University Of PennsylvaniaPenn carries on the principles and spirit of its founder, Benjamin Franklin: entrepreneurship, innovation, invention, outreach, and a pragmatic love of knowledge.
Generating Recycling Efforts by Employees Now @ Facilities!
Think GREEN is an effort to reduce the environmental impact of day-to-day operations from within the office place. The methods being implemented at Facilities are being studied for effectiveness across the campus.
Goals
- Reduce the use of resources and the amount of solid waste
- Reduce paper use by 20% (Find Out How & Results)
- Reduce "junk mail" and unsolicited faxes (Find Out How)
- Reduce consumption of office supplies - Fall/Spring cleanups (See Results)
- Increase percentage of waste that is recycled (Find Out How)
- Increase the awareness of environmental issues related to the workplace (Employee Spotlight)
Studies have shown that when offices switch to double-sided printing and copying, paper use can decrease by 20%. As of 9/20/02, all networked printers and all of the major copiers at Facilities are now enabled to do duplex printing and/or copying (double-sided). We would like to meet the paper-use reduction goal of 20% by printing less and using duplex printing more. Take a look:
- Think of ways to reduce your printing or copying. Does that email need to be printed? Do you need to print that report twice a week or will once a week be sufficient? Can you store any of those files electronically (like on CD?)? Ask your IT support technician for assistance on how to reduce your paper use through the storage of files electronically.
- Make duplex printing your default for all print jobs and only print single-sided when absolutely necessary. Check the 'J' drive under public info for directions on how to switch to duplex printing or email your IT support technician for assistance.
April 2003 Update: 114% Printing Efficiency
Tip: Switch your printing default to duplex and copy double-sided whenever feasible.
Past Results:
March 115%, February 112%, December/January 109%, November 109%
Do you receive 'junk mail'?
If so, please send in the postcard yourself (click on the image for the .pdf file and follw its directions). Or save all unwanted materials and leave them in one of the centrally located folders marked "Junk Mai/Unsolicited Faxes". If you would like directions on how to reduce junkmail at home, follow this link.
Do you receive unsolicited faxes?
Unsolicited faxes are illegal. Save all unsolicited faxes and leave them in one of the centrally located folders marked "Junk Mail/Unsolicited Faxes".
The first ever fall office cleanup was on September 27th! We 'recycled' over $1,000 of extra office supplies that staff found in their work areas. The reusable items pictured below are all back in the supply closet being used again.
Partner Profile
The University of Pennsylvania is a member of the Green Power Leadership Club, a 2002 Green Power Leadership Award winner, and a 2003 Green Power Partner of the Year. The University became the nation’s largest nongovernmental purchaser of wind power on Earth Day 2003 when it announced that it would double its wind power purchase, the highest nationally at that time, to 40 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. Penn also extended the contract length to 10 years from 3, thus becoming the wind energy industry’s first customer with a 10-year renewable energy certificate contract. In 2008, Penn increased its renewable energy certificate purchase to over 190 million kWh. The University is funding its historic wind power purchases with savings achieved through aggressive energy conservation. Over the past few years, the University reduced peak electric demand by 18 percent. Penn’s long-term commitment will help make possible the construction of a new 12-turbine, 20-MW Pennsylvania wind farm.
