pep talk

This morning I heard the FOAM top dog Mike Shriner make a pitch about our ongoing energy conservation efforts. A few hours earlier, my heater at home came to life for the first time this season with that annual burnt dust smell—so I listened with more than casual interest. We’ve been working on energy and resource conservation efforts at UTMB for a long time, and are about as good as anyone at it; the university has a long list of awards and accolades for its efforts, and our consumption of electricity, water and natural gas has remained fairly level for the past few years. That’s good, because as anyone who pays the bills at home knows, prices have shot skyward.

UTMB’s electric bill each month runs about $1.5 million, or more than $48,000 per day. Last year we spent $5.2 million for natural gas (the same amount of gas cost us $1.5 million less a year earlier). Our bill last year for water climbed half a million to $2.8 million, even though our consumption has been the same for the past five years.

The goal for 2007 is to try and reduce our consumption of resources by 3%. We each can play a role in helping us get there. UTMB is a big place. Often areas are much cooler or warmer than they need to be for people to be comfortable. If you find yourself in such a place, call ext. 21586 to correct it. Turn off lights. Report leaky faucets. Leave the space heaters at home. I’m going to unplug my mini-fridge, and start eating my apples at room temperature. If you have questions or suggestions, call “POWER”—ext. 76937.

The Daily News just emailed out a bulletin about a BP settlement than will benefit UTMB and College of the Mainland. It’s big news, hot off the digital press:

Local organizations to get millions in BP deal
GALVESTON — The University of Texas Medical Branch and College of Mainland will get millions from a settlement struck today between BP and the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed over a deadly 2005 blast at the company’s Texas City refinery, an attorney said.The medical branch’s burn unit will receive $12.5 million, while the college will receive $5 million for its process technology program. Another $2 million each will go to the university and the college’s foundation for scholarships.  

Here’s the news release, posted to our web site Thursday.

Here’s the Daily News story that ran Friday, and talks about the other beneficiaries.

I (and many others) have worked quietly in the background supporting UTMB’s State Employee Charitable Campaign for more years than I can remember. It’s a lot of work, but I look forward to it every year because it feels good, and because I know how important and meaningful those dollars are to the hundreds of charities—near and far—that our employees support. Dr. Stobo was the one who encouraged us at the beginning to step up our involvement and to make this a big deal for our campus and community. The first year I think we hit $40K, and were rightfully excited about it. Then we passed $50K, then $100K, then half a million. Last year we raised more than $700,000, the most raised by any state agency or university. We were the first state agency to put our materials online, the first to offer an online catalog of agencies with hyperlinks, the first to offer online giving.

Our campaign success has been great, and those “firsts” are great, but none of it is possible without people who care, without you. Leadership could push, we could build the best tools in the world, and if people didn’t feel genuinely engaged and good about helping others, it’d be for naught. And that’s a big part of why it feels good and right, and why even in the midst of all this crud, we’re eight days into this year’s campaign with more than $200K in pledges from almost a thousand employees. We may not break any records this year, but the generosity the people of UTMB show for others is still humbling and is still going to make a major positive impact for those in need.

On a personal note, I’m going to borrow a great idea shared by Nancy Bertolino last year and have my contributions this year be decisions made at the dinner table and shared by my family (See “reasons to give“). I feel kids can learn the importance of sharing one’s good fortune with those in need at an early age. With only the most subtle of prodding, each of my squirts are digging in their piggy banks for “Toys for Tots” this year. That makes me happy too, and seems so fitting during this season of thanks (and ironically, rampant consumerism). If you’ve already given, thanks.
www.utmb.edu/secc