Green Efforts
Recycling
Receptacles are available in each building for recyclable products. Facility Services staff transfer these recyclables to larger exterior collection bins for pick up by our waste collection vendor. A 2011 Nebraska Environmental Trust grant of $10,000 aided in the purchase of additional receptacles to make recycling even easier on campus. Gill Hauling of Jackson, Nebraska, provides a full service recycling program for the approximately 40 tons of paper and cardboard and 60,000 bottles and cans that are collected annually. The campus also collects recyclable metal products and goods through their custodial, maintenance and surplus property departments. Approximately 25 tons of metal product, which includes brass, copper, aluminum, steel and cast, are recycled through Alter Metal of Norfolk, Nebraska, each year. The College also has recycle procedures in place for used toner cartridges, batteries and pallets.
Recycling efforts on campus help reduce trash in landfills, lower waste collection costs, and educate students and staff on the importance of recycling on a larger scale.
Fleet Management
The Facility Services Department maintains a fleet of vehicles to provide services to campus. In recent years, this fleet has transitioned from predominately pickups to a mix of pickups and John Deere Gator utility vehicles. In an effort to make our fleet even more environmentally friendly, we have replaced some of those vehicles with GEM (Global Electric Motors) cars. These vehicles are 100% electric and require very little maintenance. As we continue to make changes within our department fleet, we expect to see even more reduction in operating costs and down time due to maintenance issues.
Ground Water
Wayne State College has been designated as a Groundwater Guardian Green Site for 2012 by the Groundwater Foundation of Lincoln, Neb.
The Groundwater Guardian Green Site program was developed to recognize good stewards of groundwater by encouraging managers of highly-managed green spaces to implement, measure, and document their groundwater friendly practices. The Groundwater Guardian Green Site program calculates, documents and recognizes the environmental and water quality benefit of groundwater friendly practices on highly managed green spaces. Designation is based on the completion of an application and earning at least 70% of total application points based on current practices related to pesticide and fertilizer use, water use, managing sources of pollution, protecting water quality and environmental stewardship.
