Presentation of findings and recommendations to the members of
the MCC Executive Cabinet
AQIP GREEN INITIATIVES / RECYCLING
ACTION PROJECT TEAM
‘GREEN TEAM’ MEMBERS
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Larry Gawthrop, CFO (EC Sponsor)
Lisa Poma, President’s Office (Co-Chair)
Larry Juchartz, Humanities Division (Co-Chair)
Rebecca Gale-Gonzalez, Marketing & Public Relations
Jody Michael, Purchasing
Laura Tripp, Human Resources
Carri Farah, Physical Plant Operations
Dave Rembiesa, Media Arts & Entertainment Technology
Desiree Londrigan, Lapeer Center
Chuck Wade, Science & Math Division
Wendell Brandon, Auxiliary Services
Ken Martin, Student Services Communications
PROJECT CHARTER
The AQIP Green Initiatives & Recycling Action Project Team exists to
raise awareness and increase involvement in a campus sustainability
plan to inspire and motivate Mott employees to help use campus
resources efficiently, leverage existing efforts, lower operating costs,
and move the College into a responsible stewardship role. Our goal is
to help MCC be recognized as a model organization in the area of green
initiatives -- including recycling -- and for the College to show strong
leadership on environmental issues.
It is the Team’s hope that the end result of our work will be
a thriving green culture at the College; one that will benefit
the institution, its students and employees, its surrounding
communities, and local natural resources including wildlife,
and to generate possible new business relationships,
community collaborations, and the creation or connection
to new curricula.
THE CURRENT SITUATION
THE CURRENT SITUATION
THE CURRENT SITUATION
POLL RESULTS FROM THE
NOVEMBER 2013
LEADERSHIP MEETING
How did MCC’s
Leadership Team feel
about the current state of
Mott’s environmental
efforts?
Kermit can't sing "It's Not
Easy Being Green" at MCC
anymore. We're doing a
great job!
TRUE 57%
FALSE 43%
21 responses
POLL RESULTS FROM THE
NOVEMBER 2013
LEADERSHIP MEETING
How did MCC’s
Leadership Team feel
about the current state of
Mott’s environmental
efforts?
How often do you use the
recycling bins located in
MCC hallways?
Frequently 48%
(multiple times per week or more)
Infrequently 52%
(once per week or less)
27 responses
POLL RESULTS FROM THE
NOVEMBER 2013
LEADERSHIP MEETING
How did MCC’s
Leadership Team feel
about the current state of
Mott’s environmental
efforts?
In short phrases or sentences, please
describe green and recycling
practices your department routinely
uses, especially if it's something
others may not know about.
FIELD RESEARCH AT WASHTENAW
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Achievable best practices including:
PAPER
• Office, colored, newsprint, magazines, books,
envelopes, shredded
PLASTIC
• Resin codes 1 – 5 and 7
GLASS
• Clear and colored
ALUMINUM
• Tin and steel
BATTERIES
• Alkaline, zinc, lead, nickel, lithium
TECHNO-TRASH
• VHS, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, mini discs, floppy
diskettes
PLASTIC BAGS
• Commercial grade, #2 HDPE
FIELD RESEARCH AT WASHTENAW
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
On-site composter for food waste; composted material
is used for grounds maintenance.
Photo credit: http://departments.wccnet.edu/facilities/gallery/recycle5/
FIELD RESEARCH AT WASHTENAW
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Ownership of the waste stream
– Vendors cannot remove de-installed materials
during construction/renovation
– Staff transport materials to appropriate
recycling & waste locations
•Using college-owned vehicles
•Elimination of waste hauler contracts
FIELD RESEARCH AT WASHTENAW
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CHANGING CAMPUS CULTURE
– “This is our stuff” mentality
– Dedicated department
•Two full-time and two part-time students
– Recycling containers are built into the design of
campus
•New University Center
– Fully supported by President and Board
– Seeking ways to require participation as an
employment condition
FIELD RESEARCH AT WASHTENAW
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
WHAT IS IT?
• Friendly
competition &
benchmarking
tool to promote
recycling &
waste
reduction
activities
• Eight weeks in
spring
• Self reported
Photo credit: http://recyclemaniacs.org/
COMPETITION GOALS
• Increase recycling
efforts and reduce
waste generation
• Generate attention &
support for recycling
programs
• Promote continuous
improvement
through
measurement &
benchmarking of
recycling activity
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
• Awareness
– No explicit institutional goal regarding green initiatives,
recycling, or energy conservation
• Documented Leadership Support
– To date, green initiatives and recycling have not been a
stated priority of senior college leadership
• Master Plan
– Despite some significant efforts by individual groups
and departments, no institution-wide plan or set of
priorities has been adopted for resource and energy
conservation
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Construct a master plan for the future of
green and recycling initiatives
– Ensure that green initiatives/recycling are
incorporated into Facilities Master Plan
– Create an annual strategic goal of
reducing/diverting waste by a measureable
percentage
– Explore the creation of a Recycling Center that
could be supported by revenues earned from
recycling
RECOMMENDATIONS
2. Expand efforts to transform waste stream
expenses into revenue stream gains
– Create a “green” committee
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Support & increase recycling efforts & awareness
Reduce waste pick-up and disposal expenses
Maximize revenue for applicable waste categories
– Change Purchasing Bid Language to Promote
Reduction of Waste Stream
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Require vendors to follow MCC’s green practices during
service/contract work
Require vendors to separate & return all waste
generated during installation/de-installation for proper
recycle and/or sale
RECOMMENDATIONS
3. Change Campus Culture
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Find a way to promote cultural change through:
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Board Policy
Presidential Statement/Commitment (i.e. Cultural Values
Statement)
Addition to employee job descriptions to support environmental
responsibility at MCC (i.e. section “Accountability Standards for
all Department Staff”)
Continue to support GRiT’s efforts to promote, educate &
increase participation in green initiatives
Become a member of the Michigan Recycling Coalition
and/or selected organizations that share best practices
Participate in recycling programs (conferences, forums,
etc.) & contests (i.e., RecycleMania)
QUESTIONS?
ENERGY CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
• Improved equipment reliability and efficiency through on-going
regularly scheduled maintenance and check-ups, extending the
life of these systems.
• Installed new, high-efficiency modular pulse boilers.
• Installed new, high-efficiency chillers.
• Upgraded campus-wide HVAC/R management system to better
control and monitor heating and cooling.
• Changed all lighting to high-efficiency electronic ballasts.
• Installed timed occupancy sensors in offices, classrooms and
rest rooms.
• Installed 1.0 gallon per flush (gpf) flush valves on water closets
and urinals.
• Installed flow restrictors on toilet room faucets.
ENERGY CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
• Installed EMON energy monitoring system to track individual
building energy use which also helps identify energy gaps or
drastic changes that might indicate system issues.
• Installed additional roof insulation when re-roofing buildings.
• Installed double-insulated windows in the Bistro.
• Campus exterior lighting systems equipped with night light
circuits to reduce energy use during hours that campus is
closed.
• Purchased electronic carts for moving staff and supplies around
the campus (i.e., Public Safety, Facilities, Foundation for MCC,
Media Technology).
• Purchased new energy-efficient buses used by Athletics and
Student Life.
• Installation of vegetative roof at the library.
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• Composting has been an ongoing initiative for many years with the
Physical Plant department using roll-offs and trailers to manage yard
waste.
• Implemented paper recycling in every department and classroom with
recycle bins (college-wide).
• Recycling stations are strategically located throughout each building in
the hallways (items recycled metal and plastic containers, paper,
cardboard).
• Use of green friendly products in the management and cleaning of
each site by custodians. Purchased more “green” or environmentally
friendly products for custodial uses (cleaning products) and paper
products (toilet paper, paper towel) in public restrooms/areas.
• Printing and Duplicating Department uses 10 percent (10%) recycled
paper.
• Print room repurposes back sides of copies and scraps to make
recycled scratch pads for anyone to use.
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• Purchasing orders remanufactured toners with recycled parts for most of the
laser print cartridges.
• College business envelopes are made from recycled paper.
• Promotion of Steelcase "Think Chairs" for Faculty/Staff task use. These chairs
are made using recycled content and can be recycled, again and again!
• Grade Reports are provided online; reducing paper use as well as saving
printing and mailing costs.
• MCC implemented online admissions to encourage online applications and
reduced paper use and handling costs.
• WebAdvisor has served as both the place to get our schedule of classes out to
students and to register which saves a significant cost in printing class
schedules and registration forms. A small number of schedules are still
printed but there are a lot fewer being printed or recycled than in past years.
• The college catalog was also moved to the online environment resulting in a
substantial reduction in paper use as well as saving nearly $20,000 in printing
costs. Email communications and online filing help reduce paper use and
need for file folders. Over many years this could drastically change space
allocation due to the reduced need for file storage cabinets
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• “ImageNow” software is being utilized in many departments to scan
documents and reduce copying needs.
• Many on-campus Xerox machines now have a feature to scan and email
documents versus printing.
• (ITS) Education Media Services has recently updated MCC’s smart classrooms.
A timer program has been installed in the Crestron touch panels to
automatically shutdown the system if there is no use for two hours. This will
result in saving electricity and extend the life of projector bulbs and
equipment.
• A Green Initiatives Team (GRIT) was formed to assist Physical Plant in the
implementation of on-campus recycling and to develop recycling programing
and promotion of green activities and initiatives. They are helping keep the
campus community educated and informed on environmental issues that
impact us all.
• The MCC Accounting and Human Resources Departments are working towards
providing electronic records instead of printing paper copies. Employees will
have continuous access to records online and the college will realize a cost
savings in paper, toner, and machine and labor costs associated with printing
and distribution.
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• Participates in local environmental programs – Annual
Earth Day Celebration- Recycling Challenge, Sponsoring
community groups on campus (Flint River Wild Ones,
Flint River Watershed Coalition-Project Green, Sierra
Club, Ruth Mott Foundation Initiatives etc.) uses campus
facilities for meetings and educational programs.
• Reusable water bottles & coffee mugs and tote bags
were distributed as employee incentives
• Break rooms were stocked with re-usable utensils, cups,
plates, etc.
• A comprehensive E-waste of outdated technology has
been implemented that ensure environmental
stewardship, as we require a end of life certificate on
these items so they do not end up in some third world
country as toxic waste.
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• As part of the College’s Data Retention Plan, offices are
now required to review documentation on an on-going
basis and many files have been secured in electronic
form allowing for paper files to be shred and recycled.
• Notebooks, file folders, and other discarded office
supplies are collected and made available “free” to
students and others via re-use stations.
• Some committees/departments have instituted
“paperless” meetings and use such programs as
GoogleDocs, etc.
• Instructors have implemented online testing, syllabi and
course work using Blackboard. This is significantly
reducing paper use to conduct classroom instruction.
• Inter-Office mail envelopes are re-used college-wide.
CAMPUS-WIDE RECYCLING, RE-USE, AND
REDUCTION EFFORTS & WASTE STREAM
MANAGEMENT
• Public Safety implemented an annual prescription drug
take program that grew to placement of a drug take
back drop off receptacle located outside of Public
Safety.
• Hazardous waste (see Tim’s presentation)
• Recycled/sent for proper disposal 610 pounds of
Batteries that included: 416 pounds of wet, non spill
able lead acid, 174 pounds of Alkaline, 12 pounds of
NiCad, 8 pounds of lithium (2012 data).
• Recycled/sent for proper disposal 228 pounds of nonPCB light Ballasts (2012 data).
• Recycled/sent for proper disposal 2200 lamps (bulbs)
that included: Florescent, Compact Fluorescent, Metal
Halide, HID, and Projector (2012 data).
ACADEMICS & EDUCATION
RECYCLING EFFORTS
• The MCC Technology Division reports that the solvent waste product from the
Automotive courses is recycled through Crystal Clean. The solvent is reused in
other industrial applications, such as a machining compound, lubricant,
coolant and even made into asphalt and other items. Our new system of pickup/delivery has also resulted in MCC using this petroleum based product 3 to
4 times longer.
• Also, used oil and antifreeze from the MCC Automotive program are recycled
through Future Environmental. These materials are recycled into other
industrial products or used in hi-tech, clean burning commercial oil burners.
• Several academic areas/divisions utilize Books Without Borders for some
book discards.
• In the Health Sciences area, gauze and medical supplies that don't get dirty
during a scenario are recycled.
• Metal that is used in welding is also reclaimed and helps to offset the cost of
procurements.
• Physical Plant Operations also reclaim scrap metal for sale in the secondary
materials market following appropriate guidelines.
• Native Plant garden on campus.