The Colleges have introduced a more efficient and environmentally friendly Recycling Program designed to reduce total resources consumed on campus, divert as much trash from the landfill as possible, and decrease emissions from the number of hauls to the waste processing facility. The President's Climate Task Force and the Green Team have made recycling even easier by launching a new "Pitch In, One Bin," no-sort recycling system in April 2008. Since then, HWS community members can place all recyclable materials in the same bin. In addition, each spring, the Colleges participate in RecycleMania, a nation-wide recycling competition of more than 500 colleges. The goal of the 10-week contest is to increase the rate of recycling among students, faculty and staff on campuses across the country.
Did you know that HWS produces less carbon per student than several of the top liberal arts colleges in the country? In fact, HWS uses approximately 7.99 tons of carbon per student compared to Smith College's 11.59 tons per student and Middlebury's 14.5 tons per student. These figures are a part of the comprehensive carbon inventory completed in spring 2008.
Sitting lakeside along South Main Street, Sill House has been the Green House on campus for more than five years and serves as the hub for environmental activities on campus including weekly meetings of Campus Greens, Green Art Day, Sustainable Picnics, and a host of other eco-focused events. Every year, students with outstanding interest and activism related to the environment live at Sill House.
In addition to the variety of courses about eco-issues that are available to students, the President's Climate Task Force and the Green Team recently introduced the HWS Goes Green Program. The program is designed to educate and engage the HWS Community in a culture of environmental sustainability.
As they walk from class to class, a group of seniors imagine future campus buildings made with the environment in mind. These students are working with Buildings and Grounds Assistant Director Scott Woodworth and Buildings and Grounds Senior Projects Manager Chris Button on ways to ensure that future construction is green.
Hobart and William Smith students and staff departments alike are finding innovative ways to get around high carbon emissions by changing the way they get around.
All over campus, the Colleges are finding ways to buy and even sell environmentally friendly products.
A group of students, working with the Colleges’ Grounds Crew planted and took up maintaining an organic vegetable garden on campus. The group hopes to use a section of the Colleges’ greenhouse to further their organic mission!
A significant portion, approximately 60% of the Colleges GHG emissions come from energy consumption. The Colleges are actively working to conserve energy and reduce the HWS environmental impact. All sorts of initiatives, including efficient light bulb replacements, energy star purchasing policies, efficient boilers, and HWS Community conservation education are chipping away at the Hobart and William Smith carbon footprint!
Buildings and Grounds only use Green Seal-approved cleaning chemicals. Green Seal is a non-governmental organization that sets environmental standards for products and works with applicants to certify their product under Green Seal environmental criteria.
Buildings and Grounds purchased two utility carts that run on rechargeable batteries, will soon add a hybrid vehicle to it’s security fleet, and is interested in phasing in new electric vans for on-campus transportation.
The Yellow Bike Program is still going strong. The program kicked off the Fall 2008 Semester with a new Bike Shop, two bike shop managers, over 70 yellow bikes, many new bike racks, and an electric truck to keep bikes distributed around campus.
The Climate Task Force, along with Buildings and Grounds, developed an Energy Star Purchasing Policy. The Energy Star Purchasing policy applies to all applicable products and is designed to reduce the Colleges’ electrical consumption.
HWS loves big ideas, as well as the pursuit and accomplishment of implementing big dreams. The Colleges introduced First Years to our culture of dreaming big with the Green Dream Competition. First Years put together proposals that reduce the Colleges' impact on the environment during their first six weeks on campus. The proposals were presented to and voted on by upper classmen. The “winning” idea garnered the support of the Climate Task Force and will be implemented before the end of the First Years' first year. The winning idea is: water bottle exchange! However, the Task Force has since announced three additional proposals that will also implemented at Colleges!
A group of students teamed up with the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning and the Climate Task Force to expand campus sustainability initiatives to the City of Geneva. These students designed independent projects that ranged from auditing the energy consumption of municipal buildings to presenting a Community Bike Share Program that opened the Colleges’ yellow bike program to the city. Students worked closely with City Officials, particularly the Mayor, to develop projects that have real and extended benefits for the Geneva Community.
Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning brought the Colleges' sustainability efforts into the community, with an environmentally focused day of services. Students, faculty and staff went into the community to assist in creating a community garden, cleaning the Geneva State Park and finishing a new walking trail.
The Colleges institutionalized composting. Saga, our main dining facility, composts approximately 1.2 tons of food waste each week. HWS has also reduced its environmental impact by using compostable flatware that is made from the celluse found in potatoes, corn and sugar cane.
Greg Dlubac '08 and Jake Podkaminer '08 were inspired by an environmental studies course to convert a carbon-heavy truck into an electrically-powered machine. The Electruck has been put to use by the Yellow Bike Program and is frequently seen distributing yellow bikes around campus!
Over 40 rain barrels were made for the Geneva Community. The rain barrels prevent runoff and conserve water by capturing water from roofs and redirecting it into a barrel to be used later for gardening or cleaning.
Over 5% percent of the Colleges’ electricity comes from wind farms. The Colleges purchase the wind energy to support local alternative projects and reduce their carbon footprint.
The Finger Lakes Institute (FLI) is dedicated to the promotion of environmental research and education about the Finger Lakes and surrounding environments. FLI offers students a variety of opportunities to get involved and serves as the headquarters for many green presentations and environmental research initiatives.
Information Technology brings the Colleges the best technology available for our needs. IT takes into account environmental concerns when selecting products; is finishing the transition to Multifunctional Devices that reduce the Colleges' “tech” footprint; has implemented a two-sided printing default; and is working with the Colleges on a “paperless” initiative.
The Colleges have been experimenting with Geothermal. The Finger Lakes Institute uses geothermal to heat and cool the building.
And you thought there was no sun in NY! Finger Lakes Institute uses solar panels to supplement other energy conservation efforts and reduce the building’s impact on the environment. The solar panels play an integral part in hands-on learning for a variety of classes.
At the College Store, there is a regular stock of eco-focused products. The store uses a "green" approach, continually finding new ways to maximize recycling and minimize waste and carbon emissions.
The Colleges reduced a third of their waste during their tray-less experiment. Cutting food wastes translates into a general reduction in emissions from hauling. The reduced environmental impact has driven a group of seniors to investigate the benefit of transitioning to a tray-less dining culture.
Students who use their cars around campus are paying the price: a $5 Green Surcharge is being added to every on-campus parking ticket to build awareness of the Climate Task Force’s transportation initiatives and decrease on-campus driving.
Buildings and Grounds goes through tens of thousands of “trash” bag liners a year. The Climate Task Force and Buildings and Grounds are working to cut down on the number of petroleum based liners. A number of buildings are testing a no liner policy in recycling bins that could reduce the waste associated with liners by as much as half.
Carpooling is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money! With these considerations in mind, environmental studies students and the Climate Task Force have put together an accessible carpooling website accessible to HWS students, faculty and staff.
Cups from corn? Forks, knives and spoons from potatoes? No way! Yes, the Colleges cater events with compostable serviceware made from PLA plastics (plastics derived from the cellulose of plants). These compostable products, when handled properly, will break down in a few weeks, return to a soil amendment, and can be used to grow the very products they originally came from! These products help the Colleges reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill by diverting waste at catered events to either the compost facility or a recycling facility.
A Green Trolley, powered with biodiesel, runs on a predetermined schedule and services the campus and downtown Geneva area. The Trolley provides the HWS Community with a great eco-friendly alternative to driving!
If you have any questions about the HWS Goes Green Program or Climate Task Force, feel free to contact- Sustainability Coordinator, James Landi 315-781-4442
This Environmental Commitment provides a framework and support for more than 600 of America's colleges and universities to go carbon neutral. The signatories of the Commitment pledge to fulfill a three-step constitution which includes expediently initiating a comprehensive plan for climate neutrality, taking tangible action to reduce greenhouse gases, and publicizing the action plan, inventory and progress. The Commitment recognizes the unique responsibility that institutions of higher education have as role models for their communities and in training the people who will develop the social, economic and technological solutions to reverse global warming.
