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Greening McGill Enviro Residence Council PGSS Environment Committee SSMU Environment Committee Gorilla Composting Sustainable McGill Project. Greening McGill. greeningmcgill@mail.mcgill.ca www.greeningmcgill.blogspot.com. Waste management / reduction. Recycling Composting
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Greening McGill Enviro Residence Council PGSS Environment Committee SSMU Environment Committee Gorilla Composting Sustainable McGill Project
Greening McGill greeningmcgill@mail.mcgill.ca www.greeningmcgill.blogspot.com
Waste management / reduction • Recycling • Composting • Cafeteria waste
Paper • Paper Use Policy • Exam booklets • Printing Defaults • Purchasing
Our Mandate • To limit the impact of McGill Residences on the environment • To increase awareness and knowledge of environmental issues within McGill residences
Past and Present Projects • Waste Audit • (Vermi-) Composting • Recycling • Light campaign and assessment • Halloween ECOstume Contest • Clean Plate Tuesdays • Energy Reduction Competition
Energy Reduction Competition- 04/05 Results • Winner: • Douglas Hall (12% Reduction) • Average Reduction: • 7% • Prizes • a party • a trophy • environmentally-friendly products
This Year’s Competition Will Feature... • Crazy hair day • Shower Races • Bikini/Sweater Day • Stair Races • No Computer Day
The PGSSec Committee • Who are we. • What is are mandate. • Our activities.
Here on Earth Speaker Series • Three themes: • New directions in environmental research. • Beyond the University. • McGill’s current and future environmental policy. Monday, April 3. Speakers: Kathleen Ng and the Sustainability Project.
The Potential Use of Grasses as Biofuels Chris Wrobel MSc. Plant Science MacDonald College McGill university
Changing Face of World Agriculture • Rural economies hard pressed. • US share of world agriculture has dropped. • China now 2nd largest corn exporter; Brazil major exporter of soybeans. • Search for alternative crops.
The Advantages of Biofuel Crops • CO2 neutral. • Offset oil imports. • $20 billion extra dollars. • Remove emissions of 70 million cars by tripling biomass use. • Grass pelleting – home heating costs are less.
Perennial grasses as biofuel • It takes 70 days to grow a grass crop and 70 million years to grow a crop of coal or oil. • Inputs required for grass less than for conventional agriculture. • Sequestering of carbon dioxide. • Cleaning of wastewater.
The Electric Snowmobile Project • Great potential. • Limited speed and distance. • No emissions.
Rooftop Gardening • Up to 40% of food production in some third world countries is in the urban setting. • Advantages: longer growing season, reduced heat load, improved social atmosphere.
Water for the World • Engineers Without Borders • Some facts on water use: • Canadians: 33 l per day • Montrealers: over 100 l daily • Water to produce 1 kg of rice: over 44,000 l. • Water to produce 1 kg of meat: over 100,000 l.
The End is a New Beginning • Green drinks. • Format for get together – exchange of ideas, new friends, projects, etc… • Last Thursday of every month.
Other Projects • Rooftop garden. • Environmental audit of Thompson House. • More networking. • Other possibilities.
-SSMU monetary contributions: Gorilla Composting ($1000) March for the Climate ($500) Conference in Rimouski ($240)-Proposed changes in election postering by-laws-Order ~300 mugs to sell at $1 to students with proof of an assignment handed in double-sided
Gorilla Composting 3534 University Street. Montreal, Quebec . H3A 2A7 gorilla.composting@gmail.com . www.gorilla.mcgill.ca
- Pilot Project Overview Completion and evaluation - Future Plans Planning with the City of Montreal
EducationOperationsProject statistics Implementation
storage treatment transportation collection
Evaluation reportFuture plans Completion
-Ecosystem Sustainability Assessment: Trees, Toilets and Travel -Submission to Arts Undergraduate Fund -Greenhouse gas inventory
Image: www.gorge.org Electricity Our usage in Alberta: 112,000 tonnes CO2-e
Vehicle Transportation CO2α Fuel
Water metering Water in Montreal and at McGill is not metered and paid for at a flat rate regardless of consumption. However, some McGill buildings do have water meters which are currently not in use. →McGill should begin metering its water consumption as part of a comprehensive water management strategy.