YOU HAVE THE POWERTo Reduce Our CARBON FOOTPRINT!

We are committed to reducing our energy use and minimizing our campus carbon footprint, but we can’t do it alone. We need students to do their part by reducing energy and water consumption. This is your chance to show leadership at Nazareth College and do something good for our planet. You have the power.

Please call the facilities department at ext 2354 or email us at to report maintenance issues, temperature problems, dripping faucets, or any other energy wasting problems. Thank you for working on reducing the carbon footprint of our campus.

  1. Lighting. Turn it off! An over lit dorm room creates an annoying glare on computer screens and your roommate. Use compact fluorescent desk lighting as needed.

9.Leaky faucets, dripping showers or running toilets. If you have them, pick up the phone, give us a call. A leak the size of 1/16 inch can waste up to 25,000 gallons/month!

8.Showers. Get in, get out. An extra two minutes in a shower wastes over 5 gallons of water.

7.Laundry. Try washing your clothes in cold water. Save up to 80% of energy per load by washing in cold. Clean the dryer lint filter before every load.

6.Curtains. Close them during the night, weekends away and school breaks.

5.Temperature. You have the power to save energy by simply controlling the temperature in your room. Use a fan to cool off, rather than cranking up the A/C. In the winter, wear a sweater and turn the heat down. Make sure the heat vents in your room are not blocked.

4.Pull the plug on unused electronics! Unplug your chargers and unused electronics. Turn off your computer and printer when you are at classes or sleeping.

3.Purchase Energy Star labeled refrigerators, computers, printers and electronics. The Energy Star label will be on the box.

2.Computers. Enable the sleep mode on your computer and save up to 70% of the energy use! Turn off energy wasteful screen savers. Email your papers to your teachers. Print documents only when you believe it is worth the natural resources.

AND THE NUMBER ONE WAY STUDENTS CAN HELP………

  1. Follow your mother’s advice! “Turn off the lights. Close the curtains. Close the refrigerator door.” “Turn off the TV and do your homework.”

Top 10 Energy saving ideas for the kitchen:

10. Freezer Maintenance: Stand alone freezers need to be monitored for ice build up on the inside coils. Ice buildup forces the freezer to work harder since it inhibits the freezers ability to maintain the proper temperature. Contact ext 2354 to report equipment issues.

9.Defrosting frozen foods:

Don’t just run the water. Running water to defrost food is expensive.

Defrost foods in the refrigerator whenever possible. This is the safest and most energy efficient way to thaw food. If food needs to be defrosted quickly, use the microwave if possible. Otherwise, thaw meat and poultry in an airtight package submerged in cold water. Change water every 30 minutes.

8.Cover all refrigerated foods in the refrigerator. Covered foods retain moisture better, which keeps the food fresh, and limits the moisture content in the refrigerator air. Moist air is takes more energy to cool than dry air. Replace paper wrappings with aluminum or plastic wrap. Paper acts as an insulator and may prevent proper food cooling.

7. Refrigerator maintenance: Refrigerator set point should be 40 degrees or less to maintain food safety.[1] Call Ext 3660 if the refrigerator gaskets or door seals appear damaged or excessively dirty, or if the unit is not maintaining the proper temperature.

6.Keep all refrigerator, freezer and walk-in cooler doors closed at all times.

5.Turn off all lighting, warmers and kitchen equipment as soon as possible. Keep them off during nighttimes and vacations.

4.Stove Burners:

Electric stove burners need pre heating, gas burners do not need pre heating. Do not leave gas burners on unless actually cooking. One burner on for just one hour per day extra costs approximately $124 a year.

3.Kitchen Exhaust Hood:

Turn it off when not needed. Leaving the kitchen exhaust fans on pulls expensive conditioned air out the kitchen wastes money.

2. Run only full loads of dishes through the dishwasher.

1. Purchase Low Flow/High Pressure pre-rinse dishwasher spray nozzle for the kitchens. One college campus is saving almost $4,200/year in water and natural gas expenses by using pre-rinse spray nozzles. Since the cost is less than $100, the payback is fast.[2]

Nazareth Top 10 energy saving ideas for research and science laboratories:

Science laboratories consume the most energy of any building on campus. The fume hoods pull heated/air conditioned or “expensive air” out of the building. Simply by closing the fume hood sashes when they are not being used could save up to hundreds of dollars per year! Wouldn’t you rather have the money currently spent on unnecessary energy used for more lab equipment?

Top 10 things you can do to save money, reduce energy consumption and reduce our carbon footprint in your lab:

10.Close the hallway door.

9. Turn off hot plates and Bunsen burners as soon as possible.

8. Cool items in a bath of cold water, rather than letting the water run.

7. Leaky faucets! A leak as small as 1/16 inch hole (the size of the bullet points on this page) leaking 24 hours per day can add over 25,000 gallons to a monthly water bill. If you have leaks on your floor, pick up the phone, give us a call at Ext 3660 and we will fix the problem.

6. Close the fume hoods at all times when not in use.

5.Turn off all exhaust fans and lights when lab is not in use.

4. Turn off computers and printers when not in use.

3. Run automatic glassware washers with a full load.

2. Refrigerators and Freezers: Make sure freezers and refrigerators are not located next to room thermometers or heat producing appliances. Refrigerators and freezers run more efficiently if their compressor is surrounded by cool air. Make sure the “Energy Saver” feature on the refrigerator is turned on. Maintain refrigerators/freezers by keeping doors properly sealed and coils clean. Defrost the freezer annually to ensure proper temperature regulation and efficient operation. If your freezers have an automatic freezer defrost, inspect and clean the drainage tube and pan annually. Vacuum refrigerator coils and vents annually, since dusty coils force a refrigerator and freezer to work harder to maintain the proper temperature. Proper refrigerator and freezer maintenance is necessary not only to save energy, but also to properly maintain the temperature and integrity of the items being cooled. Do you have an old spare refrigerator that is running, but not being used? Extra refrigerators not only cost over $150/year to operate, they waste natural resources.

1.Contact Building and Grounds at Ext 2354 or email if you are experiencing lighting, refrigeration, heating/air conditioning or any other energy related issues.

Nazareth Energy Management ideas for RA’s:

Here is your chance to show leadership at Nazareth College on the energy conservation movement. We have a list of ideas on how the RA’s can directly impact and reduce the energy use in the dorms, as well as around the campus. Let’s make this school year the one in which we reduce our energy consumption and reduce our carbon footprint.

Here are the top ten ways an RA can reduce energy consumption:

10.Leaky faucets, running toilets and dripping showers. A leak as small as 1/16 inch hole (the size of the bullet points on this page) leaking 24 hours per day can add over 25,000 gallons to a monthly water bill. If you have leaks on your floor, pick up the phone, give us a call. Ext.2354 or send an email to and we will come out and fix the leak.

9.Temperature not right? Are your floor mates opening their windows during the winter? Trying to cool off by sticking their head in a refrigerator? Call us/email us and we will come out to adjust the temperature. Space heaters are a fire hazard and should not be used in the dorms.

8.Remind your floor mates to close their windows and curtains during the night, weekends away and extended school breaks.

7.Pull the plug on unused electronics. Pull the plug on unused cell phone and ipod chargers. Chargers and electronics consume energy even when they are inactive.

6.Lighting. Good to have when you need it, but a waste of energy to have it on when you don’t. Please make sure that areas controlled by lighting occupancy sensors stay controlled by lighting sensors. Call in/email the facilities and grounds department with any malfunctioning lighting sensor.

5.Lighting. Turn it off! An over lit dorm room not only creates annoying glare on computer screens, it also wastes energy. Use task lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs instead of overhead lighting.

4.Computer monitors use up to half of the energy to run a computer[3]. Turn it off if you will be away for more than 15 minutes. Don’t print a document unless it is worth the natural resources.

3.Wash your clothes in cold water. Save up to 80% of the energy per load by washing in cold[4]

2.Clean the dryer lint filter every time. Your clothes will dry faster and maybe save you from having to run the dryer cycle twice for your big loads.

1.Keep your eyes open for torchiere lamps with halogen lights. They are a safety hazard and as well as energy hogs. Fire safety policy does not allow these lamps on campus.

Office energy management tips:

  • Turn off your computer at night. It costs between $44 to $195/year to keep a PC and color monitor on at night, depending on the computer style.
  • Turn off your computer monitor if you are going to be away from your desk for more than 15 minutes and certainly, at the end of the day. Monitors account for two thirds of the energy used by the computer.[5]
  • Use sleep mode on your computer rather than a screen saver. Screen savers cost money to operate.
  • See Appendix F for easy to follow directions to turn on the sleep mode
  • Email your communication, rather than printing and mailing
  • Last one out of the office, turn off the printers. Assign the task.
  • Less frequently used equipment with remote controls (TV’s and VCR’s) should be unplugged unless they are being used. Power is being used, even when off.
  • Don’t print, unless it is worth the natural resources to do so.
  • Review your document on line and only print the final version
  • Turn off the conference room and office lights when unoccupied. A 100 watt incandescent lamp costs an average of $50/year to keep turned on all year long
  • Old fashioned expensive incandescent bulbs in task lighting should be replaced with efficient and clean compact fluorescents.
  • Unplug cell phone chargers and power adapters when not in use.
  • Keep air registers clear to allow air to properly circulate. Up to 25% more energy is required to distribute air if the vents are blocked.[6]
  • Host conferences during the heating season. (Each visitor brings approximately 240 BTU/hr of free heat!)[7]
  • Space heaters: Space heaters are not allowed. If there is a heat distribution problem, verify that the vents are not blocked. Contact Building and Grounds as ext ???? for assistance.

Purchasing energy efficient office equipment:

  • Buy an appropriately sized monitor. The bigger the monitor, the more energy it takes to operate. A 17 inch monitor uses 40% more energy than a 14 inch one.
  • LCD monitors use up to 60% less energy than the CRT monitors.[8] LCD monitors not only use less energy; they take up less space on a desk, they produce better image contrast and reduce eye strain for computer users. Replace old monitors with LCD monitors as they fail.
  • New Energy Star computer equipment specifications went into effect July 20, 2007. Contact your purchasing department or or Appendix G for further details on purchasing the most efficient computer and office equipment.

Housekeeping and Security energy management tips:

The housekeeping and security staff are important pieces to the energy management plan. The housekeeping and security staff are often times the first ones to notice maintenance problems. Leaky faucets, improperly set motion sensors, misdirected sprinkler heads, noisy air handling fans, and incorrectly set room temperatures are all energy saving opportunities. Having the housekeeping and security staff turn in the maintenance issues are the key to identifying problems, and having them corrected in a timely matter. All maintenance requests should be submitted to the Buildings and Grounds Department.

Housekeeping and Security Staff:

Contact Ext. 2354 if you see any of the following problems:

  • Leaking faucets
  • Running toilets
  • Dripping showers
  • Sprinklers running excessively, while it is raining, or when they normally don’t operate
  • Broken lighting sensors
  • Lights left on in areas that are normally dark in the evening
  • Noisy or “different sounding” air handling fans
  • Unusual chemical or natural gas smell
  • Temperature setting that is abnormal: Excessively hot room or building during the winter, or an excessively cold building during the air conditioning season

Purchasing guidelines:

Much attention has been given to energy efficient lighting over the past few years. But energy efficiency is for more than lighting. The following is a list of items that are purchased or managed via the purchasing department that have ENERGYSTAR options. Please consider energy costs in the purchasing and life cycle costs of goods.

  • New Energy Star computer equipment specifications went into effect July 20, 2007. Contact for further details on purchasing the most efficient computer equipment.
  • Buy an appropriately sized monitor. The bigger the monitor, the more energy it takes to operate. A 17 inch monitor uses 40% more energy than a 14 inch monitor.
  • ENERGYSTAR Copiers and fax machines not only use less energy, they run cooler and last longer. New energy specifications for imaging equipment went into effect April 1, 2007.
  • Vending machines: If the beverage vending contract is ending soon, request Energy Star vending machines in your next contract. HWS will save over 40% or $120/year for each Energy Star vending machine that is installed vs. a standard one.[9]
  • Washing machines: ENERGY STAR commercial washers use 35 to 50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy per load than standard washing machines. That is a savings of $110/year per washing machine.[10] Request Energy Star appliances during the next laundry maintenance contract negotiations.
  • Dryers: ENERGY STAR does not label commercial clothing dryers since they all use similar amounts of energy.
  • Commercial food service equipment: Since these items are purchased only periodically, details and savings estimates are not recorded in this manual. ENERGYSTAR qualified equipment is available for dishwashers, ice machines, water coolers, steam cookers, refrigerators/freezers, fryers, etc. Contact for savings estimates and paybacks for specific equipment needs.
  • Compact fluorescent bulbs are the industry standard for floor and table lamps. With the high cost of electricity in New York State, compact fluorescents will save 75% over old fashioned incandescent bulbs.[11]

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[1] Source: Foodsafety.gov

[2] Source: Bricor.com

[3] Alliance to Save Energy

[4] Source: Tide.com

[5] Source: EnergyIdeas.org

[6] Source: Energy Star InfoCard

[7] Home Energy Efficient Designer

[8] Source: EnergyStar.gov

[9] Source: EnergyStar.com

[10] Source: EnergyStar.com

[11] General Electric