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sustainability

Sustainability

Blugold Dining

     

  • Composting — In January 2009 Blugold Dining and Veolia Environmental Services brought widespread composting to campus, establishing the first commercial composting program in Eau Claire. Special composting containers are located in all campus dining areas and food preparation areas. On average, Blugold Dining composts about 18,000 pounds of food and packaging each week. This environmental effort conserves space in local landfills and reduces methane emissions by turning food and other waste materials into nutrient-rich soil.

  • Trayless Initiative — After a Trayless Tuesdays program during 2008–09, Blugold Dining went completely trayless in 2009. Going trayless saves a significant amount of water and electricity, diverts food waste from landfills and reduces carbon emissions.

  • Recycling — Blugold Dining works with other university groups to recycle everything from coffee grounds to fryer oil. All dining areas feature reusable plates, bowls, glasses and silverware. In addition, Blugold Dining has switched from traditional plastic and foam to biodegradable plates, cups and utensils.

  • Local Foods — Menus feature locally grown food whenever possible and financially feasible.

  • Sustainable Agriculture — Intermezzos Café and the Green Bean in Davies Center serve Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certified coffees, both of which ensure that farmers and growers are paid fairly for their products. The Green Bean also features certified organic products.

  • Environmental Consciousness — Our dishwashing system saves water and energy, while minimizing the impact of waste products on the environment. All napkins are made of recycled paper. Blugold Dining uses a particular brand of napkin dispenser that is shown to reduce waste.

  • Sustainable Health — Blugold Dining encourages healthy living by incorporating nutritious, health-conscious options in all dining areas.

Printing Services

     

  • Paper — All papers stocked by Printing Services have at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber content, and most are certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. FSC certification ensures that the forest products used are from responsibly harvested and verified sources.

  • Printing— Printing Services replaced its in-house offset press in 2009, eliminating the use of conventional inks and solvents. Printing Services prints digitally with eco-friendly soy inks and toners, and recycles toner bottles through the Clean Planet Program.

  • Off-Campus Print Buying — All off-campus printing using state dollars goes through Printing Services, and the use of recycled and FSC-certified paper and soy inks is encouraged.

  • Recycling — All paper that is printed on only one side is collected and recycled into useful note pads that are free for the asking.

University Bookstore

  

  • Textbook Rental — The University Bookstore manages the undergraduate textbook rental program established when the Eau Claire campus was founded in 1916. More than 93,000 books are in the Instructional Resource Rental inventory. The bookstore's used-book buyback program also keeps course books circulating among students who need them.

  • Textbook Drive — The University Bookstore and UW-Eau Claire’s Golden Key International Honor Society host an annual textbook drive to benefit Better World Books, the organization that sponsors Books for Africa and other literacy and education programs in nonprofit organizations. The repurposing and recycling of used books supports international literacy and campus ecological sustainability at the same time.

  • Recycling — Alkaline batteries and toner and printer cartridges are collected at the University Bookstore.

Activities, Involvement and Leadership

   

  • Paperless Organizations System — Serving more than 250 recognized student organizations at UW-Eau Claire, the Student Organizations Complex uses OrgSync, a portal system that allows organizations to manage their information with an almost entirely paperless process.

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