Greening up your Centre’sInfrastructure & Operations

Welcome fromKatrina Shields & Richard Vinycomb

of Byron Region Community College

Identify where environmental improvements can be made in infrastructure & operations through savings in: energy, waste, water, travel & transport, greener catering and using your purchasing power.

Reflect on what might work for you, share change strategies and aspirations...

We encourage your participation..

Objectives of todays webinar

Australia has the highest greenhouse gasses emissions per capita in the developed world.

Our waste production is 2nd highest in the world after the USA, with 690kg per year being sent to landfill per person.

Our power consumption per capita is four times the average in the world...

Why should we bother?

Like all organisations and households our centres have significant environmental impacts from their buildings and operations:

Physical building footprints Energy required to run normal operations

(and associated emissions) Consumption of resources (everything from

cars to copiers to paper clips!) Waste produced as a result of normal

operations

Environmental footprint

Retro fitting small changes ? Govt rebates, sponsorship, donations

Redesign big changes in buildings eg passive solar design, green building? Grants, rebates, pro bono design work

Promoting behaviour changes in staff & students? Incentives, professional development, awards, communications, change in purchasing policies.

Educating building users and raising community awareness generally? signs, posters, media stories, orientations

Changes can be made at levels of:

Consider:Source renewable energy eg sign up

for green power.Cutting consumption through: Lighting- installing power saving bulbs,

skylights, auto turn off devices or delamping..

Air con used for cooling & heating – change thermostat settings, turn off when out of room, provide more natural ventilation, encourage dressing for the temperature, install insulation..

Energy Saving

Equipment use – do you need all the fridges, TV’s, printers etc?

Standby power or “ghost load” – turning off at the wall

Using smart meters to give feedback on consumption.

Myth Busting: “It’s better to leave things on” Not true! Turning off

when out of the room for more than 10 seconds saves power. It does not damage or wear out lights, fans

etc.

Saving Power continued

Providing Recycling systems- separation bins Organic waste collection & composting Reducing use of disposable products eg

plastic bags, water bottles, styrofoam cups Finding an E waste collection – what Do you

do with old equipment?

Waste Issues

Paper & stationary with high recycled content

Toilet paper – recycled paper content Green cleaning products Refillable whiteboard pensCould you develop a purchasing policy?

Use your Purchasing Power

Where do you source your products ? Can you support locally owned & operated businesses especially greener ones.

Use greener products eg organics Fair trade tea & coffee Cut down on disposable products Provide a tea garden Reduce wastage

Greener Catering

Fixing leaks and wastages Installing low flush toilets, waterless urinals

& low flow taps Capturing rainfall with tanks Any reuse possible eg grey water on

gardens?

Every drop counts – saving water

Fleet cars - are they petrol guzzlers? Reducing need for travel- eg e-conferencing,

on-line learning Encouraging use of public transport eg

providing info Being bike friendly eg providing racks,

showers, reminder signs Encouraging car pooling

Travel & Transport

What other benefits or advantages might there be for you to make these sorts of changes ?

Who could help you with the greening up process?

Reflections

How can you encourage behaviour change and staff development around these issues?

What has worked or might best work for you? Any good news stories to share?

Reflections

What is stopping you from moving on this? What do you need to get moving?

What’s on your enviro wish list? What is your vision for your centre in 5 years time?

Reflections

Green Office Resourceswww.greenbiz.com

www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainbus/industryandsmallbusiness

www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/for_businesses

www.health.qld.gov.au/carbon_management/green_office_guide.pdf

Queensland Health Carbon Management Unit

www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/greenofficeguide.pdf

Campus Sustainability Resource

www.aashe.org/resources

Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability

www.acts.asn.au

Adult Learning Australia

Greening your community courses (non VET) programming & marketing Thursday 28 July

Greening your partnerships, projects, advocacy and networks Thursday 30 August

Future sustainability webinars

Thanks for your participation from Katrina, Richard, Patricia and Michael