10x12 Program:
Winter Quarter 2011 News

March 3, 2011

New Department Conservation Coordinators
Attend first 10x12 Planning meeting

Participants from Arntzen Hall, Parks Hall, Biology and Chemistry and the WWU Office of sustainability attended the first "working breakfast" planning meeting of the WWU 10x12 Campus Conservation Program, in the Fairhaven Dining Commons Chart Room. The new Department conservation coordinators learned about the goals of the 10x12, current sustainable practices in university dining, shared ideas with the Office of Sustainability Staff, and enjoyed a full breakfast.

Eight employees have volunteered to serve as Department Conservation Coordinators, and will encourage colleagues in their departments to adopt best practices for energy and water conservation and landfill waste reduction in their buildings.

The goal for WWU 10x12 buildings is to reduce utilities 10% below the baseline average, by the end of 2012. The program is inspired by green office programs at other universities, including the University of British Columbia, and Harvard. Achieving energy reduction goals through personal action is economical, practical, and effective. Bringing big climate goals to the level of personal action helps to foster awareness and creativity for larger-scale solutions.

Actions and best practices of the 10x12 Phase 1 pilot are being developed for participating departments by staff in the Office of Sustainability in collaboration with department Conservation Coordinators, with input from ATUS/ ADMCS, Facilities Energy Management, and the WWU Recycling Center.