Past Student Grants

Get Active, Get Green U of I

$2,000.00; Ryan McGrath

As an update to the UISC’s 2008 transportation survey, McGrath is conducting an extensive campus-wide survey to determine needs of students regarding alternative transportation as well as a UI Parking and Transportation component. In order to encourage students to participate in this survey (which could lead to new sustainable transportation projects and policies on campus, such as the implementation of a “Green Bike” program), McGrath will set up a drawing for a variety of prizes (ranging from Ipods to commuter bikes!) as incentives. The survey will be conducted throughout April, with prizes awarded during Earth Fest.

Current Status: In progress. Beginning June 2013, transportation survey results are available on the Sustainability Center’s website: http://www.uidaho.edu/community-connections/office-of-community-partnerships/sustainability-center/surveys.

Climate Change Awareness Seminar Series

$2,560.00; Matt Mumma, Robert Lonsinger

What’s the one thing that all Idahoans love? Many often think of the state’s pristine fish and wildlife but Mumma and Lonsinger worry that climate change may have detrimental effects upon Idaho’s natural resources. Through this grant, Mumma and Lonsinger plan to illuminate the current and future impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife communities and promote interdisciplinary collaboration via their climate change awareness seminar series, “Oceans, Ice and Climate Change.” Two speakers, Dr. Shallin Busch and Dr. Steven Amstrup (a UI alum), will give presentations throughout the Spring 2013 semester on climate change; Dr. Busch will discuss ocean acidification while Dr. Amstrup will present the plight of the polar bears. Hear Dr. Amstrup's presentation on the UI Sustainability Center’s website at uidaho.edu/sustainability. 

Current Status: In progress.

Making the Drop Go Further

$3,000.00; Matthew Aghai

Considering that the UI Pitkin Nursery produces over 350,000 seedlings for reforestation and restoration efforts, water reduction methods are paramount.  With Aghai’s grant, the nursery will construct a major subirrigation system that will significantly improve their water use efficiency by at least 30% and reduce nutrient runoff. 

Current Status: Complete. The UI Pitkin Nursery continues to use Aghai’s subirrigation system to grow seedlings.

Student Bike Light and Safety

$1,912.50; Garry Whitebird

Through support from Paradise Creek Bicycles and Vandal Cycling, this grant’s funding went towards subsidizing the purchase and installation of bicycle headlights and taillights for only $2 for UI student bicycles at the UISC’s Bike Fix event in Spring 2012. Whitebird’s grant made great strides in bringing about a sense of sustainability concerning transportation through safer biking practices.  

Current Status: Complete. The UISC continues to hold biannual Bike Fix events for free to all UI students.

Biochar as a Compost Amendment

$2,700.00; Gabe Garcia

Just how effective is the Food and Farm composting system in the Idaho Commons? Garcia researched the outcomes of adding biochar, a valuable soil amendment, to compostable waste. His research helped the UISC’s compost program become more efficient, reduced overall campus waste and thus brought the UI one step closer to a closed compostable waste system.

LLC Water Conservation

$756.72; Patrick Frome, Luke Ivers

Focused on conserving water in the Living Learning Community (LLC), Frome and Ivers installed a dual flush retrofit to eight of the toilets found in the unisex bathrooms on the first floor of each building in the complex. This retrofit allowed residents to use a half flush for liquid waste and a full flush for solid waste.  While it is estimated that a dual flush option can save an average American family 30 gallons of water per day, Frome and Ivers expected to see even greater benefits in these living communities.  Additionally, this project focused on advertising this water-saving option as well as others through an informational sign campaign.

Current Status: Complete. This project is a strong candidate as a repeat project if a proposal includes a letter of support from UI housing documenting their level of satisfaction with the program, especially with the qualifier that they view the program as a success.

Finding the Palouse Prairie

$1,500.00; Matthew Dolkas

The Palouse Prairie is one of the most critically endangered ecosystems in the world.  It has been estimated that less than 1% of the native prairie remains. Dolkas’ project aimed to raise awareness and gain support for conserving the Palouse Prairie through photography, gallery showings and publishing a beautiful book (of which all the proceeds went to the Palouse Prairie Foundation).

Current Status: Complete. Dolkas’ book has helped raise thousands of dollars for the Palouse Prairie Foundation which seeks to promote preservation and restoration of native Palouse Prairie ecosystems in Latah and Whitman Counties (in Idaho and Washington), through public awareness, education, literature resource, encouraging responsible local seed production, and acting as a leader or consultant in Palouse Prairie restoration efforts. Learn more about Dolkas’ book at http://dolkas.com/photography/findingthepalouseprairie.html.  

New Hoop House Purchase and Construction for Soil Stewards

$2,969.67; Wieteke Holthuijzen

This grant was used to purchase and construct an additional hoop house (greenhouse) for the Soil Stewards, a student-run organization committed to local, sustainably-grown organic produce.  Once constructed, this hoop house allowed the Soil Stewards to practice proper crop rotation, as well as extend their growing season. In addition, the Soil Stewards developed a contract with Campus Dining and now provide seasonal locally-grown organic produce for use in campus dining locations.

Current Status: Complete. The hoop house was completed in June 2011 and is currently used to grow organic produce throughout the season. There is much potential in follow-up projects; contact soilstewards@stuorgs.uidaho.edu. 

Terracing and Garden Expansion at the Campus Christian Center

$2,700.00; Randy Davenport

Davenport’s project deals with the vacant lots next to the Campus Christian Center (CCC) on the corner of University Avenue and Elm Street. By landscaping and terracing these lots to expand the garden beds at the CCC, Randy helped educate students about sustainable food sources and gardening practices while providing fresh, local produce for local food charities.

Current Status: Complete.

Investigation of PLA-based Corn Bioplastics Degradation in Compost

$1,652.00; Christopher Currie

With the recent introduction of composting stations in the Idaho Commons and the use of poly-lactic acid (PLA) based corn bioplastics for utensils and sushi containers in campus dining locations on campus, this project advanced the knowledge about the microorganisms that break down PLA-based products with the goal of continuing efforts to handle compostable waste on campus in a closed system.

Current Status: Complete. Results from Currie’s project showed that PLA products were fully compostable. However, this project also helped UI composting to determine that the utensils took longer than expected to break down. With a compost screener, this is no problem.  Because the finished product is land applied as a soil amendment or used as animal bedding, partially composted shards of sharp PLA should be avoided.

SOPE Native Vegetation Garden

$564.57; Carolyn Boyd, Steffany Dignum

The Student Organization for People and the Environment (SOPE) proposed to expand native vegetation gardens around campus. By promoting low maintenance and drought tolerant alternatives, Boyd and Dignum planned to create self-sustaining and beautiful sections of campus not used for express recreational purposes. It was their hope to enable a culture shift from non-native grasses to native species and preserving aspects of the diminished Palouse prairie.

LLC Green Bike Shelter and Bioswale

$3,000.00; Ryan Beitz

This project involved the design of a covered bike shelter adjacent to the Living Learning Communities along 6th Street.  Stormwater runoff from the shelter and some of the LLC buildings would be directed into a constructed bioswale on site that would filter the water before it enters nearby Paradise Creek.  Unfortunately, this project remains unconstructed due to incompatibilities with the University’s design aesthetic.

Current Status: Unfinished. This project remains unconstructed due to incompatibilities with the University’s design aesthetic.

Biochar: A Product of Bioenergy and Contrivance for Soil Enhancement and Carbon Sequestration

$2,828.11; Kristin McElligott

Kristin McElligott completed a lab study of Idaho soils to examine the potentials of the local use of biochar, a type of charcoal, in improving fertility of soils, increasing plant productivity, and sequestering carbon to mitigate climate change. McElligott also hosted events at the UI Pitkin Nursery and the UI Earth Week to show the benefits of biochar and how it can be used locally; she continued outreach efforts throughout the summer at field sites in McCall and even presented the results of her study at the US Biochar Conference in Ames, Iowa.

Current Status: Complete.

UI Composting Design and Pilot

$3,000.00; John Boyd

John Boyd and his self-titled team “The Green Machine” worked to design and implement a compost system for the University of Idaho utilizing 100% of campus food waste, animal carcasses, and slaughter offal. The preliminary conceptual design consisted of a 3-bin, negatively aerated static pile system. This system is designed to handle a waste stream of 100 tons of compostable food waste per year. However, at the time of the writing of this report, the UI Dairy implemented a non-aerated static pile system for the composting of animal carcasses. 

Current Status: The composting project switched gears and required a different system to operate because of the size of the waste stream. This change, however, was beyond the scope of the project. John Boyd recommended that Darin Saul and the UISC use the remaining money to make payments on the composting system mentioned in the Green Machine report. Of the awarded $3,000.00 to the composting project, $689.75 was spent.

Lights Are Working with Sustainability (LAWS Project)

$1,950.00; Sally Butts

This project provided motion sensor light switches and related motion sensor equipment in the Menard Law Building in the three large classrooms (rooms 103, 105, and 107). The results of the project increased energy efficiency in these rooms and reduced energy costs once installed. Additionally, the sensor technology provided a daily reminder to students, faculty, and staff that energy conservation is important. In fact, Butts’ project saved about 69 hours of energy use per week which translated to savings of $1,070 annually. This project was truly sustainable as it paid for itself in less than two years.

Current Status: Complete. However, this project is a compelling contender for a repeat project, along with a much stronger marketing component to educate campus about the ROI (return on investments) that energy efficiency upgrades provide. Possible new projects concerning energy efficiency could include an energy efficiency project with the Nez Perce tribe.

Green Living Workshop Series

$1,400.00; Michael Hazel

Michael Hazel and SOPE (Student Organization for People and the Environment) hosted four workshops on campus that were available to all students to learn simple ways to decrease their environmental impact. In the workshops, between 30-40 students participated in hands-on activities such as making their own environmentally-friendly cleaning projects, building windowsill gardens, discovering ways to reduce consumption of disposable goods, and cooking their own meals with local ingredients.

Current Status: Complete.

Vandal Community Garden

$1,050.00; Danie Merriman

For this project, Danie Merriman and UI Environmental Club will created a campus community garden- an area for students on campus who are interested in gardening and growing their own food but who do not have land needed to create their own.  The club worked hard throughout the year in order to have the garden plots available to students for the spring. The project culminated in the construction of two 12’ by 4’ by 1’ foot raised garden plots in the LLC courtyard that gardeners may use for their own gardening purposes. 

Moscow Coffee Compost Project (MoCoPro)

$697.59; Owen Baughman

Coffee grounds are excellent composting material due to their high nitrogen content and pre-grounded nature.  In addition, they are quite abundant on any college campus! Baughman, a Conservation Social Sciences major, developed this creative program to compost coffee grounds through student and volunteer support via the Ecology and Conservation Biology Club. The UI Dining Services and local coffee sellers were provided with containers in which coffee/tea grounds and filters were collected; grounds were then transported via bicycle to a central location. Together, these enthusiastic bicyclists transported grounds to the PCEI and the UI Soil Stewards to be properly mixed and decomposed into real compost.

Current Status: Complete but needs to be reinitiated. The bike trailer is still available for use; if you are interested, please contact Donna Mills (mill1189@vandals.uidaho.edu). Currently, most coffee grounds on campus are composted through the Food & Farms program. However, there are a few locations on campus that do not have access to this program; in addition, several local Moscow businesses do not compost their coffee grounds. 

Food Miles: The Real Cost of What’s on Your Plate

$2,050.00; Matt Drown

This project investigated the carbon footprints of meals eaten in Moscow based upon the emission from transportation and production. Once the research phase was completed, Drown began an informative campaign that encouraged students to consider what types of food they bought and consumed. Moreover, the campaign focused on changing consumer spending habits by promoting the purchase and support of locally grown foods in order to reduce their impact on the environment. 

Current Status: Complete.

Web Video Series

$3,000.00; Mary Packer

The web has become an increasingly popular place to promote green causes or encourage sustainable lifestyles through a variety of media. Packer, supported by various UI Journalism and Mass Media professors, produced six short interdisciplinary web videos highlighting campus, local, regional and national sustainability efforts and issues. The videos were also submitted to local, regional and national film, television and video festivals so that students could further share and discuss sustainability practices and issues with new audiences. Packer's goal was to provide students with an experiential, interdisciplinary, and transformational learning environment that aided in creating awareness about sustainable behaviors for faculty, staff, students and community members.

Current Status: Complete. These videos can be found at the UI Sustainability Center profile on YouTube.

Cover Cropping at UI Organic Farm

$1,488.00; Derrick Reeves

Students at the UI have the opportunity to directly learn and work with sustainable agriculture techniques at the UI’s very own certified organic student research farm (Parker Farm). However, organic farming requires intense tillage to control weeds and the low efficiency of natural fertilizers threatens the sustainability of organic systems. Cover cropping is an integral component of this particular agricultural system yet it is not commonly practiced in the Palouse region. In this project, Reeves compared two different cover crops, Winter Triticale and Austrian Winter Peas, at the UI’s organic farm. His results were able to aid decisions to determine if the use of Winter Triticale and Austrian Winter Pea cover crops could improve soil quality and the long-term sustainability of the UI’s organic farm, providing a truly sustainable source of fresh produce for the University. 

Current Status: Complete. Overall, Austrian Winter Peas and Winter Triticale both showed promise as cover crops. Both grew well and effectively suppressed weeds despite cold conditions and a late planting date. Although Winter Triticale produced the most biomass, the pea treatments resulted in more biomass nitrogen being returned to the soil. While the study suggests that Austrian Winter Pea is the better crop in terms of enhancing soil fertility, Winter Triticale may be useful as a catch crop to remove and recycle nitrogen that would otherwise be leached out of the soil profile.

Discovering the Importance of Native Vegetation

$3,000.00; Kate Zuck

Since 1900, 94% of the grasslands and 97% of the wetlands in the Palouse ecoregion have been converted to crop, hay, or pasture lands. In order to highlight the fragile and changing Palouse prairie, Zuck and the student organization SOPE (Student Organization for People and the Environment) collaborated to create this proposal to build native vegetation gardens in the Living Learning Communities and the on the corner of 3^rd Street and Highway 8. Plants were purchased from Plants of the Wild (a local seed producer) and plantings were conducted during Earth Week 2009 and at the UI’s annual “Saturday of Service.” Once completed, these gardens enriched various campus areas, not only aesthetically but also educationally by providing a living laboratory for students to utilize. The gardens also provided a variety of important environmental functions, such catching and absorbing storm water runoff, a benefit in both the short and long term.

Current Status: Complete.

University of Idaho College of Law Recycling Initiative

$486.00; Dylan Hedden-Nicely

Without a permanent and widespread recycling system in place, the College of Law was unable to provide this basic service to the +300 students that pass through its doors each day. Seeing this as an opportunity to develop an inexpensive yet effective project, Hedden-Nicely proposed a grant to replace the 65 trashcans in the Law Library with recycle bins with small hanging trashcans. Early surveys indicated that the majority of students within the Law School would recycle if it were readily available. Through his grant and volunteer support from the Environmental Law Society, recycling became a commonplace and easily-accessible activity in the College of Law. 

Current Status: Complete. However, a campus-wide recycling system is still needed.

McClure Hall Energy Efficiency Analysis

$190.00; Kenneth Peters, Adam Radel, Mason Croft

Just how much energy is used to power all of the computers in the high-use labs and terminals of McClure Hall? Three geography students surveyed this campus building to determine its power consumption footprint, with special emphasis on the demands of computers and lighting. This data was collected by “Kill-O-Watt” meters that monitored and recorded power consumption during peak and non-peak times. Their results were quite interesting and showed that all 419 computers left on for 8 hours, and in “stand-by” mode for 16, were far more energy efficient (over $7,000 in savings!) than those computers left on for a full 24 hours. This project became a model to adopt simple yet cost-effective energy saving strategies for other UI departments, organizations, and student groups.

Current Status: Complete. This project could be reinitiated or expanded by 1) implementing an education campaign, 2) calculating savings in cooling costs, 3) anticipating energy usage in new buildings planning, or 4) conducting an accurate census of computers and consumption campus-wide.

Solar Fans on the Soil Stewards Hoop House

$1,982.63; Jonathan LeBlanc

In 2007, a hoop house (otherwise known as a mini greenhouse) was erected on the UI organic student research farm (Parker Farm) managed by the student club Soil Stewards, in hopes of being able to start seedlings during the winter, increase the length of the growing season, and produce more vegetables. To solve ventilation issues that stressed and damaged plants, LeBlanc developed a project to install solar-powered fans and ventilation pieces on the hoop house. In addition, he also installed internal thermostats to ensure proper temperatures for seedlings and plants. Through his efforts, seeds could be started earlier and continue later in the season. Moreover, his project served as an example for future sustainable endeavors with solar power.

Campus Move-Out Program (RE-ZY)

$10,760.00; Esther Ngumbi, Fafanyo Asiseh, Genevieve Armstrong, Willow Falcon, Cynthia Mika

In order to address the issue of moving-out at the end of the year, this project created and coordinated a sustainable move-out program (RE-ZY) for living communities on and around the University of Idaho campus.  A strategic system was implemented to intercept clothing, food, furniture, and other reusable items before students disposed of them either during or after moving out. In addition to a vigorous marketing campaign, the project culminated in a campus-wide (and sustainable!) yard sale.

Current Status: Complete. The UISC and other organizations on campus have implemented a similar program that takes place at the end of every Spring semester. Robert Goodrich (rgoodrich@uidaho.edu), in particular, works with his classes to set up this program when students are moving out at the end of the school year.  

Campus Energy Assessment

$10,650.00; Harshana Thimmanna, A.B. Rakesh Kamal

Part of the UI Sustainability Assessment, this project analyzed twelve buildings on the UI campus including residence halls, office buildings, as well as lab buildings. This involved a thorough survey of all the buildings which focused on calculation of CO₂ emissions based on consumption of electricity, gas, and steam. Along with numerous newspaper articles to share the results to UI students and staff, the project leaders also implemented a campaign to encourage sustainable and energy-saving choices via interactive seminars, a Kill-a-Watt competition, stickers on light switch panels, and fliers.

Current Status: Complete. However, there is a need for a continuously updated UI Sustainability Assessment.

McCall Outdoor Science School Composting

$1,630.00; Jenn Kullgren, Jacob Dolence

The goal of this project was to implement a large-scale composting program at the McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) to reduce food waste and become more sustainable. Students, staff, and faculty at MOSS worked closely with their cooks in order to develop list of easily compostable foods. Measurements (weight and amount of waste reduced) were taken during the beginning of the project to establish baseline data to which future progress could be compared to. Once the grant was completed, the compost system became part of the daily chores that field instructors and students at MOSS complete daily. In addition, MOSS developed a program to donate compost to the community as well as outreach opportunities to local schools to plant native species throughout their campuses. 

UI Sustainability Resource Compilation Project

$1,174.70; Melissa Firor, Tess Studley

Originally aimed at aiding students in the planning of future campus sustainability projects and educating themselves on environmental topics, this project aimed to build a collection of sustainability-focused magazines, books, films and online sources.  Although the library of these collected materials was never completed, a feasibility study was conducted to outline how to develop, organize and catalog the library. 

Current Status: Unfinished.

Reducing Campus Waste: One Freshman at a Time

$4,600.00; Jacob Dolence, Student Organization for People and the Environment (SOPE)

In order to address waste reduction on campus, SOPE distributed 500 16-oz reusable stainless steel travel mugs during Fall 2007 Orientation, one Core Discovery class, the CNR 101 class, and a random sample of other student coffee drinkers.  In addition, though collaboration with a 400-level statistical analysis class, a pre- and post-survey were administered to students who received mugs in order to analyze their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors towards sustainability as well as personal contributions to a solution of a waste-free campus.   

Current Status: UISC gives away sustainable water bottles, bags and more at Freshman Orientation each year.

Sustainability Conference and Design Charette

$4,657.00; Jens Carlson

This grant developed as an opportunity to turn the four UISC office rooms in Shoup Hall into a demonstration of a green office space through a design charrette.  Jens Carlson, supported by the College of Art and Architecture, created and co-hosted this design charrette with world-renowned sustainable design guru, Sim Van der Ryn, who gave an evening keynote speech following the charrette.  More than 50 Art and Architecture students attended the event and had the chance to create sustainable plans and designs for the UISC office space make-over; the winning team’s design was used and implemented over time by the UISC.   

Current Status: Although this was a very interesting project, the designs submitted by the Architecture teams were too expensive to implement. In addition, some of the submissions overlooked basic rules enforced by Facilities (fire egress, etc.).  Currently, The UISC offices have now moved downstairs to Shoup Hall 105 and sustainable furnishings were purchased. 

Rainwater Harvest Demonstration Garden

$10,000.00; Robert Farnsworth

Farnsworth’s grant demonstrated how rainwater could be harvested from the roof of the historic Art & Architecture building and provide the sole water source for a sustainable and educational garden of native plants.  Funds went towards designing a system to store and reuse water, water-wise landscaping and the removal of senescent arborvitae trees on the building’s east side.  In addition to reducing water, this project also showcased a practical and effective water conservation innovation for the UI community.

Current Status: Complete. The garden in front of the Art and Architecture Building is the rainwater harvest garden. 

Road Map for Wind-Powered Electric Vehicles with Disabilities Services

$1,540.00; Erik Luvaas, Kyel Harbacheck, Justin Saydell

This project’s intentions were to determine the feasibility of implementing a project to harness wind energy on campus and convert it to electricity to power a fleet of electric vehicles (specifically to be used by UI staff, faculty and students with disabilities), thereby reducing the UI’s carbon footprint.  Working with the various entities on campus, performing extensive background research, and understanding the resources and needs on campus made the electric vehicle project very feasible.  However, creating a prototype vehicle through the Senior Design Project of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department was too large a scope for student ability; this project is available to be continued and expanded.   

Current Status: Unfinished.  Only the feasibility study was completed. In addition, all the group members graduated and noted in their final report that the scope of the project was too big and needed to be scaled down; “we learned that it will be more fiscally feasible to buy an electric vehicle than to have students modify one.”

Our Green Campus Interactive Website

$6,674.00; Jed Kleppen, Ben Cote, Francisco Martinez, Jennifer Mano, Michael Holland

Just how “green” is our campus?  A team of students with majors ranging from digital media production to mechanical engineering decided to find out by creating an interactive website that functioned as a learning environment of “green zones” and projects across the UI campus.  By interviewing students, staff, and faculty, using green screen technology as well as cutting edge video editing software, the team created 30-second clips of each zone and environmentally “clean” projects, like the UI arboretum and steam plant.  Incorporating Google-Earth imaging and a user-friendly, interactive interface, the “Our Green Campus” website was launched.   

Current Status: The website was taken down after the students responsible for the grant graduated.

Reducing Consumption and Saving Money at the UI Computer Labs

$3,415.00; Justin Saydell, Kimberley Higgs

With students printing more than 3,000,000 pages of reports, homework assignments and more per year at the UI, both the environmental and financial costs are of great concern.  In collaboration with ITS, this project encouraged students using campus computer labs how to save paper by printing double-sided and putting more on each page.  This included placing print and digital information in 19 student computer labs across campus in the forms of posters, custom mouse pads (750!), as well as a desktop icon with step-by-step instructions. Not only will this project decrease paper usage and printing costs, it will also encourage sustainable lifestyles to reduce waste.  

Current status: Complete. The mouse pads are still in use but some may need to be replaced. In addition, in order to reduce paper waste, ASUI is working with ITS to implement a system that will make all computer lab printers automatically print double sided.