In the past two meetings we have been talking about the huge issue of waste. We discussed a range of topics from paper usage to recycling, bottled water to furniture. As a university we create a massive amount of waste which we need to be aiming to reduce, re-use or recycle.
As part of this project a letter has been written to the vice-chancellor proposing these three simple ideas to reduce how much paper is wasted every year:
1. Cover sheets – do away with the coversheet that students receive every time they print something as this would save 1000s of sheets of paper every year.
2. Double sided printing – ensuring all printers can print double sided and are defaulted to do so
3. Recycled paper – to have only recycled paper in printers across the university
Other proposals currently being investigated are increasing the recycling bins on campus and getting a rocket composter for all cafeteria food.
Posted by Sophie Leigh on December 22, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Hi all,
Please see the response to E4SL’s letter to the VC regarding reduction in paper usage at MMU-
E4SL
I am writing on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Brooks, to acknowledge the
letter recently sent to him by the E4SL Forum regarding the amount of waste generated by
MMU and how this could be reduced.
The letter specifically refers to the amount of paper waste generated by students and
staff across the University. This is an area of considerable concern for the Vice
Chancellor and one where he has specifically tasked me as Director of Services to tackle.
I would like you to make the members of ES4L aware that Paper and Card Waste is one of the
specific metrics we have developed to monitor the impact of the Environmental
Sustainability Strategy on which we will be reporting for the first time in January 2010
to the Directorate and the Board of Governors.
I think ES4L members will be aware that MMU has recently made a very key appointment to
help us make real progress in the area of waste management. The decision to invest in
appointing a Waste & Recycling Manager at a time of considerable financial constraints on
the funding of services was taken very carefully by the University Executive. I have
charged Amanda Norris who took up the role in August this year with the task of leading a
small project group to take forward recommendations from a recent Internal Audit on paper
usage. Amanda is working with a range of staff across SAS and the Services Group to take
this work forward. She is looking specifically at the issues raised in the letter from
ES4L to the Vice Chancellor ie duplex printing and coversheets for student work. We will
also seek to standardise on recycled paper procurement where possible across the
University.
I hope this information will give assurance to members of ES4L that MMU is fully
committed to reducing waste generation and to stimulate and support reuse and recycling of
resources across the full breadth of MMU activities. The Vice Chancellor has asked me to
thank the group for bringing their concerns, which he very much shares, to his attention.
regards
Mary
Mary Heaney
Director of Services