Summer 2014

Sustainability Bulletin

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Upcoming

Alternative Transportation

Liberty Terrace Certified

Around Town

Opportunities

Cover Photo by Paul Miller

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Are you transitioning from a traditional dorm to an apartment-style room?

Come learn tips and tricks to make your apartment more environmentally

friendly! Open houses will be held at apartments on Empire, Freedom and

Liberty. The model apartments will be outfitted with green product

samples and environmental tips. Try your hand at making you own green

cleaning supplies and walk away with free environmentally-friendly

products! Ask your Housing Manager for further details.

Upcoming

“Faith Communities– Wise Reduction Approaches for Energy Costs

and Carbon Reduction”

A dollar not paid to a utility is just as valuable as a dollar in a collection

plate, dollar of endowment interest, or funds raised from a capital campaign,

so converting potential energy dollars into core mission use is vital to faith

communities. In addition, energy efficiency is part of good stewardship of

resources, and can help to protect the environment. This informative, one-

hour session will guide you through the core sources of energy use by faith

communities, a practical three-step approach towards assessing and tackling

those energy uses, and how energy reduction is a wise investment compared

to any other returns in an endowment fund. Learn also about sources of

support from NYSERDA and faith-based organizations. The discussion will be held in Business

Building 213 from 5:30-7pm. All USGBC talks on the UAlbany Campus are free for students,

faculty, and staff.

Bill McKibben, world-renowned environmental activist and

writer, who will be at UAlbany to discuss our dependence on

fossil fuels, climate change, and our responsibility to advocate for

positive change on September 16th in the PAC Main Theater.

McKibben will discuss one of the most significant issues facing

this generation and how we can get involved in the fight for a

safe planet and healthy communities. His talk precedes The

People’s Climate March in NYC on Sunday, September 21,

which will be the largest climate rally in history. The rally aims

to influence members of the U.N. who will be meeting in NYC

for a climate summit in late September. The Office of

Environmental Sustainability is organizing buses to send a

contingent of students to represent our school at this historic

event. University members will be able to reserve a ticket for the

trip at McKibben’s lecture. The event is made possible with the

generous support of the Graduate Student Association.

Mark your calendars for the eighth annual

Energy Campaign that kicks off

September 3rd! Join us as we again try to

reduce our energy usage by 10% from

September 3rd to November 9th. This

is the perfect time to get certified for your

office sustainability efforts if you are a

faculty or staff member.

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UAlbany and the Capital District offer many

resources to assist those who utilize alternative

transportation, which is great news for many of

us since about ten percent of UAlbany’s

employee commuters travel to work using a

mode of transportation other than single-

occupancy vehicle. Check out these tips to

see how you can green your commute.

Many commuters cite the fear of being stranded

as the reason they avoid alternative

transportation. The Guaranteed Ride Home

program addresses this real concern by providing

a free taxi ride in case of emergency for those

who utilize alternative transportation two or more

days per week.

Now there is a free app for android or iphone that

allows you to access the CDTA and UAlbany

shuttle bus schedules. It offers real time route info

on UAlbany Shuttles to let you know if your shuttle

is running ahead or behind schedule.

Simply owning a fuel-efficient vehicle can save you

money. The University provides a 20% discount on

parking decals for a low-emitting and/or fuel-

efficient vehicle on campus. Vehicles are

considered fuel efficient if they get more than 35

MPG. The discount is available upon request for

campus personnel.

1.

2.

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4.Have you invested in an electric vehicle? Fuel up

for free at one of our two electric vehicle charging

stations. Park your car at the station in the Thurlow

Lot or at the Colonial Visitor’s Lot for up to four

hours.

Albany Bikeshare Week

The City of Albany’s Bikeshare Week is Saturday August 9 – Friday August 15!

There will be 25 bicycles available for use between 10am and 8pm at the

following locations:

1) Washington Park,

2) Lark Street between Washington and

Madison Avenues, and

3) Tricentennial Square in downtown Albany

(on Broadway between Steuben and

Columbia Streets).

From Saturday-Tuesday, August 9-12, staff

members will be located at the Washington Park

location to sign users up and give a quick tutorial

on how the program and bikes operate. From

Wednesday-Friday, August 13-15, the sign-in table

will be located at Tricentennial Square. There will

be no cost to participants, although a credit card

will be needed as security for the bikes. You may

register to participate at the main location in any

City, or you may preregister here. Participants

who pre-register will still need to visit the check-in

table before using a bicycle.

Bike-Savvy Commuting Summertime brings many more bikes to the roads. Check

out the resources at Capital Coexist to make sure you are

staying safe while sharing the roads, whether you are a

cyclist or motorist.

Campus Bike Share

“ “Organic Farming is sustainable trip

Clothing blah blahblah”

Today UAlbany is home to thirty

communal bicycles that allow students to

make short trips on two wheels without

having to own a bike. The Departments of

Residential Life and the Office of

Environmental Sustainability teamed up to

create the Bike Share, a free service for all

students that is funded in part through

money saved during the Energy

Campaign.

Since its introduction to campus four

years ago, the program has grown into a

student favorite. The Bike Share Program

saw huge leap in ridership during the

2013-2014 school year. Over 600 students

took advantage of the service, signing out

the 30 bikes nearly 1,200 times.

With all the new pedal traffic, we’re

working hard to ensure that riders have

the best service possible. The Bike Share

will see some adjustments as we continue

to make the program more accessible and

convenient. This year, the Bike Share will

be run out of three residential locations,

Indian, Colonial, and Alumni, instead of all

seven. The change in distribution is a

response to students who expressed

frustration at the lag time for repairing

damaged bikes. With only having to

service three locations, the repair

company expects to significantly decrease

the time it takes to make minor repairs.

The switch to three sign-out locations will

also accommodate larger groups of

students who like to ride together.

If you have any questions, email

bikeshare@albany.edu.

”

“Organic Farming is sustainable trip

Clothing blah blahblah”

Photo by Chris Dustin

Bringing your own

bike to campus? Be

sure to first register it

for free at Parking

and Mass Transit and

get it tagged by UPD.

These few steps

increases your

chances of being

reunited with your

bike in case of theft.

Liberty Terrace: Residential Complex Receives LEED Gold Certification

The University at Albany's Liberty Terrace, a 20,000 sq. ft. apartment-style student housing complex overlooking Indian Pond, has become the University’s first certified LEED Gold facility.

LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and is a designation given by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is a verification system for green buildings, which incorporates environmental, social and economic benefits throughout the building’s entire lifecycle.

The winner of a 2013 ACEC Engineering Excellence Award for engineering design services, Liberty Terrace features several energy-saving, environmentally friendly features, including:

A geo-thermal heating and air conditioning system;

Energy-efficient windows and doors;

Pre-cast insulated concrete panel construction;

Use of recycled and locally-sourced materials;

Green roofing;

Rain gardens; and

Permeable pavement.

Check out the video showcasing Liberty

Terrace’s features.

Come out on Thursday, July 24th from 6-8pm for a fun event!

Sample beer from area brewers (Brown's Brewing Co., Davidson Brothers, Keegan Ales, Saranac, Steadfast Beer Co.), savor delicious eats, listen to live music by Rob Fleming — all in our unique setting. Explore the science of brewing, interactive exhibits, planetarium shows & more! Door prizes & cash bar.

21 & over. Call 518-382-7890 x 237 for tickets.

The 1609 Fitness Challenge is designed to encourage Albany residents to participate in at least 30 minutes of exercise every day from June 16 to August 22. The goal of the challenge is help citizens discover new forms of exercise and the variety of City facilities available to them.

The City is offering several activities that are worth points for the 1609 Challenge including Yoga in the Park and Zumba in the Park. For more details on the City of Albany Department of Recreation, its facilities, click here. For more information about the 1609 Fitness Challenge, click here.

The 1609 Challenge The Science of Brewing

The People’s Climate March

Pencil in the largest climate march in history that is taking place on September 21st in New York City. In September, world leaders are coming to New York City for a UN summit on the climate crisis. UN Secretary­ General Ban Ki-­moon is urging governments to support an ambitious global agreement to dramatically reduce global warming pollution.

Green Drinks

Come to Creo at Stuyvesant

Plaza on Tuesday, July 22nd

from 5:30 to 7:30 for a green

networking opportunity.

Connect with who are also

working on greener businesses,

buildings, policy, laws, and

products, education.

There will also be an organic wine tasting event for Green Drinks Albany attendees. A rep from Bonterra Organic Winery will be pouring samples and talking about the vineyard and their practices beginning at 5:30.

The Arthur V. Savage Internship Program offers an opportunity for

undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates to work in

Albany with the Parks & Trails New York staff to shape

environmentally intelligent policies, organize grassroots constituents

and provide stewardship for parks, trails, and other outdoor

recreational facilities. The program provides interns with valuable

insight and first-hand experience in the environmental field.

Specific Responsibilities: Assist with a variety of program,

communications, and outreach tasks related to protecting,

promoting and enhancing New York’s parks and trails. Projects

include:

Events – assist in organizing and promoting the statewide I Love

My Park Day, Canal Clean Sweep, and Park and Trail Advocacy Days.

Communications – assist with print and e-publications, website

content and production, and other outreach.

Advocacy – assist with PTNY’s advocacy efforts for state parks

funding, funding for bike and pedestrian projects, and other park-

and trail-related issues.

Skills: Well organized, excellent oral and written communications

skills, multi-tasker, strategic thinker, experience with Microsoft Office

and web-based tools

Hours: Part-time, 15-20 hours/week. Hours are flexible in terms of

days and times. Position starts in September and runs ideally

through May, but requires at least a 15-week commitment.

Work Environment: Friendly and hard-working staff. Casual

atmosphere.

Compensation: $10 - $12 per hour. May be used for college

internship requirements.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and references

(including a former employer or supervisor of volunteer work) by

August 31, 2014 to careers@ptny.org with the subject line “ASI

Internship.”

Parks & Trails New York, 29 Elk Street, Albany, NY 12207,

www.ptny.org, 518-434-1583

Parks and Trails New York

The Office of Environmental Sustainability is seeking three motivated and

energetic interns to assist with the publication of monthly sustainability bulletin,

developing flier templates for a variety of sustainability engagement initiatives,

assisting with social media management and completing other assignments as

requested. The interns are expected work a minimum of 10-12 hours

weekly. Internships are unpaid though students may obtain academic credit

through the Communications Department.

Qualifications:

Excellent writing and communication skills

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications, especially Publisher

Background or strong interest in environmental issues/sustainability

Project-oriented with strong self-initiative

Adaptable to organizational changes and new projects

Positive attitude, commitment and follow-through

Photography skills a plus

Deadline:

Applications for the fall internship will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If interested, send a resume and letter of intent to Mary Alexis Leciejewski

at mleciejewski@albany.edu. Questions about the internship can be addressed to

Mary Alexis at 518-442-2592

On Saturday November 1st 2014, Cornell University in association with the New York State Sustainability Education Working Group is hosting the 2nd annual Campus Life Sustainability Education Roundtable. In 2013 the Roundtable brought together 100 staff, students, and faculty from across New York to share ideas and discuss programs that engaged students in campus-based experiential sustainability learning opportunities. Participants wanted more! The 2014 Roundtable will again provide a forum for an exchange of ideas, information, and best practices, but will be so much more.

NEW THIS YEAR: The 2014 Roundtable will have special sessions by and for students along with sessions led by campus life and sustainability staff from around the state. In addition, there will be a poster session and an evening networking reception.

SUBMIT A SESSION PROPOSAL: We are excited to open the doors for proposals from staff and students for 45 minute sessions around several important themes. Please use the form here to submit your session proposal by August 31st.

Office of Sustainability Fall Communications Interns

Call for Presenters: 2104 New York State Campus Life Sustainability Education Roundtable