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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: Olivia Sailor
Position (in student organization): President
Date survey submitted: June, 11, 2009
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Group Recycling and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS)
Number of active members: ~ 100
Website: http://uoflgrass.wordpress.com/
Date of last meeting: May 30, 2009
Frequency of meetings: One general meeting and one executive meeting per month (during the regular school year)
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Campus wide initiatives toward sustainable programs, educating the campus and community on issues such as the world water crisis, the importance of cutting down on waste, and connecting the students, student run groups, and faculty in order to make these initiatives more effective.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: GRASS presented FLOW: For Love of Water in the campus planetarium. We had Gil Holland speak for us, as well as various local leaders who answered questions after the show. We had over 100 people show up. Also, we worked with the Student Art League on a recycled art project. GRASS members went through dumpsters on campus and sorted out all the recyclables from the trash. We gathered all the plastic bottles and made a cube from them, putting it on display in one of U of L's quads. We also have been part of the effort to put in more bike racks around campus, install more recycling bins in the dorms, and have established connections with local high schools and middle schools in order to mentor them with their environmental school projects. We have also worked with the faculty run Sustainability Council and the Center for Environmental Education on projects such as the Sustainability Fair and the Climate Change Teach-In.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No - but we have been working with various groups in order to instill sustainability competitions.
[ X ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
- The Resident Student Association practicipates in Recyclemania: A nation-wide contest to encourage recycling on College and University Campuses. The Committee is working to increase recycling of paper products, cans, plastic, and glass in residence halls. UofL is participating in the Benchmark Division, which will compare our recycling weights (of the above products) to similar colleges and universities.
#1 - Name of competition: Recyclemania
Year initiated: spring 2009
Frequency of competition: six week competition
Participants: all recycling for students in residential life, approximately 2,646
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website: http://www.recyclemania.org/
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe:
The Services Vice President for the Student Government Association has a primary responsibility for sustainability issues. This year they also created the position of Director of Green initiatives. Tyler Lloyd was the representative
Tyler was on the University wide sustainability council and help coordinate initiatives for students. The Director this year determined that a key step towards improved green initiatives is student support and backing. It was his goal to create a student organization with a green focus. This group would work to better educate students and build support for further green initiatives. Group Recycling and Sustainable Solutions GRASS was developed with the help of Tyler in his work as Director of Green Initiatives. GRASS is a student group dedicated to bringing awareness to sustainability issues on campus and in the community. GRASS also strives to connect with other students and groups on campus to create an even larger impact on the local environment.
http://uoflgrass.wordpress.com
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
The A&S student Council added a sustainability piece this year to their Annual Art show. This event occurs every spring a draws wide participation from students. Former President & creator of the Sustainability Piece: Rachel Noble
- The student government association representatives have worked closely with the VP for Business Affairs, Housing and other representatives to implement recycling initiatives. The SGA has a staff position that is dedicated to the recycling initiative.
- The Student Activities Board sponsored an Earth Day Celebration on campus that included vendors, student groups, speakers and other events structured to inform students about environmental and sustainability issues.
- Aluminum cans are collected with the help of student and staff at a variety of locations on campus.
Resident Student Association and Housing (Residential Life Green Committee)
- Move-In: Identified Cardboard Recycling Areas to decrease the amount of move in waste
- Placed Individual Recycling Bins in all Traditional Resident Hall Rooms
- Replaced Cardboard Recycling Bins with Plastic Recycling Bins
- Each residence hall building must execute one green event per semester.
- Collaborate with a Sustainability in Architecture Course to develop a Green Residence Hall Room
- Sustainability Day
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- Presented a water tasting where participates determined the difference between distilled, spring, and tap water.
- Gave out reusable water bottles to encourage sustainable water drinking
- Promoted housing sustainable initiatives
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:
Environmental Law and Land Use Society
To further an understanding and appreciation of legal concepts relevant to environment and land use.
Contact: Algeria Ford
Advisor: Craig Anthony Arnold
Group Recycling and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS)
Promote recycling and sustainable practice at the University of Louisville and surrounding community.
Contact: Olivia Sailor
Advisor: Teddie Phillipson-Mower
Rotaract Club of the University of Louisville
To provide opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills that will assist in personal development, to address physical and social needs of our communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship.
Web: http://louisville.edu/rso/rotaract/
Contact: Robert Works
Advisor: Dr. Henry Cunningham
Students for Environmental Action
To raise awareness on local and world-wide environmental and animal rights issues; and also to provide opportunities for people to become active in their communities on environmental issues.
Contact: Tiphani Davis
Advisor: Andrea Reed
Residential Life Green Committee
A Housing and Residence Life group made of 20 to 25 Members, which meets once a month. This committee includes 2nd Year Resident Assistants (Student Residence Hall Staff) and Representatives from Resident Student Association. The Green Committee is in process of opening up the group to any interested student living on campus. The Committee’s goal is to promote awareness of sustainability within the residence halls on campus and to help increase Housing and Residence Life’s Sustainable Initiatives.
Contact: Jonathan Johnson
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):
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