| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.64 |
| Liaison | Allison Maxted |
| Submission Date | Jan. 25, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Mohawk College
OP-22: Waste Minimization
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.64 / 5.00 |
Kayla
LaChance Sustainability Programs and Services Coordinator Sustainability Office |
Waste generated::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 272 Tons | 246 Tons |
| Materials composted | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials reused, donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 174 Tons | 185 Tons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 350 | 350 |
| Number of residential employees | 0 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 15,882 | 11,750 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,300 | 1,100 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 450.80 | 398.70 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Jan. 1, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 |
| Baseline Year | Jan. 1, 2007 | Dec. 31, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
As identified in the Mohawk College Environmental Management Plan 2.0, Mohawk College is committed to manage generated waste on campus through the development of a College-wide Waste Management Strategy.
A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
-Annual Water Fountain Audits (Track amount of plastics bottles waste diverted)
-Comprehensive review of current waste management system (quantitative and qualitative)
- 2011 Fennell Campus Waste Audit
-Completion of annual waste audits, with student capstone research projects
A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
The colleges procurement process limits the number of paper copy proposals and asks for all additional copies in electronic form. Departments are encourages to identify, with suppliers, opportunities for potential waste reduction, packaging reduction and return.
The IT department has set an internal strategy that focuses on Green Purchasing, Operation and Disposal of all IT equipment.
A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Facilities Planning Department houses all unused office furniture and redistributes the furniture when and where it is needed.
A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
-Mohawk has moved away from printing its course calendar and instead has an online version available on its website.
-Mohawk students enrolled in upper semesters are also no longer mailed their program fee statement to their residence. It is now emailed to them electronically.
-Paperless News Initiative
This new program was launched in September 2013, seeking to improve access to local news and reduce waste generated on campus. Any staff, student or faculty member with a Mohawk College account can access the daily news on their computer, tablet or smartphone. The move from hardcopy to free, paperless access will help reduce Mohawk’s carbon footprint by eliminating 18.94 tonnes of waste yearly – removing nearly 17 tonnes of CO2 created by delivery and disposal of newspapers.
A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
All printing runs at a minimum cost of 15 cents per page. All printers are defaulted to print black and white and double sided to reduce paper use.
A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
During Move-out various donation bins for clothing, food and other items that are no longer wanted are collected and dropped off at various donation sites. This helps to reduce the amount of waste generated as well as to support the surrounding community.
A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
-Introduction of a Single-Use plastics ban
-Commitment to only offer 4-stream waste receptacles throughout campus to encourage diversion and total waste reduction
-Introduction of the “Put Your Waste In It’s Place” campaign
-Enhanced signage and waste diversion information
-Introduction of an Electronic Waste Management program
-Introduction of a Battery Recycling program
A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
Compost Audit Study
-Audit of all cafeteria waste to determine the amount of organic material present. The audit identifies the potential amount of organic waste which could be diverted from the College’s waste stream.
A brief description of any programs and/or practices to track and reduce pre-consumer food waste in the form of kitchen food waste, prep waste and spoilage:
A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
Mohawk Students' Association Composting
The Mohawk Students’ Association, Sustainability Office and food services have identified the need for compost options in the cafeteria at Mohawk College, as outlined in the Waste Management Strategy. A Campus-wide waste audit identified 60% of the waste generated in the C-Wing cafeteria was compostable. The College partners involved in this project are planning an on-campus solution to reduce the food waste that is directed to landfills. The MSA’s food service features 100% compostable products and packaging.
Cafeteria Composting
Following the success of the MSA composting program, the Sustainability Office introduced multiple composting stations in the Cafeteria at Fennell Campus. This effort will help increase our diversion rate, and is a direct action of the Waste Management Strategy. Complimented by enhanced signage and branding in the Waste Management Zone, the new composting program at Fennell is convenient and clear about accepted items.
A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable and/or third party certified compostable to-go containers for to-go food and beverage items (in conjunction with a composting program):
The Mohawk Student Association serves all menu items in compostable containers and all beverage cups are compostable as well!
A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable service ware for “dine in” meals and reusable and/or third party certified compostable service ware for to-go meals (in conjunction with a composting program):
Utensils utilized in the MSA food services area are 100% compostable.
A brief description of any discounts offered to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in to-go food service operations:
Mohawk College lug-a-mug program provides staff and students with a 25 cent discount when purchasing a beverage at any location on campus when there own mug is supplied.
A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
“Waste Management Zone”
The Fennell Campus Cafeteria has a dedicated space for proper waste disposal, composting and a dishwashing station to provide convenience and sustainable alternatives to those who bring their own lunch to campus. In an effort to reduce waste generated on campus, this zone gives campus users, most significantly students, a place to wash reusable coffee mugs, food containers and cutlery.
The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.