1. UAA’s Global Climate Commitment
What We Can Do to Make a Positive Impact on Global Climate Change

3. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Modeling
September 2007 – February 2008
Using the GHG model from World Resources Institute (WRI)
Focusing on:
Energy
Air Travel
Commuter & Vehicular Traffic
Will serve as UAA’s baseline to measure carbon emission reductions

4. Carbon Emission Reduction (CER) Planning
January – June 2008
Will involve groups throughout the campus
Will develop a long-term plan of strategies and actions
Progress will be measured against UAA’s carbon baseline

5. Energy Reduction Communications Campaign
A long-term campaign
Concentrates on changing behaviors on campus to save money and energy
Five emphasis areas:
Energy
Recycling
“Green” purchasing
Reduced commuter traffic
Improved office practices

6. “Turn It Off” Poster

7. “Recycle It” Poster

8. Learn More. Do More.

9. What’s the Role of Sustainability?
Recognize the current imbalances in our environment and correct them

10. The Sustainability Problem
At the moment, the societies of the world:
Mine and disperse materials at a faster rate than they can be redeposited into the Earth’s crust (e.g. oil, coal, metals)
Produce substances faster than they can be broken down by natural processes (if they can be broken down at all) (Carbon Dioxide, DDT)
Extract resources faster than they are replenished (e.g. overharvesting trees)

11. What is Sustainability all About?
It’s about recognizing resources are finite
and managing those resources so future
generations can also benefit from
them – sustain them.

12. What is UAA doing about Sustainability?

13. January 16, 2007: UAA’s Chancellor signs the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment to reduce carbon emissions and take other actions toward sustainability signatories to date.
May 2007: Chancellor Ulmer reaffirms this commitment as she becomes UAA’s new Chancellor.

14. The Commitment
Within 2 months, create institutional structures to guide sustainable development and implementation of plan
Within 1 year, complete inventory of greenhouse gas emissions
Within 2 years, develop institutional action plan

15. UAA Strategic Opportunity Fund
Developing UAA’s Climate Commitment Plan
Carbon footprint model to measure greenhouse gas emissions
Action plan to achieve carbon neutrality
Communications to encourage individual action

16. Integrating Issues of Climate Change into UAA’s Curriculum
UAA Strategic Opportunity Fund
Integrating Issues of Climate Change into UAA’s Curriculum
3-day Intensive Workshop in August for up to 20 faculty participants
Mini-grants for faculty to design and lead Intensives
Mini-grants for participants to attend intensives, modify curricula, and share lessons learned with colleagues

17. UAA Assembly Recommendation to Chancellor’s Cabinet (Feb 2007)
Paperless Processes
UAA Assembly Recommendation to Chancellor’s Cabinet (Feb 2007)
Electronic signatures
Curriculum processes
Workload agreements & annual activity reports
Promotion & tenure files
Timesheets
Grants & contracts
Procurement
Travel
Staff evaluations
Scholarship applications
Room reservations
Fund usage (Student Clubs)

18. Environmentally Friendly Practices
A Few Of The Great Things Being Done At UAA
UAA Housing Complex – Fantastic View of Chugach Mountains and Hillside

19. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Student Organizations
Encourages student involvement and participation
Sustainable Energy Society

20. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Press Coverage, Classes, Workshops, Lectures, Conferences, and Seminars
Provides sound and diverse environmental education and information to enhance good decision making and public awareness and enhances UAA’s public image..

21. Research, Undergraduate Education, and K-12 Outreach
Environmentally Friendly Practices
Research, Undergraduate Education, and K-12 Outreach
Provides valuable information and new or improved technologies and best practices to improve environmental conditions. Students gain valuable experience to better address future environmental concerns.

22. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Environmentally Friendly Landscape Management
Natural vegetation is easier to maintain. Controls on water run-off quality. Extensive use of mulch. Limited use of pesticides.

23. Environmentally Friendly Practices
EPA Approved Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure Plan
Comprehensive spill control procedures.

24. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Elevated Spines
Free & Dependable Transportation Services and Alternatives
U-Pass
Seawolf Shuttle
Benefits Air Quality, Decreases Fuel Usage, and Decreases Street and Lot Traffic Congestion

25. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Energy modules serving multiple buildings
Energy Conservation, Management and Policy
Heating set-backs
De-lamping and upgrades
Self-illuminating signs
Lighting set-backs
Electric heater amnesty

26. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Recycling Materials
Decreases Solid Waste Generation and Reduces Landfill Usage. Student Government and Administration provide this partnership program.
Sea Wolf Recycling Center

27. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Internal & External Recycling of Hazardous Materials
Dead batteries
Used crankcase oil & solvents for energy use
Precious metals from dental amalgams
Chemical reclaiming & evaporation
of non-hazardous water
Photographic silver recovery
for use in silversmithing classes
Scrap metal recovery
Reduces Hazardous Waste Disposal Costs

28. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Use of Recycled Copy Paper
Some departments use recycled paper. Distributed Copy Center operations periodically use recycled paper as budgets permit. This helps to develop the market for recycled paper and reduces the demand for virgin material.

29. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Setting Environmental priorities by
- Reducing -
- Reusing -
- Recycling -
Redistributing packing boxes reduces the need to buy new boxes by reusing them many times prior to recycling.

30. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Extensive Use Of Electronic Communications
Reduces the Use of Paper and Courier Services

31. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Procurement Controls On Hazardous Material Purchases
Trig … Is this a hazardous material on this purchase order?
Reduces the Need to Recycle and Dispose of Surplus Hazardous Materials

32. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Conversion To Microscale & Electronic Techniques In The Sciences
Old macro-style still
New micro-style still, uses less than 1/30 the volume of chemicals
Reduces the Need to Use and Dispose of Hazardous Materials

33. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Recovery Of Solvents For Reuse In The Sciences
Reduces the Need To Buy New Solvents and To Dispose of Hazardous Materials

34. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Replacing Computer CRTs with LCD Computer Monitors .
Saves Energy and Reduces Hazardous Waste Generation

35. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Substitution With Less Toxic Substances
Substituting petroleum-based solvents with water soluble cleaning products
Replacing mercury thermometers with non-hazardous thermometers
Substituting food-grade anti-freeze for the more toxic automotive-grade in building heating systems
Extensive use of non-halon (ozone depleting) fire extinguishers
Extensive use of hospital grade, water-based latex paints instead of petroleum-based paints
Reduces the Need for and Cost of Hazardous Waste Disposal

36. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Excellent Equipment Maintenance
Improves Air Quality and Conserves Fuels

37. Environmentally Friendly Practices
“Plug It In”
Engine Block Heaters & Timers
Whenever possible, UAA vehicles are plugged in when temperatures drop below 200F. Timers activate the heaters two hours before shift start. This reduces air pollution and excessive engine wear.

38. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Smoke-Free Indoor Facilities
To improve indoor air quality, UAA declared all indoor areas as Smoke-free in 1986 well before the State Of Alaska made the same declaration.

39. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Low Dust Emission Street Sweepers
Improves Air Quality By Using Water and Vacuum

40. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Using and Advancing Environmentally Friendly Technology
Chancellor Elaine Maimon and the new hybrid vehicle. The Flagship of UAA’s Motor pool reduces the need for hydrocarbon fuel and decreases air pollution.

41. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Using Recycled Construction Material for New and Remodel Projects
By using carpet squares made from recycled material, UAA can easily maintain or repair damaged carpet areas eliminating the need to replace still-serviceable carpet sections. These systems also reduce scrap and trimming waste. UAA’s carpet suppliers are chosen for their commitment to sustainability.

42. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Public Sustainability Resource Room at UAA’s Library of the 21st Century
UAA has secured funding for developing a public library dealing with sustainability issues. Collections have already arrived. This helps to provide our community with a source of sustainability publications and references.

43. Environmentally Friendly Practices
Staying Current
Staying Current With Existing Technologies and Regulations, Being Actively Involved In Environmental Associations, and Networking With Other Professionals Is Essential To Good Environmental Stewardship

44. Environmentally Friendly Practices
UAA is an active member of:
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (C2E2)
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

45. Environmental Awards EPA –CESQG of Hazardous Waste (1990)
Mayor’s Pollution Prevention Award (1990)
EPA Region X Pollution Prevention Nomination (1992)
Green Star for Waste Reduction (1994) Charter Member
AK DEC Commissioner’s Award for Pollution Prevention (2001)
Green Star Air Quality Award (2001)

46. Future Environmental Awards That We’re Working On Right Now

47. What can you do? Find out more about Sustainability
Visit the Resource Room at the Library
Use the UAA Office Resource Conservation Checklist
Get involved!!
Sustainability Coordinators Program/Network
Learn more about Green Star!!