Goals
- We will work to avoid on-site and off-site air pollution.
- We will work to maximize indoor air quality.
- We will maximize the energy generated from renewable sources when feasible.
- We will work to avoid polluting our natural water resources on campus.
- We will work to avoid potential contaminants of our soil.
- We will work to maintain or improve ground water quality.
- We will try to control runoff to prevent erosion and the degradation of campus and surrounding ecosystems.
Practices and Accomplishments
- The Colby Green project features three sedimentation ponds as well as an estimated 1.5 acres of created wetland. These features will slow the flow of campus run-off, decreasing erosion, while at the same time acting as "natural" filtration systems, removing sediments before they can reach regional waterways.
- Road and parking lot drainage along Washington Street is diverted, collected and naturally treated, drastically reducing the amount of water and potential contaminants introduced by storm water to Johnson Pond and the local watershed.
- Colby has implemented an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan, a plan that aims to minimize the use of chemicals in treating pest problems.
- Organic fertilizers are used whenever possible. Soil samples are taken to ensure that phosphates in fertilizers are used only when necessary. No phosphates are used on lawns adjacent to the Johnson pond.
- A majority of traditional cleaning chemicals have been replaced with citrus and water based products and custodial staff continue to test new environmentally-friendly products for adoption as they become available.
- The College has decreased its use of chemicals enough to reduce its hazardous waste generation category from a large quantity generator to a small quantity plus generator (EPA classifications). Waste processing/shipping costs have been reduced by approximately one-third.
- Darkroom chemicals containing silver, a listed hazardous waste, are collected campus-wide and shipped for silver recovery.
- Underground fuel tanks have been removed. Storage tanks are now above ground with secondary containment, eliminating the possibility of any spill escaping into the environment.
- Micro-scaling, inventory control and chemical substitutions, have reduced the use of hazardous substances in laboratories by approximately one-third. The use of formaldehyde has been eliminated and the use of mercury substantially reduced.
- The fuel oil used to generate steam contains approximately 90% less sulfur than the fuel that was burned previously, reducing emissions.
- Colby purchases electricity from sustainable Maine sources, including 50% from hydropower and 50% from non-waste biomass. To see
