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Financial Resources

Wind Energy at Union

In 2007, Student Forum worked with President Ainlay to finance the purchase of wind power. The college now supplies 15 percent of its energy from wind, helping to decrease its carbon dioxide emissions as part of the ACUPCC. In this way, wind has become part of our energy and financial portfolio.

Paper Circulation

Union College recently worked with vendors to reduce the price of recycled paper (30% post consumer fibers). Recycled paper is now very competitive with non-recycled paper and is available for purchase by all departments. This paper has been successfully tested with the new copiers on campus, without any problems.

New copiers on campus are being enabled with .pdf scanning and e-mail capabilities to help decrease interdepartmental faxing and unnecessary faxing. These printers can also easily make double-sided copies to help reduce the number of pages used.

Union College Bookstore

The Union College Bookstore is making efforts to be more sustainable in various areas of its business practices. In its stationery and supplies department, new offerings include recycled pens, notebooks, and other paper products. Printer paper sold has 30% recycled content and soon 100% recycled content will be available. The selection of CFL bulbs and rechargeable batteries is being reviewed and expanded. The Bookstore is also a drop site for used toner cartridges, ensuring cartridges get recycled.

The Convenience Store recently introduced a degradable bag to replace the plastic ones that had been in use. Even better, the degradable bag is produced locally. The c-store staff always offers the customer the option of not taking a bag. A recycled, reusable canvas bag is also available for sale as another option.

More green, organic, and fair trade products are being introduced into the Store’s offering on an increasing basis. Some of the more popular lines currently carried include Burt’s Bees, Kiss My Face, and Moosewood frozen entrees.
 
 
 
 

 

U Sustain seeks to promote sustainability initiatives and educate the campus community about ways to live, work, and enjoy Union in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable ways possible.

 

Academics
In an age of pressing environmental concerns, the government, businesses, and universities need graduates that understand basic environmental concerns and solutions. By incorporating environmental and sustainability education, we empower our students to participate in and strengthen our changing society.

Recycling
Everything we purchase, use, throw away, or recycle has an impact. U Sustain seeks to help you diminish or eliminate that impact as much as possible through recycling, reduction, and reuse.

Energy
Energy is an important component of sustainability and encompasses the electricity that keeps the lights on and the gas that keeps us warm in the blustery Schenectady winter. Knowledge about reducing our energy, and, in turn, our carbon footprint, can enable us all to make a difference.

Food
One way we can all make a difference is by being conscious of what we eat and how we eat it. U Sustain seeks to help us all lower our environmental impact by eating local and organic, buying fair trade, using less packaging, and making vegetarian options appealing.

Financial Resources
Union College is a large economic power - what the college invests in and purchases can make an important statement. U Sustain strives to help the college make the best economic statements possible.

Transportation
Union is a residential, walkable campus, but U Sustain is working on ways to help you get around Union and the greater Schenectady area comfortably, while keeping the environment in mind.