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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:
Position (in student organization):
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Organization: University of Iowa Environmental Coalition
Active membership: ~25
Website: www.sites.google.com/site/uienvironmentalcoalition
Date of last meeting: May 7
Frequency of meetings: 1 every 2 weeks
Funding sources: UI Student Government, individual fundraising, The Office of Sustainability
Key issues addressed and programs implemented: The UI Environmental Coalition conducts regular waste sorts as a service to several campus buildings, colleges, and departments. The waste sorts provide invaluable information about the waste profiles at the UI and progress of recycling programs. The UIEC also provides volunteers and assistance for University recycling programs around campus, and was a driving force in the creation of a Sustainable Living-Learning Community in the residence halls in December, 2009. This past year, the group created and coordinated an environmental consulting group that provides analyses and advice for student groups, offices, and greek houses. One of the major activities of the UIEC is the Student Garden. Opened in April 2009, the garden has been tremendously successful in encouraging local food purchasing and providing students with an opportunity to learn about organic gardening. Finally, the group is in the process of creating a bike co-operative.
Organization: Engineers for a Sustainable World/Engineers Without Borders
Active membership: ~30
Website: www.uiesw.org
Date of last meeting: May, 2009
Frequency of meetings: weekly
Funding: UI Student Government, private donations/fundraising events, UI College of Engineering
Key issues addressed and programs implemented: Engineers for a Sustainable World has worked on several ongoing projects including campus energy audits, wind power feasibility studies, and alternative fuels research. The group was presented with a major award from the EPA in 2008 for their work on a hand-held chlorine generator. Engineers Without Borders works primarily on overseas projects including the building of a medical clinic in Honduras and clean water efforts in Ghana.
Organization: Environmental Law Society
Website: www.law.uiowa.edu/groups/els
Funding: UI Graduate and Professional Council, UI College of Law
Key issues addressed and programs implemented: The Environmental Law Society conducts several projects such as a highway adoption and clean-up, plastic bottle recycling programs and print cartridge recycling programs within the UI College of Law. The group hosts several annual events including a global warming and clean energy discussion panel, and an MLK Day talk.
Other organizations: Future Physicians for the Environment, Iowa PIRG
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLEGENES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
Competition: Power Down for the Planet
Year initiated: 2008-2009
Frequency of competition: annual
Participants: 6,013
Incentives: none
Goal of competition: to obtain pledges to reduce energy consumed by electronics
Percent of energy reduced: 1,444,623 kwH/year
Lasting effects of competition: Power Down for the Planet pledges resulted in a carbon offset of 1,097 tons/year and saved participants $157,841.
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
Student government committee on sustainability: No, but this is a goal for the coming year.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
Additional campus sustainability activities:
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The Green Summit was a conference held in April, 2009 to empower our environmental leaders. The Summit is aimed at environmentally-minded students and strives to give them practical social, scientific, political and business skills to put their passion into practice. Speakers included Senator Joe Bolkcom, Dianne Dillon-Ridgley, Professor Craig Just, and others.
- Bike to School Week was held during Earth Week 2009 and encouraged students to ride their bikes to school instead of driving. Sponsoring groups including the UI Environmental Coalition, The Office of Sustainability, and local bike shops provided ice cream treats to those who had ridden their bikes.
- Power Shift was a major national lobbying effort attended by several UI students. The students had the opportunity to speak with Iowa representatives and discuss the importance of climate change legislation.
- The Student Garden opened in April, 2009 as a completely student-run project, and with generous donations of land has grown to sustain a large variety of produce. Some of the food produced goes directly to the Iowa Memorial Union and is used in daily food service. Website: http://www.uiowa.edu/~uiec/projects.html#garden
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A National Teach-in on Global Warming was held at the Iowa Memorial Union including several panels of local experts and a broadcast of “The First 100 Days” webcast. The day followed with question and answer sessions and topics ranged from new renewable energy technology and sustainable agriculture to student activism.
OTHER STUDENT RUN ORGANIZATIONS
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 Please see activities above.
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): Regional/National organizations on campus: PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), I-Renew, The Sierra Club.
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