Mt. Trashmore: Sustainability efforts move mountains

On Feb. 24 the Sustainability Office piled all of the trash from the day in the El Pomar Plaza creating Mt. Trashmore. Students from SEAS then sorted through the trash to see how much could have been recycled.      

Over the past several years, UCCS has strived to create a more sustainable campus through various initiatives. From starting a recycling program, constructing LEED certified buildings, creating an Office of Sustainability, to signing a nationally recognized Sustainability Strategic Plan, UCCS seems to have everything required for a "green" campus. But is it all working? Linda Kogan, Director of the Office of Sustainability, thinks so.

Kogan, who has been with the office since its creation in 2005, has seen plenty of change at UCCS. Since introducing single-stream recycling early last year and competing in Recyclemania (a nationwide, college recycling competition), recycling rates have gone up. The rates vary from week to week but have been as high as 36.4 percent and are currently at 28.89 percent. Before single-stream, it averaged 26 percent. As for UCCS' ranking in Recyclemania, the campus is currently in 97th place out of 247 participating colleges.

High performance buildings have become a key point for the green movement on campus as well. The Recreation Center and the Science and Engineering Building are both LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified buildings. In order to be certified, five major areas of requirement must be fulfilled: Sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The Recreation Center's pool solar thermal system is a hallmark of the buildings' green initiatives, saving two-thirds (67 percent) on gas costs.

"And the other third we use to heat the pool is natural gas," said Tim Stoecklin, Associate Director of Campus Recreation. "We've gone several days without even having to turn on the heating."

Taking the steps to ensure an environmentally responsible and sustainable building is not always the quickest or most inexpensive choice, but Stoecklin believes in the cause. "It goes beyond the LEED certification. If it wasn't worth the effort, we wouldn't do it."

"It's the right thing to do. Not just for money or the environment, but for our patrons as well," he added. UCCS is seeking LEED certification for the renovated Science Building and the Conference and Events Center.

In 2007, all University of Colorado schools signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) – a pledge to work toward carbon neutrality. Part of the commitment is to reduce emissions on campus by 20 percent by 2020.

Other smaller, but still notable "green" highlights include the use of hybrids as campus police cars, which save the Public Safety Department roughly $400 a month. On the academic side, minoring in sustainable development has been popular among students in the last three years.

Although Kogan feels the move toward an environmentally conscious campus has been positive, she explained there is still a lot more work to do. "Sustainability covers every part of the University. Reducing emissions, having efficient lightning, working with a local food program, green purchasing - it all needs to be done." She also stated, "Our biggest challenge on campus is getting students to recycle. Reduce waste and to change the culture."