We are proud of having made great progress in environmental sustainability across all campuses since 2007.

Waste Diversion

Goal: to reduce waste to landfill by 50 per cent from 2008 (our base year).

Accomplishments:

• conducted waste audits at Barrie, Orillia, Owen Sound and Midland campuses. A second round of audits is taking plan during the fall of 2010, with results expected by January 2011.
• developed waste reduction work plan, now in the process of being revised based on new waste audit information
• implemented on-campus collection points for cell phone, e-waste and battery collection
• “Trashy Notes” – notebooks made in-house from previously used test forms, are a big seller in campus Bookstores
• implemented organic waste collection in kitchens and student labs at Barrie and Orillia campuses
• added a third “mixed paper” stream to hallway collection
• promoted the use of reusable travel mugs and reusable bags, thereby reducing the amount of disposable cups and plastic bags on campus
• implemented two-sided printing and photocopying policy
• promoting the use of electronic newsletters

Environmental Literacy

Goal: Ensure that all graduates of all programs have the knowledge to make sound environmental decisions in their personal and professional lives

Accomplishments

• integrated sustainability into curriculum and learning activities
• new courses developed that pertain to environmental sustainability
• Students in Georgian’s CNC program program use scrap blocks of aluminum rather than full blocks. Filings and other scraps from student projects are collected for recycling. Students learn the value of recycling right in the shop.

Procurement/Purchasing Policy Review

Goal: Ensure that vendors and products are environmentally sensitive

Accomplishments:

• All RFPs are now evaluated, in part, taking into account environmental considerations
• renegotiated Georgian’s contract with Grand and Toy to include only “green” office supplies
• switched to 30 per cent post-consumer paper stock
• major College publications are now printed on Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper

And there’s more…

• Georgian has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers 2010
• Chartwells, the College’s food service provider, has signed a contract to collect used cooking oil from the Barrie Campus cafeteria and The Last Class for conversion to bio-diesel
• Continuing efforts by Georgian’s Physical Resources department see huge gains in energy efficiency, particularly through the introduction of improved lighting systems
• SAC now uses a paperless Orientation package
• Auto Show organizers have implemented environmental sustainability in the planning and delivery of Georgian’s annual Auto Show
• Earth Day is marked annually by a campus-wide clean-up activities in which thousands of pounds of waste was gathered up
• Energy Conservation Week and Waste Reduction Week are observed annually with special activities showcasing College sustainability initiatives.