The staff of Technology Enhanced Learning and Research is doing its part to reduce its carbon imprint with small measures that are intended to raise awareness within the group and lead to bigger energy savings.

Joanne Dehoney, interim executive director of TELR and director of eLearning, assembled a TELR Green team of volunteers among her staff to examine the workplace habits of all TELR staff and determine ways to reduce energy use and increase recycling.

The team began by drawing up a list of areas where it is possible to exercise individual control and become more conscious of energy use. Then they asked staff members to self-report on their recycling and energy saving practices and the barriers that kept them from acting more efficiently. The survey covered:

Commuting: carpooling, public transit, and using alternate forms of transportation such as bicycles
Energy use in office space: turning off devices and lights when not in use
Paper: printing economically and only what is necessary, using both sides of paper, turning scrap paper into notepads
Recycling: using the recycling bins appropriately

Dehoney reports that participation in the study was “excellent.” As a result, the TELR Green Team is following up on several actions: requesting that Facilities Operations and Development work with TELR as a pilot area for employing new technologies that increase energy efficiency; establishing a wiki dedicated to the topic; setting up an energy-savings model and determining the feasibility of offering a workshop through the Digital Union that details the self-study and provides guidance for others groups that want to do the same.

Finally, to continue emphasizing green values, the team is developing a visual identity with logo and creating an award to give monthly to the staff member displaying the best green values.