University of Mississippi Office of Sustainability Annual Report FY2016

office of

sustaiNability University of Mississippi

“I believe in good stewardship of our resources.”

- UM Creed

ANNUAL REPORT

FY2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Director............................................ two Definition of Sustainability....................................... three Mission & Goals.................................................... four Sustainability Quick Facts.......................................... five Projects & Programs................................................. six Outreach & Education............................................. twelve UM Green Fund................................................... sixteen Data Collection................................................ eighteen Collaboration.................................................... twenty Student Support............................................ twenty-three About the Staff............................................. twenty-four

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I AN BANNER , AIA Director, Office of Sustainability

A letter to the reader

C

hange doesn’t occur quickly and it’s certainly not easy. However, over the last three years I feel that we’ve seen a shift in momentum related to advancing sustainability and increasing efficiency at Ole Miss. The shift is visible. Walk on campus and you’ll certainly notice an OUT bus pass by, or a student riding a bicycle or wearing an “I Tree Grove” shirt, which is an indication that he or she has volunteered with the Office of Sustainability’s game-day recycling program.

People are at the core of this momentum—students, faculty, staff and community members who are willing to work together to foster meaningful change on campus. Student-centered programs such as the UM Compost Program, the UM Campus Garden and EcoReps have done remarkably well. Last year, composting diverted more than 31,000 pounds of food waste from landfills.

Students engaged in a change agent role in residence halls through the EcoReps program conducted a successful energy reduction competition, which I love because it increases building efficiency. Also, garden club members learned how to grow food for themselves with so much success that there was extra left over to donate to the UM Food Bank.

OUT bus ridership continues to skyrocket, with more than one million rides by UM students, faculty and staff last year—a 211 percent increase from 2012. Biking is also growing in popularity on campus. Last fall, the UM Bike Shop rented its entire fleet in the first two weeks of school. In November, UM was designated a Bicycle Friendly University at the bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists for its efforts to foster a culture of biking.

In this annual report, we tell the story of sustainability at the university through the lens of the Office of Sustainability’s work during the 2015-16 academic year.

We should be pleased with how far we’ve come as a university, but aware that we have not yet gone far enough. It will take a collective effort to continue to advance the university’s sustainability story. We’re making progress, but we are not yet done by any means.

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sustaiN ability A multidisciplinary, problem-solving approach to creating a social system that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations or the needs of the ecological systems in which humans exist. By fostering education that encourages responsible and equitable management of our environmental, social and economic resources, the sustainability framework challenges our university to consider the interdependent nature of our lives, the natural environment, our communities, and the economy and especially the improvement of these relationships. –Definition drafted by Jillian Cowart and Kendall McDonald, Class of 2015, based on literature reviews and research

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MISSION & GOALS The mission of the Office of Sustainability is to be a catalyst for environmentally positive change by educating, connecting and empowering the members of our community for the well-being of people and our ecological systems.

To support this mission, the Office of Sustainability has constructed the following goals by which to measure its programming:

FOSTER

INFLUENCE

UNDERSTAND

SUPPORT

EFFECT

DIFFUSE

EXPAND

change at the institutional level

individual behavior and create a shared sustainability language

and communicate sustainability indicators

leadership capacity and create co-curricular learning opportunities

direct change and innovation

sustainability into academic curriculum

partnerships in the community

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QUICK FACTS

1

Udall Scholar

2015 - 2016

8

15

New Green Fund projects implemented

Green Student Interns

31,652 16

pounds of campus food waste composted

157

sustainability events hosted on campus

students served through the UM Food Bank

8,275 350

Green Grove student volunteers

pounds of game-day waste recycled

ACCOLADES:

Tree Campus USA, The Arbor Day Foundation Bicycle Friendly University, 2016_five League of American Bicyclists

Projects & Programs

Motivating Direct Change

Our projects and programs serve many roles within the university community, from student leadership development to sustainable transportation advancement.

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New Programs & Projects UM Campus Community Garden Volunteers broke ground on the campus community garden in September. The garden, which is maintained by the UM Garden Club, offers members an opportunity to learn about sustainable gardening practices and grow produce for themselves and for the UM Food Bank. The garden grows a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, peas, lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, basil and parsley, using organic methods. The garden is located behind Residential College South and is open to all UM students, faculty and staff.

Red, Blue & Green Freshman Interest Group Four first-year students living in Residential College South participated in the inaugural year of the Red, Blue & Green Freshman Interest Group, a student-engaged community focusing on fostering a culture of sustainability at UM. This year’s programming included a full day of orientation, field trips to Yokna Bottoms Farm and Brown Family Dairy and several guided dinner and discussion sessions with Office of Sustainability staff.

Complete Streets Pop-up The Office of Sustainability, UM Active Transportation Advisory Committee and Oxford Pathways Commission collaborated to install Oxford’s first-ever temporary complete streets pop-up in July 2015. As part of the project, volunteers transformed a portion of University Avenue — a main entrance to campus for pedestrians and cyclists as identified by data collection — to include two bicycle lanes, crosswalks, a pedestrian island and other infrastructure. Throughout the month, volunteers gathered data on the temporary streetscape including use of bike lanes, vehicular speed and feedback from community members. The goal of this project was to allow university and community members to experience a street designed for all users.

Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.

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Ongoing Projects & Programs

2015-16 Interns Sustainable Food & Nutrition Created nutrition lesson plans and activities for elementary school children, compiled healthy recipes for the UM Food Bank and initiated vegetarian and vegan campus food guides Mikayla Jekabsons

Green Student Intern Program The Office of Sustainability’s Green Student Intern Program (GSIP) employs students in the summer, fall and spring to advance sustainability projects in areas including waste reduction, sustainable transportation and sustainable food. The program is designed to provide students with firsthand experience working in the sustainability field while contributing in a meaningful way to sustainability on campus. Students also gain professional skills such as meeting facilitation, data collection and analysis, project management and event planning.

Acceptance into the program is competitive and draws top-performing students from majors ranging from biology and chemistry to math and psychology.

Green Week Composting & Food Waste Reduction Operated UM Compost Program and spearheaded food waste data collection Natalie Balkon, Zac Bransby, Victoria Burgos, Angie Jordan, Steven Wild

Sustainable Transportation Promoted bike safety, planned Bike Month and collected data on commuting behaviors Gordon Podshivalov and Rebecca Vorisek *This internship is sponsored by the Department of Parking and Transportation.

Green Grove Game-day Recycling Managed game-day recycling initiatives including educational outreach, fan engagement and recycling sorting Kelli Coleman, Ashley Maiolatesi, Joe Scott, Grace Sullivan

Marketing Communications Managed office social media accounts, implemented Green Week marketing plan and contributed to office publications Joe Scott

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Assisted in the coordination of Green Week 2016 through event development and planning, promotion and post-Green Week evaluation Kelli Coleman

Waste Reduction Intern Assisted in conducting recycling behavior audit and researched potential projects including battery recycling Grace Gillespie

Cross-Thematic Internship designed to provide a comprehensive view of office projects including experience working with composting, Green Week and recycling Natalie Balkon

UM Garden Managed UM Garden during summer months, coordinated weekly harvests and worked to create a more efficient garden space and compost site Timothy Steenwyk

UM COMPOST PROGRAM Students in the Office of Sustainability’s Green Student Intern Program converted 31,652 pounds of campus food waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment for campus and community gardens during the 2015-16 academic year. In addition to collecting pre-consumer waste from Rebel Market and the Marketplace at the Residential Colleges, the program expanded this year to include the Grill at 1810 and expired goods from the UM Food Bank. The office also hosted four educational, volunteer-driven events including a “Compost Sift-a-Thon” on the Union Plaza that took place as part of the university’s annual Food Day celebration. The events allowed students to get their hands dirty and learn about the process of composting as well as the importance of food waste reduction.

Looking forward: After a fall 2015 food waste audit found that diners in Rebel Market throw away 414 pounds of food per day — enough to feed one student for more than three-and-a-half years — the compost team expanded the scope of its work to include food waste reduction behavior-change efforts.

Students and Office of Sustainability staff collected data through weighing leftover food on patrons’ plates, literature reviews and interviews with Rebel Market diners, with the goal of launching a food waste reduction educational campaign during the 2016-17 academic year. The compost program will also expand to collect food waste from the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management’s student-run Lenoir Dining restaurant in fall 2016, which will help the establishment achieve certification by the Green Restaurant Association.

Right: Increase in food waste composted over the past three school years Program total: 68,804 pounds of food waste diverted from landfill

31,652 LBS. of

F O O D WA S T E 2015-16

30,208 lbs. of

F O O D WA S T E 2014-15

3,511 lbs. of

F O O D WA S T E

2013-14

ECO REPS Eco Reps, a peer-to-peer residential service leadership program, grew substantially during the 2015-16 academic year. Eco Reps learn about sustainability topics through curricula designed by the Office of Sustainability and conduct outreach about topics related to sustainability within the residence hall network. The Eco Reps program piloted in Crosby Hall in spring 2015. During fall 2015, the Eco Reps program expanded to Minor Hall, RH1, Residential College South and the Luckyday Residential College. The Eco Reps coordinated No-Waste November, during which they promoted proper use of residential recycling

bins. They also coordinated the Rebel Energy Challenge, a competition for energy reduction among the residence halls, and participated in the Sustainability Fair as a part of Green Week.

Looking forward: In 2016-17, the Eco Reps program will transition into a two-tiered organizational structure, with sophomore, junior and senior students serving as Eco Rep Leaders. Eco Rep Leaders will conduct outreach within specific halls and foster mentor-mentee relationships with first-year students around sustainability and environmental issues.

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GReen grove The Green Grove Initiative is a popular volunteer-driven program that aims to incorporate recycling into the football game-day experience by engaging and educating tailgaters in the Grove and Circle. Through the program, the university also aims to decrease the amount of waste that ends up in landfills as a result of tailgating. Green Grove is coordinated by four interns in the Green Student Intern Program with the help of game-day ambassadors who organize volunteers. This year, more than 350 students volunteered with Green Grove either to educate fans on game day or sort recycling collected on game days, diverting 8,275 pounds of recyclable materials from the landfill. In November, about 20 faculty and staff members stepped in to sort 1,400 pounds of recycling from the LSU vs. Ole Miss football game while students were out of town on Thanksgiving break.

Looking forward: While the Green Grove Initiative has experienced great success in terms of student engagement, reducing game-day waste still needs significant work. Of the 117 tons of waste produced by tailgating during the 2015 football season — much of which is composed of materials that could have been recycled — only 3 tons were recycled. To reduce the waste sent to the landfill on game day, every fan and visitor must take responsibility and participate in the recycling program.

The Office of Sustainability will continue working to engage fans.

*reusable materials diversion rates

2012

.93%

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2014

350

student volunteers

328,040

pounds of Grove & stadium waste generated during the 2015 football season

6,000

pounds of materials recycled from the Grove

3.08%

2015

season diversion rate*

1,400

2013

.97%

green grove initiative by the numbers

2.96% 3.08%

pounds of recycling sorted by 20 faculty & staff from the Ole Miss LSU game

Sustainable Transportation: Bicycling During fall 2015, the university’s continued efforts to improve bicycle infrastructure and advocacy on campus were recognized by the League of American Bicyclists with a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly University Award. UM is the only university in the state to receive such a designation. In addition to leading the Bicycle Friendly University application effort and facilitating the Active Transportation Advisory Committee, the Office of Sustainability has contributed to supporting the university bike community with several campaigns and programs, including:

National Bike Month The monthlong observance of Bike Month in May included events such as Maintenance Mondays, Bike to School Day, Pedal & Picnic, Wear Yellow Day, community group bike rides and several Bike to Lunch group rides. The university also participated in the National Bike Month Challenge.

Summer Bike to Lunch Days Throughout June, the office and members of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee hosted group rides to lunch.

Bike Maintenance Workshops In the fall, the Office of Sustainability organized several workshops at the UM Bike Shop to teach UM community members how to care for their bikes.

B

SUStainabi lity SPotlig h t

etween fall semester classes, it’s not uncommon to find Grace Sullivan, 2016 Udall Scholar Grace Sullivan at the Oxford Recycling Center, elbows deep in recyclables — and the more than occasional platter of chicken — from the previous weekend’s home football game. Sorting game-day recycling is just one component of Sullivan’s position as an Office of Sustainability Green Grove coordinator, a role in which she has served since her sophomore year at UM.

Sullivan, a rising senior and social work major from Ridgeland, Mississippi, became the university’s third Udall Scholar in 2016 for her commitment to advancing sustainability on campus in many capacities. In addition to coordinating Green Grove, Sullivan served as the Associated Student Body director of campus sustainability her junior year and led her sorority’s team in the Green Cup, a competition hosted by the Office of Sustainability to encourage the Greek community to expand its sustainability efforts.

Additionally, Sullivan serves on the Green Fund Committee and is a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Ole Miss Cycling Club and Ole Miss Garden Club.

After graduation, Sullivan plans to pursue a master’s in social work and a law degree, with the goal of encouraging sustainable practices to combat social ills.

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Outreach & education Widening Our Impact

From university-wide events to student-focused programming, outreach and education plays a key role in advancing sustainability at UM.

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EVENTS

Creating Co-Curricular Learning Opportunities

FOOD DAY

In October, the Office of Sustainability hosted the fifth annual Food Day observance, a celebration of healthy, local and sustainably produced food.

Events organized by the Office of Sustainability included:

food day festival The annual festival on the Union Plaza featured a farmers’ market, mobile farm bus and interactive, educational displays for students.

Escape to Nature: Into the Field

The Strawberry Plains Audubon Center hosted a Student Field Day with free admission for all UM students in April. The Office of Sustainability took a group of 18 students to enjoy a tour of the historic Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, a salamander demonstration and an educational presentation

by Mitchell Robinson, the center’s conservation education manager.

Sustainability Field Trips Members of Real Food Rebels, the Red, Blue & Green Freshman Interest Group and the Office of Sustainability’s Green Student Intern Program took part in three sustainability-related field trips during fall semester. They visited the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center to volunteer at the 2015 Hummingbird Festival; Yokna Bottoms Farm to learn about sustainable agricultural practices and community-supported agriculture; and Brown Family Dairy, where they met the dairy cows and learned about the process of bottling and distributing local milk.

T"""“ he Cost of Food-” Panel" Discussion Experts discussed the many costs of food on health, the environment and the economy in this interactive panel discussion. Panelists included Sunny Young Baker, co-lead of the Mississippi Farm to School Network; Marshall Bartlett, cofounder and president of Home Place Pasture pig farm; Richard Bradley, former Ole Miss Dining marketing manager; Danna Madel, of Catholic Charities in Vardaman, Mississippi, who has worked extensively with Hispanic workers on sweet potato farms; and Catarina Passidomo, assistant professor of Southern studies and anthropology, whose research focuses on food as a lens to examine race, class, gender, power and globalization.

Compost Sift-a-Thon

This volunteer event on the Union Plaza gave students an opportunity to sift compost and learn about the composting process. This event helped provide a comprehensive view of the American food system by bringing food waste into the conversation.

In addition to the Office of Sustainability’s programming, the Honors College Student Union and Real Food Rebels hosted a screening of the film “Food Chains,” and the Sustainable Oxford community group also hosted a vegetarian chili cook-off as part of its Autumn Speaker Series.

Environmental Film Series In the spring, the Environmental Studies Minor program, Southern Documentary Projects and the Office of Sustainability screened three films as part of the annual Environmental Film Series. This year’s films addressed environmental issues including climate change, food waste and threats to songbirds, which was presented in collaboration with the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center and Ole Miss Birders.

Rebel Energy Challenge In March, Eco Reps in Minor Hall, Residence Hall 1, Crosby Hall, Residential College South and Luckyday Residential College conducted the Rebel Energy Challenge. The Rebel Energy Challenge is a competition among students in residence halls to reduce their energy consumption. Components of the competition include an energy consumption reduction pledge, a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb swap, social media outreach and pre- and post-survey participation. This year, the Luckyday Residential College won the Rebel Energy Challenge.

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Green Week In April, the Office of Sustainability hosted its eighth annual Green Week — the most successful celebration to date. Green Week engaged more than 325 students, faculty, staff and community members in events focused on sustainability topics including resource stewardship, social sustainability and appreciation of natural spaces.

Green Week strives to expand awareness of local and global environmental issues, increase participation in sustainable behaviors and promote appreciation of our natural resources through educational and empowering programming. By involving a broad audience, Green Week endeavors to improve our collective conscience regarding better resource stewardship, environmental and social sustainability.

Campus Green Week events included:

Ole Miss Tree Trail Walks More than 60 students, faculty, staff and community members joined Landscape Services arborist Nathan Lazinsky on a guided tour of the Ole Miss Tree Trail.

Lazinsky discussed the importance of trees to human well-being as well as identification tips and facts about campus trees.

Earth Day Keynote Speaker The Environmental Studies Minor program worked with the Office of Sustainability to bring Linda Hogan, a Native American poet and author of stories with a focus on environmental issues, indigenous culture and tribal history, to campus as the 2016 Earth Day keynote speaker. Hogan is on the faculty at the Indian Arts Institute and is the former writer in residence for the Chickasaw Nation.

Nature & Yoga Hikes The Department of Campus Recreation and the Office of Sustainability collaborated to host two nature and yoga hikes on Earth Day. The events, which took place on the trails surrounding the South Campus Rail Trail, incorporated 30 minutes of guided hiking led by biology students and 30 minutes of yoga practice.

Nearly 40 individuals participated.

Sustainability Fair The eighth annual Sustainability Fair featured 25 farmers and organizations representing energy reduction, gardening, sustainable agriculture, local food and transportation. The fair also included an interactive carbon footprint exhibit, recycling games, and opportunities for students to earn prizes by engaging in educational activities.

“Something in Our Water: Perspectives on Flint, Jackson and Environmental Racism in America” Panel Discussion UM experts discussed the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan, in front of an audience of more than 75 attendees. The discussion focused on contributing factors such as environmental racism and capitalism and similarities to the emerging crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. Panelists were Catherine Janasie, of the Mississippi Law Research Institute and National Sea Grant Law Center; Buka Okoye, UM NAACP representative and public policy leadership student; Jennifer Stollman, academic director of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation; and Kristie Willett, UM professor of pharmacology and environmental toxicology.

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Arbor Day Celebration & Tree Planting More than 50 UM faculty, staff and students attended the annual Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Planting. Ian Banner, UM director of Facilities Planning and Sustainability, and Jeff McManus, UM director of Landscape Services, hosted the celebration, during which Donna Yowell, executive director of the Mississippi Urban Forest Council, presented UM with a “Tree Campus USA” award and attendees helped plant a white oak in the Grove. Phi Mu sorority was also recognized for its leadership in Greek life sustainability on campus. After the ceremony, 50 of the participants took home seedlings from the champion catalpa tree.

Brunch & bloom The Office of Sustainability hosted a local brunch, prepared with farmers’ market ingredients, and tour of the UM Garden during the Brunch & Bloom event. The event was intended to introduce the UM community to the garden and opportunities to get involved.

Green Week also included the Ole Miss Theatre Department’s Mississippi River Water Dance, which was funded by the UM Green Fund, and a film screening and forum hosted by Sustainable Oxford. This year’s Green Week celebration was supported by financial contributions from Coca-Cola and Jim Keras Subaru.

Food for Thought

2016 Green Week Exhibit

Presentations Sustainability 101 During the 2015-16 academic year, Office of Sustainability staff and interns spoke on sustainability to more than 15 EDHE 105 classes, rising 10thand 11th-graders in the McLean Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and the Department of Student Housing Wellness Committee. Sustainability presentations were also incorporated into orientations for Luckyday Scholars and Nutrition and Hospitality Management’s Coordinated Program in Dietetics graduate students. Additionally, sustainability staff spoke at each of Human Resources’ Welcome Home new employee orientations to help introduce

Each Green Week, the Office of Sustainability creates an educational exhibit that is placed in a high-traffic area of campus to reach audiences that may not otherwise engage with Green Week programming. This year, staff and students created the “Food for Thought” exhibit, illustrating the varying effects of food waste on the environment and personal choices individuals can make to mitigate these effects. The Food for Thought exhibit tank was separated into three sections, each illustrating a tier of the Food Recovery Hierarchy, which indicates the best ways to prevent food waste. The sections in the exhibit represented the effects of landfilling food, composting food and source reduction, or reducing the volume of surplus food so that less is thrown away.

Sharing Our Expertise

faculty and staff to sustainability resources on campus and in the community. All presentations covered the definition of sustainability, personal and institutional responsibilities, and opportunities to get involved.

Organic Waste Diversion The UM Compost Program’s success has generated statewide interest, as it is the only program of its kind in Mississippi. In October, Office of Sustainability assistant director Anne McCauley spoke on the program at the annual Mississippi Recycling Coalition Conference in Tupelo.

In May, project manager Lindsey Abernathy presented on the university’s experiences with organic waste diversion at the

Solid Waste Association of North America Magnolia Chapter’s annual conference in Biloxi.

Community & K-12 Engagement In the fall, Office of Sustainability staff and Green Student Interns spent a day with Oxford Intermediate School fourthgraders, teaching them about composting and recycling.

Presenters led students in games and activities to help them learn how and what to recycle and compost, as well as the importance of doing so. In October, sustainability director Ian Banner and sustainability assistant director Anne McCauley spoke on the university’s efforts at the Sustainable Oxford community group’s monthly forum and potluck.

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Green FUND

Facilitating Innovation

The UM Green Fund provides $15,000 each year to fund innovative sustainability projects on campus. Since its establishment in 2013, students, faculty and staff have implemented 14 successful Green Fund projects, ranging from the creation of a campuswide composting program to the installation of native plants on campus.

Any UM student or employee is eligible to propose a project.

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All projects are thoroughly evaluated by the UM Green Fund Committee on impact, visibility and feasibility. The committee is composed of five students, including the Associated Student Body director of sustainability, two faculty members and two staff members. Office of Sustainability staff facilitate meetings and work with committee members and project proposers to implement funded projects.

2015-16 Projects Native Plant Installation Bike Repair Station Proposed by UM associate biology professor Jason Hoeksema

In April, UM ornithology students installed 142 native plants on half an acre of campus to enhance wildlife habitat and provide an educational tool on the importance of native species.

In-Room Recycling: Residential College South Proposed by sophomore engineering major Grace Herrington

Nearly 250 recycling bins were distributed to RC South residents to decrease barriers to recycling in the residence hall. The bins were accompanied by educational materials as well as clearly marked signage and bins in the building’s trash rooms.

Rhoades Car

Proposed by sophomore international studies major Joe Bell

A Rhoades Car, which is a four-wheel bike that drives like a car, is a new active transportation alternative to driving a golf cart on campus. The Rhoades Car is available for departments to rent and may be used by the UM Compost Program.

Lenoir Dining Green Restaurant Association Certification Proposed by nutrition and hospitality management professor Jim Taylor and food specialist Beth Pace

The Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management’s student-run restaurant, Lenoir Dining, is seeking certification from the Green Restaurant Association. The certification process will involve improvements including the incorporation of composting and recycling into operations as well as local food purchasing and energy-reduction efforts.

Proposed by junior international studies major Madeleine Achgill

A new bike repair station at RC South provides students with access to easy tuneups on the east side of campus.

Mississippi River Water Dance** Proposed by theatre arts professor Jennifer Mizenko

Theatre arts students performed a dance along the Mississippi River replica on Mud Island in Memphis as part of the National Water Dance celebration. The event aimed to raise awareness of water issues specific to the Mississippi River and included poetry readings by UM students and faculty as well as educational readings by biology students and faculty. The dance was choreographed by Jennifer Mizenko.

Ole Miss Market Days

Proposed by junior civil engineering major Sarah O’Brien

Three on-campus markets will increase student access to fresh, local food in the fall. Ole Miss Market Days will also provide educational resources on the benefits of eating local and a guide to navigating farmers’ markets in Oxford.

UM Compost Program

Proposed by senior recreation administration major Victoria Burgos

The Green Fund supported the continued operation and expansion of the UM Compost Program, resulting in a total of 68,804 pounds of pre-consumer food waste composted since 2013.

Gre e n Fu nd: By t he Nu m bers Established in 2013

$45,943 68,804

awarded

pounds of food waste composted since 2013

bottles refilled by hydration stations* 1 million+ water *This is a total from all hydration stations across campus. The UM Green Fund paid for a portion of these stations.

142 19 250

native plants installed across half an acre on campus

projects funded

recycling bins distributed to RC South residents

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data collection

Informing Future Projects

The office performs data collection to set benchmarks, gauge success and guide future projects that are customized to our university community.

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Lamar Hall Recycling Audit This year, the Office of Sustainability conducted two data collection initiatives regarding recycling behavior in academic buildings, both taking place in Lamar Hall.

The first installation aimed at testing the viability of two recycling bin configurations: classrooms equipped with recycling bins alongside trash bins, and classrooms with trash bins and signage to direct students to recycling bins in the common area.

Classrooms with the traditional configuration of a trash bin with no signage or recycling bin served as the control rooms for this experiment. Bin contents and room conditions were recorded.

The second installation targeted use of recycling bins located in classrooms. For this installation, one auditorium classroom was equipped with recycling bins alongside trash bins. Class transitions were observed, and use of the bins was recorded by members of the office.

Through the Lamar Hall recycling audit series, the Office of Sustainability found that location of bins inside classrooms produced more recycling than just signage. However, convenient location of bins does not always ensure proper use of the bins, and sometimes promotes contamination of recycling, signaling a need for more campus education regarding proper use of bins.

Food Waste Weigh-in As part of the university’s Food Day observation in October, Office of Sustainability staff and interns collected food waste data from Rebel Market and the Marketplace at the Residential Colleges. During the lunch hours, a team of sustainability staff and students used a scale to weigh the amount of food left on each person’s plate after his or her meal. The measured amount of post-consumer waste (food left on plates by diners) was staggering. On average, diners at the Marketplace throw away 175 pounds of food per day — enough food to feed 60 people for a month. Rebel Market diners throw away 414 pounds of food per day, which is enough to feed one hungry student for nearly the entire duration of his or her time at the university.

The initial food waste weigh-ins resulted in the expanded scope of the Office of Sustainability’s Compost Team, which now focuses on food waste reduction behavior change in addition to composting. Compost and food waste interns conducted four weigh-ins throughout the spring semester to gather data for an upcoming waste reduction campaign in dining halls.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory The Office of Sustainability conducted an inventory of the greenhouse gas emissions on campus this year. The inventory includes various campus activities that result in the release of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere directly and indirectly, such as fuel burned directly on campus, purchased electricity, pesticide use, campus fleet emissions and airline flights.

Annual Transportation Survey The annual transportation survey is designed to capture commuting behaviors of faculty, staff and students and also gain insight into potential barriers when choosing more sustainable commuting options, such as biking and carpooling. The Office of Sustainability, the Department of Parking & Transportation and the Active Transportation Advisory Committee use this data to determine the direction of the upcoming academic year’s sustainable transportation initiatives.

Fo c u s Gro u p Re se arc h

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among LowIncome Households In February, Office of Sustainability AmeriCorps VISTA Ellen Olack facilitated a focus group with members of the Oxford Housing Authority’s C.B. Webb community to help determine perceived barriers and benefits to shopping at local farmers’ markets and consuming fruits and vegetables.

The information collected was used to create the first-ever Oxford City Market Mobile Market, which took place in June at C.B. Webb.

Farmers’ Market and Local Food Perceptions among UM Students In June, the Office of Sustainability worked with Green Fund proposer and civil engineering major Sarah O’Brien to conduct a focus group among students to discuss perceptions and experiences with farmers’ markets, food buying preferences and knowledge of the economic impact of buying local. The data will be used to help implement the Ole Miss Market Days Green Fund project to increase access to local food among students and will also guide efforts to help increase student attendance at city farmers’ markets.

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Collaboration

Fostering a Sustainable Community

Our work extends far beyond the office. From the UM Food Bank to the L-O-U Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Foundation, we create meaningful connections that benefit our community.

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On Campus The Office of Sustainability works with departments and groups campuswide to help infuse sustainability into everyday operations and across disciplines, regularly collaborating with campus entities such as Landscape Services, Student Housing, the Athletics Department, Campus Recreation, Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Facilities Management and Aramark.

Successful collaborations have included:

Composting and Fresh Food at the UM Food Bank The Office of Sustainability works closely with the student-run UM Food Bank in several capacities.

In the spring, the UM Compost Team created a process to compost the Food Bank’s expired goods and recycle the packaging. Compost Team members and Food Bank volunteers composted 352 pounds of food. The UM Garden Club also works in a close partnership with the UM Food Bank by donating half of all produce grown in the garden. Additionally, Anne McCauley and Lindsey Abernathy serve as costaff advisers for the Food Bank.

Promoting Healthy, Sustainable Behaviors The Office of Sustainability works extensively with RebelWell, the university’s wellness initiative, and has collaborated with the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management to incorporate wellness and nutrition-related components into Food Day and Green Week. Beginning in June 2016, through a partnership with Nutrition and Hospitality Management, dietetics graduate students will complete a one-week sustainability rotation hosted by the office, which includes programming on composting, gardening, local food and vegetarian and vegan diets. Both Anne McCauley and Lindsey Abernathy serve on the RebelWell Committee.

Advancing Sustainability Campuswide The Office of Sustainability often assists campus groups in advancing their own sustainability-related goals. In April, office staff worked with the Associated Student Body to host a campus transportation forum, which featured representatives from Parking & Transportation, Zipcar and Zimride. The office has also helped ASB distribute a transportation survey and regularly collaborates with the ASB director of sustainability. The office also works closely with the Environmental Studies Minor program to support efforts including the spring Environmental Film Series and the Earth Day keynote speaker.

In the Community To foster sustainability within the larger community, the Office of Sustainability works closely with organizations including the Oxford Tree Board, the Oxford Recycling Center, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi and Good Food for Oxford Schools. Additionally, Office of Sustainability staff helped to determine the direction of the newly established Sustainable Oxford community organization this year, as well as the Oxford Community Market nonprofit. Successful collaborations have included:

Increasing Access to Fruits and Vegetables in Low-Income Communities Mobile Farmers’ Market AmeriCorps VISTA Ellen Olack collaborated with the Oxford City Market to establish the city’s first-ever mobile market during summer 2016. The market operated at the Oxford Housing Authority’s C.B. Webb community every Wednesday afternoon in June, with the goal of increasing access to local fruits and vegetables as well as raising awareness about the city market and programs for users of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. More than 40 residents shopped at the four mobile markets, which sold fresh goods ranging from fruits and vegetables to local honey and homemade bread.

Incorporating the Food System into K-12 Education School Composting & Gardens AmeriCorps VISTA Ellen Olack worked with Food Corps members throughout the academic year to establish gardens and composting receptacles for garden waste at Della Davidson Elementary School and Lafayette County Schools. In June, Olack created programming at the UM Campus Garden for elementary school students enrolled in Good Food for Oxford Schools’ Carrot Camp. She has also partnered with UM’s Center for Math and Science Education to offer a training workshop for 10 elementary schoolteachers on the “Science of Our Food System.” The interactive training session included lessons on nutrition, healthy diets, composting, the nitrogen cycle, environmental issues and conservation.

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Sustainable Communities and Economic Development Supporting Sustainable Growth in Oxford and Lafayette County The Office of Sustainability continues to collaborate with the L-O-U Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Foundation to support sustainability efforts at the university, in the city and in the county. Through the partnership, Oxford and Lafayette County have been designated a Tennessee Valley Authority Valley Sustainable Community at the gold level. The recognition signifies that Oxford-Lafayette County has taken a leadership role in implementing sustainable practices and has made a commitment to sustainability efforts focused on economic development. This designation can be used by the community to attract businesses and industries that prefer to be located in a community with sustainable practices and services available.

Advisory Groups The Office of Sustainability facilitates the following advisory groups on campus:

Energy Committee The UM Energy Committee brings together expertise from different disciplines throughout campus to think broadly and holistically about energy use.

Professionals with different perspectives are afforded the opportunity to collaborate in a way that does not frequently occur outside of these meetings. Energy is discussed in terms of design and architecture, maintenance and engineering, environmental sustainability, academics and academic administration and athletics facilities.

2015-16 members: Ian Banner, Facilities Planning and Office of Sustainability; Del Hawley, School of Business Administration; Ron Huckaby, Facilities Management; Robert Martin, energy coordinator; Anne McCauley, Office of Sustainability; Cris Surbeck, School of Engineering; Joe Swingle, Athletics; Lonnie Weaver, Facilities Management; and Noel Wilkin, senior associate provost.

Active Transportation Advisory Committee The Active Transportation Committee plans and supports bicycle initiatives at the university. The committee works to foster a culture of safe biking at the university through supporting improvements in the realms of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation and planning. It works with departments on campus in an advisory capacity on bike-related issues including Parking and Transportation, Facilities Planning, RebelWell, University Police and Campus Safety and Facilities Management.

2015-16 members: Kate Kellum, Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning; Will Schenck, Croft Institute for International Studies; Steve Valliant, Department of Parking and Transportation; Mike Mossing, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Anne McCauley, Office of Sustainability; Gordon Podshivalov, sustainable transportation intern; Grace Sullivan, Associated Student Body representative

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Sustainability Broad Council The Broad Council for Sustainability serves as an organizational structure to further institutionalize sustainability on campus. The council is made up of representatives from all areas to facilitate the diffusion of sustainability throughout the university.

GREEN FUND COMMITTEE The Green Fund Committee is composed of students, faculty and staff who act as stewards of the fund on behalf of the university. The committee consists of five students including the Associated Student Body director of sustainability and a representative from a UM student environmental organization; two faculty members appointed by the provost; a staff member appointed by the vice chancellor of administration and finance; and a staff member appointed by the vice chancellor for student affairs. A nonvoting representative from the Office of Sustainability serves as chair, while another nonvoting sustainability staff member serves as project implementation liaison.

2015-16 members: Lindsey Abernathy, Office of Sustainability staff (nonvoting); Madeleine Achgill, student; Ty Allushuski, Student Affairs staff; Alex Borst, student; Kelli Coleman, student; Jason Hoeksema, biology faculty; Anna Koremblum, student; Anne McCauley, Office of Sustainability (nonvoting project liaison), Natalie Minton, student; Sara Porcheddu, student; Grace Sullivan, student, Associated Student Body representative; Kathleen Wachter, marketing faculty; Lonnie Weaver, Facilities Management staff; Steven Wild, student, Students for a Green Campus representative

student support Developing Change Agents

In addition to professional development for office staff, which included a trip to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education annual conference in Minneapolis and the Smart and Sustainable Campuses conference in Baltimore, the Office of Sustainability financially supported student travel to a variety of conferences focused on careers in sustainability as well as topics including sustainability in college sports, interactive storytelling and food security.

Collegiate Sports Sustainability Summit Senior international studies major Grace Haines presented on the office’s Green Grove Initiative in July 2015 at the Collegiate Sports Sustainability Summit hosted at Purdue University. Haines was joined by UM alumna Kay Kay DeRossette, who served as a Green Grove intern before joining the Office of Sustainability at the University of Arkansas while pursuing her graduate degree.

Photo Credit: Mark Dolan

2016 Planet Forward Summit: Sustainable Cities As a member of the Planet Forward consortium, the Office of Sustainability and Meek School of Journalism and New Media sponsored three students to serve as ambassadors at “Sustainable Cities,” a problem-solving summit in Washington, D.C., in April. Ole Miss students Katherine Hathorne, Joseph McQueen and Frances Miramon joined college students from across the nation in conversations with mayors, policymakers, sustainability leaders, innovators and academics. Students brought self-produced journalistic videos and articles to represent the university at the conference.

NEXT SOUTH The Office of Sustainability sent two Green Student Intern Program delegates, senior recreation administration major Victoria Burgos and senior integrated marketing communications major Joe Scott to the NEXT SOUTH Conference in Atlanta in February. Presented by Generation Green and the Georgia Conservancy, NEXT SOUTH is the largest conference in the Southeast dedicated to inspiring and empowering future leaders seeking careers in sustainability and corporate responsibility.

Food Waste & Hunger Summit AmeriCorps VISTA Ellen Olack, Green Student interns Mikayla Jekabsons and Zac Bransby, and UM Food Bank representative Tiara Mabry attended the University of Arkansas’ Food Waste & Hunger Summit in April. The Food Waste & Hunger Summit brings together leading national nonprofit organizations and dedicated students every spring for a weekend of learning about advocacy, service and leadership, all in the name of fighting food waste and hunger.

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ABout the staff Ian Banner, Director

Ian Banner serves as director of sustainability, director of facilities planning and university architect. His areas of architectural expertise are in energy-efficient design and construction, daylighting, passive systems such as thermal buoyancy “stack-effect” ventilation and environmental impact of building materials selection. He has written on architecture and the environment, indigenous houses in the Appalachians, natural lighting in overcast and clear sky regions, and humidity and ventilation of medieval buildings in northern Europe. Banner holds a B.A. in architecture from Plymouth University, a master of philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.

Anne McCauley, Assistant Director Anne McCauley joined the Office of Sustainability in October 2009 and has since established many of the office’s ongoing programs and projects. She is involved in all office initiatives including the facilitation of the UM Energy Committee, Active Transportation Advisory Committee and the establishment of the Broad Council for Sustainability; the creation of the Red, Blue & Green Freshman Interest Group; the implementation of Green Fund projects, and the growth and popularity of the Green Student Intern Program. In 2015, McCauley was recognized for her commitment to students when she received the university’s Frist Student Service award. She holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of the South and master’s in public administration from George Mason University.

Lindsey Abernathy, Project Manager Lindsey Abernathy works extensively with the Green Student Intern Program, Green Grove Initiative, the UM Compost Program, Green Week and Food Day. She also manages office communications initiatives. Prior to joining the office in 2014, Abernathy worked in public relations at the University of Mississippi, where she received national and regional recognition for social media management and a public relations campaign to promote the use of buses on campus. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and an MBA from UM.

Kendall McDonald, Post-baccalaureate Fellow Kendall McDonald is a recent graduate of the University of Mississippi.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy leadership with minors in environmental studies and English. As fellow, McDonald is interested in sustainability education and change agent empowerment. She works extensively with the Eco Reps residential leadership program. Prior to joining the Office of Sustainability full time, she helped coordinate and plan Green Week 2015 and 2014 as part of the office’s Green Student Intern Program. In 2014, she was named as an Honorable Mention for the Udall Scholarship for her dedication to environmental leadership.

Ellen Olack, AmeriCorps VISTA Ellen Olack graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and Spanish. She joined the office in fall 2015 through the North Mississippi VISTA Project.

During her one-year term, she worked to decrease food insecurity in North Mississippi by installing new K-12 school gardens, developing educational curriculum and resources for area teachers and piloting the Oxford City Market Mobile Market in a low-income community. Olack also established the UM Campus Garden and the UM Garden Club, giving students the opportunity to learn about growing their own food while providing a source of fresh produce to patrons of the UM Food Bank.

Office of Sustainability Lyceum 304 662-915-2720 green@olemiss.edu

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