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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Cover Sheet
PROPOSAL INFORMATION
Project Title: Waste? NOT! A pilot compost program in the Global Engagement Living Community in Creswell Hall
PRINCIPAL STUDENT INVESTIGATOR (PROPOSER) INFORMATION
Name: Valerie Ann Martinez de Ubago
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 478.319.2465
Degree Program / Graduation Date: Undecided / 2017
FACULTY / STAFF SPONSOR INFORMATION
Name: Pratt Cassity
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 706.369.5868
Title / Department: Center for Community Design & Preservation Director
ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION
The proposal includes the following fields (check all that apply):
_X_
_X_
_X_
_X_
Education
Research
Service / Social Entrepreneurship
Campus Operations
Summary of Budget:
Personnel Funding ………………………………..…….
$4,000.00
Equipment…………………………………………………
$~200.00
Supplies / General Expenses..…….………..…………..
$600.00
TOTAL……………………………………………………..
$4,800.00
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Proposal Overview
Global Engagement Learning Community (2013)
Residential Composting Pilot Program – Spring Semester 2014
Waste? NOT!
Composting, as defined by the U.S. Composting Council, is the recycling of organic materials to achieve healthy
soils, clean water and a more sustainable society. The students of the Global Engagement Learning Community
2013 (GEL-C) are continuing to expand their understanding of linkages that occur between their communities, within
the University of Georgia and the connection to the wider world. Annually, the University of Georgia produces 5,000
tons of trash that is sent to the landfill with only a 38% diversion rate for recycled material. This challenge to increase
the university’s diversion rate encompasses all aspects of community engagement that is the core curriculum that is
emphasized within this course framework. The residential community aspect of GEL-C (each member lives in
Creswell Hall for the duration of freshmen year) sparked the initial interest in how composting could provide better
communities locally and globally. The following students have prepared this proposal with our Lead Professor, Pratt
Cassity, for a trial dormitory-based composting program within Creswell Hall: Diana Downward, Levares Jackson,
Wendy Lam, and Valerie Martinez de Ubago.
This program will have multiple phases and three strategic goals:
1. The first goal is to prove that an in-dorm composting program (and the necessary infrastructure) is realistic and
achievable. The GEL-C students aim to prove that not only is it possible within a dormitory setting, but it also will
provide measurable outcomes. This project can become an effective vehicle for educating future students and
residents and can provide impact that will be influential in changing the mindset of key participants to be more
environmentally conscious when making decisions. It will be conducted in a way that could be easily
transferrable to other dorms on campus. A report that reflects methodology, which will be fully vetted through the
Office of Sustainability (collection points, length of time, measurement of waste, recordation, analysis of data,
etc.,) will show this project’s future potential. Initially, 30 students will be involved, the GEL-C students and their
roommates. The extrapolation of regularly-monitored food waste will have great impact and allow administrators
and decision makers on campus to see what a small change in the daily habits of typical on-campus students
can make. If this project were to be expanded to Creswell’s 900 residents, then to all high rise dorms, then to all
students on campus … one can see how this data will have value to prove that in-dorm composting is easily
achievable, worthy of investment and encouragement and could ultimately become the normal practice of all
Georgia students.
The Global Engagement Learning Community is an obvious venue to conduct this trial program. The students
are already engaged in issues of great social impact simply by self-selecting to be in the voluntary learning
community along with having a mandate from the seminar’s structure. The success of the pilot program rests on
the students living on the halls they are serving. They will not only be participating in and designing the program
themselves, but will also be able to engage in all aspects of composting, as environmentally-aware citizens,
each working to make a difference in his or her community. The Global Engagement Learning Community will be
able to identify and solve issues that may arise because of the hands-on nature of the pilot composting program,
which will allow for a seamless expansion to include other halls and eventually, other dorms.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
2. An education and awareness program for the in-dorm composting pilot program is crucial to the success of this
project. This will include outreach and education through posters, social media, special programming within the
dorm, and campus education with the intent of inviting a speaker to further discuss the topic of composting on a
larger scale. This larger event could be a collaborative effort with student groups such as Students for
Environmental Action, Campus Kitchens, UGArden, and Real Food along with the Residence Hall Association to
ensure more campus involvement and awareness in conjunction with the Office of Sustainability’s Earth Week
celebration. The mantra of the pilot program for the students within the Global Engagement Learning Community
will be “Each One Teach One.” Each of the students has a roommate that is not enrolled in this Learning
Community. This ensures that there is at least one target person will be influenced by each student resulting in a
total of 30 students participating in the pilot program, half teaching, but all of them learning. Expanding the
program in a grassroots manner based on “each one, teach one” would make it easy to manage and monitor.
Perhaps the next level of engagement would be “each one, teach one floor or one wing.”
There will also be a summary of environmental education and knowledge gained through the experience, which
will be determined through a survey taken before the pilot program begins and at the end of the year before the
students move out of the residence hall, as well as personal reflection essays from each compost leader. The
survey will include questions pertaining to aspects of composting and its process along with projections on how
one might make decisions when choosing produce at the grocery or farmers market. These summaries will help
understand how to engage future students to make more positive impacts on their communities. The findings will
also be summarized and distributed in reports and a media campaign that will increase awareness and expand
the program.
3. The last goal of the project is to submit a proposal to a local or national conference, such as the Association for
the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE.) With experience in writing a grant, managing
the pilot program, promoting the program to the community, and presenting at a conference, as freshmen,
students will be given the opportunity to continue to stay involved within the field of sustainability along with
ensuring the success of this pilot program’s expansion to other halls and dorms. The study should be presented
on a national stage because the message will be hard hitting and easily exportable to other campuses and
organizations. The pilot program may initially have the goal of clearly connecting composting to the first-year
experience, but it proves to have a larger goal of keeping a large group of students engaged throughout their
years of undergraduate study at the University of Georgia.
Partner Organizations:
University Housing
Jane Diener
Office of Sustainability
Perry Siniard, Kevin Kirsche, Andrew Lentini
Center for Community Design and Preservation (CCDP)
Pratt Cassity
Strategic Direction VII in the UGA 2020 Strategic Plan:
Strategic Priority: Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through reduced potable water usage, decreased
waste, and increased use of sustainable and locally grown foods.
Benchmark: The level of waste stream to landfills in 2010-2011.
Goal: Decrease waste stream to landfills by 65 percent by 2020.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Compliance Form
Please answer all of the following questions, and explain in full where required.
Will this project require compliance review in any of the following areas?
Please place an “X” on the appropriate line to indicate “Yes” or “No” for all three compliance areas.
1. Animal Use
____ Yes
_X_
No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing animal use:
For more information contact:
Animal Care and Use, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/acu/index.html
706-542-5933
2. Biohazardous Materials
____ Yes
_X_
No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing biohazardous material use:
For more information contact:
Office of Biosafety, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/biosafety/index.html
706-542-9876
3. Human Subjects
____ Yes
_X_
No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing human subject use:
For more information contact:
Human Subjects, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/hso/index.html
706-542-5318
Name: Pratt Cassity
Title: Center for Community Design & Preservation Director
Date: 11/5/2013
__X__ By placing an “X” on this line, I certify I will fulfill all requirements pertaining to compliance if this grant is
approved.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Budget Sheet
I.
Personnel *,**
Number
Amount/Person
Total Amount
Contractors
$
UGA Staff
UGA Student
1
CE+D Graduate Student
$10/hour
Other
1
Honorarium Speaker – Earth Week Event
$1,500.00
Total Amount: $4,000.00
II. Equipment**
Type of Equipment
Length of Use
Cost
1. 4 - 5.5 gallon kitchen compost bins (Busch System)
n/a
$~20.00
2. 2 – 50 gallon herby curby compost bins (Busch System)
n/a
$~55.00
3.
$
Total Cost: $~200.00
III. Supplies/General Expenses**
Type of Supplies
Comment
Cost
1. Printing of materials
Educational, promotional, (see
communication and outreach team)
$250.00
2. Final report production and distribution
(see documentation and long-term
planning team)
$350.00
3.
$
4.
$
Total Cost: $600.00
Total Project Cost: $4,800.00
*Acceptable personnel funding include: 1) hiring outside consultants or contractors to perform required project tasks, 2) UGA Facilities Management Division
staff labor charges for project implementation, 3) UGA student workers managed by participating UGA department to perform required project tasks.
**If more space is needed, please attach a separate document listing specific items and their costs.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Implementation Plan
The UGA Global Engagement Learning Community strives to see connections within a wider world that will help
achieve goals of giving back to the community. This dorm composting initiative will close the loop on student
initiatives already existing on campus. The compost collected by the students in the Creswell dorm will be composted
and utilized at the UGArden, which in turn will produce and donate food to Campus Kitchens, all striving to end senior
hunger within Athens-Clarke County.
The framework of the dorm composting program will include smaller sub-committees that will act as supportive teams
to the initiative’s broader goals. These include the following teams:
- Communication/Outreach: students will be in charge of finding and maintaining communication streams with
the focus group of freshmen students within the Creswell dorm. This could include social media (Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, etc.) along with posters and other forms of mass communication. They will ensure a logical
amount of time for promoting upcoming events, info-sessions, and speakers. The team will also maintain a
unified branding including the already existing stickers and posters for composting on campus. This team will
work closely with the Education and Events team.
- Education: students will be tasked with educating themselves with research and current compost initiatives
(provided by the faculty and graduate student advisor) to ensure an in-depth knowledge of the composting
process including its benefits and how best to educate the target audience. This team will also ensure that all
information given to the students involved in the initiative is correct and up-to-date with the current standards. A
key goal of this team will be to emphasize the student initiative loop that is strongly benefitted by the composting
(dorm composting to UGArden to Campus Kitchens to ACC community.) This team will work closely with the
Communication/Outreach and Events team.
- Resource Managers: students will ensure the flow of food residuals by maintaining the bins on the designated
floors. They will work with the Pickup Crew to determine a meeting location for drop-off and pick-up. This team
will also rinse and dry the bins after each collection in the kitchen sinks, ensuring the kitchens stay clean, too.
The four kitchen bins will be located in Creswell Hall on floors 2, 3, 5, & 7 next to the existing waste stream bins
(landfill and recycling) along with the large herby curby located on the main, central floor.
- Pickup Crew: funded by the Office of Sustainability Intern Program, this student will ensure a weekly pick-up of
the compost. They will take the full 50 gallon herby curby and replace it with the clean, empty herby curby. The
student will use the UGArden electric vehicle to transport the compost to the UGArden and wash and store the
herby curby until the following week’s collection.
- Graduate Student Advisor: this student will be tasked with managing the other teams to ensure a successful
pilot program. This includes providing time to advise and help with organizing and planning events, providing
informational resources for expanding knowledge on the subject, helping produce the final report production, and
acting as a mentor to show other opportunities to give back to the community.
- Events: students will be tasked with planning and organizing the speaker in collaboration with UGA Earth Week
events along with any other informational events that are essential to the learning and teaching process of this
compost initiative. This team will work closely with the Communication/Outreach and Education team along with
the faculty and student advisor to ensure a well-organized, well-attended event.
- Documentation/Long-term Planning: students will be tasked with collecting data in form of the original and
final survey, tracking weekly compost weight (provided by the Pickup Crew,) documenting attendance and
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
success of events, and formatting the information in such a way that is easily transferable to other dorms on
campus along with other campuses across the U.S. within the final report production
Specific Aims:
- Creation of an in-dorm composting infrastructure that can ultimately be implemented in additional dorms on
campus and campuses nation-wide
- Educate students at the beginning of their college career on the importance of composting and diverting from the
waste stream
- Emphasize the importance of strengthening a community through giving back
Measurable Operational Outcomes:
- Waste diversion – compost will be weighed at every pick up to determine how much is diverted from the landfill
- Environmental education and knowledge gained through the experience, which will be determined through a
survey taken before the pilot program begins and at the end of the year before the students move out of the
residence hall, as well as personal reflection essays from each compost leader
- An in-dorm composting guide that is can be easily understood and implemented in other dorms on campus and
other campuses at a national scale
Merit and Feasibility of Implementation:
The University already has the infrastructure in place to collect small amounts of composting with the employment of
student workers to complete a weekly collection. Along with paid student workers, the University has a composting
facility at the student-run UGArden that will take the food residuals that are produced within the dormitories. To avoid
smell within the dorms, 5.5 gallon kitchen compost bins will be used that contain charcoal that diffuse the potential
smells. With smaller teams focused on individual goals that will have a combined effort for the success of the
compost pilot program, the feasibility of reducing UGA’s waste stream will be just one of the measurable outcomes.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Timeframe:
- January
Purchase bins for shared kitchens
Use existing composting signage provided by the Office of Sustainability to stay uniform with the pilot
composting in departments across campus
Complete initial survey
Engage the participating student body
Weekly collection of composting by Office of Sustainability Composting Intern
- February
Communicate across campus via PSA or other form of mass communication
Weekly collection of composting by Office of Sustainability Composting Intern
- March
Educate participants and other students about the composting life cycle
Weekly collection of composting by Office of Sustainability Composting Intern
- April
Organize speaker in conjunction with UGA Earth Week to raise awareness of the importance of composting
Weekly collection of composting by Office of Sustainability Composting Intern
- May
Complete final survey
Complete guide to incorporate composting across all dorms
Weekly collection of composting by Office of Sustainability Composting Intern
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Communications Plan
The initial composting communications will begin with the existing composting flyers, stickers, and communication to
keep with the uniform design to highlight disposal options. This includes the black sticker with white lettering that
states “composting” along with a few of the materials that can be placed in the bin. We will work with the Office of
Sustainability to ensure the messaging stays consistent with the other composting initiatives on campus. Social
media will be a key component in keeping the residents informed and provide a forum for questions and
communicating answers to ensure a smooth implementation of the infrastructure to compost.
Along with the dormitory setting, our composting initiative will also include campus-wide education. This involves
organizing a public icon to come speak on the importance of composting that will be open for the entire University to
attend. We hope to include current media communications with such opportunities as short PSAs and social media
initiatives.
On a broader scale, we will be able to teach other colleges and universities at the national conference, in which we
will be attending after the completion of the initial pilot timeframe. The program will be easily exportable to other
campuses and organizations at all scales. We will strive to communicate with these other colleges through a national
stage with a presentation at a conference.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Faculty/Staff Sponsor Letter of
Support
(1pg limit)
A letter should be completed by the applicant’s faculty or staff sponsor and should 1) endorse the project and its
significance with respect to campus sustainability, and 2) state willingness to actively engage in the project
throughout the planning and implementation process
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Additional Supporting
Documents and Recommendation for Future Support
Recommendation for future support:
After this year’s FYOS (First-Year Odyssey Seminar): Global Engagement Learning Community moves
into their sophomore year, the opportunity will provide a rotation of FYOS involvement within the dorm
composting initiative. Each FYOS has funding that could provide a small amount of support for printing
materials and promotion, but what will really be provided is the support from the students. The pilot
program is set up in such a way that would only require students to choose which subcommittee they
would like to serve and the faculty and graduate student advisor would help ensure a sustaining program.
If other FYOS’ are included, there is more of an opportunity for interdisciplinary research in terms of
communication, business models, social work, waste diversion, and many other topics of FYOS that may
arise from this program.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – List of Anticipated Grant Project
Metrics
Final Report:
The final report will include an overview of the program with a reference of how the program was organized, the
structure and framework of tasks, measurements and metrics of the compost, an outline of the scheduled events and
their outcomes, the change in UGA’s waste stream, all partners involved along with their expected tasks, and a guide
for future implementation.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application Form (2013-2014), REV 08.27.13
College of Environment and Design
November 5, 2013
Mr. Kevin Kirshe
Grant Review Committee
Office of Sustainability
University of Georgia
CAMPUS
Support Letter for Sustainability Grant (Dormitory Composting Demonstration Program)
Dear All:
I am so thrilled to write this letter supporting my First Year Odyssey Class/Global Engagement Learning Community
(GEL-C) application for funds to implement a composting program in their dormitory, Creswell Hall. The community
has had a long legacy of involved service learning projects that has resulted in some very noteworthy projects in the
past 9 years of teaching it. However, we have not proposed a project as “complete” and connected locally as this one.
The project envisions the waste cycle from cradle to grave, plate to soil, and youthful snack to healthy senior nutrition.
By linking the project to their volunteer hours this semester with the UGArden and Campus Kitchen, the students will
see how their compostable food waste can have the global impact of serving the vulnerable, at risk senior populations
in Athens.
This simple yet complete cycle is a metaphor for the impact that they can have on the world. It will raise their
awareness of how, like Margaret Mead so eloquently reminded us, never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
I am always amazed at the energy that our student body can show toward completing a goal. This class is no different.
This project will be one more reminder of the power of focused energy and direction. Your grants have had the effect
of catalyzing change on campus for students who are often older or more advanced in their programs. By awarding
this project and recognizing this committed group of first year students, the program funds will be able to have the
same positive student impact as before but at a much earlier stage in their matriculation.
I am happy to serve as project sponsor and guide for the GEL-C compost demonstration project and even more
excited to see what the metrics will show us. I hope that the impact will be the expansion and continuation of the
project and composting efforts in residential life. However, I realize that it may very well prove that first year
students on a meal plan are not the best candidates for this kind of effort. We will never know that until the study is
conducted and the measures are made. I see the project results being a determinant of where effort should be placed
for the biggest impact in future composting initiatives on campus.
Please see this letter as an indication of my total commitment to positive project completion and fund management. I
intend to be very hands-on in making the project work when they need me; but hands-off so that this will be a
student-owned initiative.
I hope I have conveyed my enthusiasm and support for my students and their learning and service experience. If I
can provide more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours in sustainability,
(electronic signature)
Pratt Cassity
Lead Instructor, GEL-C
Director
Center for Community Design and Preservation
CED Public Service & Outreach • Broad Street Studios • 225 West Broad Street • Athens GA 30602 • 706-542-4731 • Fax 706-369-5864