Greening the Maize and Blue is an experimental course (NRE 306) taught in Fall 1995 at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources & Environment. The course was structured as a three credit undergraduate seminar. It was grounded in a prevention-oriented environmental management approach and applied social science research methods. Through student projects, Greening the Maize and Blue gives students the opportunity to develop constructive solutions to campus environmental protection issues. The course is not expected to be offered in the 1996-1997 academic year.
The Greening the Maize and Blue Advisory Committee was initially set up to provide guidance for the course. Following the course, the committee continued to meet in 1996, and produced a report entitled "Environmental Leadership at the University of Michigan: Activities and Opportunities."
For further information about Greening the Maize and Blue contact Andy Duncan, E-mail: aduncan@umich.edu
About the Greening the Maize and Blue Course
Executive Summaries of Fall 1995 Student Projects
These are executive summaries written by the students in the Fall 1995 Greening the Maize class. Here is a quick list of their project titles:
* Awareness Building of Organic Produce for College Campuses: A
Case Study at Couzens Dining Service
* A Classroom in the Arb
* Encouraging Recycling in Fraternity, Sorority, and Co-op Housing
* Junk Mail: Want Not, Waste Not
* Recycled Non-bleached Paper Survey and Study
* Recycling at the League
* The Ecological Constraints of Planting in Parking Areas: A Case
Study at the University of Michigan
* The Invasion Of Construction On Campus Quality Space
* Campaign to Support the Talloires Declaration
* Living Lightly Workshops in Sorority and Fraternity Houses
* The Michigan Daily: Strategies for Waste Prevention
Project Ideas for the Dana Building 1995
This document is a brief list of the types of project that could be conducted in the Dana Building, which houses the School of Natural Resources & Environment. As an initial project, all students conducted a lighting, computer, and maintenance audit of the Dana Building. Their findings were used by UMich's Maintenance and Utilities programs to make energy efficiency and other improvements within the building.
This report was a volunteer effort by members of the Greening the Maize and Blue Advisory Committee. It is not an officially sanctioned report by the University. Rather, it represents the views of the committee members who produced it. As authors of the report, we are proud of the University's commitment to environmental protection, and we wish to see this commitment strengthened.
The report includes an executive summary, bulleted recommendations, and information about environmental programs at the University of Michigan.
Full Environmental Leadership Report (70k)
Environmental Issues Commission, Michigan Student Assembly
"The Environmental Issues Commission coordinates campus and community environmental organizations, puts together Earth Week activities, and researches local and global environmental concerns."
Includes general information about Plant Operations, including Grounds, Maintenance, Building Services, Utilities. Also includes information about the Facility Management Information System (FMIS) project.
Pollution Prevention Strategies for College Campuses: Case Study at University of Michigan
This 1993 report was prepared by Masters students at UMich's School of Natural Resources & Environment. A written copy is available through the National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education.
Recycling and Waste Management
A comprehensive guide to recycling, waste prevention, and waste management services at the University of Michigan. Includes information on materials recycled, recycling and waste management statistics, off-campus recycling information, and synopses of student research projects.
School of Natural Resources and Environment
Information about the School's educational and research programs. Includes links to organizations within SNRE, including the Nichols Arboretum, the National Consortium for Environmental Education and Training (& their "EE-Link" Web/Gopher site), the National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education, as well as this home page.
Transportation Services Bus Systems
Graphic of UMich bus routes and bus schedules. Phone number contacts for other UMich transportation services.
Brown University "Brown is Green" Program
Contains information about Brown University's efforts to improve environmental stewardship on their campus, and links to other information.
Brown University Class Project Reports
(Photocopiers, Desk Lamps, and Recyclable Plastics)
National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education
Housed at University of Michigan, NPPC "develops pollution prevention educational materials (compendia) for university instructional faculty. These materials help faculty incorporate the principles of P2 [pollution prevention] into existing or new courses."
In October 1990 university presidents from around the world met in Talloires, France to draft a declaration for a sustainable future. Take a look at their declaration, and check to see if your college or university is a signatory to it.
Many greening the campus projects have a service learning element. Here is more information about service learning, as part of Communications for a Sustainable Future at the University of Colorado.
Energy Star Programs and Products
Link to the U.S. EPA's Energy Star program which certifies energy efficient computers, monitors, printers, copiers, fax machines, etc. Look here for up-to-date listings of brands and models and their energy consumption levels.
Pollution Prevention Research Database
Rachel's Environmental and Health Weekly
An archive of the weekly newsletter about environmental toxicology and related environmental issues. Editor Peter Montague backs up his strong opinions with substantial evidence.
An E-mail discussion list about recycling and related topics.
Bob Lilienfeld, from Ann Arbor, runs this WWW server and a related Use Less Stuff E-mail discussion list. He encourages individuals and businesses/institutions to prevent waste by using items more efficiently.
E-mail Discussion List Archives
A collection of archived E-mail correspondence from a variety of environmental discussion lists, from University of Virginia's EcoGopher.
(August '96)