As part of the STARS Survey we asked how you get to and from work. Of the 183 responses, the breakdown is as follows
Walk, bicycle or other non-motorized means: 17
Van or Carpool: 6
Shuttle or Public Transportation: 11
Drive Alone: 149
For those who do not have access to a computer, paper surveys were distributed.
Thanks for participating.
Claudia
The Committee for Environmental Responsibility(CER), Instructional and Informational Technology Services(IITS), Haverford Garden Initiative(HGI) and the Arboretum have a variety of opportunities for college community members this coming Earth and Arbor Days. Attend all or just one or two.
Electronics Recycling: Bring those old computers, cell phones, keyboards etc. to Sharpless Triangle between 9 and 3. Capitol Asset Recycling will have a truck to take old equipment off your hands. Everyone who brings an article to be recycled will be entered into a raffle.
Wildflower Planting: Join the horticulturists in the meadow by the pond. Mike Startup and Carol Wagner will be there between 11 and 2 assisting volunteers in planting 800+ wildflower plugs.
The Lorax: Horticulturist, Mike Startup will be reading his daughter’s favorite Dr. Seuss book on Founder’s porch at 4:30. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler.
HCA Trail Planting: Help beautify the new HCA driveway and learn about storm water management. At noon, join Grounds Manager Claudia Kent and learn about wet site tolerant plants. Sponsored by CER.
Arbor Day Planting: Join the Arboretum (one day early) on Founder’s Green to replace the Red Maple that was removed. At Noon, Arboretum Director Bill Astifan will give a brief presentation that will be followed by a plant giveaway.
Orchard Planting: Due to new residence hall construction many of the older fruit trees were removed.The Committee for Environmental Responsibility(CER) will be hosting a tree planting in the orchard where participants will be helping keep Haverford history alive. This activity is hosted in conjunction with the Haverford Garden Initiative, a student organization with a mission to create food gardens and similar green spaces on campus for the benefit and use of the Haverford Community. HGI seeks to reconnect the Haverford Community to the physical landscape and to the process of food production that is rooted in the land.
For more information contact ckent@haverford.edu
Some strange things are going up on the grounds at Haverford College. As part of the construction of the Kim and Tritton Dorms, storm water measures are being taken to slow down the flow of water onto the construction site. Originally, contractors had wanted to trench through the orchard to catch runoff before it hit the site. Luckily for us we caught it in time and Plan B was put into the place. The “sock”, conveniently in Haverford Colors (we’re not sure if it was intentional or not), was filled with mulch and staked into place. In the drab winter landscape it certainly is eyecatching.
Last summer Haverford College emptied two garages of abandoned bikes and donated them to the Devereux Foundation in Malvern for refurbishing.
Recycled Bike Highlights:
If this pilot is successful on March 30, it’s our goal to encourage incoming freshman to buy a recycled bike rather than bringing bikes from home.
This is truly a sustainable endeavor. Not only are we recycling something no longer wanted, but we are providing the means to teach disabled individuals a skill. We are also providing a service to incoming freshman.
Questions: Please contact Claudia Kent at ckent@haverford.edu
Facilities Management Department has developed an Energy Conservation Awareness Initiative to help mitigate the unprecedented escalation in energy prices that has occurred globally in recent months.
As we face this challenge, we are calling upon our campus community to support this campus initiative by implementing simple changes in energy utilization behaviors that can positively affect operating costs and the environment while relieving some pressure on institutional resources. We have identified four major awareness components of this program below.
Wintertime Energy Conservation Guidelines
Adjust Office and Building Temperatures to 68 Degrees Fahrenheit
Buildings that have centralized temperature controls will be set at a temperature of 68 degrees. This includes administrative, academic, residence and athletic facilities.
Minimize Use of Space Heaters
Summertime Energy Conservation Guidelines
Adjust Office and Building Temperatures to 77 Degrees Fahrenheit
Adopt a 10-Minute Lighting Guideline
Thank you for your support and continued dedication in helping the College to succeed in this critical effort.
Energy Saving Tips
Students, faculty and staff can help the energy conservation effort by following these tips:
Copiers & Printers
Think before you print! Print and copy as little as possible.
When you must print, do it double-sided.
Edit on screen, not on paper.
Save to disk instead of printing on paper.
Use e-mail to minimize paper use and don’t routinely print e-mails.
Send and store documents electronically instead of on paper.
Designate a box for scrap paper and use it for printing all drafts or unofficial documents.
Circulate documents instead of making an individual copy for everyone.
Reuse envelopes by placing a new label over the old address.
Heating and Cooling:
Dress appropriately to the season and keep thermostats set at 68 degrees.
During the heating season, open blinds, drapes and curtains to let sun in. If cloudy, close them to keep the heat in especially at night.
During the cooling season close blinds, drapes and curtains to block direct sun.
Use hot water sparingly.
Lights:
Turn off unused or unneeded lights.
Use natural lighting instead of electric lighting whenever possible.
Try task lighting and reduce overhead lighting.
If you have a desk lamp, make sure it uses a fluorescent bulb.
Don’t use table lamps unless illumination from the lamps is actually needed.
“10 Minute Rule” Please use the 10 min. rule: If you do not plan to be in your room, or office for more then ten mins. Turn off your lights
Windows and Doors:
Keep windows and doors closed in heated and air conditioned areas
Close vestibule doors when propped open.
Keep rollup doors closed in shipping/receiving area closed when not in use.
Report Energy Waste
Please report instances of energy waste to the Office of Facilities Management (610-896-1100).
Guidelines for Electric Space Heaters
The first phase of the HC Energy Conservation Program is to garner support from the campus community by creating greater awareness, and identifying simple ways in which the campus can contribute. Minimizing the use of space heaters was identified as a key component to the energy conservation initiative. Space heathers are a very costly means of heating, therefore, we should optimize their utilization by using them as a temporary solution, pending the repair or adjustment of a building’s main heating system.
In addition to the cost of operation, space heathers can also represent potential fire hazards. Therefore, we should also be mindful of the safety guidelines related to space heater use.
Safety Guidelines for Space Heaters:
What if I already have a space heater?
Electric space heaters should be used in areas where a space temperature of 68 degrees is unattainable:
Are You Cold?
In efforts to conserve energy the College is asking that temperatures be maintained at 68 degrees. Please confirm the following before seeking additional assistance:
If you are still cold and you believe your office is colder than 68 degrees, please contact your department unit head or director (or his/her representative). In a residence hall, residents should contact the ORCD Senior Staff member on duty. If required, they will place a call for a heating Work Order to the Office of Facilities Management at ext. 1351. The Office of Facilities Management will respond and follow their procedures for performing a temperature evaluation. If possible, Facilities Management will attempt to adjust the temperature using the building’s heating system.
If it is determined that the temperature cannot be maintained using the building heating system, the College may, on a case by case basis, approve temporary use of space heaters.
The use of space heaters in academic, administrative, and athletic building will also require prior approval of the department’s unit head or director. The use of space heaters in residential building will also require prior approval by the Senior Staff member on duty. The department unit head or director (or his/her representative) and residence hall Senior Staff members on duty are responsible for compliance with the space heater guidelines in their respective areas of responsibility.
When no longer required all space heaters in academic, administrative, and athletic buildings shall be returned to the unit head or director (or his/her representative). When no longer required, all space heaters in residential buildings shall be returned to Senior Staff member on duty.
Are you Too Warm?
Sometimes adjustments are needed to a building’s heating system. If you believe your office is too warm, please contact the Office of Facilities Management at extension 1096. In a residence hall, residents should contact the ORCD Senior Staff member on duty. If required, they will place a call for a heating work Order to the Office of Facilities Management at extension 1096.
In efforts to conserve energy, please remember:
Opening windows and doors is a waste of energy. The heating system will continue to operate and try to maintain the thermo
The 2011 Sustainability Report Card came out last week! We received a B+, same as last year. Sadly, we did drop a grade in the ‘Climate Change & Energy’ and ‘Green Building’ categories.
About the Report Card:
“The College Sustainability Report Card is the only independent evaluation of campus and endowment sustainability activities at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In contrast to the academic focus on sustainability in research and teaching, the Report Card examines colleges and universities, as institutions, through the lens of sustainability.”
In order to better evaluate our efforts to go greener, Haverford College recently became a charter participant in the new Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). Developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to gauge progress toward sustainability. The new system will allow schools to use a common set of measurements regarding sustainability, create incentives for continual improvement and facilitate information sharing about sustainability practices. STARS participants report data to earn credits and may receive a rating level of bronze, silver, gold or platinum. To ensure accurate reporting, all information on sustainability practices must be certified as accurate by a designated STARS point person on campus and by the college president or chancellor.
More information: stars.aashe.org
The U.S. Green Building Council and the Princeton Review recently released a Guide to 285 Green Colleges. Haverford is described as having “so many accomplishments on its green scorecard that it’s hard to know where to begin”. Learn more>
The Dining Center will be going trayless on Tuesdays starting April 13, 2010. Each tray washed uses 1/3-1/2 gallon of water and demands energy to heat the water and run the dishwasher. That’s $0.50 in energy, water, detergent, and labor costs per rack of dishes.
Not using a tray in the Dining Center comes with big benefits:
Brought to you by EarthQuakers, CER, and the Dining Center.
Questions? hcearthquakers@gmail.com
The Committee for Environmental Responsibility (CER) had a very productive fall semester. I’d like to share some of the highlights.
Desiderata for new Tritton Dorm. In anticipation of the new dorm CER proposed the following features.
Green Plan for managing and reducing waste on campus. With assistance from an outside consultant, CER devised a plan that would eventually shift the campus-wide waste management and recycling practices toward more sustainable methods.
Preliminary approval has been given to purchase a Vegawatt Power System which turns waste vegetable oil from food service operations into electricity with a 5kW generator.
Student Farm/Garden proposal. Students got approval to expand the current student garden at HCA. Historically, farming has been a part of Haverford College and CER students would like to resurrect this tradition.
CPGC: Walking the Walk. CER has joined with the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPGC) to help them “Go Green”.
Recycling.
