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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Nevin Byrd
Position (in student organization): Co-President of RIT’s Student Environmental Action League
Date survey submitted: July 21, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: SEAL – Student Environmental Action League (Environmental group on campus)
Number of active members: 20
Website: www.rit.edu/seal
Date of last meeting: May 14th, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Once per week
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
Recycling Awareness/Education:
o Recyclemania 2008 - SEAL sponsored events and promotional materials during the national inter-collegiate recycling competition.
o Polar Tug of War - Tug-of-War event sponsored by SEAL and the Recycling Center in which student participants played tug of war in the snow with a reception and presentation by William Destler, president of the college, to kick off the first week of Recyclemania.
o 350 Cookie Giveaway - In promotion of 350.org and Recyclemania, SEAL made 350 home baked cookies of all varieties to give away to students free of charge at a display in the student union with the stipulation that all participants must sign a pledge to decrease waste and increase recycling at the start of Recyclemania.
o Electronics Recycling (formerly E-Waste) - An annual event held by SEAL for more than 10 years inviting associates of the institute, faculty, staff, and students to bring all electronics equipment no longer in use to be recycled for a decreased fee on campus. Many student volunteers are also assigned building pick up orders to obtain old from various labs and campus departments. Once all the electronics are compiled, they are tested and labeled by a small group of SEAL student computer specialists and the salvageable equipment is sold "as is" at a silent auction for students in the library later in the week. This serves as SEAL's main fundraising event of the year. The remaining used electronics are then picked up by RIT electronics waste hauler, Maven Technologies.
o Project Runway - As part of Recyclemania, SEAL sponsors this green fashion show in which participants must reuse non-recyclable post consumer waste materials to create outfits for their models. This past year new materials such as bicycle tires, plastic bottle caps, and candy wrappers were incorporated for the first time in various costumes showing an increase in competitiveness, creativity, and enthusiasm for the competition.
o Environmental Game Show - In Jeopardy style, game show contestants compete in answering questions about RIT sustainability, local environmental facts as well as categories on general recycling. Winners are then awarded a monetary prize sponsored by SEAL. Consolation prizes are donated by local organic health food stores, and outing shops.
o Annual Waste Audit - Co sponsored by SEAL and the RIT Recycling Center, this event involved partnering with facilities management to sort through random samples of garbage taken from various buildings on campus. The waste is weighed and sorted to see what should have been recyled and results are published in the weekly campus Reporter student magazine.
Pollution Prevention/Community Service:
o Inter coastal Cleanup - Participated in environmental cleanup with various student groups. http://www.rochestercoastalcleanup.org/
o Campus Cleanup - Held annually the Sunday after Earth Day, SEAL-sponsored student groups come out to help clean up the campus in time for spring. Food and refreshments offered.
o Rochester Clean Sweep - A spring community service event held by the city of Rochester for volunteers, student groups, kids and adults of all ages to help beautify Rochester's natural environment.
o Tiger Bike – Sustainable Bike Rental Program Initiative to use recycled bikes left over from campus as well as new bikes to rent to students free of charge during the 2009-2010 academic year.
o Powershift 2009! - SEAL sponsored student participants to attend this environmental conference.
o Bottled Water vs Tap Campaign (Taste Test Challenge) - A campaign launched by SEAL in combination with the campus recycling center to promote awareness of the myths of bottled water. The double-blind taste test study involved randomly tasting 2 of 6 possible samples of bottled water and 1 sample of tap and then blindly rating those samples on a scale from 1-3 (1-the best, 3-the worst). 3/5 times, campus tap water was the first choice.
o Relay for Life - SEAL formed a "green team" during the campus annual all night relay to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
o World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) - "SEAL sponsors a seal." SEAL raised money through donations at various events to sponsor an endangered seal. A portion of our fundraising efforts also went to the WWF.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
Recycling Awareness/Education:
o Recyclemania 2008 - 2nd year competing-Monroe County Recycling Award;
o RIT placed 5th Per Capita Classic 2009 out of 293 schools in the recycling per capita category - Creation of Recyclemania "kick off" events;
o Electronics Recycling Increase – 2008: 4.7tons, 2009: 7.4tons – Event to be held bi-annually based on demand;
o Project Runway – Increased campus awareness and tripled the participants!
o GameShow – Incorporated as part of "National Teach In" on Global Warming – Collaboration w/ESW (Engineers for Sustainable World);
o First time presenter – Jim Tappon - “The Climate Project” Part of Earth week, Al Gore speakers on climate change.
Pollution Prevention/Community Service:
o Intercoastal Cleanup – increased community involvement, collaboration w/ on campus groups
o Campus Cleanup – Continual collaboration with campus groups such as the Asian Cultural Society and Engineers for a Sustainable World
o Rochester Clean Sweep – Continual community support and environmental activism.
o Tiger Bike – Sustainable Transportation 2009, funding for on campus
o Powershift 2009! - For the first time SEAL sponsored executive board members of the group to participate and lobby in the largest college-aged environmental conference in Washington, DC.
o Waste Audit - This year the samples indicated a 20% reduction in overall waste.
o Bottled Water vs Tap Campaign – 2009 initiated education awareness as part of "National Teach-In."
o World Wildlife foundation - "SEAL sponsors a seal." SEAL raised over $50 in free will donations throughout the year toward our endangered seal.
Other:
o In addition to the above, RIT Student Government has worked with various departments and organizations on campus to initiate and support sustainability initiatives. These include support for the composting program, tray-less program in cafeteria, purchase of more sustainable food products (local organic distributers), restricted car access to campus for student residents, increase of bicycle racks, improved shuttle program, and advocated for all new buildings to be LEED certified.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
Additional Note: SEAL and the Recycling Center and Student Government have student representatives that attend monthly campus sustainability committee meetings.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
SEAL was active in encouraging our new president of RIT, William Destler in signing the President's Climate Challenge Commitment.
SEAL participated in the Sunnking collegiate summit in which the recycling administrators and sustainability coordinators at various local colleges met and brainstormed ideas for the upcoming recyclemania competition.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
o ESW (Engineers for a Sustainable World) - Victor Sanchez & Kyle Swift.
Website: http://www.rit.edu/esw/
o RIT GREEN – Get RIT Environmental Education Now (Deaf/Hard of Hearing environmental student group) E-mail: greenrit@gmail.com
o gRIT Network - Organization of students, faculty and staff that work to accomplish environmental awareness on campus. It is headed by Rebecca Johnson, wife of the president and last year organized the National Teach-In on Global Warming.
Website: http://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/gwteachin/
o RIT Green Vehicle Team
o Motorbike Club
o Website: http://campuslife.rit.edu/main/clubs/all
o Habitat for Humanity (recently concerned with building sustainable housing)
Website: http://www.rit.edu/sg/habitat/
o Cycling Club
Website: http://campuslife.rit.edu/main/clubs/all
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
Student Government and SEAL are not affiliated with any of those organizations/coalitions.
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