These are just a few highlights of Sustainable Initiatives at Keene State College. For more information check out the Actions pages in Goals

Keene State College went from 630 devices on campus to less than 200.

Thanks to the hard work of the Purchasing Department, in conjunction with Information Technology and R.O.C.K.S. We are saving money by reducing energy use and reducing toner costs (and their waste). So far, over 1,000,000 fewer copies were made in the first year!

Reduction numbers: Scanners - 47, Faxes - 39, Ink Jet Printers - 325, Laser Printers - 35, Total Reduction: 446

Do you have a project that needs a little funding to get going? Check out the PCSF grant application and see if you quality.

A few of the wonderful things that PCSF grant funding has helped foster at Keene State College over the past 5 years.

• Hydroponics project in Rhodes Hall and in the Winchester Schools, through an initiave of Deborah Black, Professor of Education/ Elementary Education.
• Partial matching grant towards the purchase of 2 used GEM (Global Electric Motorcars) vehicles for Campus Safety. Use of the GEM cars will enable Campus Safety to phase out the use of gas powered golf carts, which are both loud and inefficient. Use of the GEM cars will reduce the amount of fossil fuel used on campus and will be in compliance with the campus's sustainability goals.
• Purchase of a "Climate Backpack" for use by students in the Education programs Methods Classes. The Climate Change Backpack® teaching tool contains (for example) graphs, experiments, a climate change play, an imitation ice core, a compact fluorescent light bulb, and much more. The lessons are designed to expand or contract according to the audience and available teaching time.
• R.O.C.K.S. blue bags. Recycling On Campus at Keene State College is always looking for ways to increase the recycling rate. The Blue Bags that are in every residence hall room on campus were partially funded by a grant from the PCSF. The recycling immediately increased 30% in the residence halls and more than paid for the cost of the bags.

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Green Bikes



The Keene State College Green Bikes program was initiated in 2002 by members of KSC Campus Ecology group and several Keene High students. They collected bikes from all across Cheshire County, fixed them up, painted them green and set them out to be used by whoever needed a bike.

Unfortunately, the bikes often ended up in the Ashuelot River, in various trees around campus and town, or were permanently mis-placed. A cure for the mis-treatment was found when the Mason Library staff agreed to check the bikes out of the library - like a book, laptop, rock or one of the many other strange and wonderful things you can borrow.

There are now 40 Green Bikes in rotation that are available from the Mason Library, with your Keene State or City of Keene Library card (they are one and the same). The bikes were rented over 800 times in the 09/10 school year. There are also bike helmets that you can borrow, and we strongly encourage their use.

These bikes are FREE to use. Charges are only levied for missing bikes or bike locks.

Marcus McCarroll, a bike-lovin' local resident, has been working with R.O.C.K.S. assistants to keep the bikes on the road year 'round. He'll be helping to teach bike repair classes each spring. Keep your eyes open for upcoming classes and workshops or contact R.O.C.K.S. at 358-2567 for more information.

Heather Greenwood, R.O.C.K.S. recycling coordinator, and the Library Services Assistants work hard to make sure the whole program runs smoothly and that needed repairs are tended to.

For maps to bike trails in the Keene area Pathways For Keene Bike Trail Maps

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Old House, New House, Parking Lot





The "orange house" at 98 Winchester Street was razed to make room for more parking, but to avoid landfill costs and encourage reuse of building materials, the College contracted ReNew Building Materials and Salvage, Inc., of Brattleboro, Vt., to strip the house of salvagable material. Read the whole story here.



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