Sustainability Blog

Looking for impactful ways to celebrate Earth Day this year? On April 16-23, Michigan Tech is hosting a week-long celebration offering many opportunities to get involved and learn about sustainability in your community! Check out the flyer and a full list of events with descriptions below.

• Waste Reduction Drive – Saturday, April 16, 9am – 3pm @ SDC Participate in the Keweenaw’s 3rd Annual Waste Reduction Drive by collecting laundry detergent containers, old socks, dental products, egg cartons, plastic bags & plastic film, old writing utensils, and razors & blades. There is a rolling collection for plastic bags, writing utensils, and razors in four locations: McNair, Wads, library, and downtown. The one-time collection for all 7 items will occur at the SDC. Event hosted by the Sustainability Demonstration House, contact Abbey Herndon at alherndo@mtu.edu for more information.

• Clothing Swap – Monday April 18, Noon – 4pm @ Library Do you enjoy upcycling your clothing? Stop by the clothing swap to check out our gently used and donated items. You never know what you might find! Event hosted by the Students for Sustainability, contact Lydia Wilson at laragelw@mtu.edu for more information.

• Discussion on Sustainable Careers and Professional Development – Monday April 18, 6:30pm @ Fisher 132 and Virtual Event. Members from Michigan Tech’s Career Services, the Director of Sustainability and Resilience, as well as faculty from the Department of Social Science’s will participate in a moderated panel to discuss career paths in sustainability, with dedicated time for questions from attendees. Event Hosted by ASPEN, contact Zoe Ketola at zlketola@mtu.edu for more information.

Virtual event link:  https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/85168005535

• Presentation of Sustainability Awards – Tuesday, April 19 Noon – 1pm @ MUB Find out the winners of the 2022 Sustainability Awards and learn about sustainability initiatives at Michigan Tech from Alan Turnquist! Event hosted by the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, contact Alan Turnquist at alturnqu@mtu.edu for more information.

• Sustainable Living Forum – Tuesday April 19, 6pm @ Fisher 101 and Virtual Event. Ever wondered what it’s like to live and travel out of a van? Hear tips, tricks, and ask someone who has done it sustainably and successfully! Event hosted by the Students for Sustainability, contact Sidney Mechling at smmechli@mtu.edu for more information.

Virtual event link: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/88094490554

• Earth Day Art & Music Festival – Wednesday April 20, 2-6pm @ Husky Plaza (MUB Commons if bad weather) Listen to local music, meet with sustainability-related enterprises and student organizations, admire earth-themed artwork, make a poster for the Climate March, and learn about ways to become involved! Event is scheduled to take place in the Husky Plaza with a rainy-day location in the MUB commons. Event hosted by Keweenaw Youth Climate Action, contact Elise Rosky at emrosky@mtu.edu for more information.

• Line 5 Presentation and Forum – Tuesday April 21, 6-7pm @ Fisher 138 and Virtual Event Join us for a public forum with Line 5 activists Arthur Hirsch & Susan Holcombe (members of the Lansing Climate Reality Chapter) and Gary Street (an MTU alum) who will dive into the history of Line 5, the current status of Line 5, and how Line 5 affects the Upper Peninsula. Presenters will be tuning in virtually, patrons can attend in person or on Zoom. Event hosted by the Climate Reality Campus Corps, contact Kendra Lachcik at ktlachci@mtu.edu for more information.

Virtual event link: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/81094555102

• Refill UP Collab – Friday April 22, 10am-2pm @ Library Spin the wheel on the 1st floor of the Library for a chance to win a prize from “the Keweenaw’s first zero waste refillery” located in Hancock, MI. Event hosted by the Students for Sustainability, contact Arika Booms at abooms@mtu.edu for more information.

• Earth Day Dinner – Friday April 22, 4-7pm @ McNair Dining Hall Join us for the 2nd annual Earth Day Dinner! 90% of the food served in McNair Dining Hall will be plant-based and 100% of the food and paper waste generated at the dinner will be diverted from the landfill. Some menu items include Buffalo Chickpea Quesadillas, Red Lentil Curry, and Portobello Mushroom Burgers. Wads will have more plant-based options and a waste diversion station. Event hosted by the Sustainability Demonstration House, contact Kendra Lachcik at ktlachci@mtu.edu for more information.

• Climate Action March against Line 5 – Saturday April 23, 4-6pm @ Veterans Memorial Park Join the Keweenaw Youth Climate Action group in a march against Line 5. Meet at Veterans Memorial Park in Houghton at 4pm. A sign making session will take place at the Art & Music Festival on April 20th. Contact Gabriel Ahrendt at gahrend@mtu.edu for more information.

The Husky Exchange is Michigan Tech’s green move-out program. With your help, we will gather reusable but unwanted items from residents as they move out of the residence halls in the spring, then store and sort the items and donate to local organizations or resell/giveaway the items back to students in the fall.  Together we can support students and the local community, divert waste from the landfill, and help build an awareness of sustainability at Michigan Tech. Last year, we collected over 3,000 items and kept more than a ton of materials out of the landfill!

When? Students can drop donations off anytime between Friday, April 22 and Sunday, May 1.

Where? There are eight drop off locations in the residence halls:

• WADS (5): outside the Cafe on the ground floor, and in each of the centrally located kitchenettes (floors 2-5)
• McNair (2): glass lounge outside the front desk (lobby) and the lobby area on ground floor east of the dining hall.
• DHH (1): Connector space
• Hillside (1): first floor kitchen near fireplace

What? The general rule is: if it’s clean and might be useful to someone, drop it off.

Partial list of items: pool noodles broomball sticks, non-perishable food, fans, lamps, storage and shelving, mirrors, office supplies, area rugs, electronics, laundered clothing, and small, clean, appliances.

Questions? email us at sustainability@mtu.edu

See below for a fascinating one minute depiction of global climate change from the NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. It does a great job of showing the upward (outward) trend thought the anomalies. Learn more here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4975

This week’s Husky Bites on Monday, March 21 is called “Glasgow—Michigan Tech Agents of Change,” with Chemistry Professor and Interim Dept. of Chemistry Chair Sarah Green, plus Jessica Daignault, who earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering at Michigan Tech in 2021, and current mechanical engineering PhD student Ayush Chutani. Dr. Green led a group of 9 Michigan Tech students and alumni to the UN International Climate Change Conference, COP26, last November.
We’ll learn what kinds of things go on at COP26, what it’s for, who goes, why we have observer status as a university (not many have it). We’ll hear about the outcomes from Glasgow, including the Glasgow climate pact and what it means. Dr. Green also has plans to possibly engage next year, at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. We will also celebrate leading up to World Water Day, which takes place the very next day, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.
Dr. Green has served as a Jefferson Science Fellow in the U.S. State Department, and as co-chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6), United Nations Environment Programme. Her research includes all aspects of environmental chemistry, from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, as well as communicating about climate change. At Michigan Tech, she teaches Green Chemistry and Climate Science and Policy.
Links to stories and live feed
twitter
https://twitter.com/mtu_engineering/status/1504831802631880705

facebook
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=495597902072218&id=109353424030003

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQN11EL3rS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

blog
https://blogs.mtu.edu/engineering/2022/03/17/sarah-green-glasgow-michigan-tech-agents-of-change/

calendar listing
https://events.mtu.edu/event/glasgowmichigan_tech_agents_of_change?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=widget&utm_source=Michigan+Tech+Events+Calendar

On Wednesday, March 2 from 10-11 a.m. EST, join in for a discussion with five distinguished  alumni on how Michigan Tech can work with industry and alumni for a more sustainable future.  The meeting will be 100% virtual, and the Zoom link is open to all:  https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/86273210371

Stream Details

Dial-In Information

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Mar 2, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: MTU Alumni Sustainability Panel

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/86273210371

Or One tap mobile : 
    US: +16468769923,,86273210371#  or +13017158592,,86273210371# 
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 669 900 6833  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799 
Webinar ID: 862 7321 0371
    International numbers available: https://michigantech.zoom.us/u/kRmcAxBxL

Please join us for the Sustainability Open House on Thursday, February 10th from 4-7 pm over Winter Carnival weekend! Come learn about our sustainable systems including composting, hydroponics, aquaponics, a solar array, a beehive, energy-efficient appliances, a zero-waste household, and many more. In addition, guests will receive free sustainable swag. 

The Sustainability Demonstration House is located at 21680 Woodland Rd, just down the road from East McNair. Parking is available at East McNair, Hillside, and Lot 10E. Masks will be required indoors. 
Please see the attached flyer for more information. Feel free to email 

sdh@mtu.edu with any questions. We hope to see you there!

We are thrilled to announce the competition for the first annual Frank Chernosky Campus Climate Ambassador Award that will support the development of Michigan Tech undergraduate students into the climate change leaders of tomorrow.  This alumni-funded award is named after Frank Chernosky, a former professor and advisor at Michigan Tech.  Mr. Chernosky was an early advocate for sustainability principles who impacted many students before dying tragically from a rare form of Heart Cancer in 1971.  This award in his name consists of three forms of student support: a partial tuition scholarship, funds for professional development and/or applied work, and a formal mentorship by campus and/or external professionals.  One recipient will be chosen annually.

The award for 2022-23 will be $8,000 – a scholarship amount of $6,400 spread over fall and spring semesters, and a professional development and applied work fund of up to $1,600 to be used by August 2023. Awardees will also receive active mentorship from campus and/or external professionals to help them develop networks and skills for their future work.  The overall timetable for the award is flexible to accommodate opportunities such as a co-op or internship.  Applicants and award recipients will solidify the details on the timing of the award, as well as the nature of mentorship and professional development, through the application process and dialogue with the committee.

To be considered, an applicant must be a full-time undergraduate student at Michigan Tech with the equivalent of at least three semesters of full-time enrollment at Michigan Tech by the fall of 2022. They must also have a minimum of two semesters of coursework remaining, though there is potential for flexibility to accommodate an internship or coop into the award timeframe.

Full details of the award and a link to the application are available in the PDF document below. Please send inquiries to Alan Turnquist at alturnqu@mtu.edu

The Office of Sustainability and Resilience invites you to participate in a public forum as part of a strategic planning process to develop campus sustainability goals that will lead us into the future.

The forum will take place in the MUB Alumni Lounge on January 27th. To maximize participation, there will be two back-to-back “identical” 75 minute sessions, one from 4:00 – 5:15 p.m., and another from 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Director of Sustainability Alan Turnquist will begin each session with a brief overview of the motivations, process, and the draft framework before facilitating a discussion. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to broader visioning, as well as provide specific comments on targets and timelines.

There are other opportunities for public input, including a second public forum planned for April 15 from 4-7 p.m. in the alumni lounge. There is also Google Form on the MTU sustainability website where anyone with an @mtu address can comment throughout the semester.

Please send any questions or comments to sustainability@mtu.edu

Call for Proposals: 

Sustainable & Resilient Communities Early Career Award or New Research Directions Award

Summary: The Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability & Resilience (ISR) invites applications from Michigan Tech faculty and staff for the Sustainable & Resilient Communities Early Career Award or New Research Directions Award. The Early Career Award is intended for early career researchers on campus (assistant professors or research staff in the first five years). For early career faculty and staff who have already used their start-up funding or who have limited access to start-up funds, preliminary work in sustainability & resilience research can contribute to future research leadership. The New Directions Research Award is for established researchers on campus (tenured faculty or research staff who have worked at Michigan Tech for more than 5 years) who are pursuing new ideas or topics in their work. For more established faculty and staff, starting a new research direction to contribute to sustainability & resilience research can be challenging, and this award provides an opportunity to develop new research directions. ISR expects to award 2-4 Early Career Awards and New Directions Research Awards for faculty and staff who aim to make significant contributions to research addressing sustainability & resilience. This is potentially a one time opportunity for researchers to grow their engagement with sustainability & resilience in new ways! 

Objective: The goal of these Awards is to advance new activity associated with research and leadership in sustainability and resilience at Michigan Tech. Sustainability and resilience are grand challenges that require collaboration, engagement across disciplines, and institutional leadership. Through these awards, ISR aims to grow Michigan Tech’s leadership in sustainability and resilience in ways that can be maintained through continued engagement. 

Funding Amount and Funded Activities: Awards are expected to provide $5,000-$7,000, and ISR could support up to 4 proposals at this funding level. In exceptional circumstances,1-2 awards up to $15,000 may be considered, although funding level is expected to be commensurate with expectations for impacts associated with future increases in research activities and impacts. Awards expenditures should be planned for February-December 2022. Funding may be provided for student hourly work, access to or collection of seed data, professional development opportunities, and/or pilot/proof of concept work, etc., that can contribute to future research proposal development. Researchers are expected to build a detailed budget and budget justification explaining why the award is necessary to support the work. All proposals should clearly explain what additional sources of support will be leveraged, if any, and what the expected results from this funding are in terms of value added for the researcher, for ISR, and, importantly, for the broader Michigan Tech community. Most importantly, proposals should explain what kinds of impacts the work will have for the Michigan Tech community and how this award will propel productivity in sustainability & resilience research. 

Mentorship: As part of this award, each awardee will be matched with a mentor/potential future collaborator from Michigan Tech to support development in sustainability & resilience research leadership. Proposers should identify 2-3 potential mentors/future collaborators (Michigan Tech faculty or staff) from across campus. The ISR WG will help to create mentorship/collaborator matches and support the structure of early mentorship discussions. 

Deadline: Submissions via email are due no later than January 10, 2022. A second round of Awards may be available in spring 2022, pending funding availability. Awardees will be expected to complete a post-award report and present to the ISR WG about their work after the award period.

Submission Process: Proposals should include and will be evaluated based on the following: 

• A title indicating whether the submission is to be considered for an Early Career or New Directions award
• Project start and end dates; must be begin after February 2022 and be completed by December 2022

• Project description, clearly explaining the significance of the work for growing Michigan Tech’s leadership in research that addresses grand challenges for creating more sustainable and resilient communities (2 pages maximum; at least 11-point, Times Roman font, 1-inch margins)
• A paragraph that details what kinds of impacts the work will have for the Michigan Tech community and how this award will propel future research productivity in sustainability & resilience research
• Identification of 2-3 potential mentors 
• A detailed budget and budget justification, including details on what additional resources, if any, are being leveraged for the proposed project. These additional resources may include other sources of funding, other data or laboratory needs, etc. 

Proposal narratives, potential mentors, budgets, and budget justifications should be submitted as a single document via email to Chelsea Schelly, cschelly@mtu.edu. Given the flexible nature of this award, potential submitters are encouraged to reach out with questions or to pitch ideas before developing a proposal. ISR looks forward to receiving your inquiries! 

Michigan Tech was highlighted in the Sustainable Campus Index for contributions to the L’Anse Community Solar Project. This work brought together a team of engineering researchers and students from the Alternative Energy Enterprise, advised by Jay Meldrum, to work with local and state partners to bring solar to the Community of L’Anse, while meeting the needs of lower income residents. The project successfully installed 340 panels and had a 100% subscription rate after six months. Read more about the project (see page 55) and other important sustainability milestones from around the country in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index.

The Sustainable Campus Index highlights innovative and high-impact sustainability initiatives from institutions that participate in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Reporting (STARS) program. Michigan Tech earned a Silver rating in their first STARS submission in October of 2020.