•
Set a baseline for water use (using this year’s data)
• Education Campaigns
-
Use CHSRI (Carriage House Sustainable
Residence Initiative) as a model for efficient technologies
that could potentially be implemented on campus in the future (especially
low flow/pausable showerheads, low flow toilets and sink fixtures,
etc).
- Spearhead education campaigns for water conservation (in the form
of a “challenge,” or incentive program).
- Educate public about university’s environmental efforts through
news releases and “open houses” (especially in CHSRI).
- Increase the visibility of the Water System. Post signs around campus
water sources (faucets, for example) explaining where the water comes
from and where it will end up-depending on how we choose to use it.
•
Look into implementing a waste water re-use system (such as a Living
Machine [see appendix xx]. This could also serve as an educational opportunity
for students in Biology and Environmental Science or Studies, for example).
• Create a computerized database that records water meter readings
of buildings and alerts Facilities Management of sudden increase in
water flow (i.e., a leak).
2.
Develop Proactive Strategy to Protect Groundwater
1.
Eliminate Waste Water at Mount A!
By following some simple guidelines and implementing some energy efficient
technologies, the university will be shocked at how much water, and money,
we will save! Some of the steps, many of which we have already taken,
include:
Things
to Initiate:
•
Install low flow shower heads, toilets, and faucets campus wide
• Use water saving technologies when it comes to dish and clotheswashing.
• Collect water from campus rooftops to be used for watering/
washing purposes.
• Reuse grey water (water that has been used for washing)
• Use a Living Machine to process some of campus waste water on
site (See Appendix XX).
• Install composting toilets throughout campus. This will save
the unnecessary mixing of two valuable resources: pure water and human
manure (see Appendices XX and XX).
Chapter
3 New Buildings and Renovations
contents
Make
buildings as efficient as possible with 50% of projects using green materials
Things
to keep doing:
• Continue to retrofit appropriate spaces with ‘watt stopper’
sensors. (Washrooms, hallways, etc.)
Things
to initiate:
• Pilot test more environmentally friendly materials for indoor
finishing, ie: organic or ‘eco’ paints (or no paint at all),
adhesive free carpeting, etc. to ensure their viability in future university
projects. (The Environmental Choice Ecologo certification provides lists
of products and services that meet certain environmental criteria.)
Include in testing education about what the university is doing and
why for the entire campus, especially students.
Go
green with 100% of projects using green materials
Things
to keep doing:
•
Continue working towards green building certification.
Things
to initiate:
• Use the buying power of the university to promote green technologies
and materials in the region by requesting their use in building contracts.
Monitor advances in the green building industry to keep on top of available
materials and technologies that could enhance the environmental performance
of the university’s buildings.
• Set a target FCI rating and integrate that with the implementation
of green building techniques.
Chapter
4 Energy Use
contents
Improve
efficiency and reduce energy consumption by 10%.
Things
to keep doing:
• Continue with plans to monitor oil going into the boilers.
• Continue to retrofit appropriate spaces with light and/or motion
sensors.
• Continue to utilize the ‘Energy Management Plan’
produced by Enerplan Consultants Ltd. for additional energy saving measures
in all areas of energy use on campus (section 3.0).
Things
to initiate:
• Do an ‘education retrofit’. Where energy retrofits
have been done put up some educational material (ie: posters) describing
what the technology is and why it’s there. See appendix x for
examples.
• Establish an energy reduction or Kyoto strategy including emissions
targets with the Energy Coordinator.
• Replace any incandescent exit lamps with LED lamps.
• Replace all incandescent light bulbs on campus with compact
fluorescent or T8 fluorescent bulbs (replace them now instead of waiting
for the old ones to burn out).
1.
30% reduction in energy consumption.
Things
to initiate:
•
Insulate buildings that are not insulated.
2.
An emission free university.
Things
to initiate:
• Go ‘carbon neutral’ with ‘renewable energy
certificates’ (RECs). This is a process endorsed by the David
Suzuki Foundation whereby all carbon emissions are either eliminated
or counteracted with RECs.
• Carefully and continually monitor advances in alternative energy
technology, especially price reductions, so that the university knows
about them and knows when they can afford them.
• Construct new buildings, or renovate old ones, assuming alternative
energy sources will be used in the future to ensure that Mount Allison
is ready when they are.
Chapter
5 Air Emissions
Things
to keep doing:
•
Continue to restrict the use of automobiles on campus.
• Bike or walk whenever possible.
• Consider car pooling whenever driving is necessary. (See
Transportation Chapter)
• Reduce energy and heat consumption whenever possible. (See
Energy Chapter)
Things
to initiate:
•
Create a section on air quality in the Environmental Policy, complete
with performance indicators.
Things
to initiate:
•
Endorse an emissions reduction target for Mount Allison that meets or
surpasses Canada’s Kyoto Protocol commitment of 6% below 1990
levels.
• Commit funds to implementing energy sources which do not create
air pollution (e.g wind and solar energy) where economically feasible
• Support the implementation of alternative energy forms which
do not pollute the atmosphere.
• Request that Sodexho purchase more food from local sources.
This will reduce emissions resulting from transportation.
Chapter
6 Hazardous Waste
1.
Minimize hazardous waste on campus.
Things
to keep doing:
• Continue with microscale chemistry and efforts to utilize natural
solutions for chemical analysis rather than creating chemical solutions.
Using natural solutions will not only limit chemical use and therefore
waste, but would also be a good tool for integrating environmental aspects
into chemistry courses (for instance, comparison of soils from the King
st. remediation site compared to soil on campus could demonstrate the
polluting effects of the former foundry).
Things
to initiate:
•
Formalize policy surrounding cleaning products to ensure environmentally
friendly practices continue.
2.
Fully monitor all hazardous materials on campus.
Things
to initiate:
•
Create a university wide database that includes all hazardous materials
used on campus.
Eliminate
unnecessary hazardous waste disposal.
Things
to initiate:
•
Eliminate pesticide use and therefore eliminate the need to dispose
of the pesticide containers.
• Go above and beyond regulations.
Chapter
7 Solid Waste
1.
Proper sorting in all waste bins on campus.
Things
to initiate:
•
Eliminate the use of all garbage bags that are not blue or green on
campus as they are not sorted at Westmorland and are automatically sent
to the landfill.
• It may be useful to eliminate separate beverage container and
paper recycling bins from campus to eliminate confusion in wet/dry sorting.
(Obviously residences that are collecting containers for redemption
would not do this.)
• Regularly remind the university community, especially students
in residences about the wet/dry program via the Argosy, CMHA radio or
events organized by EcoAction (for example).
• More regular reminders of wet/dry in custodial staff meetings
and department head or faculty meetings (maybe at least twice/year?).
• All first year classes receive a brief wet/dry orientation from
their professors.
• Integrate a monitoring routine into the weekly schedules of
custodial supervisors to ensure wet/dry bins are properly placed and
labeled.
• Semi-permanently paste the wet/dry sorting lists in each residence
room and classroom/lecture hall.
• Educate any conference goers or other outside users about the
wet/dry system.
• Give a discount in the ‘Golden A’ to students who
bring their own reusable dishes (not just mugs).
• Include reusable mugs and grocery bags along with a frisbee
in frosh kits if it is economically feasible – frosh barbeque
could then be BYODishes (ie: mug & frisbee)
2.
10% waste reduction
Things
to initiate:
•
Develop a university-wide waste reduction strategy including reduction
goals, using 2005 data as a baseline.
• Implement a battery and ink cartridge recycling program on campus.
• Include reusable mugs and grocery bags along with a frisbee
in frosh kits if it is economically feasible – frosh barbeque
could then be BYODishes (ie: mug & frisbee)
Overall
waste reduction of 30%.
Things
to initiate:
•
Dedicate one outdoor event to using re-usable dishes to test the practicality
of using re-usable dishes for outdoor events on campus. (It doesn’t
necessarily have to be china, Sodexho might consider purchasing camping-type
dishes specifically for outdoor use.)
• Work towards composting Sodexho’s waste on site, rather
than sending it to Westmorland.
Chapter
8 Paper Consumption
Short
Term & Long Term Goal: |
Reduce paper waste through reduced paper consumption
(10% reduction in the short term and 30% in the long term).
Things
to keep doing:
•
Continue defaulting all printers and photocopiers on campus to double-sided
printing.
Things
to initiate:
•
Formalize a university-wide policy stating that professors must accept
the following:
o Double sided assignments
o Electronic assignments
o Double sided exams
• Encourage faculty and staff to do the following:
o Use WebCT.
o Re-use paper printed on one side.
o Share documents among departments when more than one person has to
read the same thing.
o Re-use old envelopes.
• Encourage students to do the following:
o Request email assignments and WebCT use.
o Print only what you need. What you really, really need.
o Copy only what you need. What you really, really need.
o Re-use paper printed on one side.
o Re-use old envelopes.
• Establish a paper waste reduction program.
Chapter
9 Transportation
Things
to keep doing:
•
Plant hedges in areas where people cut corners to prevent the problem
of pedestrian damage to turf and tree roots
• When possible, arrange to use one vehicle for multiple tasks
(e.g. custodial deliveries combined with carpentry deliveries)
• Unless absolutely necessary, all members of the university community
should avoid driving their vehicles onto the campus.
• Because neither the grass nor the root structures of the trees
on campus are strong enough to support regular pedestrian traffic, all
members of the university community should try to keep to the walkways
in order to preserve this vegetation.
Things
to initiate:
•
Implement a commuting program such as “The Complete Guide for
Canadian Employers”
• Support, through the allocation of funds, the purchasing of
zero or lower emission vehicles
• Stage an “Alternative Transportation” day to build
awareness on campus
• The university community should be encouraged to car pool.
• For those staff, faculty and students who live 5 km or less
from the university campus, cycling or walking to work or class should
be a primary option.
• When on University business, travel more sustainably by taking
a train or bus instead of flying or off set your emissions by donating
to organisations like Climate Care
Things
to initiate:
•
Eliminate unutilized carpooling bulletin board in University Centre
and replace with a modern ride-sharing program which would include the:
o Creation of carpools and vanpools and match riders by computerization
and publicity
o Guarantee of emergency rides home to employees who share rides
o Creation of incentives with preferential parking spaces and lower
or free parking rates to those who ride-share
• Explore alternatives to current use of university vehicles:
o Explore alternatives to traditional service vehicles such as electric
golf carts
o Consider the possibility of using cleaner burning fuels (e.g. bio-diesel,
propane)
Chapter
10 Grounds Keeping
1.
Ensure that grounds are managed sustainably
Things to initiate:
•
Set out a clear environmental vision (see the Stewardship section) that
includes how grounds should be managed sustainably taking into account
diversity, conservation, and education.
2.
Create “accessible” greenspaces for
the university community to enjoy
Things
to initiate:
•
Create spaces, such as native plant gardens, butterfly gardens,
medicine wheels, picnic areas, etc. that will encourage the community
to use, and respect, the grounds at Mount A.
3.
Ensure the landscaping is low-input
Things
to continue doing:
•
Continue implementing low-input species of plants and trees (especially
native species)
Things
to Initiate:
•
Look into alternatives to lawn (in certain areas, natives ground covers
could replace high-input turf)
4.
Improve Communication
Things
to Initiate:
• Come up with ways to improve communication with the university
community, especially students about grounds plans/changes and how the
community can get involved.
1.
Make Mount Allison 100% Pesticide Free!
Things
to keep doing:
•
Continue to limit the use of pesticides
Things
to Initiate:
•
Look into proactive alternatives to chemicals such as compost tea and
worm castings to apply to sports fields and other high maintenance areas.
Chapter 11 Risk Prevention
To
exercise due diligence in all university operations that have a potential
environmental risk.
Things
to initiate:
•
Construct a containment dyke around the heating bunker
• Develop an emergency response training program for heating plant
technicians
Things
to initiate:
•
Conduct a risk assessment of the entire campus
Chapter 12 Procurement
Things
to initiate:
•
Develop an environmental procurement strategy to “green”
the supply chain
• Implement a consumer consciousness program to improve faculty
and staffs’ understanding of purchasing decisions
Things
to initiate:
•
Sign the CERES Principles (see Appendix XX for a copy of the CERES Principles)
• Establish an Environmental Purchasing Policy which stipulates
that recycled, non toxic and renewable product alternatives be favoured
by the purchasing department whenever a product is less than 5% more
expensive than its conventional alternative
Chapter
13 Academic Opportunities
Integrate more environmental content into curriculum.
Things
to intiate:
•
Educate faculty in all disciplines on environmental issues so they may
integrate them into their courses.
• First year courses, in particular, should be “greened”
due to their high enrollment.
• The environmental audit can be used to integrate environmental
issues into various courses.
Every graduate should have a basic understanding of environmental
responsibility.
(Full knowledge of consumer consequences.)
Things
to initiate:
•
Use university projects as an educational tool. For example, a
business course could analyze the cost benefits of a waste management
program.
• Sustainability literacy survey and sustainability pledge.
• Include the statement “all students, upon graduating
will possess the knowledge, skills, and values to work towards an environmentally
sustainable future” (Blueprint for a Green Campus) in the university’s
mission statement.
Chapter
14 Stewardship
Create
a Green Vision for a sustainable campus
Things
to Initiate:
•
Reconstitute the Environmental Issues Committee
-Provide the committee with a clear, focused mandate
- Include representatives from the student body, staff, faculty,
Jenning’s Dining Hall, Facilities Management, and Senior Administration.
-Develop an “Environment Management System” including a
reporting system.
-Officially respond to audit recommendations, particularly those to
senior administration.
•
Update Environmental Policy
-Articulate what “the environmental problem” is and what
is an appropriate response and course of action.
•
Develop a “Code of Environmental Stewardship”
•
Include a definition of “the environment” in Mount A’s
Strategic Plan (Mount A, 2000?•)
-“The environment” should be defined as a change related
issue within the framework of the strategic plan and goal 11 (“Coping
effectively with change in a university environment requires…spending
time laying the groundwork for change and planning for the long term”)
within that plan.
•
Form Partnerships
-Identify, initiate, and join partnerships that are advantageous to
the university and help it implement the environmental policy.
•
Show Senior Administration’s commitment to environmental stewardship
by endorsing a declaration, such as the Talloires Declaration (or its
equivalent).
•
Engage students in the implementation process through curricular
and co-curricular program.
-Implement the environmental policy into course curriculum and in independent
studies where appropriate
-Create an Environmental position on the Student’s Administrative
Council (SAC).
-Have the SAC make a commitment to environmental stewardship on behalf
of the student body.
•
Hold a regional campus greening conference to achieve environmental
policy goals and build contracts.
-Hire a coordinator to facilitate the process
-Develop a sophisticated indicators program to be used in future campus
audits (such as the “Campus Sustainability Assessment Framework.”
See Cole, 2003)
•
Integrate the “green vision” into the overall strategic
vision of the university.
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