At BSU Earthweek activities COTE announced the receipients of its sixth annual awards program. The awards fall into two main catagories:

COTE Exemplar Awards recognize individuals or groups with significant accomplishments promoting the sustainable use of natural resources or the protection of ecological systems.

Individuals who have a record of continual significant achivements are further recognized by the awarding of a "COTE Exemplar Lifetime Achievement Award".

COTE Green Initiative Awards recognize everyday activites, decisions or contributions that help to move Ball State University toward sustainability. Their purpose is to reward discrete contributions rather than a history of multiple accomplishments.

Exemplar Award

Recipients have a record of significant accomplishments promoting the sustainable use of natural resources or the protection of ecological systems.

Michael McKay

Mike has been managing the effort of Morrison Kattman Menze Architects to incorporate green building technologies and sustainable design into their work, leading the way with Phase I of the Reith Village at the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center at Goshen College in Wolf Lake, IN. This is the first project in the state of Indiana to achieve LEED Platinum Certification by the US Green Building Council.

Mike is a graduate of the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, has been in practice some 20 years during which many other projects that have been recognized with design awards from the American Institute of Architects. For example, the Pediatric Care Unit and Cardiac Catheterization Suite at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, the H.A. Traub Technical Center for Busak + Shamban in New Haven, Indiana and the regional headquarters for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality in Bay City, Michigan.

Mike received the Alpha Rho Chi Medal upon graduation from Ball State University's College of Architecture and Planning and true to the spirit of that award has "…shown great promise of real professional merit through attitude and personality". He continues to participate in student project reviews, his firm has hosted for multiple years a design competition in which scholarships are awarded to CAP students, and recently he served as a keynote speaker at the 2008 Summit on Sustainability for Indiana Colleges and Universities hosted by BSU.

Mike is a member of the American Institute of Architects, past president of the Indiana Chapter of the AIA, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Fort Wayne AIA Chapter. Mike has served the Ball State University Alumni Association, the League for the Blind and Disabled, and the Fort Wayne Rotary Club wherein he served as a Paul Harris Fellow on 3 separate occasions.

Consistent with the description of the COTE Exemplar Award, Mike evidences a "clear commitment to the environment" and continues to "enhance public understanding of the complex issues that bear upon the stewardship of our natural resources".


Green Initiative Awards

Recipients have made discrete contributions that help to move Ball State University toward sustainability.

Delaware County TRIAD Expired and Unused Medication Drops Program.

TRIAD is an educational and advocacy group for older adults. One of their most successful programs is the Expired and Unused Medication Drops. During these twice yearly collection events, TRIAD volunteers collect unused prescription and over-the-counter medications from residents. Then, these medications are disposed of in a safe, responsible manner. Otherwise, these medications would, most likely, enter the environment through wastewater. Last fall, TRIAD members collected 840 pounds of expired medications.

The following individuals have been cited for their involvement with this program:

  • Scott Cooper
  • Judy Elton
  • Megan Velasquez

Department of Technology Graphic Arts Management Program

Through collaborative faculty effort, the department has transformed its arts practices:

  • A computer-to-plate system to make offset lithographic plates was installed in 2007; film and all the processing chemicals were eliminated.
  • Presentations to students on federal and state regulations as well as pollution prevention practices in printing industry.
  • Faculty recycled aluminum plates at the local metal salvage facility and reinvested the income in student scholarships.
  • Water-based inks that don't emit volatile organic compounds (VOC) were used in flexographic printing instead of solvent-based inks.
  • Chemistry based photography courses were discontinued, opting for completely digital photography courses in Fall 2008.

The following individuals have been cited for their involvement with this program:
Thomas H. Spotts
Rene A. Church
Hans P. Kellogg
Edward J. Lazaros
Renmei Xu


Living Lightly Fair

The June 2007 Living Lightly fair promoted sustainable living which, by definition, is "an approach to managing and using our natural resources that considers economic, environmental, and social impacts". It was noted that the effort to "live a sustainable lifestyle is more of a journey than a destination; not everyone can generate their own green power from solar panels or wind, but there are many small actions that each can take to get us all moving in the right direction".

In connection with the fair a number of energy education workshops were offered as well as exhibits. Over 20 speakers and 50 vendors participated in the discussions about and demonstrations of energy efficient technologies and practical tips for living more sustainably, saving money and resources for themselves and future generations. The fair was free and offered a wide variety of activities for all audiences from children to adults, to learn about ways to lighten their impact on the earth.

Sponsors included foundations, business, corporations and individuals whose generous support made the fair possible. Speakers, educators and musicians shared their expertise and talent; and dozens of committee members spent many months involved in the planning and organization of the event. Volunteers gave hours of their weekend to help staff the fair and thousands of east central Indiana persons participated in the event.

More description and illustration of the event is available on the web page; the upcoming June 2008 offering is also detailed there. www.livinglightlyfair.org

The following individuals are cited for their involvement with this event:

Executive Committee:
Jon Creek
Lina Gordy
Rose Jeffery
Mona Luxion
Lucinda Rarick
Mary Annette Rose
Barbara Stedman

Committee Chairs:
Barry Banks
Ric Dwenger
Debbie Brown
Martha Hunt
John Motloch
Mark Darrall
Nadia Roumie
Warren Vander Hill