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ASC Sustainability Efforts
Reduce
*Approximately 20% reduction in Styrofoam usage from Fiscal Year 03 - Fiscal Year 07.
*Exploring the elimination of Styrofoam in Fiscal Year 2009 from Dunkin' Donuts.
*Hilltop, as a "green" facility, currently is using more paper and alternative service-ware
and utensils that decompose within days in the landfill.
*Using biodegradable plastic containers in retail dining facilities, such as
Natureworks compost-able grab-n-go containers.
*Resizing of our hours of operations in Fiscal Year 2008 to reduce the energy usage
during the low customer traffic periods in various locations.
*Increase fountain beverage servicing in the dining units, leading to a 35% reduction in sale of bottled beverages.
*Maintain 2006-07 energy footprint with Coca-Cola, only swapping of beverage coolers or vending units will be accepted.
Exploring with Coca-Cola to install vending misers that will turn off power to vending machines based on motion and temperature.
*Replaced an electric boiler with a gas boiler at the Commissary for an energy cost savings of $900 per month.
*Replacing an electric pizza oven for a gas oven in Raquette Pizza in 2008.
*Replaced a 50 year old dishwasher with a energy efficeint low water use unit in Neubig Dining.
*Dramatically reduced the volume of printed marketing materials sent to new and returning students by focusing on key messages and ephasizing ASC's web page.
*Reduced the use of strong chemicals by switching to "green" cleaning agents.
*Reduced paper waste by conducting the ASC dining survey and all elections to the ASC membership online. All photocopied material is double sided where applicable.
Recycle
*ASC recycles 100% of all eligible plastic and metal containers in our production facilities.
*Recycles used vegetable fryer oil. A local farmer collects and uses as bio fuel for farm equipment, home heating and his automobile.
*Working on the preservation and/or elimination of plastic trays.
*The College Store carries earth friendly graduation regalia. The acetate fabric fiber is made from natural wood sourced exclusively from renewable managed forests. Acetate fabric is proved to decompose in soil within a year. The gown contains an Eco-Zip™ coil zipper with tape and teeth made from 100% recycled PET. Earth-friendly plastic gown packaging is proven to decompose in a landfill within a reasonably short period of time.* It contains ECM BioFilms™ material that facilitates the decomposition process.
Reuse
*Neubig Dining was converted to an all-you-care-to-eat dining facility in 2005. In conjunction with this change, ASC started using washable china and silverware. As a result we have reduced the use and disposal of paper, Styrofoam, and plastics in Neubig alone by over 30%.
*Food remaining in dining halls before semester breaks is donated to local food pantries.
*The College Store offer students a rebate, if they return cardboard Pre-pack boxes to be reused.
* The College Store has one of the largest selections of used and recycled text books.