UMD Sustainability

5/16/2012

First UMD Market in the Plaza for 2012

Photo collage from the May 16 UMD Market in the Plaza

Today is the first UMD Market in the Plaza for 2012.

It's a gorgeous, sunny day at the Kirby Bus Hub with a temperature in the upper 60's.

Goods being offered at today's market include

Local meats
Eggs
Honey and beeswax candles
Baked goods
Asparagus
Plants, including a variety of herbs, flowers, tomatoes, and peppers
Locally roasted coffee
Jellies
Balms and tinctures

You can also relax with a massage or listening tomusic from today's local artist, Val Turcotte.

events

5/15/2012

DTA Multimodal Transportation Center Project receives funding (press release)

[Duluth, MN] - In an joint announcement made today by the City of Duluth and the DTA, it was revealed that the proposed DTA Multimodal Transportation Center has received all funding required to complete the $27.5 million project.

The project received an initial $16 million from an appropriation by former Congressman James Oberstar in 2010. The DTA had requested $6 million in state funding as part of this year's capital bonding bill from the State Legislature, with the additional funding needed to complete work on skywalk connections and the reconstruction of the Northwest Passage.

The state funding was in addition to $5.5 million in local and private investment funding previously secured for the project. The recently passed bonding bill contains $6.4 million allocated to Greater Minnesota Transit, of which $4.5 has been identified for funding of the DTA project, with the balance allocated to projects in Mankato and St. Cloud. The remaining $1.5 million will be funded through other State sources.

With project funding secured, the DTA expects to begin with the demolition of the Wells Fargo parking ramp below Michigan Street later this year. Actual building construction would begin in the spring of 2013, with completion of the new transportation center projected by late 2013 or early 2014.

The downtown Multimodal Transportation Center will provide an indoor terminal area for the transferring of bus passengers, including regional and intercity carriers.

The Center will include an 8-bay bus boarding platform, along with an indoor passenger-waiting area, seating, and public restrooms. The Center will include a DTA-staffed information desk, similar to what is currently at the Transit Center East for pass and ticket sales and transit information. The Center will also include a bike storage area, a police substation, and public and private parking that will include spaces for van and car pools. Also included in the Center will be Wells Fargo drive through banking services on the second level and other retail spaces.

The project includes construction of a new Northwest Passage skywalk to the DECC, which will include a pedestrian/bike walkway, and a new skywalk connection to Superior Street through the current Transit Center East building.

The Intermodal Center will also serve as a boarding location for Jefferson Lines and Indian Trails inter-city bus lines, along with Arrowhead Transit and LCS Coaches.

The Multimodal Terminal is a major effort by the DTA and the City of Duluth to resolve long-standing parking and sidewalk congestion problems, as well as pedestrian and bus passenger safety issues in downtown Duluth. When completed, the Center will represent a major advancement towards the goal of establishing easily accessible connections between the downtown area and the Canal Park and Bayfront Park areas.

Questions can be directed to Dennis Jensen at (218) 623-4306.

transportation

5/15/2012

UMD Market in the Plaza begins tomorrow

The 2012 season will begin May 16 and run every Wednesday through September 26, rain or shine.

All market vendors are local, sustainable growers, and many are organic. Depending on availability, vendors from the Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association offer fresh fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, farm fresh pasture raised eggs, culinary herbs, bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, annuals, vegetable transplants, honey, jams, baked goods, canned goods, lotions, balms, cold relief teas and drops, tinctures, skin products, tub tea bags, and more.

Shoppers can use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Cards at the Market. (EBT customers can visit the Market Information Booth for more details)

A constantly changing art bazaar featuring goods and demonstrations from local artists and crafters. Everything from jewelry and decorative garden stakes to paintings, craft items, books, greeting cards, pottery, and hand-blown glassworks. Local music is also featured at the market weekly and UMD Stores gives a 20% discount on regular items when bringing in a reusable bag during the Market.

The UMD Market Day in the Plaza is located in the Kirby Plaza Bus Hub area, so it’s easy to Ride the Bus! Call 722-SAVE for bus schedules.

Contact Gina Temple-Rhodes at 218-390-8343 or email umdmarketday@gmail.com to become a vendor or subscribe to weekly updates. Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association membership fees are $30/year and $7 per Wednesday you attend.

Keep posted on other LSSFA events by visiting: www.lssfa.org. You can also find 'Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association on FACEBOOK

UMD Market Day in the Plaza is sponsored by the Lake Superior Sustainable

Farming Association (LSSFA), UMD Stores, UMD Dining Services, The Office of Student Life, UMD Wellness Program, Department of Human Resources, UMD Office of

Sustainability and UMD Office of Civic Engagement

commitment , events

5/9/2012

Enrollment in summer sustainable agriculture courses is still open

It's not too late to enroll in summer Sustainable Agriculture courses. These courses are about hands-on, Experiential Learning in Sustainable and Organic food production on (and for) the UMD campus.

The new Summer courses ES 2095-1 and 2095-2 will give students the opportunity to help grow food for use in the UMD Dining Services in our organic-transition Sustainable Agriculture Project farm at the UMD Field and Research Studies Center. Learn about soils, plants and organic agriculture; how they interact ecologically and the healthy food systems we can create to support vital communities. No prior experience or coursework necessary. The courses will focus on student directed projects at the UMD farm and learning basic skills of vegetable farming and fruit orchards for early and late season parts of the growing season. All senses will be fully engaged!

ES 2095: Sustainable Agriculture I - Field Experience in Planning, Planting & Maintenance for Small-Scale Farms: 4 weeks in June, M-TH 9-11:30am or as arranged with instructor

Course Description: Students will gain hands-on experience and explore the academic issues related to the early season dimensions of small scale sustainable agriculture. Course activities will involve students directly in the planning and planting of market gardens and orchards including topics such site selection, assessment and layout; establishing plants using transplants and direct seeding, companion planting, nutrient management, irrigation methods, cover cropping, etc. Emphasis placed on field dimensions with student lead group projects as the central learning focus. Students will work in groups, in all weather conditions and actively engage in field activities related to seasonal management of small scale market gardening/farming.

ES 2095: Sustainable Agriculture II - Field Experience in Maintenance, Pest Management, Harvest and Marketing for Small-Scale Farms: 4 weeks in July, M-TH 9-11:30am or as arranged with instructor

Course Description: Students will gain hands-on experience and explore the academic issues related to the mid-late season dimensions of small scale sustainable agriculture. Course activities will involve students directly in the management of market gardens and orchards including topics such crop and pest monitoring, tool use and maintenance, nutrient management, irrigation methods, organic and integrated weed and pest control, and direct and wholesale marketing of produce. Emphasis placed on field dimensions with student lead group projects as the central learning focus. Students will work in groups, in all weather conditions and actively engage in field activities related to seasonal management of small scale market gardening/farming.

Community members who are interested in taking one or both of the Sustainable Agriculture courses can enroll for a non-credit option through Continuing Education for a reduced rate (about half of full tuition). Please contact the instructor, Cindy Hale at cmhale@d.umn.edu as soon as possible for more details.

education + research

5/9/2012

Keeping the Plan Moving, Sustainability education grants awarded

Strategic Initiative Grants were recently awarded (April 2012) to nine UMD faculty and staff members to help integrate sustainability into courses and curriculum at UMD. See grant descriptions on the Strategic Planning Home Page.

The nine small grants of $500-$3,000 focus on implementing specific action steps that move UMD toward achieving campus strategic goals, for sustainability the goal is: "Infuse the concept and application of sustainability into our curriculum and co-
curriculum, our research activities, and our use of facilities" (Goal 6, Action step 9).

Projects will be completed by December 31, 2012.

commitment , education + research