Looking for some steps you can take toward sustainability at home, work and school? Try some of these:
Energy
Adjust the heat or cooling when I am out for the day
This one is mostly for home since in many campus spaces, temperature is centrally controlled. Programmable thermostats allow for automatic temperature adjustments while you are asleep or at work. If you can adjust the heat or cooling on campus, consider adjusting the thermostat so energy is not wasted.
Turn off the lights, fans, and electronics in unoccupied rooms
To dispel one common myth, it does NOT require more energy to turn the light back on--always best to turn it off if you leave!
Install compact fluorescent bulbs in task lights
Incandescent bulbs expend 95% of their energy in wasted heat and they last about 20% as long as compact florescent bulbs. ACU has already replaced most of its bulbs with fluorescents. If you do so at home and in your task lighting, we’ll save even more. You’ll save energy and money if you change to fluorescents immediately rather than wait until your incandescent bulbs burn out.
Wash clothes in cold or warm water (not hot water)
About 90% of the energy used by clothes washing machines is for heating the water. And according to the US Dept of Energy, washing clothes on cold or warm is usually sufficient, and simply using warm instead of hot can cut energy use for that load in half!
Unplug chargers/power adapters when not in use
According to ENERGYSTAR, charges and power adapters account for about 6% of national electricity use! Unplug chargers when not being used, and keep any eye out for products that are using ENERGYSTAR qualified chargers coming soon.
Close the blinds on my window each night
Don't let heat escape through the window! At night, close the blinds, shades, and curtains—they will act as an extra layer of insulation.
Walk or bike to and around campus, or carpool, whenever possible
Commuting to and around ACU contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. We have to get here and move from building to building, but walking and biking can improve health as well as reduce carbon emissions! If you live nearby, consider walking or biking, or consider carpooling with neighbors.
Avoid using space heaters
Space heaters average about 1,500 watts which is equivalent to running a dozen desktop computers.
Select home energy from renewable sources
When choosing an electricity provider for your home, consider green energy produced by solar and/or wind. To compare rates, check out Power to Choose Web site.
Lab
Shut the sash on the fume hood when not in operation
If a variable air volume (VAV) fume hood is not in use, keeping the sash wide open wastes about $1,500 in energy costs per year per hood, about the same as the average US household. Closing the sash when not in use is always safest for the user.
Use energy efficient lab equipment
Many lab equipment vendors are starting to install power save modes, efficient motors, and other strategies for reducing energy use of plug load lab equipment. Visit the Harvard Green Labs website for a short list of products we have identified, and the next time you are purchasing new equipment ask for the most energy efficient model!
Turn off non-essential lab equipment when not in use (ask lab manager first)
If it's ok to turn it off, do it! This will reduce energy use, energy costs, environmental impacts, and often increase the life of the equipment.
Use deionized water sparingly
Energy is expended to produce and deliver DI water. When other water works just as well, choose the low energy version!
Install water conserving technologies in my lab
Visit the government's website http://www.labs21century.gov to find information about improving the environmental performance of labs.
Recycle plastic pipette holders in my lab
As long as things are not contaminated, it's safe to recycle them.
Donate unwanted lab equipment
Don't let your old lab equipment sit in a closet or end up in a landfill--give it a second life by donating it to labs in developing countries who desperately need basic science equipment to continue their work.
Use non-toxic materials when possible
Can an experiment be performed with non-toxic or less toxic materials than that prescribed in the lab manual? If so, reduce campus toxic waste by revising the lab instruction or research.
Food
Choose local, seasonal produce when available
In the U.S., produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from its origin before it lands on your plate (USDA) Buying local reduces "food miles" which adds up to large reductions in fossil fuel needed for transport. Attend a local farmers' market. Reserve a Community Supported Agriculture share for next year. Read labels at the grocery store that report a food's origin. Stick to what's in season. Try putting 50% of your produce expenditures into local sources.
Choose organic, locally grown foods when available
Make a change for a healthier you, healthier farmers, and a healthier planet! Growing food and raising livestock organically limits the chemicals being put into our bodies and our planet. Organic methods protect water quality, maintain soil fertility, and enhance biodiversity. Buying organic in and around Abilene also supports farmers who choose to safeguard the health of their families by avoiding toxins in their fields.
Reduce my food waste in the Bean and elsewhere
Take what you want, but eat what you take! Food scraps rank third in their contribution to solid waste in the U.S., accounting for 17.5% of our garbage. It only takes a minute to think before you order or fill your plate in the Bean. By doing so you can take control of a large proportion of the waste you produce.
Use real dishes instead of disposable, when available
While washing dishware also requires water and heat, constant use of disposables can add up to be more harmful to the environment. You don't have to swear off disposables entirely, but instead choose reusables when the option is available.
Water
Drink tap water instead of bottled water, whenever possible
According to a New York Times article, Americans will throw out over 30 billion single serving bottles of water this year! If you are concerned about your tap water, use a filter on the faucet—a much more eco-friendly way of ensuring pure water.
Never leave the water running when using a sink
Turn off the water faucet when brushing your teeth, washing your face, or shaving. The average faucet uses between 2 and 3 gallons per minute! Leaving the water running for just 2 minutes every day would waste up to 2190 gallons of water each year.
Take shorter showers
A standard shower head uses about 5-7 gallons of water per minute (gpm)—so even a 5-minute shower can consume 35 gallons! Better yet, install a low-flow showerhead, which use 1.5-2.5 gpm—it's an easy way to cut your water use by 50-80%!
Waste
Add a reminder to "Think before you print" to my email signature
When you place "Please consider the environmental impacts of paper production and use before printing this email" in your email signature you'll influence the recipients of your emails to reduce paper consumption, and will help make it the norm to consider the environment before consuming.
Use a re-usable mug and cup every day
ACU has over 6,300 students and employees. If each person were to buy one coffee a day, every day, ACU would send over 2 million coffee cups to the landfill every year. Now imagine if those people had two coffees a day!
Reduce paper use when possible by printing only what I need
ACU is one of the largest paper buyers in the City of Abilene. In 2007, we used nearly 9 million sheets of paper for on-campus printing and photocopying--that's nearly twice the height of the Tower of Light. Think twice before photocopying entire documents or printing them out. Instead—when it is possible—jot a note, save documents electronically, edit on screen, print only what you need, and distribute materials electronically. 1 ream (500 sheets) uses 6% of a tree (and those add up quickly!) At least 38.9% of the U.S. waste stream is paper. On average, one person uses two pine trees worth of paper products every year.
Recycle plastic, paper, printer cartridges and batteries
If your department or residence hall doesn’t have a recycling system, consult the ACU Recylcling link on how to join the effort. The EPA estimates that 75 percent of what Americans throw in the trash could actually be recycled. The aluminum can is 100 percent recyclable and can be used to make new beverage cans indefinitely. Recycling bins are available on campus and paper recycling bags are free for offices.
Other
Study and reflect more on caring for God's creation
Want to learn more about what the Bible says on creation care? Consider scriptures on this Web site or those highlighted by the Evangelical Environmental Network. A beginning article might be Duane Barron's article "For God So Loved the Cosmos" published in Restoration Quarterly, or J. Matthew Sleeth’s highly practical Serve God, Save the Planet (Zondervan, 2007).
Tell at least three other people about this campaign
2008 is the first year to launch the ACU Sustainability Pledge. After pledging yourself, help us spread the word!
Make the events and meetings that I host more sustainable
Every week events are catered at ACU. Consider using reusable or recyclable utensils and dishes, send materials via email instead of printing them out, and ensure there are recycling bins for cans/bottles and paper in the meeting room.
Use green cleaning products
Chemicals in cleaning products can cause allergies, eye problems, cancer, and other problems. There are plenty of alternatives that you can use including homemade cleaners containing vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice or the many green cleaners on the market.
Take the stairs at least once a week
Regular exercise, including simple measures like walking up stairs, can reduce the risks of many serious diseases. The average person burns 10 calories per minute taking the stairs, a difference in weight of 8 lbs over 10 years! Taking the stairs is great for your health, and reduces building energy use!
