April 2015

Sustainability Bulletin

Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks

the anniversary of what many consider the

birth of the modern environmental

movement. Founded in 1970 as a day of

education about environmental issues,

Earth Day is now a globally celebrated

holiday. The brainchild of Senator Gaylord

Nelson and inspired by the antiwar

protests of the late 1960s, Earth Day was

originally aimed at creating a mass

environmental movement. It began as a

“national teach-in on the environment”

and was held on April 22 to maximize the

number of students that could be reached

on university campuses. By raising public

awareness of air and water pollution,

Nelson brought environmental causes into

the national spotlight.

At UAlbany, we celebrate April as Earth

Month with a wide array of festivities and

educational events that cover topics

including our food systems, our heritage,

and our community, in addition to many

others. Browse through these pages to find

something for you!

April 16: Day of the Mushroom, CC Lower Level

April 18: Green Day, Dutch Quad Courtyard

April 19: Family Earth Day, LC Concourse

April 22: Destination Green, Entry Plaza

April 22: Heritage Garden Planting and

Blessing, Space between Indian Quad and

Lacrosse Field

April 22: iCommit, State and Indian Quad

Dining Halls

April 22: Earth Day Bash, Waterbury Basement

April 22: An Evening with Mohawk Storyteller,

LC 18

April 23: Earth and Wellness Day, LC Concourse

April 23: Heritage Garden Ribbon Cutting,

Space between Indian Quad and Lacrosse Field

April 24: Sustainability Roundtable, BB

April 25th: Food and Art Fest, Liberty Terrace

April 28: Campus Clean Up Day, campus

May 4: Growing Cities, free showing at The

Madison Theater

May 5th: Shredding Day, State Quad lot

May 8: Electronics Recycling Day , State Quad

lot

May 12: Shredding Day, MSC lot and Hawley lot

May 13-15: Give and Go, campus wide

4 RecycleMania Wrap-Up

8 Celebrating Heritage

12 Specialty Recycling Days

14 Severe Weather Conference

16 Sustainability Roundtable

17 Give and Go

18 Around Town

20 Opportunities

Cover Photo by Frida Lorraine

April 16: Day of the Mushroom, CC Lower Level

April 18: Green Day, Dutch Quad Courtyard

April 19: Family Earth Day, LC Concourse

April 22: Destination Green, Entry Plaza

April 22: Heritage Garden Planting and

Blessing, Space between Indian Quad and

Lacrosse Field

April 22: iCommit, State and Indian Quad

Dining Halls

April 22: Earth Day Bash, Waterbury Basement

April 22: An Evening with Mohawk Storyteller,

LC 18

April 23: Earth and Wellness Day, LC Concourse

April 23: Heritage Garden Ribbon Cutting,

Space between Indian Quad and Lacrosse Field

April 24: Sustainability Roundtable, BB

April 25th: Food and Art Fest, Liberty Terrace

April 28: Campus Clean Up Day, campus

May 4: Growing Cities, free showing at The

Madison Theater

May 5th: Shredding Day, State Quad lot

May 8: Electronics Recycling Day , State Quad

lot

May 12: Shredding Day, MSC lot and Hawley lot

May 13-15: Give and Go, campus wide

Recycle

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Over the past two months, UAlbany competed with more than 390 colleges and universities in a tournament measured not in three pointers or foul shots, in pounds of material recycled and composted. The RecycleMania Tournament harnesses the competitive energy of sports rivalries to engage students in increasing recycling and waste reduction on campuses nationwide.

UAlbany participated in the eight-week competition in which schools are ranked according to how much recycling, trash and food waste they collect. Between the Feb. 1 kickoff and the final recycling weigh-in on March 28, competing schools recycled or composted 80.1 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials, preventing the release of 129, 411 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to preventing annual emissions from 25,375 cars.

In total, the Great Danes diverted 242,00 pounds of recycling and compost

from the Albany landfill. That’s the equivalent of saving 50 metric tons of CO2

or taking 129 cars off the road! We had our best showing ever. In the Gorilla

Category, which measures the total of recycling and compost, we placed 80th

out of over 300 universities and colleges. This marks the first time UAlbany has

broken out of the 100’s into the double digits. We fared even better in the Food

Service Organics category, placing 38th out of 146, because we expanded our

composting service from only Indian Quad Dining Hall to include State Quad

Dining Hall as well.

The 394 schools participating enrolled 4.5 million students, with

the American contingent representing nearly one in five U.S. college

students. The RecycleMania program is managed by Keep America

Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit that builds and sustains

clean, green and beautifully vibrant communities.

A new aspect of the competition, the “3R Actions Challenge,”

encourages students to not only take action by reducing, reusing

and recycling (commonly referred to as “The three R’s”), but also to

share those actions via text, Twitter or a mobile app. UAlbany took

home the prize of the 3R Competition’s National championship for

the medium school division. (Flip to the next page to see the impact

logged on MyActions).

“RecycleMania took the competition to a new level in our 15th anniversary year,” said Stacy Wheeler, president and co-founder of RecycleMania, Inc. “We are thrilled with the increased engagement around waste reduction and recycling spurred by 3R Actions, the new digital and social component of the RecycleMania Tournament.”

UAlbany bolstered our engagement activities with supporting student-run programs. Get Caught Green Handed is a weekly activity in which Green Scene Team students search our campus for people recycling or engaging in other sustainable behaviors, like filling reusable water bottles around the H2O Zone. Those who are “caught green-handed” were rewarded with eco-prizes, like Burt’s Bees lip balm or a Frisbee made from recycled plastic, in addition to a chance to win $150 grand prize, which was taken home by Casey Ruff. The Green Scene Team also attended home basketball games to assist with recycling sorting and collection. The showcase event was the Trashion Fashion Show, an event in which students created ensembles made from recycled or reclaimed materials to raise awareness about our waste stream.

“We know that competition is a significant motivator,” said Jennifer Jehn, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “Keep America Beautiful is proud to encourage recycling among young leaders through the RecycleMania program. Congratulations to all the participants making a difference in their campus communities.”

“The students and universities participating in RecycleMania continue to drive impactful change by significantly reducing waste in hundreds of communities,” said Esra Ozer, president, Alcoa Foundation. “Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation congratulate this year’s winners and participants on their remarkable efforts to promote recycling.”

“Recycling has a huge benefit to society and our vision is for all Americans to become avid recyclers. Supporting programs to help make recycling a habit is the best way for us to increase recycling rates,” said Bruce Karas, vice president of environment and sustainability at Coca-Cola North America. “At Coca-Cola, we are pleased to continue our support for RecycleMania to encourage college students to recycle more. Our hope is that students will create recycling habits that continue throughout their lives and impact future generations.”

Congratulations to the

winners of the Trashion

Fashion Show! Individual Category:

Model: Carolyn Broz

Designer: Carolyn Broz and Katherine Melissen

Student Group Category: Students for Sustainability

Model: Nicholle Gregor

Designers: Nicholle Gregor, Amanda Colley, Katelyn Ginley

Greek Organization Category: Lambda Pi Chi Sorority

Model: Stephany Ruiz

Designer: Elizabeth Maldonado and Stephany Ruiz

Quad Category: Indian Quad

Model: Kelsey Keane

Designers: Kelsey Keane, Michelle Nolasco, Matthew Stephenson, James Rath, Ryan Mullane, Amanda Brands, Saben Durio

Office Category: Office of Environmental Sustainability

Model: Joel Tirado

Designer: Cassidy Drasser, Mary Ellen Mallia

Fan Favorite Category: ASUBA

Model: Roxanne Pitt

Designer: Onessa Harewood

Need a study break?

Stop the Science

Library Atrium to see

the winning Trashion

Fashion designs!

The University at Albany will welcome Mohawk storyteller Kay Olan (Ionataiewas) on Earth Day, April 22, to help dedicate the University’s newly established Heritage Garden with a traditional greeting. The ceremony is one of several events planned to celebrate Earth Day and sustainability during the month of April.

UAlbany's Heritage Garden is a student-led initiative

designed to honor and reflect the cultural and natural

history of the surrounding region while utilizing sustainable

gardening practices. It was designed to promote the use of

native plants, specifically those with cultural significance,

while creating a low-water landscape. The garden also

serves as an educational tool for the community to learn

about the history and biodiversity of New York.

Olan, who taught elementary school in New York for more than 33 years, has been giving cultural

presentations and sharing the stories of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) for the last three decades.

Family Earth Day

UAlbany’s Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences will host a celebration of the Earth, the environment and sustainability at the Third Annual Family Earth Day on Sunday, April 19 from 1-4 p.m. on the University's uptown campus. The event, which is geared toward children and families, offers a wide range of activities to appeal to a broad youth audience including a land planning challenge; composting station; glaciers: then and now visual; arctic creatures mobiles, and a traveling nitrogen game, where students learn how clouds are formed. Event is free and open to the public.

Destination Green

The University's Office of Parking and Mass Transit Services has teamed up with the Capital District Clean Communities Coalition to an alternative vehicle and strategy display, called Destination Green, on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will include vehicles and displays from CDTA, Capital Car Share, Hoosick Valley, Bikeable UAlbany and RPI.

The goal of the collaboration is to advance the knowledge of the Capital Region’s economic,

environmental, and energy security by promoting the use of alternative fuels, advanced vehicle

technologies and policies that reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. Among the vehicles on

display will be several hybrid and electric vehicles from around the Capital Region.

Earth and Wellness Day

Also on April 23, the Office of Environmental Sustainability and the Employee Assistance Program will

host the annual Earth and Wellness Day. The 2015 Earth and Wellness Day theme focuses on “Our

Heritage: The Root of What Sustains Us,” in which will explore how our culture, history, and “roots” are

an important aspect of overall health and well-being and means of creating a sense of community. The

event will feature community exhibitors including: Historic Albany Foundation, Iroquois Museum, Radix

Center, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Fox Creek Farms, and many more. This year, an academic poster

session will show research student and faculty projects related to the theme.

UAlbany Earth

Day Events

Highlight New

York Heritage

from Office of Media Relations

The University at Albany and the Rockefeller

Institute of Government are partnering to

host Facing the Storm: Severe Weather

Challenges Confronting New York State in the

21st Century, a forum to discuss the threats

posed by severe weather. This year's event,

which is geared toward emergency managers,

not-for-profit executives, and government

officials, will be held Thursday, April 23, from

9:30 a.m. to noon in the Campus Center on the

University’s uptown campus.

The program, co-created by UAlbany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences,

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and theNYS Emergency Management Association, is

designed to focus on severe weather events of the past year, consider what these might teach us about

future weather events and discuss how best we can prepare. This includes mitigation efforts such as

the NYS Mesonet, a UAlbany-led statewide network of 125 weather stations feeding weather prediction

models and decision-support tools for users across New York.

Panelists participating in the program include:

Lance Bosart, Distinguished Professor, University at Albany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences

Jerry Brotzge, Project Director, NYS Mesonet, University at Albany

Paul Caiano, Meteorologist, WNYT-TV (Albany)

Howard M. Goebel, Canal Hydrologist, New York State Canal Corporation

Everette Joseph, Director, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany

Christopher Thorncroft, Chair, University at Albany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences

David Vallee, Hydrologist-in-Charge, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast River Forecast Center

Kevin E. Wisely, Deputy Commissioner, Emergency Services, NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

The event will be streamed to locations throughout the State University of New York, including: Stony Brook University, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, and SUNY Oswego.

To RSVP, please contact Michele Charbonneau at the Rockefeller Institute at (518) 443-5258. The deadline to register is April 20 and seating is limited.

UAlbany, Rockefeller Institute of Government

Partner on Severe Weather Conference from Office of Media Relations

Empire Commons Electricity Bills Congratulations to our super energy savers in Empire Commons! The Office of

Environmental Sustainability distributes simulated electricity bills to residences living in

Empire Commons. Over 300 bills are given to over 1,000 students living in the apartment

complex. The faux bills inform students about the amount of electricity they consume

per month.

The following participants won the February round of the challenge by consuming the

lowest amount of electricity, when taking into account the number of occupants. The

winner for February is apartment F2 105, in which students Sean Fallon, Angel Duran,

Corey Kaunfer, and Max Franzman did not even use 200 kilowatts.

The apartment that wins for march is the one with the largest kilowatt reduction

between February and March. This year, the award goes to B3 210. Occupants Anthony

Escamilla, Brandon Wilson , Luke Palmateer, and Jordan DiLapo reduced their energy

use by 594 kilowatts.

The Sustainability Roundtable Series is back for

spring 2015! We are inviting faculty, staff, and

students to join us for one or more of the

presentations from experts from the

community. The Roundtable Series is

supported in part by the Biology Department

and the Graduate Student Association.

On Friday, April 24th at 11AM, Julian Hadley will present “Ecovative Design: Using Biodegradable Polymers from Fungi to replace Plastics and Petroleum Derivatives in Multiple Applications.” Ecovative is a local company developing a new class of home-compostable bioplastics based on mycelium, a living organism. Mushroom Materials are high-performance, environmentally responsible alternatives to traditional plastic foam packaging, insulation, and other synthetic materials.

Get a preview by checking out this TED Talk.

Sustainability Roundtable

Join instructor Irene at Honest Weight Food Coop on Saturday, April 18th at 2PM for a free vegan cooking class. Irene will teach you how to make a delicious meal, free of animal products, which will please everyone. And her tips are invaluable, regardless of whether you’re new to preparing vegan food or have been at it awhile. Come try some goodies, and celebrate healthy eating, in this fun and lively class. Registration required. Sign up at www.hwfc.eventbrite.com or visit our Service Desk.

The Vivacious Vegan Electronics

Recycling Day

NewsChannel 13 will be

hosting the 13th

Annual Electronics Recycling

Day collection event on April

25, 2015 from 7am-1pm at Taft

Furniture, 1960 Central Avenue

in Colonie. Last year

this event processed over

500,000 pounds of e-

waste, filling 20 tractor

trailers! CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF

ACCEPTED ITEMS .

Lecture: “The

Passenger Pigeon:

Icon of Extinction”

Pine Bush Discovery Center is

hosting a lecture on May 2nd at

11AM about the Passenger Pigeon.

One hundred years ago, on

September 1st 1914, the world’s last

Passenger Pigeon died in captivity at

the Cincinnati Zoo marking the

demise of a species that once

numbered in the billions of birds.

What were Passenger Pigeons, and

what happened to cause their

extinction? Event is free, but pre-

registration is required. Register

here.

Electronics

Recycling Day

Bird Walk - "Avian Haunts” in

Washington Park, Albany, NY

Join the Audubon Society of the Capital Region, the Washington Park Conservancy, in partnership with the Historic Albany Foundation in Washington Park for a special ‘Birding and History Walk’ of Washington Park and the surrounding neighborhoods on April 25th at 8AM! Bring Your Binoculars! This walk’s birding expert, Tristan Lowery, will help our group track down urban migrating and resident Avians of Albany’s premiere park, while Dr. John Pipkin of the Washington Park Conservancy (a birder himself) will elegantly fill in some intriguing history surrounding Washington Park Haunts. Space is limited and reservations are required. To reserve, contact Nicki at info@historic-albany.org or 518.465.0876, ext. 10.

Albany County Legislature

2015 Summer Jobs Program

Stormwater Coalition of Albany

County

I. Background The Albany County Legislature is sponsoring a paid 2015 summer jobs program for individuals 18 years or older available to work part time beginning in June, ending mid‐August. The purpose is to familiarize undergraduate and graduate students with all aspects of County government.

The Stormwater Coalition of Albany County, which is hosted by Albany County, is funded with membership dues from eleven local municipalities, the University at Albany‐SUNY, and Albany County. The Coalition helps all members implement the Federal Clean Water Act stormwater regulations and the office is located in the County Building, 112 State Street, Albany, NY.

Currently, the Coalition needs help implementing various program activities listed below. If you have an interest in any of these initiatives and the appropriate qualifications, please send a cover letter and resume to Nancy Heinzen, Coalition Stormwater Program Coordinator, swcoalition@albanycounty.com. Interviews will be held with the County Legislature. For information about the Coalition, go to www.stormwateralbanycounty.org/ .

II. Coalition Summer Initiatives

A. Mapping

B. Administrative and Clerical

C. Public Education and Participation Programs

D. Green Infrastructure Stewardship

E. Communications and Media Support

III. Applicant Qualifications

A. Course work 1. Use of mapping grade GPS units 2. Mapping software (ESRI, preferably) 3. Conservation biology, environmental science, physical and human geography 4. Environmental and/or civil engineering 5. Forestry and horticulture 6. Communications and marketing 7. Graphic design, video production, social media

B. Computer skills

1. Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access

C. Other 1. Must be detailed oriented 2. Physically fit and enjoy working outdoors 3. Inquisitive and adaptable