Residence Life is proud of its efforts to be a sustainable housing operation. Our goals are both to reduce our environmental impact and to educate students.
Residence hall and apartment custodial staff uses “Green Seal Certified” cleaning products wherever possible for all custodial cleaning tasks. Most custodial equipment is also green, such as floor scrubbing and window washing equipment that utilizes water electrolysis technology. Water electrolysis uses zero chemicals to clean, which means the use of up to 47 common general purpose, hard surface, glass and carpet cleaning chemicals was eliminated.
Western View Apartments are LEED certified. All possible light bulbs in campus housing are low-energy use bulbs. Occupancy sensors are installed in some common areas, and plans to install more are set. Entrance mats to buildings are made out of 100% post-consumer polyester fiber from drinking bottles and 15% post-consumer recycled rubber reclaimed from tires.
Ecothon is a month-long competition among the residence halls focusing on sustainability awareness, active recycling and energy reduction (electricity). Four weighted factors – energy reduction, recycling collections, staff programming, and hall government involvement – determine an overall campus winner. The hall winning Ecothon receives $500 to do a sustainability project in the hall such as a hydration station for water bottles or motion-sensor lights, has a tree planted by the building, and receives $300 to have a hall celebration. Main Campus and Valley winners are also recognized for the energy reduction, recycling and staff programming categories.
Ecothon is a collaboration with Facilities Management and the Office for Sustainability.
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Ecothon |
Energy Reduction Category Winners |
Recycling Category Winners |
Staff Programming Category Winners |
Notables |
Spring 2012 |
Henry Hall |
Henry Hall |
Bigelow Hall |
French |
Recycled 6,514 lbs |
Spring 2011 |
Draper/Siedschlag |
Davis Hall |
Hoekje Hall |
Davis Hall |
Recycled 2,579 lbs |
Fall 2011 |
Davis Hall |
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Spring 2010 |
Valley II |
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All students are provided a recycling container in their room. Larger bins for paper, plastic, glass and Styrofoam are in hall lobbies, and recycling dumpsters for paper, plastic and glass are strategically placed around the residence halls. During residence hall move-in, there is a cardboard and Styrofoam capture program that recycles several tons of material in August and September.
Replaced furniture is repurposed by offering it to local charities and organizations. Bed frames are recycled, resulting in cash flow for future projects vs. an expense for their disposal. Bed mattresses are also recycled instead of going to the landfill.
During residence hall move out, students can bring down gently used items to donate to the Deacons Conference. Items accepted include clothes, books, household items, furniture and appliances. The Deacons Conference then distributes the donations to families and individuals in need within the Kalamazoo area. Trash to Treasures not only lets Western students impact their community, but it also reduces the volume of usable but unwanted items going to the landfill.
