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Let’s get to work. Jim A. Nicell, PhD, PEng. Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) James McGill Professor, Civil Engineering & Applied Mechanics Associate Member, McGill School of Environment. Traditional Approach. A Sustainable Approach. What the University must do.
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Let’s get to work Jim A. Nicell, PhD, PEng Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) James McGill Professor, Civil Engineering & Applied Mechanics Associate Member, McGill School of Environment
What the University must do • Develop and implement policies, guidelines & plans to achieve a tidal shift in culture • Environmental Policy • Sustainability Policy • Planning & Design Principles of the Master Plan • Green Building Standards • Purchasing Policy • Sustainable Development Plan
What the University must do • Set strategic goals and measure progress • Coordinate sustainability initiatives • Prioritize the spending of our limited resources • Integrate sustainability concepts into all operations and the jobs of all employees • Shift to long-term views incorporating life-cycle analyses • Educate community members and set expectations • Create incentives to change behaviours
What the University must do • Energy: reduce demand, increase efficiency, shift to clean renewables • Materials: renewable, durable, easy to maintain • Move to paperless forms of information collection, exchange, dissemination and storage • Transportation demand management • Enhance recycling across our campuses • Purchasing policy: sustainable specifications for equipment, vehicles and products, choice of suppliers, shift to local acquisition of goods • Enhance biomass: Green space and grounds
What individuals must do • Take responsibility • Adjust expectations and change behaviours • Think globally, act locally • Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle • Take concrete steps: Adopt the pledge • Make informed choices • Share and explore ideas • Collaborate with new initiatives
What individuals must do • In the short term, start by reducing consumption: • Paper • Bottled water • Solvents, Chemicals (e.g., $5 for 1 g, $10 for 25 g) • Choose devices based on durability and flexibility of use (avoid devices designed for obsolescence) • Share and exchange equipment/facilities • Consider impacts of both acquiring and operating facilities and equipment • Power consumption (lights, computers, etc.) • Adopt alternative modes of transportation
What individuals must do • Recycling (do it right)
Next Steps • Measure our footprint • Prioritize our actions • Set SMART objectives • Strategic • Measured • Agreed-on • Realistic • Timed • Benchmark our progress