|
|
|
> MSU News
MSU aims for sustainability
November 19, 2009 -- Melynda Harrison, MSU News Service
 |
| Montana State University students watch a demonstration by assistant professor Paul Gannon during an energy and sustainability class. (MSU photo by Kelly Gorham) |
|
Recycling bins are popping up around campus, students are turning off the lights when they leave their residence hall rooms and new buildings are more energy efficient than predecessors. Thanks to the interest of Montana State University students and the hard work of many in the MSU community, the campus is becoming more sustainable.
Many of the changes began in December 2007 when MSU President Geoff Gamble signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment giving direction to sustainability efforts on campus. The Climate Commitment tasks the university with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing sustainable practices.
Sustainability and energy conservation concepts are integrated into many aspects of the university's mission: academically through the colleges' curricula; through outreach and Extension programs throughout the state; through cutting edge research programs; through student initiatives; and through facility projects.
Here are some of the ways MSU is integrating sustainability at the university.
Initiatives
As part of the Climate Commitment, Gamble appointed 17 members of the university and Bozeman communities to the Campus Sustainability Advisory Council and charged them with developing a campus sustainability and energy conservation plan.
CSAC works with students, faculty and staff exploring ways to fund and promote sustainability efforts.
Students have prompted several initiatives to make University Food Service dining halls and cafeterias more sustainable. In fall 2010, UFS will go trayless to save water, reduce food waste and chemical waste, and to reduce overeating. UFS is currently encouraging people to give up bottled water with its "Take Back the Tap" program. It is also exploring the feasibility of composting food waste.
UFS currently spends 12 percent of its food budget on products that are grown and/or processed in Montana, which means $460,000 per year goes towards Montana farmers, ranchers, processors and distributors. UFS has also been working with the MSU student farm, Towne's Harvest Garden, to use the farm's food in some meals. UFS donates used cooking oil to a biofuels collective, offers discounts to customers who bring their own mug to retail operations and purchases energy saving equipment whenever possible.
"Being as sustainable as possible is a major goal set forth by the director of University Food Services, and it is a goal we are excited to be working on," said Deb Crawford, marketing manager for University Food Service.
Academics
An undergraduate bachelor of science degree in sustainable food and bioenergy systems launched last spring. The new major is a partnership between the College of Agriculture and the College of Education, Health and Human Development. The interdisciplinary degree promotes sustainable production, distribution and consumption of food and bioenergy (renewable energy derived from biological sources).
This fall, 120 undergraduates are taking an energy and sustainability course taught by Paul Gannon, CSAC member and assistant professor in chemical and biological engineering. Students are surveying modern energy technology and learning how their lifestyles impact the global environment.
MSU is leading the way in research related to alternative energy and food systems. Faculty and students create "smart" wind turbine blades with embedded sensors, install wind turbines at schools around the state, study how to sequester carbon dioxide and work to make fuel cells an affordable and practical source of energy for the 21st century.
Awareness
A new Webpage on the MSU Website provides a comprehensive look at sustainability efforts of faculty, staff, students and the greater Gallatin County community.
www.montana.edu/sustainability
The CSAC communications subcommittee is instituting a series of monthly challenges to encourage a culture change toward sustainable thinking. One challenge will be "Turn it off, turn it down, unplug it," encouraging energy savings. Future challenges include conscious consumerism, or considering whether a purchase is necessary.
Facilities
Since 1995, MSU has invested more than $3 million on energy conservation projects with $7 million appropriated over the next two years.
Members of the Facilities Services staff have done everything from installing water fountains instead of electrically-cooled water coolers; putting motion sensors on lights; upgrading insulation and installing energy-efficient windows in older buildings; and conserving $100,000 annually in natural gas by shutting down the university's central heating plant at night during the summer.
The remodel of Gaines Hall will comply with LEED standards. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
David Klem, CSAC member and a consultant with Integrated Energy Solutions, was hired to help save energy across campus. Integrated Energy Systems is paid a percentage of verifiable energy savings that the university realizes over the life of the five-year contract with his company. In his first four months on campus, MSU has saved a little more than $100,000, according to Klem.
Klem is trying to influence behavior--encourage people to turn off lights and computers when they aren't using them--and change certain operations, such as not heating or cooling unoccupied buildings.
Programs
Blake Bjornson, a sophomore from Whitefish, CSAC member, assistant president pro tempore of ASMSU and president of Network of Environmentally Conscious Organizations, was surprised to arrive at MSU and find there weren't recycling bins in the residence halls.
"It's a basic, low-hanging fruit kind of thing," said Bjornson. "I got together with my pod-mates in Roskie and came up with a proposal for recycling in our dorm."
The Resident Hall Association accepted the proposal and recycling bins are now found in many of the residence halls at MSU.
"We've more than doubled the recycling at MSU," said Bjornson.
NECO is encouraging other students to bring their sustainability ideas to them. Their special research projects provide support, framework and networking.
Last fall, MSU students passed a sustainability fee on themselves. Each semester each student pays $3.50 for recycling and other projects such as the Sustainability Center, which helps organize campus recycling, sustainability luncheons and will be working on initiatives such as creating a sustainability curriculum.
"There is so much to accomplish at MSU," said Bjornson. "It's really exciting."
Jodie DeLay at 406-994-4571 or jdelay@montana.edu
Hi-Resolution Image or PDF Available:
| [View or Download] | 1. | Montana State University students watch a demonstration by assistant professor Paul Gannon during an energy and sustainability class. (MSU photo by Kelly Gorham) |
|
|
|
Email this article
