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Libraries Green Team Wins Sustainability Award–Again!

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Sandy Dwyer, Janice Slauenwhite (missing: Jan Pelley, Aran Silmeryn)


Our stellar Dal Libraries Green Team, aka Sandy Dwyer, Jan Pelley, Aran Silmeryn and Janice Slauenwhite, has won Dal’s Sustainability ReThink Award for the third year running. Not to brag or anything, but these guys are pretty hard to beat!

So what did the Team do in 2011-2012 to merit this honor?

  • replaced refrigerators in Killam staff break rooms with energy star rated models
  • reduced number of paper copies of publications (The Stand, Dalhousie magazine) being sent to library personnel
  • partnered with ENVS-3502 students on a project to improve waste diversion rates
  • arranged for “sustainability kits” to be made available for sign-out at each of the libraries. These kits contain equipment that will allow individuals to conduct mini energy audits in their own homes. They’re awaiting delivery of the kits now so stay tuned

Congratulations Greenies, you rock!

Find out what else our awesome Green Team did to win in April 2011 and April 2010.

DUASC Goes Paperless for Staff Meetings

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If you thought the Dalhousie University Archives and Special Collections (DUASC) was just about managing old stuff in old formats, well, think again. At its monthly staff meeting on May 4th, DUASC staff members conducted the entire meeting; sharing minutes of the previous meeting, reviewing staff reports and user statistics, analyzing other documents and taking notes, using no paper.

With iPads provided to them in April, the staff received all relevant documents via e-mail and consulted these documents at the meeting using their tablets. “It worked beautifully and will over time reduce the amount of printing and filing of personal copies of material that is needed for one meeting”, said Dalhousie University Archivist, Michael Moosberger. “This is only the first step.” “We’ll be looking at a variety of other ways of taking advantage of this mobile technology to improve staff productivity and efficiency”, added Moosberger.

Libraries Green Team Wins ReThink Award—Again!

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We’re crazy proud to announce that the Dalhousie Libraries Green Team (Sandy Dwyer, Michelle Paon, Jan Pelley, Janice Slauenwhite and Leigh Smith) has just won the Office of Sustainability’s ReThink Award—for the second time! Our 2009-2010 team won the inaugural award last year (see blog post).



The Libraries’ team has certainly done some award-winning things this year, to wit:

  • held a staff awareness presentation on “The Story of Stuff” video, narrated by Annie Leonard, founder of the Story of Stuff Project
  • participated in the bin exchange program for Killam Library staff. 23 people chose to participate, which represents approximately 1/3 of the staff
  • completed a sustainability assessment of the Killam Library, working with students from the ENVS 3502 class (Campus as Living Lab). The students did a waste audit of the PROG bins to determine compliance throughout the building and will present a final report to the Green Team by mid-April
  • promoted sustainable behavior on campus by:
      • removing garbage cans from almost all public areas in the Killam Library and replacing them with sets of PROG bins
      running a poster campaign to make patrons aware of proper disposal of disposable coffee cups; also had posters educating patrons on what goes into each PROG bin
  • to reduce paper consumption, 2GB flash drives are now for sale ($5 each) at the Killam Circulation Desk. Posters are placed near photocopiers and printers, encouraging patrons to use the large scanner and save to a flashdrive
  • reusable cloth bookbags are now for sale ($1 each) at the Killam Circulation Desk

Not content to rest on their evergreen laurels, our Green Team is now investigating the automatic transfer of patron information directly from the University Banner system to the Libraries’ Circulation system. This will reduce the necessity for paper forms for library registration.

Did we say we’re proud yet?

PROG 101: What Are Organics?

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The Libraries’ Green Team is launching an awareness campaign to spread the word about what goes where in our PROG (Paper Recyclables Organics Garbage) bins. First up: Organics. Did you know that soiled paper, like napkins and paper towel, goes in the Organics bin? Look for the posters placed over all the bin sets in the Killam Library for more information and don’t worry–there won’t be a quiz!

Libraries Green Team Coffee Cup Campaign

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Recycle? Organics? Garbage?

At the Dal Libraries we see hundreds of these disposable coffee cups being dumped in every available receptacle every day. Our Libraries Green Team is launching an awareness campaign to encourage everyone to put their used coffee cups in the right bin. They’ve just placed sets of PROG bins (Paper Recycle Organics Garbage) throughout the Killam Library to make it even easier for you!

So what is the right way to get rid of those disposable cups on campus? The cup and plastic lid go in the garbage; the paper sleeve goes in the organics bin. Of course bringing your own reusable cup is an even greener option.

The Libraries Green Team thanks you for sorting it right!

Grey Bins = Greener Libraries

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The Dalhousie Libraries Green Team is on the move again, and the Killam Library will be the greener for their efforts.

Last March the Team ran a pilot project dubbed “We Took Garbage Cans Off Our Bucket List,” in which they replaced garbage cans in the second floor atrium hallway with sets of grey PROG bins (Paper, Recycling, Organics and Garbage). This turned out to be such a success that they’re doing it again. All the garbage cans in the South and North Learning Commons on the main floor, in the lobby, the second floor Learning Commons, and the atrium hallways on floors 3 – 5 have now been replaced with grey bins.

Stats from the Bucket List pilot show that garbage waste was reduced from 85% to 25% when the sorting stations were installed on the second floor last March. Students working in the area were enthusiastic about the project, and we hope they embrace the green again in the Killam Learning Commons and on other floors.

Thank you 2010 Green Team members Linda Bedwell, Michelle Paon, Janice Slauenwhite, Jan Pelley, Leigh Smith and Sandy Dwyer!

Campus Green Guide at Killam

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Hot off the press, the College of Sustainability’s 2010 Campus Green Guide is now available at the Killam. Find out all about “Toxins in Everyday Life,” “Urban Gardening”, and our fave: “How to Party Sustainably,” along with tons of other cools tips like what cafes in Halifax offer Fair Trade, organic and vegetarian/vegan fare.

Look for copies of the Campus Green Guide in the rack at the foot of the stairs in the library lobby.

And by the way, libraries were born green. The access we provide to thousands of online journals mean you don’t need to waste paper and energy printing articles–and all our books get Reused and Recycled every day!

Green Team Recycling Pilot Project

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We’re taking garbage bins off our bucket list!

The Dal Libraries Green Team invites Killam Library users to participate in a special project to make the library more eco-friendly.

Beginning March 1, you’ll notice that garbage bins have been removed from the atrium hallway on the second floor and replaced with sorting stations. We encourage everyone to take the time to sort your waste into the appropriate bins. It’ll keep the library cleaner, and waste items will be recycled effectively.

The Green Team thanks you in advance for helping make the Dal Libraries greener!

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