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The Green Jag Indiana University

From campus or home – residential composting now available to the IUPUI community!

Posted on by iupuisustain

Calling all on-campus residents! The Residential Composting Program is now live and open for enrollment at no cost to participants.

Composting is a waste diversion method that repurposes food waste and turns it back into soil, rather than going to waste. When organic materials go to a landfill, they anaerobically decompose, emitting methane; a greenhouse gas 25x more potent than carbon dioxide. Turning organic waste into soil prevents carbon emissions and creates healthy compost for future healthy plants!

What started as the Riverwalk Composting Program is now available for ALL on-campus residents, including Ball Hall, North Hall, and University Tower – free of charge! To participate, read the guidelines and then submit the enrollment form located on the IUPUI Sustainability website. A bucket, compost bags, and educational materials will be delivered to your door or mailroom. Now, you’re ready to start collecting your compost and dropping them off weekly in the designated waste rooms!

Not only does compost divert waste, it also comes full circle here at IUPUI. After the organic waste is picked up, it is transported to a local commercial composting facility to be processed and turned into compost. Then that compost is purchased back to be used on campus.

If you are curious about how our campus organic waste is turned into compost – join us on a tour of GreenCycle! On Monday, September 12 from 1 – 2pm we will visit the commercial composting facility where our organic materials go and learn about the process that turns it into nutrient-rich compost. Register to attend – space is limited.

Those who don’t live on campus can also take advantage of composting services. Earth Mama Compost offers a 25% discount on compost hauling services for all IUPUI students, faculty, and staff who live in their service areas: Marion County, Zionsville, Greenwood, Whitestown, and Carmel. Simply sign up using your IUPUI email address and include a note about the discount in the comments section of the form. Green with Indy and RE317 also offer compost hauling services in the Indianapolis area.

So are you sold yet? What are you waiting for – go sign up!!

Happy composting!

This blog post was written by Aspen Grieshaber, Sustainable Waste Management Intern and a junior studying Sustainable Management and Policy. In 2021, Aspen led the launch of the Riverwalk Compost Program and has been critical to its expansion across all residence halls at IUPUI. 

Here’s what the student who created the Green Travel Guide wants you to know about it

Posted on by iupuisustain

The Green Travel Guide began as just a thought between the Office of Sustainability and Office of International Affairs (OIA). To put this project into motion, I was hired as a student intern and began creating what it is today. The Green Travel Guide was created with assistance from all units of OIA and Office of Sustainability, to ensure an effective guide was created to help curb carbon emissions emitted by university travelers and spread awareness of the impact of the climate crisis. 

As a student who has studied abroad, the ways that I could reduce my greenhouse gas footprint surprised me when I began creating this guide. Traveling can teach about other ways of life, but it comes with the cost of contributing to climate change. The environmental damage can be devastating to think about, that is why it was important to support those who want to continue educating themselves. Reliable access to this information can create a difference in how we travel, so we can begin to do so more sustainably. Within the guide, I included sustainable alternatives for nearly every part of the traveling experience – packing, in the airport, while abroad, and even back at home.  

In creating this guide, I wanted to make clear that I was not discouraging people from traveling. The experiences of international learning that come from studying abroad can alter us and those we meet – abroad and at home. With this Green Travel Guide, we can care for the environment and create a better understanding of our role in the world.  

From my own experience in learning about sustainability, I am aware that in the beginning it seems insurmountable; it was a priority of mine to create the Green Travel Guide as user friendly as possible. That way, everyone in their own sustainable journey has something to learn and can pass it on to others who care for our environment. The Green Travel Guide is only a starting point for those who are more interested in living sustainably. To learn more about what you can do at home or on campus, visit the Office of Sustainability’s website. 

Download the IUPUI Green Travel Guide.

This blog post was written by Gracie Lyons, OIA Sustainability Intern, a junior studying Psychology and Spanish. Gracie dual reports to IUPUI Sustainability and the Office of International Affairs, where she supports the work of the OIA Green Team by researching and executing their sustainability goals.

A step-by-step guide to making your home a pollinator oasis!

Posted on by iupuisustain

You can support native pollinators and wildlife by removing invasive and non-native plant species and replacing them with natives in your available green space. A little bit can go a long way! There are over 100 non-native plant species in Indiana that are wreaking havoc on our ecosystem by favoring non-native species selection. This leads to reduced biodiversity and massive consequences to Indiana’s environment. Indiana spends over $5.85 million per year on invasive species control. By being well versed in invasive plant species identification, you can help protect the natural landscape of Indiana. The Invasive Species Council is a great resource for identifying invasive species and understanding the proper steps to remove them. 

It is also worthwhile to be aware of the native pollinators Indiana has to offer and the ways in which you can help them. The key pollinators for Indiana are bees, beetles, butterflies/moths, flies, hummingbirds/birds, and wasps. An easy way to help your local pollinator population is by including keystone native plants. An astounding 96% of our terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants! Here is a list of keystone plants in Indiana.

If you want to design your own native landscape at home or select native plants that have beautiful flowers to attract pollinators – you can utilize Indiana Native Plant Society resources to determine the best native plants for your home.  

Here is a step-by-step process for using the Indiana Native Plant Society available tools/databases to determine the best native plants for your space.

  • Determine the environmental conditions of your property. The questions you need to be asking yourself are:
    • How much sunlight does your property intake daily? How shaded is your property?
    • How much water does your property retain? Is the soil dry or moist?
  • Decide how much of your property you are willing to allocate to your native plant garden.
    • Different plant types (trees, shrubs, grass, wildflowers, and vines) will be better utilized depending on the space/size available on your property. 
  • Determine the desired aesthetic  of your native plant garden.
    • What native pollinators do you want to specifically attract to you property?
    • What colors do you  want the flowers to be?
    • When do you want the flowers to bloom?
  • Input this information into the Native Plants Finder and choose from a list of plants that fit your personal needs!
  • Find a retailer, make the purchase, and plant your garden! 

After your native garden is planted, you can submit it to the Indiana Native Plant Society for a certification to show you’re supporting native pollinators. All profits go to the Indiana Native Plant Society.

If you don’t have the time or the funds to plant native species, you can still help pollinators with altered lawn maintenance practices. Here are steps you can take to make your grass lawn pro-pollinator:

  • Avoid the use of chemicals like pesticides and herbicides. Would you want someone pouring chemicals on your home?
  • Wait as long as possible in the spring to mow to give the native insect populations a chance to thrive. Just use this as an excuse to not mow!
  • Set your mower to the highest possible mow height. This will give the blooming wildflowers a chance to bloom and pollinate at a faster rate.
  • Avoid mowing in the evening. In the evening, dew settles in, which is vital to plant and ecosystem health.
  • Start mowing in the middle of an area and fan out. This gives wildlife an opportunity to escape.
  • Leave plants intact over winter for food for wildlife. The seeds left over are a buffet for local wildlife!
  • Let fall leaves collect on the ground for caterpillar pupation year round. Leaves are a fantastic blanket for budding caterpillar babies.

This blog post was written by  Keegan Cougill, Sustainable Landscapes Intern with IUPUI Sustainability. Keegan is a senior studying Geology with the School of Earth Sciences. Through his internship, Keegan assists Campus Facilities Services’ Grounds Team strengthen our campus’ commitment to sustainable landscape practices. 

How I live sustainably on a budget by doing this ONE thing!

Posted on by iupuisustain

Over the years several materials, products, gadgets, and technologies have been introduced with the idea that they are more sustainable and better for the planet than other similar products. While this may be true, at times it can be just as sustainable, if not more, to stick with what you have and only purchase new products when the old ones no longer function. This is something I have integrated within my own life!

I got this backpack for the start of 4th grade and used it right up until the middle of my sophomore year in college when I found a hole had formed in the bottom. I used this backpack for about ten years total, and still use the lunchbox that came with it.

I have also had the same wallet since middle school. It’s nice and works well, so there really has been no point in me going out to get a new one. While this may be something that depends on your preferences (i.e., if you use a purse or something else), I would still recommend purchasing a high-quality item that you know you will be able to use for a long time, as opposed to something that “looks sooo cool!” only for it to break or rip.

Finally, I’ve had my bike since the 6th grade, more than ten years ago. It has been through a lot, but it still works! When it doesn’t though – and there have been those moments with the brakes and tires – I have taken it into a shop to get it fixed. This has been far cheaper than going out and buying a new bike.

The lesson here comes from three of the five R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Repair. Reduce the number of things you purchase and accept, especially trinkets, gadgets, and giveaways. Reuse the items that you currently have until you no longer can. Repair your current items when they do break, as it can be cheaper and use less materials than buying new.

You do not need to have the latest sustainability product to live sustainably! Using your current possessions to the fullest is all you need. That being said, when the time does come to purchase a new product, a sustainably made product can be useful – but be sure that it is something you can reuse time and time again.

This blog post was written by  Jonathon Lewis, O’Neill School Master’s candidate studying Environmental Policy and Sustainability. Jonathon is the Carbon Analyst Intern with IUPUI Sustainability, and has held various roles since joining the office in October 2019.

IUPUI uses native plants in campus landscaping – and you should too!

Posted on by iupuisustain

Why should I use native plants? 

This is a question asked by anyone thinking about gardening or trying to help out their local ecosystem’s health. One thing for certain is that biodiversity is on the decline. Climate change is the cause of 75% of terrestrial environments being severely altered. Just by utilizing a small portion of your property to promote native species, you can preserve local biodiversity. 

Native plants evolved in and occur naturally within a certain region, like the Midwest. Plants native to the Midwest thrive in Indiana’s climate without the need for additional inputs like fertilizer or pesticides. Native pollinator species also prefer native plants, as they have spent generations co-evolving with them, forming a symbiotic relationship.  

IUPUI understands the benefits of  native biodiversity and is leading the way to implement sustainable practices on its campus grounds. Here are some of the things IUPUI does to help its local, urban ecosystem:

  • Prioritizes the planting of native plant species in new landscaped areas
  • Holds yearly tree plantings with the goal of reaching a 28% canopy cover for campus
  • Has a 2,500 sq. ft. pollinator garden at Riverwalk Apartments full of native species to provide habitat and food to local pollinators
  • Utilizes a student-made Native Plant Guide
  • Participates in #NoMowMay which helps migrating butterflies better pollinate our beautiful campus.
  • Provides a home to over 200,000 honeybees by maintaining two beehives located at the New York Street Garden
  • Hosts invasive species removal volunteer days, led by The Center for Earth and Environmental Science at IUPUI 
  • Uses electric grounds equipment to reduce noise and air pollution
  • Conducts an annual tree assessment to track tree location, species, diameter, height, and health

This blog post was written by  Keegan Cougill, Sustainable Landscapes Intern with IUPUI Sustainability. Keegan is a senior studying Geology with the School of Earth Sciences. Through his internship, Keegan assists Campus Facilities Services’ Grounds Team strengthen our campus’ commitment to sustainable landscape practices. 

The Green Staffer: IUPUI Staff are Eligible for Paid Volunteer Leave

Posted on by iupuisustain

You may have more PTO than you realize! The university will pay you to volunteer your time in the community. Yes, a little-known IU policy offers all staff employees one full day of paid volunteer service leave every year.

Here is how Volunteer Paid Leave works:

  1. Full-time staff employees have one day (8hrs) of leave each year.
  2. The volunteer event must meet certain criteria and be sponsored by IUPUI’s HR office.
  3. Staff employees must receive approval to participate from their supervisor.
Juletta Toliver, Sr. HR Director

According to Juletta Toliver, Senior HR Director for IUPUI, “Volunteering one’s time to support a cause or initiative that interests you, can be very rewarding!  I am happy that the university provides staff employees one volunteer paid leave up to 8 hours each year.  If you are looking for a way to get involved or to meet new people that share the same interest, consider volunteering for an IU-sponsored event.”

You do not need to search far for an HR-sponsored event, the IUPUI Staff Council Sustainability Committee has organized one in celebration of Earth Month!

All are welcome to join us this Friday, April 15 from 9am – 5pm for the IUPUI’s Central Garden Restoration. Help us rip out the old, dilapidated garden and install new raised garden beds to give this space a much-needed fresh start. Lunch, snacks, drinks, and plenty of breaks will be provided for volunteers. Learn more and register for this event ASAP!

Learn more about the Volunteer Paid Leave policy and find an event to volunteer your time.

Confessions of a Carbon-Loving Environmentalist

Posted on by iupuisustain

I’ve considered myself an environmentalist since I was an undergraduate student. In my senior year, I studied abroad at the University of Ghana and learned more than I could have ever predicted. I questioned what I believed and valued, my place in the world, my relationship with things, and how we are wasting so many of the earth’s resources.  I remember talking with a fellow student who showed me a photo of a rural house. It was a simple structure with an outside area shaded by a sheet of foam from which flip flops had been cut out and then covered with leaves. This image really struck me. I was confident that in the US this scrap would have been thrown into the garbage without a second thought. But here it had a new purpose and it served that purpose well. It caused me to think about what I was throwing away. and why, when it could produce something entirely new.

I shared these ideas with my family and friends but wanted to do more to encourage others to reduce their waste. I landed on the idea of encouraging more people to study abroad so they could see these examples and experience more environmentally friendly lifestyles first hand. And that’s what I did. I’ve been working in the IUPUI Study Abroad Office for nearly 20 years and it has been amazing to see the power of international education to open students’ minds to other perspectives and other ways of living and to build a sense of responsibility to the larger world.

Sadly, it took years before I really stopped to think about the environmental impact of this travel – the greenhouse gas emission and the fuel needed to get all of these travelers to all of those places. I started talking with others in the field and we created some student resources on this topic.

And then the workload of our office started increasing. The number of students and programs we were supporting, grew dramatically. I remember feeling like we were just barely keeping our workload together, truly overwhelmed by our own success and I let the “greening” study abroad work slip. I didn’t raise environmental issues to students and program leaders as I should have.

Years went by and my feelings of guilt built up. The threats of global warning seemed ever more urgent and I was unable to reconcile my belief in the power of international education to make the world a better place with the reality that my work was also contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. In the quiet moments of my day when I was brave enough to examine these issues, I found myself writing a blog post in my mind. I entitled it Confessions of a Carbon Loving Environmentalist. In this space, I would try to work through the cognitive dissonance I was experiencing.

And then COVID hit. The Study Abroad Office had a frenzied period of getting students back from overseas and untangling the registrations, fees, and financial aid from the many cancelled study abroad programs. But then after those first frenetic months, for the first time in years we had an opportunity to work on projects not “essential” to students having safe, meaningful experiences abroad, but critical to the Office of International Affairs’ new focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

One of my first steps was to connect with the Office of Sustainability, with Cristina Padilla in particular. Poor Cristina! I think I must have spoken for 20 straight minutes about what we were doing wrong. Cristina made me feel better about not yet being the environmental advocate I had hoped to be. During the introductions of the first large meeting between our offices, I learned that so many of the people working on these issues had gotten their inspiration and commitment to fighting climate change because of various international experiences and study abroad. I had been on to something – that study abroad is a means to spread awareness of environmental issues. But still there is much to do.

For the last two years, I have been convening the International Affairs Green Team in partnership with Office of Sustainability and an awesome group of International Affairs staff. We are taking steps to improve our office practices (like buying recycled paper and making our events green certified) and also pushing the cultural norms of our office (by asking staff to bring their own plates to office functions and switching from plastic to refillable water bottles for office guests.) and building concepts of sustainability into our daily work (by creating a Green Travel Guide and adding these topics into our student and scholar orientations). We do also still have some large unmet goals like offsetting the carbon associated with the travel our office supports and running our office on renewable energy. Small but measurable progress!

I believe in the power of international education to make the world a better place but that doesn’t let me opt out of assessing the environmental costs of that work. I have a responsibility to investigate, examine, and take action to reduce the negative impacts of study abroad. I wish I had been brave enough to do this earlier.

I encourage you, wherever you live, whatever your work, to have courage. Ask the hard questions, have uncomfortable conversations, push for cultural change. The time for action is now. The threats to our environment are urgent and our children and grandchildren deserve a better world than we will leave them. There’s much to be done. I invite you to join us in this work.

This blog post was written by Stephanie Leslie, Director of Study Abroad, IUPUI Office of International Affairs. Stephanie shared her “confession” at the 2022 International Festival, as part of a mini-speaker series on UN Sustainable Development Goal Day. Stephanie is drawn to her work because she believes strongly in the power of international education to open minds and hearts for the benefit of our global community.  

Former Sustainability Interns – Where Are They Now? Tanjimul Alam

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How did you get involved with IUPUI Sustainability? What roles did you have?

Tanjimul Alam, Sustainability Programs Assistant for Sustain IU

Looking back, I can actually trace back to the exact week I first got catapulted into IUPUI Sustainability! I happened to sit next to the President of Student Sustainability Council week one of Spring semester my freshman year and found out about some neighborhood cleanup events. I decided to volunteer and met both an office intern and the director at the event that same weekend. The rest was history from there. I ended up joining the SSC team as a student org leader (VP of Administration) within the next few weeks and had the fortune of getting exposure to a lot of sustainability happening around campus from that point onward – with a lot curated by the IUPUI Sustainability team and interns directly connected to SSC. This included SSC’s own attempts to push green events around campus (like the Regatta) and Greening IUPUI Grant proposals as well as more educational outings like facility tours and regional/national conferences.

I cannot emphasize enough how helpful engaging directly in the diverse and practical “real-world” sustainability efforts at IUPUI was as an undergrad still exploring my interests. Eventually, I had worked alongside the team long enough and was able to become a formal intern myself. I ended up joining the Campus Kitchen team as a volunteer coordinator / data tracker doing weekly food rescue and repurposing work around Indianapolis.

What was your degree? When did you graduate?
After a bit of hopping around different academic tracks, I managed to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs degree majoring in Sustainable Management & Policy. This was just 3 years ago in May 2018.

Where do you work now? Title?
I currently have a role on Indiana University Bloomington’s sustainability team as the Sustainability Programs Assistant for Sustain IU. I’m one of 4 full-time staff in the Office of Sustainability and we are one of IU’s Capital Planning & Facilities units. I’m also a Co-director for one of our newer programs, SustainCollins, a living-learning program that brings together like-minded students with interest in sustainability and the environment on a floor within Collins Living Learning Center.

How did you find / land that job?
I was actually attending a IUPUI Sustainability staff meeting when I first heard about the role. IUB and other more statewide focused staff members would frequently swing by the office and I happened to hear the announcement directly from someone on the IUB staff at the time. After applying, having lots of IU connections and higher ed sustainability relevant experience was incredibly helpful alongside a bit of luck to land the role!

Tanjimul works on IU Bloomington’s Energy Challenge, among other sustainability programs.

What do you do in your day-to-day?
In a nutshell, I have a jack-of-all-trades role for the office and IU sustainability. A lot of my work centers around being a seasonal projects lead and administrative arm for the staff. I act as a “front gate” (first person for emails / calls) for sustainability questions on the Bloomington campus and am pulled into various work priority areas throughout the year like intern hiring, research / data work, Earth Month planning, event coordination, etc. I occasionally handle website and other university systems tasks on behalf of my team as well like keeping up with maintenance, inventory, and more recently, GIS projects. Luckily, aside from emails and meetings, I have a good variety of things I work on!

What advice would you give a student who wants to find a job in your industry?
If we are talking about working specifically in higher ed, taking the time to get involved in sustainability efforts already happening on campus is a no brainer. You really can’t go wrong gaining experience, exploring how different topics / types of work fit you, and making connections at the same time. Chances are that there is a wealth of opportunity on your campus to get involved. Students should know that being involved can happen in a lot of different ways. There’s a wide range of organizations, topics, and commitment levels out there and every opportunity taken is likely to be a stepping-stone to other opportunities – or at least let you know what you did and didn’t like.

More generally, identifying a few people in already taking on roles you’d be eager to do yourself and seeing how they got there is always something that I students find helpful. There’s usually a lot of variety in folks’ stories and it can be insightful to see the steps other people have taken. No need to reinvent the wheel – there’s also always the option to consider reaching out to a few of them!

The Green Staffer: How to Make Your Next Campus Event Sustainable

Posted on by iupuisustain

Welcome back to IUPUI for Fall 2021!  Isn’t it great to see people in your building and walking around the campus?  We’ve all experienced changes in how we do our everyday work and have had to make adjustments in this “new normal” environment we’ve had to create to stay safe.  With these safeguards in place, are you ready to start having in-person meetings and events again?  While we are making changes, now is a great time to think about making your events, big or small, greener and helping the environment.  And we’re here to help!

Everything that goes into creating an event has an impact on the environment– food, decorations, invitations, swag, and even how people will get to your event.  While planning your event, take a look at the IUPUI Green Events Guide and use the ideas there to reduce your event’s carbon footprint.

Consider going all out and making your event a “certified green event” – it’s easy to apply!

Most recently, IUPUI Campus Facilities Services (CFS) earned Green Event Certification for their annual Years of Service Picnic, attended by 300 of their staff. They simply worked with IUPUI Sustainability to implement sustainable event practices like using paperless communication, using compostable plates and cutlery, and offering composting services to capture any food waste. If they can do it for an event of this size, so can you!

If you do have a certified green event, please let us know by sending us a Facebook message. We’ll compile all of them and give all units a shout-out in our next newsletter!

Whether you host a certified green event or not, remember that everything that you can do to be green is a step in the right direction; for IUPUI and beyond.

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The Green Staffer is a seasonal column presented by the IUPUI Staff Council Sustainability Committee, where IUPUI staff share tips and ideas to help make your world (home and work) a “greener” place.

The Green Staffer: IUPUI Staff Council Passes Carbon Neutrality Resolution

Posted on by iupuisustain

In March, the IUPUI Staff Council passed a Carbon Neutrality Resolution that calls for Indiana University to become carbon neutral by no later than 2040. To achieve this monumental feat, the resolution urges the university to:

  • Develop a system-wide sustainability action plan by 2025.
  • Include and prioritize sustainability and the sustainability action plan in all strategic planning.
  • Actively support the work of all sustainability initiatives (SustainIU, Offices of Sustainability, committees, and academic programs) at campuses and wider communities.
  • Anticipate the post-carbon, sustainable economic era and preserve fiscal responsibility while pursuing the goal of carbon neutrality.
  • Bring together faculty, staff and students to develop, implement and model best-practices for the use of renewable resources, to benefit those in the next 50 years and beyond.

After the passage of the resolution, the Staff Council Sustainability Committee was determined to encourage other Staff Councils at IU campuses to pass this resolution. Staff have an important role to play in the achievement of carbon neutrality at our campuses. Staff hold almost all of the positions that will be key in addressing carbon producing activities, including in building operations, transportation, grounds, and dining. Therefore, we felt it was important for staff to send a strong message to Indiana University about the importance of carbon neutrality.

Through our outreach, Carbon Neutrality resolutions have now been passed at IU Fort Wayne, IU East, and will soon be introduced at IU South Bend for a vote! But our work is not done. As staff are preparing to return to campus for the Fall semester, we will continue to reach out to the other IU Staff Councils to add to the number of campuses who stand behind our resolution.

Please join us in celebrating our accomplishments while continuing to forge ahead with carbon neutrality!

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The Green Staffer is a seasonal column presented by the IUPUI Staff Council Sustainability Committee, where IUPUI staff share tips and ideas to help make your world (home and work) a “greener” place.

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