The Online Reflector

The University of Indianapolis strives to embrace methods of environmentalism and sustainability.

The university has embraced building initiatives, paperless classrooms and the Indianapolis Student Government Green Team among others.

“I’ve been here for twenty years and I can speak to the fact that every facility we’ve built or remodeled [in that time] has been done in an energy-efficient and economical manner,” said Ken Piepenbrink, director of the physical plant.

While some environmental initiatives are designed to be easily recognizable, Piepenbrink seeks everyday solutions to issues.

“Most people only register what they see when it comes to these kinds of efforts,” Piepenbrink said. “But there are always two ways to look at things.”

Many of Piepenbrink’s efforts have focused on economic measures, including energy efficient windows, building materials and other non-cosmetic improvements.

The physical plant also is testing LCD lighting for potential use in offices to reduce costs.

An additional concern is cutting down trees to clear space for parking lots and other campus buildings.

Piepenbrink, however, maintains that UIndy has made a significant effort to restrict tree-cutting.

“We’re very restricted by the city, plus we’re very conscious when we [cut trees],” Piepenbrink said. “We spend a lot of money to avoid cutting trees down. I can honestly say that we plant way more than we ever take out.”

Green Team supervisor junior Josh Ford worked with the organization to develop goals for the school.

“One of our goals is to eventually push that for every tree we cut down for parking lots, we plant two more,” Ford said. “We don’t want to see it at the same level. We want to improve.”

Piepenbrink added that trees recently cut down around Hanna Avenue will be replaced.

Piepenbrink also announced that the parking lot at Hanna Avenue and State Street will feature environmentally friendly designs.

“It’s probably a model design for future parking lots,” Piepenbrink said.

Student’s daily activities can have an important impact as well.

Polk Food Service, Inc., took cost-cutting and environmentally friendly measures in the fall of 2008 by removing trays from student use in the UIndy Marketplace.

“Not only did removing the trays save water, they saved food,” said Ted Polk, owner and director of PFS.

According to Polk, the elimination saved one gallon of water per tray and, he estimates ten percent less food waste.

“Because of the way we run unlimited meals, there are always leftovers,” Polk said. “We try to send as much as we can to Wheeler Mission and other missions.”

PFS runs on a five-week menu cycle, which allows the management to measure waste and better plan meals to minimize it.

Planning, however, cannot fully eliminate the waste associated with carry-out meals.

“We unfortunately do have a large environmental impact due to our carry-out containers,” Polk said.

PFS has explored alternative methods for carry-out, such as purchasable, recyclable plastic containers able to be traded in when dirtied for a clean one.

Other university food services have tried this method with frustrating results, according to Polk.

“It got to be a real logistical nightmare, so we never went that route,” Polk said.

Ford noted that this technique would be a financial undertaking at first, but eventually would save PFS money.

Another alternative studied by PFS was newly available compostable containers.

However, these containers cost approximately seven times more than Styrofoam, and would affect costs overall.

“It’s hard to pass that cost on to students,” Polk said.

PFS uses approximately 15 cases of 500 Styrofoam cups and containers each, every week that classes are in session.

About 300 pounds of waste, food and otherwise, are thrown out daily from the bins by the dish conveyor belt.

PFS also compacts over 500 cardboard boxes on a weekly basis and recycles all plastics, glass and metal cans and containers.

Piepenbrink noted the widespread efforts of UIndy to minimize its environmental impact.

“The school bends over backwards,” Piepenbrink said. “To try to do what we possibly can.”