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Green Rhino Dorm Room Certification

For Students

Green Rhino Day Student Certification Green Rhino Office Certification

In order to have your dorm room earn a Green Rhino Room Certification, you must be able to commit to a minimum number of credits. Check off the habits and practices that you (and your roommate) have or that you will commit to while working on campus. There is one required commitment and a minimum numbers of items you must check per category, so pay attention.

After completing this application, your dorm room will be audited by a member of TEAM/EcoMon. You will only have to attend the training session once, but will be required to reapply/reaudit every year.

Note: This program and some language was adapted from the Green Dorm Room Certification at the University of South Carolina with permission.

Scoring: Total of 30 pts

To achieve Level 1: Light Green = 18 total points
To achieve Level 2: True Green = 22 total points
To achieve Level 3: Evergreen = 26 total points

Fields marked * are required.

My Information
Waste and Recycling (Minimum 6 Points)

We…

  1. *Conducted a self audit of your personal trash and recycling to see what items we are throwing away the most and have taken steps to reduce our waste
  2. *Do not purchase bottled water
  3. Have at least one designated recycling bin and recycle paper, bottles, cans, and cardboard
  4. Reuse paper that has text on only one side. We keep a scrap paper pile near our printer and/or copier.
  5. Refuse store bags and/or use reusable bags when shopping , going to town for supplies, etc…
  6. Have reusable mugs, dishware, and silverware for use in our room/dorm kitchen
  7. Refuse paper bags when we go to the school bookstore
  8. Do not print out the majority of elective papers, such as notes posted online by faculty, PowerPoint slides, or papers that may be submitted digitally.
  9. Order take-out food no more than once a week
  10. Recycle all plastic bags and hangers from dry cleaning in appropriate E&R towers and hanger racks
  11. Keep electronic devises for more than 2 years (expanding the "2, then renew" idea)
  12. Always recycle batteries in one of the collection sites
Energy and Water Conservation (Minimum 5 Points)

We…

  1. *Make a conscious effort to turn off all lights when leaving rooms and while sleeping. This includes common areas such as restrooms, common rooms, and kitchens.
  2. *Minimize our water use (examples: shower for 10 minutes or less, don't leave the sink running, etc…)
  3. *Power down room and unplug electronics when leaving for vacation breaks or long weekend
  4. Consider using less/dimmer light in the dorm rooms
  5. Use natural light when possible
  6. Make an effort to tightly turn off faucets and showers and report any leaks to Work Orders
  7. Set sleep mode on all appropriate electronics (ex: computers, phones)
  8. Carry a reusable water bottle or coffee mug and refill it regularly
  9. Use power strips and switch them off at night and/or unplug all appliances/chargers when not in use
  10. Wash my own clothes (instead of using E&R) and use cold water
  11. Will not charge electronics beyond 100% (ie: leaving computers or phones charging all night)
Campus Engagement (Minimum 5 Points)

We…

  1. *Have encouraged at least one other building resident/friend to complete the Green Rhino Room Certification Program
  2. Identify 3 EcoMons
  3. Know the location of our dorm's recycling bins
  4. Know the location of campus recycling bins in spaces we use beyond our own dorm's recycling bins (ex: gym bins, library bins).
  5. Will donate unwanted items (clothes, food, appliances) to the Black Box program or Rhino Redress at the end of the year instead of throwing them away
  6. Will model sustainable choices when eating in the dining hall by:
    1. Producing zero food waste
    2. Not removing dinnerware from the dining hall
    3. Eat a low-to-no meat diet
  7. Will participate in Campus Sustainability Week (October)