Our mission is to promote the sustainable use of the Earth’s resources through education, demonstration, and research.
We demonstrate this “green" lifestyle by giving tours of our Sustainability Education Center that is powered by solar panels, heated by geothermal, and regulated with a digital lighting and temperature system.
We apply these strict green practices for our offices, classroom, event space, and visitor area.
Sustainability Tip for Showers
Summer and water just naturally go together, so let’s talk showers. Showers account for about 20% of indoor water use, last 8 minutes on average, and use 17 gallons. Cutting shower time to 5 minutes brings water use to 12.5 gallons. A slow-flow showerhead reduces shower water usage even further to 12 gallons.
Take the Challenge: Set a timer for 5 minutes and see if you can get out of the shower before the bell rings. Be sure to post your results for others to beat.
Sustainability Tip for AC
During the summer – turn on the air conditioning. According to Energy Star, the ideal temperature for air conditioning is 78 degrees. Using a ceiling fan makes a room feel four degrees cooler. You even reap a financial reward of 3% lower electric costs/day for every degree warmer you set your air conditioning temperature - around $300 savings per year.
Take the Challenge: How warm can you comfortably set your summer air temperature? Post your beginning and ending thermostat settings.
Sustainability Tip for Straws
Straws – such a small thing making up only 0.03% of ocean pollution. What’s the big deal? Short lengths lodge in narrow tubes plugging up drainage systems and digestive paths of animals. Worse, they break down into smaller pieces of plastic (never biodegrading), releasing harmful chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, and BPA into soil and watersheds.
Take the Challenge: Find your alternative to plastic straws – reusable or paper straws or no straw at all. Tell us what you choose.
Sustainability Tip for Meals
Most of us like a meal out every now and then. How often does that meal out lead to leftovers in a plastic or Styrofoam doggie box? Once empty, we generally throw the container out. Have you ever considered taking your own leftover container with you to a restaurant to fill?
Take the Challenge: The next time you go out to eat, take along a couple of plastic or glass reusable containers to pack your leftovers for home. Let us know where you used your own leftover boxes.