Posts tagged campus
Single-stream recycling comes to CU Boulder dorms and dining
Aug 28th
No-sort recycling in CU housing and dining
helps make landfill diversion easy
helps make landfill diversion easy
Recycling bins located throughout Housing and Dining Services at the University of Colorado Boulder are now single-stream receptacles, helping to make landfill diversion as simple as can be.
The new system, implemented this week in residence halls, dining facilities and at the Center for Community, allows all recyclables to be tossed into one container, alleviating the task of sorting materials.
Recycling throughout the rest of the campus will remain a dual-stream system with “paper” and “co-mingled container” categories.
“The change balances the need for added convenience in the residence halls and dining areas while retaining the more valuable stream of materials — which is processed and sold, generating revenue for campus — from academic and administrative buildings,” said Edward von Bleichert, CU-Boulder environmental operations manager.
The improvement also presents a good opportunity to remind the campus community of what not to toss into recycling, according to officials.
While plastic bags are the biggest contaminant to the recycling process, loose shredded paper, coffee and soda cups — which have plastic linings — and neon or heavily dyed paper also are non-recyclable products.
“Now more than ever, we must pay attention to the types of materials we are throwing in the recycling bin to ensure that we keep a high-quality recycling stream leaving campus,” said Dan Baril, CU-Boulder recycling program manager.
The campus has a 2012-13 goal of reducing landfill waste per person to 147 pounds — down from about 175 pounds per person in 2011-12. It also has an overall landfill diversion goal of 90 percent. In order to reach the goals, the campus must continue to lower the amount of materials entering the waste stream, as well as double the amount that is collected for reuse, recycling and composting, said Baril.
Students started CU-Boulder’s recycling program in 1976. In addition to collecting and processing recyclables, the program teams with campus entities to offer a number of zero-waste events, including Ralphie’s Green Stampede. The stampede transforms Folsom Field into a trash can-free venue during football games — a first-of-its-kind program in the nation.
Some of the program’s student employees have been going around to Housing and Dining Services bins that previously were labeled by categories and retrofitting the receptacles with stickers that simply say “recycling.”
Spectators urged to plan ahead for Boulder Stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Aug 24th
The USA Pro Cycling Challenge comes to Boulder Aug. 25, and will be one of the largest events in city history. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to be in town to cheer on cyclists for Colorado’s biggest bike race.
To help residents and visitors prepare for race day activities and transportation needs, city staff and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) have developed a Boulder Stage Interactive Map (www.usaproboulder.com/map) featuring periodic road closure times along the race route and public parking locations throughout the city. RTD also will increase bus service to Boulder to provide more transit options for race spectators, and the HOP will provide free service within Boulder on Aug. 25 to make it easier for spectators to get around town to watch the race and celebrate at the race festival on Pearl Street. Service will be doubled for the BV route and on the BOLT to Longmont.
“This will be an extraordinary event for the city, and we’re excited to showcase Boulder to an international audience of cycling fans,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “There are going to be several optimum places to watch the race as cyclists come through the city twice, and we want to encourage everyone – residents and visitors – to plan ahead for parking, to take advantage of public transportation, and to use Boulder’s world-class bike paths during the event.”
Some event day tips include:
- Map your route in advance and know when and where roads are closed
- Arrive early and plan to spend the day in Boulder
- Identify your preferred viewing location, and be flexible
- Dress for changing weather
- Bring water and wear comfortable shoes
- Enjoy local businesses and the festival before and during the race
- Bring cash for parking, bike corrals, and the festival – No credit cards will be accepted for parking or bike corrals
- Plan to shop or eat at a local restaurant to avoid traffic delays after the event
Event parking is available throughout the city and can be found on the Boulder Stage Interactive Map (www.usaproboulder.com/map).
Paid on-street parking is available. Paid Event Parking will be available on the University of Colorado at Boulder Campus, city garages and parking lots, and at several local organizations. City parking facilities will charge $30 for event parking during Saturday’s race to help distribute parking throughout the city. The $30 parking fee will be cash only on Aug. 25. Vehicles parked illegally will be towed. Normal parking operations will resume on Sunday, Aug. 26.
Spectators who wish to park and ride bicycles or walk to the downtown events, may park for free at Stazio Field, Flatiron Park North, Pearl East Circle near the Goose Creek path and at GE Analytical Instruments in Gunbarrel. The LOC has arranged for bike corrals at Boulder High School and Casey Middle School. Bikes may be checked in for a $2 donation between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
CU-Boulder will have shuttles operating on race day from the CU east campus parking lots and CU main campus parking lots to the intersection of 20thStreet and Pearl Street. Parking at the main campus will be $30; parking at east campus will be $20. The shuttles are included in the parking fees (no bikes allowed on shuttles).
To view the most up-to-date parking and transportation options based on your specific needs, visit the Boulder Stage Interactive Map. The state also is announcing information about road closures throughout the region. Regional information is available at www.cotrip.org.
Please visit RTD’s main website www.rtd-denver.com to see route information for Aug. 25.
Only 2 % of students in CU dorms eligible for concealed weapons permit
Aug 16th
CU-Boulder announces conditions
for weapons in university housing
for weapons in university housing
The University of Colorado Boulder today announced it is amending housing contracts to ask students who live in undergraduate residence halls and hold a Colorado concealed carry permit, or CCP, to forgo bringing a handgun to campus. The campus also will accommodate those who hold a CCP in a graduate student housing complex off the main campus, provided the permit holders store their weapon in a safe within their dwelling when they are not carrying it.
The university also is asking residence advisers and faculty who live in university housing to sign the same housing agreement as a condition of their residence in these facilities.
The actions follow a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court on March 5, which allows individuals with state-issued concealed carry permits to carry handguns on university or college properties. The University of Colorado Board of Regents last spring delegated the authority to the chancellors of CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs to create a process to implement the Colorado Supreme Court ruling in the campus residence environment.
“I believe we have taken reasonable steps to adhere to the ruling of the Colorado Supreme Court, while balancing that with the priority of providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff,” said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano.
The approach would only affect, potentially, a very small number of individuals. An analysis by the University of Colorado shows that 0.6 percent of the faculty, staff and students on campus possess a CCP. A full 96 percent of CU-Boulder undergraduate students living in the residence halls are under the age of 21, and are thus ineligible to have a CCP. Of the 4 percent of eligible students, about half living on campus are CU Resident Advisers, or “RAs,” who as CU employees would not be permitted to live in undergraduate halls and possess a CCP.
Residence hall students who have a concealed carry permit or who obtain a concealed carry permit under Colorado law during the housing contract period may seek to be relocated to a University Apartment (if space is available) or be released from the residence hall contract without financial penalty.
Among the requirements for Colorado concealed carry permits are that the holder must be at least 21 years of age, complete an FBI background check, and have either previous military or police experience or proof of completion of a firearms training course.
Residence hall students may still store weapons at the University of Colorado Police Department on campus, which is open and available for drop off and pick up of weapons, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
CU-Boulder will continue to follow the CU Board of Regents policy that prevents the open display of weapons including guns, explosives and knives on campus. Only law enforcement officials who display their badges are allowed to openly display weapons while on campus.
Under concealed carry, anyone with a permit may carry a concealed handgun on campus generally and into CU buildings, with the exception of Folsom Field and any other ticketed public performance venue. The purchase of a ticket to a CU public performance constitutes an agreement with the university to not carry a concealed weapon, even as a CCP holder, into the venue.
Students begin moving into CU-Boulder residence halls on Tuesday, Aug. 21, and classes begin for the semester on Aug. 27.
