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College Environmental Policy

Contents
  1. Sample Policy
  2. Appendices

Appendices

The following provides a list of suggestions and contacts to accompany the College Environmental Policy, in order to enable its effective implementation. The layout is such that each suggestion/contact is given the same number and letter as the relevant commitment in the policy.

Also see the University Guidance Document (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/environment/guidance/) for detailed information on environmental resources and guidance.

  1. Maximise the proportion of waste that is recycled & minimise the quantity of non-recyclable refuse:
    1. Reduce the absolute amount of waste
      • Buy products with minimal packaging.
      • Research and record amounts of food consumed so that suitable amounts can be produced and waste therefore minimised.
      • Encourage the use of double-sided printing facilities.
      • Only print off documents from computers when necessary.
      • Re-use envelopes and scrap paper.
    2. Make full use of recycling facilities
    3. Compost
      • See above
    4. White goods, computers and electrical appliances
    5. Use Reusable resources and containers and avoid unnecessary packaging
      • Wherever possible use glasses and mugs over disposable cups, and metal as opposed to plastic cutlery.
      • Encourage staff and students to use their own mugs for coffee/tea machines. A range of re-useable plastic glasses and jugs that are dish-washer proof and can be used up to 100 times can be bought at www.fabplastic.co.uk and www.cater4you.co.uk.
    6. Purchase recycled resources
    7. Provide sufficient, accessible and well-publicised collection points for recyclable waste
      • Ideally each residential staircase or corridor should have boxes or bins for recycling. The same should go for college offices and the kitchens.
      • For students, a 'Green Room' system could be adopted, whereby one student on each staircase/corridor would receive a discount on their rent in return for facilitating recycling, and taking the recyclable waste of a set number of rooms to a larger collection point.
      • Amongst staff, there should be a clear allocation of responsibility specifying who is responsible for recycling within each department/group.
      • Information sheets and maps of colleges which show where recycling facilities are located should be posted around.
      • A particular effort should be made to make new students aware of their responsibility and opportunity to recycle.
    8. Recycling at events (Bops or June Events/May Balls)
      • At college or student hosted events, those in charge should allocate responsibility for recycling. As a result, extra collection points could be made available.
      • When purchasing products it should be taken in to account the quantity of packaging. A 'green team' system could be used whereby a limited number of free tickets could be given in exchange for help with recycling.
    9. Promote reuse of items and waste recycling
  2. Reduce energy consumption, especially of energy derived from fossil fuels, in all college property.
    1. Renewable and carbon-neutral electricity options
      • Suppliers of renewable energy: www.whichgreen.org is a website that compares the various renewable electricity suppliers.
      • www.cambridgeearth1st.org.uk is the website for a campaign which demonstrates student support for renewable electricity.
    2. Prefer electricity companies that invest in new sources of renewable and carbon-neutral electricity
      • Ecotricity www.ecotricity.co.uk invests the most in new sources. Unlike other companies, it invests heavily in building new renewable infrastructure, having a positively 'green' impact on the energy market. In 2004 Ecotricity spent £901.64 on building new capacity per customer, whereas the next closest competitor, Powergen, spent only £9.58.
    3. On-site micro-generation
    4. Appliances (including light bulbs)
    5. Heating systems
    6. Reminders, incentives and information
      • Measure individual electricity usage through meters to incentivise energy saving.
      • Fixed charges could be imposed for students with heavy electrical appliances in their rooms.
      • Have 'Switch Off' stickers by lights, computers and televisions.
      • Set appliances to their most energy-efficient settings and ensure that they are switched off, and not left on standby, whenever possible.
      • Use posters with information about the environment both how and why we should be saving energy. For example: staff and students could be encouraged to switch to cold when doing laundry, because 85 – 90% of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water, and most washing products work well at low temperatures.
      • An awareness of energy saving could be a part of the training of college staff.
      • Information on energy efficiency can be found at www.thecarbontrust.co.uk, www.energysavingworld.co.uk www.thencbs.co.uk, and www.saveenergyonline.com.
      • Investigate and if possible implement 'power card' systems into student rooms. A magnetic stripe 'power card' is attached to the keys of student rooms, to switch on the power circuits within the room the key must be inserted into an energy management device. This is used in many hotel rooms and can cut down energy wastage. For more information see: http://www.uniqey.com/Products/EnergyMgt/energymgt.html.
    7. Monitor college energy consumption and set targets for reduction
      • ENER-G Procurement Ltd has advice on how to minimize energy use: www.energ.co.uk.
  3. Ensure that improvements, purchases and developments are environmentally sound.
    1. Minimize the adverse environmental impact of new developments
    2. Appliances
      • Consumer Utility Services has a huge amount of information with appropriate links on how to save energy and reduce bills: www.cus.net. It has information on everything from double glazing to grants, to insulation and electricity, and is relevant for sections 2) and 4) as well.
      • The Green Shop – www.greenshop.co.uk sells a wide array of products from solar panels to cleaning products to natural paints. See section 2) e. for energy saving products.
    3. Food
  4. Minimise the use of unsustainable transport by its staff and students.
    1. Bicycle and pedestrian routes, public transport services and car share schemes
  5. Minimise consumption of water.
    1. Water leakage
      • College staff should be informed that the repair of water leakages is a priority, and students should be told who to inform if they detect a leakage.
    2. Appliances
      • An appliance to save water consumption in toilets can be bought very cheaply at www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk. On average this will save three litres of water at each flush, and they can be as cheap as £0.66 each. Also see www.interflush.co.uk for another toilet-water-saving device.
    3. Encourage a decrease in water usage
      • Showers instead of baths should be encouraged, and reminders could be posted to keep showers to a reasonable length.
      • Advice on water saving with tips such as not leaving the tap running when washing ones teeth or doing the washing up.
      • Students and staff should be encouraged to wash full loads in washing machines and dishwashers. This is also relevant to saving energy.
    4. Washing machines and dishwashers
      • Front loading washing machines save water use about 40% less water and about 50% less energy. Also, see sections 2) e. and 3) b. – especially www.cus.net.
  6. Minimise the use of chemical pollutants both in college by students and staff, and in college grounds by gardeners.
    1. Cleaning products
    2. Fertilisers and pesticides