Fwd: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects

[Kathleen Alvey]

Hey all!

Here's the scoop from Therese...it looks like they're approaching the TBTT more conservatively than Colin had originally mentioned (since sales of the reusable mugs didn't do too well), but they're willing to pair up with us for marketing/outreach and a trial run of selling 400 bottles. 

I'll propose some times to meet next week (and if you could send me your availabilities too, that'd be awesome), and then hopefully we can get going on this!!
Talk to you all soon. 
~K.C.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Therese A O'Connor <ta...@cornell.edu>
Date: Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 2:30 PM
Subject: RE: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects
To: Kathleen Carolyn Alvey <kc...@cornell.edu>, Erin Leigh Johnson <el...@cornell.edu>
Cc: Charles Colin Hollister <cc...@cornell.edu>, Daniel Dosztan <dd...@cornell.edu>, Karen E Brown <ke...@cornell.edu>, Gail T Finan <gt...@cornell.edu>

Hi K.C.

 Here’s the update on the plastic water bottle issues:

 

We’ve had conversations with Purchasing, Marketing, and Dining Senior staff regarding your proposals and initiatives.  While we are quite aware of the environmental concerns around bottled water and the huge impact plastic bottles have on the environment, the reality is that customers (e.g., students) still continue to buy bottled water.  Also, at Cornell, we want to offer customers choices and alternatives. 

Here is some information that you might find interesting and which will inform our decisions:

·         Campus Life purchased 2000 reusable/sustainable hot mugs two years ago and has sold 726 to date through Cornell Dining retail units.  The program was widely promoted and includes discounts on refills to encourage the use of refillable containers.

·         700 BPA-free bottles were given to Campus Life Staff in January 2010.  A limited number of staff members seem to be using them.  Of course, they may be using them outside the workplace, but we see very few carrying, filling, drinking from them. 

·         Currently there are approximately 400 water bottles (like Sigg) in the Dump and Run Warehouse which may speak to students’ commitment to using reusable water bottles consistently.  (These will be for sale at the August D & R). Additionally, the reusable water bottles have an impact on landfill issues because they also need to be recycled.  The metal bottles pose a waste issue.

·         Many, if not most students already have their own reusable water bottles, so sales potential may be quite limited.

 

Cornell Dining/Campus Life  and TBTT should certainly attempt to do an outreach and awareness campaign to bring to light the problems that plastic bottled water cause, so we’re proposing the following:

1.       Using the initial poster materials that you sent, our Marketing department will re-work those to use as table tents and other postable products. As mentioned in earlier meetings, we cannot use brand names or negative messaging in these.

2.       TBTT perhaps could have a booth at the “Move-in Day and/or Block party day  with important awareness campaign materials

3.       We would like to do a trial run of selling 400 BPA-free water bottles  in several of our retail units to see how sales go. This would also involve some marketing and awareness piece that our Marketing department would do.

4.       We would like to do an observational “survey” of the water fountains in the retail operations (their use by water-bottle users), before we consider any type of retrofit fill stations. Additionally, fill stations and reusable bottle sales would have to go hand-in-hand.  Perhaps TBTT could manage this survey and compile the data.

 

Regarding the other issues, we have 2 student sustainability coordinators starting in mid-August with several projects on their plates, one of which is compost signage.

Additionally, Colin will be working with us until end of August, so he may be assigned to some of these projects, too.

I certainly appreciate your willingness to offer to pitch in.

 Let me know if you’d like to meet regarding the water bottle marketing materials, booths, etc.

Thanks.

Hope you’re having some summer fun!

 

Therese

 

From: Kathleen Alvey [mailto:kc...@cornell.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 3:19 PM
To: Therese A O'Connor
Subject: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects

 

Hi Therese,

I hope you are having a great summer so far. 

I just wanted to check in with you about the reusable bottle project with Take Back the Tap.  Colin mentioned that you and Gail were away last week with a conference, but would you have some time this week or next week to meet?  I know we had originally discussed providing reusable bottles for sale in the dining locations, and then Colin described procedures for handing out the bottles to freshmen instead.  Both ideas are great, but which one should we focus on for now?  We could always order more than enough bottles for the freshmen class, and then sell the extras, so that upperclassmen could have them as well. 

Also, I wanted to ask you about the Dining Intern projects for the summer.  I met with Phil the other day and he mentioned that there are some initiatives that you could use my help on, before the semester starts, such as ensuring that composting signage is consistent.  What are your top priorities and what would you like me to do?  As sustainability student intern for E&S and Campus Life, I'm working on preparation for RA and OL engagement for Orientation, but if there's anything I can do with Dining, please let me know. 

Please let me know if you would like to meet about these projects. 
Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
K.C. Alvey

[Kathleen Alvey]

Hey guys-

 

Just letting you know that I'm trying (again!!) to set up a meeting with Therese for next week, before I go away for the first week of August.  I'll e-mail you as soon as I hear a response, but at the very least, we're still on for meeting amongst ourselves for next Mon. 7/26 at 5:15PM in Mann Lobby!

 

Have an awesome weekend!  =)

~K.C.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kathleen Alvey <kc...@cornell.edu>
Date: Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects
To: Therese A O'Connor <ta...@cornell.edu>
Cc: Erin Leigh Johnson <el...@cornell.edu>, Charles Colin Hollister <cc...@cornell.edu>, Daniel Dosztan <dd...@cornell.edu>, Karen E Brown <ke...@cornell.edu>, Gail T Finan <gt...@cornell.edu>, Kristen Loria <ka...@cornell.edu>

Hi Ms. O'Connor:

 

Thank you very much for getting back to me.  I hope your summer is going well. 

 

I appreciate you taking the time to look into ways of promoting sustainable alternatives to bottled water.  Some of the ideas that you proposed could be effective and I would definitely like to meet as soon as possible to focus on implementation strategies for the start of the semester.  We have been working on our educational materials and our web site for Take Back the Tap, which we hope to have ready by Orientation. 

 

Would you be available at some point next week to meet?  I am fairly flexible next week, except for Wed. 7/28 from 10:30-11:30AM, Thurs. 7/29 1-5PM, and Fri. 7/30 from 3:30-4:00PM.  Apart from those times, I am available to meet you on North Campus to discuss these ideas further.  I will be away the first week of August, so the week of 7/26 would be preferable. 

 

Please let me know what works best for you.

Thank you so much,

Sincerely,

K.C. Alvey

[Kathleen Alvey]

Hey again!!

 

Therese responded.  We're meeting on Tues. 7/27 at 2:30PM in Balch.  (I'll check on the room number again, but it's the room we met in last time, by the desk, on the right wing when you're facing North).

 

***Please let me know if you're able to attend this meeting.

Thanks!

~K.C.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Therese A O'Connor <ta...@cornell.edu>
Date: Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Subject: RE: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects
To: Kathleen Carolyn Alvey <kc...@cornell.edu>

OK. See you then!  Have a fun weekend.

 

Therese

 

From: Kathleen Alvey [mailto:kc...@cornell.edu]

Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 4:46 PM

To: Therese A O'Connor

Subject: Re: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects

 

Hi Therese,

 

Would you like to meet at 2:30PM on Tues. 7/27 then?  Should I meet you in Balch, in the room we met last time? 

 

Please let me know if that works for you. 

Thanks,

K.C.

On Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 4:43 PM, Therese A O'Connor <ta...@cornell.edu> wrote:

Hi K.C.

   Hope you’re enjoying your summer in Ithaca. I’ll be out of town July 28—31, but I do have some time on Tuesday, July 27 between 2:00 and 4:00.

That is really the only flexible time open for me next week. Otherwise, we’ll have to meet the second week of August.

Let me know.

 

Therese

 

From: Kathleen Alvey [mailto:kc...@cornell.edu]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 3:49 PM

To: Therese A O'Connor

Cc: Erin Leigh Johnson; Charles Colin Hollister; Daniel Dosztan; Karen E Brown; Gail T Finan; Kristen A. Loria

Subject: Re: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects

 

Hi Ms. O'Connor:

[Kathleen Alvey]

Hi Therese:

Thanks for ensuring that TBTT can table at the Block party.  I appreciate your help on this.  We'll be there before 5:30PM to set up, but I'll double check with Ms. Amols about set up. 

I had a few questions related to some other things we had discussed at our last meeting:

• Will we be able to move forward with the table tent idea, in terms of statistics about tap water (from our fact sheet/pledge), the TBTT project, and where to purchase/refill reusable bottles?
• For the trial-run of the 200 bottles, how will we attach the fact sheet?  Should they be tied to the outside of the bottles?
• Can you send me the locations, pricing, models, etc. of the bottles once they are finalized, so that I can include this information on the TBTT, Sustainability Hub, and Sustainable Campus web sites?
• The locations we recommend are Bear Necessities, Jansen's, Trillium, Martha's, Mattin's, and Libe Cafe
  
• Will we be able to pair up the reusable bottles with filtered tap water dispensers?  Manndible has a great model- with filtered tap water and compostable paper cups.  The cups are 25 cents, but the tap water is free with a reusable bottle.  These water dispensers are very visible, convenient, and low cost compared to water fountains.  
• For the dining locations with soda fountains, would we be able to ensure that there is a separate spigot for water (or combined with lemonade), so that the taste of soda does not mix with the water?
• Would we also be able to work with you on developing signs about where to refill the bottles- the filtered tap water dispensers and/or soda fountains? 
  

For your reference, I have attached another copy of the Take Back the Tap at Cornell brochure, pledge, logo, and link to our website (under construction: http://takebackthetapcornell.wordpress.com/). 

Please let me know what you think about the above ideas.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
K.C. Alvey
Student Intern, Cornell's Dept. of Energy & Sustainability
President, Sustainability Hub

On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 9:19 AM, Therese A O'Connor <ta...@cornell.edu> wrote:

Hi K.C. and Erin

    It’s a go for TBTT to have a table/booth at the Block party on August 22 from 5:30 to 8:00. You’ll need to get there ahead of time to set up. Everyone is looking forward to your doing the blind tasing of waters.  Paula Amols, Assist Dir in Dining is a point person for location and set up—copied on this email.

We cannot sell bottles at that point b/c of payment control and electronic payment issues, but we will sell bottles on north campus locations starting right after the block party—the plastic ones and hopefully, metal ones.

Colin is working on getting a trial run of 200 metal bottles for sale in north campus locations also, but we won’t know if that will happen by Aug 20.  If not, I would suggest another info campaign in Bear and Carol’s during the first month of classes—your group can do that.

Hope this all works out.

Let me know.

 

Therese  O'Connor

Manager Training & Development

Sustainability Initiatives

Cornell Dining & Retail Services

Campus Life

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY 14853

O: 607-255-8792

F: 607-255-9767

 

From: Kathleen Alvey [mailto:kc...@cornell.edu]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 4:53 PM

To: Therese A O'Connor
Subject: Re: Follow up with TBTT and Dining Intern projects

 

Sounds great!  You too.

See you on Tuesday!

~K.C.