September 11, 2014
Staff Advisory Council Minutes
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Notre Dame Room, LaFortune
Present:
Tami Springer, Jan Solkey, Evelyn Mitchell, Shebra Guidry, Char-Anna Koblick, Robyn Karkiewicz, Michael Mueller, Kristi Lax-Walker, Kim Miller, Daniel Juckett, Joe Reimers, Marilyn Ipsen, Bobbi McMahon and Tricia Dalenberg
Excused:
Kathy Troth, Patrice Mullen, Susan Nugent, and Amanda Huerta
Guests:
Linda Kurtos, Sustainability
Unexcused:
Adam Zielinski, Elaine Brown
HR Liaison:
Sharon Hawkins
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 1:01 pm by Tami Springer.
August minutes were reviewed – Joe Reimers made a motion to approve with a second by Evelyn Mitchell.
II. Committee Updates
Benefit Committee
No meeting. Denise Murphy will be at SAC meeting in October to discuss benefits.
Parking Appeals
No meeting.
Promotions Committee
None at this time
Website Committee
Rep absent
ECDC
Nothing to Report
Compassion Fund
Rep absent
III. New Business
Linda Kurtos spoke about being a Green Ambassador, the Lunch and Learn Program and making your office a more Green Office Environment. She discussed some of the changes that they have made to help reduce the waste that is sent to landfills, such as changing to LED lights and changing to recycling cans as opposed to having trash cans. She discussed strategy goals such as helping to reduce the carbon footprints we leave, decreasing the trash and water usage, and increasing landfill diversion, do more reuse, recycle, repurpose. She also talked about how to host a green event with less paper – digital invites, etc. She explained about the three methods of recycling: single stream (blue bins around campus for styrofoam, paper, plastics, etc.); specialty (special bins for batteries, toner cartridges, etc.); and soaps, shampoos, used cooking oils, and wood pallets. She went over the list of items that are not recyclable, which can be found on their website at green. nd.edu.
There was a question for Linda about campus wide composting. She took questions about what is recyclable and what is not in our offices.
She also gave websites to find more information about being green: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ind-calculator.html and http://www.worldwatch.org/.
She also recommended the reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan.
One of the facts from the quiz she gave: K cups and used tissues are not recyclable—they go in the trash.
IV. Additional Business
There was a question about putting a bus shelter on the east side of Holy Cross Drive, just south of the guard gate where people wait for the shuttle leaving work. There is already a shelter on the west side by the parking lot.
There was a question about putting a crosswalk from the south side of Holy Cross to the north side of Holy Cross. There have been a few near misses of people crossing the road to get to the D lot for staff.
There was a discussion about new pins versus t-shirts for SAC representatives.
There were questions brought up about healthier food choices and the replacement of Greenfields with an Au Bon Pain.
V. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn at 2:56 pm. 1st Joe Reimers. 2nd Michael Mueller.