The September meeting of the UH Manoa Sustainability Council occurred on September 21 from 3-4pm in HIG 210. Here are meeting notes:
New sustainability courses for Spring 2017:
- Special Topics in Sustainability: Food and Food Waste (TPSS 491). Mondays at 4:30, will consider topics such as how much food can we produce on campus, what can we do with waste? 3 campuses, student-led, define problem, where food can be grown, how can we do better with food waste.
- Renewable energy and society (TPSS 336), no prereqs, WI, upper division, all about env impacts of renewable energy.
- Scientific Principles of Sustainability (TPSS 251), will be a requirement for the upcoming, in-progress sustainability certificate program.
- These class are all interdisciplinary, students from any department can take them.
- Contact Brian Turano (turano@hawaii.edu) for details.
Discussion on degree programs in sustainability at UHM. Some notes:
- If we are to get degree programs in sustainability, we need to start by showing high enrollment in sustainability classes.
- We need to make sure faculty are asking for the S designation for courses that have sufficient sustainability. For details, see http://manoa.hawaii.edu/sustainability/courses/.
- Loyola Marymount quadrupled their graduation rate by creating sustainabilty programs.
Manoa Dining Service’s Fall sustainability projects and events
- Food Day, Oct 26, at Campus Center Courtyard, local-first, sustainability-focus
- Canned food drive, open to RIOs, RIO that brings in the most cans gets an ice cream party. Last year got to 1000 lbs food.
- Weigh the Waste
- Bringing more vegan options to campus, vegan burgers, faux chicken nuggets, fishless fish sticks.
- Contact Lana Hudson or Donna Ojiri for more details.
Food recovery network:
- Fall focus on community outreach, partnering with a dorm to do a large-scale recovery, take food to retirement community, to raise awareness on campus. Also speaking events at high and middle schools. Goals for semester: reach out to HCC, WCC, etc. to do a recovery and/or start their own chapter.
- Contact Heather Fucini (hfucini@hawaii.edu) for more details.
Introducing the UHM Environmental, Health, and Safety Office
- Tavia is env compliance officer, permit paper work, etc.
- Office mostly driven by clean water act, also clean air act. Permits for UH-run small incinerator, pollutant discharge system, small MS4 system.
- UH needs to monitor storm drain discharge into Manoa Stream. Maybe have other discharge into (eventually) Ala Wai.
- One mandate is public education and outreach. Could use students who want practical experience with interpreting permitting. Map storm drains, ensure placards are there, etc.
- Interested in diverting water such as through roof gardens. p
- Contact Tavia Oshiro (tavias@hawaii.edu) for more details.
Building Design and Performance Standards,UHM Infrastructure Trunk Lines and Water Catchment and Reuse Project w roadmap for zero net water, energy and waste, UHM Circulation andUniversal Accessibility Project, Landscape Master Plan update and LMP Phase 1 implementation design
- Infrastructure Master Plan is $.5B, but can be paid for out of savings, sooner it’s implemented, the sooner it will be paid off.
- Contact Sharon Williams (sharonwi@hawaii.edu) for more details.
UH WCC Grants for sustainability
- Women’s Campus Club
- Encourage folks to apply for grants, deadline is Oct 15, awards range from $1000-$4000, announced in mid-December and funds released in early 2017.
- No money for individual salaries, honorariums, entertainment, food, travel, etc.
- Typically fund equipment.
- See http://hawaii.edu/wcc/grant_program.html or email Martha Staff (mstaffhi@gmail.com) for more details.
- Also, if anyone knows of a metal bin to use to take in donations, please contact Martha.
Inaugural VegFest Oahu, Saturday, 9/24, Honolulu Hale
- Talks, co-director of Cowspiracy will talk about diet.
- See http://vegfestoahu.com for more details.
Wonderful snacks were provided by Manoa Dining Services. Thank you!