???Despite a full schedule this semester, UB Green is still without a new director since the retirement of Walter Simpson, former director and energy officer. Joseph Raab, director of Environment, Health & Safety Services, has been acting as the organization's interim director since last April.
???The search for a new director remains at a standstill due to university budget cuts and a university-wide hiring freeze, according to Raab.
???"We're hoping to receive more information on what's happening with the budget both this fiscal year and the next," Raab said. "We're not exactly certain when this information will come forward. Once we have more information, we'll feel more comfortable about starting the recruiting process."
???Raab said the organization is looking for someone to lead and promote UB Green's environmental sustainability program.
???"The role [of the new director will be] to oversee everything that happens in the UB Green office, including analysis of our energy conservation program [and] promotion of our recycling program, working in conjunction with other academic programs," Raab said.
???The organization has been moving forward on new policies and programs while their search for a director has been put on hold. A new policy to use recycled paper on campus has been endorsed by the university, according to Raab.
???"[The policy] will be implemented for all campus purposes in all computing centers, and all academic centers will now be using 100 percent recycled paper," Raab said.
???UB Green also has a new Web site that Raab hopes will encourage students and faculty to become more involved in environmental issues, organized around the ideas of "live," "learn," and "connect."
???"We feel the new Web site will be an excellent portal for getting people involved, both students, and faculty and staff," Raab said. "We feel it will be a nicer way for them to find out about our sustainability programs."
???Raab also said that they would continue to work with the Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) to forward UB's goal of achieving carbon neutrality. The ESC, chaired by Robert Shibley, professor and director of the Urban Design Project, has created subcommittees to address the university's various environmental issues.
???The ESC held forums this past fall that Raab felt were successful in obtaining feedback from the UB community about the type of sustainability they would like to see on campus.
???UB has hired an environmental consulting firm, Ecology and Environment, Inc., to work with the ESC subcommittees on their sustainability plans.
???"They will be coordinating with the subcommittees to write all the elements of the climate action plan," Raab said.
???Raab said they are planning on having the first draft of the climate action plan done by April 1 and submitted by Sept. 15.
???"We're making very good progress," Raab said. "Involving all the subcommittees, there are probably over 100 people from the university participating in this effort."
???UB Green is planning to hold a series of talks this spring related to climate issues like the climate change of the Great Lakes and the reuse and revitalization of Buffalo. Raab hopes that these talks, called Climate Action Talks, will increase student involvement in UB Green's efforts.
???"We're really hoping that students get involved in our environmental programs. There are all sorts of opportunities for student involvement and student volunteers," Raab said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
