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A Message from President Dennis J. Murray
I am pleased to present this comprehensive report on Marist College's
efforts to make our campus cleaner and more environmentally friendly.
Marist has been a longtime leader in preserving and protecting the
Hudson River Valley, and we are very proud of our commitment to
sustainability. This report outlines the College's significant
environmental accomplishments over the past 11 years and provides ideas
for additional actions that can be taken to protect our planet. I urge
you to pay particular attention to the section on what you as
individuals can do to make a positive impact.
It is important for all organizations to be concerned about our
environment, but colleges and universities must take the lead in
educating people about the issues related to sustainability, as well as
setting an example of environmental stewardship. We must also ensure
that we address issues based on good research and sound science. Marist
is justifiably proud of its record, and I thank you for your support as
we continue our efforts to find sustainable solutions to today's
environmental challenges.
To ensure that Marist is doing everything that it can reasonably do,
in 2007 I established the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee
(CSAC). One of CSAC's first tasks was to review the environmental work
that Marist had previously completed and to suggest items that should be
on our agenda going forward, both at the institutional and individual
levels. The following is a summary of our major initiatives.
Environmentally-Friendly Practices at Marist College
What Marist is already doing
Positive Impact on the Local Environment
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Over the past 25 years, the College has cleaned up more than
five large, contaminated industrial sites near campus and has turned
them into attractive properties.
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The College purchased a 13-acre preserve at the north end of
campus.
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In its Master Plan, Marist has tried to re-orient its campus
toward the Hudson River, emphasizing natural beauty and creating scenic
vistas:
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Marist created Longview Park, which is open to the public and
which has significantly beautified our riverfront. In creating the
park, Marist has stabilized and reclaimed the shoreline, closed the
riverfront septic system, and landscaped with native species.
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The College has created additional green space on campus,
including the main campus green, which used to be a parking lot and the
former site of the maintenance yard. A total of 24 trees have been
planted at this site.
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Marist's Master Plan calls for a campus pedestrian core to
encourage walking and biking.
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Marist has added grass and trees to parking lots throughout
campus.
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The College has a small environmental sciences lab inside the
restored Cornell Boathouse.
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Marist worked with New York State and Dutchess County to turn
the Psychiatric Center's riverfront property into Quiet Cove park. The
Greenway runs from Quiet Cove through the Marist preserve to Longview
Park.
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The College plants approximately 20 trees a year on campus.
Sustainable Operational and Building Practices
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The College has purchased recycling containers (commingle,
paper, newspaper, trash), both indoor and outdoor, throughout campus in
all public areas.
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The Fulton Street townhouses conform with Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) attributes.
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Marist is in complete compliance with the EPA's rules on the
storage and disposal of hazardous materials.
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Marist uses insect-repelling soap instead of insecticide to
control pests in the College's greenhouse.
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The College has had an ongoing recycling program for more than a
decade.
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Marist uses T8 and T5 lower-wattage, longer-life light bulbs.
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Marist uses green-certified cleaning products comprehensively.
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There are motion detectors/light sensors located at the Library
and Fontaine Hall.
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In fall 2006, the College purchased a hydraulic compressor for
cans and plastic to increase its capacity for the collection of
recyclables, and in fall 2007, it began composting food waste at the
Dining Hall.
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Marist bought a hydraulic compressor for cans and plastic.
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Where possible, the College uses low-VOC paints/glues and
recycled carpets/ceiling tiles.
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At the end of the school year, the College collects some used
furniture and carpets, as well as food and appliances, from within the
residence areas and donates these to charity.
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There is a printer cartridge collection/recycling program
through Information Technology.
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The College uses high-efficiency washers and natural gas dryers,
saving energy and almost two million gallons of water per year.
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It is Marist's general policy to buy Energy Star appliances for
residential housing units.
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Marist uses doubled-sided printers in the Donnelly computer lab.
(The College has also put one in the Library reference section.)
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Physical plant staff are responsible for the collection of
garbage and recyclables from campus residence areas and academic
buildings and are trained to follow appropriate collection and recycling
procedures.
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When the College does demolitions, everything is recycled
(concrete, bricks, etc.).
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Over the 2007-08 winter break, all cleaning was done during the
first shift in order to save on lighting.
Advocacy/Communication
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The Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC) was
appointed by President Murray to provide broad policy advice to the
administration and to the Board of Trustees' Buildings & Grounds
committee.
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Marist is a charter institutional member of the Hudson Valley
Environmental Consortium.
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The Building & Grounds Committee approved $50,000 to support
sustainability initiatives such as the purchase of recycling containers.
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Marist has a recycling website (http://www.marist.edu/studentlife/recycle/).
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The Marist Environmental History Project (MEHP) is dedicated to
identifying, promoting, and preserving historically significant
materials concerning the Scenic Hudson decision in our Library archives.
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Student clubs and organizations participate in Scenic Hudson's
yearly Great River Sweep clean-up event.
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Once a semester, Marist sponsors a Dumpster Dive, which takes a
sampling of garbage to measure how our recycling program is working.
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On January 31, 2008, Marist partnered with the national .Focus
the Nation. effort to present a College-sponsored, all-day seminar on
climate impact (http://www.focusthenation.org).
Professional Affiliations
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Marist is a charter institutional member of the Hudson Valley
Environmental Consortium.
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Marist is a member of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, which
runs through the Marist campus. President Murray is also a member of
the Greenway Board.
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The College is a member of the Association for the Advancement
of Sustainability in Higher Education (http://www.aashe.org).
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The College is a member of the Society for College and
University Planning's (SCUP) and participated in their Campus
Sustainability Day on October 24, 2007 (http://www.scup.org/csd/5/index.html).
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Marist is a longtime supporter of Scenic Hudson, which was
founded by the late environmentalist Frances Reese. Franny was a Marist
Trustee for many years, and her son Alex (also a Marist Trustee)
continues her work.
Ideas for what else Marist can do
Education/Communication
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Encourage faculty to secure research grants for environmental
projects.
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Incorporate sustainability into the core curriculum.
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Encourage student CURSCA research projects to focus on
environmental themes and highlight those that do.
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Continue to offer discussions, teach-ins, films, and hands-on
activities to raise awareness of climate change issues.
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Develop a faculty workshop on sustainability and how to
incorporate the theme into curricula.
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Reach out to college community about sustainability efforts.
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Start a student residence recycling competition.
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Educate and encourage students, faculty, and staff to reduce,
re-use, and recycle.
Additional Sustainable Operational and Building Practices
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Use alternative energy sources.
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Consider buying hybrid vehicles for the campus fleet.
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Install more bicycle racks to encourage people not to drive to
campus.
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Develop a campus purchasing policy so that vendors who deliver
goods to campus pick up and recycle their product packaging (such as
cardboard).
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Install energy misers for campus vending machines.
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Continue to install water-saving devices (shower, toilet, etc.)
in ongoing campus renovations and new campus facilities.
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Install water filters and corresponding signage for campus
drinking water fountains to encourage people to fill their water
bottles.
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Install doubled-sided printers in the Library and campus labs
and program all campus computers and printers to .stand-by. mode when
not in use.
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Use native, low-maintenance plantings wherever possible.
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Install separate metering in buildings wherever possible in
order to measure usage.
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Install motion sensors for lights in offices and other campus
locations where practical.
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Develop a collection program for recycling electronic
equipment/devices/appliances.
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Develop a Campus Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund to finance
sustainability projects such as energy efficiency upgrades and renewable
energy.
Advocacy/Memberships
Ideas for what individuals can do at home and on campus*
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Turn off lights when you're not using them.
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If you typically leave your computer on all of the time, sign up
for World Community Grid.
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Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with compact
fluorescent light bulbs.
- Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer.
- Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.
- Install a programmable thermostat.
- Choose energy-efficient appliances when making new purchases.
- Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket.
- Use less hot water.
- Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible.
- Turn off electronic devices you're not using.
- Unplug electronics from the wall when you're not using them.
- Only run your dishwasher when there's a full load and use the energy-saving setting.
- Insulate and weatherize your home.
- Be sure you're recycling at home.
- Buy recycled paper products.
- Plant a tree.
- Get a home energy audit.
- Switch to green power.
- Buy locally grown and produced foods.
- Buy fresh foods instead of frozen.
- Seek out and support local farmers markets.
- Buy organic foods as much as possible.
- Avoid heavily packaged products.
- Eat less meat.
- Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible.
- Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates.
- Keep your car tuned up.
- Check your tires weekly to make sure they're properly inflated.
- When it's time for a new car, choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
- Live closer to work so you don't drive as much.
- Take mass transit.
- Fly less.
* More details on these ideas at
http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/