Breadcrumb
Green Office
Sustainability is a goal we all share at Cal Poly Humboldt, and for staff and faculty, we recognize that a greener workplace can also be a healthier, more productive and more cost-effective place to work.
Ready to green up your room or office? Here are some ideas to get you started!
1. Jack Pass
Ride the Bus for cheap, save on gas and no parking woes!
The Jack Pass is your chance to ride green and save some gold. For just $60 a semester all Humboldt employees have unlimited ride access on bus systems serving Humboldt County. What a great way to save on car and parking expenses while helping to protect the environment at the same time! And you can take your bike on Redwood Transit System (RTS) buses!
Learn more about the Jack Pass at humboldt.edu/parking/bus-riding
2. Zip Car
Need a car? Borrow Ours.
You can have wheels when you want them with Zipcar's car-sharing program. There are three cars available on campus, 24/7, to be reserved by the hour or day. Zipcar is car sharing, an alternative to car rental and car ownership that gives you the freedom to take a car when you want it, and put it back when you’re done. This program makes it easy to get off campus whenever you need to while avoiding the hassles and expense of owning a car and finding parking on campus.
Join today at zipcar.com/universities/humboldt-state-university
3. Ride a Bike!
The League of American Bicyclists recognizes Arcata as a Bicycle Friendly Community. So leave the car at home and use a bike to get around campus, town, and local open spaces. You can even take your bike on the Redwood Transit System (RTS) buses!
Showers are available to cyclists in BSS, K&A and elsewhere. There is also bike parking conveniently located all over campus. No need to pay for parking!
The Bicycle Learning Center is a student club on campus that will help you repair and maintain your bike.
Don’t have a bike? Rent one!
The Zagster bike share service helps students, staff, and faculty get around campus and town while reducing their carbon footprint.
There are five bikes at each Zagster station, located at Jolly Giant Commons and Harry Griffith Hall. Bikes are reserved with the Zagster app and can be returned to any station, including ones planned for downtown Arcata. They come with a basket and a built-in lock that allows riders to secure bikes mid-trip without having to return them to designated stations.
Riding a Zagster bike costs $2 per hour, up to $30 per ride. People who plan to use the bikes often should consider the annual membership, which costs $20. This option gives you the first hour for free each time you borrow a bike and costs $2 per additional hour.
4. Carpool and Get Better Parking!
Each day you have 3 or more people in your car (2 if that is the car's maximum capacity), stop by the drive-up window at the Parking & Commuter Services office on Rossow St, show your Humboldt parking permit and receive a Carpool Preferential Parking Permit for the day. These Preferential Permits allow you to park at meters at no additional cost.
humboldt.edu/parking/carpooling
5. Green Cleaning
Green cleaners work just as well as generic cleaners, but without the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), acids and other harsh chemicals that are bad for you and for the planet. Look for cleaners that are biodegradable — they will naturally break down in the environment.
Or try making your own! White vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are just some of the natural ingredients you can use to make your own human healthy and planet healthy cleaners!
Check out the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology for classes on how to make your own cleaning agents.
6. Plants
Potted plants bring cheer to your room and are a great way to naturally clean the air. The Arcata Farmer’s Market, and the Botany and Biological Sciences departments hold frequent plant sales throughout the year. To pick up a plant for your room, check out humboldt.edu/greenhouse
7. Efficient Lighting
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS! Something easy to do that will make a big difference. Whenever possible turn off the lights during the day and take advantage of the daylight! A post-it note left over the light switch plate reminds everyone to turn off the lights when they leave the room.
Compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs use 75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last ten times longer. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps use over 90% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last 30-50 times longer.
Interested in getting FREE LEDs for your desk lamps? To find out how and to get other great energy saving tips, check out the Humboldt chapter of Green Campus at greencampushsu.weebly.com.
8. Fight Phantom Loads with a power strip!
Most electronics these days continue to use several watts of power even when they are turned off. To prevent this, plug electronics, such as TVs, printers and stereos, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use. If you don’t have a power strip, just unplug electronics to stop the “phantom load”.
Power strips are available at local hardware stores.
9. Kick the bottled water habit!
Humboldt is among the first campuses in the country to initiate a phase out of the sale of plastic water bottles.
Be a part of the solution to plastics pollution – buy a reusable canteen and refill it for FREE at one of the filtered hydration stations located on the 2nd floor of the JGC, in the Depot by Muddy Waters café, or on the first floor of the K&A building. Most water fountains on campus also have a spigot to refill your water bottle.
Our water comes from the aquifer under the Mad River watershed. Aside from local, it is clean, healthy and delicious!
To learn more about the negative impacts of disposable bottled water on the environment and our communities, check out the Humboldt chapter of Take Back the Tap at humboldt.edu/wrrap/tbtt
10. Use paper wisely
Did you know that Humboldt has a 100% recycled paper policy? all university departments must purchase exclusively 100 % post-consumer waste recycled office paper, or a tree-free alternative. This applies to letter size general use white paper that is used in copiers and printers.
It's not that hard to print on both sides of the paper. But even though most printers give that option, most of us still print only on one side of the page. Consider this: the U.S. alone uses 4 million tons of copy paper annually, about 27 pounds per person. Save dough and your local landfill. Print on two sides. Better yet, don’t print at all when you can avoid it!
11. CCAT Calendar
Need a book on eco-living, gardening, or how to make your own natural cleaners? Check out the extensive library at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT), attend one of their many workshops, or drop in for a tour of this student run, eco-living center.
Find out more at humboldt.edu/ccat
12. Energy Efficient Electronics and Appliances
Always choose ENERGY STAR labeled appliances or electronics for your office or department. ENERGY STAR products use less energy, save money, and are better for the environment.
You can view a list of ENERGY STAR products at energystar.gov.
13. Computer
Did you know that screen savers do not save energy? Instead, turn your computer off when you leave for the day, and put your computer in sleep when you are away from your desk. Or set the sleep mode on your computer so it powers down after ten minutes of non-use.
Go to greencampushsu.weebly.com to learn how to set your sleep mode or for other energy savings tips.
14. Office Supplies
Get FREE lightly used office supplies on campus! And donate them back when you are done!
Why spend money when you can stock up on gently used or unused office supplies for FREE? The Reusable Office Supply & Exchange (ROSE) storefront has everything you need, from binders to paper clips. It is located in Warren House 53, between Campus Apartments and Gist Hall, and is open Mon-Fri, 8am – 5pm. You can also drop off classroom and office supplies for others to use in the future.
To learn more go to humboldt.edu/wrrap/rose
15. Mug-to-Go
Humboldt landfills over 150,000 coffee cups a year! Be part of the solution to this waste - Bring a mug with you wherever you go for take out beverages. You will get a discount for using your own cup while doing your part to reduce the waste caused by single use coffee cups.
16. Electronics, batteries, CFL’s, Disks and Ink Cartridge Recycling
Did you know it is against State law to put batteries or used electronics in the trash?
Drop off electronic waste (e-waste), used batteries, used ink cartridges and toner, disks and spent CFL’s (compact fluorescent light bulbs) to the special recycling bins at main buildings across campus.
E-waste dropoff sites are noted here: https://facilitymgmt.humboldt.edu/wasterecycling
If you don't see an e-waste dropoff site near you, submit a Facilities Management work request for a pick-up.
If these options don't work for you, please call x3646 for a pickup.
17. Recycling
No matter where you are at Humboldt , you can recycle just about everything!
Use one bin to keep mixed recycling separate from trash. All paper, cardboard, aluminum, metal, paper milk cartons, glass containers and plastics #1-7 can go into this bin. No plastic bags or foam packaging, please!
18. Get a free compost bucket for your break-room!
The Waste Reduction & Resource Awareness Program will provide your break-room with a compost bucket, and will empty and clean it each week!
Contact WRRAP at wrrap@humboldt.edu to request a compost bucket today.
19. To-Go Containers
It will take all of us to help Humboldt achieve its goal of becoming a zero waste campus. Food wrappers and packaging are a major source of landfill waste on campus. Bring your own bags when shopping and use your own containers for bulk items, snacks and other foods.
20. Wise Photocopier Use will save Money and Resources
All-in-one printer/copier/scanner/fax machines save energy and resources. Enable double sided, black and white printing as the default setting, and enable the sleep mode to save energy. Limit fax use and instead scan and email documents. Consider the environment before you print. Better yet, go paperless!
21. Green Event Certification Certificate
Make your next office party or department BBQ zero waste!
Get help planning your next event and get Green Event Certified. Students with WRRAP Zero Waste will provide free consultation and support to minimize waste. Receive a certification and join other campus departments that have mad the zero waste commitment. Go to humboldt.edu/wrrap/zero-waste to learn more.
22. Green Workplace Assessment Flyer
Save Energy and Water, and Reduce Waste in the Workplace!
Contact Green Campus today to schedule your free consultation. The program helps you determine the energy and water consumption and waste generation of your workplace, and provides resources lessen its environmental footprint. Once completed, receive a certificate and join other departments across campus that are Green Workplace Certified!
Go to greencampushsu.weebly.com to sign up.