A recent visit to
Liberty Island was most impressive. Lady Liberty was grand and the history fascinating.
For example – did you know that the statue is made of copper only as thick as
two pennies pressed together? I didn’t! But because I wasn’t expecting it, I
was absolutely blown away by Liberty Island’s environmental record. Their
approach is multifaceted including building practices, energy monitoring
purchasing, food/beverage sourcing, water conservation and waste reduction
efforts.
So I wondered….how does Union compare? Would someone be as impressed
when they visit our campus?
Environmentally friendly approach to ……
|
Liberty Island
|
Union College
|
Electricity
|
100% Green Power User Renewable Energy
Certificates (RECs) purchased to support electricity generation equivalent to
Liberty Island’s consumption via wind power.
|
100% Green Power User
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
purchased to support electricity generation equivalent to Union College’s
consumption via wind power.
|
Lighting
|
All lights are turned off each night!
|
With the exception of lighting for
safety/security academic and administrative buildings turn their lights out
each night. Lighting controls are used wherever applicable to reduce
consumption.
|
Heating
& Cooling
|
Geothermal heating and cooling reducing
energy demand by 35%
|
Geothermal wells are utilized for
summer reheats in the Peter Irving Wold Center & for dehumidification in
the Schaffer Library. Geothermal is also the sole source of heating for the
Kelly Adirondack Center.
|
Water
Conservation
|
Rainwater collection that reduces water
usage by 40%
Water sensors on high efficiency sinks
and toilets
Waterless urinals – saves 395,000
gallons water/year
|
Rainwater collection fulfills most
watering needs for Octopus’ Garden.
Installation of low flow showerheads,
high efficiency toilets and sinks with new construction/renovation.
|
Waste
Diversion
|
94%
|
32%
|
Green
Building
|
LEED platinum Gift Pavilion (ex: 43% of building materials with
recycled content)
|
LEED Gold Peter Irving Wold Center.
(20% of building materials with recycled content)
All new construction & renovation
is built to LEED standard.
|
Equipment
Standards
|
All new equipment is Energy Star
qualified.
|
New appliances/computers are Energy
Star or EPEAT Gold whenever possible.
|
Cleaning
Products
|
All Green Seal cleaning products!
100% recycled paper products
|
Green Seal products used wherever
effective.
100% recycled paper products
|
Beverages
|
Organic, free trade, shade grown coffee
|
Aspretto by Sodexo is 100% ethically
sourced coffee and tea
|
Produce
|
All produce is either organic or
locally grown
|
All produce used for Ozone Café &
O3 Marketplace is either locally grown or organic.
All product grown in Octopus’ Garden is
organic.
|
Packaging
|
Condiment pump system instead of
individual packets eliminated >3 million condiment packets/year
|
Condiment pump system used in all
dining locations. Packets are used only when necessary at events.
|
Dining
Ware
|
Disposable coffee cups with a corn
starch lining rather than plastic, biodegradable, compostable & chlorine
free – always composted never sent to the landfill. All other dining ware is
reusable on Liberty island.
|
100% of dining ware used in resident
dining halls is reusable. China is also available upon request for your
event.
Majority of disposable dining ware used
on campus is compostable and composting occurs at all resident dining
locations as well as upon request for events.
|
Awards/Recognition
|
2012 Sustainability Award & 2012 Innovator of the Year from
National Restaurant Association, 2001-2005 WasteWise Award from the US Environmental
Protection Agency, 2002 US Department of the Interior Environmental
Achievement Award & Certified Green Restaurant in 2002.
|
2013 & 2014 EPA Green Power
Leadership Club, 2012-2013 EPA College & University Green Power Challenge
winner for Liberty League, Participant in the Energy Star Low Carbon IT
Program, 2011 & 2012 Recyclemania Per Capita Classic and Cardboard
Winners, 2014 NEEP award recipient
|
Liberty Island ‘s footprint may be small but their impact is great on 4 million
visitors per year. Lady Liberty standing up for freedom and sustainability – a model
for us all.
Thank you to the
National Parks Service for all that you do!
