Week two is behind us now, and it still feels like we haven't actually done all that much. But when I look back at everything that happened last week, I realize that we are definitely making progress, even if much of it isn't publicly visible yet. Right now we're trying to make a lot of little changes that will hopefully add up to large improvements in Olin's resource use. Based on what our interviewees have been telling us, much of the misuse/disuse/wasting of resources results from poor communication between Facilities and the student body. We are hoping that providing knowledge about what goes on behind the scenes will make students more aware of Olin's resources and how their behaviors impact those resources. For those of you wondering what exactly I mean by all that hand waving, here are a few of the things we've been working on:
Thermostat Information Stickers
A lot of people get frustrated with the thermostats here, thinking they just don't work or have an awful interface (the latter being pretty true). And while our thermostats do actually work, they don't operate in the way most people would assume. The actual temperatures at which the HVAC system can be activated are limited depending on the season as an energy-saving measure. When the heating is on, temperatures range from 55-72. If your room's temperature is above 72, the heat will not turn on, regardless of your thermostat set point. When the cooling is on, temperatures range from 72-85, such that the cooling will not turn on if your room is below 72, regardless of your actual thermostat set point. Many people have noted that it would be helpful to add a button to toggle the heating/cooling on and off in individual rooms. This would save energy when people are absent or certain rooms are not being used. Facilities plans to make this change during the summer--our rooms (405 and 106b) will actually be the testing grounds for the system. Since not everyone will read this blog post, we also decided to create "Things You Should Know About Your Thermostat" stickers for each dorm room so that people will be appropriately informed about their thermostats and can tell (and report) when something is actually broken.
Composting
Did you know that there used to be a compost bin in the West Hall kitchen? Neither did we, because it looked exactly like a trash can and wasn't labeled in a noticeable manner. Once trash or any kind of processed food is put in a compost bin, the compost is ruined, which means that unlabeled bins are doomed to failure. After a week or so of throwing away perfectly compost-able food scraps in East Hall this summer, we decided it would be a good idea to revive composting in the dorm kitchens in a more conscientious way. Thus far we've purchased some clear, distinctly non-trash-looking bins and have created accompanying signs detailing what can and cannot be composted. Hopefully this will lead to successful composting endeavors. We will need a couple of volunteers to help us take out the compost when necessary; if you're interested in this small opportunity to help make the college better, shoot us an email!
Steps Toward Improving the Kitchen
The kitchen is the source of numerous complaints from our interviewees, which does not surprise us in the least. There are always dishes accumulating in the drying rack, gross water on the floor and the counters, few clearly marked places to put things away, half-eaten meals/unwashed dishes lying around, and a general lack of respect for shared equipment. In an effort to alleviate at least some of this mess, we've purchased a large supply of dish towels and will soon install a towel rack; hopefully this will give people the activation energy they need to actually dry and put away their dishes. We're also piloting a system to ensure that the towels get washed on a weekly basis: whoever plans to do laundry at the end of that week can sign up to wash the dish towels as well. That way there will always be a clean set of towels, and--as long as it's not the same few people washing them every time--an increased sense of ownership among kitchen users.
In short, things are coming along. We've got a multitude of projects going on, some of which you can look at in detail if you mouse over the "Projects" tab at the top, and we're making headway on all of them. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for some bigger changes!
Thermostat Information Stickers
A lot of people get frustrated with the thermostats here, thinking they just don't work or have an awful interface (the latter being pretty true). And while our thermostats do actually work, they don't operate in the way most people would assume. The actual temperatures at which the HVAC system can be activated are limited depending on the season as an energy-saving measure. When the heating is on, temperatures range from 55-72. If your room's temperature is above 72, the heat will not turn on, regardless of your thermostat set point. When the cooling is on, temperatures range from 72-85, such that the cooling will not turn on if your room is below 72, regardless of your actual thermostat set point. Many people have noted that it would be helpful to add a button to toggle the heating/cooling on and off in individual rooms. This would save energy when people are absent or certain rooms are not being used. Facilities plans to make this change during the summer--our rooms (405 and 106b) will actually be the testing grounds for the system. Since not everyone will read this blog post, we also decided to create "Things You Should Know About Your Thermostat" stickers for each dorm room so that people will be appropriately informed about their thermostats and can tell (and report) when something is actually broken.
Composting
Did you know that there used to be a compost bin in the West Hall kitchen? Neither did we, because it looked exactly like a trash can and wasn't labeled in a noticeable manner. Once trash or any kind of processed food is put in a compost bin, the compost is ruined, which means that unlabeled bins are doomed to failure. After a week or so of throwing away perfectly compost-able food scraps in East Hall this summer, we decided it would be a good idea to revive composting in the dorm kitchens in a more conscientious way. Thus far we've purchased some clear, distinctly non-trash-looking bins and have created accompanying signs detailing what can and cannot be composted. Hopefully this will lead to successful composting endeavors. We will need a couple of volunteers to help us take out the compost when necessary; if you're interested in this small opportunity to help make the college better, shoot us an email!
Steps Toward Improving the Kitchen
The kitchen is the source of numerous complaints from our interviewees, which does not surprise us in the least. There are always dishes accumulating in the drying rack, gross water on the floor and the counters, few clearly marked places to put things away, half-eaten meals/unwashed dishes lying around, and a general lack of respect for shared equipment. In an effort to alleviate at least some of this mess, we've purchased a large supply of dish towels and will soon install a towel rack; hopefully this will give people the activation energy they need to actually dry and put away their dishes. We're also piloting a system to ensure that the towels get washed on a weekly basis: whoever plans to do laundry at the end of that week can sign up to wash the dish towels as well. That way there will always be a clean set of towels, and--as long as it's not the same few people washing them every time--an increased sense of ownership among kitchen users.
In short, things are coming along. We've got a multitude of projects going on, some of which you can look at in detail if you mouse over the "Projects" tab at the top, and we're making headway on all of them. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for some bigger changes!
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