Key Actions for Faculty and Staff to Support Mason’s Climate Commitment

Turn it off!

Turn off lights when you go out of the room. Set computers to go to sleep automatically when left idle. Remember that sleep mode saves energy, but screen savers don’t. Turn off your monitor if you expect to be away more than 20 minutes. Don’t let water run unnecessarily – saving water saves energy too. At the end of the day, turn off computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, and power strips.

Avoid the drive.

Did you know Mason offers its employees $115 per month in Commuter Choice benefits? Explore transportation.gmu.edu to find out about the benefits and options for public transportation, carpooling, and bicycling to Mason. Arrange meetings of colleagues at Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William campuses via videoconferencing.

Offset the flight.

Did you know a roundtrip flight from Dulles to London produces as many CO2 emissions per passenger as 4400 miles in a Toyota Corolla? Many Mason faculty rack up several overseas trips every year adding substantially to Mason’s carbon footprint. Take the train to that meeting in New York. Reconsider the conference travel, participate via the web-conferencing option, or buy carbon offsets to make up for the emissions from air-travel. See for a Consumers Guide to Carbon Offsets.

Dress for the season.

Did you know the Commonwealth of VA recommends setting the thermostat at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer? Mason office thermostats, however, are set at more comfortable settings of 70 in winter and 76 in summer. Help out by dressing for the season, avoiding the use of space heaters, and exercising restraint with open windows. Heating and cooling are energy and carbon intensive and add substantially to University costs.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. Reduce the paper you use by printing on both sides or reading documents online. Reuse the backside of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Make it a habit to always recycle paper as well as other products, and complete the loop by buying products made with recycled content.

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