The Green University Initiative for Chulalongkorn University

THE GREEN UNIVERSITY INITIATIVE FOR CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY
Course: Man and Environment - 2303165
Associate Professor Dr. Nantana Gajaseni
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PRAWEE N 534326xxxx
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PAWEENA B 534326xxxx
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PORNNAPAS K 534327xxxx
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PITSINEE S 534328xxxx

Forewords

“...We live in a breakable takeable world, an ever available possible world”

Earth has been our pillar for millions of years, supporting and supplying us throughout the ages. However, this supply is running out, the earth 's resources are being diminished, habitats are being destroyed, environmental issues are arising and soon we will have nothing left. Without the resources the future of mankind and other living organisms on the planet are at stake. These issues must be dealt with in order to preserve our environment, it 's our only home.
Upon our research on several websites and books, we have found out that there are many ways for us to tackle this problem as a university. Since our group is given this opportunity to propose an idea, we want to make the best of it.
That being said, our scheme will be mainly about the idea of, not just raising awareness, but actually making the participants become aware of what is changing today. We came up with the idea to get everyone involved collaboration between faculties across the university is highly encouraged.
We believe that team-work is the key and Chulalongkorn University as a unified bond can make this project happen. We believe that our plan will be able to implement a change, even though not so significant but it 's a start.

Contents Forewords 2 Introduction 4 About the environment today 4 Recycle 6 Competition 7 Our initiative 7 Why did we choose this? 8 The way we think 8 Motivational force 10 Involvement 10 What do we expect 11 Goals and aims 11 What changes can do 12 How we approach 13 Participants 13 How to implement Initiative 13 Duration 13 How is the competition judged? 15 Eligibility 15 Participation Categories 15 Calculation of Population 16 Definition of recyclable materials 17 Unacceptable Materials 18 Example of Tracking Form 18 Volume to Weight Conversion 21 Code of Conduct 22 Rewards 23 Benefits 24 Conclusion 25 References & Citations 26

Introduction
About the environment today

Since the emergence of mankind, a different relationship between the environment and its inhabitants has been established. The capacity of mankind for manipulating the environment are beyond limits, with our constantly developing society, the changes we made to industries, the advancement we took in technology; it 's unstoppable. But as much there is to the benefit side, the impact that the society made came with a price; and that fee, is valued more than any monetary symbol which is quantified by the amplified supply of pressure forced on the environment and its inhabitants. Mankind and the whole environment is becoming the price to pay. As the industries expand today, wastes, pollutions, and toxins are increased and released into the nature. If compared as to a dam and wastes as excessive inputs, this dam is going to collapse soon. The so-called advancements we are making are destroying us rather than helping us to move forward. And often so mankind looked pass these consequences. Increase in wastes product contributes to the abnormal increase in global warming. Global warming, simply put, is the increase of earth 's surface temperature, it is also known as "green house effect". This "green house effect" is caused by the buildup of "green house gasses" and the inability of the earth to recycle it.
The buildup of green house gasses are caused by nature and mankind, however in the past the earth was able to regulate these gases with a "carbon sink". A “carbon sink” is a natural system that stores carbon over thousands of years. Such sinks include peat bogs and the arctic tundra. [1] For example, the ocean is a huge carbon repository, holding about 50 times as much carbon as the atmosphere. [2]
However, nowadays these sinks are becoming destabilized disabling the earth 's system to do what it did which may lead to an unstoppable and catastrophic warming of the Earth.
Having said that, the consequences that came with global warming is dire. Much of the polar ice caps are melting because of the climate change causing the rise in sea level which leads to floods. Migration patterns are altered and species that depend on one another may become out of sync due to the climate change caused by global warming. For instances, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active. [3] This affects the plant and the reproduction seasons might be disturbed and hence resulting in extinction of both species.
And what does this have to do with us? We might be one of the species that is becoming extinct.
And it 's all because of our own causes.

Recycle

Industrial revolution came like flu during the eighteenth and the nineteenth century. Not only did it allow mankind to revolutionize the ways of living and the production of goods to satisfy the wants and needs but also the ability to alter the earth on a global scale.
The monstrosity of this scale has caused damages to parts of the world. At one point the unrestrained and uncontrolled use of industrial product called DDT became a nightmare. In South Africa, used DDT (pesticides) contamination had caused cancer and genetic damage and needless deaths. [4] However this issue can be dealt with, the reasons that the industrial wastes produced the effects is because there are no room for correct disposal and enough knowledge of that waste thus this is when recycling came in.
Recycling has been one of the major ways to deal with waste since the start of time; it lowers the amount of good manufactured since those things used can be reused. Also, this can be applied to any kind of waste such as paper, plastic bottles, food. And with this in mind we have come to a conclusion that recycling is the best way, and the start to making the university green.
This is our easy part of what was mentioned in the forewords, to initiate recycling almost cost nothing and with the population of individuals in Chulalongkorn University it can be guaranteed that recycling is possible.

Competition

In psychological aspects, competition is the need to survive and excel beyond set limits. However, competition is also about power, about using our energies in a constructive manner so that certain goals are easily achieved. [5]
It is also a well established fact that competition can increase motivation and quality of performance. In a competition a lot of individuals can be involve to compete for a goal, this goal can represent many things such as a reward, recognition, experience, knowledge. This if understand to an advantage can be a powerful tool to use.
Our initiative

As stated in the forewords, we have come to an idea to get everyone involved in this project and become aware of the situation circulating around us. We believe that this awareness can be raised through two things that we earlier mention in this section.
We propose a recycle competition.

Why did we choose this?
The way we think

Pollution is a major concern with too many stakeholders at risk, due to related adversities we think that in order to implant an awareness of that thought we must present it in a new and exciting way. Every time there is a competition live on TV audiences become excited, they are anxious of who will win.
The emotions are similar to those of the competitors while they are competing with each other and trying to find new ways to outrun and win. We think that this will enhance the main goal that we 're aiming for. Since competition increases the quality of the performance we think that it is a great opportunity for students to show what they 're capable of and what potential they hold.
The main reason why we chose a recycle competition is because it represents a novel approach to helping our earth, it’s different. Usually, when it comes to introducing new ideas to make earth a better place, for example if we use less energy there will be less emission of carbon dioxide which is the cause of global warming, people see it as a difficult task to follow or see as it is unnecessary to initiate.
This is also applies in psychological terms; a person 's decision is based on their perception of experiences. This subjectivity of an individual indicates a focus on themselves rather than things all around and hence when an individual is told to believe something they tend to reject and pursue a different idea that is more related to them. With this stubborn mindset, every individual is due to object new ideas input into them such as the importance environment. Even though this view is arguable; it is a fact.
But even though human have a stubborn mindset, it seems like they can change it when they are involve in the consequences. For example, only when the matter of global warming is becoming more severe people take interest to preventing it from worsening. And because of this we came up with the recycle competition idea and concluded that the more involved person is to something, the more they can implement and change. Taken for example the fact that a person might be scared of going on a roller coaster, but when they actually ride it and come down, they want to go on it again. We’re trying to implement that concept. We think that this competition will widen the insights of each and every one of the people involved.
Another aspect that we also took into account in choosing this as our initiative is because of the human nature. Human beings in general are well known to like having comfort and convenience at the minimum costs possible, hence the nothing is free saying. This resorts to short term gains with little and almost no thoughts spared for the long term consequences that may follow.
With that being said, environmental problems are not something that just happened. They are usually long term accumulated problems and the solution to these problems when realized is at a higher cost if the prevention isn’t started soon enough.

Motivational force

As earlier mention in the Competition section, motivation is the key, if we just implement a recycle scheme not a lot of students will get involvement over a long period of time. It is evident that repetitive task causes boredom and lower performance. Since it 's a recycle competition and teams would be set up we expect students to be motivated also with an aim to be headed for, we guarantee a better outcome than just a normal recycle scheme.
Involvement

A competition requires a lot of involvement of the student body also the university as a whole. Our project aims as a competition between faculties, who will be able to recycle the most amounts and the least. These factors will be clearly explained in the how we approach section.
On a side note to what is said in the beginning, student involvement is very important. It is vital for the students to understand what importance the environment gives us.

What do we expect
Goals and aims
During the competition, we hope to collect as much recyclable things as possible. It would help clean up the whole university and the student’s homes because students will collect all the things that they have to recycle in the competition. It can also help clean up the community around Chulalongkorn University if students go collect stuff outside the university. The more that they can recycle, the more money we can earn. For example, we can sell the old papers and newspapers per kilos, and bring money towards the university.

Our aim from the competition is basically moral conscience about recycling. Competitiveness will generate enthusiasm to recycle, and we hope that students will continue the recycling even after the competition is over. Students should be happy to recycle, not being forced to.
In general, here are our aims and goals : 1. Collect as much recyclable thing to recycle 2. Clean up university and the students’ homes, or anywhere else. 3. Raise money from selling recyclable items. 4. Generate enthusiasm to recycle 5. Hope to get students to recycle even after the competition is over. 6. Have fun recycling!

What changes can do

If our project becomes a success we think that it would ultimately bring change to how students think. At the beginning of our project of course, we are planning to do an induction as a guideline for students. This guideline would involve the why of this project and the reasons we come up with. We believe that the students and the participants involve will become more aware. And at the end of the competition we will have an ending speech about how the university is after the recycle competition. We are planning to take picture of before and after in hope it would spark an awareness of the university environment.
But what does this bring to the university; first of all it brings change. If only one participant did this competition there wouldn 't be much change but if we 're able to show this before and after effect of a mass movement (competition of the students). We think it will bond the students even more thus changing their awareness, leading our university into even a greener place than now.

How we approach
Participants

For our competition, we would like the whole university to be involved. Thus, we create a competition that lets every faculty compete. Students in every faculty have to help each other collect recyclable items. Not only students, but professors, staff, workers, and everyone in the university can participate.
We would rather see everybody do a little bit of recycling everyday than see just a few people do a lot of recycling. The goal is to get everyone to recycle, not just some groups of people. So, if the faculty that can recycle most had only a few people participating, it would not serve the purpose of the competition. So we will give extra credit for the faculties that can get more people to participate. It’s not the amount that matters, it’s the number of people participating, and how often they recycle. In conclusion, we should see every single person in the university participating, and continue to do it even after the competition is over. How to implement Initiative

From the graph above, we can see that the more number of schools participated, the more pounds of recycle increase. So to make this recycle competition more accomplished, we need a lot of faculties to participate in this competition.

Duration

The competition should last for a period of time. However, it should not be close to exam dates because students will be more interested in their studies than other activities. But the point is, even after the competition is over, students should continue to recycle even if there are no prizes as encouragement. So, the “when” part should ultimately mean “forever”.

How is the competition judged? (referred from http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/index.htm)
Eligibility
The recycle competition is opened to all faculties in Chulalongkorn University so everyone in Chulalongkorn University including students, teachers and officers can all participate in this recycle competition.
Participation Categories
The recycle competition is made up of four primary competitions, as well as four targeted material competitions. Participating faculties are automatically included in each category for which recycling and trash data are provided. * Overall
The Grand Champion category combines trash and core recyclable materials to determine a faculty 's recycling rate as a percentage of its overall waste generation. Successful faculty in this category demonstrate their achievement in both recycling and waste minimizing.

* Recycle Per Capita
Faculties compete to see which can collect the largest combined amount of paper, cardboard and bottles and cans per person.

* Waste Minimization
Faculties compete to see which produces the least amount of municipal solid waste (both recyclables and trash) per person. This competition is intended to reward those faculties that generate the least amount of combined waste and recyclables, emphasizing reuse and source reduction over recycling.

* Total amount of recycling
This category recognizes the larger faculties that recycle the highest gross tonnage of combined paper, cardboard and bottle and cans during the competition, regardless of faculty population. * Targeted Materials
In addition to the four primary competitions, faculties may compete in four targeted material categories including Paper, Corrugated Cardboard, Bottles and Cans, and Food Service Organics.

Calculation of Population * Residential Students = Number of Students x 1 * Full-Time Staff and Non-Residential Students (Commuting Students) = Number of Individuals x 0.75 * Part-Time Staff and Part-Time Students = Number of Individuals x 0.5

Definition of recyclable materials * Paper * Boxboard / chipboard * Catalogs * Hard and softbound books * Junk mail * Magazines * Newspaper * Office Paper (all colors) * Phone books * Bottles and cans * Plastic (e.g., soda, water, juice, beer, laundry detergent bottles) * Aluminum cans * Glass bottles and jars * Steel cans * Cardboard * Baled and unbaled cardboard boxes * Boxboard / chipboard * Food Service Organics * Pre and post-consumer food waste * Compostable dinnerware, napkins, etc. * Trash * Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) * Construction and demolition waste and medical waste are not included. * Food Service Organics * Pre and post-consumer food waste * Compostable dinnerware, napkins, etc. * Food waste used as animal feed may be included.

Unacceptable Materials
The following materials are not included in the competition * Appliances * Computers * Materials from construction and demolition projects * Electronics * Furniture * Industrial plastics * Other miscellaneous recyclable items * Pallets * Scrap metal * Scrap wood * Yard waste * Food waste
Example of Tracking Form

* Daily
Spreadsheet above is from Harvard University (2004)

* Weekly

Spreadsheet above is from Harvard University (2004)

Volume to Weight Conversion Paper | | | (All grades loose and unbaled): | | | Computer print-out: | 655 pounds/cubic yard | 3.05 cubic yards/ton | Newspaper: | 433 pounds/cubic yard | 4.62 cubic yards/ton | Office paper: | 568 pounds/cubic yard | 3.52 cubic yards/ton | Mixed paper:1 | 484 pounds/cubic yard | 4.13 cubic yards/ton | Corrugated Cardboard | | | Flattened boxes | 100 pounds/cubic yard | 20 cubic yards/ton | Compacted boxes | 400 pounds/cubic yard | 5 cubic yards/ton | Baled boxes | 900 pounds/cubic yard | 2.22 cubic yards/ton | Containers (cans, bottles, jars) | | | Commingled glass, metal, and plastic2 | 200 pounds/cubic yard | 10 cubic yards/ton | Whole glass bottles (0-10% broken): | 600 pounds/cubic yard | 3.33 cubic yards/ton | Aluminum cans (whole, unflattened): | 63 pounds/cubic yard | 31.75 cubic yards/ton | Steel cans (whole, unflattened): | 150 pounds/cubic yard | 13.33 cubic yards/ton | Plastic bottles (whole, unflattened): | 36 pounds/cubic yard | 55.55 cubic yards/ton | Compostables | | | Leaves (loose) | 225 pounds/cubic yard | 8 cubic yards/ton | Leaves (vacuumed) | 350 pounds/cubic yard | 5.71 cubic yards/ton | Grass clippings | 400 pounds/cubic yard | 5 cubic yards/ton | Food scraps | 1,500 pounds/cubic yard | 1.33 cubic yards/ton | Animal bedding | 400 pounds/cubic yard | 5 cubic yards/ton | Other Recyclables | | | Scrap metal (loose “light iron” sheet metal) 2 | 70 pounds/cubic yard | 29 yards/ton | Single wooden pallet (.25 cubic yards)1 | 50 pounds | 40 pallets/ton | Wood pallets | 200 pounds/cubic yard | 10 cubic yards/ton | Lead/acid batteries | 39.4 pounds/car battery | 51 batteries/ton | Single foam rubber mattress | 55 pounds | 36 mattresses/ton | Trash | | | Campus waste (loose) 2 | 90 pounds/cubic yard | 22.22 cubic yards/ton | Residential waste (loose) | 225 pounds/cubic yard | 8.88 cubic yards/ton | Commercial/industrial waste (loose) | 450 pounds/cubic yard | 4.44 cubic yards/ton | Municipal solid waste (compacted in truck) | 750 pounds/cubic yard | 2.66 cubic yards/ton | Conversions English/Metric | | | | English | Metric | Weights: | 1 pound | .37 kilograms | | 1 ton | .91 metric tons; 740 kilograms | | | | Volumes: | 1 cubic yard | .76 cubic meters |
Code of Conduct
All faculties compete under the following principles: * The competition 's goal is to increase student awareness and involvement in campus recycling through collaboration and partnership with participating faculties. * This competition is a cooperative, friendly competition. Cheating, discourteous or offensive behaviors are grounded for a school to be removed from the competition. * No faculties "lose"—all participants win through their achievements in waste reduction and recycling; in other word, all participants who join this recycle competition are winners. No one loses from this competition

Rewards

This competition does not require any start up fund or any prize rewards. The reward itself is the money from selling the recyclable things they have collected. It might seem like a very small amount, however, we can actually make a lot of money just from selling plastic bottles. Plastic, newspapers, papers, cans, these things combined will generate a huge amount of money.
For each individual who participate the most, the University will present certificates. Since we have an attendance list, we can specify which student participate the most. The university should therefore award that student with special certificates declaring their achievements in the Green Project. Nowadays companies not only consider grades and an acceptance to jobs, but they also look at activities records. If they see the student having an activity certificate, they would give the student special consideration.
The criteria for the certificates would be:
1. Most recyclable items collected in the whole University.
2. Most recyclable items collected in each faculty.
3. Most times participated in the whole University.
4. Most times participated in each faculty.
The awards should also encourage the students to participate in the competition more.

Benefits The benefits here are unlimited, first of the students will be able to have their resume brushed up and more enticing for their future employers. It is also beneficial to them also if they 're able to identify why the university is spluttered with waste, if they 're able to do so they 'll be able to lessen them. Lowering the about of waste by recycle gains money. The money gathered from the recycling competition might be use to make the University even greener.
Another aspect to be look into this is the fact that when students are eating or snacking in classrooms (which is prohibited), they leave waste around. We think that this competition will also assist the hard working maids and lower there amount of work.
Another good benefit from this activity is that the university would be cleaned; garbage and wastes that usually lie around would be picked up thus making the university extra hygienic.

Conclusion

The future is not somewhere we are going. It is something we are creating. Every day we do things that make some futures more probable and others less likely. - Professor Ian Lowe
In this ever changing world of technology and comfortability mankind has forgotten what is the most important to them. The things that must be treasured and taken care of are being left behind our earth is being left behind.
We think that it is extremely important that we are able to point out the right directions for our students, not only to thrive forward but to also look behind what we have done and what we have missed. We wish that this project would provide an extra insight to the students in hope they will adjust to a more sustainable lifestyle, save more to clean less.
Because in the future, it doesn’t matter what you 're good at or how much technology you can invent, it matters only if you can change and make better of things and brighten future of the earth as a whole not mankind alone. And we know, as Chulalongkorn is the leading University Thailand we must be able to guide our students to be better. After all we are the Pillar of the Kingdom.

References & Citations

* Anna Björklund, Göran Finnveden, Recycling revisited—life cycle comparisons of global warming impact and total energy use of waste management strategies, Centre for Environmental Strategies Research - fms, Royal Institute of Technology, 2005. * Fullerton Don, Kinnaman Thomas C, Garbage, Recycling, and Illicit Burning or Dumping, Department of Economics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 2002. * L. J. Shrum, Tina M. Lowrey, John A. McCart, Recycling as a marketing problem: A framework for strategy development, Psychology and Marketing, Volume 11, Issue 4, pages 393–416, 2006. * [1] http://www.acoolerclimate.com/causes-of-global-warming/ (28/11/2010) * [2] http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=17726 (17/11/2010) * [3] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects/ (17/11/2010) * [4]http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipen.org%2Fipepweb1%2Flibrary%2Fipep_pdf_reports%2F5saf%2520ddt%2520contamination%2520in%2520south%2520africa.pdf&ei=XJDvTOTECMnzcdj44csK&usg=AFQjCNE6H5HVLzIl5R0_Q8BI2fOn0-acfg (20/11/2010) * [5] http://newsguide.us/index.php?path=/education/psychology/The-Psychology-of-Competition/ (20/11/2010)

Citations: Centre for Environmental Strategies Research - fms, Royal Institute of Technology, 2005. Texas, 2002. 11, Issue 4, pages 393–416, 2006. * [1] http://www.acoolerclimate.com/causes-of-global-warming/ (28/11/2010) * [2] http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=17726 (17/11/2010) * [5] http://newsguide.us/index.php?path=/education/psychology/The-Psychology-of-Competition/ (20/11/2010)