EC Sustainability News | March 2011 Brought to you by the EC Sustainability Committee Recommendations may be sent to sustainable@elmhurst.edu
News and Campus Initiatives Electronics Recycling Event – April 9th Spring cleaning time is here! Recycle your electronics, small household appliances, batteries and many more items. This event is sponsored by the Sustainability Committee, the Greenjays and the City of Elmhurst. This event is free and open to the campus and the public. See the long list of recyclable items below. Saturday, April 9th 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Park and Myrtle (North of Mill Theatre)
Employee Challenge April 6 – 8th.
Now, for the real fun, employees! While the Greenjays are hosting the second annual Green Cup in the residence halls to reduce waste and decrease utility usage, employees can compete too. The College office or department that recycles the greatest number of electronic items per employee in the unit will receive the Green Office traveling trophy AND a sustainable lunch (this does not mean rabbit food!) courtesy of Chartwells. Employee collection bins will be located inside the fence at the west end of Langhorst Field by the south bleachers (behind Goebel Hall and the Heat Plant/Boiler House). A reserved parking space for drop off will be available. If you need help lifting items out of your car, call Residence Life at x3150 in advance and help will be there.
Our Greenhouse Gas Inventory – April 19th, 11:30 a.m., Illinois Hall On December 6, 2010, the members of the Sustainability Committee were briefed on the recently completed greenhouse gas inventory conducted by Affiliated Engineers of Madison, WI. The inventory looked at the uses of energy by the College which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Three levels of emissions were considered: • Level 1: directly occurring emissions from sources that are owned and controlled by the institution - natural gas, refrigerants and fleet vehicle use; • Level 2: emissions generated in the production of electricity consumed – electricity and chilled water; and • Level 3: indirect emissions that are a part of doing business – commuting, business-related air travel, paper/waste consumption. The inventory produced some comparative figures which indicated that the College had already made some progress over the years in energy conservation, particularly in Facilities Management operations. We placed well with our peers in several categories such as emissions per sq. ft. or per FTE (full time equivalent person). However, the long term value of the inventory and the briefing was to identify new directions for continued carbon footprint reduction in the year ahead. There will be plenty of suggestions to come and a role for everyone on campus.
The Committee is inviting Affiliated Engineers back to campus on April 19th to present their findings in a presentation to the campus community.
The Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act The State of Illinois enacted The Electronic Products and Recycling Act in 2008 with a program for phased implementation. Of great significance for all citizens of the state is the ban on such equipment being either incinerated or placed in landfills becomes effective on January 1, 2012. This e-waste, which includes that taken from residences, includes desktop computers, notebook computers, monitors, printers, televisions and other common household electronic items. Recycling events such as the one April 9th offers a proper solution to a growing problem.
How is The College’s Electronic Equipment Recycled? Did you know for the past 20 years or so, the College has recycled its outdated electronic equipment (PCs, printers, monitors, etc.)? We have worked with Great Lakes Computer, Inc. to ensure that our old equipment is disposed of properly. Similarly, for the past 10 or so years, the College has recycled its print cartridges through a local vendor, and used new cartridges that are in fact recycled products themselves.
Tree Campus USA In February, the College was designated a Tree Campus USA institution. This designation was awarded in recognition of our unique arboretum and the efforts undertaken by the College to manage it. Tree Campus USA, a national program launched by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities and honors the leaders of the campus for promoting healthy urban forest management, and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship. Elmhurst College met the required five core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to receive Tree Campus USA status. Those standards are: establishing a tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. With warmer weather around-the-corner, make it a point to enjoy the beauty of the arboretum in the months ahead.
Electric Vehicles: They Are Here! Two electric vehicles were put into service in Facilities Management in November. They kind of look like a bigger, better, and enclosed golf cart. They are used on campus and will have a positive impact on both our fuel use and vehicle emission records.
What You Can Do Collection containers are located in each residence hall and the Office of Residence Life in West Hall for the items listed below. Many employees have been bringing over their contributions. Keep them coming! Enjoy the day and walk on over to West Hall, call x3150 or email reslife@elmhurst.edu for a pick up.
Plastic Bags: New Life for Old Bags 10,087 plastic bags collected to date. These are made into mats for the homeless. Battery Recycling!! 771 batteries totaling 53 pounds have been recycled.
Bring in any battery.
Bottle Caps Recycling 3,848 plastic caps collected. That is 22.3 pounds! Pop Tabs 3,135 collected to equal 2 pounds. Printer Cartridges - Laser and ink jet cartridges can be recycled in the Instructional Media Center, Daniels Hall, Room 111. Bring them in and say good day to Chris Curtin.
www.crserecycling.com
_____________________________________________________________________________ Acceptable Equipment All electronic equipment is acceptable exception of manifested hazardous waste, waste, biohazardous waste or mercury devices**. Some examples of accepted equipment are, but not limited to:
with the radioactive containing electronic
Computer Monitors – CRTs
Tape Players
Printed Circuit Boards
Computer Monitors – Flat Panel
CD Players
UPS (personal & network)
Televisions – CRTs
Telephones
Microwaves
Televisions – Flat Screen
Cell Phones
Small Household Appliances
Desktop Computers
Fax Machines
Servers
Laptop Computers
Gaming Consoles
Terminals
Keyboards/Mice
Power & Network Cables
Rechargeable Batteries
Toner/Ink Cartridges
Network Hubs
Household Batteries
Printers
Switching boxes
Cables/Cords
Scanners / Fax Machines
Controllers
Radios
Modems
Hard Drives
Stereos
VCRs
Docking Stations
CD Roms
Unacceptable Equipment Devices containing or omitting radioactivity
Car batteries
Mercury containing devices
Smoke alarms
Light bulbs (fluorescent or Incandescent)
Thermostats
Large Household Appliances (White Goods)
Thermometers
Hazardous materials
Air conditioners
Fire extinguishers
Gas powered engines
**Examples of mercury containing devices are: Fluorescent light bulbs
HID bulbs
Boat switches
Thermometers
Thermostats
** This sheet provides examples of unacceptable equipment and is not exhaustive