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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Doug Bennett
Title: President
Date survey submitted:
ADMINISTRATION
SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES
1) Does your school have its own formal sustainability policy?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available: http://www.earlham.edu/environment/
2) Has the president of your institution signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)?
[ X ] No Our student-faculty-staff Environmental Responsibility Committee studied the ACUPCC and made the following recommendation, which the President accepted:
“We think the commitment should be more clearly defined, in terms of the meaning of "climate neutrality," before we sign on. We strongly believe that Earlham should be working towards these goals of greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability--as we currently are, in making progress in environmental practices--but that a commitment of this scope, combining great specificity with a vaguely defined bottom line, would not be a good idea at this time. We can, however, use the commitment to guide some of the steps we take in the future. As the exact nature of the commitment and its costs to the college become better defined, we hope it could become possible for Earlham to sign on to this or some other similar commitment in the future.”
[ ] Yes. If completed, please provide the date the GHG Report was submitted to the ACUPCC:
3) Has your institution signed the Talloires Declaration?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes
4) Is there a sustainability component in your institution's master plan and/or strategic plan (check all that apply)?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes, in the master plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available: http://www.earlham.edu/%7epres/content/masterplan.html
[ X ] Yes, in the strategic plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available: http://www.earlham.edu/planning/protect/finalreport.pdf
ADVISORY COUNCIL
5) Does your school have a council or committee that advises on and/or implements policies and programs related to sustainability?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes
If you answered "No" to question 5, please proceed directly to question 11.
6) Please provide the name of the committee and list the number of meetings held since August 2008.
Name: Environmental Responsibility Committee
Number of meetings: 20
7) Please provide number of stakeholder representatives on the committee.
[# 2 ] Administrators
[# 2 ] Faculty
[# 2] Staff
[# 3] Students
[# 1 ] Other. Please describe: Director of Facilities , ex-officio member
8) Please provide the name of the chair(s) of the committee for the 2009-2010 academic year, and indicate which stakeholder group the chair(s) represents.
If 2009-2010 academic year information is not yet available, please provide information for 2008-2009 instead.
Name of chair(s): Mic Jackson, Professor of Mathematics, is the convenor of the committee. In our Quaker governance model, Committee Convenors are guide a consensus process where all voices have equal weight.
Position(s) (e.g., administrator, faculty, staff, student): Teaching Faculty. [Note: under Quaker Governance, we are uncomfortable with the idea of “stakeholders.” We believe all participants should bring a concern for the whole college to governance, not a concern for their “stake.”]
9) To whom does the committee report (e.g., president, vice president)? The Committee was created by the Faculty and charged to provide advice and guidance to the Director of Facilities (our chief environmental officer), to the V.P. for Finance, to the President and to the Faculty.
10) Please list key issues/programs that the committee has addressed or implemented since August 2008.
Key issues/programs that the group has addressed/implemented since August 2008:
Progress made on each of these issues since August 2008: Evaluated the President's Climate Commitment, Started Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb promotional campaign, complete implementation of Earlham Energy Awareness Program, implemented annual All Student Meeting focused on environmental communication, developed "Green EC" flier to be distributed at New Student Orientation, developed campus-wide campaign for better temperature management in all buildings.
SUSTAINABILITY STAFF
11) Does your school employ sustainability staff (excluding student employees and interns)?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please provide titles and number of sustainability staff .With a student body of around 1,200 Earlham is a small institution. The Director of Facilities position description states that s/he is to "provide leadership in making Earlham an environmentally responsible institution." Moreover, our community "Principles and Practices" asks all members of the Earlham community to strive towards being environmentally responsible.
[# ] Number of full-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [ ]
[# .25 ] Number of part-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [ Director of Facilities ]
12) Does the head of the sustainability staff report directly to the president or another high-level administrator (e.g., vice president, vice chancellor)?
[ ] N/A
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: VP of Finance
OFFICE OR DEPARTMENT
13) Does your school have an office or department specifically dedicated to furthering sustainability on campus?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe (including name of office or department and year created): The Director of Facilities is specifically charged to provide leadership in environmental responsibility matters. We expect environmental responsibility to be integral to the overall operations of the college.
WEBSITE
14) Does your school have a website detailing its sustainability initiatives?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please provide URL: http://www.earlham.edu/environment
GREEN PURCHASING
15) Does your school have a formal green purchasing policy?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to full policy, if available:
Earlham's purchasing is decentralized. Specific departments and offices, such as Chemistry, Maintenance, Security and others have their own green purchasing policies.
16) Does your school purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products?
[ ] No
[ X] Some. Please describe: copiers, computing equipment
[ ] All
17) Does your school purchase environmentally preferable paper products (e.g., 100 percent post-consumer recycled content, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council)?
[ ] No
[ X] Some. Please describe: All copies use 30% recycled paper
[ ] All. Please describe:
18) Does your school purchase Green Seal, Environmental Choice certified, or biorenewable cleaning products?
[ ] No
[ X] Some. Please describe: most cleaning supplies.
[ ] All. Please describe:
19) Are your school's computer/electronics purchase decisions made in accordance with standards such as the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ X] All
20) Does your school use only pesticides that meet the standards for organic crop production set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Canadian Organic Standards (excluding on-campus farms)?
[ ] No
[ X] Some. Please describe: Earlham uses the chemicals that will have the least detrimental impact on the lawn.
[ ] All
CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY
21) Has your school completed a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory?
Please check all that apply.
[ X ] No.
[ ] In progress. Please describe status and provide estimated completion date:
[ ] Yes. Please provide total annual GHG emissions (in metric tons of CO2e). Also, include the start date for each year as well as the URL to each inventory, if available online, or attach the document.
2008:
2007:
2006:
2005:
COMMITMENT TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION
The purchase of carbon offsets does not count toward greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions for this indicator. They are counted in a subsequent indicator.
22) Has your school made a commitment to reducing GHG emissions by a specific amount?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details.
Reduction level:
Baseline year:
Target date:
If you answered only "No" or "In progress" to question 21, please now skip to question 27.
REALIZED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
23) Has your school achieved a reduction in GHG emissions?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details.
Percentage reduced:
Baseline year:
Date achieved:
24) Please provide the total heating and cooling degree days averaged over the past three years.
Data on total degree heating and cooling days is available at: http://www.degreedays.net/. This information will be used to help reduce bias between schools in different climates.
Cooling degree days average over the past three years:
Heating degree days average over the past three years:
25) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-thousand-square-foot basis for the past three years.
Per-Thousand-Square-Foot Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total maintained building space in thousands of square feet.
2008:
2007:
2006:
26) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-full-time-student basis for the past three years.
Per-Student Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total number of full-time enrolled students.
2008:
2007:
2006:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
27) What programs or technologies has your school implemented to improve energy efficiency (e.g., cogeneration plant, retrocommissioning of HVAC systems, performing system tune-ups, temperature setbacks)?
Retro-commissioned HVAC systems, twice annual performing system tune up, temperature setbacks
ENERGY CONSERVATION
28) Do you facilitate programs that encourage members of the campus community to reduce energy use (e.g., cash incentives, signs reminding individuals to turn off lights and appliances)?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe: Earlham Energy Awareness Program - student houses have the opportunity to earn cash by cutting back in utilities consumption.
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION
29) Does your school generate renewable electricity?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please specify percentage of overall electricity generated from each of the following sources and describe details below.
[ %] B100 biodiesel
[ %] Clean biomass
[ %] Concentrating solar power (CSP)
[ %] Geothermal
[ %] Low-impact hydropower
[ < 1%] Solar photovoltaics
[ %] Wind
[ %] Other
Description:
30) Does your school have solar hot water systems?
[X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please specify number of systems and total BTUs generated annually, if available:
RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASE
31) Has your school purchased electric energy from renewable sources or renewable energy credits (RECs)?
RECs and electricity from renewable sources must be Green-e certified or meet the requirements of the Green-e standard.
[ X] No - We have no options for purchasing.
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Date of most recent contract:
Quantity (kWh):
Percentage of your total electric energy use that it represents:
32) Has your school purchased non-electric energy from renewable sources?
[X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Date of most recent contract:
Quantity (BTUs):
Percentage of your total non-electric energy use that it represents:
ON-SITE COMBUSTION
33) Please provide total BTUs of energy for heating and cooling from on-site combustion:
59,143 million
34) Please list each fuel source (e.g., coal, natural gas, oil) and the percent of overall BTUs derived from that source:
100% Natural Gas
35) Is any on-site combustion for heating and cooling derived from renewable sources?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Percentage on-site combustion derived from renewable sources: [ %]
Total BTUs of energy generated from renewable sources: [# ]
Description of renewable energy sources used for on-site combustion for heating and cooling:
FOOD & RECYCLING
The food portion of this category is covered in a separate dining survey.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
36) Please indicate which traditional materials your institution recycles (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ X] Aluminum
[X ] Cardboard
[ X] Glass
[ X ] Paper
[ X] Plastics (all)
[ ] Plastics (some)
[ X] Other. Please list: industrial metal
37) Diversion rate: [ 35%]
RECYCLING OF ELECTRONIC WASTE
38) Does your institution have an electronics recycling program?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. If available, please indicate the total annual weight or volume of each material collected for recycling or reuse.
[ X] Batteries
[ X] Cell phones
[ X] Computers
[ X] Lightbulbs
[ X] Printer cartridges
[ X] Other E-waste. Please list:
In October the College and the community recycled 57,364 lbs of various electronic equipment
COMPOSTING (ASIDE FROM DINING FACILITIES)
39) What percentage of your campus's landscaping waste is composted or mulched?
[ 100%]
We are one of only two colleges in Indiana approved by Indiana Department of Energy Management as a yard waste disposal site, allowing us to convert yard waste into mulch.
40) Do you provide composting receptacles around campus in locations other than dining halls (e.g., in residence halls, offices, academic buildings)?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: All campus houses (30) have compositing receptacles.
SOURCE REDUCTION
41) Do you have any source-reduction initiatives (e.g., end-of-semester furniture or clothing swaps and collections)?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Earlham Yard Sale
GREEN BUILDING
GREEN BUILDING POLICY
42) Does your school have a formal green building policy?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to the full policy, if available:
GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS
43) Please indicate LEED-certified buildings.
[# O ] Total number of LEED-certified buildings.
[ sq ft] Certified-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Silver-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Gold-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Platinum-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
44) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED certification criteria but are not certified.
[# 1 ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED criteria
[ sq ft] Certified-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ 57,600 sq ft] Silver-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names: Mills Hall
[ sq ft] Gold-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Platinum-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
45) Please indicate buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# O ] Total number of ENERGY STAR buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
RENOVATIONS AND RETROFITS
46) Please indicate LEED-EB certified buildings.
[# 0 ] Total number of LEED-EB certified buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
47) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED-EB certification criteria but are not certified.
[# 3 ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED-EB criteria but are not certified. Please list building names: Earlham Hall, Olvey-Andis Hall, Barrett Hall.
[ 143,000 sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
48) Please indicate renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# 0] Total number of renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
49) What energy-efficiency technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., HVAC systems, motion sensors, ambient light sensors, T5 lighting, LED lighting, timers, laundry technology)?
HVAC systems
motion sensors
ambient light sensors
T5 lighting
LED lighting
Timers
Laundry Technology
Energy Recover Unit in Earlham Hall
50) What water-conservation technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., low-flow faucets, low-flow showerheads, waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, gray water systems, laundry technology)?
Low-flow faucets
low-flow showerheads
waterless urinals
51) What percentage of your institution's non-hazardous construction and demolition waste is diverted from landfills?
[ %]
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES
52) Are there any sustainability-themed residential communities or housing options at your school?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please provide details below.
Name of program: Gurney House, Miller Farm
Type of community (e.g., hall, building, house): Both houses, one is small farm
Number of students involved: 6 and 10
Additional details:
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
53) Does a portion of your new student orientation specifically cover sustainability?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe how sustainability is incorporated (e.g., information sessions, green tour): Green Team hands our compact fluorescent light bulbs to new students (for desk lamps) and EC Green Flyers.
INTERNSHIPS/OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
54) Does your school offer on-campus office-based sustainability internships or jobs for students?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please provide number of students and average number of hours worked weekly per student:
[# 4 ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student: 10
[# ] Unpaid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
55) Does your school have residence hall Eco-Reps or other similar programs to promote behavioral change on campus?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please provide details below, and indicate URL if available:
[# ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Positions that award academic credit. Average hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Uncompensated positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
56) Does your school have active student-run organizations devoted to sustainability efforts on campus?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please provide total number of active organizations, names of organizations, a brief description of each, and URLs, if available:
Earlham Environmental Action Coalition - Founded on the believe that responsiblity towards our surroundings begins with individual action, the Earlham Environmental Action Coalition networks with national and local environmental groups and writes letters to raise awareness of national legislation. We also work with the College to reduce waste, recycle, and use recycled products.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
57) Does your school organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for all competitions.
Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
TRANSPORTATION
CAMPUS MOTOR FLEET
58) How many vehicles are in your institution's fleet?
[# 25]
59) Please list the number of alternative-fuel vehicles in each class.
[# 3 ] Hybrid. Please list makes and models: 1 Toyota Highlander, 2 Honda Civic Hybrids
[# ] Electric. Please describe type of vehicles:
[# ] Biodiesel. Please describe type of vehicles and list biodiesel blend(s) used:
[# ] Other. Please describe:
60) What is the average GHG emission rate per passenger mile of your institution's motorized fleet?
[# ] pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per passenger mile traveled.
Our fleet has Vehicle Environmental Guidelines http://www.earlham.edu/security/content/vehicle-environmental.html
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES
61) Does your school offer incentives for carpooling?
[ X ] N/A. Please explain: 95% of Earlham's students live on-campus. Everything is within a 5 minute walk.
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe details of the program including the type of the incentive and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students):
62) Does your school offer public transportation subsidies?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe the program including the size of the discount (as a percent of full price) and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students): Students can get a 25% discount on local bus system, and we recently added an additional bus stop on campus.
63) Does your school provide free transportation around campus?
[ X] N/A. Please explain: Again, everything is within a 5 minute walk.
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
64) Does your school operate a free transportation shuttle to local off-campus destinations?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Friday and Saturday night students can sign up for a shuttle that will go to any destination of their choice in town.
BICYCLE PROGRAM
65) Does your school offer a bicycle-sharing/rental program or bicycle repair services?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please provide details below.
Year created: 2007
Number of bikes available:
Fees for participation: none
Repair services provided: Students and Faculty can take their bike to the Bike Co-Op and for no fee will be able to learn how to repair their bike. For a small donation someone will fix if for them. There is also a brand new Bicycle sharing program.
CAR-SHARING PROGRAM
66) Does your school partner with a car-sharing program?
[X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Year created:
Total number of vehicles:
Number of hybrid vehicles:
Fee for membership:
PLANNING
67) Does your school have policies that support a pedestrian-friendly or bike-friendly campus (e.g., in the school's master plan, a policy prohibiting vehicles from the center of campus)?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe: Our master plan, see link above, intentionally routes all traffic to the outside areas of campus.
68) What percentage of individuals commute to campus via environmentally preferable transportation (e.g., walking, bicycling, carpooling, using public transit)?
[ 96%]
STATISTICS
69) Campus setting:
[X] Rural
[ ] Suburban
[ ] Urban
[ ] Other. Please describe:
70) Total number of buildings: [# 82 ]
71) Combined gross square footage of all buildings: [# 880,000 ]
72) Full-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# 1184 undergrad, 25 grad ]
73) Part-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# 28 (16 seeking degree) ]
74) Part-time enrollment as a proportion to a full-time course load: [# 28 /15 ]
75) Percent of full-time students that live on campus: [ 95%]
Questions 76-87 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
OTHER AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Please mark an "X" next to each item that applies to your institution.
76) Outdoors club: [ X]
77) Disposable water bottle ban: [ ]
78) Participation in Recyclemania: [ ]
79) Student trustee position: [ ]
80) Environmental science/studies major: [ ]
81) Environmental science/studies minor or concentration: [ X]
82) Graduate-level environmental program: [ ] n/a - only one graduate program
83) Student green fee: [ ]
84) Alumni green fund: [ ]
85) Revolving loan fund for sustainability projects: [ ]
86) Campus garden or farm: [ X ]
87) Single-stream recycling: [ X] we are single stream as the City of Richmond permits
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