Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 4:52 PM
Orange and Blue Goes Green
E-newsletter, Issue #30
January 2010
In This Issue
:: "Battle of the Halls" Kicks Off
:: The Shower Coach Challenge: Can you take a 5-minute shower?
:: Repurposing Goods With Asset Management
:: UF To Represent U.S. In International Solar Decathlon
:: GreenAnswers.com
:: Announcements
:: IFAS Extension Recognizes Green Businesses
:: Green Team Elevates Dining Sustainability
:: Sustainability Forum
Orange and Blue Goes Green is an e-newsletter from the University of Florida's Office of Sustainability. We aim to bring you all the
latest and greatest in sustainability on campus and around town.
The goal of sustainability is to meet today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The
Office of Sustainability supports faculty, students, and staff in implementing more sustainable practices.
"Battle of the Halls" Kicks Off
Eco-Challenge Runs Through February
Residents looking to live more sustainably are in luck. The annual Battle of the Halls eco-challenge competition encourages
residents to reduce resource consumption and compete for great prizes. The challenge aims to help students integrate sustainable
practices into their daily lives and reduce their environmental impact.
Watch for bulletin boards and activities around waste reduction, water and energy conservation developed by Eco-Reps. The
Sustainability Hut will also be tabling with fun, interactive activities at housing locations throughout January and February.
Residents who are "caught green handed" doing environmentally conscious activities will be eligible for prizes.
Repurposing Goods With Asset Management
Program Helps Reduce Costs and Divert Waste
Asset Management programs and tools encourage reuse of university property- reducing cost and the environmental impact of waste.
MyAssets makes it easier than ever to manage university property. MyAssets is an online tool that greatly speeds up managing asset
transactions such as updating property information, transferring property and reporting of surveys. It also gives departments a work
list to help manage their departmental assets and be more proactive. Most of these transactions are completed online, eliminating
the need to print copies.
The UF Surplus Warehouse offers goods and services to the university and the public. The Surplus Warehouse web site has a link for
available property listed by department, so that offices can obtain assets directly from one another. Contact information for the
department and person listing the item is available. Additionally, the Surplus Warehouse hosts a Swap Meet website for campus
departments to obtain office supplies from other departments instead of purchasing them new.
GreenAnswers.com
"Ask, Answer, Learn" Resource
For interesting Q&A's, current environmental news or engaging blog posts, GreenAnswers.com an interactive resource, is a convenient
tool for insight on all things green.
Topic sections cover everything from Climate Science and Policy to Media and Entertainment, from Waste and Recycling to Products and
Shopping, from Transportation, Agriculture and Wildlife to Ideology, Education and Activitism.
Announcements
News, events, and opportunities
Important Date
* January 25 - 31 - SolarCycle Week
The Smathers Libraries are hosting the SolarCyclists at UF to share their journey and raise awareness of solar energy and cycling.
For more information on events, visit the Smathers
* January 30 - 11th Annual Great Air Potato Roundup
Annual event to control invasive species
* January - February - UF's Eco Challenge a friendly contest with prizes to see which residence hall can reduce their energy
consumption and incorporate sustainability into their lifestyles.
* February 4 - Women's Basketball Green Game 7 PM, O'Connell Center
* February 19 - Gymnastics Green Meet 7 PM, O'Connell Center
* February 22 - Green Your Office Training 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM, UF Human Resources Bldg, Room 120
* February 25 - 27 - 16th Annual Public Interest Environmental Conference , 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM, UF Levin College of Law
The Shower Coach Challenge: Can you take a 5-minute shower?
Shower Timer Pilot Program a Success
In conjunction with the annual Eco-Challenge, the Department of Housing and Residence Education Green Team is encouraging residents
to take shorter, cooler showers. Residents of the Yulee Area residence hall piloted shower timers in the fall semester. Residents
responded positively to the shower timers-some say it helps them keep track of time when they are running late for class!
UF To Represent U.S. In International Solar Decathlon
One of Two U.S. Universities Participating
Two years of planning, designing and building will end with the final phase of competition for the Solar Decathlon Europe in Madrid,
Spain this summer. The UF Solar Decathlon Team will be one of only two U.S. universities in the competition. For the decathlon, 19
university teams from around the world compete against each other to build the best 797-square-foot modular sustainable home,
according to criteria in 10 different areas.
IFAS Extension Recognizes Green Businesses
Program open to all Pinellas County Businesses
The Green Business Partnership (GBP) is a voluntary assessment that recognizes businesses, business organizations, and local
governments for their environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. Offered through the University of Florida/IFAS Pinellas
County Extension, it encourages conservation of resources, waste reduction, energy conservation and cost savings.
Green Team Elevates Dining Sustainability
Cooperation Between Locations Leads to Positive Changes
In an effort to further advance their sustainability program, Gator Dining Services has created an internal network of Green Team
captains across campus dining locations. Charged with overseeing the implementation of sustainability programs and policies,
captains are helping to elevate sustainability in all aspects of their operations.
Q: How is electronic waste, or "e-waste," handled at UF?
A: UF actively seeks to reduce campus generation of e-waste through preventative maintenance on existing equipment and recirculation
of used equipment via the "Surplus Property" program website. However, once electronic equipment has reached the end of its useful
life, proper disposal is very important due to the toxic constituents of many of these products.
Asset Management handles disposal of all electronic waste regardless of the size or cost of the item (i.e. , even smaller items such
as jump drives and phones). For an extensive list of electronic items recycled by the university, visit UF's Asset Management
website
Once items have been collected and all efforts to reuse them have been exhausted, the university contracts with Creative Recycling
to assure that they are diverted from the waste stream and properly recycled.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
-Native American Proverb
University of Florida Office of Sustainability
email: info@sustainability.ufl.edu
phone: 352.392.7578
web: http://www.sustainable.ufl.edu
UF Office of Sustainability | PO Box 11311 | Gainesville | FL | 32611
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