The Environmental Stewardship Committee discussed changing campus culture and creating new renewable energy Wednesday morning in a preface meeting to an upcoming forum.
The public will have the opportunity to offer feedback on the university's environmental initiatives at the Fall Sustainability Forum, which will be held on Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.
Robert Shibley, senior adviser to the president for campus planning and design, as well as chair of the committee, encouraged students to attend the Oct. 21 forum.
"We've got to get an aggressive understanding from the community about the behaviors they're ready to engage in to make [the university] more sustainable," Shibley said.
Without input from students, Shibley said UB cannot deliver a smaller carbon footprint.
The committee discussed the need to change campus culture to that of a more environmentally conscious university.
President John B. Simpson was on hand to address the committee. He spoke of the 25 years he lived in Seattle, watching it implement a recycling program and evolve into a city with a concern for the environment.
"I would love to see this kind of cultural change occur [at UB] around issues of sustainability," Simpson said.
The committee stressed that they do not have finalized plans about what they will do to reduce UB's carbon footprint, but wants the university community to become involved and express their thoughts on what needs to be done.
"Whenever you're a public planner and you hold a meeting, it's not your meeting," said Bradshaw Hovey, associate director of the Urban Design Project. "The main task is to have a discussion about what people think ought to be in the plan."
The committee has been divided into six subgroups to address environmental issues at UB: energy, transportation, information technology, materials, research, teaching and public service and communications and outreach. After an introduction and question and answer discussion, those at the meeting will be able to join a smaller group discussion of their choice.
The smaller group discussions will focus on these six sub-groups. According to the committee, the focus of these smaller discussions will be to make the public aware of the groups' efforts.
"[The groups will] introduce broad outlines of what [they have] been working on and developing," Hovey said.
Some possible topics for these smaller groups include producing renewable energy on campus, reducing university-related air travel and ways to save computer paper.
The forum is co-sponsored by a number of campus organizations, including the Student Association, UB Green and other campus environmental organizations, which will help to promote the forum, according to the committee.
Last year, Simpson signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment to become climate neutral.
According to Simpson, the university's unique environmental issues in relation to its position near the Great Lakes, and in an area with a high manufacturing rate, make it essential that UB be a leader in environmental stewardship and set a positive example for politicians and other universities.
"It is the right [and] ethical thing for the university to do," Simpson said. "We as a university need to be leaders."
Simpson explained that these environmental issues are an important aspect of UB 2020 and should be about more than how to "plow snow for less money." Simpson said that three important aspects of the university are teaching, research and service.
"[There is] a place in all of these for thinking about sustainability... as fundamental to the future of this university and UB 2020," Simpson said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
