George Brown College

Green Team Update

Presentation to:

College CouncilFebruary 19, 2009

By: Nancy Sherman, Green Team Co-Chair;Dean, Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies

President Sado’s Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

Anne Sado's 2007 commitment to the Board

of Governors:

George Brown College is committed to "being aware of the trends that will shape our world. ...One such trend is the importance of

reducing our impact on the environment.”

Intro Page

Why Go Green?

- Environmental (reduced resource consumption)

- Financial (real benefits to the traditional bottom line)

- Social Equity (acting locally, thinking globally)

- Leadership (being a model for others)

- Advancement (attracting new investors & donors)

The question is no longer whether or not to go green. It's how.

The Drivers in Higher Education

- More sustainable growth, i.e., low impact, high

performance buildings

- Reputation for environmental stewardship in retaining

talented and engaged faculty and students

- Reduce rising costs for utilities and waste

- Create new research and teaching opportunities

Opportunities Facing Universities & Colleges

• Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty on sustainability issues.

• Prepare students for sustainability and climate leadership in all careers and professions.

• Appeal to current and prospective students, parents and donors.

• Foster a campus-wide ethic of environmental stewardship.

• Create new partnership and funding opportunities.

The College Green Team”

YOUR SCHOOL

- Goal: To leverage and align college-wide Green initiatives with the college’s strategic plan.- Co-Chaired by the Vice President of Corporate Services, Eugene Harrigan, and the Dean of the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, Nancy Sherman.- Includes representatives from every department / faculty within the College.- Meets five times per year.- Current Sub-Committees include:

- Paper Use- Green Catering- Green Report Card- Green Curriculum- Green Fund Review

George Brown College’s Green Plan:

YOUR SCHOOL

- Establishes a baseline outlining the College’s current ecological footprint and environmental practices;

- Sets goals and measurable objectives for reducing the College's eco-footprint in five categories:

- Institutional Mechanisms/Support- Facilities Management- Academic Initiatives- Corporate Initiatives- Student and Community Projects

Institutional Mechanisms and Support

Goal: Provide institutional support to achieve capacity Green Plan goals

YOUR SCHOOL

- Strategic Initiative special funding ($1 million in

2008/09) to support energy and waste reduction goals.

- Green Fund to support smaller environmental projects

within the College.

- Annual Report Card to measure success in achieving

Green Plan goals.

- College membership in American Association for the

Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Green Fund

Goal: To fund smaller projects to reduce College’s eco-

footprint. Preference given to those with student

involvement: Approved Projects to date:

• Greening of Child Car Centres• Secure Bicycle Storage Units• Recycling of used computer monitors• Signage and branding for recycling program• Support for developing on-line Green Report Card tool• Gwynn Dyer lecture

Sustainability Scorecard and Environmental

Checklist Used to Evaluate Green Fund

Projects:

- Strategic alignment

- Environmental benefits

- Payback (financial)

- Pedagogical benefits

- Community benefits (good will, reputation)

- Resources required

Facilities Management

Goal: Reduce the environmental impacts of the College’s facilities and operations

- Reduce the College’s carbon footprint (increase

energy efficiency and reduce climate change

emissions)

- Reduce waste and increase recycling

- Conserve water resources

- Support alternatives to conventional transportation

Facilities Management: Reducing the College’s Eco-Footprint

Objectives:

- Energy: Reduce consumption by 15% over three years

- Waste: Increase recycling rate to 70% over three years

- Water: Reduce water consumption by 5 – 15%.

- Transportation: Increase availability of secure bicycle

storage units on campus

Waste Management and Recycling Program

GBC Waste & Recycling

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

To

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es

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Total Waste to Landfill (Tonnes)

Total Waste & Recycling (Tonnes)

Total Diversion Rate

Increase in FT StudentPopulation

Academic InitiativesGoal: Curriculum reflects the College’s commitment to sustainable development, inter-professional education

and to student participation in applied research.

YOUR SCHOOL

Academics Strategy Curriculum and Program Design

Working Group:

- Audit of existing sustainability related and/or focused

courses.

- Develop suite of Gen. Ed. Courses related to

sustainability.

- “Greening Your Curriculum” hand-out for new faculty

orientation.

- Complete the AASHE STARS Scorecard to rate our

“Greening” of the Curriculum.

Corporate InitiativesGoal: Policies and practices align with the College’s environmental sustainability commitments.

Purchasing: - College Policy now incorporates environmental considerations. - Product specific green guidelines being developed.- New Request for Proposals template will include environmental criteria as part of the scoring formula.

Paper:- Paper Use Policy being drafted by Green Team.- Strategies for reducing paper consumption.- Pilot with recycled content paper underway.

Corporate InitiativesGoal: Policies and practices align with the College’s environmental sustainability commitments.

Electronics:- New photocopier fleet contract to incorporate green considerations.- Green elements for purchase and reuse / recycling of used computer products

Housekeeping Services:- New Request for Proposals to require green cleaning products and processes.

Corporate InitiativesGoal: Policies and practices align with the College’s environmental sustainability commitments.

Food Services:- Green catering sub-committee “Green Meeting Guide”.- Elimination of Styrofoam.- Biodegradable coffee cups and 15 cent discount for bringing your own mug.- Pizza Pizza box recycling.- Fair Trade Coffee in City Café at 300 Adelaide- Used vegetable oil converted to biodiesel.- Condiments served in bulk.- 100% recycled, unbleached napkins.

Corporate InitiativesGoal: Policies and practices align with the College’s environmental sustainability commitments.

Building Design, Renovation & Construction:

- New buildings to achieve green building certification through LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design)- Student project to evaluate College’s potential achieve LEED for existing buildings (LEED-EB).- Light bulb recycling program.- Plans to recycle/reuse 50 – 70% of renovation “waste”.

Student & Community Involvement

YOUR SCHOOL

Goal: Students play an active role in supporting the College's Green Plan goals

- Student Association representative sits on Green

Team.

Goal: College staff and faculty work to support the

College's Green Plan goals e.g. implementing work of

the sub committees.

Communicating the College’s Green Plan

YOUR SCHOOL

- Green Spots in College Bulletin.- Regular updates in Staff Weekly Update.- New signage and posters for new recycling bins.- Work underway to develop Green Page news section and resources section for Insite.- Plans to develop Green Plan section as part of the College’s external web-site.

THANK YOU !