Sustainability on Wheels
The Sustainability on Wheels program is geared towards developing a culture of sustainability across the campus community by reaching every faculty and staff member at UNL. Specifically, the grant-funded program hopes to raise awareness regarding on-going sustainable initiatives that will aid in reaching UNL’s Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Master Plan goals and the on-campus experts involved. Outreach and engagement with the campus community also assists UNL with efforts to move from a Silver to Gold STARS rating in 2022 through the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) organization. This program is supported by a Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment (NDEE) grant.
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Custodial Services and Integrated Pest Management
Custodial Services and Integrated Pest Management provides service to academic and office buildings and the Memorial Stadium complex.
Connection to Sustainability
Our department is CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standards) certified. The CIMS program certifies that your cleaning organization is running efficiently and effective and includes a “green” aspect to it. We use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which is an approach to pest control that utilizes regular monitoring and record keeping to determine if and when treatments are needed and employs a combination of strategies and tactics to prevent unacceptable damage or annoyance.
Pledge
Pledge to take control of your personal waste items. This will enable Custodial Services to eventually provide centralized recycling service in campus buildings and will help reduce pests in office areas. Sanitation is the key to controlling insects.
- Keep your workspaces clean and tidy to prevent pests.
- Take control of your personal waste items by transporting them to proper locations.
Contacts
Ronald Bacon
Manager, Pest control
ronbacon@unl.edu
Estelle DeJonge
Director, Custodial Services
edejonge2@unl.edu
Environmental Health and Safety
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) exists to design and administer highly reliable and practicable programs to achieve occupational safety, biosafety, radiation safety, and environmental protection.
Connection to Sustainability
Environmental Technician/Specialists implement management strategies in policy and practice that support environmental stewardship and pollution reduction during research and facility operations. This includes proper management of hazardous waste and reducing pollution in stormwater runoff.
Pledge
- Know where and how to dispose of items such as electronics, fluorescent light bulbs, aerosol cans, or rechargeable batteries.
- Know how to effectively notify EHS for hazardous waste disposal using the tag system.
- Be an active participant in stormwater pollution prevention and know how to report pollution issues at UNL.
Contacts
Patrick Boulas
Environmental Specialist
pboulas2@unl.edu
Landscape Services
Landscape Services provides maintenance for all academic outdoor spaces and some auxiliary spaces on campus.
Connection to Sustainability
- Our department uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to address pest problems affecting the plants we maintain. We only apply pesticides when the health or life of the plant is threatened, and when other cultural practices are not successful in controlling the problem. We apply the least toxic product available in each situation.
- We apply new techniques and cultural practices to reduce our pesticide use on campus.
- Central Control Irrigation System uses a smart timer for water usage efficiency.
Pledge
Maintain a safe and beautiful campus for students, staff and faculty to enjoy.
- Don’t litter on campus.
- Don’t cut across the lawn areas.
- Report any safety issues to the service desk that pertain to the landscape.
Contacts
Susan Budler
Operations Manager
sbudler1@unl.edu
Jeff Culbertson
Director, Landscape Services
jculbertson1@unl.edu
Resources
Parking and Transit Services
The UNL Parking & Transit Services develops and manages all forms of campus parking and bus transportation services in a safe and reliable manner.
Connection to Sustainability
Parking and Transit Services is working to lower vehicle emissions with services and operations by reducing traffic congestion with transportation services and reducing energy use. Hydrodynamic separators and bioswales are also used to reduce the flow of stormwater and pollutants into sewers.
Pledge
- Use the intercampus bus system when traveling between campuses.
- Use a bicycle for shorter trips around campus.
- Join the faculty and staff carpooling program.
Contacts
Dan Carpenter
Director, Parking and Transit Services
dcarpenter2@unl.edu
University Facilities
University Facilities delivers safe, smart, reliable, and welcoming spaces using efficient building systems and robust controls.
Connection to Sustainability
University Facilities has been upgrading lighting in campus buildings to energy-efficient LEDs. We also put many rooms in an energy-saving mode overnight, which prevents the rooms from being heated and cooled unnecessarily.
Pledge
- Turn off lights and other equipment (computers, monitors, copy machines, etc.) when you leave for the day. If equipment cannot be shut down, check for low energy use settings.
- Avoid opening windows whenever possible. Close your windows and shades when you leave for the day. When the sun is shining in your window, open the shades if it is cold outside, and close the shades if it is warm.
- For lab users only - Turn off occupancy switches when your lab is unoccupied and lower fume hood sashes when the hoods are not in use.
Utility Services
Utility Services supplies steam, chilled water, and electricity to UNL for heating, cooling, and power.
Connection to Sustainability
Utility Services produces heating and cooling on campus, which uses a lot of energy. Our goal is to make sure utilities are distributed safely and reliably by using our human, natural, and financial resources as effectively as possible.
Pledge
- Turn off lights and other equipment (computers, monitors, copy machines, etc.) when you leave for the day. If equipment cannot be shut down, check for low energy use settings.
- Avoid opening windows whenever possible. Close your windows and shades when you leave for the day. When the sun is shining in your window, open the shades if it is cold outside, and close the shades if it is warm.
- For lab users only - Turn off occupancy switches when your lab is unoccupied and lower fume hood sashes when the hoods are not in use.
Contacts
Aaron Evans
Engineering Supervisor
aaron.evans@unl.edu
Waste Management and Recycling
UNL Waste Management and Recycling (WMR) handles refuse and recycling operations at UNL. UNL employed drivers collect waste items from campus buildings and transport them to the landfill or material recovery facility.
Connection to Sustainability
WMR provides education to the UNL community regarding how to reduce, reuse, and recycle right on campus. We aim to divert as much waste from the landfill as possible through efforts to increase the quantity of quality recyclable materials from campus and identify markets for non-traditional recyclables. Efforts to standardize recycling on campus through the Recycling Pilot Project are supported by WMR.
Pledge
- Reduce use of single use and disposable items by carrying reusables on campus (i.e. water bottle, coffee mug, silverware, grocery/food bags).
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Commit to recycling right on campus by following these three tips:
- Know what you throw! Be aware of what you can and cannot recycle on campus by checking out our recycling guide at recycling.unl.edu.
- Empty, clean, and dry! Make sure all items are free of any leftover food or liquid before recycling.
- When in doubt, throw it out! If you are unsure whether an item is recyclable, dispose of it with landfill materials to avoid contamination.
Contacts
Morgan Hartman
Waste Management Operations Manager, Campus Recycling Coordinator
mhartman18@unl.edu