Plattsburgh State going green, becoming safer

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February 24, 2008

By STEPHEN BARTLETT The Press Republican Mon Feb 25, 2008, 01:01 AM EST

PLATTSBURGH -- Plattsburgh State will be the greenest and safest campus within the State University of New York system.

Fulfilling that vision, said Keith Tait, entails making environment, health and safety a way of life.

"We are going to propose an entirely different model and do this in a very unique way by empowering the line management and students to do what they need to do," said the director of the university's Environment, Health and Safety Department. "Ultimately, it comes down to human behavior, such as the decision to throw a can in the right receptacle."

Tait has lived and breathed environment, health and safety for 25 years, coming to Plattsburgh State from Pfizer where he was director of corporate environment, health and safety. Based out of New York City, he spent nearly 20 years traveling the globe. He burned himself out in the corporate sector and jumped at the opportunity to work for his Alma matter.

Training is key

"There are a variety of different kinds of issues that can occur on a campus this size and larger," said the 1978 Plattsburgh State graduate.

Plattsburgh State is home to more than 6,000 students and around 1,200 faculty, staff, contractors and visitors on any given day. There are 35 occupied buildings and utilities, 23 academic facilities and 12 residence halls.

"People are coming and going all the time," Tait said. "And that in and of itself presents health and safety issues."

Goals of his three-person department include reducing the use of toxic substances and the generation of wastes, promoting strategies to reuse and recycle those wastes and the purchase of renewable, reusable, recyclable and recycled materials.

Tait is developing an Environmental Management System, which, among other things, will train employees and students to become more aware of environmental policies and procedures, the environmental impacts of their activities, their roles and responsibilities in supporting the system and the consequences of forgoing procedures.

"Training is one of the most important aspects of any EHS program."

SUNY aims to conserve

Part of the current focus is fueled by SUNY's new push to reduce energy use 37 percent by 2010 and cap greenhouse-gas emissions and reduce them 20 percent by 2014.

Energy is SUNY's second largest operating cost.

"SUNY has established an executive order that set forth very demanding goals on energy conservation," Tait said.

Plattsburgh State is developing a master plan to address sustainability and other EHS issues.

"We are doing this in our uniquely Plattsburgh way, and we are really going to have to look within our own organization and come up with what works for us," Tait said. "My job is to facilitate and promote communication around that and make it happen."

He won't hire new staff for the endeavor, but will instead empower the campus community to make it happen.

Buildings must be renovated and updated to make them more energy efficient, utilizing high-efficiency lighting and environmentally conscious hot-water and electrical-distribution systems. Plattsburgh State's facilities are between 30 and 50 years old, and a new science building may be constructed next summer to accepted energy-conservation standards.

"2008 is a big year for us in terms of critical maintenance of aging infrastructure, and our master plan will drive the future of the campus in terms of renovation and new construction," Tait said.

Step up recycling efforts

He also plans to improve and expand the college's recycling program, though he'll have to tackle North Country economics.

"We also have recycling issues in Clinton County that don't present favorable conditions relative to the economics of recycling."

Recycling prices aren't nearly as attractive locally as downstate, where money is made off such programs. It could actually cost Plattsburgh State money.

"But there is an expectation on the part of students and faculty that recycling is the right thing to do," Tait said.

Students now walk into campus dining facilities brimming with Styrofoam and plastic, and the goal is to "green up" packaging materials by going biodegradeable.

There is also a proposal to process cooking oils and create bio-diesel that could be used in various vehicles and supplement some heating oils used in furnaces.

Reviewing safety issues

Tait gives equal footing to safety issues.

"I'm all for green' campuses, but I'm also for safe campuses."

He's reviewing response plans and working with various offices on emergency planning and campus fire safety.

There's also the ever-present concern for pedestrian safety, with students crossing Rugar Street, which is often the scene of heavy traffic flow.

"You can't eliminate the risk, but you can reduce it by anticipating it and preventing it," Tait said.

Campus health initiatives include addressing such concerns as pandemic flues and promoting healthy lifestyles.

"Some of the behaviors on campus are quite concerning as far as smoking and drinking," Tait said.

But, he pointed out, if Plattsburgh State does not live up to its core mission, it affects the quality of education for students.

"There are a lot of loose ends, and we are trying to deal with each one of them as they come up, and the key is to develop a management system and not just band-aid problems, but discover their root cause."

sbartlett@pressrepublican.com