Western's Sustainability Commitment
Business Services and its many components are instrumental to the University’s commitment towards achieving a sustainable culture on campus. Each function contributes to this important initiative from its heightened awareness in the disposal of old furniture to the introduction and availability of new, more environmentally friendly products. The campus community is encouraged to reach out to Business Services to learn more about Sustainability and its impact.
Provided below are a few of those initiatives/programs:
Procurement & Contract Administration
- Recycled Paper (Sugar Cane)
- Sourcing environmentally friendly gloves
- They decompose decades quicker than traditional
- Identifying and partnering with environmentally friendly vendors
- Use of DocuSign for e-Signatures to save paper
- Installation of the water bottle refilling station (saving plastic bottles from being used)
Central Services
- Instituted a Toner Recycling program
- Furniture/Surplus re-purposing
Print & Copy Services
Print & Copy Center, Coursepacks, and Copier Programs:
- Specialized 100% recycled paper, WWU Paper Catalog on the Marketplace for quick on-campus deliveries
- Use of recycled paper
- Placing newer, more efficient equipment on campus
- Right-sizing of equipment
Mail Services
- Greater efficiencies with campus deliveries
- saves fuel
- reduces vehicles on campus
- decreases Western's overall carbon footprint
Travel Services
- Displays a direct link to Western’s Sustainable Transportation site highlighting environmentally friendly travel opportunities:
- Local and Regional Sustainable Transportation options such as bus, train and public transit
- Whatcom Smart Trips
- Whatcom County Bicycle Map
- Encourages on-line booking options and electronic receipts, eliminating the need for printing travel documents
- Implemented Concur, Western’s new Travel and Expense Management System:
- Concur Travel displays flight carbon emission amounts
- Reminds and encourages use of videoconferencing option
- Highlights train versus air travel
- Supports hybrid cars where available
- Concur’s reporting allows companies to carefully track travel, so accurate emissions estimates can be calculated to inform policy and secure carbon offsets
- Concur connects with apps that support sustainability, such as ride-sharing services
Have a Suggestion?
We'd love to hear about sustainable partners, programs, or opportunities! You can email each department individually about your ideas and opportunities:
