Fostering Sustainability is working with
This project began with Fostering Sustainability carrying out an environmental review of the College’s facilities and operations to determine baseline data and benchmarks in terms of the current state of the greening. Based on results of this review, the environmental sustainability program and action plan (Green Plan) was developed for the College that promotes the use of environmentally sound management practices campus wide.
The Green Plan sets priorities and goals, in the following areas: Energy Management and Climate Change; Water Consumption; Waste Management and Minimization; Green Purchasing and Materials Selection; Food Services and Campus Shops; Site Management and Landscaping; Transportation, Parking and Mobility; Academics and Curriculum.
Fostering Sustainability is now working closely with the College’s Green Team to develop and implement the College’s Green Plan. The mandate of the Green Team is to align college-wide “green” initiatives with the college’s strategic plan, to ensure that the college moves towards more sustainable campus practices and to provide a forum to leverage extra curricular activities related to sustainability with academic offerings.
Recent Projects:
As an important step towards this goal, Fostering Sustainability was commissioned to carry out an Eco-Audit to evaluate the environmental impacts of Ashbury’s facilities and operations. The Eco-Audit assessed the College’s ecological footprint in terms of energy use (electricity and natural gas), water consumption, waste management and recycling, food services, housekeeping, paper consumption and other green purchasing opportunities. Fostering Sustainability also made recommendations as to how the College can reduce its ecological footprint in terms of reducing fossil fuel and water consumption, increasing waste minimization and recycling, reducing paper consumption and implementing green building, operations and purchasing practices.
The results of the Eco-Audit will provide a baseline that Ashbury can use to review and monitor the environmental performance of its facilities and operations. It also provides the basis upon which the College can develop its “green” road map for the future by setting targets that make sense, both an environmental, educational and an economic perspective, for managing the eco-footprint of existing and new buildings.
Discount Car and Truck Rentals (2010-11)
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Discount Car and Truck Rentals renewed its commitment to demonstrate environmental stewardship in all of its operations and facilities. In doing so, Discount Car and Truck Rentals joins the ranks of the world’s largest car rental companies that are setting the pace in terms of providing an eco-friendly fleet of vehicles and minimizing the environmental impacts of the their facilities and operations.
Fostering Sustainability was hired to help Discount Car and Truck Rentals achieve its goal to become “greener” by carrying out a Sustainability Audit that provided the company with a dashboard it can use to manage environmental performance in terms of the greening of its vehicle fleet as well as its facilities, starting with its Head Office at 720 Arrow Road in Toronto. The Sustainability Audit also identified areas where the company could increase efficiencies and realize cost savings by reducing the environmental impacts of the business.
The sustainability assessment of the building facilities included review of energy and water consumption and systems, and waste management and recycling with recommendations for reducing the related environmental impacts. In addition, operational processes were evaluated from an environmental perspective including purchase of IT equipment, paper, appliances, housekeeping products, food services and car washing procedures. Fostering Sustainability also made recommendations regarding a system to measure and monitor key indicators of progress in terms of the company’s environmental performance on an annual basis.
Environmental Sustainability Audit (2011)
A key element of
In support of this goal, Fostering Sustainability carried out an Environmental Sustainability Audit for HTS which included a baseline study to assess the school’s environmental performance in terms of energy and water consumption, paper consumption, waste management, food services, operations and green purchasing practices. In each of the sections, Fostering Sustainability made recommendations for how the school can work to reduce its eco-footprint. Where possible, benchmark information was provided to compare HTS environmental performance with other similar independent schools. The audit report proposed strategies and priorities for integrating environmental considerations into school culture, operations and curriculum. It also recommended indicators that the school can use to monitor its environmental impacts as part of a process of continuous improvement as environmental principles are integrated into school culture, operations and curriculum.
The Environmental Sustainability Audit is the basis upon which HTS will develop its Vision 2015 Environmental Plan which will be a 5 year plan with targets for reducing its environmental footprint.