Campus Pollution Prevention |
Pollution prevention in higher education is multi-faceted -- campuses are mini-communities subject to the same regulations governing other industries and everyday operations present many opportunities to prevent pollution. Examples are:
- purchasing practices
- construction and maintenance of buildings
- operation of facilities (repair shops, chemistry labs, offices, residence halls, ...)
- energy conservation and transportation
- landscaping and groundskeeping
They also have the opportunity to integrate pollution prevention into the curriculum imparting a mindset students will take into their careers. The campus is also a place where students can affect the policies and governance of the institution through student activism. Campuses are different than small communities in that dramatic changes are possible if the administration is supportive.
The decreased costs and increased efficiencies possible through pollution prevention, make it a desirable alternative for schools who are generally operating under tight budgets. Since pollution prevention is holistic and crosses traditional boundaries of department and governance, the hurdles for adopting a campus pollution prevention program are leadership and organization. These pages offer some resources to help overcome these hurdles.
2002 Survey of Vocational and Technical Colleges
Results of a survey of public, private and non-profit vocational and technical schools in the region. The survey was conducted to assess if and how pollution prevention and regulatory compliance issues are integrated into career training curriculum. We continue to accept survey input; download a pdf version here and fax it to us.
1998 Survey of Campus Pollution Prevention
This survey was conducted as a benchmark of P2 issues in higher education in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. A summary of the survey results is presented here.
Pollution Prevention for Vocational and Agricultural Teaching Labs
Suitable for high school and tech school educators, this resource outlines how to analyze teaching lab wastes and implement a pollution prevention program in the teaching laboratory. It offers a self-audit instrument for instructors and lab managers.
Links to Campus Resources
A collection of links with more detailed information on pollution prevention in higher education including:
- principles involved
- campus operations - programs and tools
- curriculum integration training and examples
- student involvement
- professional organizations
- hard-copy resources