1. The “Greening” of ISU Promoting the culture of sustainability at an institution of higher learning Bill Diesslin, CHMM, CSP Assistant Director, EH&S Iowa State University (515) 294-2105 wmdiess@iastate.edu

2. Objectives Discuss past and ongoing campus initiatives Summarize the ISU 2005 – 2010 Strategic Plan Announce the formation of the ISU Council on Sustainability (COS) Discuss COS short term and long term goals

3. Sustainability Quotes “It isn't easy being green.” -Kermit the Frog "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." -Native American Proverb "In the long term, the economy and the environment are the same thing. If it's unenvironmental it is uneconomical. That is the rule of nature." - Mollie Beattie

4. Past & Present Initiatives Recycling Energy Conservation Environmental Management System Recycled Material Purchasing Surplus Sales Mercury Exchange

5. Recycling Formally organized in 1993 Campus-wide effort Many different materials managed Financially supported by the Vice President of Business and Finance

6. Materials Recycled Battery / Cell Phone Recycling Chemical/Brown Bottles (reuse) Chemical Redistribution Program (reuse) Compost Site (reuse) Excess Equipment (ISU Surplus) Fluorescent Light Bulbs Free Wood Program

7. Materials Recycled (continued) Oil Filters, Used Oil, Tires, Batteries Photo Processing Power Plant Ash Residence Halls & Food Service Scrap Metal Toner & Ink Jet Cartridges

8. Recycling Results 8 tons of newsprint/month 13 tons of phone books/year 12 tons of white paper/month Hundreds of rechargeable batteries $20,000 worth of chemicals redistributed 2,000 tons of finished compost annually

9. Recycling Results Recycled ProductAmounts Rechargeable batteries1 Ton Newsprint per month8 Tons White paper per month12 Tons Phone books per year13 Tons Finished compost per year2,000 Tons Chemicals redistributed$20,000

10. Recycling Results Recycled ProductAmounts Oil filters > scrap metal1.5 Tons Wood salvaged50 Tons ~ Heating plant ash>raw material 96 Tons Fluorescent lamps40,000 Oil1,500 – 2,000 gallons Heating plant ash>quarry fill & soil stabilization 20,000

11. Recycling Results Recycled ProductAmounts Clothing, furniture, lumber >redistributed 10 Tons Scrap metal150 Tons Toner cartridges90 Percent

12. Recycling Results (continued) 40,000 fluorescent lamps annually 1,500 – 2,000 gallons of oil annually 1.5 tons of oil filters recycled as scrap metal 50 tons of wood salvaged (estimate) 96 tons of heating plant ash used as raw material for cement plant 20,000 tons of heating plant ash used as quarry fill and for soil stabilization

13. Recycling Results (continued) 10 tons of clothing, furniture and lumber from residence halls redistributed annually 150 tons of scrap metal annually 90% of campus toner cartridges are recycled

14. Recycling (final word) Iowa State University Continues to explore recycling opportunities Recognizes that recycling is at the bottom of sustainability hierarchy Is exploring recycled purchases to enhance sustainability of recycling (paper purchasing) Continues to explore opportunities to reduce waste (phone books)

15. Energy Conservation 2002 - 2005 –Most recent effort –Motivated by budget concerns Heating and cooling limits set by FP&M Cost of deviation from limits passed to responsible departments

16. Energy Conservation Results Slow but significant “creep” back to previous energy use Some possible unintended consequences –Mold –IAQ complaints –Frozen pipes $1.5 million annual savings

17. Future of Energy Conservation Focus on new construction & remodeling Some interest in “green” buildings Some interest in LEED certification criteria

18. Environmental Management System Systematic problem solving at ISU before EMS –TQM and other quality models introduced by administration –Quality models used by some departments with varying success Most elements of an EMS already existed –Did not have an environmental policy –Lack a clear understanding of performance indicators and an effective measurement system

19. EMS at ISU Prepared and published a policy statement –Signed by the University President –Included as a cover sheet to all relevant documents Struggle with performance measures –Participate in OPEI work group –Will utilize the work of OPEI, C2E2 and other organizations

20. Future of EMS at ISU Continue to add the elements of an EMS to existing environmental compliance and performance programs No interest in ISO 14001 certification Some talk of a peer reviewed “academic” EMS

21. Recycled Purchasing at ISU Purchasing Department encourages all campus entities to “buy recycled” Required by Iowa law to purchase some recycled products Member of the Buy Recycled Business Alliance

22. Recycled Purchasing at ISU All rough paper products are 100% post consumer recycled paper All print paper is at least 30% recycled paper All plastic consumables are at least 20% recycled

23. Surplus Sales All discarded material is channeled through Asset Recovery –Except ordinary garbage/rubbish Items worthy of reuse are offered –First to campus entities –Then to the public Proceeds from the sales are credited to departmental accounts

24. Surplus Sales (’04-’05) $148,000 worth of equipment redistributed on campus $253,000 credited to departmental accounts $500,000 in sales to the public Community is provided a low cost outlet for many basic household items (furniture, appliances, computers)

25. Mercury Exchange Pilot program EH&S spent $5,000 on 400 non-mercury thermometers Offered one free thermometer for each mercury thermometer turned in Mercury thermometers returned to the vendor

26. Mercury Exchange 400 non-mercury thermometers distributed >1,000 mercury thermometers collected Continue to receive requests to remove mercury thermometers and mercury containing equipment

27. Sustainability Score Card Has ISU done some “greening”? –Yes!!! Has ISU reached its “green” potential? –No. Has ISU made a commitment to sustainability? –Let’s have a look

28. ISU Strategic Plan Institutional Road Map Revised every five years –Current plan 2005 - 2010 Published and advertised –www.iastate.edu/~strategicplan/www.iastate.edu/~strategicplan/ –Progress reported to the Board of Regents

29. ISU Strategic Plan “Promote the wise use of Iowa's resources and build a sustainable future.” -Iowa Life, Goal #3 “Achieve a sustainable balance between responsibilities and resources that will allow the university to efficiently and effectively realize its vision..” -University Life, Goal #3 “Promote a university that conserves resources and enhances environmental quality.” -University Life, Goal #6

30. ISU Council on Sustainability Originally called “ISU Greening” Grass roots organization Established bylaws and structure –Formally recognized 01/2006 Endorsed by ISU administration –VP Business Affairs –Provost –VP Student Affairs

31. COS Structure Steering Committee –Faculty –Staff –students Steering Committee Chair –Reports to the VP Business Affairs Council membership –All interested parties

32. COS Short Term Goals Hire a Sustainability Coordinator Increase COS visibility on campus Document ISU Environmental Impact Document ISU Environmental Efforts

33. COS Long Term Goals Seek external funding for sustainability projects Encourage faculty and students to pursue sustainability topics in teaching and research Establish sustainability as a core value of the ISU community

34. Lessons Learned Administration will support sustainability –Must be shown the value of the concept Peer institutions are doing it Can save money The right thing to do Rome was not built in a day –Patience is necessary for change to take place

35. Lessons Learned Anyone, in any position, can be an advocate for sustainability

36. ISU EHSSB 2809 Daley Drive

37. Questions