Like any large organization, college campuses have a large impact on their natural environment. In the normal course of business, we have a lot of buildings to heat and cool, a lot of asphalt for parking lots, a lot of labs using potentially hazardous materials, and we go through a lot of paper.

All of that has an impact on the land, water and air around us — and in some cases, even our physical health and safety. To help gauge that impact, the TTU administration has formed a committee charged with developing an environmental management system for our campus.

We already have a number of environmentally sound practices in place. We've recycled paper and other waste for years, we're participating in the TBR's performance contracting energy savings program, and we properly collect and dispose of hazardous waste, such as lab chemicals. An environmental management system assesses those efforts, looks for gaps — situations and practices that could be improved — and develops a campus-wide approach to keeping our impact on the environment as light as possible. An EMS helps identify our "environmental footprint," as well as ensure compliance with environmental regulations and implement proactive pollution prevention strategies.

"Establishing an environmental management system at Tennessee Tech would be beneficial for a number of reasons," says Hayden Mattingly, associate professor of Biology and chairperson of our new EMS Committee. "Such a system could both improve our present level of environmental stewardship and also ensure that environmental concerns are addressed when developing campus policies and programs for the future. The system would encourage a cycle of goal-setting, evaluation, and continual improvement in various practices that affect the environment and safety of the campus community."

To succeed, an environmental management system requires broad participation, so gathering input from the campus community is critical. At the end of October, the EMS Committee will launch an online survey asking all faculty, staff and students to weigh in on a new environmental policy statement for the university and suggestions for ways to improve our impact on the environment.

"I see an EMS as a win-win situation because TTU stands to save financially in the short and long run — with energy conservation measures, for example — and the local and wider environment can be cleaner from our carefully planned efforts," Mattingly says. "The process of establishing the EMS represents an excellent opportunity for good public relations and regional leadership as well. In short, Tennessee Tech has a wonderful opportunity within its reach. I hope we are able to take full advantage of this chance to improve our quality of life both locally and beyond."

Faculty, staff and students will be alerted by e-mail when the survey goes live, and everyone is encouraged to complete it no later than mid-November. Questions? Contact Mattingly at hmattingly or 6410.