Just as the Campus Master Plan highlighted the importance of sustainability in campus design and operations, President McRobbie’s New Academic Directions Committee called for IU to “seize opportunities for strategic structural innovation.” Included was the recommendation to “develop a new interdisciplinary undergraduate major in sustainability studies and a strategic plan for service learning and community outreach in sustainable development.” Creating new interdisciplinary majors is much more difficult than, say, unifying a comprehensive campus-wide recycling program, but it is critically important work and the initiative is moving forward.

The IU Office of Sustainability (IUOS) will be searching for ways to greatly expand our current collaborative programs to catalyze sustainability research and curriculum development in 2012. Assistant Director Emilie Rex will continue to oversee one of the country’s largest and most successful student sustainability internship programs as an effective way to integrate research and teaching into campus operations.

Here’s a brief preview of what 2012 may hold for IUB Campus Sustainability, organized by the seven working groups of the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board:

Academic Initiatives is co-chaired by Tom Evans and Rob Meyer, with assistance from sustainability intern Alexi Lamm. AIWG is growing and organizing into three focus areas: research, curriculum, and co-curricular initiatives. AIWG will explore ways to expand sustainability initiatives in each of these areas through seed funding and a clearinghouse for sustainability research; curriculum development grants and workshops; and tools to facilitate and document co-curricular activities on and off campus.

Environmental Quality and Land Use is co-chaired by Peggy Schultz and Mike Jenson, with sustainability intern Sara Dille. EQLU will delve into green chemistry, integrated pest management, rain gardens, tree canopy expansion, edible landscape, and eradication of invasive species in Dunn Woods.

Energy and Built Environment is co-chaired by Rebecca Barthelmie and Peggy Maschino, with sustainability intern Nolan Hendon. EBE will assist with the Campus Conservation Nationals/Energy Challenge, look at opportunities presented by a fully metered campus, explore building and campus energy dashboards, explore the recommendations of the Integrated Energy Master Plan (due out in late Spring), develop a green campus walking map/tour, and explore the potential for using social media and metering to curb peak energy.

Food is co-chaired by Jeanne Sept and Sandra Fowler, with sustainability intern Stephanie Hopkins. The Food Working Group will organize the second annual Big Red Eats Green festival, maximize the potential of the expanded Campus Garden at Hilltop, explore opportunities for increasing use of local food, and research waste reduction in campus dining facilities.

Resource Use and Recycling is co-chaired by Steven Kreft and Tom Fallwell, with sustainability interns Meredith Dowling, Erica Bramlet, and Mark Milby. RURWG will continue initiatives to consolidate and improve campus waste and recycling programs, conduct waste and litter audits, explore composting options, and help with the third annual Hoosier-to-Hoosier Community Sale, which diverts tons of move-out waste from the landfill for resale and reuse.

Sustainable Computing is co-chaired by Kim Milford and Vic Borden, with sustainability interns Joowon Kim and David Roedl. SCWG is pursuing initiatives on four fronts: computer-related energy use, conservation of resources related to printing and document management, e-waste reuse and recycling, and using computer technology to facilitate other campus sustainability efforts.

Transportation is co-chaired by Virginia Sojdehei and Perry Maull, with sustainability intern Hannah Hunt. TWG is assisting with a Transportation Demand Management study called for in the Campus Master Plan; planning to commence a campus bike plan; working with IUSA on their bike rental plan; writing grants for campus bus funding through federal grants; and planning more self-service bike repair stations. IU was one of the first twenty higher education institutions designate a Bicycle Friendly University in 2011 and plans are afoot to go for silver in 2012.

IU Office of Sustainability Initiatives leverage a team of sustainability interns, including Ben Inskeep, who is focused on sustainability metrics and an update to IU’s STARS report. David Roedl is designing a Campus Sustainability Dashboard in collaboration with Ben and the Sustainable Computing Working Group. A new summer intern will put the finishing touches on a Green Events Certification web portal. Sara Swan is developing programs for incoming freshmen in collaboration with the Office of First Year Experience and Residential Programs and Services. Rachel Irvine is developing resources for students to live sustainably off-campus. Mary Liang is assisting with resources to make IU LEED green building projects easier. John Hageman is at work Greening Cream and Crimson. Amy Allen is coordinating Green Teams. Shannon Beatty is working with Litter-Free IU to develop an anti-litter campaign for the Bloomington campus.

Campus sustainability is not a spectator sport. Over 200 faculty, staff and students are actively engaged in making IU Bloomington an international leader in this new world of opportunity and you can be part of it, too.  Contact us today.

Getting people to live more sustainably involves branching the gulf that exists between current lifestyle choices and more idealized sustainability practices. While some changes can be harder to make than others (and even more importantly, to stay committed to in the long run), making incremental changes in behaviors and incorporating sustainability concepts into ones’ life doesn’t have to be painful- in fact, many times the more “sustainable” choice is often more economical and/or efficient in the long run!

So what can living more sustainably look like, especially for Indiana University students? Even simple behavioral changes can have a huge impact on the sustainability of ones’ lifestyle (click here to determine your current Ecological footprint and see how sustainable your current lifestyle practices are.) Take for example the idea of incorporating sustainability into the house-hunting and rental process. Instead of choosing a place to live based solely on the parameters of price or proximity to ones’ friends, it’s important to remember to incorporate sustainability concepts into your considerations as well (check out the IU Green Renter’s Checklist for a full list of  recommendations).

When looking for a new place to live, it’s important for students to consider such things as transportation, projected energy and water usage, and waste disposal and recycling opportunities.­ Part of living more sustainably means being able to rely less on fossil fuel-dependent modes of transportation, like walking or biking, so it’s important to consider how easily you’ll be able to get to and from the places you go to frequently without needing the use of a car (the website, www.walkscore.com can help you quantitatively define how walk-able your current, or future residence, actually is).

Recycling is another easy, more sustainable practice to incorporate into ones’ life, so making sure that recycling is offered at your new residence is another crucial consideration when students are searching for a new rental. Furthermore, considering what your energy usage will be like in a new rental can help you to look for rentals that have alternative energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, or wind power, or rentals that are properly insulated or offer energy efficient appliances and water-saving fixtures.

While changing every aspect of your lifestyle overnight to be 100% sustainable may not be a possibility, the ability to make a few small changes over time and share those practices with friends is within your reach. Start by incorporating sustainability concepts into a few areas of your life, and see how far you can  run with it- when added together, all of those small, incremental changes really can have a great positive impact!

Written by Rachel Irvine, Living Sustainably Off-Campus Coordinator

If you are interested in having an event sent out over the listserv, please send an email with the title, time, date, location and description to susevent@indiana.edu  by the Saturday evening before your event occurs. 

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Upcoming Events:

Monday, February 20
Informal presentation for prospective participants of two summer “expedition” courses:  “Volcanoes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada” and “Learning from Nature: Permaculture”
When: 6:00 pm
Where: Foster International Living-Learning Center, Foster-Shea Lounge
Description: Students!  Interested in an exciting new way to take an introductory science course in a spectacular field setting?  Come to this info session for some free pizza and to learn about two new courses, offered by Collins LLC, in conjunction with the Dept. of Geological Sciences and COAS, that offer students a unique opportunity for summer field study. The two courses are open to both science and non-science students and both offer College CASE N&M credit:
Geology G188 (Collins L130) “Volcanoes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada: Geology and Natural Heritage of the Long Valley Caldera,” offers a hands-on, inquiry-oriented introduction to geological and environmental sciences in some of the most spectacular and geologically active areas of the western U.S. The class is taught by Michael Hamburger, professor of Geological Sciences and John Rupp, research scientist with the Indiana Geological Survey.  Further information is available at the course web site: http://www.indiana.edu/~sierra/
Collins L230, “Learning from Nature: Permaculture” is taught by IU Religious Studies professor David Haberman, in conjunction with Peter Bane, author of The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country, Keith Johnson, Editor of Permaculture Activist magazine, and Rhonda Baird, permaculture practictioner and teacher.  This course offers students hands-on experience with the rapidly growing and internationally recognized design system for creating sustainable human environments that create ecologically sound and economically prosperous human comunities. Further information is available at the course web site: http://www.indiana.edu/~llc/academics/permaculture.shtml

Tuesday, February 21
The Nature Conservancy Generation Conservation: Conservancy Work Around the World
When: 6:00 pm
Where: Efroymson Conservation Center, 620 East Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN  46202
Description: From Brazil to China to Indiana, land management has profound effects on the health and well-being of people and nature.  Learn how The Nature Conservancy is working on a global scale to help farmers produce enough food for a growing population while preserving healthy ecosystems. David Cleary, The Nature Conservancy’s Global Agriculture Director, will visit the Indiana Chapter and explain the challenges faced by agricultural leaders and some of the Conservancy’s unique solutions. We hope you will join us for this enlightening conversation.  And if you haven’t been on a tour of our green headquarters, now is your chance!
Schedule of Events:
5:30 pm: Building Tour (optional)
6:00 pm: Hors D’ouevres, Beer, and Wine
6:30 pm: David Cleary’s presentation
Please RSVP to mstahl@tnc.org or 317.829.3854.

Wednesday, February 22
Student Sustainability Council General Assembly Meeting
When: 6:00 pm
Where: E-House, 704 E 10th St
Description: SSC General Assembly meetings are open to all students, but those wishing to have voting rights must petition for membership as a representative of a student organization. Those interested in petitioning may contact Stephanie @ stehopki@indiana.edu. Remaining meeting dates this semester are 3/21, 4/4, & 4/25, all at 6:00 PM.

Green Drinks presents Ben Brabson
When: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Where: Banquet Facility of the Upland Brewing Company, 350 West 11th Street
Description: At 6 p.m., Ben Brabson, Emeritus Professor of Physics, will provide a presentation entitled “Climate Change and Bloomington”.  The talk will focus on ways that we in Bloomington can take full advantage of our capacity to think, to understand and to benefit from specific actions to both mitigate and adapt to our changing climate.
Green Drinks Bloomington is a lively, informal social networking event for people from all walks of life who are interested in making a greener world.  Folks gather every month to share libations and ideas, discuss, debate, explore and make new friends and business connections. It is held the 4th Wednesday of every month from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the Banquet Facility of the Upland Brewing Company. There’s a $5 suggested donation, some food will be provided. To receive a monthly reminder, write greendrinksbloomington@gmail.com.  To learn more about Green Drinks visit www.greendrinks.org.

Friday, February 24
Spring Workday for the Campus Garden Initiative @ Hilltop Garden
When: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Hilltop Garden (map)
Description: Volunteer with us at the Campus Garden Initiative’s new plot at Hilltop Gardens: learn and practice skills for planning, planting and tending to edible plants; help shape the plan for using produce grown this summer; and meet fellow volunteers passionate about growing food for our campus.
For more information, contact Stephanie Hopkins, Garden Coordinator at iugarden@indiana.edu or visit iugarden.wordpress.com.

Volunteer at Bayles Road with the IU Research and Teaching Preserve
When: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Meet to carpool at Kmart East Location: 3216 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN
Description: Preserve staff to assist with the removal of a research experiment at Bayles Road, a parcel of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. Meet the Preserve staff at 1:00 p.m., in the Bloomingfoods East / K-Mart parking lot. The parking at Bayles Road is minimal, so we will meet in the parking lot to carpool over to the property. The Preserve staff will bring any tools and equipment. Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes, and layers of clothing if the weather is cool. Volunteers should also bring water. We will provide the work gloves. Please RSVP on Facebook, email preserve@indiana.edu or call 855-8742 to let the Preserve Staff know you are coming. We look forward to working with you!

Saturday, February 24
Bloomington Community Orchard class–Dormant Pruning Workshop
When: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: The Orchard (2120 S. Highland Ave.)
Description: The workshop includes the discussion and demonstration of dormant pruning techniques and the opportunity to practice on trees in the
Bloomington Community Orchard. Bring hand pruners, if you have them. Tools are provided for those who need them. Register online (http://bloomington.in.gov/documents/viewDocument.php?document_id=6340) by Feb. 22 with Code 17625-A, but registration is also available at the beginning of the workshop. The cost is $7 in-city and $8 non-city.

Thursday, March 1
“Critical Approaches to Environmental Sustainability across Latin America” with Michael Cepek and Andrew Matthews
When: 7:00 pm
Where: Sassafras Rm, IMU
Description: You’re invited to join the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies for a dialogue with Michael Cepek (UT–San Antonio) and Andrew Matthew (UC–Santa Cruz) on “Critical Approaches to Environmental Sustainability Across Latin America.” This event is sponsored by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Sustainable Development Initiative, a U.S. Department of Education Title VI Project.

Tuesday, March 6
Prospect Hill presents: Permaculture presentation by Keith Johnson
When: 7:00 -9:00 pm
Where: Monroe County Public Library Auditorium
Description: Come learn about Permaculture from Keith Johnson! Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems.  It is a land use and community building movement which strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities. A central theme in permaculture is the design of ecological landscapes that produce food. However, permaculture entails much more than just food production. Energy-efficient buildings, waste water treatment, recycling, and land stewardship in general are other important components of permaculture. Permaculture has expanded its purview to include economic and social structures that support the evolution and development of more permanent communities, such as co-housing projects and eco-villages.
Keith is an experienced permaculture site designer and teacher.  He has been providing consulting advice and design since 1979.  He has developed an intimate knowledge of various regional landscapes, botany, soils, earthworks, natural building and other skills.  With a wealth of experience in temperate climate permaculture systems he offers a range of consulting services to regional and distant clients.

News, ongoing events, and opportunities:

If you are interested in having an event sent out over the listserv, please send an email with the title, time, date, location and description to susevent@indiana.edu by the Saturday evening before your event occurs. 

Upcoming Events:

Monday, February 13

Department of Geography Colloquium: “Changing Sea Ice of the Canadian Arctic” by Dr. Stephen Howell, Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellow, Climate Research Division, Environment Canada
When: 4:00 p.m.
Where: Ballantine Hall 005
Abstract: The Arctic climate system is now in the midst of rapid change.  A consequence of the changing Arctic has been warming and surface air temperatures have increased by 1.36°C per century since 1875, accelerating in the last decade to 1.35°C per decade.  One of the impacts of increased Arctic warming has been the gradual reduction in end-of-summer sea ice extent that is now decreasing at a rate of 12% per decade. While it is certain that a warmer Arctic will continue to bring about lighter sea ice conditions, considerable regional variability is apparent. This presentation i) outlines the remotely sensed techniques used to monitor the changing sea ice of the Canadian Arctic and ii) discusses the role of atmospheric forcing on the changing Canadian Arctic sea ice.

Screening of “The Oil Crash: A Crude Awakening”
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Myers Hall 130
Synoposis: Supported by a powerful mix of archival footage, NASA shots of burning oil fields, and, often unintentionally hilarious, historical film excerpts, OilCrash guides us on an exotic, visual journey from Houston to Caracas, the Lake of Maracaibo, the Orinoco delta, Central Asia’s secretive republic of Azerbaijan with its ancient capital Baku and the Caspian Sea, via London & Zürich. Oil Crash visits cities around the world to learn of our future from such leading authorities as oil investment banker Matthew Simmons, former OPEC chairman Fadhil Chalabhi, Caltech’s head of physics, Professor David Goodstein, Stanford University political scientist, Terry Lynn Karl, peak oil expert, Matthew Savinar and many more. Free pizza will be provided. Event sponsored by Volunteers in Sustainability. 

Tuesday, February 14

Volunteer for campus litter study
When: 2:00pm
Where: Campus Division Office, 2222 E 10th St.
Description: Show our campus some love and help us keep IU beautiful!  Volunteers are needed to help us sort and categorize campus litter in support of an effort to reduce littering on campus.  Did you know that IU staff currently pick up 1,500 lbs of litter a day off of the ground on the IUB campus?  Help us locate the sources and find solutions to this problem. Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed-toed shoes.  We’ll provide the rest. Questions can be directed to IUOS intern Mark Milby at momilby@indiana.edu.

“Community Adaptations to Peak Oil and Climate Change” – a lecture by Bloomington City Council Member Dave Rollo
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Jordan Hall A100
Description: Councilman Rollo is the chair of Bloomington’s Peak Oil Task Force and largely responsible for the city’s involvement in the Transition Town initiative. In this lecture he will discuss the accomplishments and goals of the Peak Oil Task Force and Transition Towns, both in Bloomington and in general. Event is sponsored by Volunteers in Sustainability.

Friday, February 17

Volunteer at Moores Creek with the IU Research and Teaching Preserve
When: 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: Moores Creek (meet at Bloomingfoods East)
Description: Join Preserve staff to pick up litter at Moores Creek, a parcel of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Meet the Preserve staff at 1:00 p.m., in the Bloomingfoods East / K-Mart parking lot at 3175 East 3rd St, Bloomington, IN. The parking at Moores Creek is minimal, so we will meet in the parking lot to carpool over to the property. The Preserve staff will bring any tools and equipment. Volunteers should wear sturdy, water resistant shoes, and layers of clothing if the weather is cool. Volunteers should also bring water. We will provide the work gloves.
Please RSVP on Facebook, email preserve@indiana.edu or call 855-8742 to let the Preserve Staff know you are coming. We look forward to working with you!!

First Spring Workday for the Campus Garden Initiative @ Hilltop Garden
When: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Hilltop Garden (map)
Description: Volunteer with us at the Campus Garden Initiative’s new plot at Hilltop Gardens: learn and practice skills for planning, planting and tending to edible plants; help shape the plan for using produce grown this summer; and meet fellow volunteers passionate about growing food for our campus.
For more information, contact Stephanie Hopkins, Garden Coordinator atiugarden@indiana.edu or visit iugarden.wordpress.com.

Saturday, February 18
The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride
When: 10:00 AM
Where: Meet in front of City Hall
Description: Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor roving bands of zombies will keep us from the streets during Bloomington’s first annual Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride.  The 5-mile ride will traverse urban cycling routes around Bloomington to prove that it’s possible to bike in all kinds of weather.  Intended for both the fearful and the fearless.  If you can ride on this day, you can ride any day. Contact sustain@bloomington.in.gov or call 349.3837 for more information, and join the event on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/events/176985722408855/.

Wednesday, February 22
Student Sustainability Council General Assembly Meeting
When: 6:00 PM
Where: E-House, 704 E 10th St
Description: SSC General Assembly meetings are open to all students, but those wishing to have voting rights must petition for membership as a representative of a student organization. Those interested in petitioning may contact Stephanie @ stehopki@indiana.edu.Remaining meeting dates this semester are 3/21, 4/4, & 4/25, all at 6:00 PM.

News, ongoing events, and opportunities:

Apply to the IU Summer Internship Program in Sustainability – due 2/17
Looking for an intellectually engaging, creatively stimulating, fun, challenging internship that will build your professional skill set? Interested in social, economic, and environmental issues and their intersection on our campus? Apply to the Summer 2012 Internship Program in Sustainability! This summer’s program will run from May 14, 2012 to August 3, 2012, and interns are expected to work approximately 20 hours/week in addition to attending a weekly seminar. Students interested in applying may visit http://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/Intern/apply.html for more information about the program, this year’s position descriptions, and link to application. Applications are due on Friday, February 17th. Additional questions and comments can be directed to sustain@indiana.edu.

2012-13 On-Campus Americorps Positions – applications due 2/24
Are you a student who cares about service and is willing to put your passion into action? Student Life and Learning and the LEAD IU program are hosting AmeriCorps positions during the 2012–2013 academic year. After completing 300 hours of community service and leadership training with the support of SLL staff, members will receive a $1,175 Education Award. Please complete an application and email it to acorps@indiana.edu by 5pm on February 24th . This program is graciously supported through Indiana Campus Compact.

Join the Student Committee for the IU Fall Involvement Fair
Interact with other students, build relationships and gain leadership experience through this volunteer opportunity. The committee will be broken up into smaller committees that include: Publicity, Entertainment and Sustainability. Students involved will attend committee meetings and work with other students starting this semester. Plan sustainability initiatives and be a part of the “Green Team” at the fair!
We need creative students to help make the next Student Involvement Fair a success! Students with ideas for the fair or just an eagerness to be involved with the process should contact Allie Medellin at sif@indiana.edu.

Applications for IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program Due Tuesday, February 14
The 2012 IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program is still accepting applications through Tuesday, February 14.  Students will visit Brussels, London, Cambridge, and Oxford to learn from the European perspective on environmental protection under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Richards of SPEA and world-renowned environmental policy experts. Please visitwww.spea.indiana.edu/IUatOxford or email Stephanie Hayes Richards atsteprich@indiana.edu for more information.

Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9am to noon, Harmony School (909 East 2nd Street)
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is a great opportunity to buy directly from local growers during the winter months. Our cozy indoor market features local products, live music, and a wonderful community. Join us for breakfast and buy local produce, meats, baked goods, dairy, and more! The market is open throughout the winter until March 31, 2012.

Call for Entries – Trashion Refashion Show
The 2012 Trashion Refashion Show is looking for fashion designs from the following categories:
Trashion is the result of creatively turning discarded items into fashion.
Refashion is the result of modifying existing clothing into something more fashionable.
Up to 3 entries, in any combination of categories, may be submitted per designer or team. Submissions are due on March 1, 2012. The show itself will take place on April 22nd at the Buskirk Chumley Theater at 7pm. Instructions for submission are available at http://www.bloomingtontrashion.org/.

Permaculture interns sought for Bread & Roses Gardens
Bread & Roses Gardens is a woodland homestead in Will Holler, on the south side of Lake Monroe, 10 miles south of Bloomington in the heart of Hoosier National Forest. Certified Permaculture Designer Salem Willard founded Bread & Roses in January of 2011 to create a thriving example of sustainable living. Interns will be asked to commit to a minimum of 4~6 hours/week. Ideally interns will be able to join us throughout the growing season (March~October), however seasonal positions will be considered. In addition to cerebral and kinesthetic learning at B&R Gardens, we will naturally send helpers home with handfuls of hearty goods to feed their hearts and hungry stomachs. We are more than willing to negotiate hosting independent learning projects for credit through the University. Visit http://www.breadandrosesgardens.com/index.html to learn more about Bread & Roses. Click here to download PDF flier with more information about the internships.

Opportunities with Pick Up America
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with us this year! In 2012, we will be completing our three year coast-to-coast roadside litter pick-up by walking from Colorado to the California coast. We are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. We are a one-of-a-kind traveling nonprofit crew aiming to connect with one-of-a-kind individuals. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visithttp://pickupamerica.org/connect to find all the details about the available positions.

Green Corps Now Accepting Applications 
Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps’ year-long paid program, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you’ll need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others — with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups. In the next few months, we‘ll invite 35 college graduates to join Green Corps in 2012-2013. We’re looking for people who are serious about saving the planet, people who have taken initiative on their campus or community, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work for change over the long haul. If you think you’re one of those people, visithttp://www.greencorps.org/apply to submit your application to join the 2012-2013 class of Green Corps’ Field School for Environmental Organizing. Green Corps’ year-long program begins in August 2012 with Introductory Classroom Training in Boston, and continues with field placements in multiple locations across the U.S. Candidates must be willing to relocate. For more information, visit www.greencorps.org or contact Aaron Myran, Green Corps Recruitment Director, at aaron@greencorps.org or 617.747.4302.

FoodCorps Opens Applications for its Next Class of School Food Changemakers
FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, is now accepting applications for its second annual class of service members. The selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems – expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and sourcing fresh, healthy, local food for school cafeterias. FoodCorps seeks up to 100 men and women with a passion for serving their country as AmeriCorps service members by building healthy communities in 12 states around the country. Emerging leaders interested in getting more information should visithttp://foodcorps.org/become-a-service-member.

 Downtown Bloomington Recycling Center Now Open for Business
A new recycling center has opened downtown in the parking lot behind the Showers Building on 10th Street. The center is part of a collaboration of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County Solid Waste Management District and Pedal Power owner Chad Roeder to make recycling more sustainable and accessible to downtown residents.
The recycling center is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Materials accepted at the center include:

• · Steel and aluminum cans (no scrap metal)
• · Plastics #1-7
• · Clear and colored glass bottles and jars (no window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, etc)
• · Mixed paper/fibrous products (junk mail, newspaper, office paper, paperboard, etc)
• · Corrugated cardboard

All materials must be free from food contamination, and paper and cardboard products must be dry. The center does not currently accept hazardous materials such as paint, aerosols, poisons or batteries, but these items may be taken to the Monroe County Recycling Center at 3400 S. Walnut Street. Visit their facebook page or website for more information. For further questions about the recycling center downtown call Chad Roeder at 325-2777.

Got aquarium?
Moving out and can’t take your aquarium pets with you? Don’t dump them in the lake or into local waterways! Many aquarium plants and animals are non-native species that can wreak havoc on our local environment. Contact the Bloomington Animal Shelter at (812) 349-3492or the Monroe County Humane Association at (812) 335-9453.

Sign a petition for local transit funding referenda
Bloomington Transportation Options for People (B-TOP) has passed a resolution supporting a petition from the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority calling for dedicated funding for transportation. To read and sign the petition, visit http://www.cirta.us/. Also, if you are involved in an organization that may want to pass a resolution, the coalition is looking for more supporting organizations to sign on.

Common Circle Education announces cross-country bike trip & permaculture design course
This three-month intensive course combines our Urban Permaculture and Regenerative Leadership Certificate training, followed by a Wilderness First Aid training before we head on the road cycling from Eugene, Oregon all the way across America to Washington DC (we’ll be roughly following the TransAM bike route – about 4200 miles), promoting and learning about sustainable living and intentional communities. Program takes place between June 1 – August 31, 2012 and is designed for beginner to intermediate cyclists. More details @http://commoncircle.com/cross-country-bicycle-tour.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore Seeks Volunteers
As a volunteer run organization, the ReStore has made great strides this past year, such as sponsoring an energy star rated Habitat home as well as diverting over 228 tons of goods from the landfill. With your help, we can go further. At the heart of the Habitat ReStore’s operating philosophy is a sense for the green and the hope that we can create a more sustainable community in Bloomington. With daily volunteer opportunities available, this is a great way to make a direct impact in your community. Contact Bruce Murray at 331-2660 ormurray@monroecountyhabitat.org for more information about how you can help! 

 Winter Thermostat Settings – a message from the IU Physical Plant
Cold weather is here, so please set down the thermostats to the winter set point of 68 degrees for classrooms, offices, hallways, lounges and general rooms (excluding labs with critical temperature requirements). Set points can be slightly higher for rooms that have window, ventilation or other comfort problems. Vestibules should be set at 60 degrees. The thermostats that control cooling only units should be left at 78 degrees.
Please contact the Operations Dispatchers to have Work Request initiated for each building involved with this work. These Work Requests will be part of Project No. 2012. If these set points cause problems for particular rooms please contact Doug Trueblood (rtrueblo@indiana.edu). Thank you for the many ways you continue to help us keep our energy cost down as much as possible.

Green Acres Neighborhood Ecovillage
Want to grow sustainable community right here in Bloomington? Our “retrofit cohousing” ecovillage offers sustainability-related events, community potlucks, music jams, and much more. Come learn with us (even if you don’t live in the neighborhood) and make new friends. We welcome folks of all ages who are attracted to our vision. Learn more at www.ganecovillage.org/vision-and-values. To get involved, join our email list by sending a blank email to: green-acres-neighborhood-ecovillage+subscribe@googlegroups.com. 

Bloomington Community Orchard Workdays and Events
The Orchard has many opportunities for all interest levels. Workdays, team meetings, limestone benchmaking workshop, tabling at community events, tours at the Orchard..the list goes on! Check out our calendar (http://www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org/site/calendar) for details or email Stacey at getinvolved@bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org for more information.

Monroe County Pharmaceutical Disposal Program
The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office this week announced a new effort to collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose, and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal.   For more information visit http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor and follow the link to the Monroe County Pharmaceutical Safe Disposal Program, or call 349-DRUG.

Take the Pledge – Go Phosphorus Free!
Clear Choices for Clean Water is a campaign to increase awareness about lawn care and its impact on our streams and lakes. Water quality friendly lawn care includes practices such as using phosphorus-free fertilizer, landscaping with native plants, managing yard and pet wastes, and overall lawn reform. Click here to take the pledge: http://www.clearchoicescleanwater.org/

Student Conservation Association Internships
The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. See http://thesca.org/serve/internships for more information and to apply.

The committee, made up of 35 faculty, staff, and students and co-chaired by Campus View Childcare staff member, Amy Roche and Anthropology faculty member, Catherine Tucker, has decided to divide themselves into three sub-committees to adequately address their objectives this growing season: Food Production and Use, Academic Initiatives, and Volunteer Engagement.

The sub-committees intend to work with the entire university community to meet the following objectives:

The Edible Campus Steering Committee was created as a result of the 2011 Designing an Edible Campus Series.

Food Production

• Create edible gardening spaces that focus on the sustainable cultivation of local and heirloom varieties of vegetables and herbs.
• Promote dining options for students, staff, and faculty that utilize food produced on campus. 

Academic Initiatives

• Create academic research, coursework, service learning, and community outreach opportunities at all edible gardening spaces.

Volunteer Engagement

• Create a volunteer infrastructure capable of sustaining edible gardening spaces and engaging individuals in a non-curricular manner.

The Academic Initiatives sub-comittee has compiled a list of food related courses offered this Spring and coming Fall and begun to develop a strategy for encouraging more departments to offer  food related courses.

The Volunteer Engagement sub-committee has been working on publicity and marketing strategies for garden events and workdays. The sub-committee has also been developing a plan for  creating an ‘adopt a day’ program at the Hilltop Garden and connecting gardening experts with new volunteers.

The Food Production and Use sub-committee has developed a planting plan and a garden layout for the Hilltop Garden, facilitated the testing of the garden’s soil and begun to build a connection between the garden initiative and on campus food vendors.

To learn more about the initiative, visit iugarden.wordpress.com or send an e-mail to iugarden@indiana.edu.

Written by Stephanie Hopkins, Campus Garden Intern.

King James has been known to commute by bike fairly regularly but has been quoted on record as being surprised when he is given attention for it.  For him, it’s simply an efficient and easy to get from Point A to Point B.  This is the sort of attitude that should be promoted when it comes to bicycle transit.  The truth is that biking is a vital means of transportation when over 40 percent of all trips are made within two miles of a person’s home.  It would make nothing but complete sense for any professional athlete to maintain a healthy lifestyle by riding a bike.

Today at IU, we can immediately work to change the perception that bike rides should be confined to only one or two rides through the park every year.  This transformation can begin first by improving the infrastructure on our campus.  Aside from street lanes, plenty of our pathways are actually meant to be shared by bikers and pedestrians alike.  It would be extremely beneficial for those pathways to be identified and marked so our students, faculty, and staff understand that we are meant to share the road.  Plus, if we ever got a visit from Lebron, we’d want him to feel welcome, wouldn’t we?  Let’s make some progress for IU and make our daily commutes more efficient and bike-friendly.

Written by Hannah Hunt, Bicycle Friendly Initiatives Intern

If you are interested in having an event sent out over the listserv, please send an email with the title, time, date, location and description to susevent@indiana.edu by the Saturday evening before your event occurs.

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Upcoming Events:

Monday, February 6
“U.S. Energy Outlook, Whatever happened to ‘Peak Oil?’” – lecture by Marcia McNutt, Director of the US Geological Survey
When: 4:00 p.m.
Where: Fine Arts Auditorium (FA 015)
Description: Marcia McNutt, Director of the US Geological Survey, will give a talk titled: U.S. Energy Outlook: Whatever Happened to “Peak Oil?”  A public reception will be held after the talk.
Abstract: Not so many years ago, the public heard much concern that the nation, and the globe, had or was about to reach the point of peak oil production and would be on a downward trajectory due to declining resources. The current fact is that despite growing demand for energy, fossil fuel resources have never been higher. This presentation will review the US outlook for fossil fuel resources, but also the challenges that we face in developing these resources. For that reason, the USGS is also supporting wind and solar energy development to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuel.

Tuesday, February 7

Think Cultural Health: Interactive Presentation to Increase Familiarity with Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Public Health Resources
When: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Where: HPER C100 Mobley Auditorium
Description: Join us for an interactive discusion based on the THINK CULTURAL HEALTH initiative by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Join the discussion, connect to resources that will be helpful to students and professionals in the field of public health, and engage in your personal efforts to increase your knowledge of the cultural implications on public health.
Panel Presenters:
-Dr. Brian Dodge – Associate Director, Center for Sexual Health Promotion
-Eric Love – Director, Office of Diversity Education, Indiana University
-Dr. Deb Getz – Director, Office of Minority Recruitment Retention & Outreach

“Peak Oil: Evidence and Consequences” – lecture by Bloomington City Council Member Dave Rollo
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Jordan Hall A100
Description: Councilman Rollo is the chair of  Bloomington’s Peak Oil Task Force and largely responsible for the city’s involvement in the Transition Town initiative. Event is sponsored by Volunteers in Sustainability.

US Green Building Council Students Call-Out Meeting
When: 7:30 PM
Where: E-House, 704 E. 10th St.
Description:
Looking for a way to get more involved with sustainability at IU? US Green Building Council (USGBC) Students invites you to become a founding member of their brand new chapter at Indiana University. Build your resume and make professional connections while learning about LEED projects on the Bloomington campus. Come learn about this new student group while enjoying pizza with students from all disciplines interested in greening our campus. Find out more about this up and coming organization at http://centerforgreenschools.org/usgbcstudents. Contact ranoyes@indiana.edu or wroyal@indiana.edu for questions or more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

Emerald Ash Borer Public Meeting
When: 1:30 PM or 7:00 PM
Where: Vigo County Public Library
Description: The Emerald Ash Borer kills tree and is now active in the Wabash Valley. Come learn and discuss the options for dealing with the EAB. Speakers include Ft. Wayne Forester Chad Tinkel (will discuss why it is important to have a plan in place), Arborjet representative Rob Gorden from Woburn, MA  (will talk about treating trees with a bi-annual vaccine), and Terre Haute City Engineer Chuck Ennis . All are welcome at either meeting time.

Friday, February 10
Volunteer at Kent Farm with the IU Research and Teaching Preserve
When: 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: Kent Farm (meet at Bloomingfoods East)
Description: Join Preserve staff to pick up litter at Kent Farm, a parcel of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Meet the Preserve staff at 1:00 p.m., in the Bloomingfoods East / K-Mart parking lot at 3175 East 3rd St, Bloomington, IN. The parking at Kent Farm is minimal, so we will meet in the parking lot to carpool over to the property. The Preserve staff will bring any tools and equipment. Volunteers should wear sturdy, water resistant shoes, and layers of clothing if the weather is cool. Volunteers should also bring water. We will provide the work gloves.
Please RSVP on Facebook, email preserve@indiana.edu or call 855-8742 to let the Preserve Staff know you are coming. We look forward to working with you!!

Monday, February 13
Screening of “The Oil Crash: A Crude Awakening”
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Myers Hall 130
Synoposis: Supported by a powerful mix of archival footage, NASA shots of burning oil fields, and, often unintentionally hilarious, historical film excerpts, OilCrash guides us on an exotic, visual journey from Houston to Caracas, the Lake of Maracaibo, the Orinoco delta, Central Asia’s secretive republic of Azerbaijan with its ancient capital Baku and the Caspian Sea, via London & Zürich. OilCrash visits cities around the world to learn of our future from such leading authorities as oil investment banker Matthew Simmons, former OPEC chairman Fadhil Chalabhi, Caltech’s head of physics, Professor David Goodstein, Stanford University political scientist, Terry Lynn Karl, peak oil expert, Matthew Savinar and many more. Free pizza will be provided. Event sponsored by Volunteers in Sustainability.

Tuesday, February 14
“Community Adaptations to Peak Oil and Climate Change” – a lecture by Bloomington City Council Member Dave Rollo
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Jordan Hall A100
Description: Councilman Rollo is the chair of Bloomington’s Peak Oil Task Force and largely responsible for the city’s involvement in the Transition Town initiative. In this lecture he will discuss the accomplishments and goals of the Peak Oil Task Force and Transition Towns, both in Bloomington and in general. Event is sponsored by Volunteers in Sustainability.

Friday, February 17

Volunteer at Moores Creek with the IU Research and Teaching Preserve
When: 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: Moores Creek (meet at Bloomingfoods East)
Description: Join Preserve staff to pick up litter at Moores Creek, a parcel of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Meet the Preserve staff at 1:00 p.m., in the Bloomingfoods East / K-Mart parking lot at 3175 East 3rd St, Bloomington, IN. The parking at Moores Creek is minimal, so we will meet in the parking lot to carpool over to the property. The Preserve staff will bring any tools and equipment. Volunteers should wear sturdy, water resistant shoes, and layers of clothing if the weather is cool. Volunteers should also bring water. We will provide the work gloves.
Please RSVP on Facebook, email preserve@indiana.edu or call 855-8742 to let the Preserve Staff know you are coming. We look forward to working with you!!

First Spring Workday for the Campus Garden Initiative @ Hilltop Garden
When: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Hilltop Garden (map)
Description: Volunteer with us at the Campus Garden Initiative’s new plot at Hilltop Gardens: learn and practice skills for planning, planting and tending to edible plants; help shape the plan for using produce grown this summer; and meet fellow volunteers passionate about growing food for our campus.
For more information, contact Stephanie Hopkins, Garden Coordinator at iugarden@indiana.edu or visit iugarden.wordpress.com.

Saturday, February 18
The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride
When: 10:00 AM
Where: Meet in front of City Hall
Description: Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor roving bands of zombies will keep us from the streets during Bloomington’s first annual Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride.  The 5-mile ride will traverse urban cycling routes around Bloomington to prove that it’s possible to bike in all kinds of weather.  Intended for both the fearful and the fearless.  If you can ride on this day, you can ride any day. Contact sustain@bloomington.in.gov or call 349.3837 for more information, and join the event on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/events/176985722408855/.

Wednesday, February 22
Student Sustainability Council General Assembly Meeting
When: 6:00 PM
Where: E-House, 704 E 10th St
Description: SSC General Assembly meetings are open to all students, but those wishing to have voting rights must petition for membership as a representative of a student organization. Those interested in petitioning may contact Stephanie @ stehopki@indiana.edu. Remaining meeting dates this semester are 3/21, 4/4, & 4/25, all at 6:00 PM.

News, ongoing events, and opportunities:

Apply to the IU Summer Internship Program in Sustainability – due 2/17
Looking for an intellectually engaging, creatively stimulating, fun, challenging internship that will build your professional skill set? Interested in social, economic, and environmental issues and their intersection on our campus? Apply to the Summer 2012 Internship Program in Sustainability! This summer’s program will run from May 14, 2012 to August 3, 2012, and interns are expected to work approximately 20 hours/week in addition to attending a weekly seminar. Students interested in applying may visit http://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/Intern/apply.html for more information about the program, this year’s position descriptions, and link to application. Applications are due on Friday, February 17th. Additional questions and comments can be directed to sustain@indiana.edu.

Join the Student Committee for the IU Fall Involvement Fair
Interact with other students, build relationships and gain leadership experience through this volunteer opportunity. The committee will be broken up into smaller committees that include: Publicity, Entertainment and Sustainability. Students involved will attend committee meetings and work with other students starting this semester. Plan sustainability initiatives and be a part of the “Green Team” at the fair!
We need creative students to help make the next Student Involvement Fair a success! Students with ideas for the fair or just an eagerness to be involved with the process should contact Allie Medellin at sif@indiana.edu.

Applications for IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program Due Tuesday, February 14
The 2012 IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program is still accepting applications through Tuesday, February 14.  Students will visit Brussels, London, Cambridge, and Oxford to learn from the European perspective on environmental protection under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Richards of SPEA and world-renowned environmental policy experts. Please visit www.spea.indiana.edu/IUatOxford or email Stephanie Hayes Richards at steprich@indiana.edu for more information.

Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9am to noon, Harmony School (909 East 2nd Street)
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is a great opportunity to buy directly from local growers during the winter months. Our cozy indoor market features local products, live music, and a wonderful community. Join us for breakfast and buy local produce, meats, baked goods, dairy, and more! The market is open throughout the winter until March 31, 2012.

Call for Entries – Trashion Refashion Show
The 2012 Trashion Refashion Show is looking for fashion designs from the following categories:
Trashion is the result of creatively turning discarded items into fashion.
Refashion is the result of modifying existing clothing into something more fashionable.
Up to 3 entries, in any combination of categories, may be submitted per designer or team. Submissions are due on March 1, 2012. The show itself will take place on April 22nd at the Buskirk Chumley Theater at 7pm. Instructions for submission are available at http://www.bloomingtontrashion.org/.

Permaculture interns sought for Bread & Roses Gardens
Bread & Roses Gardens is a woodland homestead in Will Holler, on the south side of Lake Monroe, 10 miles south of Bloomington in the heart of Hoosier National Forest. Certified Permaculture Designer Salem Willard founded Bread & Roses in January of 2011 to create a thriving example of sustainable living. Interns will be asked to commit to a minimum of 4~6 hours/week. Ideally interns will be able to join us throughout the growing season (March~October), however seasonal positions will be considered. In addition to cerebral and kinesthetic learning at B&R Gardens, we will naturally send helpers home with handfuls of hearty goods to feed their hearts and hungry stomachs. We are more than willing to negotiate hosting independent learning projects for credit through the University. Visit http://www.breadandrosesgardens.com/index.html to learn more about Bread & Roses. Click here to download PDF flier with more information about the internships.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard’s Garden Education Program seeks garden interns for the 2012 growing season – applications due 2/10
MHC’s Community Garden program provides garden fresh nutrient dense food to the low-income community served by the pantry while also providing educational experiences for MHC’s patrons, volunteers, and the community at large. Interns will work closely with staff and volunteers, and are required to help plan, plant, and tend the garden site at which they are placed. Positions are available in three gardens with 4 potential opportunities involving youth garden programming and hoophouse management. Interns learn while gardening using a dynamic mixture of sustainable techniques, including Permaculture, Biointensive, and Biodynamic growing methods. This opportunity includes instruction with an openness to the interests of the intern. This position is unpaid. To apply for a 2012 Garden internship position please send a resume and cover letter to Stephanie Solomon at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org by Friday, February 10th at 5pm. Questions, or wanting more information? Email us or call 355.6843.

Opportunities with Pick Up America
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with us this year! In 2012, we will be completing our three year coast-to-coast roadside litter pick-up by walking from Colorado to the California coast. We are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. We are a one-of-a-kind traveling nonprofit crew aiming to connect with one-of-a-kind individuals. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visit http://pickupamerica.org/connect to find all the details about the available positions.

Green Corps Now Accepting Applications
Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps’ year-long paid program, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you’ll need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others — with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups. In the next few months, we‘ll invite 35 college graduates to join Green Corps in 2012-2013. We’re looking for people who are serious about saving the planet, people who have taken initiative on their campus or community, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work for change over the long haul. If you think you’re one of those people, visit http://www.greencorps.org/apply to submit your application to join the 2012-2013 class of Green Corps’ Field School for Environmental Organizing. Green Corps’ year-long program begins in August 2012 with Introductory Classroom Training in Boston, and continues with field placements in multiple locations across the U.S. Candidates must be willing to relocate. For more information, visit www.greencorps.org or contact Aaron Myran, Green Corps Recruitment Director, at aaron@greencorps.org or 617.747.4302.

FoodCorps Opens Applications for its Next Class of School Food Changemakers
FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, is now accepting applications for its second annual class of service members. The selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems – expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and sourcing fresh, healthy, local food for school cafeterias. FoodCorps seeks up to 100 men and women with a passion for serving their country as AmeriCorps service members by building healthy communities in 12 states around the country. Emerging leaders interested in getting more information should visit http://foodcorps.org/become-a-service-member.

Downtown Bloomington Recycling Center Now Open for Business
A new recycling center has opened downtown in the parking lot behind the Showers Building on 10th Street. The center is part of a collaboration of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County Solid Waste Management District and Pedal Power owner Chad Roeder to make recycling more sustainable and accessible to downtown residents.
The recycling center is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Materials accepted at the center include:

• Steel and aluminum cans (no scrap metal)
• Plastics #1-7
• Clear and colored glass bottles and jars (no window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, etc)
• Mixed paper/fibrous products (junk mail, newspaper, office paper, paperboard, etc)
• Corrugated cardboard

All materials must be free from food contamination, and paper and cardboard products must be dry. The center does not currently accept hazardous materials such as paint, aerosols, poisons or batteries, but these items may be taken to the Monroe County Recycling Center at 3400 S. Walnut Street. Visit their facebook page or website for more information. For further questions about the recycling center downtown call Chad Roeder at 325-2777.

Got aquarium?
Moving out and can’t take your aquarium pets with you? Don’t dump them in the lake or into local waterways! Many aquarium plants and animals are non-native species that can wreak havoc on our local environment. Contact the Bloomington Animal Shelter at (812) 349-3492 or the Monroe County Humane Association at (812) 335-9453.

Sign a petition for local transit funding referenda
Bloomington Transportation Options for People (B-TOP) has passed a resolution supporting a petition from the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority calling for dedicated funding for transportation. To read and sign the petition, visit http://www.cirta.us/. Also, if you are involved in an organization that may want to pass a resolution, the coalition is looking for more supporting organizations to sign on.

Common Circle Education announces cross-country bike trip & permaculture design course
This three-month intensive course combines our Urban Permaculture and Regenerative Leadership Certificate training, followed by a Wilderness First Aid training before we head on the road cycling from Eugene, Oregon all the way across America to Washington DC (we’ll be roughly following the
TransAM bike route – about 4200 miles), promoting and learning about sustainable living and intentional communities. Program takes place between June 1 – August 31, 2012 and is designed for beginner to intermediate cyclists. More details @ http://commoncircle.com/cross-country-bicycle-tour.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore Seeks Volunteers
As a volunteer run organization, the ReStore has made great strides this past year, such as sponsoring an energy star rated Habitat home as well as diverting over 228 tons of goods from the landfill. With your help, we can go further. At the heart of the Habitat ReStore’s operating philosophy is a sense for the green and the hope that we can create a more sustainable community in Bloomington. With daily volunteer opportunities available, this is a great way to make a direct impact in your community. Contact Bruce Murray at 331-2660 or murray@monroecountyhabitat.org for more information about how you can help!

Winter Thermostat Settings – a message from the IU Physical Plant
Cold weather is here, so please set down the thermostats to the winter set point of 68 degrees for classrooms, offices, hallways, lounges and general rooms (excluding labs with critical temperature requirements). Set points can be slightly higher for rooms that have window, ventilation or other comfort problems. Vestibules should be set at 60 degrees. The thermostats that control cooling only units should be left at 78 degrees.
Please contact the Operations Dispatchers to have Work Request initiated for each building involved with this work. These Work Requests will be part of Project No. 2012. If these set points cause problems for particular rooms please contact Doug Trueblood (rtrueblo@indiana.edu). Thank you for the many ways you continue to help us keep our energy cost down as much as possible.

Green Acres Neighborhood Ecovillage
Want to grow sustainable community right here in Bloomington? Our “retrofit cohousing” ecovillage offers sustainability-related events, community potlucks, music jams, and much more. Come learn with us (even if you don’t live in the neighborhood) and make new friends. We welcome folks of all ages who are attracted to our vision. Learn more at www.ganecovillage.org/vision-and-values. To get involved, join our email list by sending a blank email to: green-acres-neighborhood-ecovillage+subscribe@googlegroups.com.

Bloomington Community Orchard Workdays and Events
The Orchard has many opportunities for all interest levels. Workdays, team meetings, limestone benchmaking workshop, tabling at community events, tours at the Orchard..the list goes on! Check out our calendar (http://www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org/site/calendar) for details or email Stacey at getinvolved@bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org for more information.

Monroe County Pharmaceutical Disposal Program
The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office this week announced a new effort to collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose, and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal.   For more information visit http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor and follow the link to the Monroe County Pharmaceutical Safe Disposal Program, or call 349-DRUG.

Take the Pledge – Go Phosphorus Free!
Clear Choices for Clean Water is a campaign to increase awareness about lawn care and its impact on our streams and lakes. Water quality friendly lawn care includes practices such as using phosphorus-free fertilizer, landscaping with native plants, managing yard and pet wastes, and overall lawn reform. Click here to take the pledge: http://www.clearchoicescleanwater.org/

Student Conservation Association Internships
The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. See http://thesca.org/serve/internships for more information and to appl

Fact: Kobe Bryant is better than Lebron James.

Or is he? The criteria we use to compare these two athletes will likely determine our conclusion. Kobe has won five national championships.  But Lebron has better stats over his career in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks and steals. Kobe scored 81 points in a game and is a proven performer in clutch situations. But Lebron has won two Most Valuable Player awards to Kobe’s one.

So who wins the argument? On some metrics Kobe is more impressive, but if you look at different measures Lebron is clearly dominant. The point is that something as straightforward as determining who is a better basketball player isn’t actually quite so simple, even when you have a stack of statistics in front of you. It all depends in your definition of what makes a good basketball player. Is it winning championships? Having the best stats? Intangibles like “making your teammates better” and the ability to nail a last-second, game-winning shot? Or some combination of these things?

This sports example is analogous when we talk about trying to become a “leader in campus sustainability”. When comparing how sustainable IU is relative to other universities – or even just within our own university across time – it is challenging to determine who is more sustainable or if our university is becoming more sustainable every year. After all, there are many definitions of sustainability, each with different criteria for measuring it. For example, as IU continues to expand, it will add additional buildings, thereby increasing total energy consumption. Bad news for sustainability, right? But if IU switched from a primary energy source of coal to natural gas during that time period, its carbon emissions would fall dramatically – despite the increase in energy consumption.  Add another layer of analysis into the mix – for example, the environmental harm associated with hydraulic fracking used to extract natural gas – and things can get pretty hairy.

Campus sustainability assessments are a useful method for untangling the many variables that go into the concept of sustainability and can be used to compare universities on how sustainable they are.  A significant component of my internship with the Office of Sustainability has centered around the holy grail of campus sustainability assessments, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). STARS is a self-reporting assessment used to track and quantify sustainability in higher education. It provides a framework for understanding and measuring the many different components of sustainability on a college campus. Numeric scores across many measures are aggregated and then categorized into four easy to understand grades to indicate a school’s level of sustainability: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. IU completed STARS for the first time a year ago, receiving a Silver rating. The three other Big Ten schools (Michigan State, Minnesota and Penn State) that have already completed STARS have also received Silver ratings.

Every couple of years IU will be resubmitting STARS to document its improvement across many sustainability measures, with the goal of reaching a Platinum rating by 2020.  This will require improvements across a very broad range of different sustainability categories, such as academics, food, energy, transportation and administration. STARS represents an important way that IU can demonstrate its leadership in sustainability in the Big Ten and nationally.

Getting back to Kobe vs. Lebron, the winner is actually Lebron – at least according to the STARS equivalent of the basketball world: efficiency ratings. So at least when it comes to STARS, as much as I hate to say it, let’s try and be like Lebron.

If you are interested in having an event sent out over the listserv, please send an email with the title, time, date, location and description to susevent@indiana.edu by the Saturday evening before your event occurs.

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Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, January 31
Info Session for the Summer 2012 Internship Program in Sustainability
When: 6:00 – 7:00 PM
Where: E-House, the new home of the IU Office of Sustainability, 704 E 10th St
Description: Today we begin accepting applications for our sixth summer internship class, and we want to give you an opportunity to learn more about the program and the application process. We’ll be holding an info session this Tuesday, January 31st from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at E-House, the new headquarters for the IU Office of Sustainability.  Please join us for snacks from Bloomingfoods and to discuss:
-Sustainability 101: What is the Office of Sustainability’s mission on campus, and how are students interns critical to our success?
-Internship Projects: Sustainability interns take big ideas and work with campus and community stakeholders to make them a reality. Learn about summer projects like the Big Red Eats Green Fall Festival, our second annual celebration of restaurants and market venders who supply us with delicious local food, or the Bicycle Friendly Campus Initiative, a new steering committee aimed making biking easier and safer for our community.
-A Day in the Life of an Intern: Former and current interns will be on hand to discuss their experiences in the program and answer questions.
-Application tips: IUOS staff will share suggestions for how to improve your application. A PDF version of the application (without position descriptions) is available for download here, and you can learn more about the program and application here. Check them out before the session, and come prepared with questions!
Click here to register! Questions may be directed to Emilie Rex at ekrex@indiana.edu.

Wednesday, February 1
Whether to Weather Workshops for IU Students
When: 4:00 PM
Where: E-House, the new home of the IU Office of Sustainability, 704 E 10th St
Description: Tired of cold winter weather and high energy bills? Want to do something about it? Participate in a FREE winter weatherization workshop for IU students! You’ll get the opportunity to:
- Learn how to weatherize your home to make it more energy efficient
- Enjoy tasty snacks from Bloomingfoods
- Take home a weatherization kit that includes materials for weatherizing your own home, including: weatherstripping, insulation for light switches and electrical outlets, rope caulk, and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)

Click here to register. Questions may be directed to Rachel Irvine at rmirvine@indiana.edu.

Saturday, February 4
Free Electronics Recycling Program
When: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: The Sanitation Garage, 3406 South Walnut St., just north of the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter
Description: The City of Bloomington Sanitation Department, in partnership with Vintage Tech Recyclers, will host its second Electronics Recycling Program, during which the City invites residents of Bloomington and surrounding communities to dispose of unwanted electronics for recycling.  The following items will be accepted: computers, laptops, monitors, LCDs, cell phones, printers, scanners, modems, cables, televisions, VCR’s, DVD players, camcorders, cameras, gaming systems, telephones, pagers, answering machines, typewriters, calculators, fax machines, copiers and postage meters. All items collected are recycled according to R2 and BAN standards, and hard drives will be wiped or destroyed using the same standards. For more information, please contact the Sanitation Department at 349-3443 or read more online at www.bloomington.in.gov/sanitation.

Tuesday, February 7

US Green Building Council Students Call-Out Meeting
When: 7:30 PM
Where: E-House, 704 E. 10th St.
Description:
Looking for a way to get more involved with sustainability at IU? US Green Building Council (USGBC) Students invites you to become a founding member of their brand new chapter at Indiana University. Build your resume and make professional connections while learning about LEED projects on the Bloomington campus. Come learn about this new student group while enjoying pizza with students from all disciplines interested in greening our campus. Find out more about this up and coming organization at http://centerforgreenschools.org/usgbcstudents. Contact ranoyes@indiana.edu or wroyal@indiana.edu for questions or more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

Emerald Ash Borer Public Meeting
When: 1:30 PM or 7:00 PM
Where: Vigo County Public Library
Description: The Emerald Ash Borer kills tree and is now active in the Wabash Valley. Come learn and discuss the options for dealing with the EAB. Speakers include Ft. Wayne Forester Chad Tinkel (will discuss why it is important to have a plan in place), Arborjet representative Rob Gorden from Woburn, MA  (will talk about treating trees with a bi-annual vaccine), and Terre Haute City Engineer Chuck Ennis . All are welcome at either meeting time.

Saturday, February 18
The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride
When: 10:00 AM
Where: Meet in front of City Hall
Description: Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor roving bands of zombies will keep us from the streets during Bloomington’s first annual Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Bike Ride.  The 5-mile ride will traverse urban cycling routes around Bloomington to prove that it’s possible to bike in all kinds of weather.  Intended for both the fearful and the fearless.  If you can ride on this day, you can ride any day. Contact sustain@bloomington.in.gov or call 349.3837 for more information, and join the event on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/events/176985722408855/.

Wednesday, February 22
Student Sustainability Council General Assembly Meeting
When: 6:00 PM
Where: E-House, 704 E 10th St
Description: SSC General Assembly meetings are open to all students, but those wishing to have voting rights must petition for membership as a representative of a student organization. Those interested in petitioning may contact Stephanie @ stehopki@indiana.edu. Remaining meeting dates this semester are 3/21, 4/4, & 4/25, all at 6:00 PM.

News, ongoing events, and opportunities:

Apply to the IU Summer Internship Program in Sustainability – due 2/17
Looking for an intellectually engaging, creatively stimulating, fun, challenging internship that will build your professional skill set? Interested in social, economic, and environmental issues and their intersection on our campus? Apply to the Summer 2012 Internship Program in Sustainability! This summer’s program will run from May 14, 2012 to August 3, 2012, and interns are expected to work approximately 20 hours/week in addition to attending a weekly seminar. Students interested in applying may visit http://www.indiana.edu/~sustain/Intern/apply.html for more information about the program, this year’s position descriptions, and link to application. Applications are due on Friday, February 17th. Additional questions and comments can be directed to sustain@indiana.edu.

 Applications for IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program Due Tuesday, February 14
The 2012 IU at Oxford Environmental Policy Summer Program is still accepting applications through Tuesday, February 14.  Students will visit Brussels, London, Cambridge, and Oxford to learn from the European perspective on environmental protection under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Richards of SPEA and world-renowned environmental policy experts. Please visit www.spea.indiana.edu/IUatOxford or email Stephanie Hayes Richards at steprich@indiana.edu for more information.

Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9am to noon, Harmony School (909 East 2nd Street)
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is a great opportunity to buy directly from local growers during the winter months. Our cozy indoor market features local products, live music, and a wonderful community. Join us for breakfast and buy local produce, meats, baked goods, dairy, and more! The market is open throughout the winter until March 31, 2012.

Call for Entries – Trashion Refashion Show
The 2012 Trashion Refashion Show is looking for fashion designs from the following categories:
Trashion is the result of creatively turning discarded items into fashion.
Refashion is the result of modifying existing clothing into something more fashionable.
Up to 3 entries, in any combination of categories, may be submitted per designer or team. Submissions are due on March 1, 2012. The show itself will take place on April 22nd at the Buskirk Chumley Theater at 7pm. Instructions for submission are available at http://www.bloomingtontrashion.org/.

Permaculture interns sought for Bread & Roses Gardens
Bread & Roses Gardens is a woodland homestead in Will Holler, on the south side of Lake Monroe, 10 miles south of Bloomington in the heart of Hoosier National Forest. Certified Permaculture Designer Salem Willard founded Bread & Roses in January of 2011 to create a thriving example of sustainable living. Interns will be asked to commit to a minimum of 4~6 hours/week. Ideally interns will be able to join us throughout the growing season (March~October), however seasonal positions will be considered. In addition to cerebral and kinesthetic learning at B&R Gardens, we will naturally send helpers home with handfuls of hearty goods to feed their hearts and hungry stomachs. We are more than willing to negotiate hosting independent learning projects for credit through the University. Visit http://www.breadandrosesgardens.com/index.html to learn more about Bread & Roses. Click here to download PDF flier with more information about the internships.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard’s Garden Education Program seeks garden interns for the 2012 growing season – applications due 2/10
MHC’s Community Garden program provides garden fresh nutrient dense food to the low-income community served by the pantry while also providing educational experiences for MHC’s patrons, volunteers, and the community at large. Interns will work closely with staff and volunteers, and are required to help plan, plant, and tend the garden site at which they are placed. Positions are available in three gardens with 4 potential opportunities involving youth garden programming and hoophouse management. Interns learn while gardening using a dynamic mixture of sustainable techniques, including Permaculture, Biointensive, and Biodynamic growing methods. This opportunity includes instruction with an openness to the interests of the intern. This position is unpaid. To apply for a 2012 Garden internship position please send a resume and cover letter to Stephanie Solomon at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org by Friday, February 10th at 5pm. Questions, or wanting more information? Email us or call 355.6843.

Opportunities with Pick Up America
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with us this year! In 2012, we will be completing our three year coast-to-coast roadside litter pick-up by walking from Colorado to the California coast. We are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. We are a one-of-a-kind traveling nonprofit crew aiming to connect with one-of-a-kind individuals. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visit http://pickupamerica.org/connect to find all the details about the available positions.

Green Corps Now Accepting Applications
Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps’ year-long paid program, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you’ll need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others — with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups. In the next few months, we‘ll invite 35 college graduates to join Green Corps in 2012-2013. We’re looking for people who are serious about saving the planet, people who have taken initiative on their campus or community, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work for change over the long haul. If you think you’re one of those people, visit http://www.greencorps.org/apply to submit your application to join the 2012-2013 class of Green Corps’ Field School for Environmental Organizing. Green Corps’ year-long program begins in August 2012 with Introductory Classroom Training in Boston, and continues with field placements in multiple locations across the U.S. Candidates must be willing to relocate. For more information, visit www.greencorps.org or contact Aaron Myran, Green Corps Recruitment Director, at aaron@greencorps.org or 617.747.4302.

FoodCorps Opens Applications for its Next Class of School Food Changemakers
FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, is now accepting applications for its second annual class of service members. The selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems – expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and sourcing fresh, healthy, local food for school cafeterias. FoodCorps seeks up to 100 men and women with a passion for serving their country as AmeriCorps service members by building healthy communities in 12 states around the country. Emerging leaders interested in getting more information should visit http://foodcorps.org/become-a-service-member.

Downtown Bloomington Recycling Center Now Open for Business
A new recycling center has opened downtown in the parking lot behind the Showers Building on 10th Street. The center is part of a collaboration of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County Solid Waste Management District and Pedal Power owner Chad Roeder to make recycling more sustainable and accessible to downtown residents.
The recycling center is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Materials accepted at the center include:

• Steel and aluminum cans (no scrap metal)
• Plastics #1-7
• Clear and colored glass bottles and jars (no window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, etc)
• Mixed paper/fibrous products (junk mail, newspaper, office paper, paperboard, etc)
• Corrugated cardboard

All materials must be free from food contamination, and paper and cardboard products must be dry. The center does not currently accept hazardous materials such as paint, aerosols, poisons or batteries, but these items may be taken to the Monroe County Recycling Center at 3400 S. Walnut Street. Visit their facebook page or website for more information. For further questions about the recycling center downtown call Chad Roeder at 325-2777.

Got aquarium?
Moving out and can’t take your aquarium pets with you? Don’t dump them in the lake or into local waterways! Many aquarium plants and animals are non-native species that can wreak havoc on our local environment. Contact the Bloomington Animal Shelter at (812) 349-3492 or the Monroe County Humane Association at (812) 335-9453.

Sign a petition for local transit funding referenda
Bloomington Transportation Options for People (B-TOP) has passed a resolution supporting a petition from the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority calling for dedicated funding for transportation. To read and sign the petition, visit http://www.cirta.us/. Also, if you are involved in an organization that may want to pass a resolution, the coalition is looking for more supporting organizations to sign on.

Common Circle Education announces cross-country bike trip & permaculture design course
This three-month intensive course combines our Urban Permaculture and Regenerative Leadership Certificate training, followed by a Wilderness First Aid training before we head on the road cycling from Eugene, Oregon all the way across America to Washington DC (we’ll be roughly following the
TransAM bike route – about 4200 miles), promoting and learning about sustainable living and intentional communities. Program takes place between June 1 – August 31, 2012 and is designed for beginner to intermediate cyclists. More details @ http://commoncircle.com/cross-country-bicycle-tour.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore Seeks Volunteers
As a volunteer run organization, the ReStore has made great strides this past year, such as sponsoring an energy star rated Habitat home as well as diverting over 228 tons of goods from the landfill. With your help, we can go further. At the heart of the Habitat ReStore’s operating philosophy is a sense for the green and the hope that we can create a more sustainable community in Bloomington. With daily volunteer opportunities available, this is a great way to make a direct impact in your community. Contact Bruce Murray at 331-2660 or murray@monroecountyhabitat.org for more information about how you can help!

Winter Thermostat Settings – a message from the IU Physical Plant
Cold weather is here, so please set down the thermostats to the winter set point of 68 degrees for classrooms, offices, hallways, lounges and general rooms (excluding labs with critical temperature requirements). Set points can be slightly higher for rooms that have window, ventilation or other comfort problems. Vestibules should be set at 60 degrees. The thermostats that control cooling only units should be left at 78 degrees.
Please contact the Operations Dispatchers to have Work Request initiated for each building involved with this work. These Work Requests will be part of Project No. 2012. If these set points cause problems for particular rooms please contact Doug Trueblood (rtrueblo@indiana.edu). Thank you for the many ways you continue to help us keep our energy cost down as much as possible.

Green Acres Neighborhood Ecovillage
Want to grow sustainable community right here in Bloomington? Our “retrofit cohousing” ecovillage offers sustainability-related events, community potlucks, music jams, and much more. Come learn with us (even if you don’t live in the neighborhood) and make new friends. We welcome folks of all ages who are attracted to our vision. Learn more at www.ganecovillage.org/vision-and-values. To get involved, join our email list by sending a blank email to: green-acres-neighborhood-ecovillage+subscribe@googlegroups.com.

Bloomington Community Orchard Workdays and Events
The Orchard has many opportunities for all interest levels. Workdays, team meetings, limestone benchmaking workshop, tabling at community events, tours at the Orchard..the list goes on! Check out our calendar (http://www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org/site/calendar) for details or email Stacey at getinvolved@bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org for more information.

Monroe County Pharmaceutical Disposal Program
The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office this week announced a new effort to collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose, and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal.   For more information visit http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor and follow the link to the Monroe County Pharmaceutical Safe Disposal Program, or call 349-DRUG.

Take the Pledge – Go Phosphorus Free!
Clear Choices for Clean Water is a campaign to increase awareness about lawn care and its impact on our streams and lakes. Water quality friendly lawn care includes practices such as using phosphorus-free fertilizer, landscaping with native plants, managing yard and pet wastes, and overall lawn reform. Click here to take the pledge: http://www.clearchoicescleanwater.org/

Student Conservation Association Internships
The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. See http://thesca.org/serve/internships for more information and to appl

I was originally hired as an intern that dealt with evaluating current sustainability metrics, but IUOS’s Director, Bill Brown, called me shortly after my initial interview and asked if I could partake in a different role, a role that he has been thinking about for some time. I obviously was incredibly excited to venture into a zone that no prior intern had been exposed to and told him I would be in the office on Monday to discuss this new internship position.

I had previously worked on sustainable and environmental issues through McNutt Student Government, Gamma Phi Beta, and Greeks Go Green. Therefore an internship involving beautifying IU’s campus through the launch of an anti-litter campaign would be my next step in making sustainability differences on campus before my impending graduation date.

Indiana University is nationally acclaimed for its beautiful campus and is admired by many when visiting Bloomington. I know personally I was taken aback by IU’s marvel especially when I visited Purdue the week before.

I bet it was an easy decision for Thomas Gaines to name IU as one of five most beautiful college campuses in his book, The Campus as a Work of Art.  I mean it couldn’t have been that difficult when he saw IU’s 1,933 areas of fragrant flowers, mature trees, lovely green spaces, and the Collegiate Gothic buildings crafted from limestone. Not to mention, the Arboretum and Dunn Meadow are definitely not a sore sight for eyes. However, what would this place look like if the Physical Plant workers didn’t pick up 1,500 pounds of trash every day? It is uncomfortable to imagine, stepping over piles of garbage while walking to class, or seeing fast-food wrappers floating in our ponds by the Wells Library.

To ensure a beautiful campus for the incoming generations, the Office of Sustainability and I have coordinated an equal effort between influential alumni and faculty ranging from IU Athletics to a retired Vice President of Administration. In addition to these all-star advisors on our project, we will be collaborating with IU’s most involved and powerful student leaders ranging from Greek leaders to Indiana Student Foundation to other sustainability focused groups.  Our main goal before this semester’s end is to release a pilot anti-littering campaign focusing on student involvement and education in the value of keeping IU beautiful.  We have our initial kick-off meeting next Friday between the working and advisory groups to capitalize on my research of the best waste and littering reduction methods to form a cohesive program that will further be implemented into IU policy.

I can speak for the whole Office of Sustainability when I say that we are all extremely excited to launch this program and protect the allure and opulence that this campus currently projects. I know when I bring my future children here in attempts to continue my family’s IU glory that it will be a lot easier when we play Frisbee in Dunn Meadow and watch squirrels frolicking in throughout the American Beech in the Chemistry Building.

Written by Shannon M. Beatty, IU Pride Coordinator of the IU Office of Sustainability