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Sustainability

Building For A Sustainable Future

The University Campus Sustainability Committee is responsible for developing and recommending initiatives to enhance the university's environmental practices.

Robert Thomas (2021)
John Dewell (2021)
Robert Verchick (2023)
Chuck Nichols (2023)
Timothy Cahill (2023)
Kendra Reed (2023)
Taylor Fontenot, SGA (2021)

Committee List Published by the Office of the Provost
Contact Desiree Rodriguez 504-865-2281, desiree@loyno.edu with any corrections or changes.

The Loyola University Campus Sustainability Committee is affiliated with or a member of the following organizations:

Alumni for a Sustainable Loyola, an ad hoc committee of the Alumni Board, seeks to create a network of Loyola graduates to promote sustainability in every aspect of what the University does: in areas ranging from academics and internships to facilities and transportation, from purchasing policies and dining services to service and community investments. The network will work in close partnership with the campus Sustainability Committee to achieve important goals in each of these areas.

Academic

  • The Environmental Studies Program faculty is working on a proposal to have Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors approved.

  • These three degrees are offered:

    • BS in Environmental Science with a concentration in biological sciences

    • BA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in the humanities

    • BA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in social sciences

Campus Life

  • Loyola Recycling coordinated two large metal recycling Drives – one in February and another in November of 2009. All Scrap Metals donated the use of a hauler located at the Physics Loading dock at Monroe Hall and paid Loyola’s Recycling program for the metals retrieved. A total of 31, 000 pounds of metal were recycled, with the majority of items coming from the Biology, Chemistry and Physics departments in the form of old metal equipment. Service learning students from Kathy Anzelmo’s Cultural Biology classes provided much of the labor, along with work study students provided by Anne Barrilleaux, Biology lab coordinator.

  • Hollygrove Market comes to campus each week to sell fresh produce.

  • We have a small but functioning garden by Monroe Hall.

  • Over the last 12 months Residential Life has converted dozens of our paper documents into online e-forms, and have thus reduced paper usage by thousands (or tens of thousands) of sheets per year. Converted documents include incident reports, early warning reports, duty swap forms, and equipment check-out logs.

  • Residential Life kicked off its annual Freecycling program and will continue the program. Residential Life collects student items around move-out time that they would otherwise throw away for donation. In previous years, Residential Life has filled a 24-foot moving truck with electronics, appliances, clothing, kitchenware, games, artwork, and other household items. Items were first made available to Loyola’s WFF and Sodexo employees who had personal or family need. Items remaining after that event were donated to the Lighthouse for the Blind Thrift Store.

Chemistry students manufacture biodiesel

May 1, 2009

Three students from the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences at Loyola University New Orleans are receiving a lesson in energy conservation through a project that has them developing biodiesel from used vegetable oil. Chemistry majors Hunter Fontenot, a junior from New Orleans, Michelle Chatelain, a junior from Kenner, and Brian Hays, a junior from Marietta, Ga., have spearheaded the project since the beginning of the spring semester with the help of Joelle Underwood, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry.

Fontenot, who originally brainstormed the project, applied for and received the Richard Frank grant through Loyola’s Student Government Association last fall. The grant provided $8,000 in funding for the purchase of equipment that would recycle wasted vegetable oil from Loyola Dining Services, turning it into fuel for diesel engines.

According to Fontenot, the conversion process involves transforming the used oil into biodiesel through a chemical process called trans-etherification, which uses a catalyst called methoxide. The by-product of this reaction is glycerol, which can be used in a variety of ways including making soap and as a compost additive.

The students meet twice a week to make about 30 gallons of biodiesel and 10 gallons of glycerol. According to Chatelain, the students will use the left over glycerol for a future project where they will make soap.
 

Equipment

  • Loyola has begun a “single stream” recycling effort, meaning that a wide array of recyclables are placed in one container making such efforts much easier for the Loyola community.

  • IT is developing new policies and moving to new equipment that will make computers on campus more sustainable.

Facilities

  • All new construction and renovations on campus intend to meet Silver LEED Certification or better.

  • The newly-renovated Thomas Hall has achieved LEED Gold Certification for its environmental sustainability components according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a certification developed by the USGBC to set a benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED Gold is the second highest level of achievement by the USGBC and Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

  • The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law’s Broadway Building has achieved LEED Silver Certification for its environmentally friendly characteristics, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice, along with the Career Development and Law Practice Center and the Office of Law Skills and Experiential Learning, are located in the building. The certification was recently recognized by Green Building News.

  • Loyola University New Orleans is not just a supporter of green energy initiatives, it is leading the pack as evidenced by its installation of two electric vehicle charging stations on campus. Loyola is one of only two universities in the state to offer free electric car charging on its campus, and the stations will be available to members of the university community.

  • The campus physical plant is consistently improving energy efficiency as they upgrade existing HVAC. Virtually any improvements they do on campus take Loyola to a higher standard of sustainability. They have adopted a Statement of Environmental Responsibility.

  • Sodexo is persistent in improving the sustainable operation of food services and reducing wastage of food.

  • We are now gathering and dispersing leaf mulch (a listserv has 39 people participating), so all the yard waste that used to go to the landfill is now being used efficiently.

  • In partnership with various campus offices, Residential Life has installed recycling bins at each residence hall for office paper, cans, and ink cartridges/cell phones/batteries.

Organizing Efforts

Policies

  • Kathy Anzelmo has worked with faculty, staff, and students to design and implement a recycling program on campus that fits our level of operations. She works very closely with physical plant personnel.

  • We are completing a campus-wide inventory of greenhouse gas production, led by Joelle Underwood. This is the first step in addressing Loyola’s role in releasing carbon into the atmosphere.

  • We formed the Loyola Association of Students for Sustainability (LASS).

  • Presented a proposal, written by Josh Daley, to the administration entitled “Rebuild Loyola, Rebuild New Orleans."

  • We are working with other divisions to develop and implement policies regarding sustainable operations: purchasing policies, investment policies, use of resources (such as paper, printers, and anything that is consumed), etc.

  • Green jobs advising is done by the Career Center.

Transportation

  • Teamed with Tulane to implement WeCar, a car-sharing program that allows the Loyola community to pay an annual fee, and then pay by the hour of use of a fleet of cars available on campus.

  • Implemented the Iggy Bike Project (developed by student Allison Sickle, ’09) that allows students to pay a fee and have access to bicycles on campus.

  • We have a committee working with Tulane trying to get a public transportation program (especially regarding the use of streetcars) in place for our students, faculty, and staff.

  • Tulane is now allowing Loyola students to ride their shuttles free.