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A COMIC ASSAULT ON EVEREST PAGE 18 | WHEN GREEN YOGURT’S GOOD PAGE 20
E x p l o r e , E n j o y , a n d P r o t e c t t h e P l a n e t
10 COOLEST SCHOOLSCollege students amp up the fight against climate change
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Sierra magazine’S 2011 “cooleSt SchoolS” queStionnaire
2007 2008
2009 2010
As the magazine of the nation’s oldest and largest environmental nonprofit, Sierra has a readership of more than 1 million engaged and educated citizens.
Many thanks for your participation.
School name:
Contact name and title:
Contact phone:
Contact email:
School city and state:
Number of students:
HONOR PLEDGE: By completing and submitting this questionnaire, you are certifying that all statements in this document are true to the best of your knowledge.
INITIAL: ______________ DATE: ______________
We at Sierra, the award-winning magazine of the Sierra Club, are compiling information for our fifth annual “Coolest Schools” issue, which will rate American colleges and universities according to their environmental practices, green initiatives, and caliber of sustainability-oriented education.
Schools that score highly in these realms may be contacted for further discussion and will receive recognition in the magazine’s September/October issue. Please download this interactive PDF and fill it out as thoroughly as possible. Save it with your responses as 2011_coolschools_your school’s name and email it to [email protected] no later than April 20, 2011.
Note that this questionnaire will become a public document and that we will not be altering your responses before publishing them online. Questions left blank will receive no credit, and if a question requests a percentage, you must provide a number to receive a score. If you need more space to answer a question, you may attach pages. The scoring key will be available online once the issue is published.
Category 1: Energy Supply 1. Please break down the energy types that your campus uses for electricity by percentage.
If your school purchases its electricity from a utility company, this information should be
available from that company. If you insert a number into the ―other‖ category, specify the
energy source.
1.4 % Coal 2.3_% Wind 0.1 % Biomass
_.6_% Natural Gas ___ % Solar ____% Geothermal
4.4 % Nuclear 91.2 % Hydro ____ Other
Percentages are based on the latest fuel mix statistic from our utility company. The University
participates in our utility company's renewable energy program to purchase REC equivalents to
offset the coal/natural gas.
2. What type(s) of energy does your campus use for heating buildings? If you insert a number
into the ―other‖ category, specify the energy source.
____% Coal ____% Biomass
97 % Natural Gas ____% Geothermal
_1__% Electricity _2__ % Fuel Oil
If cogeneration, please explain.
The University of Washington has a small cogeneration facility, which is an extraction/exhaust
turbine generator which produced 5% of the campus electricity in 2010.
Category 2: Efficiency
1. What percentage of campus buildings completed within the past five years have a LEED
certification of at least silver, or an equivalent rating from another certifier? (If an equivalent
rating, please specify which rating and certifier.)
100 %
All buildings since 2009 have received a GOLD rating.
2. What percentage of water used for campus landscaping is from recovered, reclaimed, or
untreated sources?
2 % A cistern pilot is being conducted at the Center for Urban Horticulture and will be used
for evaluating cistern impacts for landscaping operations.
The UW was awarded Salmon-Safe in 2011 (http://www.washington.edu/news/articles/salmon-
safe-uw-recognized-for-protecting-water-quality-salmon-habitat)
3. What percentage of campus lighting fixtures, including indoor and outdoor, are energy
efficient (e.g., compact fluorescent, LED, or equipped with motion sensors, automatic daylight
shutoff, or other energy-conserving features)?
95 %
A student-led CFL Exchange Project changed incandescent light bulbs on the Seattle campus
with energy savings CFL bulbs. The initiative included an initial pilot program with Greek
system houses and residence halls.
4. What percentage of campus appliances are Energy Star-rated?
100 % (Please see below description regarding appliances)
All of UW Copy Center copiers are Energy Star rated:
15 copy center machines
41 computer lab and library printers
38 library copiers
266 Departmental Copier Program Multifunctional Machines
In addition, the following appliances have been identified Energy Star rated:
Washing machines that the students use in the res halls are Energy Star. Approx 125
washers.
Some of our apartment fridges are Energy Star./campus microwaves are required to be
energy star and approved by EH&S
Food Service equipment has generated utility credits over the years
Air conditioners (portable) are EnergyStar
5. Does your school have in place energy-efficiency retrofitting programs, such as improving
building insulation or sealing ducts? If yes, by what percentage have these programs reduced
(or will they reduce) consumption over a three-year period?
The University has an ongoing energy efficiency retrofit program. Energy audits of existing
facilities are performed to identify improvement project opportunities. Cost effective measures
are then funded and installed, both with an energy service contractor and with in-house
maintenance and operations staff. New facilities, or major remodels are installed with more
aggressive energy targets.
6. Does your school have a program to monitor, record, and assess patterns of electricity and
water consumption as a means of regularly evaluating and improving buildings‘ environmental
performance? If yes, provide the percentage of buildings monitored for each and describe the
program.
Electricity:
____No
X Yes _100%
Water:
____ No
X Yes _100%
Category 3: Food
1. What percentage (in dollars) of food served at cafeterias is grown or raised within 100 miles of
the campus?
8% of the food served at cafeterias is grown or raised within 250 miles of campus (we don‘t
track how much is grown or raised within 100 miles). 15% within 250 miles using the AASHE
standard for local
Sources
We purchase foods from 11 local farms/grows through the following distributors:
Food Services of America, Kent WA
Charlie's Produce, Seattle WA
We purchase foods from 20 local processors directly, and 17 more through the following
distributors:
Food Services of America, Kent WA
Harbor Wholesale, Olympia WA
United Natural Foods, Auburn WA
Tim's Cascade Chips, Auburn WA
Charlie's Produce, Seattle WA
Over 50% of our food and beverages purchases are grown, harvested, produced or processed
with 250 miles of the University. Our goal is to source products that support local producers and
support our local economy.
We also do quite a bit of business with local artisans and family owned businesses. Since our last
report, we have brought in ice cream from a Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream, a dairy located 25
miles North of the University; Field Roast, a local vegan grain sausage maker; Columbia Gorge
Organic Juice, located in the Columbia River valley basin; Theo Chocolate, a neighborhood fair
trade and organic chocolate producer;
We use only cage-free eggs, which we purchase from Wilcox Farms, located 85 miles southeast
of Seattle. The farm is located at the foot of Mt. Rainier and is adjacent to the Nisqually River,
which is fed by the Nisqually Glacier. Wilcox Farms eggs are Food Alliance Certified, Certified
Humane and Salmon Safe Certified.
Our dairy products are sourced from Darigold Farms. Darigold is a co-op of family-owned dairy
farms from across the state, located from a few miles outside Seattle to over 150 miles away.
They are steroid and antibiotic free.
Our main produce supplier is Charlie‘s Produce, a local employee-owned company that provides
regional fruits and vegetables when in season. Family-owned farms that Charlie‘s draws upon for
fruit and produce are located from 25 to 262 miles outside Seattle.
The majority of our potato products are sourced through Lamb Weston. The potatoes are grown
on farms in Washington State‘s Columbia Valley region, 150 to 250 miles outside Seattle.
The majority of our baked goods come from local bakeries that have committed to using wheat
sourced from a co-op of family farms that use sustainable no till farming methods. The farms,
located in Eastern Washington, are 180 to 280 miles from Seattle.
2. What percentage (in dollars) of food served at campus cafeterias is USDA-certified organic?
Ten percent of the food served by HFS is certified organic. We offer our customers a wide array
of certified organic products: coffee, teas, chocolate, frozen food lines, tofu, soy milk, organic
juice, produce and breads.
3. Do campus cafeterias source seafood that is deemed sustainable by the Marine Stewardship
Council, the Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Seafood Watch Program, or a similar program?
We use the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommendations, working with our
primary food distributor to source seafood from the Best Choices category and monitor the
sustainability status of our campus seafood program.
Fish we purchase that is on the Monterey Seafood Watch (and processed in Seattle):
Percentage of total fish purchased:
True Cod from Alaska 13.9%
Salmon, wild caught 11.5%
Shrimp, Pink and U.S. 12%
Halibut, California & Alaska 4.5%
Polluck from Alaska 10.6%
4. What is the dollar amount spent on all cafeteria meat purchases per year? What is the total
number of cafeteria meals served? If the meat is produced sustainably (for example, free-range
or grass-fed), please explain.
$1,105,488 for all food concepts on campus. This includes all beef, pork, lamb and poultry
products raw and processed/prepared.
We serve on average 30,000 customers a day from 35 food concepts on campus
We source meats from a local meat processor facility and utilize farms in the Northwest and
Midwest that offer grass fed meat products.
Meat, which includes poultry, pork and beef is offered in approximately 75 percent of our
entrees.
5. Are nutritionally complete vegetarian and/or vegan options available at every meal?
Yes. Vegan and vegetarian entrées are provided at every meal, with accompaniments, to offer a
complete nutritional profile to our customers.
6. Is bottled water sold or distributed on campus?
Bottled water is available for purchase in all of our campus convenience stores. We also stock a
wide assortment of sustainable, refillable containers and give customers full access to drinking
water in all of our food service operations, as well as complimentary compostable water cups.
We are also offering bottled water in compostable water bottles.
We looked at the number of water fountains, and while having explored allowing bottled water
sales, we learned that we wouldn't be providing ample water options without bottled water
availability.
7. Does your school maintain a campus farm or garden on which students can work?
Yes. There are several gardens on campus that engage students.
Our on-campus herb garden, located on the patio of McMahon Hall (a UW residence hall),
provides fresh, seasonal herbs for our dining operations. We do not use pesticides or
synthetic fertilizers.
There is a p-patch on campus, set aside for residence hall students. The p-patch was started
by Students Expressing Environmental Dedication (SEED), a residence hall environmental
group. There are currently ten garden plots. A committed student or group of students tends
each plot, making individual decisions about what to plant and what to do with the food. Also
on site is a toolbox with tools, books, seeds and other resources for student gardeners, as well
as a three-bin yard waste composting system, which gives students the opportunity to learn
about compost and practice organic methods of maintaining healthy soil. The p-patch gives
students an opportunity to have some ownership over what they eat and, in the process, learn
how to reduce the carbon footprint of their diet, discover new ways of relating to the earth,
and be an active member of an interdependent community.
The UW also has an ‗urban farm.‘ The UW Farm was started in 2004 by a group of UW
students and employees, with the goal of educating the campus community about the global
impacts of our food choices. The farm provides a model for reducing those impacts. It has
been incorporated into the curriculum of introductory ecology classes and serves as a tool to
connect the UW community with where and how food is grown. The farm includes a
permaculture garden with mostly perennial food-bearing plants, and a demonstration farm
with a wide diversity of organically grown vegetables. The UW Farm focuses on the
production of food in urban spaces. Pesticides/herbicides are not used, and the gardeners
practice sustainable agriculture in the form of cover cropping, crop rotation and compost
production. The farm is not yet certified organic, but the gardeners hope it will become
certified sometime in the future. The UW Farm recently received a grant of $78,307 from the
student Campus Sustainability Fund (http://f2.washington.edu/oess/csf/node/41) to expand its
space and operations.
Several UW employees recently started their own edible demonstration garden on the patio
outside the UW Tower, a campus office building. The gardeners use organic methods, and no
pesticides. Only organic compost is used, and seeds are purchased primarily from local,
organic sources. The plants selected for the garden have low-water needs, and the gardeners
aim to use permaculture perennials as much as possible. A permacultural polyculture
method is used to keep bugs at a minimum, and from time to time gardeners bring in
ladybugs or pick bugs off by hand. The purpose of the garden is primarily demonstration—
not production—but the gardeners consider everything grown in the garden to be completely
safe and edible. So far, the group has planted rosemary, lavender, chives, thyme, edible
daylilies, lingonberries, strawberries, huckleberries, salal berries, wintergreen, kale, broccoli,
collards, Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, flax and honeyberries.
Category 4: Academics
1. Does your school offer environment- and/or sustainability-related majors, such as
environmental studies, ecology, or sustainable agriculture? If so, list up to six.
Yes. There are more than six sustainability-related majors which are listed below:
1. Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental
Engineering.
2. Bachelor of Arts with a major in community, environment, and planning
3. Bachelor of Science with a major in biology that focuses ecological and evolutionary
processes and environmental policy.
4. Environmental Science and Resource Management: The School of Forest Resources
offers a program that leads to a Bachelor of Science with a major in environmental
science and resource management.
5. Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies at Seattle and Tacoma
6. Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at Bothell and Tacoma
7. Master of Environmental Horticulture
8. Master of Forest Resources in Sustainable Forest Management
9. MPH, Occupational & Environmental Medicine
10. Master of Science in Environmental Health
2. Does your school offer classes about clean technologies, including topics such as energy
efficiency and solar-wind engineering? If so, list up to five.
Yes. There are numerous courses on energy efficiency. More than five are listed below as they
are all relevant courses.
(EE 451) Wind Energy
Covers the operation and modeling of wind energy, wind statistics, wind generators and
converters, wind energy systems, challenges to wind energy development, impacts of wind
energy on the power grid, and existing and potential solutions to wind energy integration.
(EE 533) Photodetectors and Photodetection
Includes both the device physics and signal processing aspects of photodetection. Photodiodes,
hotoconductors, photomultipliers, and solar cells are covered. Noise, signal to noise ratios and
imaging considerations are also discussed.
(ME 523) Energy and Environment Seminar
Student discussions of topics in combustion science and technology, alternative fuels, renewable
energy, environmental consequences of energy conversion, and design for environment.
(CHEM E 341) Energy and Environment
Energy use. Fossil energy conversion. Oil, gas, coal resources. Air impacts. Nuclear energy
principles, reactors, fuel cycle.
(CHEM E 345) Introduction to Fuel Cells (3)
Overview of fuel cells, fuel cell efficiency, types of fuel cells, applications of fuel cells, and fuels
for fuel cells. Intended for students in science and engineering and fuel cell professionals
desiring a technical knowledge of fuel cells.
(CHEM E 442) Renewable Energy
Introduction to renewable energy. Principles and practices: solar, wind, water, and biomass
energy conversion.
(CHEM E 445) Fuel Cell Engineering
Introduction to electrochemical fuel cells for use in transportation and stationary power
applications. Topics covered include types of fuel cells, single cell operation, stack engineering,
overall system design, and safety, with emphasis on proton exchange membrane and solid oxide
fuel cells.
(ME 524) Combustion
Chemical and physical processes of combustion with applications to design of combustors, fuel
selection, and consideration of environmental effects.
(ENGR 380) Design for Sustainability in the Developing World Introduction to issues in
international sustainable development from an engineering perspective. Combines lectures on
current approaches and potential pitfalls with work on group projects related to sustainable
development efforts of Engineers Without Borders. Develops research and design skills using
real life projects. Intended for students from all backgrounds.
(CHEM E 468) Air-Pollution Control Equipment Design
Designs to control air pollutants from stationary sources. Procedures for calculating design and
operating parameters. Fundamental mechanisms and processes of gaseous and particulate control
equipment for absorption and adsorption of gaseous pollutants; electrostatic precipitation and
filtration of particular pollutants. Actual case studies.
(CHEM E 484) Electronic and Optoelectronic Polymers
Covers the chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering applications of
semiconducting and metallic conjugated polymers. Examines the structural origins of the diverse
electronic and optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers. Exemplifies applications by
light-emitting diodes, lasers, solar cells, thin film transistors, electrochromic devices, biosensors,
and batteries.
(CHEM E 562) Hazardous Air Pollution
Control of emission of hazardous or toxic air pollutants. Government regulations, determination
of needed control efficiency. Emission control by thermal incineration, catalytic incineration,
flares, condensation, carbon adsorption, and adsorption (wet and dry). Hazardous waste
incinerators.
(CHEM E 566) Control of Gaseous Air Pollutants
Physical and chemical processes used to control gaseous air pollutants. Absorption into liquids.
Aqueous spray dryer scrubbers. Adsorption beds. Control of sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide.
Case studies of control systems.
(CHEM E 567) Control of Particulate Air Pollutants
Processes used to control emissions of particulate air pollutants. Use of settling chambers,
cyclones, fabric filters, wet scrubbers, and electrostatic precipitators
The Business School, the College of the Environment and the College of Engineering co-sponsor
the Environmental Innovation Challenge, an annual student competition for interdisciplinary
student teams to define a clean-tech problem, design and develop the solution, and produce both
a prototype and a business summary that demonstrates the market opportunity. A seminar course
on clean-tech accompanies the competition. (‗Environmental Innovation Practicum‘) ENTRE
490/579 ENGR 498 and ENVIR 450
3. Does your school provide students with a list of environmental and/or sustainability classes
to make such courses easy to identify? Please provide a link, if available.
Because of the large number of relevant courses offered over the course of an academic year
(>400), the identification of relevant courses and seminars is provided to students in multiple
ways:
1. A university-wide catalog of environment-related majors, their admission requirements, and
their descriptions, with links to the courses offered:
http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/majors/enviro.php
2. A Freshman Seminar on ―Exploring Environmentally-Related Majors‖ to introduce all of the
environmentally-related majors available at the University of Washington. Freshmen explore
and learn about academic majors, courses and experiential learning opportunities.:
http://depts.washington.edu/fyp/programs/seminars/
3. The UW Office of Stewardship and Sustainability provides a set of links to
environment/sustainability-related courses:
http://f2.washington.edu/oess/stories/research/courses
4. The UW has introduced a new search function for the course catalog to help students find
courses in their area of interest. (beta version found at
http://f2.washington.edu/oess/stories/research/courses)
5. The College of the Environment maintains a calendar of environmental and sustainability-
related events both on campus as well as in the community that is sent out weekly to more
than 1000 individuals. These events include weekly seminar courses, public lectures, hands-
on learning opportunities, etc.
http://myuw.washington.edu/cal/showMain.rdo;?calendar=coenv
4. Please provide names of up to four standout professors who work on environmental and/
or sustainability issues. List their primary accomplishments, including awards, honors, and
noteworthy publications.
The hundreds of environmental faculty at the University of Washington are some of the most
respected and productive investigators in their fields. Their work ranges from fundamental
process studies to translational research leading to real‐world solutions. Specific honors for
environment/sustainability faculty include:
2008 MacArthur Foundation Fellow (David Montgomery)
2006 Volvo Environmental Prize (Ray Hilborn)
2005 and 2009 Heinz Foundation Award for the Environment (Jerry Franklin and Dee
Boersma, respectively)
Eight members of the National Academy of Sciences
One member of the National Academy of Engineering
Six Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Twelve Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
5. Do you have environment- and/or sustainability-related centers, programs, or research
institutions associated with your school? If so, please provide their names and a description.
Yes. At the University of Washington the research activities in natural resources, the
environment, and sustainability are extensive, broad in scope, and of very high quality. UW has
become one of the of the largest and most important environmental research universities in the
country.
Relevant UW Centers, Programs and Institutions include (but are not limited to):
Air Pollution Training Center – Providing training opportunities for air pollution
professionals.
Alaska Salmon Program – Research and teaching on Alaska salmon since the mid-1940s.
Center for American Politics and Public Policy – Collaborative research on American politics
and public policy, including environmental management and natural hazards policy.
Center for Conservation Biology – Developing tools to monitor human and other
environmental impacts on threatened and endangered species throughout the world.
Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health – Identifying ways that genetic and
environmental factors combine to affect susceptibility to diseases and disorders.
Center for Environmental Visualization – seeing your world in a new way
Center for Quantitative Science in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife – Providing high quality
instruction in mathematical and applied statistical methods in the biological sciences,
renewable resources management, and environmental studies.
Center for Science in the Earth System – Integrated research on the impacts of climate on the
U.S. Pacific Northwest and the application of climate information in regional decision-
making processes.
• Climate Impacts Group – Studying the impacts of natural climate variability and
global climate change (―global warming‖) on the Pacific Northwest.
• Office of the Washington State Climatologist – Collecting, disseminating, and
interpreting climate data for the state of Washington.
The Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest – Discovering, teaching and
demonstrating the concepts of sustainable forestry.
Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology – Supporting education, research and
scholarly exchange in population studies.
Center for Urban Horticulture – Applying horticulture to natural and human-altered
landscapes to sustain natural resources and the human spirit.
Columbia Basin Research Group – Investigating issues surrounding salmon biology in the
Columbia and Snake River basins.
Environmental Innovation Challenge – Annual student competition for interdisciplinary
student teams to define a clean-tech problem, design and develop the solution, and produce
both a prototype and a business summary that demonstrates the market opportunity.
Fire and Mountain Ecology Laboratory – Investigating climatic change, fire, and forest
ecology in mountain ecosystems of western North America.
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory – Studying real fluids in the laboratory as scale
models of the globally circulating ocean and atmosphere.
Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean – A cooperative institute between
NOAA and the UW that complements the research at the Pacific Marine Environmental
Laboratory in climate variability, environmental chemistry, estuarine processes and inter-
annual variability of fisheries recruitment.
Marine Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory – Using molecular/genetic techniques to
address ecological questions in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Marine Population Assessment and Management Group – Applying a multi-disciplinary
approach to develop quantitative methods for use in marine resource management.
NEPTUNE (Regional Scale Nodes portion of the U.S. Ocean Observatories Initiative) – A
regional ocean observatory in the northeast Pacific Ocean that will enable regional-scale,
long-term, real-time observations and experiments with the ocean, seafloor, and sub-seafloor.
Northwest Center for Particulate Matter and Health – Studying the effects of particulate air
pollution on human health.
Northwest Environmental Forum – A collaborative meeting and work space to bring together
decision makers and stakeholders to apply scientific and policy information to address
critical environmental and natural resource management issues.
Olympic Natural Resources Center – Conducting research and education on natural resource
management practices which integrate ecological and economic values.
Polar Science Center – Observing and modeling the physical processes that control the polar
environment.
Precision Forestry Cooperative – Pioneering research in forest production, management, and
manufacturing at a new scale of resolution and accuracy with the goal of producing economic
and environmental benefits.
Program on Climate Change – Understanding physical climate variability and how humans
influence climate, climate change, and climate impacts.
Program on the Environment – Fostering and promoting interdisciplinary environmental
education at the University of Washington
Rare Plant Care and Conservation Program – Collecting plant material from wild populations
and growing them in the greenhouse for eventual reintroduction into native sites.
Restoration Ecology Network – A regional center to integrate student, faculty and
community interests in ecological restoration and conservation.
Rural Technology Initiative – Empowering the existing infrastructure to use better
technology in rural areas for managing forests for increased product and environmental
values in support of local communities.
Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit – Meeting the growing needs for
trained personnel to conduct and provide education in the field of fish and wildlife resource
management.
Washington Sea Grant Program – Serving communities, industries and the people of
Washington State, the Pacific Northwest and the nation through research, education and
outreach in the marine environment.
Wind River Canopy Crane Research Facility – Providing access for scientists to gather
samples, install instruments and conduct experiments in the canopies of trees as tall as 220
feet.
6. Is an environment-themed class a core curriculum requirement? If yes, please provide the
name(s) of the course(s).
No. The UW, however, does require at least 10 general education credits from courses that focus
on the disciplined, scientific study of the natural world. Departments that offer such courses
include astronomy, atmospheric sciences, biology, chemistry, fisheries, forest resources, earth
and space sciences, mathematics, and oceanography.
Additionally, there are some related developments and conversations in this area. The ASUW
Senate (http://senate.asuw.org) recently passed R-17-5, "A Resolution in Support of
Sustainability Literacy with First Year Programs."
The College of the Environment will be co-sponsoring with Housing and Food Services a
sustainability-themed, interdisciplinary living-learning community in the new residence hall,
Poplar Hall (opening Autumn 2011) where students can explore sustainability locally, regionally
and globally. More details will be posted soon on the HFS website:
http://www.hfs.washington.edu/housing/Default.aspx?id=1876.
Housing & Food Services Residence Halls are offering a Freshman sustainability seminar.
Finally, the College of the Environment‘s Curriculum Committee is in the process of drafting
campus-wide environmental literacy goals and a related list of courses that meet these goals.
7. What percentage of academic departments offer environment- or sustainability-related
classes?
72% of all COLLEGES offer environment- or sustainability-related classes (doing this count by
department is prohibitively time-consuming)
Category 5: Purchasing
1. Does your school have a university-wide sustainable-purchasing policy? If yes, briefly
explain.
Yes. Procurement Services has developed a set of Green Purchasing
Policies: http://f2.washington.edu/fm/ps/green-purchasing/policy-and-guidelines. These policies
include purchasing recommendations for specific commodities and products, as well as
actionable behavior change suggestions. A Supplier Sustainability Matrix has been developed
to evaluate a supplier's commitment to corporate sustainability as well as a tool to emphasis the
value the University places on sustainability. The matrix is used as an evaluation tool when
awarding University contracts. The policy and matrix were developed in collaboration with
campus sustainability experts. A Sustainable Sourcing Team exists to stay current with
regulatory changes and industry trends to ensure our contracts incorporate the most current
requirements and to update our guidelines.
Products Covered by the Green Purchasing Policy
Paper products, tissue, towels, copier and printer paper
Products which have recycled-content options
Disposal bags
Furniture and fabrics
Serviceware
Toner cartridges
Appliances
Carpeting and Flooring
Computers
Cleaning products
Office supplies
Lamps & ballasts
Printers & copiers
2. What percentage of paper used on campus is made from at least 30% postconsumer recycled
content?
85 %
3. Does your school purchase paper that is Forest Stewardship Council–certified?
Yes. The University complies with a state mandate that requires all copier and printer paper
must be 100% recycled paper (http://f2.washington.edu/fm/ps/sites/default/files/buy/recycled-
paper-law.pdf). The preferred supplier is Grays Harbor Paper, which is FSC certified
(https://mail.ghplp.com/webdocs/FSC_Certificate.pdf)
In addition, UW Creative Communications, an on-site printing operation is Forest Stewardship
Council certified http://f2.washington.edu/fm/c2/search/node/fsc
4. Does your school have a policy to purchase electronics that have Electronic Product
Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) certification (or similar)? If yes, please describe.
IT products - Contracts include the requirement to purchase Electronic Product Environmental
Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold, Silver or Bronze computers and laptops. To emphasize and
inform campus, our current contract suppliers highlight the University standard configurations
in their eProcurement catalog. This partnership helps educate campus to the best value, both
environmentally and financially.
Appliances and other electronic products - Faculty and staff are advised to purchase energy
efficient products (EnergyStar) from contract suppliers. eProcurement suppliers highlight these
items or an alternative in their catalogs, where available. Contracts also specify that products
with energy-saving features be installed or delivered with these features enabled. Our copier
suppliers are required to set all machines to default to duplex printing.
5. Does your school have packaging agreements with suppliers that minimize waste? If yes,
please describe.
Campus is encouraged to consolidate orders through messages on suppliers‘ eProcurement
catalog sites, during Procurement Services Forums and through various media (electronic
newsletters) and vendor fairs. By consolidating orders, we are able to reduce the overall packing
used as well as the overall cost of goods. Some of our suppliers offer discounts for consolidating
orders. We meet regularly and at least quarterly with our contract suppliers to discuss the
University's initiatives and may discuss how to save on transportation costs and reduce or
redesign packaging. Office Depot has implemented a tote delivery program that eliminates boxes
and air bubble for the majority of deliveries and offers an additional discount to departments to
reduce their order frequency by consolidating orders. Purchasing is working to minimize the
number of suppliers and ultimately the traffic on campus through a strategic sourcing initiative.
UW Housing & Food Services working policy involves:
• Finding alternatives to all landfill waste packaging.
• Promoting sustainable purchasing practices by incorporating product stewardship requirements
into vendor contracts and agreements.
• Striving for completely compostable service ware in all our food service operations.
• Providing to distributors and manufacturers the specifications and forecasted usage of
disposable service ware to create a demand for compostable products in our region.
• Communicating our vision of a zero waste environment to all of our vendors.
• Striving for zero waste convenience stores on campus by working with food and beverage
producers and the food packaging industry to bring about changes in product stewardship.
• Working toward providing a market for better performance characteristics from compostable
products that are acceptable at commercial composting facilities.
6. Does your school specify in its purchasing contracts that products with energy-saving
features be installed or delivered with these features enabled?
Yes. In addition, copier suppliers are required to set the default on copiers to duplex.
Category 6: Transportation
1. Does your school provide a free shuttle service around campus and town? If yes, briefly
explain.
Yes. UW operates four free shuttle services with a combined ridership of 500,000
passengers/year.
Dial-a-Ride provides transportation to students, faculty, staff, and UW-sponsored
conference attendees with disabilities that limit mobility between designated locations at
UW and in the U District.
Health Sciences Express provides UW faculty, staff, students, medical center patients and
their families with transportation between UW and affiliated medical centers.
The South Lake Union Shuttle transports School of Medicine staff, students, and patients
between UW medical and research facilities.
Beginning at 8pm, NightRide provides shuttles between six on-campus pick-up sites and
any passenger-requested location inside of a two-zone area. Zones are within 1-mile of
the UW campus.
2. What percentage of your school‘s vehicle fleet is hybrid or electric or uses sustainable
biofuels?
49%. (305 out of 628 vehicles use hybrid, electric or sustainable bio-fuel. The remaining 323
do not have alternative fuel capability.)
3. List specific steps your school has taken to promote walking and bicycling as transportation
methods.
Bike racks near every building (over 4,500 total) – surveyed every year to determine level of
usage and determine where racks are overfull and need to be supplemented.
An online bike rack map shows where racks are located and whether they are covered
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/bike/parking)
Bike lockers (600+) which are more secure and protected than racks
Bike rooms and secure enclosures in select locations around campus provide additional high
security parking (300+).
To accommodate bicycling as a commuting option, some locations have shower facilities. The
ASUW offers low-cost student-run bicycle repair center.
Bike to Campus month events and Ride in the Rain competition to encourage cycling
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/riderain/)
Bicycling classes taught by American League of Bicyclists certified instructors
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/events/bikeclasses)
Commuter Services offers the UWalk program:
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/uwalk/what-is-
uwalk)
UWalk participants join the walking groups that match their style. Each group focuses on a
particular motivation for walking—for health, the environment, or just plain fun—and members
measure progress by counting and logging their efforts on the UWalk Web site. You can change
the groups you belong to at any time.
Commute group - counts the number of trips walked between home and campus each day. These
are one-way trips made exclusively by foot.
Health group - count the number of steps taken each day using a pedometer to track steps taken.
Lunch & Social group - counts the number of minutes spent walking for recreation each day.
Meetings, Classes & Errands group - counts the number of minutes spent walking to and from
meetings and classes, and running errands each day.
Participants can walk together or walk alone, because UWalk groups meet up online. UWalk
events and activities will be held throughout the year to help build the community and celebrate
everyone‘s achievements.
4. Does your school offer its students and employees incentives to carpool, take public transit,
or use some other form of communal transportation? If yes, please describe.
Strategies used to support alternative commuting options at the UW include the following:
Telecommuting:
―University policy is to allow employees to telework when the employing department determines
that teleworking will allow work to be performed effectively and productively‖
http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/polproc/telework/
UW IT Connect supports teleworking by providing VoIP Phones which allow UW faculty and
staff to connect to the UW phone system from home
(http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/phones/telecommuter_voip.html).
UW IT connect also supports teleworking by providing faculty and staff with remote access to
their work computers (http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/wares/nebula/connecting.html).
Walking:
Commuter Services has a website describing health benefits of walking and providing links to
information for choosing routes and other walking-related information.
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/walk)
Commuter Services also sponsors an ongoing walking competition called UWalk
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/uwalk/what-is-uwalk).
Participants can track their walks in different categories and share stories and tips about walking.
Promotional events are held periodically throughout the year.
Transit
Subsidized transit pass program (U-PASS)
(http://www.washington.edu/commuterservices/programs/upass/index.php
(www.uwb.edu/admin/transportation/upass.xhtml): pass holders may ride the following local
transit providers for free:
King County Metro
Community Transit
Sound Transit (including express buses, Sounder Commuter Rail, and Link Light Rail)
Everett Transit
Kitsap Transit
Pierce Transit
Online application (One Bus Away) enables riders to know when buses will arrive (developed by
UW students)
Ride-Sharing
Carpoolers get parking preference (Carpools are given a higher priority code, enabling them to
more easily get desirable parking spaces) and reduced parking rates
Reduced U-PASS cost for permit carpools. (Permit carpools split the cost of a parking permit
among up to three people and all three people are eligible for a free U-PASS, providing a suite of
other transportation options and benefits.)
Reduced daily carpool parking rates for U-PASS members ($2-$3 per vehicle per day depending
on location)
U-PASS members get a vanpool fare subsidy of up to $70 per month
Ride-matching through UW Zimride (zimride.washington.edu)
Website pointing to resources for ride-sharing
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/transportation/commuterservices/carpool-vanpool)
General
There are several programs that provide some of the advantages of driving to campus for those
who don‘t drive:
Zipcar (car rental program) - discounted membership rate for U-PASS members, available to 18+
UCAR (cars available for UW business)
Emergency Ride Home (for faculty and staff U-PASS holders, covers 90% of taxi ride home)
Free Shuttle to Medical Centers/research facilities
NightRide between campus pick-up sites and any location within designated zones (within 1
mile of campus)
5. Approximately what percentage of students commute to school in a car?
12-15%
15% of students drive to school in a car (3% carpool and 12% drive alone)
6. Approximately what percentage of faculty and staff commute to work in a car?
44-55%
45% of staff drive to work in a car (11% carpool, 34% drive alone)
55% of faculty drive to work in a car (8% carpool, 47% drive alone)
Category 7: Waste Management
1. What is your campus‘s current waste-diversion rate (i.e., percentage of campus waste being
diverted from landfills)?
In Fiscal Year (FY)2010 the University of Washington diverted 56% (6,726 tons) of all waste
from landfill. Annual Recycling & Solid Waste Report FY2010:
http://www.washington.edu/facilities/building/recyclingandsolidwaste/files/2010Report.pdf
2. Are recycling receptacles readily available throughout campus? If yes, please describe.
Yes, the University of Washington has recycling receptacles throughout campus. In building
hallways, classrooms, conference rooms, mail/copy rooms, and break rooms/kitchens, recycling
receptacles are placed next to or near waste cans. Each staff workstation on campus has a desk-
side recycling bin. Exterior litter cans dubbed ‗Smartcans‘ are used outdoors and have a lower
portion for litter and an upper chamber for recycling.
3. Are recycling bins readily available at large events such as football games?
Yes, recycling bins are readily available at large events. Waste and recycling carts are placed
throughout the parking lots and stadium concourse for football games. Blue recycling bags for
collection of recyclable materials are distributed to tailgaters to encourage fans to recycle.
Additionally, all stadium concessionaires participate in the pre-consumer food waste composting
program: Intercollegiate Athletics (athletic facilities management) Waste Diversion Initiatives
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wash/genrel/auto_pdf/greenteam.pdf )
For the 2010 football season, the UW ICA achieved a 51% recycling rate at the Husky Stadium,
and an overall 42% recycling rate inclusive of the stadium, pre-game events and tail gaiting
areas.
4. Does your school compost? If yes, are compost receptacles available at all or most on campus
dining locations? Are compost receptacles available at all or most food-preparation facilities
(i.e., cafeteria and restaurant kitchens)?
Yes. Food Waste composted as of FY2010 (895 tons):
(Housing & Food Services): All dining facilities and coffee shops collect pre-consumer
food waste and post-consumer food waste and compostable service ware items (including
beverage and soup containers and lids developed in cooperation with the UW).
(University Washington Medical Center-Plaza Cafe'): UWMC began composting coffee
grounds in 2006, pre-consumer composting in food preparation area's in 2008, and post
consumer composting with compostable service ware in September 2010.
(Intercollegiate Athletics-ICA): Composting at athletic facilities is providing at athletic
dining facilities (Connibear), stadium concession areas, and public area composting on
stadium concourses during home football games.
(UW Club): UW Club began composting in 2004 and provides pre-post-consumer food
waste composting.
(Special Event Composting): Composting option is provided as part of the campus
Special Event Recycling Program.
A student-led club, SEED, promotes composting at various campus events, such as student
orientation week. Faculty and staff on campus participate in the voluntary, self-serve composting
program. (http://students.washington.edu/uwseed/)
5. Does your school have a stated commitment to waste-reduction goals, such as zero waste? If
applicable, briefly explain the plan of action.
Yes. Campus Diversion Goal: The City of Seattle approved a resolution establishing the goal of
recycling 60 percent of the waste produced within the city by 2012 and recycling 70 percent of
the waste by 2025. The University is committed to meeting or exceeding Seattle's 60% waste
diversion goal by 2012.
Housing & Food Services (residential housing and dining facilities) stated goal is "Strive for
Zero Waste". Housing & Food Services goal can be summed up in one statement: ―Once the
customer has finished dining, after sorting what remains as re-usable to be washed or items to be
recycled or composted, there is, in effect, ‗zero waste‘ left over—in other words, nothing
destined for the landfill.
University of Washington Climate Action Plan (http://green.washington.edu/oess/uw-climate-
action-plan) states the UW's position "..that no garbage receptacle should be placed with out a
visually adjacent receptacle for recyclables." Proposed actions include replacing stand-alone
waste bins with recycling bin-sets in common areas, classrooms and conference rooms as
appropriate to the space.
Intercollegiate Athletics (athletic facilities management); stated goal of increasing amount of all
waste diverted at football games in Husky Stadium by 10 percent during the 2010 season.
6. Does your school administer a donation program for clothing and other used goods when
students are moving out of campus housing? If so, are bins placed in every dormitory?
Yes. (Donation stations are located at the 7 major residence halls)
The University of Washington has an annual tradition of collecting unwanted itemsfrom students
leaving residence halls at the end of each school year. The SCRAM
program:
(http://www11.cac.washington.edu/facilities/building/recyclingandsolidwaste/files/Highlight_SC
RAM.pdf) redirects reusable goods, such as food, books, clothing, household items, school
supplies, toiletries and electronics, to charitable organizations instead of the landfill. More than
5,000 students live in the residence halls and move out at the end of spring quarter. SCRAM
provides these students with a sustainable alternative to throwing things away.
In 2010, a total of 7.68 tons of donations were collected. Recycling & Solid Waste also delivered
0.75 tons of donations, such as refrigerators and usable furniture, to UW‘s Surplus department
for resale or proper recycling.
Breakdown:
Clothing 3.73
Food 0.47
Books 0.40
Toiletries 0.31
School Supplies 0.15
Household Goods 1.09
Electronics 1.52
(http://www.washington.edu/facilities/finadmin/movingandsurplus/).
Husky Neighborhood Cleanup: Husky Neighborhood Cleanup is a program run in cooperation
with the City of Seattle at the beginning and end of each academic year to relieve the alleyways
in the Greek housing area and surrounding neighborhoods of excess garbage that accumulates
when students move in and out. During the September 2009 move-in cleanup, 1.67 tons of
recyclables and .18 tons of reusable goods were collected. The June 2010 move-out generated
.14 tons of recyclables and 11.8 tons of donated reusable goods.
Surplus Property: In FY2010, Surplus Property focused on expanding their online presence
through the launch of an in-house online timed auction site and improved electronic sales notices
with pictures of items for sale. Surplus Property also joined Twitter to increase marketing and
more easily spread the word about sales to potential buyers. Surplus Property processed 45,213
items of which 35% were sold for reuse, 45% were recycled, 18% were disposed of as garbage,
and 2% remained in the sales inventory.
Category 8: Administration
1. Is environmental sustainability part of your institution‘s mission statement or guiding
principles? If so, please provide the text or a link.
Yes. The UW has an established Policy Statement that is referenced on the Environmental
Stewardship Advisory Committee website: http://esac.washington.edu
The UWHires website (http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/jobs/apl/index.html), the
university‘s main website for job postings, includes a statement about the university‘s support of
environmental stewardship and sustainability. This is available for anyone searching through the
job postings at the university.
The 2009 University of Washington's Annual Report includes the importance of environmental
sustainability as noted on Page 8 of the report: [http://f2.washington.edu/fm/uw-annual-
reports/sites/default/files/file/2009_Annual_Report.pdf]
2. Does your school employ at least one person dedicated to overseeing campus environmental
initiatives, such as a sustainability coordinator, or have a sustainability task force or committee?
Is the coordinator position part-time or full-time?
Yes, the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability office is staffed by 2.0 FTE and
supported part-time by a Project Manager and Web Manager. The office reports to the Associate
Vice President of Finance & Facilities Administration. The Environmental Stewardship
Advisory Committee (ESAC) is a 28 member committee represented by faculty, students and
staff.
In addition, administration includes sustainability managers from Housing & Food Services,
Capitol Projects Office and Facilities.
Campus green teams are voluntary groups that promote and implement sustainable work place
practices. Currently there are 10 green teams: http://f2.washington.edu/oess/uw-green-teams
3. Does your school have a formal policy to integrate life-cycle cost analysis into plans for
constructing or renovating buildings? If yes, please explain.
Yes.
New Major Facilities, having 25,000 square feet or more of usable floor space.
Building Renovations/Modernizations, additions, alterations, or repairs of an existing
major facility (25,000 square feet or more) completed within any 12-month period where
the project cost is over 50 percent of the replacement value of the facility and the project
affects energy-using system(s).
Combinations (or multiples) of new and renovated facilities that will be built on the same
site during any 12-month period, if the sum of the affected areas is equal to or greater
than 25,000 square feet.
4. Has your school made an official commitment to reducing its impact on climate change by
setting goals of emission reductions by a certain date? If yes, does your school have a plan for
achieving these reductions? If so, briefly explain the plan.
Yes The UW created a climate action plan in 2009 (http://f2.washington.edu/oess/uw-climate-
action-plan) with the following goals:
At minimum, we will achieve the goals set by the State of Washington:
By 2020 15% below 2005 levels
By 2035 36% below 2005 levels
By 2050 57.5% below 2005 levels OR 70% below business-as-usual levels projected for 2050
In addition, the UW intends to achieve zero GHG emissions by, or as soon after 2050 as
technology will allow.
5. Has your school conducted a complete greenhouse-gas-emissions audit of its campus?
Yes, the UW completed its first green-house-gas inventory in 2007
(http://green.washington.edu/oess/climate-action-plan-resources-and-links) and reports updates
through the ACUPCC reporting site: http://acupcc.aashe.org/
6. Has your school achieved a reduction in total annual carbon emissions? If yes, please explain
and provide the benchmark year and percentage.
Yes. We achieved a reduction of 11.8%.
Benchmark FY 2008: 198,285 MgCO2e
Current FY 2010: 174,877 MgCO2e
Category 9: Financial Investments
1. Is all information about your endowment fund publicly available? Briefly explain.
Yes, information about the University of Washington‘s endowment fund is available on the
University‘s website. In addition, information about the University‘s endowment fund is also
available to faculty, staff, students and the general public upon request. The Investment Office
also meets with parties interested in the investment program to provide additional context and
research support.
2. Does your school have an investment-responsibility committee that considers and acts on
environmental issues? If so, provide key examples of actions it has taken.
The University‘s investment committee considers all types of issues including investor
responsibility and the environment; however, there is not a dedicated sub-committee. The
University has a process for addressing issues brought forward by the campus and community.
Issues regarding the University‘s investment program are addressed by the UW Treasury Office
who will offer to meet with individuals or groups to get clarity on the issue and will come up
with a plan for next steps.
Examples of actions taken on environmental issues go back over a decade. In the spring of 1999,
a student group asked the University to consider global warming it is investment policy. This
group met with the UW Treasury Office and presented a proposal to the Board of Regent which
resulted in the University sending letters of engagement to six companies held in the portfolio.
The UW Treasury Office continues to meet with students on environmental issues; currently, the
UW Treasury Office is in discussions with the UW‘s Green Coalition, a consortium of
environmental groups at the University of Washington concerned with the environmental impact
of the oil and gas industries.
3. Does your school have, or is it planning to implement, a formal policy that restricts or
prohibits investments in fossil fuels? If yes, briefly explain.
The University investment policy does not restrict investment in fossil fuels. The University‘s
energy investments include a wide variety of renewable energy exposure including: solar, wind,
geothermal and biomass.
Category 10: Other Initiatives
1. Have any of your school‘s students effected positive environmental change on a campus, state,
or national level? If so, please describe. (To nominate a specific student for greater attention in
our coverage, please email [email protected] with his or her name, accomplishments,
and contact information.)
Yes. Students launched a Campus Sustainability Fund (csf.washington.edu) a major student-led
initiative that allocated $339,805 of Student Activities Fees to fund campus sustainability
projects. To date, nine projects have been awarded. A list of the projects and award amounts are
listed on the Campus Sustainability website: http://f2.washington.edu/oess/csf/node/41
A list of the student fund coordinators and committee members may be referenced here:
http://f2.washington.edu/oess/csf/node/14
2. Have students participated in regional or national environmental challenges or events such
as the Solar Decathlon or environmental design contests? If so, which events and how did they
do?
In collaboration with the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability office, a sustainability
pledge competition was conducted with all the environmental clubs on campus. The competition
promoted student groups to pledge on behalf of their favorite environmental clubs through the
website: http://f2.washington.edu/oess/pledge
The competition increased student engagement with campus sustainability and promoted
sustainable actions through behavior change.
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a UW collaboration of Foster Business school,
the College of Engineering and the College of the Environment offers an ―Environmental
Innovation Challenge‖, focused on catalyzing students to think about solving real-world
environmental challenges such as finding ways to develop clean energy and sustaining non-
renewable resources such as water.
UW students participate in the ―One Thing‖ challenge, a competition between students at
University of Washington and Washington State University encouraging positive behavior
change that embraces sustainable practices. Previous efforts have included students creating a
video that was used to promote the challenge, raise campus awareness and get students excited
about sustainability.
3. Has your school set aside part of its campus as natural habitat, stipulated limited campus
development, or enacted programs preserving its land? If so, please explain.
Pack Forest - College of the Environment:
The Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest is used for graduate and undergraduate
academic programs, research, conferences, continuing education and public outreach. Terrain
ranges from flat to steep (up to 100% slopes). Elevations range from 600 to 2000 feet. Soils
range from glacial outwash to andesitic and lacustrian. Forest cover is predominantly Douglas-
fir, with some red alder, hemlock and cedar; there are some meadow environments, streams
(intermittent to river), wetlands, and ponds. Substantial forest stand diversity, ranging from new
plantations to old-growth Douglas firs exists. The main forest is generally secure and reasonably
vandal-free, making research investments relatively easy.
The UW Society for Ecological Restoration is working on a project to 'restore' the greenway that
runs along the dorms from McCarty to McMahon. The group has removed tons of invasive
plants from the
site and planted hundreds of native plants. The group is made up entirely of students and gets
many undergraduate volunteers involved.
4. Does your school adhere to an indoor air-quality policy (e.g., the mandated use of nontoxic
cleaning supplies or paints)? If yes, describe the policy.
Custodial Services (Facilities Services) follows sustainable Green
Cleaning principles and practices in conjunction with the University's commitment to the
environment. More information can be found on its website, including descriptions of recent
Green Cleaning Awards. In 2010, the Custodial Services won its second Green Cleaning
Award for Schools & Universities. The full application can be located at the following:
www.washington.edu/facilities/building/custodial
Custodial Services is always looking at ways to improve its green cleaning and sustainability
practices. Approximately, 1600 GS-certified foam hand soap dispensers have been converted
across campus. The ―Going Green‖ program includes a self-service desk-side trash element
dubbed ―MiniMax‖ because of its emphasis on waste minimization (mini) and maximizing (max)
recycling. The self-service model provides for centralized collection of both waste and recycling
materials. The voluntary program has converted 2,625 work stations in 13 buildings to the self-
service model, thereby diverting an estimated 160,000 liners from reaching the landfill. Full
implementation of the self-service model is expected mid-2011. As part of this program,
Custodians are now distributing composting bins in select locations. Custodial staff are
instrumental in collecting compost. The additional time not spent on servicing desk-side trash
receptacles is allowing for the additional placement of public area compost bins in break rooms.
We conduct our floor-stripping, burnishing or cleaning effort during early mornings, and at times
during evenings or nights when such efforts are least likely to negatively impact building
occupants. We request our Environmental, Health, and Safety Department to conduct air-sample
surveys every 3-4 years of all Custodial floor-care procedures to confirm no detectable release of
hazardous substances. All Custodians employ (HEPA-filter backpack) vacuums primarily before
building occupants arrive.
Currently, 80 custodians work within zone-specialist cleaning "team cleaning" assignment,
reducing water and electricity use since designated staff perform all restroom cleaning and
vacuuming within an entire building. All building entrances have floor matting on the exterior
and interior to help prevent soil from entering the buildings. Our Carpet Crew uses Procycon for
the nearly 2 million square feet of carpet they clean. The product has no packaging, being
pumped directly into our 120 gallon container. We've begun using scientific devices, such as
ATP detectors and air-sampling devices to help determine the efficiency of our disinfecting and
soil-removal processes.
Additional recycling collection containers are being placed in classrooms and conference rooms
that include bins for waste, mixed paper, and cans & bottles. E.Media bins for the collection of
small electronics and other electronic media are being added to additional buildings. Single
public area waste containers are being removed in favor of sets of public area bins that include
waste, mixed paper, and cans & bottles. Copy centers, mail rooms, and centralized office spaces
continue to utilize a one or two ―bagit‖ collection system for mixed paper.
Wheeled 96 gallon collection carts have replaced bagit stations in areas that have space to
accommodate them. Cardboard collection sites are established for multi-source contributors in
one building. Self-service desk side recycling containers are available at each work station for
faculty and administrative staff. Public Area Bins are provided in all University buildings to
collect waste and recyclables. Paper clean-out carts are provided to departments at no charge to
assist staff who are purging files or relocating. This effort contributes greatly to our current rate
of diverting 56% of waste generated on campus from entering the landfill.
We rely on durable floor-finishes to reduce the frequency of floor stripping and refinishing. Our
ride–on auto-scrubbers assist us in this by reducing labor and the frequency needed for floor
deep-cleaning projects, since the scrubbers maintain hallways daily, before dirt is ground into the
finish. We have incorporated the use of vapor cleaners in our cleaning program. These are used
for deep cleaning (and sanitizing) restrooms, especially in shower stalls and hard-to-clean areas,
such as elevator tracks, metal plates in entry ways, radiators, and the like. This eliminates harsh
chemicals used for restorative cleaning.
Over 50% of the cleaning supplies they purchase are either Green Seal or Ecolabel certified. For
more information, please see our list of the Green and Sustainable practices conducted by
Custodial Services from 1988 to 2010.
5. Does your school offer outdoor- or field-based classes or academic programs? If so, please list
and describe up to three. (To nominate a specific program for greater attention in our coverage,
please email [email protected] with a detailed description and the program
coordinator‘s contact information.)
Yes, several of the courses offered by the College of the Environment
(http://coenv.washington.edu/) allow students and faculty to visit natural habitat environments
for course study and research opportunities.
The UW Farm is a campus center for the practice and exploration of urban agriculture and
sustainability. The farm serves as an educational resource integrating students, staff and faculty
to pursue productive urban landscapes. This is a UW collaboration that uses the campus urban
space for sustainable ecological relationships. More information can be found at:
http://students.washington.edu/uwfarm/
The University of Washington's Medicinal Herb Garden was established in 1911. Today, at two
and a half acres, it is one of the largest public gardens of its kind. It houses nearly 1,000 species
from all over the world used in historic and modern times for treating a wide array of ailments,
from colds to heart disease, as well as for food, fiber, dye, spices, and ceremonial purposes.
The 16-acre Center for Urban Horticulture site serves as the meeting place for over 200
organizations, including 60 horticultural groups. Located throughout the gardens at the Center
are over 150 woody plant species and cultivated varieties and nearly 500 herbaceous perennials
and cultivars. In the container nursery undergoing plant production are 189 accessions, 76 of
which are from wild-collected sources. The Center for Urban Horticulture also includes the 74-
acre Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA). With four miles of shoreline, it serves as an outdoor
laboratory for UW research and as a publicly accessible wildlife habitat. More than 200 bird
species have been sighted in UBNA.
6. Does your school offer campus-sponsored, nature-based extracurricular activities to students
and/or faculty? If yes, please list and describe up to three.
The UWBG was established in 2005 to unite the gardens and programs of the Washington Park
Arboretum and the Center for Urban Horticulture and is located around the shoreline of Union
Bay on Lake Washington. The 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum, one of the most important
tree collections in North America, is jointly managed by UWBG (plant collections) and the City
of Seattle‘s Department of Parks and Recreation (park functions), with support from the
Arboretum Foundation. All parts of the Washington Park Arboretum, with the exception of the
Japanese Garden, are open to the public free of charge.
The Forest Club is student organization promoting camaraderie between students, faculty, and
alumni of the School of Forest Resources by organizing social and academic events.
Courses offered within the School of Forest Resources, part of the College of the Environment
offer trips to Pack Forest Park.
7. What specific actions, if any, has your school taken to improve its environmental
sustainability since spring 2010? Please list and describe.
Students passed the ―Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF)‖ allocating a portion of Student
Activities Fees to fund campus sustainability projects. For the inaugural year, the Student
Activities Fees Committee awarded $339,805 for the CSF. To date, the CSF has approved nine
project proposals: http://f2.washington.edu/oess/csf/node/41
Graduate students from the Program on the Environment‘s Environmental Certificate Program
worked with Commuter Services to launch an online rideshare matching program called Zimride.
The web-based service allows any member of the UW campus community with a university ID
to find and post carpool opportunities.
The university was awarded Salmon-Safe in 2011: http://f2.washington.edu/oess/news-
events/uw-news/salmon-safe-celebration-recognizes-years-hard-work
Mailing Services converted its mail trucks to hybrid-electric:
(http://f2.washington.edu/fm/c2/services/mailing/new-trucks) reducing GHG emissions for all
deliveries on the Seattle campus.
Building Audits:
As time permits, the University conducts audits for existing campus buildings for energy and
water conservation. A Conservation Project Development Team made up of various departments
within Facilities meet regularly to identify and address conservation efforts. Projects have
included: the provision and replacement of variable frequency drive motors for air handling units
and pumps, cleaning air handling heating and cooling coils to improve efficiencies, providing
electrical sub-meters to analyze and maintain mechanical systems, retrofitting high pressure
sodium street and pathway lights to LED, re-commissioning ventilation control systems and
incorporating demand control ventilation with CO2 sensors, providing and revising temperature
reset and time schedules for optimum ventilation and heating system operations, converting
single-pass water systems, rebalancing laboratory ventilation systems, and working with the IT
Computing group to measure and identify electrical power and mechanical cooling reductions
due to utilization of virtualization and clouding technologies for the campus computer servers.
ESCO Initiatives:
UW works with ESCO contracting agencies to enhance building efficiencies. These initiatives
include assessments that would identify opportunities for campus facilities projects such as
energy conservation efforts. A review of UW facilities sustainability efforts can be found on:
http://www.washington.edu/facilities/orgrel/files/documents/FS_Focus_on_Sustainability_lowre
s.pdf
Styrofoam Block Recycling:
Recycling & Solid Waste implemented a recycling program for Styrofoam. As an initial pilot
within the Magnuson Health Sciences Center, styrofoam is now collected for recycling the UW.
The material is recycled by a local business that uses densification technology to produce
smaller, heavier blocks that can be economically shipped to a manufacturer that produces new
products.
Self-service Desk-side Trash Bins:
Recycling & Solid Waste implemented a mini (3-quart) desk-side, self-service waste bin. The
self-service model is meant to build awareness around recycling, promote personal responsibility
for waste generation, and allow custodians to direct their time to essential cleaning tasks. The
mini bins are unlined, which significantly reduces the number of plastic liner bags going to the
landfill.
Mini Waste Sort (Trash-In 2011):
Recycling & Solid Waste conducted a sort of garbage from 8 designated buildings on the
University‘s main Seattle campus. Results from this event will be used to build awareness and
inform future marketing and diversion efforts. http://www.washington.edu/news/articles/trash-in-
2011-a-snapshot-of-campus-recycling-composting-on-april-13
Pipette Recycling Program:
The University implemented a pipette recycling program to collect tip box and racks throughout
the University to address a category of #5 plastics that are not currently being recycled. In the
pilot year, 346 lbs of pipette tips were collected. This initiative involved working with UW‘s
supplier VWR.
8. Use this space to address any other unique or interesting sustainability initiatives at your
school that have not already been mentioned:
In March 2010, Procurement Services (Purchasing department) hosted a Sustainability Supplier
Event with all key suppliers to engage and inform our business partners about UW‘s
sustainability goals and Climate Action Plan initiatives. Suppliers were asked to propose projects
that could be implemented with the university‘s purchasing activities. Suppliers were requested
to recommend projects that would reduce the university‘s carbon footprint and incorporate
sustainability into purchasing operations.
In May 2010, the UW hosted the Pacific Northwest Sustainability Roundtable event in May 2010
with corporate and government agencies to discuss best practices and collaboration opportunities
for sustainable practices in the northwest region.
In August 2010, UW‘s Intercollegiate Athletic Department initiated a ―Green-minute‖ promoting
the university‘s waste diversion goals at football games. During the Green Minute, fans were
provided with information about recycling and composting inside Husky Stadium.
In October 2010, the UW held its first-ever ―Sustainability Summit‖ led by a campus-wide
planning committee of students, faculty and staff. The summit included break-out sessions to
discuss ideas and opportunities to further develop the university‘s Climate Action Plan and
focused on topics such as Energy, Land Use, Green IT and Academics.
Program on the Environment held an undergraduate course in the Winter quarter called, ―FYI:
Sustainability Studio‖ that engaged students with behavior change projects in residence halls.
Students were assigned to recommend programs that involved increasing composting in
residence halls and reducing energy consumption. Members of the administrative staff were
asked to serve as panelists to evaluate and feedback on student projects. Through engagement
with university administration, students integrated course learning with real-world application.
UW Smart Grid Project:
The University of Washington campus is part of a regional test of smart grids, electrical
transmission systems that incorporate information technology and allow two-way
communication between energy providers and energy users. A regional initiative involves a
demonstration on the UW campus in Seattle that includes deploying smart-grid technology in
two residence halls as well as other campus buildings. UW engineers will be investigating issues
of user interface and cyber-security.
UW Farm and Housing & Food Services Collaboration:
UW Housing & Food Services established a partnership with the UW Farm to purchase produce
grown from the farm, which is scheduled for expansion this year as a result of the grant award
from the Campus Sustainability Fund.
Zero-Waste Initiative:
UW Housing & Food Services continues to work on our ―Striving for Zero Waste‖ initiative in
our food service areas. Last year, Housing & Food Services worked with our compostable
cutlery manufacturer to produce a more heat-resistant type of compostable cutlery for our region
of the country and were involved with early prototype testing of several versions in our food
service operations. The new cutlery was introduced in early January in all of our operations and
is now being distributed to many food service venues across our region.
University-wide projects and recognition programs continued since last year. Examples of these
initiatives include the ―Green Bag Networking Luncheon‖, a quarterly meeting of campus green
teams that engages staff to implement sustainable practices into the work place and share best
practices.
The ―Husky Green Award‖ is an annual recognition program that recognizes an exemplary
achievement of a member or team from the UW student, faculty and staff community
demonstrating initiative, leadership and dedication to sustainability at the University. Awards are
announced as part of the Earth Day Celebration.
