Today will be the first meeting of the library's green group committee. Below are some of the ideas that we will be discussing. If you have other suggestions on how the library could be more environmentally conscious, we would love to hear them.
Lighting
Turn more, if not all, lights off when closed.
Desk lighting
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent.
Light timers set to time of day / frequency of movement
Motion-sensitive lights in restrooms
Dimmer switches in offices
Remove every other light
Office Practices
4 10 hour days, working from home
Printing two pages on one in addition to duplexing. This saves a lot more paper!!
Electronic Timesheets
Less copies of library evaluations
Use more recycled paper.
Eliminate cover sheets in faxing. (Use post-its or notes on the first page)
Place recycling containers by all copiers / printers for ease of use and at every staff desk
Unplug cell phone /laptop chargers
Move more print material to the web
Use the print preview function
Simplify the routing process with items coming from Cataloging and Acquisitions with regard to how much paper is sent with these items. Instead of printing out the record on a full sheet, use a stick slip that is marked with the bib record and holding record numbers.
Suggest using SharePoint rather than handouts or if handouts are a must requesting that they all be duplexed
A tip each week for all-lib on what you can personally do to be more green
Duplex printing option for public printing and photocopying Duplex printing set as staff (and public?) default printing Staff printers loaded with used paper (on one side)
Turn office equipment such as printers and copiers at closing.
(Mostly) dark screensavers for library public computers
Food & Social Events
Suggest that all Library personnel have a personal cup or covered mug to use for soft drinks and coffee. Many people go to Ovid’s a couple of times a day and get a paper cup each time they go.
Less wasted food at library events
Hold library events which are vegetarian
At library events with food, make it standard for library employees to bring their own mugs rather than using disposable cups
Check with Ovid’s to see if the “refill” price can be offered to students who use their own cups (only if they are not paper).
Suggest that everyone in the library use one paper napkin less each day and try to be aware of how much disposable paper toweling they are using. If everyone cuts their use by even a small mount, this will have an impact.
Recycled or corn plastic products for library social events
Facilities/Parking
Plants in the libraries for indoor air quality
Cardboard/Glass recycling *at entrances to libraries? Recycling bins alongside every garbage bin Recycling bins that can be used for cans/bottles as well as paper (and are clearly marked as to what can go in them)
Eco-friendly cleaning products
Free motorcycle parking permit with purchase of car permit
Hot-air hand dryers in restrooms (the good kind that really blow)
Discounted parking permits or other types of bonuses for people who rideshare, walk, bicycle or ride the bus a certain percentage of the time
Misc. Ideas
Remind everyone that replacing their present vehicle (when the time comes) with an SUV is probably not the most conscientious or fuel friendly choice to make. This one would have to be extremely carefully presented!
Column in Off the Shelf on ways to make your home greener
Encourage the use of rechargeable batteries - Recycling batteries to Environmental Services
Green Web Page
Signs for Recycle bins
Quarterly awareness raising event
Recognition for submission & implementation of green ideas by individual or dept.
Research to find, and network with, similar groups across campus as a source for ideas that work and help achieve goals university wide.
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3 comments:
These are all excellent ideas.
All library events involving food should be vegetarian. 18% of global warming emissions come from raising chickens, turkeys, pigs and other animals for food. That is about 40% more than all cars, trucks, airplanes and other forms of transportation combined (13%) and more than all the homes and offices in the world put together (8%) Besides being the environmentally correct thing to do, it is the compassionate thing to do as well as the healthy thing to do. (A white male who eats meat has a 53% chance of having a heart attack in his life; a white male who is vegan has a 4% chance).
Some other things we can do in the library would include:
Printing two pages on one in addition to duplexing. This saves a lot more paper!!
Also, why do we have to print and make photocopies of staff evaluations all over the place? I have the ones I did on my computer and emailed them to my staff. I only printed one copy that got signed and sent forward. But then, I got a copy in the mail so that I would have a copy with all the signatures AND was asked to make more copies for my staff!! Why!!! Just so they had the copy with the signatures? Nothing on it has changed, so i didn't make even more copies.
We need to find more ways to go electronic and use less paper.
A friend of mine at Baylor Univ. told me that all their timesheets are done electronically, including using e-signatures. They don't print anything!! This would also mean that we could submit things electronically and not have to walk the paper forms across campus in 10 degree weather!
I hope these suggestions are considered. Thanks!!
From Sierra Club Magazine
Instead of having a burger for lunch, if you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you save 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide, 280 gallons of water and 50 sq. feet of land. Use soy milk instead of cows milk and the savings go up even more.
Faith Harders
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