BULLSEYE THE YOUR GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT LIFE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SPRING 2015 | ISSUE 5.0 WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? IN THIS ISSUE Greetings from Steve Rodie 2 Sustainability Master Plan 4 Films to Make You Think 8 Student Spotlight 9 Recycling Debunked 10 How does a person live sustainably? What has UNO done lately to be more sustainable? There are so many ways to “live sustainably” and inside you’ll find ideas and information on how you can do your part.
Transcript
BULLSEYETHE
YOUR GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT LIFE
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SPRING 2015 | ISSUE 5.0
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? IN THIS ISSUE
Greetings from Steve Rodie 2Sustainability Master Plan 4Films to Make You Think 8Student Spotlight 9Recycling Debunked 10
How does a person live sustainably? What has UNO done lately to be more sustainable? There are so many ways to “live sustainably” and inside you’ll find ideas and information on how you can do your part.
If you ask ten people what sustainability is, you will probably get 10 different answers. What do I think it is? I have a two-year-old granddaughter who puts sustainability in crystal clear context for me – doing what I can to not compromise a quality life for her as I strive for quality in my own life and in the lives of the students, family, colleagues, and citizens I share space with on campus, locally, and globally.
UNO recently approved a visionary campus Sustainability Master Plan (SMP) that provides a broad framework to put sustainability at the forefront of current activities, policies and future decision-making.
Sustainability defined by the SMP:
“Using resources wisely and engaging in
actions that 1) are environmentally friendly,
socially responsible, and financially feasible,
and 2) benefit present and future generations.”
UNO’s strategic priority (one of four):
“UNO unquestionably values sustainability
and sees it as a means by which UNO can
achieve its goals of placing students first,
being academically excellent, and engaging
with the community.”
So, what does all of this have to do with a successful student life? A lot! If you are a student at UNO, sustainability is a big deal! There are a wide variety of ways that you can get involved in sustainability-related curriculum, activities, and community engagement.
I have taught sustainability-related courses at UNO for over 20 years, and I see what it takes for students to be happy and impactful in their careers. I believe that sustainability-related coursework, leadership opportunities, active community engagement, and a personal commitment to sustainability principles will pay off significantly, not only for your future career success and quality-of-life, but for all those whose lives you will enhance along the way.
Good luck in your academic endeavors, have a great spring semester, and don’t hesitate to get involved with any number of volunteer opportunities revolving around sustainability.
A LETTER FROM STEVE RODIE DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
CENTER FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITYA virtual center coordinated through the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
The Center’s vision is to be a leader in addressing complex, real-world urban issues of sustainability through education, research, and our community. The goal is to advance urban sustainability education, research, and partnerships across the globe. UNO’s Center for Urban Sustainability was formally approved by the Nebraska Board of Regents in the fall of 2012.
The Center plays a key role in facilitating and directing research going forward and establishing key partnerships to solve some of the most pressing urban sustainability challenges. The Center will provide students with educational and practical opportunities to expand their knowledge of how the environment and urban areas can coexist.
SUSTAINABILITY MASTER PLANThe Sustainability Master Plan (SMP) was completed in November of 2014 by the Verdis Group and will help guide UNO’s sustainability actions through 2025 and 2050.
The vision is to:
• Be carbon neutral
• Create zero waste
• Use all water efficiently
• Commute by ways other than single occupant vehicle
• Ensure graduates, faculty and staff are sustainability literate
• Make our buildings and campus nature-inspired
• Be a mode for and resource to the community
• Make sustainability part of our (UNO) DNA
Verdis Group partnered with UNO’s Chancellor-appointed Sustainability Committee. Their job is to promote sustainability and sustainable development at UNO.
The committee has three central goals:
1. Identify sustainability opportunities and to develop a recommended action plan for each one.
2. Integrate sustainability with campus operations, education and outreach, wherever and whenever prudence dictates.
3. Engage the campus in an ongoing dialogue about sustainability.
There are more sustainability successes in our past, led by individuals, ad-hoc committees, task forces and green teams. Sustainability has also been named one of the campus’ five academic priority areas.
In a recent sustainability survey, 80 percent of faculty and staff respondents and 72 percent of student responses indicated they would like more healthy and sustainable foods even if the prices are higher.
In the future, UNO hopes to reduce printing by encouraging faculty to provide course materials in digital formats and to encourage double sided printing.
UNO has many different types of waste and recycling containers that they hope to improve with consistent appearance.
Think of the world as a big bank account in regards to resources. The more you withdraw, the less you have. Now think of our campus as a savings account. In order to keep resources, we must maintain them.
A carbon footprint is an estimation of the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, event, organization or product. These emissions are typically expressed in CO2E. Your carbon footprint can be measured by taking an emissions assessment . Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it.
WHAT IS A CARBON FOOTPRINT?
SUSTAINABILITY MASTER PLAN
UNO started a commingled recycling program in the fall of 2008. We can now recycle all items the City of Omaha includes in their curbside recycling program. Though our recycling participation is good, our success depends on you. You can help foster culture change by recycling more and encouraging others to do the same.
CLICK ON THE iMAC. The full plan is available online plus ways to get involved.
There’s even a section that predicts “A Day in the Life of a UNO student in 2025!”
Here are our picks for films with more information about sustainability, issues concerning our earth, and ideas to generally make you think. Click the movie poster for more info and available viewing options.
FOOD, INC.
FOOD, INC. examines corporate farming in the United States, concluding that agribusiness produces food that is unhealthy, in a way that is environmentally harmful and abusive of both animals and employees.
Available on Netflix & Amazon
THE STORY OF STUFF
This 20-minute online movie about the way we make, use and throw away all the Stuff in our lives. We have a problem with Stuff. We use too much, too much of it is toxic and we don’t share it very well.
Available for streaming online
BAG IT
Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he tries to make sense of our dependence on plastic bags. Although his quest starts out small, Jeb soon learns that the problem extends past landfills to oceans, rivers and ultimately human health.
Available on Amazon & iTunes
URBANIZED
A documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.
Available on Amazon & iTunes
TAPPED
Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? This film is an unflinching examination of the big business of bottled water.
Available on Amazon & iTunes
NO IMPACT MAN
The story of Colin Beavan, who went completely “green,” giving up virtually all of the comforts of modern living; electricity, gas-powered transportation, shipped food and public waste disposal to curb his environmental impact.
During my childhood in Colorado, I spent the majority of my time outside exploring the land and its different creatures. However, my endless passion and commitment for the environment officially developed my first year at UNO.
Immediately after completing my Biology I course, I transferred into the college of Arts and Sciences, and declared my major as Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Life Science. Without looking back, I devoted myself to what I sincerely value the most.
In the fall of 2013, I joined Green Basis, a student-led organization, with the hopes of connecting with other students who shared my interest and concern for environmental issues. A year later, I became its president.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
My two ultimate goals for the group are to spread awareness throughout our community about environmental-related issues and to provide hands-on experience for the dedicated members. The group also frequently implements sustainable techniques on campus, such as efficient recycling.
After being awarded a Fund for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences (FUSE) grant to complete research on a native endangered orchid with Biology Professor Dr. Roxanne Kellar, I truly understand the vast significance of biodiversity.
Each individual species offers important services to the ecosystem, which in turn provides us with a quality life.
KORI SHEA
Major: Environmental Studies,
Emphasis in Life Science
President, Green Basis
Student Group
I strive to be environmentally conscious and conservative by reducing, reusing, and recycling as much as possible. Learning from highly experienced professors like Steven Rodie and Harmon Maher greatly influence how I contribute to the environment.
In the end, living more sustainably is not only beneficial for myself and my fellow students, it also contributes to the health of our planet, which I believe to of the utmost concern.
GREEN BASIS
STUDENT GROUP
We are always looking for fresh new ideas to help spread awareness about the realities of climate change!
The Wellness Center has adopted sustainable practices that are categorized as environmental wellness. Environmental wellness means that we are developing good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments. We can achieve environmental wellness by realizing how our daily habits affect this world, and by making an effort to preserve and respect all aspects of the environment.
Here is how the Wellness Center has implemented its efforts:
• Decreased the amount of printed material and shifted to digital marketing
Reusing and recycling at UNO requires little effort. The campus provides materials to assist you such as trash cans and recycling bins. Here are things that can and cannot be recycled on campus:
• Created signs for individuals to wash their hands more frequently to prevent germs
• Offered outdoor adventure activities in The Outdoor Venture Center for the UNO campus and Omaha community (the center features rock climbing and two big trips for in the spring for other outdoor activities)
Look for the environmental wellness indicator across campus. If we all work together to protect our environments, we can achieve a greater quality of life for all in Omaha.
Can be recycled on campus:
Paper products (office paper, colored paper, magazines, catalogs, and phone books
All types of cardboards
Water bottles and pop cans with their plastic lids
All types of plastic and metal containers.
Recycled materials should be discarded in the small blue bins.
SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WELLNESS CENTER
RECYCLING DEBUNKED: WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE RECYCLED
DID YOU KNOW?
All of the disposable items used in the Food Court, HPER Café, and Library Café are biodegradable and compostable.
The cups and straws are made from PLA, a corn based resin. The plates and bowls are made from bagasse, a product derived from sugarcane plants. Styrofoam is not used.
Many paper cups are lined with plastic or wax and while these liners prevent liquid from seeping through the paper it makes them unrecyclable.
Cannot be recycled on campus:
Hazardous waste
Paints
Batteries (Alkaline batteries are typically not recycled and can be disposed in trash)
Chemicals (cleansers with acid, weed killers)
If you are unsure of how to dispose of your item, contact a Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.
UNO’s Welcome Center Bioretention Garden was named one of the top ten projects of the year, internationally, by Storm Water Solutions, a magazine focused on highlighting the nation’s top infrastructure and construction news as it relates to sustainable water management.
Located on the west end of the Dodge Campus, the UNO Welcome
Center Bioretention Garden serves several purposes, not the least of which is providing a research space for both UNO students and city planners. The project was completed in 2013 by Dostals Construction.
The garden utilizes two methods to address the issue of storm water waste by creating neighboring drainage sites that
allow water to collect and support plant life rather than produce sewer runoff. Additionally, the space provides beautification to an otherwise barren plot of land on the UNO Campus.
As a result of the successes of the garden in its first year of operation, discussions are already underway to replicate the project across the state of Nebraska.
Monday, February 9Africana Emphasis Month Kickoff Celebration
Worship in the Gospel Tradition
Worship in the Gospel Tradition
2nd Black Men’s Luncheon
AfroMIC: Poetry, Spoken Word, and Music
The Children of the Civil Rights Movement Film and Presentation
Prepare for the Fair
Why We Marched
Daniel D: African-American Urban Jazz Violinist
Lecture by Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin
Dell Gines: Comments of African American Entrepreneurship and Development
Preston Love: Adam Clayton Powell Dramatization
Popcorn, Soda and a Movie Discussion“Do the Right Thing and Eric Garner”
MBSC Ballroom | 11 am–1 pmUNO Black Studies
Zion Baptist Church | 2215 Grant StreetPastor Kenneth A. Allen10:40 am
CPACS Commons 132D | 12–1:30 pm
St. John’s Baptist Church | 3912 N 16th STPastor Rev. Gregory Ashley10:45 am
MSBC Ballroom | 12 pm–2 pm
Love’s Jazz and Arts Center | 2510 N 24th ST6pm-8pmUNO Black Studies
CEC 201 | 3-5pmAcademic and Career Development Center
MBSC Dodge Room | 11am-2pmAnerican Multicultural Students
MBSC Ballroom | 11am-2pm
MBSC Ballroom | 7-8 pm Doors open at 6:30pm
MBSC Ballroom | 11 am–1 pmUNO Black Studies
MBSC Ballroom | 11 am–1 pmUNO Black Studies
CEC 218 | 11 pm–2 amUNO Black Studies
Sunday, February 15
Thursday, February 19 Thursday, February 26Tuesday, February 10
Tuesday, February 17
Sunday, February 22
Wednesday, February 25
Wednesday, February 11
Wednesday, February 18
Tuesday, February 24
February 2015
UNO Department of Black StudiesArts and Sciences Hall Suite 184Phone: 402.554.2412Email: [email protected]
Office of Multicultural Affairs Milo Bail Student Center, 1st floor Phone: 402.554.2248 Email: [email protected]
Partners:UNO Academic and Career Development Center
UNO American Multicultural Students
Love’s Jazz and Arts Center
St. John’s Baptist Church
BSSA
The Brotherhood
UNO Community Engagement Center
UNO Milo Bail Student Center
AFRICANAEMPHASISMONTH
Students and alumni of all majors can connect with career, internship, and graduate school opportunities. For more information and a list of
The University of Nebraska at Omaha shall not discriminate based upon age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender-identity, sex, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, religion, or political affiliation.
University of Nebraska at Omaha Division of Student Affairs The Welcome Center 402-554-3977
The University of Nebraska at Omaha shall not discriminate based upon age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender-identity, sex, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, religion, or political affiliation.
