Green audit can be a useful tool for a college to determine how and where they are using the most energy or water or resources; the college can then consider how to implement changes and make savings. It can also be used to determine the type and volume of waste, which can be used for a recycling project or to improve waste minimization plan.
It can create health consciousness and promote environmental awareness, values and ethics. It provides staff and students better understanding of Green impact on campus. If self enquiry is a natural and necessary outgrowth of a quality education, it could also be stated that institutional self enquiry is a natural and necessary outgrowth of a quality educational institution. Thus it is imperative that the college evaluate its own contributions toward a sustainable future. As environmental sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for the nation, the role of higher educational institutions in relation to environmental sustainability is more prevalent.
How to Conduct an Environmental Audit
There are three main Environmental Audit Stages or Phases:
Pre-Audit
Audit
Post-Audit
Phase 1: The Pre-Audit
Create the Audit Team, including a mixture of skills, talents and perspectives
Create an Audit Plan
Request and review documents, including:
Permits or permit applications
Production Records
Reports
Previous Audits including corrective actions and status of prior audit items
Prepare a list of questions that regulators would ask, follow-up questions on prior audits, and requests for additional materials needed
Begin to fill-in the Disclosure of Violation Table as issues are identified
Phase 2: The Audit
Set the ground rules
Determine what happens which issues are identified
Conduct daily meetings to keep every informed
Perform a document review:
Policies
Compliance
Training
Air/Water/Waste/Noise controls, monitoring and records
Emergency Response Procedures
Response to Complaints
Check documents for completeness, consistency, legal compliance, and whether it’s up to date
Conduct a Site Inspection
Evaluate Operations for Compliance
Take samples if needed
Interview EHS personnel, operations, management, maintenance, to see if policies are understood and consistently handled.
Discover issues of concern
Conduct a Closing Meeting listing and discussing of all issues, develop corrective actions for each issue
Phase 3: Post-Audit
Preparing the Environmental Audit Report and Disclosure of Violations form
List confirmed issues and Areas of Concern
List Action Items and required follow-up
Educational institutions have broad impacts on the world around them, both negative and positive. The activities pursued by campus can create a variety of adverse environmental impacts. But they are also in a unique position as educational institutions to be leaders in pursuing environmentally sustainable solutions.
University has taken a number of positive steps to reduce its environmental impact. But many areas remain in which substantial improvements can be made. This report serves to highlight some accomplishments of and to make recommendations for improving the campus Green and environmental sustainability.
