Campus Environmental Awards (2003)

Professor John Taylor, Department of Physics

Honorable Mention, Alternative Transportation

Professor Taylor has used his bicycle as his daily transportation to the university daily, four seasons a year, since 1966. In 37 years, 18.000 trips, cycling 108,000 kilometers, Professor Taylor has saved 18,000 liters of gasoline and prevented release of 41,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide green house gas into the atmosphere as vehicle exhaust. Professor Taylor has maintained a healthy lifestyle and decreased traffic congestion on campus through daily bicycle commutes.

Solar Decathalon Team

Special Recognition, Green Building

CU students designed and built the winning home in the Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon. CU's Solar Decathlon home was a collaboration between students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU-Boulder and the College of Architecture and Planning at CU-Denver and CU-Boulder. Architectural engineering Professor Michael Brandemuehl served as faculty adviser. The Department of Energy organized the Solar Decathlon to showcase renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. The competition involved students at 14 universities, who competed to design and build the best solar-powered home. Each house, limited to a maximum of 800 square feet for purposes of the competition, was judged on 10 criteria ranging from design and livability to heating, cooling, lighting, refrigeration and powering an electric car. The contest was held from September 26 to October 5, 2002 on the National Mall for thousands of people to tour as one of the homes in the "Solar Village." The CU home was named the overall winner on Oct. 5, with its blend of aesthetics, energy production and energy efficiency. CU also won first-place in individual contests for engineering, interior comfort, and graphics and communication. The solar-powered home was brought back to Colorado and reassembled on the Boulder campus south of the Benson Earth Sciences Building.

Environmental Health and Safety Hazardous Materials/ Hazardous Waste Unit

Hazardous Materials Use and Waste Reduction

Even with the best of efforts throughout UCB, hazardous wastes are inevitably created. These materials cannot remain in the laboratories where they were generated. They must be quickly and safely removed, rendered harmless, or permanently isolated and disposed. This demanding responsibility is carried out by the personnel of the Hazardous Materials Program at the Environmental Health and Safety Center. Brandon Boger leads this crew. He and Ralph Bogle, Derek Hayes, Mark Lapham and Bob Sweeney undergo this work that contributes so much to the health and safety of so many students and faculty on this campus. The team has been creative and innovative in managing an amazing array of many different chemicals and compounds. Some containers are filled with unknown substances that must be investigated, identified, isolated and safely disposed. Hundreds of tons of substances potentially harmful to the environment have been mitigated and recycled. Thousands of gallons of water have been safely returned to Boulder's wastewater treatment facility. The campus owes recognition to the members of the Hazardous Materials Program at EH&S who are dedicated to making CU-Boulder a safer, healthier, and more productive environment within which to work, learn and live.

Tom Cowing

Outstanding Alumni

Tom Cowing recently retired from CU Facilities Management after over 20 years. He has been an asset to the energy conservation program in his years at Boulder. Through his work and accomplishments at CU, Tom played a key role in revitalizing the energy conservation work happening now at CU. He was around during the first wave of energy conservation several years back, and helped to provide information about what was done in the past and set up the pilot program that we have today. He has always been willing to help in these endeavors and was a vital connection to Facilities Management.

Robin Newsome-Suitts

Individual Achievement

Robin has done an extraordinary job leading current energy conservation efforts at CU. Furthermore, she has gone above and beyond her job description and busy schedule to personally implement energy saving measures in Regent Hall. In the fall of 2000, Vice Chancellor for Administration Paul Tabolt made a commitment to reducing energy use per square foot on campus. He then established the Campus Resource Conservation Committee which is chaired by Robin. In the first year, Robin did a terrific job in creating structure among the committee, laying out committee goals and guidelines, and putting together an end of the year report outlining accomplishments, and future actions. Since then she has worked diligently with Moe Tabrizi to move forward on energy saving projects, promotion, and the creation of a new website. Robin's most impressive work has been in her own building, Regent Hall. She has filed many delamping requests, and taken upon herself to create posters, and educate the building members about their energy use, and steps to decrease use. There has been a substantial decrease in energy due to her work.

Wilderness Study Group

Recycled Product Purchasing

The CU Wilderness Study Group has worked with the Department of Facilities Management to replace existing paper towels and toilet tissue with high-recycled content products. Kasey Gallogly is a student with the CU Wilderness Study Group deserves much of the credit for initiating this effort. Facilities Management has agreed to purchase recycled-content toilet paper for all General Fund buildings that will not only save countless numbers of trees, but will be done at no additional cost to the University. Facilities Management purchases over 38,000 rolls of toilet paper every year. The new toilet paper is 100% recycled with at least a 20% post-consumer recycled content.

In cooperation with Jay Townsend and Lisa Adair of Facilities Management, Kasey worked closely to review current products, find alternatives that would not cost more and were available using the State contract, and to test the quality of the recycled content papers. The Wilderness Study Group is now working with the Housing Department and the UCSU buildings (UMC, Rec Center and Wardenburg) in order to expand the program to the entire campus. The Wilderness Study Group's ultimate goal is to eliminate the use of virgin paper products and work toward a "tree-free" campus.

Carly Weir

Outstanding Alumni

Carly Wier has made significant contributions in the recycling field after graduating from CU-Boulder. As the Executive Director for Summit Recycling, Carly has continued a long tradition of minimizing waste and building public support in Summit County and surrounding areas. The Summit Recycling Project increased its volumes by ten percent in the past year. This increase demonstrates local commitment to recycling, despite a slowing tourism base in the area. Her program also hosted its second annual used computer round-up this year, where almost 40,000 pounds of e-waste was collected. In addition, their household hazardous waste collection day served a record number of households. Finally, the Summit Recycling Project responded to last year's drought impacts by quickly developing a program to divert almost 30 tons of slash and wood waste from area landfills.

Carly is also making contributions to recycling beyond the mountain towns that Summit Recycling serves. She made a presentation to the National Recycling Congress last year and currently serves the Colorado Association for Recycling on its planning committee. Her program's upcoming plans include a local business excellence campaign and a relocation of the operation to the Summit County Landfill. Both are important steps to make recycling more convenient and institutionalized. Carly's passion and professionalism reflects well on the University of Colorado. People like her will continue to be the innovators of new approaches to recycling.