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IM Wednsday Novembes,200//Thtaemn
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 // The Statement
news in review
Five of the most talked-about stories of the week, ranked in ascending order of actual importance
AN EFFORT IN SUSTAINABILITY
he environment has long been a
concern to faculty and admin-
istrators at the University. it
can be seen in efforts to encourage
recycling in the residence halls or
in policies that require eco-friendly
construction of buildings. But amid
growingnational support for sustain-
ability, President Mary Sue Coleman
has recently vocalized her desire to
increase the amount of effort and
attention the University community
places on the environment.
"With the pressing challenge of
climate change, we are elevating
our emphasis on sustainability at
Michigan," Coleman said in a 2009
press release. "From teaching and
research, to hands-on engagement,
we are going to leverage our many
strengths so we can make significant
contributions to solving a genuinely
complicated problem."
To accomplish these goals, the
University is taking a three-pronged
approach that explores a balance
between daily activities and lifestyles
and Earth's resources and processes,
focusing specifically on education,
research and campus operations. The
ultimate goal is to manage the devel-
opment of both the University and
the world at large in a way that will
promote the health and wellbeing of
the planet.
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY
INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT
To ensure this goal is a University-
wide commitment and not simply a
student-activist effort, Coleman cre-
ated the office of Sustainability last
year and established a new position,
Special Counsel to the President for
Sustainability. Engineering professor
Don Scavia, who also serves as direc-
tor of the Graham Environmental
Sustainability Institute, was the first
to be chosen for the role.
Scavia has been using resources
provided by the Graham Institute -
ail interdisciplinary partnership that
manages and coordinates the Univer-
sity's sustainability initiative - and
working with the Office of Campus
Sustainability to evaluate the cam-
pus's current carbon footprint. This
work comprises the Campus Sus-
tainability Integrated Assessment,
through the Environmental Sustain-
ability Executive Council Coleman
created in October of last year.
"The long-term goal is to support
the kind of research that can help
tackle some of those complicated sus- move the Universit
tainability problems in the globe and ward in our cam
to have a more sustainable campus so efforts." Recently
that we're actually walking the talk the project into Ph
as we go forward," Scavia said in a with the initiative'
phone interview. In Phase Two
To accomplish these goals, Scavia is looking to devi
is working alongside faculty, staff and eral areas based o
students on the Campus Sustainabili- synthesized from
ty Integrated Assessment to research possible goal is
and make recommendations in seven sustainable buildir
core areas: buildings, energy sources, plans on projects t
transportation, land and water, food, $10 million, decrea
purchasing and recycling and cul- bicides and pestici
ture, according to the Graham Insti- locally grown food
tute's website. A final report will be
printed and shared once the assess- EDUCATION A
ment is completed. The University
Despite the chaotic schedule that several hundred c(
accompanies his multiple roles at the graduate and un
University, Scavia is passionate about that focus on sust
the environment and his ability to ing to the Offic
help it. He has been interested in the ity's website, and t
subject since he was an undergradu- Environment is t
ate, and had worked for the federal LSA major.
government on environmental policy But Scavia wan
for 30 years before comingto the Uni- education about
versity as a professor. initiative doesn't e
"One of the things that I came to students who majo
learn through all that process was that do this, he puttoget
focusing on the environmentby itself is inar about sustain
not going to get us very far in terms of along with the Ce
overall sustainability," he said. "Butyou on Learning and7
really need to bring together perspec- wants to bring mo
tives from the environment, from the directly into the ci
economy and from the social structures
and policy making to really move for- 'FOCUSING
ward in sustainability."
In order to bring together these ITSELF IS N(
different perspectives, Coleman's
sustainability initiative is just as VERY FAR"
dependent on student minds as it is
on distinguished faculty. About 45
students hired by the Graham insti- Scavia and the E
tute were divided into seven faculty- tee are working w
led teams to discuss solutions to these the University to d
various issues. Their ideas were then es in sustainability
divided into five main categories: Natural Resources
climate, human health, ecosystem ment taking the le
health, materials footprint and com- and education fron
munity awareness. These students "The instructio
work with University Operations covers a much lar
staff to examine what is being done campus sustainab
on campus now and what can be done is essentially globa
in the future. and its ambition,"
"(Their job is to) put together .a al, a professor and
set of recommendations for Presi- dean in the SNRE.
dent Coleman on establishing a set of The SNRE has
sustainability goals for the campus," in recent years cr
Scavia said. a larger staff and
Scavia said in a University press courses to meet its
release that the first phase of the unique obstacle to
project was about "generating well- evolving issues
informed ideas that could potentially faces. offered clas
ty of Michigan for-
pus sustainability
Scavia has moved
hase Two, satisfied
s progress.
, the University
elop plans in sev-
n the information
Phase One. One
developing more
ng and renovation
with new information and issues,
Argawal said.
Agrawal further explained that
SNRE will expand in newly devel-
oping areas of research, like climate
change and ecosystem services, to
bring the University to "the fore-
front of research of the most impor-
tant environmental challenges that
emerge."
that cost less thanO OPERATIONS AND
sing its use of her- CO-CURRICULAR EDUCATION
ides and buy more To meet the demands of Coleman's
for the University. initiative, Scavia has been working
with the Office of Campus Sustain-
ND RESEARCH ability to study campus behavior and
currently offers discuss possible initiatives in town
ourses at both the hall meetings.
dergraduate level in Phase One of the assessment,
ainability, accord- the analysis teams received about 200
e of Sustainabil- students ideas, comments and sug-
he Program in the gestions through these meetings and
he fastest-growing online, accordingto a University press
release. In order to gather and imple-
its to ensure that ment more ideas and information, the
the environment University also hosted an eventin July
nd with only those to examine similar initiatives at other
r in the subject. To universities and organizations.
ther a provostsem- While these town hall meetings
ability last spring are open to the entire University
nter for Research community, many of the participants
Teaching. He also are members of the Student Sus-
re green education tainability Initiative - an entirely
assroom. student-based project made up of
students across
ON TH EENV RO M NT colleges and
ON THE ENVIRONMENT disciplines to
)T GOING TO GET US spread environ-
mental aware-
tory for implementing sustainabil-
ity improvements on campus, kind of
like starting close to home," she said.
"And if we can be successful here,
then people can gobe successful else-
where."
THE GREEN WOLVERINE
Within the masses of the sustain-
ability initiative as well as the indi-
viduals in the SNRE, there seems to
be a consensus that in order for any-
thing to actually happen, a cultural
and social change is necessary.
"There's only so much you can do
with tweaking the technologies, alot
of what we need to do is get people
more aware of turning off the water,
turning off the light, just changing
their behaviors to become more sus-
tainable," Scavia said.
To this end, there is a team of
people doing research on incentives
that can be implemented to promote
conservation as a way of thinking.
Researchers are also workingto over-
come the challenge of measuring the
obscure and elusive factor that is the
culture of sustainability.
Agrawal said what the campus
needs is to promote awareness of
environmental sustainability and
sustainability issues, coupled with
activities that encourage student par-
ticipation.
"So I think by participating in
work that is environmentally con-
scious and environmentally positive,
we can create a culture among our
students that makes sustainability a
more important value for everyone,"
he said. "Consciousness alone doesn't
do it, you have to encourage things to
happen."
The University has promoted
environmental awareness and social
change through its annual Energy
Fest, where students can learn about
"energy conservation, energy effi-
ciency and alternative energy tech-
nologies," according to the Utilities
and Plant Operations website. The
University also took part in Earth
Fest, an event to promote sustainabil-
ity through various fun educational
activities.
Scavia said one of his additional
goals is to make the University more
appealing for potential students
interested in learning about environ-
mental issues to build a foundation
for future careers or simply to imple-
ment into day-to-day life. But he also
See SUSTAINABILITY, Page 8B
Queen Elizabeth II, the 84-year-
old British monarch, joined
Facebook, updating the people
who frequent her page on her
daily goings-on as of Monday.
The Queen will appear in videos,
photos and news items.
Australia's national carrier Qantas Minnesota, Tennessee and Ohio
grounded six double-decker A380 officials arrested 29 members of a
planes - the world's newest and Somali sex-trafficking ring accused
largest airliner - after an engine of forcing girls as young as 13 into
burst shortly into a flight. The com- prostitution for money and drugs.
pany has discovered engine leaks The ring is believed to have been
in three Rolls-Royce engines. recruiting girls since 2000.
r ------ ------ ------ ----
Hundreds of people in Haiti have
died over the last few weeks from
a cholera outbreak, for which
U.N. peacekeepers might be
responsible. Under this suspicion,
hundreds of Haitians protested
the peacekeepers last week.
The incoming GOP majority plans
to take action to block as much of
President Obama's health care bill
as it can, including taking steps to
make sure the IRS can't enforce
the provision that makes buying
health insurance mandatory.
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quotes of the week
"One day you're world champions, and the next day, no toys
for you."
DANIEL CONWAY, spokesman for the California Restaurant Association,on
his reaction to San Francisco's decision to ban restaurants from giving away
toys with meals that don't meet certain nutrition restrictions.
"Tomorrow, I'll be back where I truly belong - indoors,
under artificial light."
CONAN O'BRIEN, talk show host, writing on his Twitter the same day his new
show debuted on TBS.
"No placards, no flags, no shouting and no slogans. Only
kissing allowed."
A FACEBOOK PAGE FOR SPANISH GAYS AND LESBIANS, organizing a
homosexual kiss-in when Pope Benedict XVI visits Spain this weekend, call-
ing it a "queer kissing flashmob."
the rules
No. 287: No. 288: No. 289:
Yes! It's finally Ugg V.v.V makes a It's been a really
season, lobster in Gchat, long time. By now
Seriously, though, you should know
check it out. how to Dougie.
on the cheap
going green on the cheap
Executive Commit-
'ith schools across
develop new cours-
'with the School of
and the Environ-
ad on the research
it.
n of sustainability
ger stage (than the
ility initiative). It
al in its orientation
said Arun Agraw-
research associate
expanded greatly
eating the need for
a wider variety of
students' needs. A
SNRE is the ever-
the environment
sses must keep up
ness and to
promote change
on campus. SSI
also helps organize numerous sus-
tainability projects thatvarious cam-
pus organizations undertake.
Lisa Pappas, marketing commu-
nications specialist for the Graham
Environmental Sustainability Insti-
tute, said the overall campus sus-
tainability initiative, as proposed
by President Coleman and directed
by Scavia, is about taking action to
become a more sustainable soci-
ety so that it can lead by example in
green initiatives occuring across the
country. The Integrated Assessment
project among others at the Univer-
sity can research and define ways the
University can be used as a potential
test run and showcase of ideas to help
the environment on a larger scale.
"It's just a very good opportunity
to use the campus as a living labora-
T he University has gone to great lengths to promote environmental awareness. But even
though many students want to become "Green Wolverines," organic food and clothing
can often come with a large price tag. But there are a lot of ways to stay green without break-
ing your budget.
First, buying organic food is good not only for the environment, but for your body as well.
Some healthfood stores can be expensive, but try Trader Joe's organic food, or the People's
Food Co-Op for less expensive organic options. Also, make sure to bring your own bags to
the grocery store. Or, if those stores are too expensive for you, you could always try growing
your own vegetables.
In terms of non-perishable items, like clothes and furniture, staying green on the cheap is
extremely easy: reuse as much as possible. Consider going to second-hand stores to buy new
things, or simply reuse what you already own. Don't worry, the stains add character.
There are also some day-to-day ways to stay green that don't cost anything: Turn off lights
and appliances when you leave the room and carpool, walk or bike whenever possible.
Have advice for life on the cheap? Let us know E-mail onthecheap@umich.edu.
byCOURTESY OF BBC.COM
The number of cholera patients who The number of people whose lives have The number of suspected cholera cases in the
are currently in a hospital in Haiti, as been claimed by the recent cholera out- Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, as of Monday
of Monday night. break in Haiti, as of Monday night. night.