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Sustainability for students

As a Jesuit and Catholic university, we have the responsibility to provide leadership in developing a more sustainable way of living. SCU students, faculty, staff, and alumni are actively involved in sustainable practices. As a community that embraces sustainability, the university furthers its mission to act as a voice of reason, conscience, and service to society.

As individuals, we can make a difference and many at SCU already are. Our choices every day have an impact on other people and the environment. By making small changes in the way we purchase items, we can help to conserve resources and reduce our footprint on the world around us.

The following are some "good things" to look for (and "bad things" to avoid) to help you become a more sustainable consumer. Don't be overwhelmed with the amount of information on this page. Choose to do what is feasible for you. Even small changes in your decisions as a consumer can send a big message. The easiest and most important thing you can do is to help spread the word - teach someone else about sustainability.

Part One: Setting up your room

It's not hard to set up your dorm room with environmentally friendly stuff. Buying sustainably can even save you money. Look below for information about buying batteries, carpeting, cell phones, electronics, furniture, light bulbs, linens/towels/clothing, personal products, and school supplies.

Click here to download a printable Shopping Guide.

Part Two: Living at SCU

There are a lot of ways to live sustainably at SCU and in the Bay Area. Look below for information about food and essentials for your backpack.

Part One: Setting up your room

Batteries

1. Buy rechargeable batteries
Look for rechargeable batteries. These can be reused multiple times and are much better for the environment than disposable one-use batteries.

2. Recycle your non-rechargeable batteries - Don't throw them away!
Take your old batteries to the service desk in your residence hall. They will be sent to Recycling and Waste Management at Facilities to be recycled.

More information:
Green Batteries - http://www.greenbatteries.com/
The "Battery Act" - http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/docs/batteryalert.pdf

Carpeting

1. Choose second-hand carpeting.
Reusing carpeting extends the lifetime of a carpet, reduces waste, and saves you money! Look for the GREEN Club’s booth at Get Organized during Welcome Weekend. The GREEN Club collected used-but-good-condition carpets from students moving out of their rooms this past June. The carpet sale is a fundraiser for the club who will use the proceeds to support environmental education and service projects in the greater community.

2. If you buy a new carpet, pay attention to its contents.
If you choose to buy new carpeting, look for a high recycled content and PVC-free backing. PVC is known for its environmental health hazards because it is a major source of dioxin, a carcinogen that can be detrimental to your health, causing cancer, reproductive system damage, and more.

3. Take care of your carpet once you get it.
When you leave SCU for the summer, there are a lot of options: store it for the summer and use it next year, donate it to the GREEN Club during Move-Out, or give it to a friend who lives off campus. Don’t just throw it away!

More information:
Choose Green Report - http://www.greenseal.org/resources/reports/CGR_carpet.pdf

SCU GREEN Club - http://www.scu.edu/envs/undergrad/undergrad-orgs-green.html
SCU Welcome Weekend - http://www.scu.edu/orientation/welcomeweekend/index.cfm

SCU Move-Out - http://www.scu.edu/sustainability/move-out2006.cfm

Cell phones

1. Do you really need a new one?
Part of living sustainably is simply buying less. Does your phone still do its job? If so, reconsider buying a new one unless you really need it.

2. If you do buy a new cell phone, pay attention to its contents.
Look for a phone that is composed of minimal toxic content, produces a low level of emissions, is durable, will keep you happy for a long time, and is easy to recycle.

3. Make sure to recycle your old cell phone.
Cell phones contain toxic chemicals that can harm the environment if they aren't disposed of properly. Don't throw away your old cell phone - recycle it.

More information:

The Life Cycle of a Cell Phone - http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/pdfs/life-cell.pdf
Cell phone recycling drop-off locations - http://www.wirelessrecycling.com

Electronics

1. Consider renting some appliances.
Rent a mini-refrigerator and microwave for the year - you won't need to deal with storing, transporting, or selling them once school is finished. Look for appliance rentals during Welcome Weekend.

2. Be an Energy Star!
Look for electronics (television, stereo, computer, monitor, printer, mini-refrigerator, and microwave) that meet Energy Star standards.

3. You might not need a printer.
All computers in every residence halls can be linked to a networked printer, and printers are available in computer labs throughout SCU.

4. Make sure to recycle your old electronics.
Electronic waste (e-waste) is not only illegal to throw away, but also harms the environment. Donate or recycle your old electronics when you're through with them.

More information:
Energy Star - http://www.energystar.gov
SCU Student Technology Services - http://www.scu.edu/techservices/index.cfm

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition - http://www.svtc.org
Basel Action Network - http://www.ban.org

SF Bay Area Computer Recycling & Reuse Directory - http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/recycle/recycletable.html

Furniture

1. Choose second-hand furniture.
This not only saves trees and materials, but also extends the lifetime of the item. This option also saves money! Craigslist can be a great resource for like-new furniture. There are also a few used-goods stores close to SCU. (LINK OR INFO HERE)

2. If you do buy new furniture, pay attention to its contents.
Look for the FSC label on wood products you buy. The FSC Label guarantees that wood used to build the product was harvest from a sustainably managed forest. Over 39 million hectares of forests are certified worldwide.
Avoid flame-retardant chemicals called PBDEs. PBDEs can cause brain and reproductive system disorders.

More information:
Super Pages, search "second hand" - http://yellowpages.superpages.com/
Craigslist - http://www.craigslist.org
Goodwill Industries of Silicon Valley - http://www.goodwillsv.org
Savers - http://www.savers.com

Light bulbs

1. Buy energy efficient light bulbs.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are efficient at providing light – using 1/3 of the electricity as an incandescent bulb, they produce the same amount of light. They last up to 10 times longer too! FYI: Incandescent bulbs convert only 10% of the electricity they consume to visible light, while 90% is converted directly to heat.

More information:
Energy Star - http://www.energystar.gov

Linens, towels, clothing

1. Look for organic cotton.
Buying sheets, bed spreads, towels, and clothing made of organic cotton supports farmers who do not use chemicals on their crops. FYI: In the U.S., 25% of all pesticides used are applied to non-organic cotton. In California, five of the top nine pesticides used on non-organic cotton are cancer-causing chemicals.

2. Buy "green" laundry detergent.
Look for a brand that contains little or no phosphates. Phosphates can end up in rivers and lakes where they encourage the growth of algae that can be harmful to animals and plants naturally living in that habitat.

More information:
Sustainable Cotton Project - http://www.sustainablecotton.org
Laundry Detergent Ingredients - http://www.laundry-alternative.com/detergentsinfo.htm

Personal products

1. Look for the following specific traits in a cleaning product.
Make sure it's a combination of the following: non-aerosol, non-poisonous, non-toxic, non-corrosive, phosphate-free, and/or all-purpose.

2. Look at the product's ingredients.
Buy products that contain organic ingredients. This supports organic farmers who are decreasing and/or not using toxins on their farms.

Avoid products that contain phthalates (chemicals that have been shown to cause birth defects in animals), detergents, and antimicrobial agents.

3. Avoid products that are "antibacterial."
Scientists are concerned about increasing use of these products and how this might relate to the increasing amount of drug-resistant "super-germs."

4. Look for products that are not tested on animals.
Product testing often subjects animals to irritants and sometimes lethal doses of chemicals.

5. Consider the item's packaging.
Look for products with the least amount of packaging for their size. Buy in bulk. Excess packaging is a major source of waste.

More information:
Our Stolen Future - http://www.ourstolenfuture.org
The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics - http://www.apua.org

School supplies

1. Pay attention to the contents.
For paper, notebooks, pens, and pencils, choose items with the highest content of recycled material. Look for a backpack or bag made of hemp or recycled rubber. Make sure it doesn’t contain PVCs.

More information:

What is post-consumer recycled content? - http://www.metro-region.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=3369

Part Two: Living at SCU

Food

1. Buy Fair Trade
When buying chocolate, coffee, or tea, look for Fair Trade products. Fair Trade ensures that farmers are paid a fair wage for their products and work in decent conditions. Buying fair trade also supports the environment because most small farmers grow small plots of mixed-crops. Coffee is usually shade-grown under a canopy of diverse trees that provide a habitat for birds and other animals.

2. Buy local food
Sometimes you'll get tired of eating at Benson - when you do buy your own food, make sure you buy locally grown fruits and veggies in season. The Santa Clara Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm only three blocks from campus.

3. Eat meat sustainably (or not at all)
If you eat meat, choose meat that has been produced in the least harmful way - grass fed, organic, antibiotic- and hormone-free.

Eat more vegetables, fruits, and grains. A high meat content diet requires more resources and energy than an equally nutritious vegetarian diet - think about all the feed, water, and land that farms require to raise animals.

4. Eat seafood sustainabily (or not at all)
Consider the species' potential exposure to toxins and contaminants. Those sometimes toxic chemicals will be in your body after you consume the seafood.

When choosing fish to eat, consider the ecological impacts of your decision. Some fish species are overfished almost to the point of extinction, some fishing methods kill large amounts of animals by accident, and some fish farms cause damage to the surrounding area. Bon Appétit has adopted the Seafood Watch guidelines for the seafood they serve. When eating off-campus, consult a Seafood Watch card. This pocket-sized card gives you a variety of sustainable seafood options for your area.

More Information
Eat Well Guide - http://www.eatwellguide.org
The Meatrix - http://www.themeatrix.com
Seafood Watch - http://www.seafoodwatch.org

Essentials for your backpack

1. Keep a reusable water bottle with you
With a refillable water bottle, you'll always have water and never have to pay for it. Fill your bottle in your room, at water fountains around school, or at the water coolers in Benson. Think about all the money (and plastic bottles) you'll be saving.

2. Keep a coffee mug or traveler with you
Each time you use your own drink container at Mission Bakery, you receive a $.10 discount on your purchase. That's a benefit similar to a frequent customer discount, and you're reducing waste at the same time.

3. BYOB (Bring your own bag)
Take your own bags (or backpack) to Cellar Market or the grocery store. If you forget, re-use the store's shopping bags for other things, or take them with you next time you go shopping.

4. Seafood Watch Card
Make the most sustainable seafood choices when you're going out to eat by consulting the Seafood Watch Card.

More Information
Container Recycling Institute - http://www.container-recycling.org/
Seafood Watch - http://www.seafoodwatch.org

Disclaimer:

Information on this webpage is presented for informational purposes only and should not be considered an endorsement of the above by Sustainability at SCU. Sustainability at SCU makes no warranties, expressed or implied in this document.