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DERS Environmental Information

The Department of Economics and Related Studies has been awarded the Green Impact Gold award for our work in 2014/15 and again in 2015/16. These are some of our current initiatives:

Reducing waste

We have introduced procurement and IT policies to cut down the waste produced in the department:

Procurement:

• Departmental printers and photocopiers are supplied with Xerox paper that is PEFC certified, 100% chlorine free bleached.
• Tap water is supplied instead of bottled water at meetings;
• Staff are encouraged to use their own mugs or the departmental mugs and plates rather than using disposable cups;
• All tea and coffee for staff general use is fair trade certified.
• The central supply of batteries are rechargeable rather than disposable.

Printing and photocopying:

We started tracking and significantly reduced the volume of photocopying and printing in the department since our first Green Impact submission.  This is something we continue to monitor closely.  All departmental printers are set to print double-sided where possible and there is guidance on how to photocopy double-sided by each photocopier.  We have reduced the number of module handouts printed by increasing what is put on the departmental VLE and provide students with print quota to be able to make the choice to print or not.

Reusing waste

Single sided, non-confidential waste printing is collected for re-use. Rechargeable batteries are used wherever possible.  Used stamps are collected and sent to charity.  Used printer cartridges are collected and returned for recycling.  Surplus furniture is advertised on the University’s furniture re-use website prior to disposal. There is a dedicated bookswap area in the department for  donating unwanted books, DVDs, or other small items. 

Recycling waste

The department has a comprehensive mixed waste recycling scheme in place, including collection points for recycling glass, used batteries (feel free to bring them in from home) and IT equipment.

Further information about what can be put in the mixed recycling scheme can be found here:

http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/operations/waste_management/recycling/

Watch the University’s waste video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2aQtq1u5Mk

Energy Use

Nominated staff members check communal areas at the end of each day and switch off lighting and equipment before leaving the building. The temperature in the department is regularly monitored and the number of portable heaters and air conditioners is audited each year.  IT equipment in communal areas has been configured to the classroom power saving schema, so PCs will automatically shut down in term-time if not in use and switch off during vacation.

Travel

The University has a number of green travel initiatives in place and we regularly promote these within the department.  Visit the University of York Travel and Transport Web Pages for more information:

http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/transport/

In the last three years the Economics department has come first and third in the York Cycle Challenge.

Communications

New staff are given information about the departmental environmental policy as part of their induction plan. Members of the Green Impact team regularly attend workshops and keep up-to-date with current work and initiatives.