issues & ideas wroresmick cow

THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013 7

E-monitor neglected

Students and faculty had option to borrow an energy monitoring device from the library since January, but program overlooked

By TYLER HOOPER

initiatives some smaller services are

becoming neglected - like Langara’s energy-monitoring program.

Last January, Langara introduced a Belkin energy-monitoring device to the library that students and faculty could take home to measure their en- ergy usage and costs. According to li- brary staff member Glenda McClean the monitor was then removed in July for reasons that were unclear.

Since The Voice’s inquiry into the matter, building operations manager Patricia Baker has put two more devic- es in the library for another year, stat- ing that the devices are “sort of” there for indefinite usage.

Baker said the devices are important for promoting responsible energy us- age. The device is currently part of the energy-sustainability display in the foyer of A building.

Political science student Amy Wid- mer said she was unaware of the li- brary’s new hardware, “Not even a lit- tle bit, no, no idea.

“T think I might use it, just to moni- tor how much electricity I actually use.”

McClean said she thinks she may have signed out the device once be- tween January and July.

“These [devices] are available for students and staff to start to under- stand their energy usage,” said Baker. “People have to take responsibility for their energy usage.”

Some on campus believe the device could be useful and is a positive step toward curbing personal energy usage.

“Everyone should do what they can to lower their footprint,” said Bradley Hughes, an instructor at Langara and environmental enthusiast. “Anything that gets people thinking about these things is good.”

The Belkin Insight Energy Use-Mon- itoring measures the amount of carbon dioxide produced, electricity consumed and the cost of charging electronics such as cellphones and laptops.

The device is meant to help people track their energy footprint while sav- ing money in the process.

The device has a modern design, similar to most modern smartphones and tablets, making it easy to use.

|: the wake of Langara’s new green

3 . a

GAVIN FISHER photo

Students are excited about the new green initiatives happening around Langara this semester, like this comprehensive recycling station.

New stations cut waste

Langara held waste audit last January, now seeks to improve

By GAVIN FISHER

ew recycling stations, no trash cans in classrooms, and a green team of employee and student volunteers to help educate stu- dents — these are a few of the new recy- cling initiatives at Langara this fall. Langara is now managing the col- lege’s waste with Urban Impact, a multi-material recycling company. Ur- ban Impact did an audit of Langara’s waste in January this year. “TIn] the overall college-wide waste composition we discovered that 36 per cent was compostable and 37 per cent

was soiled paper — mainly paper tow- els,” said Joyce Robson, manager of fa- cilities services at Langara.

Since the audit, 94 paper towel bins and 24 recycling bins — for garbage, or- ganics, paper and mixed containers - have been placed around campus. Fa- cilities staff also removed trash cans from classrooms.

Students spoke in favour of the new recycling system, but some expressed concerns about the number of bins available.

“T find it a bit out of the way,” said kinesiology student Adrian De Lima. “You have to literally be in the most highly populated areas of the school in order to find a trash can, where it used to be at almost every corner.”

Robson agreed more could be done. “We'll always be making changes and improvements.

“We only have two [large recycling bins] on each floor in the A building and one in the B Building on each

floor,” Robson said. “Next year I hope to buy one more for each [floor] of the A Building so there’s three on each floor.

“And if the need is there we'll even buy more.”

Robson has assembled a group of volunteer Langara employees and stu- dents to educate the campus about the new recycling system. The green team ambassadors were involved in the se- mester kick-off and new-student orien- tation in September, and will continue to engage students on campus through- out the year.

Food outlets in the cafeteria are also following the new recycling system. Chartwells’ kitchen and vendors are now composting 100 per cent of their organic waste.

“We don’t have garbage cans here in our kitchen,” said Patrick Villarama, assistant manager of food services for Chartwells Langara. “Nothing gets wasted here.”

From January until

May:

ME 25 per cent more paper/cardboard being recycled

HM 100 per cent in- crease in compost- ing and soft plastic recycling

HE 40 per cent less garbage going to landfills

M32 per cent increase in landfill diversion rate

REZONING APPLICATION 100 West 49th Avenue

Brook Pooni Associates has applied to the City of Vancouv amend the existing CD-1 (55) (Comprehensive Developme: District By-law for 100 West 49th Avenue (Langara College|

The proposed text amendment would increase the allowab! height in sub-aréa 1 of the site (Langara College Science al Student Services Building) to allow for additional rooftop mechanical equipment and rooftop access.

FURTHER INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT:

City of Vancouver Planning Department

Rezoning Centre - City Hall East Wing (3rd Floor)

2s Phone: 604.873.7038 E-mail: rezoning@vancouver.ca

ay Website: vancouver.ca/rezapps

or by contacting the applicant: Brook Pooni Associates, 604.731.9075

This sign has been posted by the applicant in accordance with thy

aie KENDRA WONG photo

Students walk past location for new science and student services building.

Students want their campus green

Construction of new

library, which feature sensor- controlled windows,

low-flow

year bioinformatics also liked that the building will

student,

science building set for end of semester

By KENDRA WONG

new science and _ student-

services building will in- clude sustainable initiatives such as solar-powered energy, paper towel bins and water fil- ters.

The 12,000 square-foot build- ing is part of the second phase of Langara’s 25-year master plan, which began in 2004. It will be built between the library and 49th Avenue.

According to Langara’s web- site, the $48.9-million building aims to be as eco-friendly as the

Li": students hope the

toilets and natural ventilation. Director of facilities Wendy Lannard confirmed the struc- ture would be built to LEED Gold certification but would not make further comment. Second-year biology student Tanya Matys said she is glad the college is trying to reduce its environmental] footprint. “There’s so much green tech- nology now,” she said. “There’s LEED Gold and LEED Platinum and I’m not sure what they’re trying to shoot to obtain, but the fact that they’re aiming for it bodes well.” She also hopes to see recy- cling and paper towel bins like the ones in A building.

Michael Figueroa, second-

be eco-friendly, but hoped the college would push for more green initiatives.

“We could try and see what we could do with solar energy or some other type of green en- ergy that we haven’t seen here,” Figueroa said.

Health sciences — student Ameri Dy wants large windows “so you can refrain from using lights,” she said.

Dy would also like to see wa- ter filters similar to the ones in the cafeteria.

Teeple Architects, which de- signed the library building and new science building, declined to comment on the project.

Construction is expected to be complete in early 2016.