Environmental Policy

Transcription

1 Date: February 2012 Version: V City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC

2 1. Key Aims The Key aims of the College s are: To minimise the use of non-renewable and environmentally-damaging resources; To maximise recycling and minimize usage and waste of supplies such as food, paper, metals, plastics and printer cartridges; and To increase awareness of environmental issues amongst students and staff The following sections set out how the College will develop and achieve these aims. 2. Natural Resources Energy 2.1. The Stern Review indicated that by 2050, energy efficiency has the potential to be the biggest single source of emissions savings in the energy sector. The College will, therefore, play its part in terms of energy efficiency and emissions savings by: Reducing, when cost effective, its dependence on fossil fuels through the sourcing of green energy supplies; and Buying fuel at the most economic cost whilst ensuring security of supply. 3. Natural Resources - Water The College recognises the importance of using water supplies responsibly and reducing waste. This will be achieved by: Reducing water consumption; Installing major water-leak detection systems; and Ensuring the new campus project incorporates water system monitoring and controls and provides for water harvesting and grey water recycling City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC

3 4. Environmental Issues in the Curriculum The College will mainstream environmental issues, where appropriate to the curriculum. This mainstreaming will also link to Curriculum for Excellence and learning for sustainable development within the formal education system. For example, some of the topics noted below could be covered in the curriculum: Climate change; Energy consumption; The sustainability of resources; Ozone depletion; Famine; Disease; Water quality; The maintenance of biodiversity; The importance of rainforests; Population control; Equitable access to resources; and The use of fossil fuels. 5. Waste In responding to the Scottish Government s Zero Waste Plan, the College will play its part in minimising waste and reducing the adverse impact of waste disposal by: Ensuring higher risk waste activities do not cause pollution or harm human health; Requiring waste producers to store and transport waste safely; Providing advice and raise awareness on the impacts of unsustainable waste activities and promoting good practice; Considering giving preference when purchasing to items produced in ways which cause least harm to the environment and that generate fewest waste materials; Setting targets for a reduction in the use of paper, particularly related to photocopying and desk top printers; and 2011 City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC

4 Introducing a range of recycling initiatives. 6. Energy Conservation The College recognises the importance of reducing energy consumption and conservation. This will be achieved by: Aiming for a BREEAM excellent assessment for the new campus project; Utilising low energy appliances whenever possible giving satisfactory life cycle payback; Increasing awareness of energy issues among members of staff & encouraging 'energy responsible' attitudes; and Assessing the lifetime consumption of energy and water as part of significant estate and equipment procurement projects. 7. Travel & Transport The College recognises that staff and student travel will have a significant environmental impact. The College will minimise the environmental impact of travel and transport by developing a Green Travel Plan, which will cover: Promoting the use of public transport services; Ensuring city centre car parking facilities are targeted at key groups, e.g. people with a disability; Minimising business air travel; and Introducing staff and student initiatives to promote green travel such as the use of pedal cycles. 8. Noise The College recognises that noise can be unwelcome and that excessive noise can reduce the quality of life, and damage people s health as well as the environment. The College will minimise the environmental impact of noise by: Assessing the risks to employees from noise at work; Taking action to reduce the noise exposure that produces risks; 2011 City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC

5 Making sure the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded; Providing hearing protection and ensure that it is used properly; Providing information, training and health surveillance; and Aiming to minimise its impact in terms of traffic noise by minimising the use of College vehicles and ensuring that these vehicles are well maintained. 9. Biodiversity Biodiversity is defined as the total diversity and variability of living things and of the systems of which they are part. The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 placed a duty on public bodies to proactively conserve biodiversity. The College will, therefore, play its part in conserving biodiversity by: Choosing cleaning and other products that will break down naturally in the environment; Properly disposing of waste that could harm the environment; Recycling food waste; Properly maintaining the limited green spaces that surrounds its city centre campus; Encouraging food suppliers to source food locally; Sourcing, where possible, food and particularly fish that comes from sustainable stocks; Sourcing wood supplies from sustainable stocks including making use of timber recovered from fallen trees; Integrating biodiversity awareness into the curriculum; and Taking full account of biodiversity issues in the planning of the College s new city centre estate as part of the New Build Glasgow project. 10. Planning, Monitoring & Reporting A working group will be established to assist; in developing operational priorities linked to this Policy and with the development of cross college environmental projects & initiatives City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC

6 10.2. Each School/department of the College will incorporate a range of proposed environmental actions within annual operational plans Monitoring systems will be introduced to monitor significant areas of College activity that could impact on the environment. These shall include, for example, the following topics: Energy consumption; Water consumption; Waste disposal; Paper consumption; and Travel patterns The College will seek to extend its ISO standard, which represents the core set of standards used by the College for designing and implementing an effective environmental management system The College will report on environmental issues within its Board of Management Annual Report. Approval Status Approved by ELT February 2012 Approved by BoM Estates Committee Date Approved 15 th March 2012 EQAI Status Initial Screening Conducted? Yes: No: Full EQIA Conducted? Yes: No: Proposed Review Date Lead Department January 2013 Finance & Resources Lead Officer(s) Copyright 2011 City of Glasgow College Vice Principal Finance & Resources and Estates & Facilities Director Permission granted to reproduce for personal use only. Commercial copying, hiring lending, posting online is strictly prohibited 2011 City of Glasgow CollegeCharity Number: SC