Reducing Carbon Footprint

Less is more

By:

Alan Rodrigues

Alex Graham

Caiden Boulard

Faith Emrazian

Mathew Moffat

Communications 1010
Salt Lake Community College
Spring Semester 2014









Reducing Carbon Footprint

Summary
As a group we came up with different ideas of what we could do to help the school
reduce their carbon footprint and we had some great ones that we looked more into. The main
idea that we are trying to get across is to be able to implement paper recycling bins in every
room since there is a lack of bins in the classrooms. Our first step would have to be convincing
the administration and once we get that done it will be easy sailing from there. The steps and
methods of what we want to do are below. By recycling even more we would be helping the
school reduce Co2 and they could qualify to receive federal grants for recycling more and they
can spend that money either putting some solar panels or giving more of a discount off UTA
passes. Another solution we thought of was to use electronic versions of books more in the
upcoming semesters and that saves paper and can cut Co2 emissions by being making sure the
waste management trucks visit less often to pick up trash and paper.
Project Description
Our project was to think outside the box and find different solutions to reducing Co2
emissions. We had lots of great ideas in the beginning. But as we went through we learned that
there are some things we couldnt change and would be more difficult to achieve. So we started
to hone in on things that we could. We especially focused on eBook availability and more bins
(especially in the class rooms). I know myself personally I appreciate not having to carry around
another book in my backpack. So going through the process to find out how much the bins to put
inside the classrooms were, who to get bins and books from and how to fund it all was lengthy.
We all split our work into parts and kept in touch everyday to make sure that we were on top of
things and this is how we were able to succeed as a team and find some research and methods
that will be described in detail below.
Reducing Carbon Footprint

Methods
In order to leave less of a carbon footprint on Earth, one step we could take to preserve our
natural resources and to be more efficient a change from normal paper bound books, assignments
or notepads to electronic versions. This way when assignments are turned it, the book is no
longer being read and notepads are now no longer being used due to the class ending or
schooling being completed all the individual has to do is delete the files on their electronic
device. This makes it so that there is less recycling to worry about because you have change your
schooling structure so that you dont leave waste behind after your finished.
One way we can implement this is to have the professors or instructors to make it
possible to read the homework or assignment given online, being able to turn in digital versions
of their assignments in by email or another resource tool, as well as encouraging to use electronic
versions of books, or other reading assignments. If instructors make it easier and promote using
an electronic version of books, notebooks and assignments it makes the students feel more
comfortable in using these versions instead of the tangible paper versions.
Not everyone has the money or financial help to obtain a device that can allow them to
use electronic versions of their books, readings and assignments. A school grant could be called
into question in order to loan a device to a student. Setting up donation boxes in the school and
donation links on the website of the school to help with the cost of electronic devices and reduce
them for the student. A Letter could also be written to any company that designs and makes such
devices and asking if they could donate devices as many companies are willing to donate to
schools in order to benefit their tax write-offs. There are also cheaper devices on the market, you
dont need the latest iPad to read and do your homework, there are cheaper tablets that are
affordable and students could get more economic tablets for schooling.
Reducing Carbon Footprint

These are some of the steps we can take in order to implement these ideas into the school
in order to benefit the environment and efficiency of the schooling itself. Technology is
abounding in our century and much technological advancement has been made. One day in the
future a company could build the already now available prototype of an electronic school desk.
This would make it so that the school keeps the technology in the classrooms but it is available to
all students so that they dont need to worry about getting a device themselves if they cant
afford it. This would be the final goal and product of implementing electronic devices more into
the school. Such a time may not be far off.
After the recycling bins have either been bought with money donated or fundraised as well as
waste management donating the bins themselves, distributing recycling bins evenly throughout
the school is crucial. Enough money should be fundraised along with keeping account of donated
money and recycling bins in order to successfully put one bin into each classroom. Should there
not be enough recycling bins to fill each classroom in the school with one, fundraising should
continue so that enough bins can be bought for each class room. Meanwhile, should there not be
enough bins for every class room in the school to have one, organizing the placement of the bins
to classrooms that are used more frequently as well as dispersing the bins evenly throughout the
whole school in order to insure efficiency in leaving less of a carbon footprint.
Conclusion

In conclusion with all our research in trying to help with the schools Carbon Footprint".
We have come up with a creative plan to educate students in becoming more self-sufficient with
recycling. Perhaps putting more recycling bins in the classrooms and having students help by
Reducing Carbon Footprint

caring for the maintenance for the disposal of the recycled material. Also encouraging professors
to put homework or assignments online when possible.

By remembering that 70% of materials that are routinely disposed of in landfills could be
recycled instead. More than 30% of bulk municipal garbage collections consist of paper that
could be remade into other paper products. Other materials like plastic, metal and glass can also
be repurposed. Recycling these materials can not only greatly reduce the amount of waste
disposed in landfills, and preserve our limited sources of non-renewable raw materials and will
help with "Our" carbon footprint.















Reducing Carbon Footprint

Works Cited
"Recycling Operations Timeline. SLCC, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.slcc.edu/facilities/recycle/Recycling%20History%20at%20SLCC.pdf>.

"Recycling Tote - 14 Gallon." Global Industrial. Global Equipment Company, 1 Jan.
2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://m.globalindustrial.com/m/p/outdoor-grounds-
maintenance/garbage-recycling/containers-recycling/recycling-tote-14-
gallon?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CJvHgs7n-70CFckWMgodozMAdg>.

Walser, Maggie L. "Carbon Foot. The Encyclopedia of Earth, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 30
Apr. 2014. <http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150926/>.