Sustainability at CSB/SJU

Minutes of September 12th, 2001 Kickoff Meeting

4:15 pm, HCC Alumnae Hall, CSB

The inaugural meeting of the SWG was attended by approximately 110 people, including students, faculty, staff, monastics, and local community members. Introductory remarks were made by Derek Larson, Ernie Dierich, Abbot John Klassen, Karolanne Hoffman, and Paul Hansmeier to provide background on the origins and purpose of the SWG and its connection to the Benedictine tradition of stewardship. The assembly was then split into four discussion groups covering the following topics (select each one for group minutes):

It was agreed that the next meeting would be used to determine an agenda for fall sustainability efforts.

The meeting adjourned at 5:30pm.

Land Use

Produce a single document describing land use practices on the campuses. This should include data of amounts, locations, and application dates for pesticides and fertilizers. Perhaps see if the City of St. Joseph has one.
Encourage cooperative efforts between St. Joseph and CSB|SJU to study herbicide, pesticide, fertilizer, and water use on lawns and landscaping. This should include education on the values of "non-industrial" lawns and landscaping with native plants and expanded use of these practices.
Cooperation between the City of St. Joseph and CSB|SJU on land use planning and smart growth issues.
Identify and control of exotic plant (and animal) species on the campus and provide education for landowners in the community.
Expand gardening on both campuses, but particularly SJU. Develop composting facility to supply compost to gardens.

Energy

Our group was supposed to look at Energy. Luckily, we had CSB’s Physical Plant manager and the person in charge of the power plant. Both of them talked to us about investments in energy efficiency that had already been made such as more efficient electric motors, electronic ballasts, motion sensors, etc. CSB has a "cadillac energy system" according to the head of the physical plant. SJU has made some investments in new windows, electronic ballasts, motion sensors, etc., though Abbot John indicated more could be done at SJU.

We then discussed ways to increase energy efficiency as well as new power sources:

Coal was labeled unsustainable (Richard Wielkiewicz)…alternatives such as wind and fuel cells ought to be examined.
Computers ought to be turned off at the end of the day and flourescents ought to be turned off as well…maybe have teams of students to check their dorms or buildings and turn lights off.
An education program needs to be re-introduced to have people turn lights off, teach them about what ought to be turned off when leaving a room and what ought to be kept on (if anything)…maybe we should try an incentive plan to give students some of the savings so that they’ll try harder to save energy.
We should examine different power sources for our buses…though Abbot John remarked they’re already better than using cars.
We should examine ways to reduce car numbers and use on campus.

In general, the discussion was made very useful by having people who knew something about the physical plant in our group.

Waste Stream Reduction

Suggestions for reducing waste focused on:

Reducing use:

Get printers that print on both sides of the paper
Get vending machines with aluminum containers rather than plastic
Stop overprinting brochures, newspapers, etc. Much unused printed material is thrown out or recycled
Use e-mail instead of paper mail
Encourage e-submission of papers

Promoting recycling/trash reduction through increased opportunity and education:

Make re-useable mugs available instead of paper cups
Have more bins for recycling available
Find out why students don’t recycle, work to counteract that behavior
Promote composting in student apartments
Use white paper rather than colored (more valuable when recycled)

Increasing use of recycled goods:

Create and distribute guidelines for environmentally-friendly purchasing to staff and faculty

Local Community Relations

We started by talking a bit about the ways in which CSB/SJU interacts with local communities:

as purchaser/consumer of economic goods
as employer
as supplier f goods and services (i.e., education, cultural)
as neighbor
as resource user

Many people commented on the separation between campus and local communities – this led to an extended discussion on ways to improve communication and the benefits from that . . .

use of cable TV, on-campus "blue-screen" local cable info news is not available with on-campus cable TV
picnics, dinners, socials, on-campus "trick or treating" for local kids as examples of how we might be more neighborly
Farmers’ Market "harvest festival"
campuses should invite local community to cultural events more aggressively
work with local merchants for internships
S Miriam Ardolf asked for email addresses and she’ll keep interested students informed re: "HCP" Helping Communities Progress activities
use local newspaper more – St Joe Newsleader

The second general area concerned relationships with local business. Brad Matuska spoke about how his business has benefited from student interns (and how students have benefited from his business.

people spoke about the importance of buying locally – from Farmers, Farmers Market, ST Joe Meats, Loso, etc. The CSB/SJU economic impact can benefit local community. Brad described as a "win-win"
do local businesses know the consumer needs/desires of CSB/SJU ? do they stock what we’re interested in buying? Do they know?
Do students know what is available locally – instead of driving into St Cloud and shopping at the "mega-stores"
What about campus purchasing policies ? do we "buy locally" as institutions ? agricultural products? St Joe Meats?
is there an Economic Development office in St Joe that we should work with? We should have closer relationship with such City offices

Building and Indoor Environments

Issues discussed in the building group included the following:

Varnishes – what kinds of varnishes, paints and carpeting are used in CSB/SJU construction and remodeling. Water based varnishes and low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints are available.
What cleaning compounds are currently in use by custodial staff? Are they highly toxic, and if so, are there alternatives that might be introduced in their place?
Turning stuff off – the SUNY Buffalo example could be emulated at CSB/SJU.
Students could conduct a study – to investigate rates at which appliances are left on or plugged in (computers, radios, televisions, VCR, microwaves, etc.). Estimates of energy waste could be developed & made public. (Possible work-study/summer research project.)
Permit cold water clothes washing only.
Replace current washing and drying appliances in dorms with energy and water efficient models (e.g. front loading – reference to ‘latest technology’ from Europe).
Motion sensors for all lights.
What bulbs are currently used in campus lighting fixtures. Are there more energy efficient options available – e.g. compact fluorescent?
What would be the costs and the payback time for retrofitting buildings with state of the art windows, heating, lighting, and ventilation systems. CSB/SJU could start with just one building.
Temperature regulation in dorms sucks. Windows are opened in winter. Obvious energy savings here. One approach might be microcontrol of room climates – each room has individualized temperature control. Retrofitting costs?
School of Environmental Studies in Apple Valley, MN – alternative high school, very earth friendly in its curriculum. Just had a new building constructed using state of the art lighting systems and "lumber" made of recycled materials (combination of sawdust and plastic). A good contact for first hand experience, cost figures, etc.
What bulbs are currently burning 24/7 in exit lights? Energy savings there?
An excellent idea – incorporate energy and water use costs into dorm and campus apartment rental rates. Housing costs should be based, in part, on rates of resource use. Costs for retrofitting? Some reports that when Seton Apartments (sod roof houses at SJU) were first built, this approach was briefly introduced, but later abandoned because somebody decided that voluntary conservation measures would be just as effective and (presumably) morally preferable. (The recent resource use audit suggests otherwise…)
Some discussion of construction techniques. Sod roofs in Europe. Straw bale construction.
Discussion (with Dean Cheryl Knox participating) of two potential sites for experiments with straw bale construction: a hermitage for the Sisters at St. Ben’s, and a field station for the Biology Department. Apparently the sisters are looking somewhat seriously at the straw bale construction for the hermitage.
Reference to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert – a straw bale Benedictine Monestary. Didn’t get the location.
Composting toilets. Dean Knox is enthusiastic about them. Wondered about the feasibility and cost of retrofitting buildings with composting toilets.
Possibility of introducing fuel cell technology in the Power Plants?
Ganard Orionzi, environmental health and safety officer, suggests that groups interested in fostering building and resource use reforms on campus need first to learn what is currently being done. Some of our suggestions may be redundant.
One student emphasized that a way to (a) ensure student involvement and (b) have low cost labor available for research and implementation would be to further develop work-study and summer research positions devoted to these issues.