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January Meeting Notes

January 13, 2003

1. Introduction of new RWG intern- Emily Sharp

• Model Residence hall will be more publicized. Add to campus tours and ECO website
• Work with GRI intern and others to collect campus energy data

2. Model Office- should be more publicized.

• Create mailing list with URL of powerpoint show for self guided tour
• Create poster or sign for Collis' Boise Cascade paper show
• Update RWG website- currently there is demand for light switch stickers
• Next fall have another event
• Need to sort through energy data of already-collected buildings. Data should be added to website.
• Chiller plant needs photo and description.

3. ECO activities (Sue DuBois- coordinator)

• ECO is student group, separated into two divisions
  • Floor Reps collect recycling and post weekly bulletins
  • Interns are involved in many departments and each have projects
• Campus Paper project- encouraging Greenprint and other departments to use 100% recycled paper. Currently they are giving free samples to diminish fears that it will jam in printers or be a problem. They need more departments to commit because Boise Cascade offers better prices to larger orders, and because purchasing will consider it if more departments seems interested. The cost will increase $70,000.
• Create new connections to departments and faculty. The hope is to have an ECO faculty representative in every department.
• Greening of campus- researching the environmental standards of new buildings and new construction. We could work with the Alumni Magazine to report findings.
• Blitz 'TECO' with any new ideas for ECO interns.

4. Coffee machines- campus seems to be moving towards new models that use individual flavor containers

• They make a lot of plastic waste
• They reduce wasted coffee, but that was compostable and plastic waste is just trash.
• Much more expensive
• Easier because no one has to brew it, but how much work is that really?
• Should plan to include a statistic about this in the model office.

5. Composting- New England Organics lost $70,000 last year that needs to be addressed in the new contract.

• There are many options, but here are a few.
  • Do nothing, pay increased tipping fees to cover losses
  • Send compost to Hawk Ridge in Maine if Hanover sends biosolids there.
  • Stop compost program
  • Continue at NE Organics, pay flat fee to take over management
  • Develop a program with the Organic Farm
  • Start a vermicompost program (worms)
  • Find a third party
• Financial figures need to be reconfigured to include net costs—this should include what is saved by purchasing the compost for grounds.
• Option #3 should be considered, (stopping the program altogether) because the program is very costly and resources might be better spent elsewhere. Compost costs $46 per ton, and trash costs $59 per ton. With tipping fees, we are spending around $100,000. We need a study group to more precisely analyze the costs and benefits, and any legal issues.

6. Paper recycling- we will move away from separate white paper recycling, and towards commingled recycling which includes all kinds of paper except corrugated cardboard.

There was a dramatic decrease in recycled white paper in FY00 when there were changed to the confidential shredding program