Author: Facilities Communication

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2023 All Together Green Culture Change News On-Campus Solutions Sustainability Sustainable Innovation

2023 Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition  

George Mason University Sustainability Competes in National Wildlife Federation’s 2023 Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition via Green Game 2023.

George Mason University Sustainability joined more than 3.4 million college students and staff across the country in a competition to reduce the campus waste footprint through minimization efforts by donating, composting and recycling more than 29.4 million pounds of waste. As a result, collectively, we have kept more than 200 million single-use plastic containers out of landfills and prevented the release of 29,108 metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to avoiding the annual emissions from 6,128 cars.  

 “The impact these colleges and universities have on reducing their waste footprint is tremendous and almost hard to comprehend. To prevent the release of more than 29,000 metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and more than 200 million single-use plastics out of landfills is staggering and truly something to be proud of,” said Kristy Jones, director of higher education programs at National Wildlife Federation. “The collective efforts to minimize waste and reduce stress on natural resources is inspiring and creating a better world for wildlife and the environment.”  

“Congratulations to all participating campuses,” says Stacy Wheeler, president and co-founder of the competition. “Annually the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition provides key tools and opportunities that inspire, empower and mobilize colleges and universities to improve their efforts to benchmark and promote their zero waste practices.” 

2023 Campus Race to Zero Waste – Game Day Basketball Competition Results  

The 2023 Green Game was held on January 25, 2023, during the George Mason Patriots Women’s Basketball team vs. University of Rhode Island game with 868 fans in attendance. With the help of 21 volunteers, who completed 66 hours of service learning, Mason successfully achieved an 84.2% diversion rate, or the portion of weight not sent to the incinerator, (i.e., 41.6% compost and 42.6% recycling) through a post-game waste audit. 

Green Game was Mason’s official entry into the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Race to Zero Waste GameDay Basketball competition. The results are in!  Check out Mason's acknowledgement from the National Wildlife Federation!

George Mason University (among 23 participants) for the Campus Race to Zero Waste GameDay Basketball Competition: 

  • 4th place Waste Diversion (84.2% diversion rate) 
  • 11th place Per Capita Recycling (0.078 lbs. per person) 

University Sustainability partnered with Mason Athletics, EagleBank Arena Operations and Events, Mason Dining (Sodexo), V&G Cleaning SVSC, Facilities Recycling and Waste Management, and volunteers at Green Game 2023. The full story can be explored here. 

Learn more about George Mason University Sustainability’s waste minimization efforts at: green.gmu.edu 

For more details about Campus Race to Zero Waste categories and winners, please visit the 2023 Scoreboard.  

About Campus Race to Zero Waste 

Campus Race to Zero Waste – formerly known as RecycleMania – is the nation’s premier waste reduction and recycling competition among colleges and universities, managed by National Wildlife Federation, and governed by RecycleMania, Inc. Campus Race to Zero Waste has been helping campuses minimize waste and improve their recycling efforts, since its launch in 2001.  

University Sustainability provides leadership in environmental, social, and economic stewardship for the Mason community. As a part of Mason Facilities, we work to advance the standard for sustainability on all our campuses.  

We invite you to join us as we work towards out sustainable goals like: 

  • Eliminating single use-plastics 
  • Contributing to food security 
  • Boosting sustainable infrastructure or research projects
  • Expanding strategic sustainability initiatives (i.e., compost and solar), programs, and partnerships
  • and MORE! 

 Visit go.gmu.edu/greenvolunteering to explore how you can get involved and make a difference! 

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2023 Facilities Management Human Resources News On-Campus Solutions

Mason Custodial Pilot Program Launches at Mason Square Campus

Mason Logo

Mason Facilities is excited to announce the expansion of the Mason Custodial Pilot Program to the Mason Square campus.

In Fall 2022, Facilities launched the Mason Custodial Pilot Program at the SciTech Campus, which has since thrived.  This pilot program is helping Facilities determine whether moving to a Mason-staffed, custodial team is a more sustainable, efficient, and fair use of resources.

Facilities team members who are part of the pilot program have also seen a positive change.  “Working at George Mason University has changed my life for the better. Mason offers a great workplace environment with great benefits,” said Claudia Flores, Housekeeping Supervisor at SciTech.  “This position also offers a life insurance and 401k plan, among other benefits. I feel blessed to have a job here.”

The new, internal custodial members joining the Facilities team will start in late May.  This team will be dedicated to keeping Mason Square buildings up to cleanliness standards.

Please join us as we welcome these new team members to Facilities!

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2023 All Together Green Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions Stable Partnerships Sustainability Sustainable Innovation

Earth Month 2023 Recap

In April 2023, Mason Facilities, University Sustainability, and their university partners celebrated Earth Month! Here are a few highlights from the events that took place during the month. Remember that you can celebrate the Earth, all year round – not just in April! Thank you for helping us #sustainMASON! 

Earth Month 2023 Highlights: 

  • Planting Pollinators at Honey Bee Apiaries: A University Sustainability and Patriot Green Fund-financed project from the EVPP 480 STAR Sustainability in Action class planted perennial and flowering plants in a campus garden.
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  • Tree Planting behind Peterson Hall: Hosted by Mason Facilities, University Sustainability, and members of the University Arboretum Board, the April tree planting added additional specimens to Mason’s internationally accredited University Arboretum boasting more than 100+ woody plants and trees.
  • The Shape of Water: Multiple waste audits and a campus clean-up contributed an estimated 1,555 single-use plastic items, weighing 58.4 pounds to Celia Ledón’s The Shape of Water installation.
  • Farmer's Market: A Farmer's Market featuring a variety of local and regional vendors, student groups and organizations tabling to educate Mason Patriots about appropriate waste disposal.
  • Gardens and Community for your Health: As part of Spring into Well-Being's Mental Health Day programming, community members learned about the benefits of gardening for creating community and taking care of mental health.
  • Mason's Solar Greenhouse Team: The Solar Greenhouse Student Team posed for a group photo at the Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse.
  • Earth Month Tabling Events: Lakshita Dey, Civic Fellow for University Sustainability, presented on Plastics-Free initiatives throughout the month of April.
  • Sustainable Cooking Event: University Sustainability offered a hands-on, Global Rice and Beans cooking event in April. The Art as Social Action class, taught by Ben Ashworth in the School of Art, hosted the event during their class, made benches, chalk art and more for the event!
  • Weigh the Waste (WTW) Events: WTW is a partnership between Mason Dining, Student Government, and University Sustainability to educate Mason Patriots about food waste, ongoing composting efforts, and overall zero waste action at Mason. 
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2023 Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions Sustainability

Facilities Spring Campus Cleanup 2023

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, our Facilities Management (FM) team members hosted its annual Campus Cleanup at the Fairfax, Mason Square and SciTech campuses. Mason’s Campus Cleanup occurs on an annual basis – an event to remove trash and debris that has been deposited around the campus grassy and wooded areas. Although keeping the campus clean throughout the year is routine practice, FM finds “hidden” debris that gets trapped in parking lot perimeters and other areas around the university. The objective of the cleanup was to safely remove all trash visible to pedestrians and drivers throughout high traffic/high visibility areas across Mason’s campuses. As a steward of our properties and the Earth, FM strives to keep these areas clean and separate all the materials retrieved into groups: Items to be recycled and those that can be disposed of as waste.

The composition of materials collected at the Fairfax campus are as follows:

  • Trash Total Weight – 285 LBS
  • Recycle Total Weight – 40 LBS
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2023 Employee of the Month Facilities Management News

May 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month – Arnell Burke

 

Celebrating Arnell Burke as the May 2023 Employee of the Month

Arnell Burke, General Maintenance Technician III, was recognized as the May 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month! Burke was nominated by Jose (Ray) Lopez, Zone 3 Supervisor, Facilities Management. “It is a great honor for me to nominate Arnell Burke as the Facilities Employee of the Month. Having worked up-close with Arnell, I can say with certainty that he is always going the extra mile to do his job. Whatever it takes to finish a task, even if it means ordering some parts, Arnell will do that to customer’s satisfaction,” said Lopez.

According to Lopez, the Mason Facilities team member always ensures to complete work orders in a timely manner, collaborating effectively with management. He is a valuable resource to Zone 3 and is always willing to train new employees and take on leadership roles within the department! “When the supervisor is on vacation, Arnell takes over the supervisory roles and handles those responsibilities admirably!” Burke’s recognition as Employee of The Month is well-deserved.

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

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2023 Facilities Management Human Resources News Uncategorized

Outstanding Achievement Awards 2023 Recipients

Mason Human Resources is excited to announce the recipients of the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Awards! In a year where we received a record number of nominations, we want to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of our Mason community and encourage you to continue to focus on faculty and staff appreciation, recognition, and engagement as we “thrive together."

Congratulations to our Facilities Management award winners!

Exceptional Support Award
Erich Miller, Facilities Management

Goldie and Dianne Hattery Award for Excellence
Man-Shik Lim, Facilities Management

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2023 Facilities Management Human Resources News Sustainability

Susie Mueller is Mason’s 2023 Sustainability Hero!

 

Congratulations to Susie Mueller, Mason's 2023 Sustainability Hero!

My Mason working career started as a work study student for the School of Art (2008); while I was working on my BIS in Wellness Studies. I was then hired full time for the Front Desk. Working with artists changed my life. Artists see the world in a big picture, creative way, and they inspired me to do the same.

My MAIS is in Consciousness and Transformation. I was privileged enough to be one of the first graduate students at the Center of Consciousness and Transformation (CCT), which has since morphed into the Center for Well Being. The courses I took encouraged me to look deeply within myself to find my passion and my purpose in life. What I found by going inward was my deep love for nature and that I wanted to be a steward of the Earth.

All roads lead to my current position at Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation (SMSC) in Front Royal. SMSC is located on the 32,000-acre endangered species site owned by the Smithsonian Zoo. Mason and Smithsonian teamed up to create a unique program where conservation students can interact daily with nature. I am privileged to be a part of this wonderful program which focuses being mindful of our impact on the planet.

Susie Mueller

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2023 All Together Green Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions Stable Partnerships Sustainability Sustainable Innovation

Arboretum Tree Planting

Student volunteers work with University Sustainability to plant trees on the Fairfax Campus. photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

 

In celebration of Earth Week, Mason’s Arboretum Board hosted a community tree planting event at Peterson Hall on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Student volunteers came together to help plant flowering, dogwood trees (Cornus florida), which are native to the region and aid local wildlife and pollinators.  

The trees and supplies for the event were donated by Facilities Management’s Grounds Department in support of the Arboretum’s mission: “To cultivate curiosity, education, and wellbeing through stewardship of its trees, gardens, and other natural spaces.”    

Certified Arborist and Grounds Program Manager, Erich Miller, led the event while teaching students about the arboretum collection and the benefits that tree cover provides to Mason’s campuses. The new trees were planted along University Drive and are visible by the greater community to enjoy.  

This event helps uphold the accreditation of the George Mason University Arboretum - a collection of trees and woody plants, which can be spotted on Mason’s campuses with labeled signs that include scannable barcodes to its online catalogue. 

The event aligned with the second anniversary of the arboretum’s accreditation, which was certified on Earth Day, April 22, 2021.  Since then, the arboretum board - which consists of Facilities staff, campus faculty, and student arboretum interns - meets semesterly to discuss the maintenance of the arboretum collection and to plan engagement events for the campus community.  
 
You can support future tree planting events at Mason by donating or giving your time to help. Reach out to learn more at gogreen@gmu.edu.    

Story: Sarah D'Alexander
Photo Credit: Evan Cantwell

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2023 Facilities Management Human Resources News

Patriot Pathbreaker Awards

Outstanding Achievement Award Ceremony. photo by Creative Services

The following Mason Square employees were nominated and selected for the Patriot Pathbreaker Award in recognition of their collaborative work to activate and promote the Mason Square plaza programming:

Colin Stucki – Facilities/Mason Square Admin Unit
Kenny Darby – Facilities/Mason Square Admin Unit
Molly Duke – Facilities/Mason Square Admin Unit
Sara Hawes – Facilities/Mason Square Admin Unit
Melissa Thierry – University Life Mason Square
Sophie Gorshenin – University Life Mason Square
Cathy Pinskey – Facilities
Toni Andrews – Community and Government Relations

The pathbreakers were recently featured in Mason's, "These pathbreaking teams give a new look and feel to Mason’s public spaces" article. Learn more.

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2023 All Together Green Facilities Management News Sustainability Sustainable Innovation

The Shape of Water: A Collaborative Sustainable Art Installation

Audit volunteer sorting through recycling bags to capture all plastics to support the creation of an art installation. Photo by: Cristian Torres/Strategic Communications/George Mason University

Multiple waste audits and a campus clean-up conducted at George Mason University by Mason Facilities, Student Government, and University Sustainability contributed an estimated 1,555 single-use plastic items, weighing 58.4 pounds to Celia Ledón’s The Shape of Water installation, visible at the Reach (Welcome Pavilion) in the Kennedy Center from March 22 – April 23, 2023. Ledón’s installation was “created from plastic waste, draw[ing] inspiration from the female figure as a personification of mythological deities associated with water,” according to the official page on the Kennedy Center’s website. 

You may have contributed to Ledon’s installation if you disposed of a single-use plastic item at the Fairfax Campus any time before March 14! Students and staff members collected single-use plastics during a Maintain Mason campus clean-up event and three separate waste audits. All items were collected, sorted, and bagged for Ledón to use in the creation of her installation.  

The Maintain Mason campus clean-up event was hosted by Student Government on March 3, 2023. During this event, Colin McAulay, Chair of University Services for Student Government, led volunteers who collected a total of 65 pounds of litter outside of the Johnson Center, the HUB, and the Student Union Building I on the Fairfax Campus. Volunteers contributed 30 single-use plastic items to the installation. 

Three volunteer waste audits were organized by Mason Facilites and University Sustainability to check waste streams for appropriate disposal of items on March 3, 10, and 14. During a waste audit, each waste stream – trash, compost, and recycling – is sorted item-by-item to verify correct disposal. If the compost or one of the recycling streams is too contaminated – as low as an 11% contamination rate – then the entire load is rejected and disposed of in the trash! Mason Patriots can help the university on its zero waste journey by appropriately disposing of their waste using this guidance.  

The three audits contributed more than 1,500 single-use plastic items Ledón’s installation. Audits provide valuable data to inform and support ongoing waste bin standardization efforts. The audits highlighted the importance of standard messaging at the bin and the need to co-locate trash, recycling, and compost waste streams to improve access.  

The results of the compost waste stream audit of the Bigbelly and Max-R zero waste station pilots in partnership with Mason Dining at the Northern Neck Starbucks location were impressive – a very low volume of single-use plastics contamination. The hard work of Starbucks Northern Neck and Mason Dining staff was reflected in the very high percentage of appropriate disposal, more than 90%!  

Once all the single-use plastics were sorted and bagged, a Mason alum James Clark (Biology ‘14), currently a master's student at George Washington University, picked up the single-use plastics and transported them to the Kennedy Center where they were made available for Ledón to use.  

The single-use plastics collected at George Mason University are now incorporated into Ledón’s The Shape of Water installation, visible at the Reach (Welcome Pavilion) in the Kennedy Center from March 22 – April 23, 2023.  

None of the single-use plastics would be featured in Ledón’s installation without the commitment and support of Kevin Brim, Supervisor for Recycle/Waste Management, Facilities. Brim provided expert guidance about the complexities of Mason’s waste system, efficiently navigated administrative processes, and created opportunities for participation from students and staff while ensuring safety. He ensured all volunteers and staff had appropriate equipment to safely complete the waste audits.  

“I enjoy supporting the zero waste goals of the university by working collaboratively with students and staff to host educational and impactful waste audits and campus clean-ups,” said Brim. 

Mason Facilities and University Sustainability continue to lead efforts to advance Mason towards the goal of becoming a zero waste university. Ongoing efforts from the Mason Sustainability Council’s Circular Economy and Zero Waste Task Force, co-led by Amber Saxton, University Sustainability, and Pascal Petter, Operations and Business Services, include the multi-year phase out and replacement of all single-use plastics and polystyrene with more sustainable alternatives, the ‘buy less, buy better’ initiative, improvements to Mason’s waste system, and alignment with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 17.   

Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Specialist with University Sustainability, led the three audits and is actively engaged in ongoing efforts to make Mason a zero waste university as a member of the Mason Sustainability Council’s Circular Economy and Zero Waste Task Force. To become a zero waste university, Mason will need to divert at least 90% of all waste generated away from the trash by reusing, repurposing, composting, or recycling.  

“Contributing to Ledón’s installation highlights Mason's ongoing single-use plastics and polystyrene elimination," said Regan. “Waste audits are hands-on, educational, and provide us with crucial information to make data-driven decisions to improve our university waste system." 

University Sustainability is a proud member of the DC Coalition of Higher Education for the Environment, Resilience, and Sustainability (DC CHEERS). DC CHEERS members who contributed to Ledón’s installation, including Mason, are featured on this StoryMap. DC CHEERS is a network of representatives from DC area universities guided by a shared vision of a sustainable and inclusive future that share knowledge and resources to advance institutional sustainability while collaborating and partnering on events, initiatives, and collaborations that harness the diverse expertise of its members.   
 
The efforts of the following individuals who are not featured in this article were also essential to this successful initiative: Kwame Adomako, recycling worker, Facilities Waste Management and Recycling; Shawn Andrews, recycling worker, Facilities Waste Management and Recycling; Ben Auger, sustainability engagement coordinator, University Sustainability; Josh Pittman, recycling worker, Facilities Waste Management and Recycling; Ky Tran, a current Environment and Sustainability Studies student; Nakki Watanabe, a current Environment and Sustainability Studies student, completing a joint internship with University Sustainability and Facilities Waste and Recycling department; and Student Government’s Colin McAulay and Sebastian Silvestro as well as all the Maintain Mason volunteers.  

Story Credit: Benjamin Auger and Colleen Regan
Photo Credit: Cristian Torres