directors represent the Berkeley Student Food Collective at the Clinton Global Initiative University conference in Miami.
• The External Affairs Committee of the Berkeley Student Cooperative, BSFC’s fiscal sponsor, votes to endorse a continuation of the BSFC fiscal sponsorship agreement on similar terms. The agreement will be terminated in May 2011 unless BSFC receives tax-exempt status or begins operations before then.
• BSFC secures the assistance of the Alameda County Small Business Development at no charge. They assign a consultant with extensive experience with food businesses and nonprofits to work with BSFC to help its business run smoothly.
• ASUC Senate unanimously passes a resolution is support of the Berkeley Student Food Collective moving into an available space on campus.
• BSFC works on a proposal for a student-run garden to the university administration. The proposed garden will include both communal and individual plots that incorporate fruit trees, herb spirals, composting, a tool shed and a small amphitheater.
• BSFC raises $600 from its 12-hour Dance-a-thon.
• BSCF starts selling sandwiches at Sproul Plaza every Monday. Sandwiches include tofu banh mi, black bean burgers, chickpea burgers and red lentil patties. The group partners with other student organizations in an effort to improve its outreach.

September 2010:
• BSFC signs a lease on a storefront at 2440 Bancroft Way (formerly UC Nails) and moves in. The group begins converting the space to a grocery store right away, aiming for a mid-October opening.
• Due to limited funds, the group decides to phase out the program director position and hire a manager for its storefront.
• BSFC hires its former program director as a consultant for six weeks to help open the store, along with another consultant with extensive co-op grocery experience.
• As the current agreement is scheduled to terminate with the opening of its store, BSFC works on a modified fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Berkeley Student Cooperative that will allow continued donations after the storefront opens its doors.
• BSFC receives $2,500 from the Clif Bar Family Foundation. Grant applications are still pending with Organic Valley and Farm Aid. The group does not receive a grant from the Clinton Global Initiative University.

November 2010:
• The Berkeley Student Food Collective storefront officially opens!

Watch interviews and read more about the Berkeley Student Food Collective storefront. 
 

Ari Epstein, a senior at the University of Chicago, is featured in this installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series for his efforts to make the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity function on a greener level. As co-house manager of the fraternity, Ari writes about working with the university’s Office of Sustainability to reform in-house and party practices. AASHE welcomes questions and invites feedback on each Sustainability Student Diary entry. Submit diary entries of your own for consideration to bulletin@aashe.org.

Before I became a SAGE Ambassador*at the end of spring quarter last year, I contacted the Office of Sustainability on behalf of the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity. Because of my interest in reforming in-house and party practices to be more environmentally conscious, the fraternity elected me to institute pro-sustainability changes as co-house manager of our South Campus house.

Members of the Office of Sustainability made my task very easy by providing advice on gradually implementing reforms in a large social organization like a fraternity, and gave me information on electronic, print, and city resources. Despite the lack of higher quality of photos in this series, I am pleased to share AEPi's successful sustainability reforms with the university community in order to generate interest among other large social registered student organizations to help reduce our carbon footprint and overall environmental impact, and to streamline existing sustainability measures like recycling.

Beginning shortly after my SAGE training, I introduced small changes to the fraternity by increasing in-house recycling, promoting awareness of electricity and water usage and starting an aerobic composting bin made out of a converted 45-gallon plastic trash can lined with wire mesh.

I now use old deli or produce bags to store fresh food scraps in the refrigerator until I bring down my weekly collection of waste and recyclables. Because I have a continuing ant problem and am cautious to develop a gnat problem, this system seems to work well. 

AEPi Sustainable Practices for Social Gatherings
Once the school year began and more fraternity brothers returned to campus, I shifted my focus to fraternity-wide events like socials, parties, and the like. I often saw tons of aluminum cans and paper cartons lining the floors of rooms in which the fraternity hosted social activities, so I designated an old trash bin to be used only for recycling. I taped one of the SAGE recycling tip sheets to one side of the bin, while the other side has taped-on letters spelling "RECYCLING!"

I also tried to avoid the unpleasant task of resorting recyclables and non-recyclables during party clean-up shifts by placing recycling containers only where they are in highest demand. In order to avoid a space problem, I tried not to place recycling and garbage bins in the same rooms. Therefore, I placed recycling bins in the rooms where refreshments are served in recyclable containers, while I placed only garbage bins in the areas only serving refreshments in disposable cups.

Not only do AEPi members spend less time sorting during clean-up shifts, party patrons generally sorted items without issue in the rooms where I provided garbage and recycling bins without compromising space. Even more, other AEPi members donated old towels to use as mops and cleaning rags instead of paper towels. Since we started using the towels during Orientation Week at the end of September, we have yet to use more than one roll of paper towels during four different cleaning shifts that covered nearly 4,000 square feet of space.

AEPi is committed to being a model for how other campus organizations can become more sustainable. Contact Ari at aepstein11@uchicago.edu to learn more about these efforts.

*From the University of Chicago Office of Sustainability's Katie Anson about the SAGE Program:

The University of Chicago is creating a culture of sustainability on campus through SAGE (Sustainable Actions for a Greener Environment) Trainings. In less than a year, over 100 students, staff and faculty have become SAGE Ambassadors. Armed with sustainability-related information, ambassadors are able to correct common sustainability misconceptions on campus, connect their peers to resources and act as environmental advocates on behalf of the Office of Sustainability. These 90-minute trainings provide a general overview of the university’s sustainability efforts and highlight actions that individuals can take in order to be a little greener in areas like energy and water conservation, alternative transportation, procurement, and sustainable food.

After these trainings, SAGE Ambassadors are charged with raising awareness, spurring dialogue and inspiring action in their dorms, offices and departments. SAGE Ambassadors have implemented numerous changes on campus, including greening the AEPi fraternity.