Each month a Physics employee is selected at random and is asked questions regarding sustainability. This month, Camille Avestruz was asked about going green.
Q. The Yale Sustainability Summit 2011 theme is People, Planet, Profit: Fostering Sustainability through Community. Did you participate in any events?
A. No.
Q. The 4th Floor of J.W. Gibbs Lab had been Green Certified by the Office of Sustainability in January. What have you done to contribute to the certification?
A. I composte the coffee grounds, use the copier which is double-sided default, recycle food containers, use reusable utensils and use a mug instead of paper cup.
Q. Do you have any innovative ideas on how to improve the level of certification on the 4th floor of JWG?
A. Use a whiteboard to post YCAA seminar notices or other quick notices in a common visible area instead of printing on paper. Change the room temperature controls for heating/cooling to automatically shut off at a certain high/low temperature. Have a website for reusable furniture, bikes, cars, etc. for employees to swap or sell especially to new, incoming employees. Many faculty, postdocs, and students have items to get rid of once they leave Yale.
Q. Outside of Yale, have you made any changes in your home to reduce the consumption of energy, or water?
A. I turn off lights in rooms I am not using. I don’t use water wastefully. I conserve it while doing dishes and running the water constantly. I have reduced the time in the shower to save environmentally and save money.
Q. How do you commute to work? Are you aware the Physics Dept. has a Yale bike program and the bike is available for use?
A. I walk to work. I did not know about the bike program and I think it is a great idea and more people would use it. I will keep that in mind next time I might need it.
Q. The Physics Department sponsors crafts events. Did you ever make crafts with recyclable materials?
A. Yes, at GSI, Girls Science Investigations we made a robot from a soda can. We have recyclable materials for educational use.