MHC Environment

Tess Isabel Nepstad

Danielle Lerner

Bethany Nagid

Fiona Khandoker Shaba

At Mount Holyoke College, many environmentally friendly incentives have been enforced, but our studies have found that not every student pays attention to the environmental concerns on campus. By bringing into

focus the actual costs of our consumption and lifestyles as college students at MHC, we hope that students will have a stronger grasp of how they can individually reduce their ecological footprints and save their own money. We all pay for this campus, and we need to start treating MHC environment as our own and not just a common good.

Water

Supply

Use

Conserve

Live

Water as a ResourceWater is a public access good that is necessary for survival of all living organisms.We often forget about the role that water plays in all aspects of life and tend to over use water.It is a misconception that water is a sustainable resource.When we continue to use up fresh water sources, we must look to other methods for obtaining water to meet demands. Although new technology enables us to improve water distribution systems and build sewage treatment facilities, these measures are costly.Initial water conservation is more beneficial to the environment and more cost efficient from an economic perspective.

Water use in the United States

United States Geological Survey

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Water use tends to increasewith population growth.

In 2005, there was an estimated 410 billion gallons of water withdrawnfor the United States.

The average American uses100 gallons of water per day.

Average Water Bill for a family of four:Phoenix: $34.29 per monthBoston: $65.47 per month

Water at MHC950 gallons of water are pumped each minute from the Dry Brook Well to supply the campus.137,000 gallons of water are used each day.Water is used for drinking, showering, laundry, etc.When we don’t see the monetary cost of water quantitatively, we aren’t conscious of the amount of water we are actually using in daily activities.

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Water CostsIn 2006, 2 MHC students initiated a water conservation plan to install lower flow faucets screens.

The project led to a 77% water use reduction.

Once the screens were installed, 7,318,500 gallons of water were saved which resulted in a monetary savings of $29,274.

savings= over the full cost of

one semester at MHC.

ShoweringWe all enjoy long hot showers to relax and distress from classes. The average American takes a 7.5 minute shower.Last year, the Eco-Reps put shower timers in the bathrooms of every residential hall as an incentive for students to take five-minute showers. The goal was that if everyone could take 5-minute showers, collectively 10,000 gallons would be saved each day.MHC facilities management have also worked to improve water efficiency. Older dorms have shower flows of 5-6 gallons per minute. Most dorms have shower flows of 2.5 gallons per minute. The new dorm has the most efficient shower flow of 1.5 gallons per minute.

How long do you shower for?

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The Truth about ShoweringMost MHC students take between a 5 to over 10 minute shower.By reducing your shower time by 2.5 minutes you can Save 5 to 13 gallons of water.

Bottled Water vs. Reusable Bottles

By using reusable wide-mouth water bottles rather than plastic bottled water, water can be conserved.

It takes 20 gallons of water to produce one pound of plastic, which is more water than the plastic water bottle can actually hold.

Harmful chemicals are used in the production of plastic bottles.

Tap water tends to be just clean, if not cleaner, as bottled water.

By using a reusable water bottle, not only are you saving water and energy required to produce bottled water, but you also reduce the amount of bottles to be recycled or thrown away, and save money by refilling a water bottle for free in the dining halls.

How much you really save…= (free-$25) Sigg bottles are said to be indestructible but known to last up to 10 years. They are also recycled material.

=($1.25) x 7 = $8.75 per week = $35 per month Not only are there high external costs, but plastic bottled water use up your dining dollars.

Water in FoodFood production requires a lot of water, but animal-based foods require more water in production than plant-based foods.

As a lack of water necessary for agricultural production is becoming a global issue, the Nature Conservancy is stressing the need to improve the efficiency and minimization of water consumption in the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Different foods require different amounts of water in production.

You can do your part in water conservation by eating lower on the food chain.

1 lb. of beef= 2,500 gallons of water

1 lb. of soybeans= 62 gallons of water

Hamburger = 1,400 gallons of water

Veggie burger = 100 gallons of water

Other ways to save waterBy using the dishwasher rather than washing each dish by hand can save 20 gallons per load.

Stop yourself from flushing the toilet unnecessarily and save 1.5 to 3.5 gallons per flush.

Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth and even in the shower when you’re shampooing or shaving.

When doing laundry, do full loads because small loads require twice as much water.

By using recycled paper water consumption required for paper production can be reduced by 60%.

Our Water FootprintWater conservation is important because around the world regions face drought and people suffer from inadequate water supply.

Money saved collectively from water conservation can be put towards improving other aspects of the campus.

As students, we need to own the water that we use and not think that others will pay for it.

Water conservation is a necessary measure unless we want to see our water resources fall victim to the tragedy of the commons.

What is your usual diet?

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vegetarian vegan meat(no red meat) all kinds of meat

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Energy

Energy use in our world is very rapidly becoming more important to understand, and as an institution with over 2,000 students, and many more faculty and staff, it is also incredibly important to understand energy within Mount Holyoke’s campus.

When looking into MHC and its use of energy, we can look into three main categories.

Energy Use

Energy Costs

Energy Efficiency

Energy UseThis school year we have seen a 4.7% decrease in BTUs consumed per year per square foot from 2008 and 9.6% decrease from 2006 as per the chart below, but as with most of our environmental problems around campus, we can still do much better.

-Mount Holyoke’s electrical power is bought from South Hadley Electric Light Department (SHELD)

-Our heating and thermal energy works by a system of underground pipes that deliver steam to buildings from our central heating plant, on campus.

Energy CostsWhen we are looking at the costs of our energy use on campus, it is important to understand physical costs, as well as externalities.

Monetary Costs

Running all campus computers (desktop and student laptops) for 8 hours a day instead of leaving them running overnight/on weekends would save $41,000. Shutting down printers/copiers when not in use would save $29,000.Setting every campus computer to “sleep mode” after ten minutes of inactivity when plugged in would save $49,000.

This means that one students full tuition every year goes towards computer energy waste!!!

About a third of energy use on Mount Holyoke’s campus is electric (shown in yellow) while about two-thirds of our energy is thermal (shown in blue) . From our “baseline” values from 1990, our electrical use has increased dramatically, while thermal use has seen a more modest increase.

Since our 1990 baseline model, Mount Holyoke’s energy costs have literally gone off of the charts. Although thermal costs (shown in blue) have felt a much more drastic increase since 2002, electrical costs (shown in yellow) have also greatly increased.

Environmental Costs and Externalities

The majority of the greenhouse gases produced on MHC’s campus are from thermal energy use, followed next by electrical use, and then a very small portion is produced by our fleet transportation (Ride van, “Lyon Share” program cars, Public Safety)

Mount Holyoke’s greenhouse gas emissions by year. The solid line designates our 2010 goal, to be at the same level as twenty years ago. The dotted line designates our 2020 goal, or the thirty year goal to be 10% lower than our 1990 level of emissions.

Solutions and Energy Efficiency

-Since our energy costs keep rising, even when our energy use is decreasing, we must increase our efficiency and decrease consumption even more in order to keep costs as low as possible and minimize environmental degradation.

-Here we can discuss the progress that we as a community have made, and what we have yet to do to be even more efficient, successful, and sustainable.

Energy Efficiency

Mount Holyoke’s thermal energy for heating buildings is produced using a high efficiency cogeneration system. At peak efficiency, the system recycles 90% of the steam it produces when it returns back as water. Although in practice this percentage is closer to 80%-85%, it has saved the college over $1 million dollars since its installation.

In order to help remedy the energy use on campus, the college has taken a number of measures to regulate and decrease consumption, including…

Light sensorsInsulation replacement (to keep heating use low)Shower timers (to regulate water heating) The Kill-A-Watt program, which has…

Supplied compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) to decrease energy use from incandescent bulbsProvided monetary incentives as a competition for dorms to lower their energy use

Some other measures that the college has taken to improve energy efficiency are…

Insulation replacements in dorms

Water timers

Light sensors in most buildings

Energy retrofitted green buildings (we have 5 LEED certified buildings on campus)

Programs like EcoReps and the Green Living Council

Too hot or too cold?

Not too many students realize that facilities management has set up a collection of instructional guides to help students understand how their heating system works. These instructions vary by dorm, and are sometimes even broken down by specific floor!!!

What do the students say about all this?

After designing a one page survey for members of the Mount Holyoke community, here are some of the results gathered with regards to energy use on campus…

Some tips for keeping your consumption down and efficiency up…

Unplug your electronics (from the wall outlet) when not in use

Shut off lights when you are the last to leave a room (even if they have sensors)

Learn about your dorm-specific heating controls and hints

Take the online Mount Holyoke pledge to move towards green computing

Get involved!!! Consider joining the EcoReps or the Green Living Council to help spread the word about energy efficiency and conservation!

Compost/Waste

Trash, Wastes, Compost

Solid Waste

1. Every year, the US generates 230 million tons of trash/ 56 tons per person. The amount of waste generated per person has in fact doubled since the 1960s.

2. Less than 1/4th of it is recycled, which means, 3/4th end up in landfills

3. If we were a little more careful, we could actually recycle 70% of our landfill wastes, which includes material like glass, metal and paper.

4. Such actions would reduce the demand for virgin sources for these materials, in other words, fewer amount of resources would be extracted from the “finite” reservoirs.

5. It would also lead to significant decrease in environmental, economic and public health hazards.

Could we bury our wastes?

1. With the overproduction and overconsumption of goods and services in this country, landfills are getting filled up very fast.

2. Therefore, groundwater, which is our primary source of drinking water is getting contaminated. This is an economic issue since it is very expensive to treat groundwater.

Could we burn it?

Yes and No. Though a lot of energy is generated, a lot of harmful chemicals such as carbon dioxide, monoxide, etc. are emitted. These are greenhouse gases. Also other hazardous toxins could harm humans and animals.

Could someone take it?

With the rapid increase in population, there is very little space left. Therefore, no one community is able to take the burden of another since they have to handle their own.

Components of Trash

1. Paper and paperboard: 32.7%

2. Yard Trimmings: 12.8%

3. Food Scraps: 12.5%

4. Plastics: 12.1%

5. Metals:8.2%

6. Wood: 5.6%

7. Others: 16.1%

Increase in trash during festivals

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, people throw away around 5million extra tons of trash, most of which are gifts and wrapping papers. This is consistent with the capitalist agenda that brings in the importance of materials. From the 1970s onwards, there has been a significant increase in advertising and thus the purchase of gifts for festivals like the above.

Trash at Mount Holyoke College

1. Total amount of trash collected- 95,800 pounds (february 2010)

2. Total composting- 268,990 pounds

How were our routine discards collected in FY2007-08 at Mount Holyoke?

Routine Trash60.2%

Food Waste16.6%

Paper & Cardboard18.0%

Bottles & Cans5.2%

• Routine Trash collected and sent to landfill.• Paper & Cardboard collected for Recycling• Bottles & cans collected for Recycling• Food Waste collected for Composting• All % by weight

2008 Residential Trash Sortfor Mount Holyoke College

Trash 50.4%

Clothing 6.8%

Food 11.1%

To-go containers 5.1%

Cardboard 1.7%Bottles & cans 13.7%

Paper 11.1%

Lbs routine trash landfilled per studentFY07-08

• Routine trash is trash from dumpsters around campus and does not include bulky waste, waste from construction & demolition projects, or waste from off-campus family housing units.

• Per capita data includes material from entire campus divided by number of students (as the common population denominator.

610.4

373.93

467.16

584.58

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COMPOSTIt is the method of converting human and plant decomposing material into thick black soil through aerobic respiration.

Compost soil is beneficial since it acts as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer to add vital humus or humic acids and as a natural pesticide.

Why is it so crucial in the modern world?

It is an alternative to land filling. With an increase in global population and a decrease in space, it has become even more important to compost.

• Around 1800 students under the meal plan.• 170 tones of material collected for composting

each year. • Dining Services has been dedicated to composting

from the Spring of 2005.• Students are able to separate their food wastes

into trash and compost. Excess liquid is collected in a separate container.

• Dining Services staff also gather potato peels, lettuce trimmings,etc. for composting.

• However, it is not wise to assume that composting is an excuse for overproduction and overuse.

• Composting requires the use of resources such as time and money. Therefore, the best option is to produce as much as required.

COMPOSTING AT MHC

WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR COMPOSTS?

The food collected by Dining Services is taken to a local farm in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

There it is broken down to form the nutrient-rich soil.

This compost is used by the farmers to grow more food, some of which are bought by Dining Services

Average monthly tons food-waste compost picked up by period

From Mount Holyoke College FY07-08

July & Aug Sept & Oct Nov Dec (short) Jan Feb-Apr May (short) June0.00

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25.00tons

Tons 5.40 20.10 14.10 11.20 5.59 14.80 11.20 4.70

Food waste compost includes uneaten post-consumer food waste, pre-consumer food prep scraps, biodegradable food service ware, and some cardboard.

SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS

The fact that food can be composted does not necessarily mean that we can continue to overproduce and waste food. (Food worth around $75 billion is wasted in the US every year. This involves the different stages like growing, production and retail. However, around 10 million people die of hunger worldwide, annually)

We could start off by taking as much food as we need as opposed to what we would like to see on our plates.

In order to reduce the use of ‘to go’ containers, we could bring our own reusable containers and rinse them at the end of the day.

To reduce trash, we could actually buy and consume as much as we need.

We could also pay some attention to separating out the different components of our waste into recyclable, compostable and trash materials. This could lower our per capita addition to landfills and thus reduce our ecological footprints.

Recycling

Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable materials.

Benefits of Recycling

Recycling…• Protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increased

U.S. competitiveness

• Reduces the need for landfilling and incineration

• Prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials

• Saves energy

• Decreases emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.

• Conserves resources such as timber, water, and minerals

• Helps sustain the environment for future generations

Importance of Recycling at MHC

Students need to start recognizing that pollution is a serious environmental issue that needs to be addressed.

We must educate those who are unaware of the importance of safeguarding the environment.

Mount Holyoke stresses that recycling is a manufacturing process. Recycling paper, for example, displaces some or all of the trees used to make new paper. This allows for landfill diversion and displacement of virgin natural resources in manufacturing.

LandfillsLandfills are sites designated for the discard of waste materials which are then covered with layers of soil.

Avoiding paper from landfills is extremely crucial because paper breaks down so slowly and in anaerobic conditions (absence of oxygen), that methane is generated. Methane is a huge contributor to climate change and about 25 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Not only that, but the mere construction of a landfill leads to a significant amount of net carbon in the atmosphere. This can be averted if we make more of an effort to recycle paper rather than just throwing it away. We would not only save trees, but we would use less energy in reusing old products than if we made a product from scratch.

Negative impacts of landfills via paper…

Stats on what happens to U.S. garbage:

According to the Environmental Protection Agency…

• 55% of solid waste is thrown into landfills

• 15% of solid waste is incinerated

• 30% of solid waste is recycled

*Solid waste refers to waste normally handled through residential and community garbage-collection systems

Drops in Recycling MarketResidential mixed paper has none of the revenue value it had just 2 months ago (mill prices dropped from $80/ton to $0). Perfectly clean newspaper (no inserts, etc) has only 25% of  the revenue value it had less than 2 months ago (mill prices  dropped over $100/ton).Corrugated cardboard has only 38% of the revenue value that  it had less than 2 months ago (mill prices dropped $65/ton).  Sorted office paper has only 69% of the revenue value that it had less than 2 months ago  (mill prices dropped $70/ton) Even perfectly clean white ledger paper has only 87% of the  revenue value that it had less than 2 months ago (mill prices  dropped $40/ton). 

*Information taken from Roger Guzowsi’s “A Recycling Plea to Mount Holyoke” - http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/assets/ENV/recyclingplea.pdf

What this means

We are going to have a hard time making sure materials are recycled due to the downfall in our economy.People have much less of a demand for material goods.This means even less of a demand for recycled discards to be used to manufacture new material goods.Luckily, MHC trash costs are high enough for us to continue on our recycling path, rather than being tempted to pay for landfill use.

How we can helpStudents on campus can make a difference by simply educating each other on the benefits of recycling, as well as becoming familiar with how and where to properly recycle something.

Where do I recycle?

Mount Holyoke has designated recycling bins located on each floor of every building of campus.

Red Bins

Plastic bottles of all types

Glass bottles of all colors

Aluminum cans

Yogurt cups

Juice and soymilk boxes

Tin cans

Blue Bins

White and colored office paper

Magazines and newspapers

Envelopes (with and without windows)

Brown paper bags

Boxboard

Post it notes

Other MaterialsCorrugated cardboard can be recycled in the orange bins located in each dorm’s trash room

Inkjet and laser toner cartridges can be mailed back to the manufacturer (or placed in proper containers in every dorm’s computer rooms)

Used batteries, light bulbs, and clothing can be placed into designated bins in every laundry room in each dorm

Where does it all go?Office paper, old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard are broken down at the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (SMRF) and remade into other paper products such as paper towels, paper cups, and toilet tissue.All types of containers are collected together in the blue bins on campus, taken to the SMRF, and then sorted into different types of glass, plastic, and aluminum.Clear glass is melted into new glass products.Mixed colored glass is crushed and used in the manufacture of abrasives (such as sandpaper) and asphalt (for roads and buildings).PET plastic is made into fibers for polyester products, such as fleece jackets and carpets.HDPE plastic is used for plastic lumber to produce decking, benches, or new HDPE plastic containers.Aluminum cans are melted and manufactured into new cans and foil.

Members of the Mount Holyoke community took a survey and these are the results…

How often do you use MHC's 'to go' containers?

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According to this graph, over half of the student body uses ‘to go’ containers, which cannot be recycled later.

Facilities Management Recycling

Although on campus waste production has been decreasing steadily over the last few years, so has recycling.

Facts

Each time we recycle an aluminum can we save 95% of the energy needed to make aluminum from raw materials.

MHC’s recycling program recycles on average 47% each month.

Eco Rep advice:Buy and use paper with at least 30% post-consumer recycled content.Look for products with minimal packaging. For many products buying larger sizes means less packaging waste, but make sure you can use the larger quantity in a reasonable time period.Invest in equipment and furniture which is high in quality, and is durable and repairable. Check with Facilities Management for appropriate purchases.Don't buy paper that is a contaminant in recycling, [e.g., thermal fax paper, glossy/plastic coatings, plastic windows in envelopes, bright colors including goldenrod, laser printer inks, and adhesive products].Make sure everyone in your office/department has a paper recycling bin in their office and knows where to empty it in your building.Send laser jet toner cartridges to the Facilities Management Stockroom for recycling.Recycle inkjet cartridges are located in Blanchard mail room and at LITS in the MEWS by the printer station. Inkjet cartridges can also be sent via campus mail to the Facilities Management Stockroom.If you have batteries to recycle, you can tape the terminals with duct or packing tape or put individually in a small plastic bag. Collect them in your office until you have 20 or 30 and then contact EH&S for pick-up.

Other SolutionsIncreased education regarding recycling and sustainable purchasing will lead to a decrease in disposables, especially trash. Perhaps a larger variety of waste containers (of all kinds) can be distributed around campus for easier access.Students should adhere more attention to the MHC recycling program. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/facilities/recycling.html Visit the MHC eco rep website to get more involved in reducing our carbon footprint - help MHC go green!

TO REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE.

References1. http://www.learner.org/interactives/garbage/solidwaste.html 2. http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/United_States_Recycling_Statistics 3. http://www.compostingcouncil.org/ 4. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/8436.shtml 5. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/10706.shtml 6. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/assets/ENV/recyclingstats0708.ppt 7. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/assets/ENV/recyclingplea.pdf 8. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/18029.shtml 9. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/8436.shtml 10. http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm 11. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/facilities/recycling.html 12. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/10718.shtml 13. https://webmail.mtholyoke.edu/horde/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fww

w.mtholyoke.edu%2Foffices%2Fes%2Findex.shtml 14. www.USGS.org 15. www.epa.gov 16. www.nationalatlas.gov 17. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/8441.shtml 18. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/17605.shtml 19. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/20554.shtml 20. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/20556.shtml 21. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/20557.shtml 22. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/20558.shtml 23. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/10711.shtml 24. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/22664.shtml 25. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/es/10715.shtml