Humber is becoming a greener campus and everyone is participating! Humber Sustainability Highlights features what departments around the college are doing to integrate sustainable practices. This month’s focus is the Department of Applied Research and Innovation which recently introduced a paper reduction initiative by transferring the following to digital format:
- Internal funding applications
- Research Ethics Board Committee
- 2014-2015 Annual Report
- New Venture Seed Fund applications
Lowering paper usage resulted in significant environmental savings, higher efficiency measures and increased productivity throughout the department. With nearly 171, 500 pages of paper being used each year- 160, 000 pages for the Annual Report alone, Ethics and Internal Programs manager, Krista Holmes knew it was time to make a change.
“By moving all of our systems online, the department has made managing our departmental projects more convenient and efficient. Information and archived projects are now easily accessible on our website. As a department that supports and values sustainability, we are excited about this initiative and the positive impacts it will have on our environmental footprint,” said Holmes.
Why should we care about reducing our paper and printing waste?
- Pulp and paper is the third largest industrial polluter to air, water and land in both Canada and the United States, and releases well over 100 million kg of toxic pollution each year.
- Making a tonne of paper uses as much energy as making a tonne of steel.
- In Canada, the paper industry is one of the biggest users of water.
- Reduces consumption of office supplies — not just paper but also toner and other copy-related products.
LEARN MORE
The Secret Life of Paper – Video
Humber Sustainability Plan 2014-2019
Want to feature your department’s environmental initiatives in Humber Sustainability Highlights? Email us at sustainability@humber.ca
