Return to CURC Minutes
CURC Steering Committee
June 7, 2007
Conference Call Began at Noon EST
Present: Tracy Artley, Mark Darling, Jack Debell, Judi Dunn Gray, Judi Gard, Deb Hanson, Mary Jensen, Karyn Kaplan, Becky Valentich, Christine Von Kolnitz Cooley
Absent: Dana Donatucci, Rob Gogan, Ed Newman (absent due to Move Out)
1. Congress Update
Jack reviewed the details for the CURC tour and workshop for the NRC Congress. He requested that the Steering Committee provide him with feedback on his suggestions and that a format is agreed upon during the call. Once this was accomplished, Jack noted that topic leaders need to be identified and the tour and workshop must be promoted. Jack reviewed details of the tour. Steering Committee members should send Jack the topic they would like to lead during the workshop via email. A motion was made to approve the tour and workshop schedule. Jack moved to waive the workshop fees for 3 staff members to help guide the workshop and serve as scribes. Both motions passed unopposed.
Karyn updated the Steering Committee about the status of the Congress planning overall. She indicated that things were moving a bit slowly. She then reviewed the logistics associated with the tour, including menu details (vegetarian), breaks (one in the afternoon), transportation (biodiesel buses) and fees ($35 for tour, $45 for workshop or $75 for both). Karyn is working with Rebecca Mebane on logistics of the CURC networking lunch and annual meeting. She then reviewed the CURC-specific sessions that will take place during the Congress. Karyn requested more communication from the CURC Steering Committee.
Jack will update the CURC-specific Congress activities the Christine put together for the 2006 Congress. He then inquired about scholarships. Jack, Mark and Dana are on the scholarship committee. Discussion then ensued on NRC staff changes and then on the decrease in the amount of time allotted for CURC sessions at the Congress. Karyn explained some changes that have been made to the Congress overall and how this has affected CURC. She noted also that the RecycleMania awards would be presented during the NRC awards program. Mary will send an email out to RECYC-L about NRC award nominations.
2. AASHE
Jack stated that he needs a motion made by the Steering Committee to approve of including participation in the RecycleMania Waste Minimization competition on a list of near-term improvements for the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The steering committee for this group will be meeting on June 7 to decide on items that should be included in this commitment. AASHE first chose to include the use of post-consumer content paper, but Jack felt that this was unsatisfactory and a commitment to waste diversion and reduction was needed.
Mary attended a sustainability workshop and noted some of the waste-to-sustainability connections that many recyclers have missed. These include the fact that methane is a potent greenhouse gas and that minimizing waste can help reduce methane formation and the fact that recycling activities reduce energy use by 18-50%, which is equivalent to what a green building can do. Mary suggested that these items might be included in the letter to AASHE. Jack stated that it may be too late to amend the letter. Jack offered to sit on the NRC panel on sustainability at the Congress. Jack then reviewed the letter. It contains CURC’s encouragement to include RecycleMania in the list of improvements and a list of 22 waste reduction practices, of which, participants will have to implement 3 or more. He noted that having a recycling program is a prerequisite to the rating system.
Christine spoke with representatives from Clean Air Cool Planet (CACP) about their measurement tool and its lack of a recycling component. She reported that they are working on putting something about recycling in that tool. Jack noted that their model is butting heads with the EPA’s WARM model. Christine suggested sending the letter to CACP as well. Jack noted that the letter speaks specifically to the Presidents Climate Commitment and stated that if the letter went out today, it would likely be approved by the presidents. He then stated that CURC is not doing a good enough job promoting itself and that AASHE should be informed of CURC-related stories. Tracy will begin sending these types of stories to AASHE.
Judi D. moved to approve Jack’s letter and that it be sent. Christine seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and Mary asked Jack to send a notice out to RECYC-L informing all if the additions were approved or not.
3. RecycleMania Update
The update was skipped because neither Rob Gogan nor Ed Newman were on the call due to student move-out.
4. Confusion Over CURC-Memberclicks, RECYC-L and RecycleMania list
Dana and Erica Spiegel are looking at who are members of each list. What they’ve found is that there isn’t a lot of overlap, which means that there is a larger group to mine for input, ideas, etc. They are currently working on putting together a comprehensive list on who’s on each list and clarify each of the three groups.
5. Online Manual Project
Debbie reported that more work will be done on it in July and they will have a better update then.
6. Rapid Response Project
Mary stated that she hasn’t gotten far with this. Mark agreed to help with the Project. Jack said that he feels that a list of resources is the next part of the letter that needs to be developed. Mary stated that she will work with Mark on this.
7. Teleconference Project
Mary reviewed the discussion on this from May’s meeting and inquired about ideas and thoughts from the rest of the Steering Committee on pursuing this. Christine offered to work on this project.
Christine gave an update on the NRC website. She stated that the look had changed but that she is having a difficult time getting changes made to the CURC website. Alec will be serving as the go-between for this. In terms of the teleconference, she stated that a PowerPoint presentation would be posted on the webpage and someone would send out emails to those who have registered. How people would register would have to be determined. She noted how dependent this project would be on the website. If a Move In-related teleconference was desired, it would have to occur in late July, at the latest. It was agreed that this time frame was a little short and Mark suggested of instead doing one on America Recycles Day (November 15). Registration issues were next discussed. It was suggested that CURC members can attend the teleconference for free, while non-CURC members would have to pay a fee. Tracy will post announcements for these conferences to RECYC-L and other listserves.
8. Regional Workshop Discussion
Mary shared her thoughts on setting up regional CURC workshops. She thinks the teleconference may help bridge the gap. Becky, Mark and Tracy expressed interest in setting up informal regional meetings. Mary stated that she had reviewed past minutes and notes and these workshops were “a nightmare” financially and organizationally. She believes that going informal and low cost would be better. Mark suggested piggybacking onto other meetings and conferences.
9. Weyerhaeuser Foundation Donation
The Weyerhaeuser Foundation approached Jack and inquired about what CURC could do with a $5,000 donation. Jack suggested getting people thinking about the best use of this money and get is earmarked for a specific CURC project. Mary stated that it could help with the teleconference and Christine suggested having a series of web conferences which could be sponsored by Weyerhaeuser.
10. Next Meeting
Since the first Wednesday of July is a holiday, the conference call will be moved to July 11.
11. Adjourn
The call adjourned at 1:29 pm EST.