Meeting Minutes for October 18 2005

UWEN Meeting Minutes for October 18, 2005

Chair: Justin Williams
Minutes: Hingman Leung

In Attendance: Darcy Higgins (UW Greens), Drew Adams (PSA) , Melanie Lum (UWSP), Maggie Janik (ERS 250), Stephon Prelto (ERS 250), Janet Yip, Justin Williams (ERS 250), Hingman Leung (UWSP)

1. Chair selection – Justin volunteered to act as chair

2. Introductions

· Darcy Higgins – Representing Campus Greens is the Green Party group in UW

· Stephan and Maggie – Representing ERS 250 Networking Green Groups, working towards a document that will help environmental groups network effectively

· Janet Yip - Feds Counselor, just here to find out about network

· Hingman and Melanie – Representing UWSP, a Feds Service that promotes environmental outreach and facilitates greening initiatives

· Drew Adams – Representing PSA (Planning Students Association)

· Justin Williams – Representing Fall 2005 ERS 250 class

3. UWEN Purpose

· To act as a tool for different “green” groups on campus to connect

· To allow for information sharing and chances to collaborate between different groups

· To promote the sharing of information and resources

· Blog to act as information hub for events and pertinent information for all “green” groups, to post to it, email content to uwenet at gmail

· All groups to keep individuality – UWEN will not function as a separate or individual organization

4. Update on Letter to UW President

· Darcy Higgins of UW Greens initiated the drafting of a letter to urge David Johnson to establish a Sustainability Coordinator and Sustainability Office for UW

· Need is motivated by the absence of a Waste Management Coordinator, who, in the past, has acted as a Sustainability Coordinator and saved UW a significant amount of money

· As well, other universities have established such positions, UW should do so as well to support its students who pursue “greening” projects

· Current confirmed signatories include Engineering Society, Environmental Studies Society, UW Sustainability Project, UW Greens, Field Naturalists Club, Planning Students Association, Environment and Resource Studies Student Association, Womyn’s Centre

o Others still waiting for confirmation – Midnight Sun, Alternative Fuels Team, WPIRG, Engineers Without Borders

o Other possible groups – Science Society, Arts Students Union, UWIHDA, and others to be identified

· Article to be submitted to Imprint to reach out to other groups who would like to be included as a signatory, as well to raise awareness of this campaign

· At this stage the letter is aimed at UW President as a plea from students, therefore excluding faculty and staff members. ES Faculty will send a similar letter to council.

o Depending on the success of this letter, there is a possibility to involve faculty and staff as well as FEDs

o Question of whether or not UWEN should approach FEDs President John Anderson for support

§ Janet recommends approaching ERS counselors first – Michelle Zakrison – to be brought up on the agenda of the next council meeting

· WPIRG potentially can aid in this campaign in estimating the cost and budgeting of hiring a Sustainability Coordinator and the running of a Sustainability Office; with researched numbers the letter will be more effective in engaging a response from the UW President

· There are alternatives still being discussed, for example a sustainability geared section of ES Faculty

5. New Items

· Clearing a Path Action Group through UWSP hopes to address administrative barriers to greening projects

o 1^st campaign is called “Get it Signed”, to urge UW to commit to and sign the Talloires Declaration that was created in 1990 in France by various universities who believed that universities should be the leaders in sustainable development

o Currently there are only 23 Canadian universities who have committed to it, UW is not one of them

o If signed, “greening” projects would be more easily and more efficiently implemented

o UW President has in the past supported sustainable development, Clearing a Path anticipates the need to influence his “green” side.

o 1^st meeting is Thursday October 20^th 2005, 6pm in SLC 2133 – to discuss method and scope, i.e. postering and petitions

· ERS 250 Networking Green Groups – trying to get in contact with other organizations who would mutually benefit UWEN or a similar network

· Bike Racks – there has been a past UWSP audit on where bike racks should be placed on campus, UWSP to follow up on audit; potential for a viable proposal to increase bike racks on campus

6. Collaboration Opportunities

· ES Green Roof

o The building of a vegetative roof surface for educative purposes has been approved. It is hoped to feature a mix of intensive and extensive construction. Improved air quality is but one of its benefits

o Funding and information is required

o Emma Halsal of Green Roofs Over Waterloo (GROW) to lend expertise to ESS

o Opportunity to contact Systems Design Engineering for expertise

· Coffee House

o UW Greens can help organize, Womyn’s Centre is interested as well

o If hosted in the Bombshelter (in SLC) UWSP or ESS can book it

o If there is enough interest from UWEN groups, it will be put on the next agenda to be discussed thoroughly.

· SLC Waste Management Campaign (Rick Theis)

o Rick Theis (Former Clubs Manager) to head a week of education events in the SLC to promote awareness of waste in shared spaces

o Rick intends to fill areas of the SLC with garbage and do a photo shoot to as a tool for this campaign

o Call for ideas is open to all UWEN groups – organizations and clubs have an open opportunity to be involved in this campaign

§ Interested groups please email uwenet at gmail by October 23 2005

o UW Greens in the past has done a garbage sorting event in the SLC, Nancy O’Neil interested in repeat of this event

o UW Greens this year intend to act on Buy Nothing Day in November, to educate students about consumption

§ Clothing and item trade event, possible collaboration with WPIRG

· Won Ton Challenge

o Spin on words to promote the One Tonne Challenge

o Educate students on the ecological footprint of different types of wonton, and influencing their buying and eating habits

o Youth Environment Network has a call for proposals, deadline is end of October, if approved will provide a grant of approximately $5000

o Interested groups to contact UWSP coordinator Melanie Lum at extension 2182

7. Information Sharing

· Feds “Crew” is holding a publicity stunt – cleaning student ghettos to show the Waterloo community that the Crew cares

o Opportunity to urge Crew to clean up areas of the campus as well, possibility to collaborate with Rick Theis on SLC Waste Management Campaign

· PSA is holding a bowling night as well as a ES Faculty wide dodge ball event on November 9^th 2005.

8. Meeting Adjourned