The Bulls See Greener Pastures

8/22/2019 The Bulls See Greener Pastures

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Compilators

Donna DeSalvo

Lead Compiler

Giselle Diaz

Lead Researcher

Walter Harris

Lead Editor

Hatim Hassan

Lead Interviewer

ENC3250.794B13

Professor F. Tobienne

University of South Florida

St. Petersburg

140 Seventh Ave. South

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

August 9th, 2013

How has the University ofSouth Floridas St. Petersburg

campus contributed to the green movement?


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 2

THE ENVIRONMENT:ACAUSE FORCONCERN &ACTION 4

GREEN MOVEMENT AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE ENVIRONMENT 6

USFCOMMITTING TO MAKE A CHANGE 7 Universitys Strategic Plan for2009-2013 American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment Student Green Energy Fund Promotes Student Involvement

STUDENT GREEN ENERGY FUND &PROJECTS 9 Energy-Efficient Exercising Green Cardio Race for the Watts LED Garage Lighting Waterfront Hybrid Truck: Chevrolet Silverado Solar-Powered Stations: Solar Docks & Solstice Pole Water Bottle Filling Station

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 17 Bay Harbor Cleanup

IMPORTANT PROJECTS 18

Car Sharing Program Electric Charging Systems LEED-Certified Building Construction

PARALLELING THE COMPETITION 22 St. Petersburg College Eckerd College

INTERVIEWS 26 Kebreab Ghebremichael

John Dickson Javiero Cruz

CONCLUSION 28


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INTRODUCTION

This report addresses the efforts

taken by the University of South Florida St.

Petersburg towards their commitments to

participating in the green movement. As

well as why these initiatives are so vital to

our community. The information provided

will serve to allow the reader to form their

opinion on the effectiveness and realization

of USFSPs sustainability initiatives, as well

as provide a jumping off point for informedreaders to continue their personal

commitment to furthering research,

education and awareness about these

important issues.

Through the use of news articles, both

from the university and public outlets, this

paper will attempt to connect the

implemented solutions with their impact on

the community. Other resources for this

report included personal interviews,

proposal documents, and scientific literature

that outline both the challenges presented by

taking on sustainable initiatives, as well as

historically how they have been addressed.

The annotated bibliography provides sources

that will help increase overall knowledge of

the problems and solutions involved with

promoting environmental awareness and

conservation.

The University of South Florida St.

Petersburg Campus has a Green Initiatives

page which outlines the major goals for the

university, such as LEED certified

buildings, environmentally friendly

computing and the promotion of student

initiatives. There is a priority placed on

student involvement at USFSP and this

report goes into great detail about the

Student Green Energy Fund which provides

a platform for innovative thinkers to bring

their ideas to light. The SGEF is not the only

student organization that deals with these

environmental issues on campus. The

Student Government Department of

Sustainability and The Student

Environmental Awareness Society also play

large roles in facilitating student

involvement and awareness, as well as

promoting other members of the community


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to contribute their time and effort to the

green movement.

In addition to the main purpose of

our paper, another goal for this report will

be to provide a framework to foster creative

problem solving, concerning the needs of

our environment and community. Instead of

offering neatly tied up conclusions, this

report will aim to spark creativity in the

readers mind and a desire to take innovative

action towards the same goals that USFSP

dedicates itself to achieving.


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THE ENVIRONMENT:ACAUSE FORCONCERN &ACTION

Environmental issues have been a

cause for lasting concern for the

American Citizens. Historical recordsreveal that society has always been

interested in the condition of the

environment, but this concern has grown

rapidly within the last decade (Parry, 1).

The increase of the population coupled

with consumerism has contributed to the

accumulation of waste within America.

The publics inability to properly

disregard its waste has influenced the

government to introduce policies to

reduce its harmful effects. Although

governmental efforts have been

implemented with the intention to

combat the growing threat of pollution,

the various types of pollution have

thwarted current efforts and made it

extremely difficult to counteract the

steady increase of human waste. Water,

air, soil, thermal, and radioactive

pollution are a real threat to local and

global ecosystems and jeopardize the

condition of the planet (All Issues, 3).

Moreover, thermal and radioactive

pollution are growing threats that

substantially affect the conditions of the

environment adversely.

Thermal pollution is caused by

industrys production of excess heat that

creates undesirable effects over a periodof time. This type of pollution makes

conditions unbearable for neighboring

communities. Additionally, radioactive

pollution is a growing threat. This type

of pollution is the most cumbersome as

it destroys entire ecosystems. This waste

is produced by nuclear facilities and is a

menace to the society.

Pollution is defined as any chemical,

particulate, or bacterial matter that

disrupts the natural balance of the air,

soil, or water (All Issues, 1). The

aforementioned definition reveals the

very issue the globe is encountering.

Sadly, it is an accumulation of various

human practices that have contributed to

the earths decline. Some example of our

destructive endeavors includes the

spillage of hazardous waste, sewage and

oil spills, non-sustainable farming

practices, strip mining, deforestation,

and household dumping and littering

(Parry, 1).


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In order to circumvent this neglectful

behavior, the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) was formed (Parry, 1).

Critics have claimed that the agency has

done very little in protecting the general

public because the operation is more

reactive than proactive; nevertheless the

agency has produced industry standards

for operation and has forced businesses

to operate more efficiently, while taking

the environment into consideration.


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GREEN MOVEMENT AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE ENVIRONMENT

The Green Movement has always

been in effect within the country.

Individuals historically have wanted topreserve the countrys natural beauty but

as consumerism grew, this task increased

in difficulty. The introduction of the

EPA in the 1970s quelled Americans

concerns about the direction of the

countrys preservation. It also prompted

individual states to introduce their own

standards which acted as the catalyst for

various improvement efforts that have

been implemented within the state of

Florida.

Florida has enacted efforts to clean

its Everglades and shores as well as

produce viable sources of renewable

power. In addition, the elimination of

offshore drilling has reduced the

probability of needless pollution and has

decreased its harmful effects. It is

important to note that Floridas continual

focus on agricultural and industrial

development to curb the destructive

consequence of runoff, has increased the

impact of the states and the countrys

efforts to reduce the negative effects of

the growing population.

The Green Movement's continual

efforts are a necessity, if any hopes for

lasting efforts are sustained. Noting thisnecessity, the students of USF have

coupled with industry leaders to promote

the utilization and development of green

technology and practices within the

University and its partnerships (Booth,

1).

USFs commitment to this cause isevident in its attempts to promote green

technology within the university. The

introduction of advanced green

buildings, technology, transportation,

and diminution of carbon footprints has

increased the universities popularity and

sustainability. These implemented green

standards, in addition to the recycle

programs provide ample opportunities

for the college to teach the public about

green living. Because of these efforts,

USF has become an exclusive member

of a small number of universities

nationwide, that have committed to

producing efforts to build an

environmentally-conscious campus and

advance sustainability efforts through

cutting-edge research (Booth, 1).


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USFCOMMITTING TO MAKE A CHANGE

The University of South Florida

is showing their commitment to making

the St. Petersburg Campus more

environmentally friendly by integrating

their plans for sustainability into the

Universitys Strategic Plan. The

Universitys Strategic Plan for 2009-

2013 outlines the universitys plan

toward student involvement and campus

wide greening. One of the six core goals

that emerged from the Universitys

2009-2013 Strategic Plan was the

promoting of Environmental

Stewardship of which the primary Point

of Focus is to Foster stewardship of the

environment and embody the values of

sustainability. This is a clear example

that the University is fully committed to

protecting our environment when one

considers all the issues a University must

address in order to operate effectively

and protecting the environment is on this

list of a mere six goals.

The Strategic plan includes animplementation of the goal to promote

Environmental Stewardship on an annual

basis. During the first two years the

University planned to obtain their goals

by providing support to student

organizations that foster awareness in

reducing, reusing and recycling and by

Create a community that champions

environmental awareness and

sustainable living. Throughout the

third and fourth years the University

would Continue the development of

energy saving initiatives and the

greening of facilities on campus and

Facilitate community partnerships

focused on environmental concerns. In

the final planning year the University

would Continue evaluation and

modification of energy green plan and

Support interdisciplinary research that

focuses on environmental concerns.

(Points of Focus 2009-2013 p.29)

The University of South Florida

St Petersburg President William Hogarth

signed the American College &

University Presidents Climate

Commitment which is a high-visibility

effort to address global climate

disruption undertaken by a network ofcolleges and universities that have made

institutional commitments to eliminate

net greenhouse gas emissions from

specified campus operations, and to

promote the research and educational


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efforts of higher education to equip

society to re-stabilize the earths climate.

Its mission is to accelerate progress

towards climate neutrality and

sustainability by empowering the higher

education sector to educate students,

create solutions, and provide leadership-

by-example for the rest of

society. Signing the commitment

shows that the University has every

intention of invoking green initiatives to

make the college campus for

environmentally friendly.

The University of South

Floridas St. Petersburg Campus Student

Green Energy Fund (SGEF) provides an

opportunity for students to become

involved in making their campus more

environmentally friendly. The SGEF

has a Facebook profile in an effort to

promote more student involvement.

https://www.facebook.com/USFSP.SGE

F. Although the Facebook page only has

114 Likes it is step in the right

direction given the role of social media

in the day to day activities of students.

The SGEF provides students the

opportunity to start making changes to

promote green initiatives right now on

their own campus, the place they are

going to be calling home for the next

three years.

The members and leaders of the

Student Green Energy Fund are

promoting the current Green Initiatives

that have been successfully implemented

on the Green Initiatives

website. Presently the SGEF is

sponsoring a Race for Watts contest

where student from various campus

organizations used the sustainable cardio

equipment in the fitness center to see

who could raise the most watts. This

contest helped promote awareness about

the sustainable cardio equipment and the

Student Green Energy Fund while

encouraging students to be

active. Activities such as this contest

will help the SGEF educate the campus

community about how these projects are

being funded, how important the projects

are to the university and how they can

actually make a difference.


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The Student Green Energy Fund

The USFSP Student Green

Energy Fund (SGEF) provides a

platform for members of the USF

community to propose innovative

solutions for lowering the negative

impact that our lives have on the

environment. Student involvement is of

paramount importance with this

initiative. The SGEF bylaws state, At

USF St. Petersburg, the Student Green

Energy Fund is financed through a

nominal student fee of $1.00 per credit

hour. The fund is used to assist the

university in reducing energy costs

through conservation, promoting power

generation using

clean, renewable

energy

technologies,

and lowering greenhouse gas emissions

(Bylaws). The SGEF is directly

funded by students, so students have a

say in how the money is spent.

So we see how the SGEF is

funded, but how does it work? The

Fund Proposal Flow Chart

demonstrates the process. The process

starts with an idea and culminates with

project implementation. The proposals

can be made by faculty members and

current students at USFSP.

The proposals are then

reviewed by the SGEF

committee, which consists

of six students and four

faculty members.

Fig. 1. Student Green Energy Fund Proposal Flow Chart.; "Guidelines through the Proposal Process -

Idea through Implementation." SGEF USF St. Petersburg. N.p.. Web. 4 Aug 2013.


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With this system in place, individuals

who want to make a difference in our

community have a direct path towards

bringing their ideas to life. USFSP

student Lauren Reilly said this in an

opinion letter posted on The Crows

Nest, This fund being available is a

great opportunity for students to learn

and be creative by submitting proposals

to the university to lower its carbon

footprint, save energy, and use

renewable energy (Reilly). The SGEF

serves a much needed purpose in the

USFSP community, but issues of student

awareness are still proving to be a

challenge.

The Student Green Energy Fund Projects ____________________

Energy-Efficient Exercising Green Cardio

A Green Gym Area for the

Fitness Center was installed on August

2012 by SGEF, the Student Green

Energy Fund, for the University of South

Florida St. Petersburg. The initial

proposal was to replace six Nautilus

machines that use electricity, with six

SportsArt Fitness machines that create

electricity. SportsArt Fitness

manufactures self-generating machines

that require no electricity to operate.

The Nautilus machines used

3650 kilowatts per year, spent an

average of $423 per year per tread and

emitted 7.5 metric tons of CO2; while in

contrast, the SportsArt machines actually

produce about 1200 watts per hour,

saved the University approximately $508

per year and reduced CO2 emissions by

3 metric tons per year (McGarigal). The

Green Gym Area has a SportsArt

monitor that monitors the kilowatts per

hour produced by the machines (see

table1).


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Table 1 Green Cardio Loft Electricity Production, by Date and Kilowatts per hour

Source: McGarigal, Daniel, SportsArt Meter Readings 2013: SGEF: Student Green Energy Fund,8 Aug 2013, Web, table 1.


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Race for the Watts

To promote sustainability

awareness, SGEF held a 3-day energy-

generating contest from February 27

th

through March 1st 2013.

The friendly race consisted of

various campus organizations and used

the new sustainable cardio equipment in

the fitness center to see who could raise

the most watts (see table 2).

Table 2 Race for the Watts by competing teams

and watts produced

Source: McGarigal, Daniel,Race for the Watts2013, SGEF: Student Green Energy

Fund, 8 Aug 2013, Web, table 2.


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LED Garage Lighting___

The 5th Avenue Parking Facility

has been in use by campus students,

faculty, and visitors since 2006. The

facility currently has fluorescent fixtures

that use 410,865 kilowatts per hour per

year (McGarigal). The first phase of the

proposal was approved January 2013

and the lights were installed on June

2013.

The first phase replaced the

fluorescent fixtures from the first floor

with energy efficient LEDs with fixture

integrated controls for Occupancy

Sensing and Daylight Harvesting, and

will save the University 70% of the

initial energy consumption (McGarigal).

Phase 2 and 3 are currently underway of

being approved, but the plan is to retrofit

all remaining lighting to energy efficient

LED fixtures and install and commission

a Solar PV System, which will provide

110% of the energy needs to the LED

garage (McGarigal).


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Waterfront Hybrid Truck: Chevy Silverado

The Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid

truck was delivered to the University of

South Florida St. Petersburg on March

2013 to serve the USFSP Waterfront

programs, such as the kayak and canoe

adventures and Sailing Regattas.

The gas/electric truck provides a

more fuel-efficient way to transport

people and watercraft equipment. On a

yearly basis, the campus rented vehicles

for about $3000, which did not include

gas, and was approximately an

additional $3700, and emitted 18,275 lbs

of CO2 (McGarigal).

The 2013 Chevrolet Silverado

1500 Hybrid ranks 8 out of 10 full size

hybrid pickup trucks (see fig. 2);

moreover, after a year of using this

gas/electric transportation, the

University will decrease its gas

consumption and save $3000 in rental

costs, about $1300 in fuel, and alleviate

6395 lbs of CO2 per year (McGarigal).

Fig. 2. 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid Review.; "Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid Review."

Best Cars. US News & World Report, 19 Apr 2013. Web. 8 Aug 2013.


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Solar-Powered Stations: Solar Docks & Solstice Pole

The Solar Docks and Solstice

Pole were installed February 2013 by the

water near Coquina Hall, behind the

Library, and near the benches outside the

main entrance of the STG building.

The solar docks are solar-

powered stations that provide an

alternative way to charge electronic

devices used by students and faculty

members, and also feature USB ports to

charge phones and tablets.

This has decreased the use of the

electrical outlets in the buildings, which

use approximately 50-75 watts per hour

per device (Rowe).

On a more ecological aspect, it

also gives people the opportunity and

choice to be able to spend more time

outdoors, rather than being cooped up

indoors chained to an outlet.


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Water Bottle Filling Station

This proposal has been recentlyapproved March 2013 and is underway

to becoming part of SGEFs completed

and successful projects.

The University plans to have ten

units throughout the areas with high

traffic and volume. The students will be

provided with reusable bottles and will

be able to refill their bottles at the

stations.

It is estimated that the disposal ofabout 1500 plastic bottles and 1122.6 lbs

of CO2 reduction will be mitigate

annually through this project

(McGarigal)

. To promote sustainable

awareness, each unit will have a meter

that reads how many plastic bottles are

saved as each reusable bottle is filled.


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STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

Bay Harbor Cleanup

The Student Environment

Awareness Society (SEAS) provides anopportunity for students to take matters

into their own hands. From their website,

SEAS is an organization open to

anyone interested in promoting

awareness of environmental issues,

outdoor activities, and taking steps

towards a greener campus, community,

and world. This includes USF St.

Petersburg students, faculty, staff,

affiliates, and members of the

surrounding community.

In 2011, SEAS received a $3,500

grant from the Tampa Bay Estuary

program. This money funded the

installation of a watergoat for

collecting the trash in Bayboro Harbor,

located right next to the USFSP campus.

From an article posted on the USFSP

News Center, SEAS president Stephanie

Lawler said, We call it a watergoat

because goats eat anything... Its a

system of buoys almost like what you

would see in a pool. Underneath there is

a netting system that is lined with a

series of different weights (Baynard).

Student involvement did not end once

the watergoat was installed. There is

ongoing maintenance required and

student volunteers clean out the trash

that accumulates in the netting system.

The article states that this is done once

per week, as well as monthly cleanups

that focus on the watergoat and the

surrounding mangroves. This project

combines student involvement with

immense tangible benefits to USFSPs

surrounding environment.

Here is a picture of a watergoat.


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IMPORTANT PROJECTS

Car Sharing Program

The implementation of a Car Sharing

program at the University of South Florida

St. Petersburg garnered a lot of attention

from the surrounding community. On

February 12, 2013 Mayor Bill Foster and

USFSP interim Regional Chancellor Bill

Hogarth announced that USFSP, with the

help of WeCar by Enterprise and the Florida

Department of Transportation District

Seven, would be making an affordable

transportation solution available to USFSP

students and faculty members, as well as

outside citizens in the St. Petersburg

community. Whether these people are

unable to afford transportation of their own,

or do not have the need for owning a car

year-round, this program makes it possible

for them to travel around the area with ease.

From the USFSP News Center, They

access the vehicle using a membership card

and then return it to the same location. Fuel,

basic physical damage and state-required

liability protection are included in the

standard rate plan, which begins at $8.50 anhour. Non-students must be at least 21

(Scherbenger).

Since many students are on a tight

budget, this program could rise in popularity

for the foreseeable future and perhaps lead

to more campuses implementing similar

programs.

The Car Sharing Program certainly

benefits all members of the St. Petersburg

community, but how does this initiative fit

in with the sustainability goals of USFSP?

Interim Regional Chancellor Dr. Hogarth

had this to say, We hope the program will

reduce the need for cars on campus and

contribute to our ongoing sustainabilityefforts (Scherbenger). This program

certainly has the potential to make a large

impact on the citizens of St. Petersburg and

more specifically USFSP students. As with

all of the innovative programs, people need

to be made aware of these opportunities, in

order to make use of them. With a dedicated

effort to raise awareness, this program may

have a great impact on USFSP and St.

Petersburg as a whole.


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Electric Charging Systems

In the same vein as the USFSP

car sharing program, another project has

provided a motivator for

environmentally friendly transportation

choices. In March of 2012, two charging

stations were installed to be used, free of

charge, by owners of electric or hybrid

vehicles. Traditional transportation

methods inflict damage on the

environment, but transitioning to electric

vehicles is not always feasible. There are

gas stations on every other block in most

cities, but electric charging stations are

scarce or even non-existent in many

areas. In order to facilitate the owners of

electric and hybrid vehicles, the USFSP

has dedicated two parking spots, with

prime locations, that allow for around

the clock charging for these vehicles.

Not only do these charging stations

provide an alternative to charging their

vehicles at home, they offer an upgrade

in the power, which means the charging

time is greatly reduced.

This program, by providing

accessible charging for owners of

electric and hybrid vehicles, makes these

transportation alternatives more viable to

students and faculty. Dr. Ashok Dhingra,

Regional Vice Chancellor for

Administrative and Financial Services

had this to say, We are very pleased to

add another sustainable energy

opportunity for our students, faculty and

staff. Dr. Dhingra continued, USFSP

is dedicated to minimizing our physical

imprint on the planet while fostering

stewardship of the environment

(Scherbenger). Indeed, these charging

stations may prove to be the motivation

that our community needs to initiate a

shift into more sustainable transportation

choices.


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LEED-Certified Building Construction

What does LEED certification

mean, and why is it important? From the

LEED section of the U.S. GreenBuilding Councils website, LEED, or

Leadership in Energy & Environmental

Design, is transforming the way we

think about how our buildings and

communities are designed, constructed,

maintained and operated across the

globe. Comprehensive and flexible,

LEED is a green building tool that

addresses the entire building lifecycle

recognizing best-in-class building

strategies (LEED). There are various

categories designated by LEED that

building projects earn credits for

fulfilling. These categories are:

Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency,

Energy & Atmosphere, Materials &

Resources, and Indoor Environmental

Quality. Based off the amount of credits,

a building can achieve Certified, Silver,

Gold, and Platinum certification levels.On the USFSP campus, the

Student Technology Building, which

was completed in time for the Spring

2010 semester, is LEED-Certified at the

gold level. Additionally, the new Student

Center is in pursuit of such certification.

USFSP is proud of these achievements

but in addition to this certification, the

STG building offers a valuable resource

for USF students in the form of the

Progress Energy Earth Science

Laboratory, which further empowers the

student body to research and educate

themselves on the issues of sustainability

and environmental awareness. Below is

a picture of the LEED-Certified Gold

Student Technology Building.


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What type of positive effects do

LEED buildings actually have? In an

eBook written by Vijaya Yellamraju,

titled LEED-new Construction Project

Management, such benefits are

outlined. The LEED rating system can

be regarded as a game changer that has

catapulted green to the spotlight. Over

the last decade, LEED buildings have

had a tremendous impact on reducing

CO2 emissions, water consumption, and

material use. In 2009 alone, annual CO2

savings from LEED buildings was

estimated to be approximately 2.9

million tons from energy efficiency and

renewables. Total water savings from

LEED was estimated at 15 billion

gallons composed of 0.5% of annual

non-residential water use. Over 60% of

construction and demolition waste was

diverted from LEED projects, totaling 25

million tons to date and is expected to

reach almost 800 million cumulative

tons by 2030. The productivity benefits

from LEED buildings to-date are

estimated between $230 million to $450

million (Yellamraju).

On the other side of LEED

construction, we must consider the costs.

What are the additional costs involved

with turning a normal construction

effort, into a LEED Certified project?

This graphic demonstrates that the costs

may not represent a significant increase,

relative to the overall costs of the

project. These additional costs vary

based on the overall approach to

satisfying the LEED requirements. The

costs and benefits for each project must

be compared on a case by case basis, but

when it comes to addressing issues of

sustainability and long term

environmental health, the benefits may

not be easily measured.

Fig. 3. The Costs of LEED.; Proefrock, Philip.

"Report Reveals the Cost of LEED Certification."

Inhabitat. N.p., 07 Jun 2010. Web. 4 Aug 2013.


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PARALLELING THE COMPETITION

St. Petersburg College

One of the University of South

Florida St. Petersburgs biggest college

competitors is St Petersburg College,

hereinafter referred to as SPC, who also

developed an Office of Sustainability to

incorporate sustainable values and

practices into the global culture of St.

Petersburg College and that of its

stakeholders. SPC is implementing

sustainable practices that deal with

Energy, Sustainable Design, Education,

Carbon Neutrality, Recycling/Waste and

Water.

SPCs sustainability projects that

reduce the amount of energy used at the

campus include lighting projects,enacting more stringent temperature

controls and changing out older

mechanical equipment to be replaced by

more energy efficient models. SPC

currently has a $25,000, 800SF

photovoltaic solar thin film installation

on the roof of the Natural Science,

Mathematics and College of Education

building. The College recently secured

an additional $125,000 to install thin

film photovoltaic solar paneling for use

as a teaching tool to be installed on the

roof of the new Ethics and Social

Science building.

SPC is implementing Sustainable

Design by enacting a policy that all

new construction and renovation projects

be designed to meet the USGBC

Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design (LEED) rating system, the Green

Building Initiative's Green Globes rating

system, the Florida Green Building

Coalition standards, or a nationally

recognized green building rating

system. Recently completed

Sustainable Design projects at SPC

include the Veterinary Technology

Center, the Student Services Buildingand the Natural Science, Mathematics

and College of Education Building that

were awarded LEED Gold

Certification. Additionally, St.

Petersburg College maintains a "green

cleaning" policy, all custodial cleaning

supplies and equipment utilize

ergonomics, and sustainable and

environmentally friendly means.

SPC is has also recognized the need to

include Education in the sustainability

plan by developing two degree


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programs; an Associate of Science in

Environmental Science Technology and

a Bachelor of Applied Science in

Sustainability Management.

SPC has yet to sign the American

Colleges & University Presidents

Climate Commitment. Although SPC

claims that it has created a greenhouse

gas emissions inventory to aid

administrative decision makers in further

lowering the colleges

overall greenhouse gas emissions.

SPC participates in a campus wide

recycling program by recycling paper,

plastic bottles, aluminum, glass and

cardboard. The college also recycles e-

waste, fluorescent tubes, computer

monitors and CPUs through safe and

environmentally sustainable

means. SPC is also donating obsolete

computers, clothing and supplies to

underprivileged schools and agencies

those expanding the environmental

commitment beyond the walls of the

college.

SPC has taken steps to lower its

water consumption by installing low-

flow water fixtures in all new

construction and renovation projects

saving thousands of gallons of water per

month. The college also uses reclaimed

water for irrigation at all college sites

along with maintaining a strict

maintenance schedule to avoid wasting

water. Source:

http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability/


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Eckerd College

Another competitor of USFSP is

Eckerd College which is also located in St.

Petersburg, Florida on the Gulf of

Mexico. Eckerd College has created an

Office of Sustainability that focuses on

various green initiatives such as Promoting

Awareness, Energy Conservation,

Recycling, Car Share Program, and Eco-

Clam Shell Program along with

environmental and ecological practices that

support the natural surroundings of awaterfront campus. Eckerd College was one

of nine Florida colleges to be recognized by

The Princeton Review for their green

efforts.

Eckerd College promotes community

awareness and education by fostering

sustainable behavior on the college campus.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged

to participate in a variety of sustainable

activities. From the Earth Fest held each

spring to the annual Environmental Film

Festival, the college community is engaged

through environmental awareness and

education. The college also offers an

Environmental Studies degree. The college

also has an energy fund similar to USFSP, it

is called the Carbon Offset Fund and

much like USFSP the students can submit

and vote on ecofriendly projects to be

adopted by the campus each semester.

Eckerd College, like the USFSP, has

signed the American College and University

Presidents' Climate Commitment. To

support their commitment Eckerd installed

solar array panels as part of their energy

conservation effort. The campus is also

home to the Gamma Freeman

Environmental Dorm which provided a

green living option for green-consciousstudents. The dorm has its own gardens,

energy efficient lighting and communal

appliances to help reduce energy

consumption. Eckerd College only recently

built a dorm that meets LEED standards and

they do have a future master plan that

includes elements that protect and enhance

the natural environment.

Eckerd College has also

implemented a Car Share program similar to

the USFSP car share program. The college

has gone a step further to reduce greenhouse

gases by enacting a Yellow Bike program

which promotes the use of community bikes

for transportation. The Master Plan for

Eckerd College envisions more bike paths

and pedestrian walkways to encourage these

forms of transportation.


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Eckerd College has implemented

practices to help reduce their waste by

recycling materials. The college has placed

collection containers throughout its campus

to promote recycling and the students are

actively involved in the recycling process.

An innovative program that they have in

place now is the part of the student recycling

program, EcoClamshell project. The

EcoClamshell is a reusable to-go system that

consists of a durable, dishwasher-safe,

hinged lid container that students can pick

up and return to the cafeteria to be sanitized

and put back out for reuse.

Source:http://www.eckerd.edu/green/index.php


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INTERVIEWS

Interview with Kebreab Ghebremichael

Position: USF office of sustainability Office of Director

Hatim: What are the green projects USF has in effect?

Kebreab: Every year, twice a year, USF allows students and staff to introduce innovativeideas that promote Green efforts. The winning projects are fully financed by the collegeand implemented through the campuses. As of this date, we have fully funded 15-16small projects. Because of the success of the small projects, USF has increased efforts inimplementing a vivid, high impact project. For example, apps are in development thatallows students to locate empty and free parking spots. This benefits our students becauseit lessens the probability of unnecessary use of fuel and halts the wastage of time. Inaddition, it is our intention to develop mobile apps that allow students to actively reserve

parking spaces. It is also important to note that our university is developing mobile appsthat allow the reservation of GPS Bike Systems that will be provided by the schools. Thisis an attempt to lessen the universitys carbon footprint.

Hatim: What prompted the university to invest in green technology?

Kebreab: USF saw the benefits of using green technologies within our schools. It is ourhopes to completely reduce our carbon footprint by 2017 and make it a model for greenexcellence.

Hatim: Does each department have their own green policies or are all effortscoordinated?

Kebreab: Each individual department has their own green energy movement andstandards; although the collective members work together to promote a green university.For example, the cafeteria has eliminated the use of Styrofoam. In addition, all thehallway water fountains are equipped with sensors so that water is not wasted.

Hatim: What is USFS ultimate goal pertaining to the green movement?

Kebreab: USFs ultimate goal is to make our campus the best in the terms ofsustainability. We want to be able to moderate our entire campus energy usage in order toset and maintain a standard. This moderation will assure that the universitys utilizationof energy is optimal.

Hatim: Are there any negatives with the utilization of green technology?


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Kebreab: There is one negative with the utilization of green technology. Sadly manyinvestors expect to see a return; however some green technology does not guarantee thisand its benefits are not substantial enough to continue its implementation.

Interview with John Dickson

Position: Director of Facilities Services

Hatim: Why did USF decide to go green?

John: USF decided that it wanted to reduce its carbon footprint. Our university is a verylarge campus and we believe that we can become more efficient if green technologies areutilized.

Hatim: What benefit has this technology provided the university?

John: The school has saved a lot of money with the usage of various technologies. For

example, our university uses rain water to operate our bathroom facilities and plantirrigation. This significantly reduces the schools water bill and allows USF to be one ofthe first universities of its kind to implement such measures. In addition, our solar panelshave allowed us to alternate between multiple energy sources. This benefits the schoolbecause it lowers the amount of energy that is required.

Hatim: Are there any new green projects that the public should be aware of?

JOHN: USF has committed to hiring a sustainability coordinator. This individuals

primary duty will be to arrange all sustainability efforts for USF. USF is committed toadvancing ongoing efforts that assist with our goal of sustainability as well as the greenmovement.

Interview with Javiero Cruz

Position: Leadership and Civic Engineer Student Assistant

Hatim: Could you tell me your opinion about the USF Green Movement?

Javiero: USF is committed to going green. This commitment is recognized through themany green programs enacted by the university. For example, the fuel our bull runners

use is biofuel. Moreover, USF has incorporated recycle bins throughout the school.Another example is our beautiful botanical garden. Our university has placed continuousefforts in implementing green standards within our campus and this effort is noticeablesince many of these efforts directly benefit the students.

Hatim: Are there any more green programs at the school?


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Javiero: Engineer building #2 is powered by solar panels. In addition, solar lighting isavailable throughout campuses so that students can see at night. Every light in thecampus has been replaced and are controlled. In addition, student monitors are alsoavailable throughout the dormitory so that students can compete in reducing energyusage.

CONCLUSION

The SGEF commenced in 2011,

although it is a fairly new program to

USFSP, it has completed several major

projects with another just recently

approved titled Dont Be Trashy. The

University of South Florida St.

Petersburg has not only gone green,

but it has become a dedicated footprint

to the sustainability movement for

Florida universities, being one of only

six institutions mentioned in The

College Sustainability Report Card. The

Student Green Energy Fund has given

USFSP the ability and power for

students and faculty members to have

the choice to make a difference in

becoming an energy-efficient institution.


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The Bulls See Greener Pastures: Annotated Bibliography

Books

Sonia E. Leach, et al. "To LEED Or Not To LEED: Analysis Of Cost Premiums

Associated With Sustainable Facility Design." Engineering Management Journal

24.4 (2012): 50-62. Business Source Premier. Web. 30 July 2013.

This source analyzes the costs involved with building LEED certified buildings

and the resulting energy cost savings that those buildings benefit from, with the

intention of inspiring further research. There was a significant decrease in energy

costs observed in LEED certified buildings, but there is a lack of complete data to

form definitive conclusions from. Which is why this source outlines the need for

project managers to document their costs and benefits from LEED construction,

as well as making that information readily available for evaluation. The journal

points out that instead of focusing on LEED certification for new buildings, more

effort should be placed on making renovations to older buildings. This is due to

the large number of older buildings and the older construction methods causing

inefficient energy usage. These findings and suggestions are relevant to USFSP

LEED building initiatives.

Thiele, Leslie Paul. Sustainability [Electronic Resource]. n.p.: Oxford : Wiley, 2013.,

2013. University of South Florida Libraries Catalog. Web. 30 July 2013.


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This resources intended audience was students, specifically students in UFs

sustainability programs. The author believes that the idea of sustainability is often

used as a marketing tactic and the true definition of sustainability is rarely

achieved. A main point is that sustainability is not simply increasing conservation

efforts, but that it must include making positive changes in the way we live.

Furthermore, sustainability is not simply an environmental concern, it spans

economic and social needs as well.

Electronic Resources

"ACEEE Research Programs."ACEEE:American Council for an Energy-Efficient

Economy. ACEEE, n.d. Web. 31 Jul 2013.

.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit,

501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies,

programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. This source provides all the

research programs ACEEE studies, develops, and supports through businesses,

local officials, and energy efficient advocates in several regions of the U.S.

"All Issues." Environment Florida. Mollum BVBA, n.d. Web. 31 Jul 2013.

.


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Environment Florida is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy

organization who through research reports, news conferences, interviews with

reporters, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor and more, raise awareness of

environmental issues and promote sensible solutions.

"Compare." The College Sustainability Report Card. Sustainable Endowments Institute,

n.d. Web. 31 Jul 2013. .

This website provides the opportunity to compare the grades between different

institutions that are involved in sustainability by each of the sustainability

categories. An overall grade is also given.

USF St. Petersburg Strategic Plan for 20092013. Web. December 2009.

This website provides access to the USF St. Petersburg Strategic Plan for 2009-

2013 which outlines the universitys strategic plans over a four year period which

involves a plan for sustainability at the university.

Articles

Weybrecht, Giselle. "An innovative way to making your campus more sustainable: The

Student Green Energy Fund." PRiMEtime. N.p., 17 DEC 2012. Web. 30 Jul.

2013. .


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This weblog contains an interview with SGEF chair Michael Leggert, along with

Eric Douthirt and Todd Shank. The main topic of discussion is the Student Green

Energy Fund, including how it works, completed projects and future projects.

This resource is useful for showcasing student involvement. The blogs main

purpose is to integrate sustainability knowledge into traditional management

education through interactive sharing and discussion.

Reports and Studies

CCSP, 2007: Effects of Climate Change on Energy Production and Use in the United

States. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the

subcommittee on Global Change Research. [Thomas J. Wilbanks, Vatsal Bhatt,

Daniel E. Bilello, Stanley R. Bull, James Ekmann, William C. Horak, Y. Joe

Huang, Mark D. Levine, Michael J. Sale, David K. Schmalzer, and Michael J.

Scott (eds.)]. Department of Energy, Office of Biological & Environmental

Research, Washington, DC., USA, 160 pp.

This report focuses on the potential consequences of climate change, in regards to

energy consumption, production and distribution. The authors do not draw many

conclusions but rather discuss the possible effects that a rising climate may have,

such as increased electricity usage due to increased cooling requirements. This

report was intended to provide a knowledge base for policy makers to decide how

to react to climate change, as well as scientists and interest groups in order to

prioritize their efforts and research.


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Hattan, Amy Seif, Julia Feder, Ashka Naik, Kelly Murphy, Nora Davis, UkemeEsiet, Krupa Vithlani, and Gabrielle Rigaud. American College & UniversityPresidents' Climate Commitment. Presidents' Climate Commitment, 1 Jul 2010.

Web. 31 Jul 2013. .

This document focuses on the importance of educating all students about

sustainability. It provides concepts and examples of institutions that are

successfully teaching their students about sustainability.


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American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

20072013 Presidents' Climate Commitment. Web. 3 Aug 2013.

Booth, Julie. "USF St. Petersburg: Changing the Future by Becoming LEED Now."

Examiner.com. N.p., 25 Jan. 2010.

Baynard, Robert. "Students Earn Grant to Enhance Harbor Clean-Up Efforts ." USFSP

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.

"FAQ."LEED Certification. U.S. Green Building Council. Web. 4 Aug 2013.

.

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.

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Marquez, Melanie. "Science & Technology Building Earns LEED Certification." USFSP

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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The Bulls See Greener Pastures