September 2011 - EC Sustainability News

EC Sustainability News | September 2011 Brought to you by the EC Sustainability Committee, sustainable@elmhurst.edu Visit our website at http://public.elmhurst.edu/projects/sustainability.

Events th

Employee Electronics Recycling Challenge September 30 . 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. The Living Green Team will be available from 7:00 – 9:30 a.m. to help lift items out of your car.

The College office or department that recycles the greatest number of electronic and electric items per employee in the unit will receive the Green Department traveling trophy AND a tasty sustainable lunch courtesy of Chartwells.

Report your recycled items here: http://apps.elmhurst.edu/recycling-event/ Electronics Recycling Event – sponsored by Elmhurst College and the City of Elmhurst, st Saturday, October 1 .

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Elmhurst College Parking Lot at Park and Myrtle streets (north of the Mill Theatre) All are welcome to participate All electronic equipment is acceptable with the exception of manifested hazardous waste, radioactive waste, bio hazardous waste or mercury containing devices. Some examples of accepted electronics are, but not limited to: 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, Printers, Switching boxes, Cables/Cords, Scanners / Fax Machines, Controllers, Radios, Modems, Hard Drives, Stereos, VCRs, Docking Stations, CD Rom. Contact sustainable@elmhurst.edu with questions.

Waste Audit 2011: watch for a third consecutive waste audit of the dining areas this fall. Our goal is to be 90% accurate in our sorting efforts.

News and Campus Initiatives Elmhurst College Joins the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact Also during the summer, the College joined the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact and committed itself to attaining a Silver Participation Level within five years. The Sustainability Committee is dedicated to helping achieve this goal, and will take the first step this Fall Term by assembling material for the intermediate Bronze Participation Level award.

By way of background, the Illinois Sustainability Compact is a multi-tiered environmental leadership program for Illinois colleges and universities that are interested in incorporating sustainable policies and practices throughout their campus operations, in addition to academic, student life and community engagement activities. Awards and recognition are provided through the Governor’s Office as we attain the milestones and goals of the program. This particular adventure promises to be one of great value to the College and another way to measure our progress.

Do you duplex?

Each year literally millions of sheets of paper are printed on campus. The costs and waste of paper involved rise into the tens of thousands of dollars as well as an untold number of trees destroyed. We encourage you to print as much as you can in the duplex mode (two-sided printing) on your office printer. To assist the effort, all newer printers on campus have this feature. The printers in Buehler Library and Daniels Hall computer labs are set to this feature. If you need assistance or advice in using the duplex capability, please call the Help Desk at extension 3767.

Dining Hall and EC Grille Waste Disposal: In an attempt to lower EC’s waste, the College is collaborating with Chartwell’s Dining Services to implement new waste disposal procedures in the Dining Hall and EC Grille. Compost waste, later to be hauled away and composted, is now being segregated from recyclable waste which in turn is segregated from trash. The goal is to be 90% accurate for the next waste audit. Please pay close attention to signage, and send your questions, concerns, and recommendations to sustainable@elmhurst.edu. The Living Green Team will be assisting in the sorting process by educating and directing correct disposal.

Living Green Team: Please take the time to greet our students in the Dining Hall and EC Grille that are assisting all of us in sorting our waste in the eating areas. The Living Green Team is a collaborative effort by Chartwells and the Office of Residence Life. Living Green Team students are student employment positions that are supporting dining and residence hall sustainability efforts. If you know students that are interested in working please have them contact Sharon Barsotti at barsottis@elmhurst.edu. Federal Work Study is required.

Don’t Forget! “Hit the Switch”!

In Spring Term 2011, the Sustainability Committee encouraged all staff and faculty to reduce electricity consumption on campus by turning off lights and equipment in offices or work areas.

This plea remains in effect all the time, and we can have a meaningful impact on resource conservation by doing something rather simple. Posters and small postcard sized reminders are available and will be sent to you upon request at sustainable@elmhurst.edu.

Sustainability Plan Updated The updated plan complete with summer progress may be found on the College homepage at http://public.elmhurst.edu/projects/sustainability. It provides a good overview of the direction of the program and the efforts being made on campus. The Sustainability Committee will continue to oversee the implementation of the plan and is always on the alert for new ideas and ways to integrate sustainability into the daily life of the campus.

Tire Inflation Service: Facilities Management is now offering a free car tire inflation service.

Properly inflated tires increase gas mileage, saving you money. They also help lower your carbon footprint, which is good for you and good for the college!

For assistance, call Pepe Torres at Ext. 3001 to set up a no-cost appointment for tire inflation.

For those who would rather do it themselves, the air hose located on the east exterior wall of the Grounds Building (next to the overhead garage door) is available 24/7. Please be aware, however, that you will need your own tire pressure gauge since the hose is not equipped with one. Let’s keep those “college” tires inflated to help the environment as well as save you some cash!

Did You Know?

DuPage County’s 2009 solid waste report reported an astonishing 8.3 lbs/person/day which is nearly double the national value of 4.34 lbs./person/day. Let’s do our part in stimulating the Elmhurst community to help abate DuPage County’s waste. Remember that conscious recycling is not an option but our responsibility.

What You Can Do: Green Tips 1. Keeping your freezer full will use less energy to keep the food frozen. Move the freezer away from heat producing sources such as windows, ovens, and dishwashers.

2. Microwave and toaster ovens use about one-tenth the amount of electricity as a conventional oven uses. Defrosting your food for a minute before placing it in the conventional oven will also save you some bucks.

3. Today’s fancy TVs consume nearly 10 percent of the average household’s annual electricity bill when combined with related devices such as DVD players, cable boxes, etc. To reduce your bill, don’t second hand watch. Turn off the TV and turn on the radio if you really need some background noise. That way you can get your dancing shoes on and maybe impress a new friend.

4. Reduce the brightness on your televisions, and select a power-saving mode if applicable.

5. Myth or Fact? By leaving your electronics plugged into the wall, though turned off, they are still sucking energy to keep their internal clocks running… Fact. This is referred to as “Phantom Load,” and it can be clearly reflected on your bills. So get a power strip or simply unplug. Then go get yourself some ice cream with the money you just pocketed.

6. Screen savers... you are losing out on an extra $50 or more per year. So unless it’s the dancing baby from the 90’s, toss it!

7. Vampire electronics such as chargers are exactly what you think. Leaving them plugged in will suck a nickel out of every dollar’s worth of electricity. So unplug when not in use!