Sustainability Efforts
In support of MSU Billings' efforts to improve its sustainability initiatives across
campus, Housing & Residence Life has taken steps to decrease the energy, water and
heat usage in our residence halls. Recycling and student awareness campaigns are a
priority for our department, knowing that students are the catalyst for success and
educational outreach.
Recent Initiatives and Education
- All residence halls have recycling units on each floor that are equipped to accept aluminum, plastic, and mixed paper. These units area picked up and emptied once a week.
- Coming Fall 2017 each residence hall room will be equipped with a small recycling bin in room. These bins are used to encourage students to store their recycling should be dumped in the large hall recycling bin when they are full.
- Donation bins for food and gently used household items were placed in hall lobbies at the end of the school year and were a huge success! Students effectively decreased waste and encouraged reuse in our community by donating to family services.
- New hallway lights have been installed in certain areas of the residence halls. These lights are more energy efficient and decrease the power usage within the halls.
- During vacation periods when the residence halls are closed lights are turned off or down, computers are turned off, heaters are turned down to 65 degrees and any appliance or electronic is shut off and/or unplugged to save energy consumption. During Thanksgiving Break 2016 students also “Pledged to Unplug” their appliances in their room during their travels, effectively decreasing power usage in the buildings!
Looking Ahead
- The office of Housing and Residence Life is committed to taking steps to become more sustainable and better stewards of the resources we have on campus.
- Goals include better educating students on our new initiatives and how they are helping us create a more sustainable community
- Housing & Residence Life and Residence Hall Association will investigate other sustainability efforts to reduce use and waste, such as enhanced drinking fountains, energy efficient lighting, and superior trash management systems.
