TRU. This Green Guide - Thompson Rivers University

TRU GREEN GUIDE





A Green Guide to Thompson Rivers University





Introduction

We all impact our surrounding environment in one way, shape, or form. The concept of environmental sustainability has become more prominent as our world continues to change. We adapt so future generations can share the same experiences as us. In a world full of uncertainty, we must work together to find meaningful solutions to our problems before they spin out of control and become a crisis. Each of us has the ability to cause extraordinary change, and there is no better place to start than TRU. This Green Guide was designed to share fun facts so you can make your campus a more sustainable place to work, learn and live. Feel free to try one or two (or them all), and let us know what you think. -TRU Sustainability Office





Introduction

In this Guide:

Building Energy



Transportation Waste Dining and Food Information Technology (IT) Services Water Environmental and Sustainable Learning The Sustainability Grant Fund Communication Materials Dorm Reform



Building Energy Energy efficiency on campus has significantly improved since 2010. After an extensive energy audit, TRU invested 1.5 million dollars to retrofit over 75 percent of the campus’ buildings. If you haven’t done this already – check out the TRU Energy Dashboard to explore the energy use among various buildings on campus. Tracked in real time, this free online tool shows the fluxing energy use of the building you’re in. TRU has identified it will reduce it’s energy consumption by 25 percent by 2016 from 2010. In order to achieve this please join us by: • Taking advantage of natural lighting when you’re studying instead of using lights in the classrooms. • Unplugging all electronics that are not in use. Simply unplugging can save up to 15 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. • Turning off your computer when finished in the computer labs. • Joining us in February for International Sweater Day. According to the World Wildlife Fund (2014), if all Canadian residents were to lower their thermostats by 2 degrees, greenhouse gasses would be reduced by approximately four megatons. • Last to leave class? Turn the lights out. •

Check Out the New Solar Panels:

In November 2014, the Sustainability Office partnered with the TRU Student Union to install 40 new solar panels on the rooftop of the Campus Activity Center. They will capture enough energy to power the Independent Center. How cool is that? Combined with the existing solar panels on campus, TRU will be able to meet their 2016 target to reduce campus energy consumption by 25% compared to their 2010 figures.



TRU joins in for National Sweater Day The event, organized by the World Wildlife Fund and coordinated at TRU by the Sustainability Office, occurs annually in February and has become a favourite campus event. It sets to achieve three main goals: promoting awareness of climate change and natural gas savings, save on natural gas and engage with TRU members through various means on sustainability-related issues. Simply by turning down the heat by 2-3 degrees for one day, TRU managed to save 21.5 GJ (valued at $215 CDN) in 2015. Just imagine how much more we could save if we did this year round!

Did You Know? TRU is running a campaign called “Last to Leave? Lights Out Please!” During this green campaign students, faculty and staff are asked to post a #Selfie and share it with the office. To sweeten the pot, for every picture you share with us, you could earn yourself a cool prize!



Transportation Our largest environmental impact is the result of our choices for travelling to campus. As the campus continues to grow and flourish, so will the number of vehicles on campus, impacting the amount of greenhouse gasses entering into the atmosphere. Our transportation choices also impact our personal and environmental health. There are many ways for TRU community members to get to campus while increasing their sustainability footprint. • Leave your car at home once per week and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 800 pounds per year. • Do you live near campus? Ditch your car at home and walk to school. It’s a great way to get in your daily exercise and save you time and money trying to find parking. • Don’t idle for more than 30 seconds! TRU is an idle free campus that promotes healthy air. It will also save you money at the gas pump. • Ride your bike and take advantage of the newly built bike repair station. Cycling for half an hour a day can help increase your life expectancy by up to four years.

Did You Know? The Sustainability Office has an electric bike for any TRU community member to borrow for up to one week. This bike is equipped to help make cycling easy, whether you’re out for a leisure ride or tackling the hills on the way home. For more information email [email protected]



In the spring of 2013, TRU received financial assistance from the Fraser Basin Council to install 10 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. In the following fall semester of 2013, TRU was selected by the Fraser Basin Council as one of only four organizations across BC to participate in an Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment pilot study.



The EV suitability pilot studied if TRU’s current fleet vehicles could be replaced with comparable EV or hybrid vehicles. The study identified reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with replacing existing fossil fuel powered vehicles with EV or hybrids.

Kudos TRU!

Bike to Work Week: Each year, TRU successfully participates in Bike to Work Week (BTWW). This one-week challenge encourages everyone to ditch his or her vehicles at home and check out the amazing scenery Kamloops has to offer. At a provincial level, in 2014, BTWW saw over 25,000 people participate. Join TRU in a week of cycling, socializing, and enjoying nature.





Electric Vehicle Plug-in Stations Bike Repair Station



Bus Stop

Waste



Green is the new black. In the last decade, there has been an increase in the amount of waste generated. Attributed to population growth, societal lifestyle changes and the ever–growing demand for new products for consumption, the amount of materials entering the landfills staggeringly high. In 2014, TRU decided to take an aggressive approach to reduce the amount of waste entering Mission Flats Landfill. Our mission is to become a Zero Waste Campus and in order to achieve this goal we need your help!

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink. Recycling just one glass bottle can save enough energy to power your TV for 90 minutes.



• Only take one or two napkins at lunch (compared to a handful) and only go back if you need to. • 33 percent of all packaging is waste.

Got trash? Zero Waste stations are located in the hallways and central locations outside to help reduce our impact on the local landfill. Mixed Recycling: All metal cans, coffee cups (including the lid and sleeve), all paper products and plastics labeled 1 to 7. Compost: This is for all organic material, please. Refundable Cans, Boxes, Bottles: Bottles and cans where a refund is applicable. Plastic Bags: Any kind or colour of plastic bags including shopping bags, zip lock bags, cling wrap and garbage bags. Landfill Waste: If your waste cannot be put into the other bins, then it may be placed into this bin.



Composting



Other Fun Facts:

Have you met Tom yet? Tom (TRU’s composter) is our solution to diverting organic materials from entering the landfill. Composting has the ability to reduce the amount of methane, a potent green house gas, from escaping into the atmosphere. Since beginning the composting program on campus, we have managed to divert over 2000 pounds of organic matter! The best part about composting is the end result is a beautiful soil that can enhance any garden. Don’t wait – compost today! Feel free to compost the following: fruits and veggies, bread product, grains, meat and fish, chicken and fish bones, eggs and egg shells, coffee grounds, filters, tea bags, compostable cutlery, cardboard pizza plates, and clamshells with or without food in it.

• TRU composts all of the grass clippings and vegetation from campus landscaping. • Coffee grounds from cafes and staff rooms on campus are composted either through the coffee supplier Van Houtte, local farmers or directly on campus in Tom. • TRU follows the same recycling program set out by the City of Kamloops as a regular homeowner does. Even if your recyclables are a little dirty, they can still go into the recycling container. • If you have old books or textbooks that cannot be sold back, consider donating them to the Better World Books program or donate them to a local school as a new resource.



Are you ready for a challenge? Did you know you could dry your hands with just one piece of paper towel? It’s true. Start by shaking your hands out 12 times. Next fold the paper towel in half and dry your hands one at a time. We were skeptical too– and then we tried it. It works!

Trash Bash: Each year, the TRU Sustainability Office hosts ‘Trash Bash’. This annual event brings the TRU community together in a large-scale effort to beautify the campus grounds. Last year over 100 people participated and managed to collect 78 garbage bags and 32 bags of recycling! If you are interested, join us with your team for a great event!



Dining and Food



Were you aware that culinary arts does their best to locally source their food. There are many great meal options at TRU; especially since they introduced its made from scratch market concept in 2014. The Culinary Arts offers a variety of choices, all freshly prepared at affordable prices. Experience the best local foods Kamloops has to offer and become a locavore today. Food waste is among the most common material sent to the landfill at TRU. Organic matter is generally the heaviest materials by weight and can be transformed into a usable resource if properly managed. With many options on campus, TRU has an opportunity to become a leader in the city for recycling and composting initiatives. It all starts with you. We all enjoy a good cup of coffee, so pack your favourite mug from home and receive a discount. All the little things that are done today can cause big changes tomorrow. • Going out for lunch on campus? Enjoy a sit–down Location

Common Grounds

meal and reduce the amount of cardboard containers that enter the landfill. Not only do they take up lots of space in the landfill, they tend to break down more slowly.

Savings ($)

0.50





Starbucks

0.10

Tim Horton's

0.10

All Other Coffee Shops

0.10

• Compost what you do not finish eating. • Bring your own mug (BYOM) to campus. If you were to save one paper cup day for the next 40 years, it would be enough to save 24 trees. Also when you BYOM you can get a discount at the coffee shop.



• Only take as much as you plan to eat. This reduces the amount of waste produced.



Water Were you aware that Canada is one of the largest water users per capita in the world? With an abundance of water surrounding us it is easy for us to take this precious resource for granted. The average Canadian uses approximately 329 litres of water per day while other countries face water shortages on a daily basis. Based on these facts, TRU is committed to reducing its water usage. The House of Learning saves more than 1, 000, 000 litres of potable water each year through their low–flow water structures. This achievement is considered astonishing because we use 44 percent less water than what is expected under LEED standards. Be part of the water revolution and reduce your consumption today.



TRU Tap Water Challenge: Can you tell the difference?



In the fall semester, 2014, the TRU Sustainability Office conducted a “Tap Water Challenge” to promote drinking Kamloops’ pristine tap water over buying a bottle of water. Students, staff, and faculty were invited to take a blind taste-test challenge and the results were conclusive: of 281 people who took the challenge, over two-thirds preferred the taste of tap water compared to bottled water. Additionally, another two-thirds of the participants who preferred Kamloops’ tap water also correctly identified they were drinking tap water. Next time you feel thirsty, instead of purchasing a bottle of water, visit one of several refill stations and enjoy some clean, state of the art, drinking water. Not only is it free, the taste is even better than the bottle.

Three cheers for tap water!



According to both the City of Kamloops and the Okanogan Water Basin Council (http://www.obwb.ca), water usage in the Okanogan is 30 percent higher compared to that of the BC’s average water use and almost double the Canadian average (yikes)! On campus, the university uses 37 million gallons of water per year - that works out be over 11,500 pounds of chocolate.



• Bring your own water bottle instead of buying bottled water. TRU has six water refill stations that use clean, filtered, quality drinking water from the Centre for Water Quality, located in downtown Kamloops.

• Turn off taps when you’re not using them. The average person washes his/her hands almost nine times a day. If you wash your hands for 20 seconds and turn the tap off while you scrub, you could save close to 23 litres of water per day. • Start washing your hands with cold water. Studies show it is just as effective as using warm water and wastes less water.

•

Put a water barrel outside to collect rainwater and use it to water your plants.

• Report all leaks to the Facilities Department at (250) 828 – 5388.



Information Technology



(IT) Services Believe it or not, computer labs generate a large amount of waste. TRU is working towards reducing the amount of paper produced on campus while saving energy through various techniques. Before printing anything, try saving your data to your F drive. These drives are backed up daily and are accessible from any computer lab on campus. This way you can avoid printing large quantities of paper. You also can go back and reference them at any point. If you have more questions you can always visit the Information Technology Desk at Old Main 1326 or ask a library clerk for assistance. Together, we can make TRU more sustainable.

• Save data to other sources before printing them as hard copies. TRU offers network storage for students; it is the F drive. Other options are saving data to a cloud or USB stick. • Print on recycled paper.



• Only print or photocopy the necessary pages from journals and textbooks. • Turn your computer off completely when finishing in the lab. • Always print on both sides of the page and use one–inch margins with a 12–point font to reduce the amount of paper printed. The paper industry is the greatest industrial consumer of water. It takes roughly 132 litres of water to make one pound of paper. • Buy used textbooks and save a book from being printed. Also, check out eBooks and eliminate a heavy textbook from your backpack.



• Buy and read journals and articles online. You can edit as you go and save paper.

• Just like your vehicle and home appliances, your computer or laptop will work more efficiently if you tune it up every few months. This can help you save energy and prolong the life of your computer or laptop. • Enable your laptop’s energy saving features when in use and increase the lifespan of your laptops battery life. • Reuse items like envelopes, folders, and paperclips. • Check out alternative paper options on campus. Wheat paper can be purchased from the Print Services department and will meet all your printing needs. • Purchasing wrapping paper can become expensive very quickly. The next time you need to wrap a gift, try an alternative source of wrapping paper – like newspaper or turning a chip bag inside out. • Each year, students print countless numbers of lectures and papers. Instead of recycling them, create artwork from them by making flowers. They can brighten any room and do not require any water!









Environmental and Sustainable



Learning

Leadership in Environmental Sustainability In a rapidly developing world, it is increasingly common for people to incorporate environmental sustainability into their daily lives. Our choices not only impact us today, but also impacts future generations. TRU is proud to offer the course, Leadership in Environmental Sustainability (ENSU 1000), for any student to complete. It can be done at any point during your program, and once completed it will appear on your transcript. More information can be found at: http://www.tru.ca/services/beyond/les.html

Campus Club’s There are many campus groups incorporating environmental sustainability and awareness to supplement their studies. Many of these clubs take part in fun activities and love to explore nature. They are open to any student–what are you waiting for?





• Biology Undergraduates Society (BUGS) • Eco Club • Enactus • Environmental Law and Natural Resources Club • Forestry Club (IFSA) • Natural Resource Science Club • TRU Geography Society (TRUGS)



Sustainable Courses on Campus

Are you interested in having sustainability related or focused degree or diplomma? Well, we have great news for you! TRU offers roughly 200 courses on campus (plus more online) that are sustainability focused or related in some form. These themes are spread through all programs and could make for some great electives! Check the link below to see all the great options available on campus:

http://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/sus_cour se_inventory24275.pdf

The TRU Sustainability Grant Fund





Do you have a project idea that can advance sustainability on campus? The TRU Sustainability Grant fund offers up to $100,000 each year to advance environmental, economic and social sustainability on campus. These funds are aimed at improving TRU’s operational environmental performance, foster sustainability literacy and campus community engagement, advance applied research, and demonstrate the viability of sustainability technologies. Overall, they will make TRU a better place to work, live and play. Whether you need $5,000 or $50,000, there are funds in place for all project types! Proposals are open to TRU students, staff, and faculty, and are administered by the TRU Sustainability Office.

Take a peak at previous years projects! 2013: Paperless Registrar’s Office Project The Registrar’s Office and Open Learning Enrolment Services earned funds to change their paper filing system to an electronic one. Through the Sustainability Grant Fund they were able to three Banner Document Management (BDMS) licenses and four scanners to support this initiative. Check out their Youtube (hyperlinked) video submission to see how it works!



#My Green TRU

2014: The Green Hands Project The TRUSU Eco Club helped green up TRU through the installation of hand dryers in washrooms across campus. Through this they have aided in the reduction of paper towel usage and reduced paper waste!



Communication Materials

TRU has identified increasing sustainability as a priority in its 2014-2019 Strategic Plan. Combined with other planning documents, initiatives, and continued commitment to environmental well being on campus, TRU is on par for implanting sustainability into all aspects of this campus! To learn more, visit these planning documents!

Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System Updated in 2015 Rating: Gold

Strategic Sustainability Plan Updated in 2014

Carbon Neutral Action Report Updated in 2013

Campus Sustainability Action Plan Updated in 2012

Strategic Energy Management Plan Updated in 2011

Dorm Reform



Are you new to campus? Do you live in either of the residences on campus?

If you answered yes to these questions, then we have some great news for you! Allow us help make your time on campus as green as it can be through these simple tips!

Instead of this... Taking the elevator...

Taking a shower... Using the dryer for your clothes... Shopping at the grocery store...



Try this! Take the stairs– not only do you get in some exercise, but you can see the amazing art work made during Campus Conservation Nationals! Have a bath and save up to 4 times the amount of energy used showering. Purchase a drying rack and air dry your clothes. This can help to extend the life of your favourite outfits! Check out the local farmers markets held throughout town for the freshest veggies and fruits.

Also try these options: - Instead of pouring water down the drain, use it to water a plant in your room. - Turn off the water when you brush your teeth and try to time your showers to use less water. Every minute reduced showering can save 10 to 20 litres of water. - Host a ‘swap/trade event’ during move in and move out periods to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill.

Contact Information





Do you have any comments or stories you would like to share with us? Please stop by the office or try these other options! We look forward to hearing from you.





Jim Gudjonson

Natalie Yao

James Gordon

Director, Environment and Sustainability [email protected] (250) 852-7253

Energy Specialist [email protected] (250) 852-7256

Environmental Programs and Research Coordinator [email protected] (250) 852-7153

Mailing Address Office of Sustainability Thompson Rivers University 900 McGill Road Kamloops, BC















Social Media Facebook :/TRUsustainability Twitter: @TRUsustain Email: [email protected] Instagram: @TRUsustain