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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-23-2024 CCAC Meeting Minutes (Signed)Community/Campus Advisory Coalition (CCAC) INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTH BE D © -~- SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE NOTRE DA~IE, 11\ @ ~ HOLY CROSS COLLEGE at Notre Dame, Indiana © (c) The April 23 th, 2024 Community/Campus Advisory Coalition (CCAC) meeting was called to order by Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan at 3 :30 p,m, in-person and virtually via Microsoft Teams. Persons in attendance included the following individuals representing the fo llowing entities: Rachel Tomas Morgan Bob Palmer Alex Bazan Danica Kulemeka Matthew Neal Rob DeCleene Pam Claeys Tim Sexton Geory Kurtzhals Daniel Jung Adare Carmody Ashley Chaveriat South Bend Common Council Council Attorney Office of Sustainability City Clerk's Office City Clerk's Office IUSB Neighborhood Resident Notre Dame Notre Dame Notre Dame Saint Mary's Saint Mary's Updates from Public Safety Officials Chair Tomas Morgan asked city officials to give an update regarding their respective offices, and nobody spoke. Roundtable Sharing: Climate Action Plans or Sustainability Initiatives City of South Bend Climate Action Plan Alex Bazan, Director of Sustainability, 237 North Michigan Street, South Bend IN 46601 , gave a presentation regarding South Bend's Climate Action Plan (CAP). The Office of Sustainability's mission is to mobilize the community to address climate change. South Bend's first (Pt) CAP was passed in 2019 with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The focus of the original plan was to reduce emissions from energy and transportation. The Office of Sustainability adjusted the CAP from a three (3) year update cycle to a five (5) year update cycle in 2022. In 2023 the Office of Sustainability designed the Climate Action Ambassadors Program in which fifteen (15) climate ambassadors were given a two hundred and fifty dollar ($250) stipend to each host one (1) Climate Action Survey Session with at least fifteen (15) participants. The two hundred and twenty-five (225) community participants were paid twenty-five dollars ($25) each for one ( 1) hour of their time as they completed the Climate Action Planning Survey during the session. Currently there are over five hundred (500) surveys completed which is more than double the goal. The surveys have helped to narrow the focus of the CAP update. The Office of Sustainability hosted a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Workshop in 2023 where fifty-five local experts, representing five (5) community systems, brainstormed and prioritized over fifty (50) risks and vulnerabilities. A goal of the CAP update is to include adaptation strategies along with mitigation efforts. The Office of Sustainability will be collaborating among and with departments to co-create climate action strategies before seeking feedback from the public. The 2024 extension of the Climate Action Ambassadors Program will have ambassadors seek feedback from community members on draft climate action strategies. Ambassadors will receive a one thousand dollar ($1 ,000) stipend for forty (40) hours of work over a six (6) month period. The Office of Sustainability will be engaging with the public at local events: Downtown South Bend First (1 st) Fridays, Linden A venue Farmers Markets, the Climate Action Planning Event, and more. The Together South Bend website will be the hub for announcing plan progress and upcoming engagement opportunities. The goal is to have the CAP updated by the end of 2024. Pam Claeys asked what website people can go to get more information regarding South Bend's CAP. Alex Bazan stated that https://together.southbendin.gov/climateactionplan is the best website to get information regarding South Bend 's climate action plan. Chair Tomas Morgan stated that https://together.southbendin.gov/ has information regarding different neighborhood plans as well. Notre Dame Sustainability Initiatives Geory Kurtzhals, Senior Director of Sustainability at Notre Dame, gave a presentation highlighting Notre Dame's sustainability efforts. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awarded Notre Dame with a gold rating for their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) program. Notre Dame was also recognized with a Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) international sustainability ranking. Notre Dame has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Notre Dame has several Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings; the Purcell Pavilion has a gold LEED rating. Notre Dame published their Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy in 2016 directly following the 2015 "Laudato si "' of Pope Francis. There are currently people working on updating otre Dame's Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy. Notre Dame is home to one of the largest green roofs in Indiana. In 2019 otre Dame stopped burning coal as a part of their decarbonization process. Notre Dame has invested in a hydroelectric partnership with the City of South Bend. Construction is underway for a new geothermal plant in the center of campus. Notre Dame has made a thirty (30) year commitment to Indiana Michigan Power to purchase forty percent ( 40%) of the clean energy produced at the St. Joseph Solar Farm. Notre Dame has plans for the construction of a solar array with solar panels purchased from a local solar company, Crossroads Solar. On average, Notre Dame diverts four thousand pounds (4,000 lbs.) of recycling a week. The amount of carbon emissions Notre Dame prevents annually through their recycling program is equivalent to the carbon sequestration of a seven (7) acre forest. Notre Dame has connected with Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County Restore and has sent them around eleven thousand pounds (11 ,000 lbs.) of furniture. One hundred and sixty (160) pieces of plexiglass that were used by Notre Dame during the pandemic have been accepted by Unity 2 Gardens for use in a variety of projects. Goodwill and Notre Dame partner every year to find ways to divert the things students leave behind after moving off campus. Notre Dame has a new program in which they are sending school supplies to schools in the area and the Robinson Learning Center. For the 2024 fiscal year, Notre Dame has purchased five (5) electric vehicles (EV s ), four ( 4) of which are available in their Motor Pool and one ( 1) is a parking service truck. With an increase in electric commuter vehicles, Notre Dame has improved its electric vehicle infrastructure on campus as well. Notre Dame has worked to address food waste and rescue. In partnership with Cultivate Culinary, Notre Dame has helped to bring meals to food-insecure families in the area. Local farmers also take some food waste from Notre Dame to use for feeding livestock. Anerobic digestion and composting also play roles in Notre Dame's food waste initiatives. Despite not having a regional compost facility, Notre Dame utilizes a Grind2Energy program powered by Insinkerator Emerson in which food waste is collected from the dining halls on campus and sent to Homestead Dairy in Plymouth. Homestead Dairy puts the waste in their anerobic digestor and utilizes it to create energy. Saint Mary's Climate Initiatives Julianne Wallace, Vice President for Mission, gave a presentation on the sustainability initiatives happening at Saint Mary 's College. Saint Mary's has a Sustainability Committee that is comprised of faculty, staff, and students. In 2023 , Saint Mary's developed their Laudato Si ' Action Plan, which spans seven (7) years. Last year Saint Mary's hired a Sustainability Coordinator, Maria Gonzalez-Diaz, who works primarily with students. In cooperation with Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary's is currently seeking to gain accreditation through ArbNet's Arboretum Accreditation Program. An arboretum is a botanical garden devoted to the cultivation of trees for scientific and educational purposes. For ArbNet's first (1 st) level of accreditation they require a minimum of twenty-five (25) labeled trees, and Saint Mary 's currently has about five hundred (500) trees labeled. Saint Mary's has recently begun the process for the AAS HE STARS assessment. Thanks to the donation of a hoop house from the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary's has gotten an early start with their sustainable farm and has been producing an immense amount of greens. The sustainable farm has provided students with opportunities to learn more about composting, farm animals (chickens), and even natural dyes made from flowers. In partnership with South Bend's For the Good, Saint Mary's hosts a free farmer's market for the community, called Veggies on Main, at First (1 st) United Methodist. Saint Mary's has composted around eighty-one thousand pounds (81 ,000 lbs.) of food since 2017. Again, in partnership with For the Good, Saint Mary's is developing a system to bring food that is left over from campus events to families in need. Saint Mary's has a recycling program in which students can leave behind certain unwanted items when they move out of campus; the items are presented to staff, and anything left is donated to Goodwill and/or other donation partners. Ben Bowman, Executive Director of Facilities, spoke regarding facility initiatives pertaining to sustainability at Saint Mary's. There have been about sixteen (16) phases of light-emitting diode (LED) upgrades at Saint Mary's. Long-term profits made from LED energy savings are used later for future LED upgrades. Saint Mary's has replaced fourteen (14) gas-powered vehicles with EVs, and has begun purchasing electric push mowers, electric blowers, and electric weed- eaters. This summer, Saint Mary's is set to replace their current boilers, which are from the 1960s, with new higher efficiency steam boilers. Saint Mary's is in talks with the Sisters of the Cross regarding a solar field, a pollinator, and a Monarch butterfly area. Julianna Wallace added that Saint Mary's has recently added a bee garden at the sustainability farm. Chair Tomas Morgan requested information regarding Saint Mary's sustainability farm . 3 Julianne Wallace stated that the farm is just north of campus. Ben Bowman stated that the farm area is five (5) acres large, and just over three (3) acres have been planted. Indiana University South Bend Climate Initiatives Rob DeCleene, Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Advancement at Indiana University South Bend (IUSB), gave a presentation regarding sustainability initiatives at IUSB. In 2023 Indiana University (IU) developed an eighty (80) page Climate Action Plan to attempt to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. IUSB 's current sustainability focus is on energy efficiency. Open Discussion Chair Tomas Morgan requested information regarding the vanous food waste initiatives on campuses. Geory Kurtzhals stated that Notre Dame has three (3) food waste collection tanks on campus: one (1) outside the North Dining Hall, one (1) outside the South Dining Hall, and one (1) outside the Center for Culinary Excellence. Staff members gather food waste from returned plates (post- consumer waste) and from food preparation (pre-consumer waste). The food waste is put into a grinder and then fed into its respective tank. Each tank has a sensor that notifies a variety of people that help pump the food waste out into tanker trucks and deliver it to Homestead Dairy. Homestead Dairy puts the food waste into their anerobic digestor system. Julianne Wallace stated that Saint Mary's has tubs in their dining hall for students to put food waste, and because the waste is taken to the farm for the chickens, there is no need for a grinder. Pam Claeys requested information regarding the chickens' egg production. Julianne Wallace stated that the chickens do produce eggs, and they are always the first (1 st) to go at their Veggies on Main events. Chair Tomas Morgan asked Alex Bazan to elaborate on city-wide composting possibilities. Alex Bazan stated that one component in fighting against food waste emissions is education. Educating residents on what is compostable and how to dispose of compostable materials will help to improve the success of composting. Along with education, infrastructure is needed to process larger volumes of compost. Cities like Chicago have built up infrastructure to tackle food waste on a large scale. The City also needs to partner with others that are interested in sustainability, such as the local campuses. Geory Kurtzhals stated that having a regional composting facility would benefit the area and could be treated as an economic development opportunity as there are composting companies willing to invest in communities. Composting facilities, unlike Grind2Energy, are able to receive single-use materials such as plates and forks. Tim Sexton, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs, highlighted the work of Cultivate Food Rescue. Chair Tomas Morgan stated that the City has supported Cultivate Food Rescue's recent expansion of their cold storage facility. Alex Bazan stated that the City has also worked with Cultivate Food Rescue regarding their energy needs. 4 Chair Tomas Morgan asked Alex Bazan what the sentiment across South Bend is regarding carbon neutrality by 2050. Alex Bazan stated that the City will be having more conversations with residents this summer. The City's Climate Action Survey highlighted some priorities of residents including climate equity, health, and affordable climate secured housing. Chair Tomas Morgan requested information regarding how the City tracks its progress regarding sustainability. Alex Bazan stated that there are some city-wide metrics that can be tracked, but attempting to track sustainability progress on an individual level would be difficult. Introductions of 2024-25 Student Body Leaders & General Updates from Member Organization Representatives Daniel Jung, Notre Dame student, stated that students are getting ready for the Green Move-Out, where students can donate their old items that they no longer want. In the fall, on football weekends, students are looking to tackle waste on campus. Students also have the Sustainability Cup, which is a challenge between residence halls at Notre Dame to see which hall can best implement sustainability practices. Notre Dame's new Student Government President is Dawson Kiser, and the new Student Government Vice President is Maeve Miller. Adare Carmody, Saint Mary 's Student Government Vice President, stated that she is a junior studying Communication Studies with minors in Political Science and Public Relations/ Advertising. Adare Carmody is also a resident assistant for Le Mans Hall, a part of the Resident Hall Association, a part of the Notre Dame Club Swim Team, and a tour guide on campus. Ashley Chaveriat, Saint Mary's Student Government President, stated that she is a junior studying Communication Studies with minors in Business and Public Relations/ Advertising. Ashley Chaveriat is also the Entertainment Co-Chair of the Studio Activities Board, a volunteer at Darden Elementary School, and a part of the Humor Artists of Notre Dame. Ashley Chaveriat stated that she and Adare Carmody are focused on achieving community, actively collaborating, and advancing Saint Mary's. Pam Claeys stated that the River Park Plan and the Potowatomi Park Plan are both underway. For Consideration: Fall 2024 Meeting Schedule Proposed Meeting Dates Chair Tomas Morgan stated that she will be sending out a survey regarding potential CCAC meeting dates for the upcoming academic year. Chair Tomas Morgan adjourned the meeting at 4:47 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Rachel Tomas Morgan, Chair NOTICE FOR HEARING AND SIGHT IMPAIRED PER.SONS Aux.iliary Aid or Other Services may be AvaJlablc upon Request at No Cha~e. Please give Reasonable Advance Request when Possible 5