The Greenletter
Happy Anniversary, SGT!
Founded in November 2021, the FSU Sustainable Green Team has become a leader in State of Florida sustainability initiatives in the workplace and especially in higher education. In September 2024, Florida TaxWatch recognized and rewarded the team for the third year, for establishing two new recycling programs and FSU’s first Little Free Library. The team was for the second consecutive time one of only ten Florida productivity award recipients, and again Florida State University's sole winner.
Community Engagement
The Seminole Innovators and Environmental Service Program student organizations have been inviting the SGT to present "Sustainability at FSU" at semester organizational events. Thanks to Presidents Colby Jacobs and Lauryn Fox for continuing to reach out to us.
Special thanks to Gabe of Insight Studios, LLC, and Matt, FSU Digital Media Production student, for working to produce a public service announcement last November with the Sustainable Green Team and the RIDER Center.
On October 2, Mitch Gans and the team hosted a table and talked to attendees at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering's Fall 2024 EDGE Involvement Fair.
On November 9, the SGT participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's 2024 Tallahassee Community Walk, with Chair Ann Marie Hamlin Curry.
Green Drinks
Sustainable Tallahassee sponsors a Green Drinks event in Tallahassee on the last Monday of many months for local entrepreneurs and organizations to present and discuss their particular sustainability interests with the public.
On June 24, The Sustainable Green Team attended Sustainable Tallahassee's Green Drinks and a presentation on emergency preparedness by Danielle Baxter with the City of Tallahassee Utilities.
On August 26, the team attended a presentation by Marina Mertz with the Florida Wildflower Foundation.
On October 28, the team attended a presentation at 621 Gallery by Sustainable Tallahassee President Laura LaChappelle, about Hydr0Swap and its devotion to "pop-up clothing swaps for 0 waste & water conservation."
On Nov. 18, the team attended a presentation by Chair of the Chain of Parks Art Festival Kelly Dozier about their recent stormwater abatement project and innovative rain garden.
Public Education
On March 19, the team was honored for the second year to be invited by Ivory Miller and Michelle Register to present "Reduce, Reuse & Recycle" to 60 pre-school students at the Learning Pavilion.
Teamwork
In October 2022. the team adopted East Paul Dirac Drive outside its zero-waste data center, and has been responsible for patrolling litter every three months along its route, Please let us know if you would like to be included with our next trash pickup in February 2025, at GreenTeam@fsu.edu.
On May 7, the Sustainable Green Team re-homed Big Bird’s Little Library to the Learning Pavilion.
On September 4, the team built and established Florida State University’s first Little Free Library, at the Sliger Building at 2035 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310.
On November 8, the team attended a RIDER Center social for faculty, staff, and students.
SGT Green Guide Progream
In 2023, the team began awarding Green Guide certificates to allies and partners who assist with furthering the team’s Sustainability interests and objectives. If you received such a certificate, the SGT would love to receive a photo of you with yours, so it can be displayed on social media. The Sustainable Green Team is the only entity using #FSUGreenTeam on Facebook.
To grow interest, the team has created a shareable QR code to enlist support from the community at large.
Recycling Partner Recognition
The team gratefully recognizes FSU Facilities Associate Director Arnel Bacani for providing trash bags for the team's periodic cleanup duties with Keep Tallahassee Beautiful.
In 2024, Chris Gohlke with Making Awesome Tallahassee began partnering with the SGT to responsibly recycle 3-D printer filament waste (PLA).
Upcycle Partner Recognition
On June 11, Tom Boutwell, Erik May, Tommy Tharp, and Jeff Shepard worked with the team to re-home the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering’s ancient solar car, to now be included with the City of Tallahassee’s Special Projects.
Green Office Certification
The Sustainable Green Team is particularly experienced with Green Office certification as supported by FSU Sustainable Campus and has collectively undertaken at least five such certification exercises. We have developed an interactive survey tool to determine in just a few minutes how ready a respondent may be at that particular time to request green office certification from FSU's Sustainable Campus department. Please let us know if a discussion about this would be conducive to your interests. On August 20, the team participated with Sustainable Campus to discuss and present the tool to FSU's Women in Technology.
New Campus Recycling Programs
The Sliger Building Materials Recovery Facility now accepts all 3D printer filament waste for recycling. Please bring or send via campus mail all PLA filament to the FSU Sustainable Green Team at 2035 East Paul Dirac Drive in Tallahassee, 32310, or at FSU Mail Code 2760. Let the team know if your printer waste volume exceeds what you can easily send for recycling.
"Smokin' Ain't Allowed in School"
Since 2014, smoking is allowed nowhere on campus by anyone, per 4-OP-B-7 University Smoking Policy. The Sustainable Green Team was especially interested in responsibly recycling the many rechargeable vape batteries encountered during periodic trash pick-ups that the team was abhorrent to simply discard. Team members took the initiative to begin collecting used rechargeable batteries from their vaping friends. Since February, the team has recycled 68 vape batteries.
Extreme Climate Recovery
On Friday morning, May 10, 2024, three tornados caused extensive damage in Tallahassee and to Innovation Park, workplace to many on the team, and thousands of trees in the area were destroyed. The team's SGT Green Guide Alpha geocache has been temporarily disabled until FEMA restoration of the area has been completed. Apologies for the inconvenience.
T's for Tally! The FSU Sustainable Green Team appreciatively accepts donation of new and like-new t-shirts and genderless tops and has been directly distributing them to CESC Kearney Center clients each month.
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We strive to promote socially responsible and environmentally sustainable practices by empowering individuals to make the right choices.
Please let us know if you would like to be included with any of our activities and interests, or if we can help you rehome unusual items.
Happy New Year!
Published by the RIDER Center
NL #005 December 2024
CC: Mitch Gans – SGT Lead Contact
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