President's Council for Environmental Sustainability Members
| Chair Sheila Bennett | Professor of Natural Science | sheilab @maine.edu |
| Norma Bisulca | Associate Professor of Mathematics | bisulca @maine.edu |
| Daylin Butler | Professor of Business and Public Administration | daylin @maine.edu |
| Constance Holden | Associate Professor of Developmental Math and Science | cholden@maine.edu |
| Cindy Hook | Director of Advertising and Publications | cwhook @maine.edu |
| Tom Giordano | Assistant Professor of Accounting | giordano @maine.edu |
| Gillian Jordan | Dean of UMA Bangor | gillian @maine.edu |
| Laurie Krzywda | Data Processing Coordinator | krzywda @maine.edu |
| Glen LeBlanc | Instructional Designer, University College Education Services | gleblanc@maine.edu |
| Donald Osier | Director of Learning Support Services | donald.osier@maine.edu |
| Craig Pratt | Business student | craig.h.pratt @maine.edu |
| Nicholas Runco | Learning Support Specialist and Co-ordinator of Tutoring | nrunco@maine.edu |
| Robert Sherman | Assistant Professor of Architecture | robert.sherman @maine.edu |
| Peter St. Michel | Director of Facilities and Project Manager | stmichel @maine.edu |
| Sheri Stevens | Executive Director of Administrative Services | sheri @maine.edu |
| Sarah Walton | Assistant Professor of Justice Studies | sarah.walton @maine.edu |
Reduce fossil fuel burning by reducing electricity consumption.
 Use CFLs 
Using a 25 watt compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) for a year instead of a 100 watt incandescent light bulb will reduce your carbon dioxide emission by 193 pounds and provide a similar amount of brightness.
(5 hours per day use and 1.43 lbs carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour. )
By 2012 the incandescent 100 watt bulb will be extinct.  Federal energy legislation passed in December requires higher energy efficiency CFLs and halogen lamps to replace the light bulb that produces more heat than light for a given amount of energy.  Though they cost more they save on the electric bills and last much longer.
Since CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, there is some concern about breakage and disposal.  The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has released a set of recommendations for clean up of broken CFLs.  They can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm
Broken CFLs placed in a sealed glass jar and any worn out bulbs should be disposed of at a Universal Waste Collection Center or participating retail store.  A list of municipal collection sites and more information about CFL disposal can be found at this Maine Department of Environmental Protection web site:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/fluorescent.htm#first-level-nav#first-level-nav
Sponsored by the President’s Council for Environmental Sustainability
As a charter signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) is dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A climate action plan based on an annual inventory of emissions will guide the institution in achieving its long term goal of climate neutrality. The results of UMA’s 2008 inventory, illustrated below, will be updated as additional data become available.
In order to assess the institution’s total impact on global warming, potential greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, were converted to metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCDE) by software from Clean Air Cool Planet. Institutional emissions data were obtained from UMA’s administrative services department which uses the Energy Watchdog software program to manage energy-related data.
Total Emissions in Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents
Between 2004 and 2007, UMA’s greenhouse gas emissions increased from 3255 MTCDE to 3773 MTCDE. For the four year period, heating of facilities is the largest emission source. Renovation of several buildings and fewer heating degree days reduced this figure in 2008 to 2917 MTCDE. Indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity were reduced starting in 2003 when UMA contracted with Constellation New Energy, Inc., to purchase 30% renewable electricity for qualifying metered facilities.
Emissions generated by the college fleet are included in the transportation category; however, this category is likely to be UMA’s major source of emissions and the most critical issue to overcome in achieving climate neutrality. UMA does not have residential facilities, and students commute to classes at various locations. It is anticipated that commuting data for students, faculty, and staff will be added to the college fleet data in the 2009 inventory.
President's Council for Environmental Sustainability
The UMA President's Council for Environmental Sustainability recognizes that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century and that the University of Maine at Augusta can provide leadership in addressing climate warming by serving as a role model for the Central Maine region and by educating the people who will develop solutions to reverse global warming. It is the responsibility of faculty, staff, administration, and students to undertake activities that promote a sustainable environment whether in the daily life of the institution or in the local and global environment.
The mission of the Council is to initiate and support educational and institutional activities that lead to more sustainable sources of energy while reducing energy demand and to more thoughtful use of energy in our personal lives.
UMA is a charter signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
- UMA Council members
- American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/ - Green Campus Consortium of Maine
http://gccmaine.org/ - Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
http://www.aashe.org/ - The Campus Green
http://www.uma.edu/campusgreen.html
UMA Adopts Climate Action Plan
In July 2007 UMA joined 650 colleges and universities in a comprehensive initiative to address climate warming. All campus presidents committed to neutralizing greenhouse gas emissions generated by their institutions. UMA has recently adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that provides guidelines for moving toward the goal of carbon neutrality.
Developed by UMA’s President’s Council for Environmental Sustainability and approved by President Allyson Hughes Handley, the CAP calls for strategies to be instituted in all aspects of the daily life of the institution.
The strategies are based on UMA’s greenhouse gas inventory and include campus operations (purchased power, heating/air conditioning/ventilation, refrigeration, buildings, grounds), transportation (commuting and campus fleet), administrative policies (procurement of products, energy finance, transportation) and education (core curriculum, course integration, campus community) and financing strategies.
UMA’s GHG EMISSIONS 2008
Because UMA is a commuter institution, determining emissions generated by students as they attend classes at the Augusta and Bangor campuses or any of University College Centers, or ITV sites, presented a significant challenge. Special recognition is due Professor Daylin Butler who contributed his expertise in survey research by preparing and analyzing a commuter survey for students, faculty, and staff. Instrumental in distributing and collecting survey responses were Terry Lawson, Joan Pfaffle, June MacLeod, Pat Lynch, Bev Ludden, and Priscilla Costello. Thank you for assisting in this important data collection step.
What can you do to help reduce carbon emissions?
- Suggest ways UMA can reduce emissions by emailing the President’s Council for Environmental Sustainability
- Learn how to reduce your own emissions. Start by calculating your carbon footprint.
- Visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s web site to learn what you can do at home and on the road.
