University’s Efforts Rewarded with Green Business Award
Based on a KCSG.com article, the Cedar City COC (Chamber of Commerce) most recently issued to Southern Utah University the Outstanding Green Business award for 2011. This particular annual prize acknowledges the efforts by an individual or an group towards enhancing the environment by using sustainable measures. The accolade will be accepted with pride by the school president Michael Benson at the yearly awards dinner put on by the Chamber of Commerce. The 61st annual event will be held on January 12, 2012. Benson attributes the great results to the initiatives made across the campus.
SUU’s Center for Sustainability
Southern Utah University organized a Center for Sustainability to overlook the eco-friendly measures set up at the campus. Formed in 2011, the Center for Sustainability functions as a guiding panel for any green challenges in the campus. The center chiefly provides tips by way of seminars and has the goal of instructing the public about ideas associated with sustainability through tradeshow bags for instance custom cloth bags. The center sets up activities with neighborhood associations devoted to recycling. SUU’s Center for Sustainability additionally collects waste materials meant for recycling. Throughout the fall semester in 2011, the SUU sustainability placed at least fifty brand new recycling containers throughout the university.
SUU sustainability over the last 5yrs
The SUU sustainability team augmented its labor force by 3 times and even recently supplied a new mixed material compactor. Even though these sustainability goals were undertaken over the last 5yrs, the outcomes have been very impressive within the last year. Denise Tomer with the SUU Sustainability Center stated that their recycling program has achieved significantly more in the last six months than some other colleges and universities have in 5 years. The successes of the program are credited to the serious devotion shown by the University administration as well as the efforts of the students. In spite of requiring heavy backing to preserve sustainability initiatives, Southern Utah University is committed to go the extra mile.
Boosting energy and water performance on campus
Apart from distributing green promotional items to inspire environmentally friendly behaviors; the university is focusing on saving water. To raise water economy on campus, SUU has installed xeriscaping and selected and planted drought tolerant varieties of plants. The campus implemented a Maxi-com irrigating system that delivers water only when required. Waterless urinals were also installed around the grounds. To reduce consumption of energy, the university has introduced video conferencing and carpooling. Assigning special importance to air quality within the university, the school has installed preventive maintenance programs and intends to sow 50 trees every year.
Price of sustainability
The fifty recycling containers positioned through out the grounds posed different challenges. Besides proper positioning, the expense of the bins were at the same time considered. Tomer claims that the cost for each recycling container ranges somewhere between $20 and $400. It was judged critical by the sustainability staff to create an impression on the students. Because there happen to be cheaper rubbish cans previously installed around the campus, it has been tricky to get the public to opt for recycling where possible. The sustainability group is enthusiastic about the improved efficiency associated with the compactor. The team will soon get started on weighing the re-cycled materials to gather an idea of their further improvements.
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