Students feedback on school environment

Photo by Luis Testa

LONG BEACH, Calif.- Student at California State University Long beach are greatfull to have an environmentaly consious school. Walking from one class to another, biology student Cherissa Goggian notices her surroundings and is aware of how her campus is being environmentally friendly.

“I see people sleeping on the benches over there and why would they sleep there if they didn’t think was nice, you know.” Gogggian said, she is one of 35,000 students at CSULB.

It also gives others like like computer engineering student Raul Gonzales an environment they can appreciate.
“It makes you feel good because it is open and there are plenty of trees to keep you company,” Gonzles said. “It is not like Cal State Fullerton.”



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Long Beach State goes green

by: Luis Testa

LONG BEACH, Calif.(May 11, 2006)-If you are a student like myself, walking from class to class the environment can be the last thing on your mind. Especially when you are only conscious about the next homework assignment, test, or 15-page research paper. Not until I got the chance to get information on the five concerns that I highlighted on my first blog, I got the chance to realize how California State University Long beach is environmentally conscious.

Environmental impact

The “North East Campus Improvement” is the latest addition to CSULB, located in the northern two thirds of parking Lot 11, near the intersection of Palo Verde Avenue and Athenton Street. Campus officials like Vice President of Facilities Management and Physical Planning Scott Charmack are making sure it is being built according to regulation.

The multi-level parking structure is being built according to laws implemented by the state, Charmak said. This includes new type of storm traps and the minimizing of fly ash, but the main goal is to provide parking for the students and avoid disturbance of surrounding neighborhood, Charmak said.

Campus landscape

Chipped-up tree trimmings are being used across campus as mulch beds with the intention of recycling waste, Integrated Waste Manager Jon Root said.

“A lot of time when folks think about recycling, they think of cans, bottles and papers, but the reality is that there are many other things that we are generating,” Root said. “Landscape debris is certainly one of those high diverting materials.”

Because CSULB is a heavily landscaped campus, containing 321 developed acres,green waste is a large factor in the amount of waste produced, Root said. Grass clippings and landscape debris are included in the 400 tons diverted in to mulch to spread across campus lawns and plants, with intentions of making them look green and healthy.

This gives students like biology student Cherissa Gogian a chance to step back enjoy their surroundings.

“Here is nice, there is lots of green, you can also see cats and squealers around campus so you know is somewhat environmental friendly,” she said.

Environmental friendly projects

Water conservation at CSULB has taken the next step by installing 18 hands-free waterless urinals at one of its larges restrooms. That will save an estimated 810,000 gallons of water a year, Charmack said.

The new waterless urinals, made by C&L Supply Co. are located at the KKJZ building according to Facilities Management Director Robert Quirk, each of these waterless urinals will save an estimated 45,000 gallons of water a year.

Facilities Management ran a pilot for a period of six months at one of their own restrooms because they had to “take the responsibility for providing a good product,” Quirk said.

The project was funded with Incentive programs provided by California and Long Beach, currently the programs are still active and if the public accepts the project Facilities Management will supply the urinals to the pyramid restrooms, Quirk said.

“The conservation aspect is very important to us and to the region and to the state so always when we can, we participate in conservation programs,” Quirk said. “But saving money is also another aspect where we are always trying to reduce our cost so we can put money to other programs and these are both equally important.”

Students recycle

The Associate Student incorporated Recycling Center is encouraging students at CSULB to recycle by providing Jobs and giving student organizations to raise money for good causes.

The recycling center is run by students because they only hire students, this is the way its been since for almost 40 years, recycling coordinator Kristen Stava said. Students get involved by working here, and provides them with a place they could bring their bottles and cans for cash, Stava said.

Students that work for the recycling center like Kendal McCall feel it feels good to learn about recycling and the environment.

The recycling center can also give students a chance to compete in the recycling competition. It gives a chance for students to compete against each other every semester to win $350 for their organization, Stava said. However, the competition is not getting as much of a result as she hoped for, she said. She is thinking of discontinuing the program.

The most active clubs involved in the recycling competition this semester are Women's Studies Student Association, Long Beach Crew team, Circle K organization, Stava said.

Circle K Organization member Michael Raymundo encourages all his members to recycle within their dorms, and believe they should not be recycling because of a competition, but as an incentive of a good cause.

Other involvements with the Recycling Center include the Pyramid chapped top containers across the CSULB campus. The containers help boost up recycling across campus, since last year by adding 20 across campus they increased their recyclables from 900 pounds to one ton, Stava said. This year one of their main goals is to provide more of these containers, Stava said.

Asbestos

CSULB Safety and Risk Management is doing their best in complying with the asbestos
There is asbestos on campus, Environmental Compliance Specialist George Alfaro said. By applying their asbestos management plan and training employees to know what to look for, Alfaro said.

“Every time asbestos will be tampered with there is a process to ensure that any asbestos issues are addressed,” Alfaro said. “Our job is to make sure that no one will get exposed to asbestos.”

Originally all the campus was inspected and the results were places on the notification to employees, so that if there is ever any concern with the contact of asbestos the issue will be taken care of, Alfaro said.

“Since some students spend just as much time at the school as some teachers, I believe we should also be made more aware of the asbestos on campus, “ Business student Eric Garcia said.

According to Alvaro, they depend on students to go up to faculty if there is ever an incident involving asbestos.

There are five control methods that risk management uses to maintain asbestos from faculty and student contact is very efficient, Alfaro said. These five methods include encasement, encapsulation, removal, operation maintenance, and sampling, he said.

The five methods have been effective, since no students or faculty members have had any claims concerning asbestos in the last five years he has been involved with the University, Alfaro said.

For more information on these subjects, you can reach the California State University campus at 562.985.4111 or simply go to the University website at csulb.edu. For information on asbestos, campus projects and impact statements please visit the Physical Planning and Facilities Management Website at www.ppfm.csulb.edu.

contact writer at Ltesta@csulb.edu