Sustainability

Past Projects

Water: Because of sustainable improvements in water use, Simpson saved over 5.8 million gallons of water in 2008 and 2009 compared to previous years. This is enough water to fill 87,406 bathtubs to the very top or the Simpson swimming pool 18.5 times.

Low Flow Toilets and Devices were installed campus-wide, reducing water waste tremendously. While each fixture used 3.5 gallons before the installation, the current model uses only 1.5 gallons.

Going "Trayless" in Pfeiffer Dining Hall minimized water use dramatically. In past years, each tray was washed and rinsed individually, using hundreds of gallons of water daily. 

Waste: Recent reports estimate as much as 2.5 tons of recycling is collected from Simpson's campus weekly and diverted from landfills. This is significantly more than  the entire town of Indianola recycles weekly. 

Campus-wide Recycling allows all students and faculty to play an active role in Simpson's sustainability efforts every day. Bins are located in every classroom, residence building, and in most common areas ensuring everyone can make the eco-friendly decision without any hassle.

Water-based Paints mixed on Simpson's campus recently replaced the use of aerosol paints used to line the athletic fields. This eliminates environmentally-harmful fumes from being omitted into the air.

Energy: Due to significant improvements in energy across campus, the college experienced a reduction of nearly a 1. 5 million kWhs of electricity over the last two years. Assuming the average American household consumes 11,232 kWhs annually, the savings we’ve made over the past two years is enough energy to power 120 American homes for an entire year.

Motion Sensor Lights have been installed in various classrooms across Simpson's campus. This prevents empty classrooms from wasting energy and extends the life of lightbulbs.

LED Lightbulbs replaced bulbs in most buildings, reducing energy use significantly. Students in residence halls can also replace all light fixtures with LED bulbs at no cost. 

Heating and Cooling is more efficient than ever. Ensuring proper insulation and monitoring how temperatures are set in academic buildings decreases unneeded energy consumption.

Electric Cars, when purchased to remove a environmentally-inferior vehicle from the road, greatly reduce energy use. Simpson replaced a gas-guzzler on Simpson's campus last year and has already saved more than 130 gallons of gasoline. Within a year, an additional electric vehicle will be roaming Simpson's streets.

A Bio-Diesel Generator allows Simpson to use its own used vegetable oils from the dining hall to produce fuel for various vehicles on campus. This reduces the carbon dioxide necessary to bring fuel to campus and allows Simpson to reuse its vegetable oil instead of disposing of it elsewhere. 

Last Updated: 11/18/11