On the Uni Club Side
At The University Club, we’re reducing the environmental ‘footprint’ of our operations by going ‘green’.
Not only will the Club still be serving great food and organising fantastic functions but there will also be a side serving of sustainability to go with it. The Club’s newly formed Green Committee has created a “Green Action Plan” and a “Green Policy” aimed at reducing the ecological footprint of the Club’s operations.
The new look magazine is now printed on recycled content paper and will be mailed out in envelopes which can be recycled rather than a plastic cover. There are also plans for Members to have the option to receive the magazine electronically as an environmentally friendly option.
The Club aims to drastically reduce waste by recycling paper, cardboard, tins, cans, plastics, glass and even corks!
Behind the scenes the administration area has made the switch to recycled paper and put in place a raft of measures to cut paper use in the office such as double side printing. The Club also aims to cut its energy consumption and greenhouse emissions by planning several campaigns such as “switch off’ and “ride to work” campaigns. Unnecessary lighting and electrical appliances that are usually on standby will be switched off when not in use which the Club anticipates will lead to a 10% reduction in energy consumption and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
The electricity and water consumption of the University Club building will be metered and monitored to track the success and progress of energy and water efficiency actions.
“We are also conscious of the environmental awareness of our clients and are able to offer alternative green options to function organisers” says Conferences and Events Manager Julie Harrison. We have started with recycled napkins and recycled note pads..jpg)
Green Action Plan - Launched October 2007
To reduce the amount of waste created by the mountains of disposable cups used each day, customers are able to purchase their very own ECO Mug (pictured right), a thermal mug that can be refilled with your favourite hot beverage at the Club. As a thank you to environmentally conscientious customers the first beverage purchased with the ECO Mug is free.
To view the University Club's Green Action Plan click here.
Meet the Green Committee
UWA Adviser: Kylee Carpenter – UWA Environmental Services
Chair: Celine Gaudin – Membership
Members: Nikky Levitt - Membership, Carmel Cattalini – Café, Jayden Bryant – Café, Vanessa Wolz – Café, Alex Lawrence – Banquet, David Roberts – Restaurant
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10 Green Tips to Help Out
Take up the challenge – 10 green actions to do at home! Western Australia is the highest greenhouse gas emitting region per person in the world! You have the power to tackle climate change at home, reduce your carbon emissions and save some dollars at the same time!
1. Install high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs
Over its life a CFL bulb saves a third of a tonne of greenhouse gas plus you’ll save up to 80% in lighting costs. Plus they last eight times longer than a conventional bulb.
2. Say goodbye to standby
The average Australian home generates over 750kg of greenhouse gas each year through standby power. Always switch electrical appliances off at the power point to avoid standby power use which accounts for about 10% of your electricity bill.
3. Change your choice of transport
Walk, cycle, catch public transport whenever possible and ditch the unnecessary big gas guzzler with a smaller or hybrid vehicle.
4. Say no to plastic!
Australians use 13 million plastic bags daily which can take up to 1000 years to break down and cause havoc for wildlife. Buy reusable shopping bags and avoid over-packaged products.
5. Plant water wise gardens
More than 50% of household water is wasted on the garden. Plant drought tolerant species; reduce thirsty lawn areas, add your own homemade compost to the soil and mulch to reduce water use. Use water wise reticulation such as drip systems, subsurface or greywater reuse. Check out Waterwise Plants for Perth at www.watercorporation.com.au.
6. Less grass, more flowers
If there are areas of your lawn that go unused, consider replacing the grass with less waterintensive plants such as trees, shrubs, flowers, or low-growing ground covers. For the rest of the lawn, spread drought-resistant varieties of grass seed and allow the grass to grow higher in the summer (so the grass blades provide shade for the soil).
7. In your laundry room
Up to 90 per cent of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. A warm wash and cold rinse will work just as well as a hot water wash and a warm rinse on nearly all clothes.
8. Switch to Natural Power
Get your electricity from clean renewable sources by switching to natural power for less than the price of a cup of coffee per week. Visit Synergy at www.synergy.net.au
9. Become a ‘zero waste’ household
Set up a household worm farm and compost heap and make sure you are recycling everything you can. Check out www.recyclingnearyou.com.au for information about how to recycle all types of household waste in Perth.
10. In the kitchen
Your refrigerator uses more energy than any other appliance in your home, but you can check and compare energy ratings before buying a new one. These tell you how many kilowatt hours of energy it uses per month.
Let us know about your green initiatives so we can share them with other Members. Email us at: cgaudin@universityclub.uwa.edu.au
On the UWA Side
The University is also putting in measures to reduce the environmental impact of activities. Recently a Green Campus Reference Group was formed to develop ideas for making the University more sustainable. Facilities Management, who are responsible for the planning and operations of buildings and infrastructure, have formed a Climate Change Action Group that is focusing on building design, energy and water management, transport and reducing greenhouse emissions.
With water worries hitting WA the University is aiming to reduce water consumption through a range of measures including using treated wastewater to irrigate shade houses and sporting ovals at Shenton Park.
Twenty one Schools and sections are now participating in the University’s Green Office programme with fifty volunteer Coordinators educating work colleagues on how to make office operations more environmentally friendly.
Over 41 million sheets of paper were used at the University in 2006. In an effort to reduce the amount of paper used the Office of Finance and Resources is aiming to reduce paper consumption by at least 10% and purchase only recycled paper through the “Paper Smart” program.
In the quest to be a zero waste campus Facilities Management has put in place recycling programs for office generated waste, computers, polystyrene, plastics, print cartridges, mobile phones and kitchen organics. Students at UWA have also been busy doing their bit to be sustainable with the UWA Environment Collective starting up their own worm farm for Guild food waste and advocating for better recycling facilities on campus..jpg)
For further information contact Facilities Management Environmental Services www.fm.uwa.edu.au/about/sustainability
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