May 14th, 2009

Water:
• Set water heater no higher than 120°.
• Take shorter showers.
• Shut off water when shaving, brushing teeth, washing, and doing dishes.
• Wash only full loads in dishwasher.
• Use cold water when running garbage disposal.

Refrigerator:
• Clean condenser coils, drains, and toe grill twice a year.
• Never let more than ¼” of ice accumulate in your freezer.
• Make sure door gaskets seal tightly and are clean.
• Cool hot food for 20 minutes before storing in your refrigerator.
• Try to keep freezer full – use a bag of ice to fill large spaces.

Cooking:
• Cook oven items simultaneously when possible.
• Leave oven door closed as much as possible.
• Use self-cleaning feature after you cook while oven is hot.
• Match pan size to burner size and use tight-fitting lids.
• Don’t preheat oven for longer than needed.

Laundry:
• Wait for a full load to use washer and dryer (don’t overload).
• Wash and rinse with cold whenever possible.
• Fold or hang clothes while they are still warm to avoid ironing.
• Dry consecutive loads – a warm dryer shortens drying time.
• Keep lint screens clean.

Lighting:
• Turn off lights when you leave a room.
• Clean fixtures, lamps, and shades for better light output.
• Leave outside lights off unless needed.
• For three-way bulbs, use the lowest setting needed for activity.
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs whenever possible.

Heating:
• Don’t block thermostats.
• Close drapes and shades at night, open only south-facing drapes during the day.
• Keep windows and doors closed – close doors to rooms not being used.
• Use a humidifier – moist air holds more heat.
• Close attic, garage, and basement doors.

Send your energy saving tips to the Econotes team.
* Energy tips compiled from PSNH website

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From Antje Hornbeck, Sustainability Council: The Keene State Campus is a starting point for many good walking/jogging loops. Four “easily-done-in-a-lunchtime” options, between 1.5 and 2.9 miles long, are outlined on this trail map. Detailed color maps are available at the Recreation Center.

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From the Campus Sustainability Council: Confidential data destruction bins are available from the Recycling Office. Many are already located in your building’s recycling area, and mini locked containers are also available. It is an easy, quick, and safe way to manage your confidential data — no more standing over a hot shredder slowly feeding paper in piece by piece!

Please try to limit materials to confidential data only. It may not always be convenient to find another recycling container, but the minimum charge for a container to be shredded is $35. The less non-confidential material we put in, the better our bottom line. In addition, please try to avoid putting in rubber-band wrapped papers, large metal clips, or plastic of any kind — including folder covers. Paper only, please! Staples and small amounts of paper clips are fine. This material is dumped directly from the bin into a huge shredder. The undesirable materials damage the equipment, but also the recycling value of the shredded paper is severely diminished if plastic gets in the mix. For more information, contact R.O.C.K.S. at 8-2567.

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From the Campus Sustainability Council: Over the holiday break, please shut down any computers, printers, speakers, copiers, and other electronic equipment in your office, work area, and in computer labs you oversee. Make sure to shut your monitor off completely — energy is used even in sleep mode. Learn more about energy use and campus computers here. Shut off lights in offices, classrooms, and work or common areas. If you have control over your heat, please consider lowering the temperature to 60 degrees.

Here are some tips for a “green” holiday season. Thank you, and best wishes for a wonderful and safe holiday break.

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From the Sustainability Council’s ECO-NOTES Team: Precycling is defined as a reduction in the amount of materials consumed in an effort to decrease the amount of materials requiring recycling or disposal. By precycling, you can reduce waste by not buying something that will generate heaps of waste. Here are a few precycling suggestions to think about when shopping:

1. Buy Items You Need and Will Use: Buying items you will use saves money and keeps clutter to a minimum. Ask yourself, “Do I really need this?”
2. Select Products Carefully: When choosing products, consider the environmental impact of your purchase. Is it safe for the environment and your loved ones? Does it have special storage and disposal needs? Is there a nontoxic alternative product available? Is the product/packaging made of recycled/recyclable materials?
3. Buy Locally, Think Globally: Buying locally reduces waste generated through transportation — including air and water pollution — and also supports the community. Purchasing local food from a farmer’s market or local producer allows you to enjoy fresh food that is not heavily packaged.
4. Consider Products with Reduced or Zero Packaging: Packaging makes up more than 35% of our waste stream. If packaging can’t be avoided, choose products that have packaging made of recycled and recyclable materials. Buying in bulk and reusing shopping bags will reduce your packaging load. Canvas bags last a long time and endure the weight of groceries much better than paper or plastic. Don’t take a bag when you have single items.
5. Avoid Plastic: A recycle symbol on plastic items and packages does not always mean an item is recyclable. The chasing arrows symbol has been taken over by the plastics industry, allowing them to look environmentally friendly without having to actually change their practices.
6. Avoid Disposables: Don’t buy products manufactured for automatic disposal. Buy items that are designed for reuse or things that can be repaired. For example, using a refillable mug eliminates the need for disposable cups and often gets you a discount on your beverage.
7. Reuse Items or Donate Them: When items are no longer useful to you, donate them to charity. You save landfill space, get a tax credit, and help someone else out!
8. Compost: Feed your garden and it will feed you. Kitchen scraps like vegetable and fruit peels provide nourishment for your garden. Composting is easy! Check R.O.C.K.S. for more information.
9. Take the Time to Give Feedback: Take a minute to talk to a store manager about a product or packaging preference. Patronize businesses that offer low-impact products and packaging. Write manufacturers with feedback on improving their product’s impact on the waste stream and environment. Contact your legislators to encourage legislation that supports these practices.
10. Teach Your Children: Children are consumers of the present and the future. By teaching children to precycle, you help them take responsibility for their impact, reduce the strain on your budget, and make them better citizens of the planet. For more information on Greening Your Holiday: www.keene.edu/sustain/gg_holiday.cfm.

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Here’s a simple way to make your Thanksgiving greener — and tastier! Consider buying a locally sourced turkey. Local birds don’t have to travel as far, so they don’t eat up transportation costs or require refrigerated trucks for transport. They usually are not frozen, which means they taste much better.

Locally grown root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash, are also still available. Remember that, in general, the greener the tastier! Send any questions or comments to econotes@keene.edu.

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From Mary Jensen, Campus Sustainability and Recycling: The Source to Sea Clean Up is scheduled for this Saturday, October 4, from 9 a.m. to noon. KSC members will meet at 9 a.m. by the Joyce Athletic Field Bridge near the Whitcomb Building.

For many years, campus community members have partnered to clean the Ashuelot River from the trestle bridge to the athletic fields. There were enough volunteers last year to also clean part of Beaver Brook. It would be great to have as many people help out as possible. Please encourage all of your organizations and friends to participate! For more information, visit the Conneciticut River Watershed Council website.

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The mission of ROCKS is to educate the community about solid waste issues, promote environmental awareness and economic growth through recycling, and achieve diversion rates set by government through reduction, reuse, and recycling. During the past fiscal year, ROCKS (among many more initiatives) has:

• recycled 232 tons of waste
• worked with salvage and surplus contractors for building, metals, and durable goods
• continued Blue Recycling Bag program in residence halls
• updated and expanded Ink jet cartridge, cell phone, and battery recycling program
• initiated new recycling/waste management procedures in Science Center
• participated in the annual 10-week RecycleMania Competition.

The goals for the coming year include reducing waste at the Dining Commons and better management of general campus construction waste, increasing the recycling rate, and attempting to quantify surplus and salvage weights. If you have questions, please e-mail Mary Jensen at mjensen@keene.edu.

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