Time: 2:00 pm
Present Richard Strong, Laura Hmelo, Rachel Smit, Phil Camill, Laila Parker, Ani Kameenui, Max Wilson, Dale Jamieson, Norm Vig, (Steve Kelly – later)
Secretary: Rachel Smit
(NOTE Ö means action to be taken)
Agenda Items:
Old Business
Approving the minutes from the last meeting. April 19, 2000
ð Cathy Andell changed to Cathy Yandell
ð Minutes approved
ð Summary of minutes should be posted on the web, not the detailed version
New Business
2.1 Setting up meeting dates
ð 1:30 pm Friday, May 26. Because the term is coming to an end, it was decided that we should meet again the next week. Smit will find a location.
2.2 Updates on parking lot requirements (from Laura Hmelo/Rachel Smit)
ð Smit reported that she hadn’t yet talked to Kim Johnson, the city planner, about changing the city zoning requirements for the new student housing and related parking.
ð Strong informed the committee that the current parking lot has space for sixty-four cars
ð Easley pointed out that some of that parking might be necessary to relieve pressure from parking for Stadium/West Gym during games and other events, not just serving the new student housing
ð Jamieson asked if anyone knew how many parking spots had been added to campus with the new rec center parking, etc. No one knew.
ð Smit asked Kameenui if this was an issue that Student Senate Transportation Committee might be interested in and Kameenui said that it was not.
ð Hmelo asked if the college’s car policy had changed over the past years. Parker said that she had heard that the policy was something set by CSA senate, but Easley said that the policy was very much administrative. He said that there was a lot of pressure from alums to cap the number of cars on campus as a way to maintain a certain Carleton community. However, there was general consensus that the number of cars on campus had increased over the past years, despite no increase in the number of permits.
Ö It was decided that Smit should research the zoning issue and make a report at the next committee meeting. Part of this report should also include information on Carleton’s car policy (talk to Security and Clare Beeny), the projected numbers of cars that students in the new housing will have, in addition to answering these questions: How far can the school vary from the City’s parking ordinances? What is the procedure for varying from the ordinance?
ð Strong suggested that we also be considering permeable vs. nonpermeable surfaces for the parking lot. Camill asked what the trade-offs were between the two types. Strong said that the valuable aspect of nonpermeable lots is that they do not dump a concentrated load into the river, being filtered through the ground first. Kameenui was concerned with any sediment that might wash into the Cannon from a sand or gravel lot. Easley said that removing snow is much more difficulty with permeable surfaces. Hmelo suggested looking at hay bales along the river. Camill said that an ENTS concentrator, Rich Higgins, had done a summer project in Portland, looking at permeable surfaces – he focused on grass blocks. Strong said that the U of M tried grass blocks and they failed.
Ö Easley said that he would talk to Higgins and research the permeability issue for the parking lot.
2.3 Updates on appliances chosen for new student housing
ð Strong said that as far as he knew, Beierman was pursuing EPA EnergyStar-labelled products. However, they seemed to be fifty-percent more expensive with no pay-back within the lifetime of the product. Members of the committee were surprised that this would be the case.
ð Wilson asked if there was a possibility of getting an NSP grant? Smit said she knew that Beierman had talked to NSP, but was not sure what the outcome was.
Ö Kameenui said that she would research any NSP grants that were available.
ð Jamieson said that he felt that cost-benefit analysis was of limited usefulness in some cases and that this is one of those issues that has tremendous symbolic importance. Given the prices that we were dealing with, the college should just do it. Easley said that when facilities has to deal with such tight budgets, this was a rather impractical approach – in the process of budget-cutting we need to get the most bang for our buck. Strong said that in the budget cutting process features that meet code, and that enhance the program of the building, get top priority. Fluff items are negotiated and often eliminated. Jamieson asked who would make the ultimate decision about appliances? Strong said that he guessed it would probably be himself.
ð Smit said that since there were few green features to this building because the sustainable design guide was incorporated late in the game, that something like EnergyStar appliances was something that might be worth the extra cost. Smit asked the committee if everyone agreed having EnergyStar appliances in the new student housing should be a top priority, important feature to this building. It was agreed.
Ö Smit was asked to write up a resolution from the committee that stated their position on this matter and send it to Dean Kelly, and various members of the Facilities department.
ð Smit said that the College should also look into another labeling organization called Green “something.” Hmelo said that she had looked at them for her final project in Global Change Biology
Ö Hmelo said that she would look into this other labeling organization.
ð Jamieson asked if the new student housing would use compact fluorescent light bulbs? Strong said yes, in the overheads, although some students prefer incandescent in task lights. He said that the new student housing team discussed whether or not to have overhead lights, since most students prefer task lighting.
Ö Smit said that she would still pursue doing a survey of students about lighting preferences.
ð Jamieson asked if the various units could try different combinations, as an experiment. Kelly said that he was concerned about trying to mold student behavior, especially this late in the game in the building process.
2.4 Styrofoam cups by Marriott Food Service
ð Smit said that Sam Demas in the Library is concerned about the Styrofoam cups at the snack bar because people bring them into the library, dispose of them, and this attracts insects. He would like people to treat the Library as a pack-it-in, pack-it-out situation. Disposable cups from the snack bar makes this difficult. Demas is interested in having everyone use recycle mugs, and having the snack bar only sell those (a possible solution, anyway).
ð Kelly pointed out that people forget their mugs, and what about visitors. If we are going to look a ceramic mugs, then he wondered if the snack bar even had room for some sort of dish-washing process. He said that this would be a complex process, if ceramic cups were used, because this would involve increased work by union employees, etc.
ð Jamieson said that people could bus their own cups if they were available for those who forget their mugs and for visitors.
ð Hmelo wondered if the discount system could be improved. Kameenui said that there is a discount already. Hmelo said that this is only for large coffees. The employees do not know what to do with orange juice and soda in alternative containers. Smit wondered if a tax system might be better – you pay extra if you do not have your own container. Wilson said that he thought this would be less effective, because it was a negative incentive. Vig and Kameenui disagreed.
Ö Wilson and Jamieson said that students from the Green Network should work with Demas in talking with Marriott about this. Kameenui suggested that this process might not be difficult – she cited the example of the condiment packets. Some senators talked to someone in the Snack Bar about using large pumps instead, and he ordered them immediately.
ð Strong mentioned the biodegradable utensils and cups that were used at the Greening the Campus workshop that he and three students attended.
Meeting adjourned
Items of Business for Next Week:
ð Updates on actions taken
ð Update on Paper Reductions (Kameenui and Kelly)
ð Old Furniture from Musser renovations this summer ( Laura Hmelo)
ð Light pollution from Rec Center (Laila Parker and Dennis Easley)