The Petal Project at Clarke

Have you seen Petal Project door clings around campus and wonder what they are about?

The Petal Project is a local program that helps businesses and organizations save money and protect the environment by changing habits and meeting goals relating to waste reduction, water consumption, pollution prevention, energy conservation, and education about sustainability issues. Each of these areas is represented in the program by a petal, and Clarke recently received its education petal and has also earned the pollution prevention petal. See below for a summary of changes and continuing projects Clarke has made to earn other petals.

Water Conservation

• Check twice a year for leaky sinks, toilets, etc.
• Post signs encouraging water conservation in kitchens and restrooms.
• Adjust sprinkler timing and duration to fit the season.

Waste Reduction

• Working towards using %100 recycled paper for printing, copy, and fax.
• In the cafe disposable utensils, dishes, and mugs have been replaced with permanent ware.
• Two-sided printing is now the default.

Pollution Prevention

• Standard fluorescent lights have been replaced with more efficient ones.
• We offer lockers and showers for those who walk, jog, or bike to work.
• We collect and safely dispose of items prohibited from the garbage (such as batteries or cell phones).

Campus Education

• We regularly publish a sustainability newsletter.
• We are drafting a written environmental policy statement.
• We offer continuing “green” services and educational opportunities.

Energy Conservation

• We have conducted an energy audit.
• We set water heater temperatures to not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
• We use renewable energy; campus apartments use geothermal energy!