What You Can Do

When you leave your home for a week’s vacation, you probably take some steps to ensure you’re being energy efficient. You turn down the thermostat. Turn off the computer. Maybe you put a light on a timer so it looks like someone’s home. But what can we at BCIT do when we’re not “at home”?

BCIT spends $4 million on energy every year, and $2 million of that is just on electricity alone. By being clever about how we approach energy use when we’re away from the office, we have the opportunity to be both fiscally and environmentally responsible. Powering down during vacations and over weekends could save thousands of dollars with very little effort. And at the same time, we would be significantly reducing our impact on climate change.

Do your part! If you’ll be away from the office, lab, or classroom for an extended absence (including weekends):

• Turn off lights (in classrooms, shops and labs, lunch and supply rooms, and individual offices).
• Switch off power bars and unplug computers.
• Unplug non-essential appliances such as cell-phone chargers, desktop printers and scanners, portable heaters, photocopiers.
• Think creatively: you know the intricacies of your area or department, so you’re best able to determine what you can do to save energy.
• In doubt, ask your manager or the Energy Team (e.g. we do not want to shutdown network switches as this would cause troubleshooting alerts on the ITS monitoring system).

The Power Down initiative is in keeping with BCIT’s overall energy management strategy. In 2009, BCIT President Don Wright signed the BC Hydro Power Smart Energy Conservation Pledge, committing the Institute to reduce energy use on all campuses and build a culture of sustainability.

At BCIT, we throw away 17,000 disposable cups a week. That’s about 600,000 a year! Help eliminate a mountain of waste and save $60 or more every year with discounts in the cafeterias and all over town. Get a reusable mug. Available at The Stand stores and campus cafeterias.

Every year BCIT makes over 40 million photocopies! With the recent purchase of new copiers, however, double-sided photocopying has never been easier! By making sure that you double-side whenever possible, we can significantly reduce these numbers! Make sure your instructors are doing the same!

Making recycled paper uses 60% less energy, 50% less water and 10 to 37 fewer trees per tonne compared to virgin paper, plus there’s much less pollution.

BCIT has a comprehensive recycling, composting, and waste management program that diverts over 70% of our waste from landfill by:

• recycling office supplies and equipment – paper, ink cartridges, batteries and computers
• recycling consumer products – cans, bottles and plastics
• reusing and recycling industrial waste – wood, metal, gyproc and used oils
• composting organic materials

For guidance in proper disposal of various hazardous waste please call 604-432-8777.

Never throw it down sinks or storm drains – it will eventually end up in our creeks and rivers!

• Don’t toss out anything that’s reusable or recyclable. Call 604-451-7060 for more information.
• To order bags or special pick-ups, call Facilities Management at 604-432-8777