The SNOMNH Wants You to Go Green

January is the traditional month for making earnest resolutions for self-improvement. The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman has been making some resolutions of its own, and hopes to bring other Oklahomans along with it. The museum has made a commitment to lowering its environmental impact, and in January kicks off a month-long drive to enhance environmental awareness in its visitors and set an example of responsible ecological practices in other institutions across the state, culminating in a national webcast on environmental issues on Jan. 30.

The museum is currently undergoing an assessment to determine what adjustments will be required in order for the facility to become certified as a “green building” through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED). The LEED Green Building Rating System is the benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

For existing buildings, the LEED certification process focuses on best practices in operations and maintenance to be sure a building is meeting its full potential. The certification process looks at areas such as cleaning and maintenance issues, chemical use, indoor air quality, energy and water efficiency, recycling programs and facilities, and systems upgrades to meet green building standards. If certified, the museum will be the first existing building in Oklahoma to achieve LEED certification.

“As an institution whose mission is to inspire understanding and stewardship of the natural world, these steps are critical,” said Ellen Censky, the museum’s director. “We want to set an example by becoming the first existing building in Oklahoma to receive LEED certification. This is a project that the staff has embraced.”

A committee of museum staff members has been active in seeking out other ways in which the museum can have a lower environmental impact. Recent changes include an active recycling policy and use of recycled products in printing whenever possible. The museum’s Redbud Café has made a recent switch to paper from styrofoam cups and other containers, and has begun serving shade-grown free-trade coffee.

The 20 acres of native prairie landscape just south of the museum has recently earned official designation as an Oklahoma Natural Area with the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory. Now named the “Centennial Prairie” in honor of the state’s centennial year, this area will be maintained as a natural preserve and outdoor education resource. Using drought-tolerant native plants in backyard landscaping is another way for Oklahomans to lower their environmental impact. Throughout the month of January, the museum will offer tips to visitors for a variety of ways in which they can join in the museum’s green resolution.

Finally, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, the museum will take part in a national event called “The 2% Solution.” This is a live, interactive webcast that will be screened in the museum’s Kerr Auditorium featuring Stanford climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, and green jobs pioneer Van Jones. The webcast will include an audience-based discussion of global warming solutions, including opportunities for audiences to weigh in with cell phone voting. The event is free and open to the public.

“The 2% Solution” is produced by Focus the Nation with the support of the National Wildlife Federation, and hosted on Earth Day Network TV. Focus the Nation is an educational initiative organizing a national teach-in on global warming solutions for America—creating a dialogue at more than a thousand venues, and directly engaging millions of students and citizens with the nation’s decision-makers.

The SNOMNH is located on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. Additional information is available at the museum’s Web site: www.snomnh.ou.edu or by calling (405) 325-4712.

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