Tuesday, May 14, 2002

4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Frist Center, Multipurpose Room C

Committee Attendees:  Jenn Brudno, Andy Dobson, Janet Gruschow, Robin Izzo, Kelsey Jack, Bill Jordan, Emmanual Kreike, Michael McKay, Tom Nyquist, Leila Shahbender, Don Weston

Other Attendees:  Mary Banfield, Rick Curtis, Ilya Fischhoff, Mary Margaret Halsey, Chad Klaus, Susan Scheweinsberg

Review of April 16 Minutes
Michael McKay recapped the April 16^th meeting minutes and action items.  Bill Jordan requested all attendees be listed in the minutes.  Bill also requested the following rewording in the April 16^th Minutes under Committee Procedures, Page 3 – “rather than simply considering local impacts” change to “in addition to considering local impacts”.  The changes will be made, and the minutes will be posted on the Environmental Oversight Committee website.

Bill Jordan stated the Graduate Student Government will provide either a list of names or a single name for PEI from which they will appoint a new graduate student to the committee once Bill’s tenure is finished.  Kelsey Jack’03 and Jenn Brudno’04 reported there was no need to get Undergraduate Student Government approval for undergraduate student representatives appointed to this Committee.

Michael McKay stated if there were no objections the group will report to Charles Kalmbach, new Senior Vice President for Administration.

Purchasing Intern Program
Janet Gruschow and Don Weston reported a purchasing intern, funded by PEI,  has been hired to work over the summer researching projects that affect the entire University.  Initially the intern will look at what the University currently buys and research products that are environmentally friendly.  Another major initiative for the intern will be to research websites at other universities/colleges for ideas.  A report will be prepared by the intern at the end of the summer and will be submitted to the Committee.

The New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability will be a good source of information for the intern since they are interested in focusing on the use of recycled paper in Colleges and Universities throughout the state.  Janet also reported the Greening Princeton Group will focus on paper products this year. 

Princeton Environmental Oversight Committee Website
Leila Shahbender, OIT, and Belinda Biggs, Assistant to the Facilities Director of Customer Service, have set up the Environmental Oversight Committee website.  Mike asked Mary to make sure Belinda has the PEI link on the site, as well as the 2000 Audit, Meeting Minutes, Membership and Charter.

Projects from the 2000 PEI Audit
The following summarizes the suggested priorities for the Committee prepared by Kelsey Jack and Jenn Brudno:

I.  Procurement

• Establish environmental criteria to be used on all purchasing contracts, including construction materials for new buildings.
• Increase the use of recycled paper among major paper users on campus (OIT, Library Photoservices, Printing and Mailing)

II.    Energy Use

• Continue efforts to link all buildings to the Central Supervisory Control System (CSCS).

• Run advertising campaigns to educate staff/students about  energy efficiency; conduct dorm competitions for efficiency to get students involved.

• Install energy sensors where needed throughout the campus.

III.  Building Design and Renovations

• Recommend Facilities hire a green architectural consultant to oversee new building design or adopt an environmental building policy. 

• Monitor construction waste disposal.

• Princeton University should become a member in the LEED Green Building Rating System.  Tom Nyquist reported he recently attended a seminar with LEED; their findings were favorable to Princeton University on the new dormitory construction.

IV.  Solid Waste and Recycling

Reach Building Services goal recycling rate of 50%.  Expand the recycling program to include light bulbs.  Involve more students, faculty, and staff in the recycling program through advertising campaigns, orientations, pamphlets, and forums on how to be green at Princeton University.

• Encourage faculty to accept double-sided documents.

• Encourage frugal use of paper, especially around Dean’s Date.

• Work with janitorial staff to distribute warnings and fines to students/staff who do not recycle.

• Increase the number of receptacles on campus and target dorms that do not have recycling canisters.

• Collect more HDPE plastic levels than those currently accepted.

• Advertise campus-wide about recycling at Princeton and have well- identified recycling equipment.

• Develop recommendations and work plans that would result in the reduction of solid waste.
  

III.    Increase partnerships/coordination with other universities (especially Rutgers)  in efforts toward efficiency and sustainability (NJHEPS 2002-03 Project).  

IV.   Increase profile of environmental concerns on campus.  

Other Issues
Mike McKay reported on the “worm project”  by Tom Szaky’05.  The experiment, taking food waste and feeding it to worms, has been endorsed by PEI and will be set up  at the Architecture Lab this summer. 

Mike stated some projects can be implemented immediately; others will be long-term.  He recommended forming sub committee groups to work on some of the priority issues.

Action Items
1.  Bill Jordan will work with Jenn Brudno and Jon Baer, Director of Building Services, to determine the right message and means to communicate to the campus community on recycling issues.  Jenn will also look to see if there is another undergraduate student available this summer to work on recycling issues.  If Bill needs to solicit additional people to work on his team, he can contact Mike McKay or PEI for some suggestions.

2.  Robin Izzo will meet with Fred Hargadon, Dean of Admissions, to see how the university can reduce the amount of material we generate internally and receive (i.e., enrollment is increasing and applications for undergraduate students are not on line).

3.  Robin Izzo, Leila Shahbender, and Mary Banfield will look at ways we can reduce the amount of paper used on campus (document management):  policies/rules regarding single sided/double sided documents, copier equipment used on campus.  The group will also investigate the use/type of paper products at Prospect House and Frist.

4.  Tom Nyquist, Director of Engineering, will continue  look at alternative vehicles for the University fleet (electric, golf carts, hybrid, propane, natural gas, etc.)  and ways to reduce emissions on campus.

5.  Kelsey Jack will meet with the Inter Club Council regarding the use of plastic cups and food waste at the Eating Clubs.

6.  Rick Curtis will get an update on the water drought in New Jersey.  He will also contact Dining Services regarding the University’s procurement of food and the impact it has on the environment. 

7.  Mike McKay will work with Jon Hlafter, Director of the Office of Physical Planning, and Kathleen Mulligan, Vice President for Facilities, on the construction process, building designs and renovations with regard to the environment.

The following items were distributed at the meeting:

• Suggested Priorities List for Princeton University Environmental Oversight Committee (prepared by Kelsey Jack and Jenn Brudno)

• Greening Princeton Campaign (for more information contact Susan Schweinsberg at susans@princeton.edu)

• Recycling, Waste Prevention, and the Procurement of Recycled Content Products, “The Rutgers University Procurement Policies; S-9201P”
  Proposed Princeton University Wood Products Procurement Policy, Adapted from the College of the Atlantic Policy (from Ilya Fischhoff)

Mike McKay recommended meeting again in late September to discuss the progress of the sub-committee groups.

Submitted By:  Michael E. McKay, General Manager of Plant and Services