Sustainability at Western Technical College

June 15-19: Need a Father’s Day gift, or something for yourself? Shop locally. About 80% of each dollar spent at a local business returns to the community. So, avoid chain stores and invest in the local economy.

June 22-26: Don’t forget to make use of the recycling bins on campus. Check out this PSA Western’s Vis Comm students made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYxhDpAgv6Y

June 29-July 3: For your 4th of July parties, consider buying in bulk and using re-usable cups and dinnerware. Both will cut down on resource use, save money, and allow you to not have a ton of trash to deal with.

July 6-10: It’s grilling season! If purchasing a new grill, remember that electric, gas, and propane grills burn a lot cleaner than charcoal or wood grills. Electric grills release 91% less carbon dioxide and 99% less carbon monoxide than charcoal. Give your lungs and the environment a break with cleaner grilling.

July 13-17: To save money on your energy bill this summer, turn thermostats to 72 degrees or above. You can save about 3% per degree for each degree the thermostat is above 72.

July 20-24: If you are ditching old electronics for new ones, remember to make use of the La Crosse County Household Hazardous Materials Program. There is a small per-pound fee on TVs and larger items. Do the right thing and keep toxic metals and chemicals out of the landfill. Check their website: http://www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/SolidWaste/hhm/index.asp

Western’s Green Tip of the Week for Mid-May to Mid-June:

May 18-22: Remember to turn out lights when you leave your classroom or office for a meeting. Turning off two 60 watt sets of fluorescent lights for three hours a day can save around $10 in a year. That simple task multiplied by many adds up to a lot of savings.

May 25-29: Remember to use your own mug or thermos for beverages in the TC Café.  This will cut down on disposable waste and reduce the amount of cups Western has to purchase. Bonus: The TC Café offers discounts on beverages when you use your own mug!

June 1-5: Summer is almost here, and the local farmers markets are open.  Stock up on fresh, local fruits, vegetables, and meats and support the local farmers of the Coulee Region.

June 8-12: The weather is getting nicer, so it’s the perfect time to start riding your bicycle to campus. Think of all the gas money you will save and the great exercise you will get!

Hi all,

Last week I received a question about Western being able to recycle CDs and DVDs. I was able to find out that CDs can be taken to the Physical Plant, which in turn will bring them to the La Crosse County Household Hazardous Materials Facility for recycling. So, if you have some old CDs or DVDs, you can send them to the Physical Plant and label them to be sent in for recycling.

Hi all,

This post is a little late, but May 2-May 9 is Bike to Work Week! There are still a few events, such as the celebration in Cameron Park on Friday. Free root beer floats for participants, and a band! Check out www.couleebikes.org for more information. Hope everyone has been riding their bikes to campus all week!

As part of Earth Week 2009, Western hosted a dumpster dive on campus. President Lee Rasch and VP of Finance and Operations Mike Pieper jumped into one of Western’s dumpsters and sorted through the trash to find what should have been recycled! The good news was that four bags of recyclables were recovered. The bad news was that the majority of the dumpster should have been recycled! Come on, Western…we can do better! Be aware of recycling bins on campus and learn to use them! Use the new labels as guides for what can be recycled and what cannot. Also, check the website for more recycling information.

News coverage of the events:

WKBT: http://www.wkbt.com/global/story.asp?s=10219831

WXOW: Not posted online, but made the 5pm and 6pm news.

Wisconsin Public Radio: http://wpr.org/news/newsstories.cfm

Happy Earth Day Everyone!!!

I had a question about how stop signs affect fuel economy and tailpipe emissions. It makes you wonder whether many of our stop signs are worth it. Here are my links and answers:

Here is driving smart tips, which mentions how stopping/starting wastes gas http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home/on-the-move/driving-your-car.html

New cars with start/stop technology can save the driver and CO2 emissions up to 4-8% http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/02/volvo-adding-se.html

This article talks about roundabouts, which I know have gotten heat from nay-sayers here in La Crosse…but, it makes a good point for removing stop signs in general: “In one study, replacing a signalized intersection with a roundabout reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 29 percent and nitrous oxide emissions by 21 percent². In an additional study, replacing traffic signals and stop signs with roundabouts reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 32 percent, nitrous oxide emissions by 34 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 37 percent, and hydrocarbon emissions by 42 percent³. Likewise, constructing roundabouts in place of traffic signals can reduce fuel consumption by about 30 percent^{2, 4}. At 10 intersections studied in Virginia, this amounted to more than 200,000 gallons of fuel per year⁵.”  http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/transtek/roadtalk/rt13-3/

This eco driving one just re-iterates that starting and stopping is bad for the car and the planet http://www.ecodrivingusa.com/#/ecodriving-practices/

Hello everyone! I will be your blogging host, the Western Frogger Blogger. Feel free to ask me any questions related to Western’s green efforts, sustainability, going green in your daily life, the environment, nature, recycling…most anything related to the environment. Check back often for feedback and good discussion.