University of Missouri, Kansas City
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

UMKC’s commitment to sustainability is visible across the entire campus. The new Student Union and Herman and Dorothy Johnson Residence Hall are state-of-the-art green buildings. Sustainable gardening is encouraged at three rain gardens and a student-led community garden, and the Student Union and Miller Nichols Library (MNL) have rooftop gardens. The Hub bicycle repair center helps keep students mobile. Students and the community can stay informed through the Recycling-on-the-Go educational kiosk, and can use the solar recycling center east of the MNL. We even reused timbers from the old bleachers at Swinney Recreation Center. Use the Green Features Map tour of all UMKC’s green initiatives the next time you are on campus and see for yourself! Through leadership, collaboration and action, the university will continue to achieve its sustainability goals. 2012 Goals Continue to expand recycling and waste reduction throughout campus culture including all events. Continue to host more eco-educational events, workshops and conferences. Create more educational opportunities of alternative transportation options on campus. Create a green purchasing policy campus wide. Launch Interactive Voluntary Energy Management Campaign 2010-2011 Awards and Honors: UMKC has become a leader in our urban community and in the Midwest region because of advancing its Sustainability Initiatives and the hard work of the UMKC Sustainability Team. Here’s a list of honors and awards: American School and University Magazine Green Cleaning Award 2011 Honorable Mention Mid-America Regional Council 2011 Top Sustainable Success Stories Honoree Greenability Magazine Sept/Oct 2011 Issue-UMKC lead article on “Local Colleges Prepare Students for a Greener Future” Bicycle Friendly University Honorable Mention 2011 Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District 2010 Outstanding Program Award Top 100 Cool School by Sierra Club 2010

UMKC Sustainability has a UMKC Sustainability Team Facebook, a twitter @umkcsustain

The Center for Applied Environmental Research offers the following programs and services: Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Environmental Education - Solid and Hazardous Waste Management - Environmental Justice Issues - Pollution Prevention - Environmental Chemistry - Evening and Weekend Adult Education - Community Environmental Awareness and Outreach - Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation - Environmental Health and Medical Geology Site Selection and Evaluation Testing for lead and radon in Residential Structures Environmental Hot Line Internships for College Students International Environmental Consulting Collaboration With Other Environmental Organizations Environmental Conferences and Symposia Water Quality Analyses Air Quality Assessment and Analysis

There are two buildings on campus as of spring 2012 that have attained LEED Accrediation. Herman and Dorthy Johnson Hall is LEED accredited and the new Student Union is LEED Gold accredited. Both buildings have interpretive signage that speaks to the highlights of the green building features.

UMKC Dining Services is committed to doing their part to keep the campus green while providing nutritious and innovative dining to the entire university community. Efforts include recycling more than 500 pounds of cardboard every week at University Center alone. Some other ways Dining Services is making a difference: Compostable Straws along with Bulk Condiments coming January 2012! Partnership with the UMKC Garden Collective More locally-grown foods Organic composting Cage-free eggs No-rinse products for dishwashing to use less water Trayless cafeteria All napkins made with 100% recycled material Biodegradable cups All napkins made with 100% recycled material Biodegradable cups

Landscaping Rain Gardens UMKC landscaping mitigates potential damage from stormwater runoff through three rain gardens, and the Student Union utilizes best practices through a detention pond to handle storm water. Interpretive Signage on the rain garden construction and plants are posted at each site. Community Gardening Located by the School of Education at 53rd and Holmes streets, the community garden is a student-led initiative in partnership with Campus Facilities Management and the local neighborhood. In 2010, The Garden Collective became an official student association. Please follow the link about the 2010 bountiful harvest . Try to join the students winterizing the garden at one of the upcoming calendar dates in 2011! Tree pruning and planting Tree pruning and planting on campus are done in partnership with the Bridging the Gap’s Heartland Tree Alliance (HTA). The HTA provides education and assistance with choosing the right tree, planting, pruning, and caring for trees in the long-term. Tulips on Troost Tulips on Troost is an annual community tulip planting event that has planted thousands of tulips throughout the Troost corridor from 18th to 47th Streets. To become a volunteer, a certified petal pusher, visit the Tulips on Troost website.

UMKC Green Features UMKC Green Map Take a visual tour with our green features map from roof top gardens to one of our campus rain gardens to LEED Buildings to our recycling program.

UMKC’s green transportation initiatives include integrating student, faculty and staff all-access bus passes, increasing the number of bike racks and amenities, and developing a multi-modal parking structure to support cycling, bus commuting, pedestrians, ride-share and alternative fuel vehicles. The university participates in a group of 17 partners that received a $15 million U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Initiative grant from the Recovery Act. The grant will support the installation of a variety of refueling stations and aid in the deployment of more than 300 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles

UMKC’s provides a Google Bike Map along with other campus bike/ped/bus maps.

This brochure provides an overview of the UMKC campus community’s efforts to take the lead in environmental sustainability. Unless otherwise noted, the primary source for information provided in the Guide to Green Living is from UMKC Campus Facilities Management documents, PowerPoint presentations and websites.

Sustainability is featured in the UNews each month by various reporters. Since 2008 there have been 60 plus articles showcasing campus sustainability efforts.

As a way to help our cyclists stay on the road and to encourage more people to pedal instead of drive, UMKC established, The Hub, an on-campus bike station located in Cherry Hall. The Hub provides repair and maintenance for UMKC Clean Commute loaner bikes at no cost. UMKC students, staff and faculty may also visit The Hub to get a non-loner bike repaired, volunteer, or learn more about alternative transportation options around Kansas City.

UMKC sells as many as 8,000 parking permits per year. If you consider each of those permits to represent one single occupancy car trip per day that represents a potential 2.92 million car trips annually to campus! Involvement in an alternative commute program is the first layer of shifting driving behaviors. The goal of UMKC Clean Commute is to set a regional example showing how safe and easy it is to chose alternative transportation and promote the positive health and air quality impacts of those choices. The new University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC) Clean Commute program will challenge the student, staff and faculty to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips to and from campus by using alternative modes of transportation such as bicycles, walking and mass transit. Modeled on successful programs across the country the Clean Commute program at UMKC will incorporate alternative transportation education while focusing on: Distributing of new loaner bicycles equipped with lights, locks and fenders Installing bike parking racks Creating of a campus bike map Offering on-campus bike maintenance Hosting safety education workshops Always wear a helmet—they save lives. Head injuries cause about 75 percent of the approximately 700 bicycling-related fatalities every year in the U.S. Wearing a CPSC-certified helmet can reduce the risk of head injuries by 85 percent. Ask you local bike shop for advice on a good model and fit