EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

from the University of Louisville's Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center blog:

Kentucky Recycling Interest Group Meeting

The Kentucky Recycling Interest Group will advocate "zero waste output” through resource conservation, increased recycling and application of waste reduction techniques in Kentucky through effective applications of education, investments, planning and technology.

June 17, 2008

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. EDT
Eastern Kentucky University
Perkins Building
Richmond, KY

Registration required by 10:00 a.m. June 16, 2008.

Lunch will be provided.

There are three easy ways to register for this event:

* Call KPPC at (502) 852-0965, or
* Send Email to registration@kppc.org with Subject: "KRIG Meeting", or
* Register online

Directions for Perkins Building from I-75

From either direction, take exit 87, Eastern By-Pass. Travel down the By-Pass, turn right at light #6, KY 52 West/Lancaster Ave. Turn left at next light, Kit Carson Drive. The Perkins Building and parking lot is at the top of the hill on the left.

Eastern Kentucky University campus map with the Perkins Building highlighted. (PDF format)

For questions concerning registration, please contact KPPC at 502-852-0965 or registration@kppc.org.

For questions concerning KRIG, please contact Dara Carlisle, Kentucky Division of Waste Management, at dara.carlisle@ky.gov or call Dara at 502-564-6716.

This event is hosted by the Kentucky Division of Waste Management in partnership with the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center.

from the Eastern Progress Online:

Batteries: heavy metal you can recycle

by Casey Tolliver
4/17/08

If you have ever been to the Richmond campus, chances are, you have been in close proximity to dangerous toxic substances.

In fact, there are poisonous heavy metals and corrosive electrolyte solutions throughout your house, and even in your car.

Found in batteries, these hazardous wastes are detrimental to the environment, dotting the landscapes and landfills with poison; other than simply throwing them in the trash, there is no effective and convenient way to dispose of batteries.

The Universal Waste Battery Program, a new environmental stewardship program, plans to try to reverse this practice at Eastern by providing the preferred disposal alternative for hazardous batteries on campus, according to the UWBP outline.

"The biggest thing we want to do is to let the university community know that we are rolling out this recycling program and pay attention when you check out what can be recycled," Eastern Facilities Services recycling spokesperson Randy Wilson said. "Some batteries contain lead and mercury and these are horrible to the Earth. The lithium batteries, when they decay, they release ether."

Students wishing to responsibly dispose of their batteries can ask for a Universal Waste Battery pre-printed envelope from their building supervisors or residence hall advisers.

The universal waste batteries and the university's collected e-scrap waste are processed at Kentucky Recycling.

Batteries contain several components that can be recycled, but the focus is primarily on the recovery of metals, including mercury, silver and cadmium, according to the UWBP outline.

Wilson said the UWBP is a unique program and Eastern is one of few universities in the state with a battery recycling program.

"This is a fairly new program, and I'm excited about it," Wilson said. "It means that we're going to be leaders in environmental sustainability, and that is something most of the other universities aren't doing."

A few other universities have also hired outside recycling coordinators, but recycling programs done at Eastern are done "in-house", Wilson added.

With Facilities Services' commitment to environmental and recycling issues, the scope of its projects is broader than just recycling batteries.

Facilities Services works to recycle numerous waste products at Eastern: plastics, newspaper, ink cartridges and cell phones are only some of the items on its list.

In addition to its budding work with batteries, Facilities Services also has a partnership with Habitat for Humanities in the Cans for Habitat program.

Because of programs like Universal Waste Battery and Cans for Habitat, Eastern is a model for recycling for other regional universities and the community, according to the Eastern Recycles Web site.

The next recycling project for Facilities Services is end-of-semester recycling, which may appeal to seniors and other students exhausted by the semester.

"If you have any notes, throw them in the recycle bin," Wilson said.

from the Eastern Progress Online:

Earth Day events active in Richmond

Laura Butler
Issue date: 4/3/08

You don't have to chain yourself to a tree or lay in front of a bulldozer to protect the earth or enrich its beauty.

Rather, many organizations and campus groups are creating events that student can participate in for Earth Day, most of which are occurring right on campus.

Students and staff can share their "green recipes" with other members of the Eastern Community by posting them on www.healthyyouateku.com or switch their light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs to conserve electricity in their homes.

Another way to become involved with Earth Day is to develop a logo for next year's Earth Day in the Cumberlands 2009.

The winning design will be placed on posters, flyers and t-shirts for next year's festivities in addition to winning $200.

This event not only promotes Earth Day but also provides students a chance to put a little "green" in their own pockets.

Students can also learn what they can do about supporting green power production within Kentucky on April 4 and 5 from 12:30-1:45 in the Wallace building.

Students can also participate in an "eco-friendly" project in Fresh Food Company, Table for 6.6 Billion, during lunch and dinner hours.

All week long, beginning April 14 the culinary staff will prepare featured lunch and dinner choices that promote sustainable responsible systems of food production, processing, distribution and consumption.

Dining Services will also sponsor another "cooking with the chef" event on Thursday, April 17, to learn more about how to "green up" your diet on your own.

For further information about Earth Day visit www.cres.eku.edu.

From the Lexington Herald-Leader website:

EKU begins energy-saving initiative

By Ashlee Clark
ACLARK@HERALD-LEADER.COM

RICHMOND --
Eastern Kentucky University might want to add green to its school colors as it embarks on an energy-saving initiative expected to save millions of dollars.

EKU officials announced Tuesday a 12-year partnership with Siemens Building Technologies Inc. that will include $22 million worth of energy efficiency improvements on campus. The project is one of the largest ventures of its nature in the country, according to Siemens.

"I think we are in a new position of leadership in the commonwealth," EKU President Doug Whitlock said.

Siemens representatives expect the changes to reduce EKU's utility bills by 30 percent or more.

The university spends $6.5 million a year on utilities, said James Street, associate vice president for capital planning and facilities planning.

The upgrades range from simple (replacement of incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lighting) to complex (installation of building controls to regulate temperature and occupancy sensors that will turn off lights if people aren't in the room). Heating and cooling retrofits and consumption-saving devices on plumbing will also be installed.

"I think this part of Kentucky is going to get a lot greener," Berndt Baumgartl, senior vice president of regional operations for Siemens, said Tuesday.

The plan is also appealing at a time when the state budget calls for tighter spending at universities. The project, despite its price tag, will not require money from EKU. The amount of money saved from the energy improvements will pay for the overall cost of the projects, Baumgartl said. If the money saved falls short, Siemens will pay the difference.

Siemens first submitted plans for the project in 2007, said Michael Azzara, business development manager for the company.

Siemens employs 1,100 people in Kentucky, said Steve Kuehn, media and community relations manager for Siemens.

Renovations will begin in late summer or early fall and should be minimally invasive, Street said.

Partnership with Siemens

Eastern Kentucky University and Siemens Building Technologies are joining forces for a 12-year contract to reduce energy emissions at the school. EKU spends $6.5 million annually on utilities, and officials expect to save 30 percent with this partnership.

Based on Siemens' Greenhouse Gas Calculator, EKU will avoid emission of 77 million pounds of greenhouse gases, which is equivalent to:

• Preserving 37,662 acres of forest, or

• Removing 9,832 cars from the roads, or

• Conserving 105,091 barrels of oil, or

• Conserving 235 rail cars worth of coal.

Eastern Kentucky University

Students: 16,000

Buildings: 47 academic, 75 service/ support buildings and 15 residence halls will be affected by the changes

Savings to EKU: $6,200 a day

Siemens AG

German-based multinational corporation that operates in the industrial, health care and energy sectors.

Siemens Energy & Automation and Siemens Building Technologies Inc. are based in Louisville. Osram, the company's lighting division, and Sylvania operate manufacturing plants in Winchester and Versailles and have a distribution center in Versailles.

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News researcher Linda Niemi contributed to this report.
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