THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
3A
THURSDAY,OCTOBER 29,2009
TAPEWORMS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
is what draws her to them.
is what draws her to them.
' "There could be a current and all the eggs get swept some where where there's a host that is not suitable, where there's copepods that might not eat them," she said.
Following the tapeworms through their life cycle has led jensen across the world. She has traveled with research collaborators to fish markets in places such as Borneo, Senegal and Taiwan in search of sharks and rays with tapeworms in their gut.
She said the fishermen usually allowed them to remove the gut, as long as they gave back the remainder of the meat for the merchant to sell.
"They rarely ever say no," jensen said. "Then we go to some corner of the market and get the tapeworms out or fix them in formaldehyde like that."
Caitlin Gibbs, Overland Park freshman, who attended the lecture, said she liked the idea of traveling, but was squeamish about the idea of removing fish guts to find worms.
"I wish I could travel that much, but I don't know if that's the kind of hanging out on the beach that I want to do," she said.
Jen Humphrey, communications director for the Natural History Museum, said that the "Wild Science" lectures feature scientists who, like Jensen, are passionate about their research.
"What really is a common thread among them is researchers who have expertise in their area, who have a passion for it, and are really willing to share their experiences with the public," she said.
The next "Wild Science" lecture is Dec. 2, and will feature speaker Daphnie Fautin, professor of ecology and evolutionary science and senior curator at the Natural History Museum.
— Edited by Brenna M. T. Daldorph
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environmental initiatives on campus have improved since the Center for Sustainability established its Faculty Ambassador program in 2007. However, he said students still initiated the vast majority of programs.
"If students had it their way, all the categories would have an A," Callihan said.
But he said he would like to see more administration involvement and support for environmental initiatives on campus.
"The students can only do so
much before we run into administration problems or the University just doesn't want to improve things". Callihan said.
Another grade increase was in Food and Recycling, which increased from a C to a B this year.
"The students can only do so much before we run into administration problems."
Sheryl Kidwell, assistant director of KU Dining Services, said KU Dining earned a better grade through being proactive in its sustainability initiatives over the past year. She listed the biodegradable disposables in the retail cafes, the trayless effort in the residence dining halls and the rooftop garden as examples.
Other gains were made in Climate and Energy and Transportation standards where both increased from C's to B's. The 15elliptical machines cycling energy back into the power grid at the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center helped contribute to the jump the Climate and Energy grade. The free bus rides for students helped the Transportation standard earn its B.
FAILING GRADES
Of the nine sections used to evaluate universities' sustainability efforts, the University did poorly in three: Green Building, which received a D, and Endowment Transparency and Shareholder Engagement, which both received a F's.
LEED-certified buildings are seen
Jim Modig, director of Design and Construction Management, said the Green Building standard received Ds the past three years because the survey focused primarily on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications.
as some of the most energy efficient and environmentally conscious structures in the world.
RYAN CALLIHAN President of KU Environs
"The LEED program is a very worthy program, but to participate in LEED, you have to pay a considerable amount of money for assessments, forms and applications fees," he said. "Instead of paying for assessments and application fees to get a plaque on the wall, we would rather take those monies and reinvest them in the University where we can see some good for the money we spent."
tion to Memorial Stadium with a LEED Platinum rating, the highest there is, could add about $3 million to the project.
The cost for LEED certifications varies, but most estimates say the certification processing fees are between $20,000 and $60,000, and construction costs increase by 8.5 percent. For example, certifying the $34 million Gridiron Club addi-
Instead of having LEED certifications for its buildings, the University has a policy requiring all new buildings to beat the state's energy efficiency standard by 30 percent. This standard will come into play in the next few years for the new pharmacy building, the Gridiron Club building and a building on Edwards Campus.
Modig said that was as good as having energy efficiency equivalent to a LEED certified building, just without the cost and the plaque. He said, in addition to the policy
for new buildings. Design and Construction Management has made several efforts to increase energy efficiency in older buildings, such as replacing black roofs with white roofs to minimize heat gain and reflective heat
The Endowment Association has received Fs' since the Sustainable
According to the survey, Kansas University Endowment Association had its own issues.
Endowments Institute started grading sustainability in 2007. Dale Seuferling, Endowment Association president, said the organization answered the survey in the strictest sense possible, which gives the impression that Endowment Association doesn't share records. He said that lowered the grade.
"We do respond to public requests for holdings and provide that information," he said.
After receiving yet another failing grade, Seuferling said he looked at the responses of other schools and realized the Endowment Association could represent its policy more accurately next year.
The Endowment Association did receive an A in Investment Priorities, and has since 2008. The survey cited investments in renewable energy funds and policies for investment managers relating to sustainability as reasons for the high grade.
"We're not leading the way, but we're not following behind the pack either."
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Although the University jumped a couple grades, most experts agreed the University could still do more to improve sustainability.
Severin said energy efficient upgrades on existing buildings would lower the University's carbon footprint.
"The policy does a good job for new buildings, but we still have all these ancient buildings that need updated." Severin said.
He said one calculation found that 75 percent of the University's carbon emissions can be attributed to activities in buildings on campus.
JEFF SEVERIN Director of Center for Sustainability
Modig said Design and Construction Management could look at reusing more of its building materials, but said what the University really needed was a cultural change toward recycling and sustainability.
"When people really begin to practice that and really begin to accept that culture.
I think that's where the University would probably see the greatest gain toward getting their A in sustainability," he said.
Edited by Anna Kathagnarath
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
Student Involvement
Seventeen organizations are listed as affiliated with sustainability; four organizations filled out the survey, citing several projects initiated by students.
Investment Priorities
The University is invested in renewable energy. Policies for investment managers relate to sustainability.
Administration
The University had several policies in place toward purchasing eco-friendly materials.
Almost 100 people serve as members or ambassadors for the Center for Sustainability.
The University increased its recycled copy paper purchases from 6.5 percent from July to December 2008 to 17 percent from January to July 2009.
Climate and Energv
The University doesn't have an emissions goal.
One full-time student generated 10.51 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2008.
The University doesn't have an emissions goal. 2.24 percent of the University's electricity is offset through wind credits.
The University's greenhouse gas emissions rose 9 percent in 2008 to more than 240,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Food and Recycling
The tray-less program at the three residence dining halls has reduced student waste from 4.2 oz per day to 2.3 oz per day and saved more than 115,000 gallons of water.
$94,000 of KU Dining's $6 million food budget is used to purchase local food.
95 percent of the campus' landscaping waste is composted or mulched.
Transportation
43 percent of people commute to campus via environmentally friendly transportation - walking, biking, carpooling or bus.
18 percent of full-time students live on campus.
Green Building
Endowment Transparency
No LEED-certified buildings on campus.
Policy requires new buildings to beat a different energy efficiency standard by 30 percent.
Endowment Association would not release information, but does upon request.
Shareholder Engagement
Shareholders would not release information, but do upon request.
— Aly Van Dyke
HPV Fact #11:
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You don't have to actually have sex to get HPV—the virus that causes cervical cancer.
There's something you can do. Visit your campus health center.