Sreya Vempatti, Kyle Overman, Dayani Waas,
Emily Miller, Shaina Dudek, and David Schwartz
12/14/2011
Greening Commencement II, Environment 391 Final Report
Executive Summary
The University of Michigan’s Spring Commencement is one of the most visible events on
campus. This report is designed to present recommendations to make Spring Commencement
2012 more sustainable. The idea was first put into practice by the Office of University
Development who sponsored the Greening Commencement team of the Environment 391 class
of Winter semester 2011. This team devised a set of three major areas of focus: front-end waste
prevention, waste management, and sustainable food practices.
Building upon these areas while developing our own approach, this project strives to
create a Waste Diversion Program that would help to achieve a total waste diversion rate of 55 60%. This percentage is in line with the University of Michigan’s goal to increase waste
diversion by 40% by 2025. Additionally, the project aims to produce a Green Guide to
Commencement that would be available both online and, to a lesser extent, in print, produce a
three minute video that would draw attention to student interest concerning sustainability, and
create a list of specific recommendations for how to have 28% of food sold to originate from
sustainable or locally sourced organizations. The guidelines for what constitutes local foods
used in these recommendation mirrors the University‘s definition of local food: products grown
or processed within 150 miles of Ann Arbor or within the state of Michigan (Food Analysis Phase II Report, 2011).
The central component of the Waste Diversion Program is the recommendation that
sixteen waste stations with clearly legible signs on each bin be distributed throughout the
concourse of Michigan Stadium. These stations would be placed between each section used at
the ceremony, 17-32, and two stations will be placed at the section ends. Waste stations will
help attendees know where to deposit their waste and in which bin to place their waste. It is
recommended that waste stations be manned by high school volunteers recruited through
various National Honor Society programs in nearby high schools and students from Father
Gabriel Richard High School, trained by staff from Waste Management. The feasibility of the
compost program will be determined through a cost analysis comparing the costs of compost
facilities, workers involved in the composting process, and various types of equipment. To track
the total amount of waste, it is recommended that Waste Management hold waste sorts with the
aid of volunteers and calculate the total amount of trash, the compost facilities provide
composting totals in tons.
The educational component of our project includes a brochure and a short video to
engage the commencement audience. The brochure is designed to educate attendees about
the sustainable initiatives taking place at commencement and will highlight the efforts that
attendees can take in order to help reach a total waste diversion of 55 - 60%. It is recommended
that a video that focuses on student’s efforts to reduce their environmental impact and show
how students support the sustainability movement, be played at the ceremony.
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Introduction
“I want the message to be clear: Sustainability defines the University of Michigan”. This
statement was made by University President Mary Sue Coleman during her speech regarding
the University’s upcoming environmental sustainability initiatives on September 27th, 2011. This
bold statement expresses the University’s commitment to uphold and promote the platforms of
environmental conservation and sustainability. Since Spring Commencement is one of the most
visible events that the University holds (over 40,000 attendees each year), it provides a
wonderful opportunity to execute strong sustainable practices, reflect the commitment of the
University to this cause, and to endow graduates, their families, and other attendees with a
sense of environmental conscientiousness.
Because Spring Commencement takes place at Michigan Stadium, this project may also
be used as a pilot to test the feasibility of future zero-waste football games. Although
commencement houses approximately one third the attendees of an average football game, by
working towards zero-waste at commencement, the Zero Waste Football Initiative at the
University will hopefully be able to use our recommendations and our actions as leverage for
their future endeavors. In fact, Phel Meyer and four other School of Natural Resources and
Environment (SNRE) graduate students are currently drafting a zero waste football feasibility
analysis. They are scheduled to submit their report in January and have expressed interest in
this project acting as a pilot program.
The University of Michigan’s goals for sustainability for 2025 as addressed by President
Coleman include:
● Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%
● Create a more efficient campus transit system that decreases carbon output by 30%
● Reduce waste diversion to landfills by 40%
● 40% fewer chemicals on grass, trees, and walkways
● Ensure that 30% storm water runoff does not flow into Huron River
● At least 20% of food in University Dining Services derives from local or sustainable
sources.
In the context of the goals, this project focuses on reducing the waste disposed to
landfills by 40% from the commencement ceremony and working with sponsors and food
vendors to create a menu that serves at least 20% food from local or sustainable sources. This
Environment/RCDIV 391 Project provides an optimal opportunity to not only have a significant
impact on the University’s commitment to sustainability but also to educate and inform an
incredibly large captive audience about what sustainability measures are being done at the
ceremony and specific steps that each individual attendee can take at the ceremony to ensure a
greener and more sustainable commencement experience.
Recycling History and Past Initiatives
As of Fall 2011, it has been 22 years since the University of Michigan began its recycling
program. Since its inception, the program has seen a general increase in recycling levels.
Michigan Stadium continues its devoted recycling program to this day. The highest recycling
rate for this football season was at the San Diego State game on September 24th, which
boasted a rate of 44.02%. The average recycling rate for this season was 25.63%, handling an
average of 6.28 tons of recyclables per game. These figures do not include composting, as
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composting bins are not present at the stadium. The University does currently carry out preconsumer composting, but this only occurs in five of the dining halls and a few other locations
on campus. All waste collected is sent to a compost site managed by the city of Ann Arbor.
Since the composting program began in 1998, 595.12 tons of food have been composted with
63.05 tons alone in 2010 (Zero Waste at University of Michigan).
There have also been a few zero-waste events promoted on campus. The first of such
events was a zero-waste tailgate that was held during the 2009 football season. At the event, all
plates, cups, and trash liners used were made of compostable material made from corn syrup.
These materials were later sent to a composting facility in Ann Arbor. There were volunteers
from the Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI) manning each waste station, and the event
altogether diverted about 1,000 pounds of waste (Green tailgate). SSI facilitated a similar zerowaste event at a basketball game in Crisler Arena in 2010. The event contained waste stations
with recycling and composting bins and all plates, cups, and napkins were compostable. The
waste was later sent to Tuthill Farms for composting. Using the results from this event, the staff
at Crisler Arena hope to eventually divert 85% of waste for up-coming games (Zero Waste at
Crisler Arena).
The Office of University and Development Events has supported student initiatives in
making Michigan’s Commencement ceremony more sustainable. Such initiatives include a
reduction in the amount of paper in the commencement program by 75%, printing the program
using vegetable inks and on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, eliminating Hot Dogs from
the commencement menu, and providing rent-able gowns made from recycled plastic bottles
(Bachar, Hu, and Singh). Additionally, the “How To Be A Green Wolverine” pamphlet produced
by a previous Environment 391 project group was successful in that it was created in such a
way that was captivating to the audience and was easily and widely accessible all throughout
campus.
Goals and Objectives
This Greening Commencement project has several distinct goals under three main
categories. They are:
Waste Diversion Program
○ Recommend a waste diversion program that would Increase total waste diverted
to compost and recycle facilities to a total of 55 - 60%.
○ Recommend a system that could be used by the Office of Campus Sustainability
to track the amount of waste produced (recyclable, compostable, and trash) at
Commencement.
○ Increase awareness and education for attendees at Spring Commencement
2012 about the specific steps the University of Michigan has taken at Spring
Commencement to increase sustainable operations.
Education
○ Produce a “Green Guide to Commencement” brochure that highlights the
sustainable initiatives at the commencement ceremony.
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○
○
○
Produce a short 3 minute video clip that highlights the student commitment to
sustainability at the University of Michigan.
Increase awareness of composting and recycling through the use of clear and
legible signs.
Inform attendees at Spring Commencement 2012 about the specific steps the
University of Michigan has taken at Spring Commencement to increase
sustainable operations.
Sustainable Foods
○ Develop a set of recommendations for food provider Sodexo that hopefully leads
to having at least 20% of commencement concessions originate from local or
organic sources.
Methodology
The main goal the Waste Diversion Program is to establish a 1-to-1-to-1 ratio of
compost, recycle, and trash receptacles throughout the occupied sections within Michigan
Stadium for the Spring Commencement ceremony. It was decided that this 1-to-1-to-1 ratio set
up would be an effective way to meet the established waste diversion rate as mentioned earlier.
The most important contact during the process of concluding to create a 1-to-1-to-1 receptacle
ratio was Tracy Artley. Tracy helped to figure the best ways to implement a Spring
Commencement composting program while dealing with various restrictions, boundaries, and
obstacles presented by Michigan and external institutions. Certain key contacts were needed in
order to figure out the details for this post-consumer compost and Waste Diversion Program.
These contacts included: Don Butynski of Arbor Composting, Tracy Artley of University of
Michigan Waste Management and the Office of Campus Sustainability, Sandra Tuthill of Tuthill
Farms, Chris Ehman of stadium facilities, and David Klein who is the compost hauler for Tuthill
Farms. All contacts were crucial as emails, phone calls, and meetings were held with each
contact throughout the semester in order to create an accurate cost analysis report and to
determine the feasibility of this idea.
The primary hurdle to clear was the fact that the University of Michigan as a whole
currently does not have a contract with any post-consumer composting company. This lacking
relationship made the feasibility of implementing a post-consumer composting program for
Spring Commencement all the more difficult. However, the Ross School of Business
independently contracts with a post-consumer composting company, thus the information
gathered from Sandra Tuthill and David Klein was gathered and added to the overall cost report
for comparison. Tracy Artley provided Tuthill Farms as a possible solution to creating a postconsumer composting program.
The idea to create a cost analysis report was based on the budget obstacle presented
by the project sponsors at the Office of University and Development Events. While we were not
able to get a total budget from our commencement sponsors, their primary need was a
generated cost report to determine what aspects of the post-consumer composting and Waste
Diversion Program can fit within their budget. The cost report covered various aspects ranging
from those of the individual composting facilities, UM facilities, bins or signage, to total
composting costs.
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Several distinct factors were taken into consideration when attempting to set up the postconsumer compost program. The first step involved determining which items were to be served
at commencement were recyclable or compostable. It was decided that recyclable materials
should be investigated because one of the main Greening Commencement goals outside of
post-consumer composting is the Waste Diversion Program (which involves recycling) and
many potential materials at Spring Commencement, such as water bottles or individually
wrapped foods, can be recycled. After discussion with Sodexo, the primary concession supplier,
it was determined that almost 90% of their items were either recyclable or compostable. Thus, it
was decided that a cost analysis report should be included for Sodexo, which covered the whole
catering process as will be detailed in the cost analysis report. Upon obtaining the Excel cost
sheet for the previous year’s Commencement purchasing, it was analyzed then integrated the
Sodexo costs into the overall cost report. With the help of conversations with Professor Mike
Shriberg and within our group, it was decided that consumption was a factor which needed to be
accounted for in our cost report. The main contact for Sodexo was Carl “Sandy” Spencer. He
was mainly communicated with through email.
The “Green Guide to Commencement” was broken down into three specific topics, all of
which are related to the attempt to make Spring Commencement 2012 more sustainable:
recycling, composting, and food sustainability. Each of these sections discussed the benefits
regarding sustainable developments in these various fields at Spring Commencement. The
updated brochure was slowly redirected and specified to focus on Commencement aspects,
such as focusing our target audience, and even inserting ways the attendees can be greener at
Spring Commencement specifically. This refocusing was guided through many conversations
and emails with the Project Greening Commencement sponsors. Once the contextual aspect
was completed, a picture of the stadium was found in order to highlight the areas where the
waste stations would be. Then the left side of the brochure was divided into Goals, and Impacts
of each of the three categories.
To create the video, the necessary recording materials were first collected from the LSA
Student Government department and shot the interview videos on central campus. While it was
difficult to obtain answers that were short and concise, it was also a challenge to obtain answers
that were easy to hear above the background noise from the wind. Regardless, raw footage
was obtained that can be further edited into a short 3 minute video. Many people were
interviewed in order to get as much feedback as possible over the course of one afternoon. The
final step in creating the film is finding an editor in order to make it Spring Commencement
ceremony worthy. It was decided that in order to save money, a film student would be sought
after to edit and create this video. Depending on time constraints, the raw footage will either be
given to the Commencement Ceremony Planning Team to determine what they want to use and
what they want to discard, or our group will find an editor to create the video.
Finally, in terms of the local and organic food options available to be served at the
ceremony, the food catering company, Sodexo was contacted and thus used to determine
which menu items were compostable and recyclable, based on the menu from Spring
Commencement 2011. Next, the possibility of locally or organically sourcing 28% of their menu
items was discussed. While they gave very vague answers and at times seemed rather hesitant
to do this for Spring Commencement 2012, they were willing to eventually strive for a zerowaste event in the future. Based on group discussions, it was concluded that a cost analysis
5
would be performed that detailed the possible costs of swapping four of their menu items with
locally or organically sourced items. Included in this analysis were the prices of local and
organic foods, the quantity of local and organic food that can be supplied, and the existing
vendor contracts the University holds with various food suppliers. A detailed list of
recommendations based on this analysis was also drafted.
Case Studies
A few recommendations were gathered through looking at other universities' green
commencement practices and zero-waste football game initiatives. Sustainable
commencements and football games are gaining support across college campuses, and many
colleges and universities now have at least some basic procedures in place. The schools
discussed below, Ohio State, Penn State, and Stanford, were chosen due to their size and
operational similarities to the University of Michigan.
STANFORD
.
Usually 8000 commencement programs and 13,000 weekend schedules but reduced it to
2,500 booklets in 2009. Made of at least 10% post-consumer product.
.
Fully compostable food and containers. Cornstarch cutlery and paper made from sugar
cane fiber.
·
Extra food donated to food shelters and churches.
·
1:1:1 ratio of recycling, trash, and compost bins. Bins themselves are made of recycled
material.
·
Smaller dumpsters reduce number of landfill trips.
·
Banners that can be reused for several years (Commencement Goes Green).
OHIO STATE
·
Largest stadium in world to carry out zero waste. Attempted rate of 90% waste diversion.
Average of 75.3% this football season compared to 45% in previous season.
·
Recycling and composting bins throughout stadium. No trash bins. All waste stations are
supervised. High school students volunteer for supervision and education.
·
All items available for purchase inside stadium are either recyclable or compostable.
·
Prominent signage that informs audience about waste diversion program.
·
Creation of Zero Waste Event Service.
·
"Green Zones" around campus for hard-to-recycle materials like batteries (Zero Waste at
Ohio Stadium).
PENN STATE
·
90% of recyclable materials were captured - 112 tons collected in 2008.
·
Each football game generates approximately 50 tons of waste.
·
Current recycling rate of 48.6%
·
Sales from recyclable materials donated to charity.
·
Recycling bags personally handed out to audience members - this increased volume
collected at tailgates twofold.
·
40% reduction in cleanup costs after each game.
·
Composting already in place at university. Stadium has composting bins (Stadiums).
The recycling rates achieved by these universities show that Michigan is also capable of
achieving similar rates. Several improvements were made at these universities through simple
methods, such as the use of volunteers to educate and help people deposit their waste at
6
stadiums, and the placement of recycle, compost and trash bins next to each other in a 1:1:1
ratio. By focusing on education and volunteer efforts, these universities were able to make
large-scale changes with relatively low costs. In addition, education has the benefit of ultimately
promoting long-term change. Hence, these ideas were looked into for implementation on a
similar scale at Michigan. The cost-benefit analyses of waste diversion programs were looked
into, and are discussed in the following sections.
Waste Diversion Program
It was determined that a total waste diversion rate to disposal facilities of 55-60% was a
feasible and reachable goal for the Spring Commencement 2012. This number was obtained
based on the combination of Michigan’s current football game diversion rate and President
Coleman’s stated goal of a 40% increase in waste diversion by 2025. The 2011 season
recycling average for Michigan stadium was 25.63%. This gives an average amount of waste
not diverted from landfills of 74.37%. Reducing this figure by 40 percent gives a total waste
reduction rate of 55.38%, thus arriving at the 55 – 60% range (2011 Football Stadium Recycling
Numbers).
Cost Analysis Report of a Compost Program
● The numbers below are an ESTIMATE of the total cost to implement composting at the
Spring 2012 Commencement ceremony based on the statistic that 55.75 tons of
compostable waste was accumulated at the Ohio State Football Game, for an
approximately 100,000 fans. For approximately 40,000 attendees, the total compost
accumulated was estimated to be 27.88 tons of compost.
● The costs rise steeply with the use of paid compost bins monitors from University of
Michigan Waste Management.
● The costs rise steeply if compost bins are purchased through University of Michigan
Stadium Facilities rather than University of Michigan Waste Management.
Items with a 1 Cost Option
● Bin Delivery
● Compostable Liners
● Printing Signs for Compost/Recycling
Item
Cost/Unit
Total Cost
Signs
$0.06 /sign, $7 set up fee, no lamination
$8.92
Compost Liners
$1/liner
$16.00
Compost Bin Delivery
$26.00
$26.00
Total Cost
-----------
$50.92
Items with an Option for Prices Depending on Source
●
Compost Facility/Designated Hauler
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Arbor Compost/ Waste Management Hauler-(1059.096 + 3808.9)=$4,867.99
Tuthill Farms Compost/David Klein Hauler- (445.92 + 3813)=$4,259.72
●
Compostable Bins
Stadium Facilities-$4,200
Waste Management-$48
●
Bin Monitors
Volunteers- $0
Paid labor- $3,090
Table 1. Cost Report for Compost Implementation
Compost Facility/ Hauler
A
Compostable Bins
B
Bin Monitors
C
s dfs d
s dfds fs
A1.
a)Tuthill
Farms
b)Hauler:
(David
Klein)
A2.
a)Arbor
Composting
b) Hauler:
(Ann Arbor Waste
Management)
B1.
Stadium
Facilities
B2.
Waste
Management
C1.
Volunteers
C2.
Paid Labor
(3hr/shift)
Cost/
Unit
a) $8/yd3
compost
b)$725.00
a) $1059.06
b)$3,808.90
$4,200
(flat fee)
$3/bin
$0
$64.38/worker/
hr
Total
Cost
$445.92 +
$725
$4,259.72
$1,059.06 +
$3808.90
$4,867.96
$4,200
$48
$0
$3,090
Variations on Costs
1. 50.92 + A1 + B1 +C1= $8,510.64
2. 50.92 + A1 +B1+ C2=$11,600.64
3. 50.92 + A1 +B2 + C1= $4368.64
4. 50.92 + A1 +B2 + C2=$7,448.64
5. 50.92+A2 + B1 +C1= $9,118.88
6. 50.92 + A2 + B1 + C2=$12,208.99
7. 50.92 + A2 + B2 +C1=$4,966.88
8. 50.92 + A2 +B2 + C2=$8,056.88
Recommendations
Convenience and feasibility are two important components in waste diversion. The 1:1
ratio of recycling bin to trash bin has been shown to be effective in diverting recyclable waste to
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recycling bins (Best Practices Review). In the Littering Behavior Study conducted in Australia, it
was shown that when recycle bins were placed next to trash bins, the recovery rate (95%) was
higher than that of recycle bins standing alone (25%). The study also showed that the most
effective set up for waste stations was near entrances and exits, within 3-14 meters of each
other. After discussion with Tracy Artley of University of Michigan Waste Management, it was
determined that an effective strategy would be to set up waste stations around the stadium
concourse, specifically between sections 17-32 (this is where the attendees would be sitting).
One waste station would be defined as 1 compost bin, 1 recycling bin, and 1 trash bin. At each
entrance, there will be 1 waste station placed right before the entrance of the section. Since only
15 sections are used at the stadium during Spring Commencement 2012, 14 entrances will
have these waste stations implemented, with two waste stations on the ends: 17 and 32. This
will total to 16 compost bins, 16 recycling bins, and 16 trash bins for a total of 48 bins. The
waste station set-up would be implemented in order to decrease the amount of bin
contamination by reducing the amount of time to find the bins. Volunteers will be able to
effectively monitor all bins at the same time, without having to worry about moving from one
location to the next.
Volunteers vs. Paid Workers to Monitor Waste Station
There are two monitoring options possible for Spring Commencement 2012. The
monitors would be necessary in order to ensure that as little contamination occurs in the bins.
The monitors would be in charge of directing confused attendees to the right bins, pointing out
the designation of the bins, and removing contaminated material.
As a cheaper option, the Spring Commencement 2012 group suggests a volunteer
training program that would be set up 1 month prior to the commencement ceremony. After
discussing possible training programs, Tracy Artley suggested hosting a free 1-day training by
the Office of Waste Management offered to prepare volunteers in monitoring waste bins. They
would be taught what items go in each bin, how to deal with attendees who are not accepting of
the waste diversion initiatives, and what to do if they see contamination taking place. Volunteers
would be found through the National Honor Society programs in nearby high schools: Pioneer,
Huron, and Saline. Emails will be sent to the program coordinators of each high school to
determine interest levels. It was noted at previous football game Sundays, Gabriel Richard High
School has a contract with the University of Michigan to help clean up the stadium in exchange
for monetary support from the University. This could be one additional event in which Gabriel
Richard volunteers could help after the ceremony. They would be trained through the Waste
Management training day. This sign up could also be advertised through the Office of Campus
Sustainability, the Student Sustainability Initiative, and Michigan Sustainable Foods Initiative for
summer activities.
At other universities, such as at Penn State, waste station volunteer staff have been
distinguished from the rest of the audience with the use of bright yellow t-shirts. If Waste
Management or the Office of Campus Sustainability could donate yellow t-shirts, this could help
in also distinguishing waste stations in the stadium.
Only one volunteer will be needed per entrance to guard their station.
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Waste Sort
In the year prior, the Spring Commencement 2011 team did not implement a program to
determine total waste produced and diverted at the ceremony. A waste sort of the recycling and
trash bins should be implemented right after the ceremony. The waste sort would be run by the
Waste Management team and would also have volunteers signed up for shifts. Volunteers
would be found through the same methods of advertising for the waste stations. After
consulting with Tracy Artley, it was determined that documenting the total amount of compost
and recycling would be done by weight measurements, and Waste Management would weigh
the recyclables. Additionally, the total amount of compost would be determined at the compost
facility. This waste sort will also be the primary means to evaluate the success of the waste
diversion program in reaching the 55 - 60% target goal of waste diversion.
Map of Waste Stations
A map of the stadium, found in the commencement education brochure, has been
included to indicate the locations of waste stations in each section. This will identify the most
convenient locations for quick disposal of waste. The map will highlight sections 17-32 and will
have a star or dot as a symbol for a waste station. One additional recommendation would be to
display the map on one of the big screens before, during, and after the ceremony so that all
attendees are very clear as to where to go.
Food Composting / Recycling
Of the fourteen food items available for purchase at Spring Commencement 2011, three
items are 100% compostable: fruit, pretzels and bagels. The other food items on the menu
vary on their ability to be composted due to the fact that they contain dairy, and many compost
facilities do not accept such items. These items, which shall be referred to as “tentative
compost” items are the Danishes, breakfast bars, croissant breakfast sandwiches, pizza, and
popcorn. While Tuthill Farms’ website does not indicate that they would not accept dairy
products, such large quantities of these items could be prohibited, and thus such decisions will
be left up to the correspondence between our Sponsors and Tuthill Farms.
Looking at which concession items provided for the Spring Commencement 2011
ceremony could be recycled; seven out of the fourteen items have been singled out. While
many of the items themselves cannot be recycled, it is often the case that the wrapping or the
packaging they come in can be recycled. The complete list of recyclable items from the Spring
Commencement 2011 concessions are the Danish wrappers, breakfast bar wrappers, Minute
Maid juice bottles, Absopure water bottles, soda containers, coffee cups, and popcorn bags.
This list could be expanded upon depending on how other items are served. For example, it is
highly likely that if the pizza was served on paper plates or in cardboard boxes, those such
items could be recycled as well.
Due to the variability of the containers many concession items are sold in, it is rather
difficult to produce concrete numbers detailing exactly which items can be recycled and which
cannot. This is why waste station volunteers will be such useful tools to have in our waste
diversion program. Without such volunteers, it is highly likely that Spring Commencement 2012
attendees could be placing recyclable or compostable items in trash bins, thus limiting the
effectiveness of our waste diversion efforts.
Waste Diversion Education
One of the biggest goals was to create a waste diversion education component to
implement behavior change. The team’s biggest contribution to this component was developing
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a one-page brochure, “The Green Guide to Commencement”. This brochure is intended to
educate all guests about the University’s commitment to sustainability and the specific steps
that have been taken at Spring Commencement this year. It describes the goal of reaching a
total waste diversion of roughly 55 - 60% through a combination of recycling, compost and
local/sustainable food initiatives. The guide also includes a map that indicates where all waste
stations will be located throughout the stadium. This map is intended to create a sense of waste
disposal convenience for the guests. The overall purpose of the brochure is not only to educate
guests about the University’s commitment to sustainability and its relevance to Spring
Commencement 2012 but to motivate and encourage all guests to be aware of their own waste
disposal throughout the day.
This brochure will be available to guests both before and during the event. An email
containing important information for Spring Commencement 2012 will be sent to parent’s of
graduating students in the early Winter Semester. A link to a website that features a PDF of the
brochure will be available in this email. A link to the website PDF will also be accessible on the
University’s official Spring Commencement Facebook page. Further, on the day of the event a
printout of the guide will be handed out with the packet of information at ticket distribution.
Also, signs will be located at all 16 waste stations that indicate to guests what can and
cannot go in each bin. These signs are modeled off existing signs around campus, specifically
on each waste bin in the Ross School of Business. The signs will be at least 11” x 17”
(recommended size by Tracey Artley) and use both words and images of all consumer products
available at Spring Commencement 2012. The plan is to be specific as possible and to include
information about every item, including all food scraps and packaging. We have created
tentative signs based off of Sodexo’s menu from last year and what prospective composting and
recycling facilities will accept. Again, the intention is not only to educate guests about which
items they have that can be recycled or composted but also to create a sense of convenience to
waste diversion. We hope that by reducing any confusion we will also reduce contamination in
each bin.
Recommendations
A short film highlighting the University’s commitment is recommended to be played on
Michigan Stadium’s giant new video boards prior to the Spring Commencement 2012 ceremony.
The video will feature student interviews around various places on campus. The interviewed
students should be asked questions centered around campus sustainability such as, “how has
being a student on this campus in light of University of Michigan’s commitment to sustainability
impacted you?” and “what have you done to reduce your energy use and negative
environmental impact?” The responses obtained from the various students will provide an
intriguing insight to attendees on the importance of sustainability to the average student and
how the University’s commitment is one shared by the student population. This video could
provide positive feedback that will shed a hopeful message that being sustainable is indeed
possible.
Sustainable Foods
Local / Organic Foods
This final section of recommendations will detail how the University of Michigan can costeffectively reach a 20% or greater portion of commencement concessions originating from local
and or organic sources. Due to Spring Commencement’s high number of attendees and high
volume of food concessions sold, integrating local or organic foods will work to significantly
reduce the Commencement ceremony’s environmental impact.
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Recommendations
The following analysis is based upon the items served at Spring Commencement 2011. In
all, there were fourteen food items sold at Michigan Stadium concession stands during the
Spring Commencement 2011. These items were Danishes, assorted breakfast bars, croissants,
bagels, fresh fruit (apples, bananas, and oranges), pizza slices, soft pretzels, bottled Minute
Maid juice, bottled Absopure water, souvenir soda cups, souvenir mugs for other fountain
drinks, Tim Horton’s coffee, cups of extra cheese for pretzels, and popcorn (Sandy Spencer).
Of these fourteen items, four – apples, coffee, bagels and water – were chosen for their ability
to be cost-effectively replaced with local or sustainable alternatives for this upcoming Spring
Commencement ceremony. This gives the Spring Commencement 2012 ceremony a 28%
implementation of local or organic foods, which is highly appropriate given Mary Sue Coleman’s
sustainability speech goals.
Table 2. Cost Breakdown for Implementing Local and Organic Foods
Item:
Costs of
Conventional:
Costs of Local / Organic:
Savings:
Extra Fancy - $67.50 for 180
apples, $.37 per apple.
Extra Fancy – excess
cost of $17.58
“Seconds” apples - $20 for 200,
$.10 per apple.
“Seconds” apples –
savings of $19.92.
Coffee Express Fair Trade /
Organic French Roast - $2,375,
$.28 per
10 oz coffee.
Fair Trade / Organic
coffee gives a savings of
$351.8
Bagels Gordon’s Food Service
- $384 for 750 bagels,
$.52 per bagel
Barry Bagels, Ann Arbor –
normal cost = $650 for 780
bagels, $10 per dozen.
Short-code price = $308.75 for
780 bagels, $4.75 per dozen.
Normal cost Barry Bagels
= excess cost of $266
Short-code cost Barry
Bagels = savings of
$75.25
Water
50-50 split between Ann Arbor
Municipal tap water and bottled
water gives total cost of $153.99
(excluding cost of cups).
50-50 split between
bottled and tap water =
savings of $142.95,
excluding costs of cups.
Apples $49.92 for 156 apples,
$.32 per apple.
Coffee
Tim Horton’s – total =
$2,676.8, $.32 per
10 oz coffee.
Absopure water bottles
$296.94 for 707 25 oz
bottles, $.017 per oz.
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In searching for a local apple supplier, our group contacted Applewood Orchards, Inc,
which is located 35 miles south of Ann Arbor in Deerfield, Michigan. A representative of
Applewood Orchards Inc. informed us that there are two specific categories of apples that they
would provide to large scale events, “extra fancy” apples and “seconds” apples. These
classifications do not indicate the quality of taste nor do they indicate the ripeness of the apple.
These metrics simply denote the apple’s appearance, or whether the apple is “marketable” after
processing (USDA Laws and Regulations). Extra fancy apples are typically large and have
perfect color and shape, whereas “seconds” apples, which are of equal taste, but may not be of
uniform color and may have slight dents. See above chart for apple cost analysis.
The second item on our list of short-term recommendations is coffee. The University of
Michigan currently holds a contract with Tim Hortons for the coffee provided at large events in
Michigan Stadium like football games and commencement. Although the math contained in this
calculation is a rough estimation, it provides a glimpse into the costs of replacing Tim Hortons
coffee with a more sustainable alternative. Since 8,365 ten ounce cups of coffee were sold, that
means that at least 654 gallons of coffee are needed for an event as large as Spring
Commencement. Using guidelines set forth by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, it
takes approximately one pound of coffee beans to make 2.25 gallons of brewed coffee (Coffee
and Caffeine FAQ). Therefore, to make the estimated 654 gallons of coffee needed for Spring
Commencement, it would take around 290.67 pounds of coffee. According to a representative
from Coffee Express, their Fair Trade Organic French Roast coffee is sold for $7.75 per pound.
Rounding our pound estimate to 300 pounds would put a final price tag of $2375 on coffee
expenditures, which is $351.80 cheaper than what the coffee provided by Tim Hortons costs for
commencement.
According to our Sodexo contact, Gordon Food Service provided the bagels served at
Spring Commencement 2011, with no indication if those bagels were produced within Michigan.
If those bagels were purchased from local Ann Arbor bagel producer, Barry Bagels, the cost
would be $10 per dozen of bagels. So, assuming at least 65 dozen for a total of 780 bagels, the
cost would be $650. However, when our group spoke with a Barry Bagels representative he
mentioned that this price could be significantly reduced if the University used a short code when
making the order. With the shortcode price, a dozen bagels would only cost $4.75, bringing the
price of 65 dozen bagels to only $308.75, which, for thirty extra bagels as compared to Spring
Commencement 2011, is $75.25 less than the bagels provided through Gordon Food Service.
The last short-term recommendation centers on the use of Absopure bottled water. As
our Sodexo contact stated, the University has a contract with Absopure to provide water to large
events like football games and Commencement ceremonies. While bottled water is unlikely to
be entirely eliminated at commencement, it is feasible to attempt a 50-50 split between bottled
and Ann Arbor Municipal Tap water. Splitting the 17,675 ounces of water consumed in half
between tap and bottled water, which gives us 8,837.5 ounces to be supplied from each source.
Absopure bottled water costs roughly $0.0168 per ounce, bringing the price of bottled water in
our hypothetical example to $148.47. According to the Ann Arbor government’s water website,
“refilling a 16-ounce water bottle from the tap costs less than one penny” (A2H2O). To make
the math easier, let’s assume exactly $.01 per every 16 ounces of municipal tap. This brings
the price of municipal tap water in our example to $5.52. Therefore, the total cost for half
bottled water and half tap water at Spring Commencement 2011 would have been $153.99, a
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savings of $142.95. This estimate does not include the costs of the cups the tap water would be
served in, however.
These four recommendations are a reasonable start to implementing local and organic
foods at commencement, and that this 28% goal for Spring Commencement 2012 is right in line
with the stated local and organic food goals of the University.
Recommendations for Future Environment 391 Courses
○ Determine the most effective location of where to place the recycle/compost signs
near the waste stations and determine the actual items that would go on the sign
based on the updated menu
○ Contact National Honor Societies from local high schools to determine level of
interest in volunteering and availability
○ Continue with filming video and seek an editor (University Productions as an option)
who is willing to create the finished product.
○ Create a logo for Spring Commencement 2012 using our recommended artists in the
Art School under Professor Trumpey. This logo is intended to embody the
sustainable initiatives and use it to highlight these features before and during the
event (on the educational brochure or signs around campus and stadium).
○ Work closely with Sodexo concerning the implementation of more local, sustainable
and compostable / recyclable food products. Sodexo recently embarked on a
sustainability plan called “The Better Tomorrow Plan” so they are likely to keep any
suggestions made (The Better Tomorrow Plan).
○ Contact Commencement speaker and suggest highlighting sustainability in speech to
students.
Acknowledgements
This project was not possible without the support of our sponsors from the Office of
University and Development Events, Lauren Smott, Katie Alexander, and Agata Kopacz.
Additionally, this project advanced as far as it did due to the help of our Professor Mike Shriberg
and our Graduate Student Assistant, Lindsey MacDonald. Finally, we would like to acknowledge
the time and guidance given to us by many of the organizations, departments, and companies
involved in the creation and implementation of our deliverables including: Tracy Artley, David
Klein, Sandra Tuthill, Don Butynski, Phel Meyer, Christopher McElroy, Sandy Spencer, and
Chris Ehman. Thank you.
Conclusion
The University of Michigan’s annual Spring Commencement ceremony is a perfect
opportunity to implement the University’s waste diversion goals as outlined in President Mary
Sue Coleman’s address on September 27th, 2011. By working closely with stakeholders on
campus and throughout the Ann Arbor community, the Greening Commencement team has
reached several concrete and feasible recommendations for sustainability improvements to the
University of Michigan Spring 2012 Commencement Ceremony. We hope the findings and
recommendations in this report alert the University’s Office of Development to the specific
leverage points that can be used when attempting to create a sustainable event with the
magnitude and size of Spring Commencement 2012. Hopefully, the waste diversion and
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education efforts, as well as the team’s recommendations, will serve as stepping stones for
further Greening Commencement initiatives by Environment 391 classes or other project
groups. Perhaps these recommendations can also assist the University of Michigan in
achieving a larger goal of hosting zero-waste commencement ceremonies and football games in
the near future.
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