Green Team
Wesleyan's Green Team researches, communicates, and implements effective strategies that increase sustainability within departments and the University. We are currently focusing on four broad goals:
- Our offices make sustainable purchases
- We reduce energy waste in our departments
- We shift the culture in our areas/departments to be sustainable
- Our departments manage waste sustainably
Check out the Green Office Certification program to get your office recognized for its efforts!
Green Tips
- Reduce paper use
Using paper causes carbon emissions, pollution, and depletion of natural resources.
- Print double sided whenever possible.
- Save single sided waste paper and make it accessible for informal printing and reuse.
- Use and teach others to use Dropbox and other cloud-based platforms for file storing and sharing. Google Drive and Microsoft Teams/SharePoint are effective for active working files.
- Cut waste paper into quarters and replace post-its.
- Post this Printer Tip Sheet in your office.
- Advise individuals to print hard copies as needed rather than utilizing batch printing.
- Reduce plastic use
Producing plastic consumes high amounts of fossil fuels, burns fuel and causes pollution when recycled, and ends up out in the environment, harming plants, animals, and water resources.
- Don't serve single serve beverages at events. Use tap water served in large containers when possible, buy large containers for other beverages, and buy aluminum cans if necessary with recycling available.
- Encourage bring your own (BYO) mugs/cups, plates, bowls, and utensils at all events; try a BYO printable for your office.
- Provide compostable single-use containers and utensils instead of plastic or styrofoam.
- Reduce energy consumption
- Shut off the lights in any unused rooms (including those on sensors).
- Use layers of clothing, warm/cold beverages, and other personal comfort fixes before you adjust your office's heating/cooling equipment.
- Limit use of space heaters. A heating mat is more effective at keeping just you warm with lower energy usage.
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle
- Participate in the mini-bin desktop trash can initiative by contacting Jeff Sweet in Facilities.
- Prioritize reduction and reuse, then recycling. Recycling still uses limited resources!
- Join Freecycle. Support Waste Not. Buy secondhand.
- Don't know if something should be recycled? Download a detailed list of what's recyclable and posters.
- Inform yourself about the negative side of recycling and do your part to reduce waste.
- K-Cup Recycle Program
- Wesleyan participates in Keurig's K-Cup coffee pod recycling program through the Green Team.
- All offices who utilize a Keurig machine may pick up K-Cup recycling boxes from WesStation.
- When full, return the sealed box to WesStation and they will ship it to be recycled.
- Any questions may be directed to Anika Dane (adane@wesleyan.edu).
- Inform yourself
- Watch documentaries such as Plastic Ocean, Bag It, Tapped, Watermark, Food Inc., and Food Chain to educate yourself.
- Research eco-friendly products and foods to become an informed purchaser.
- Contact Us
The Green Team is a subgroup of SAGES run by adminstrative assistants in campus departments. We present "Green Minutes" at monthly staff meetings and run workshops and gatherings throughout the academic year. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend our sponsored events and we are always happy to welcome new members. Want to hear more about what we do? Join us! Contact one of our stewards for more information:
- Anika Dane, College of Integrative Sciences
- Dawn Alger, Theater
If you have any suggestions for Green Tips, Green Minutes, or the Green Team webpage, please contact Anika.