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The Colgate community is proud to
celebrate the following strides that have been made to promote
environmental citizenship and/or reduce environmental impact:
AIR
- Environmental Health and Safety Officer follows current EPA indoor air quality
guidelines
- The University has done a good job of keeping
the majority of tested areas well ventilated
-
Willow biomass facility to offset need for mass oil-burning
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ENERGY
- All electricity is hydroelectric and any additional electricity is nuclear
- Voluntary shut-down of non-essential electrical devices when the Village of
Hamilton is nearing a deficit
- Electricity saving measures, such as fluorescent lighting, motion sensors, and
computer “sleep” protocols, have been undertaken in some areas
- Energy efficient windows have been placed in all buildings except Alumni,
Chapel, and Lathrop Link
- Student group displays and posters describing energy consumption
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Use of the wood boiler to provide most (60%) of the steam for campus heat and
hot water. The wood boiler uses wood chips as fuel.
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Fuels – Wood chip burning plant offers the use of a renewable energy source.
30% of our requirement is supplied by a regional furniture manufacturer as a
by-product of their manufacturing process. The wood chip portion of our heat
plant supplies approximately 70% of our total requirement.
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Biomass-fueled heating facility produces no net CO2 emissions
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#6 Fuel Oil – Along with the price tracking of standard 1.5% sulfur content #6
fuel, we also track fuels with lower sulfur contents of .85% and .50%. The price
differential is approximately $.011 and $.022 per gallon respectively.
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GROUNDS/LAND
- On-campus fertilization with 80% organic fertilizer
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Continuing efforts to reduce chemical use (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) on
campus grounds.
- Testing of organic herbicides and insecticides
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Landscaping
- Heavy mulching around trees and shrubs
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Transport of campus leaf collection to local farms for use as cow bedding
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Over 25 acres seeded with better quality grass
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No longer chemical spraying of trees - all treatments are by injections (in upper 6 to 8 inches of tree and that prevents leaching into the groundwater)
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Planning of tree replacements, currently a 10 year plan
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FACILITIES
- Colgate is pursuing LEEDS Certification for the Library/IT renovation project
Printing Services:
- Use of vegetable-based inks and low-VOC blanket wash
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Employing “best management practices” in the use of ink and solvents
- Minimizing additions to the waste stream
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Expanded use of Recycled papers
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Process control
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Customer relations
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Facility Management
Colgate Bookstore:
- Purchases items for resale that are made from recycled products whenever
possible.
- Holds a campus wide book buyback each semester.
- Sells non-returnable books to vendors who “recycle” by donating the books to
overseas countries in need.
- Reuses thousands of boxes sent to us by vendors for ship-outs and storage.
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Collects and reuses non-paper packing materials (packing peanuts, plastic
bubbles) on a daily basis.
- Reuses copy paper, magazines, and newspapers as packing material for returns
on a daily basis.
- Recycles file folders and envelopes for in-store correspondence.
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Recycles printer ribbons
- Encourages electronic communications vs. paper from vendors and co-workers.
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Purchased a live Christmas tree that will be replanted in the village of
Hamilton after the holidays.
- Creates in-store signage that can be reused from season to season rather than
thrown away and recreated the next year.
- Request vendors to print prices on existing tags vs. creating new price tags
at the bookstore
- Diligently recycles paper at each service desk and in each office.
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RESOURCES/MATERIALS
- Approximately 300 tons recycled annually (out of a total of 1,100 tons of
refuse)
- Better paper/ printing practices
- Copy Paper
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Publication Paper
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Recycled Toner Cartridges
- Printing Services (see “Facilities” section)
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Better purchasing practices
- Paper Towels and Toilet Tissue
- Energy-saving Energy Star Appliances
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Student Room Furniture
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Salvage Operation
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Desktop Computers
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DINING/FOOD
- Free Trade coffee is available daily. This coffee is both environmentally
friendly and socially responsible.
- Post-consumer recycled content napkins are dispensed at tables, promoting
as-needed use, and less waste.
- We are required and do recycle all appropriate paper, glass and plastic on a
daily basis.
- The napkins that we offer are made of recycled paper, and are not bleached
white, but are brown. We also offer them at each table to help reduce waste.
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We do not offer any Styrofoam packaging.
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Our Recycled Mug Program, we sell at the Coop for $2.50 each with product.
Refills on all beverages are discounted with the cup.
- Sodexho nationally donates $.15 per cup sold to the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation. We sell about 300 -400 cups a year.
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TRANSPORTATION
- Restricted student parking on campus before 3:30
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The Colgate Cruiser shuttle service is provided as a form of public
transportation to members of the campus and Hamilton community.
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The shuttle busses are equipped with EPA-approved low-emission diesel engines.
- EPA certified, low-emissions shuttle buses
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Green Bikes
community bike co-op program, beginning April 2006
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