Environmental Audit 2019 Report SPONSORED by Clemson University Sustainability Commission Acknowledgements
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Clemson University Environmental Audit 2019 Report SPONSORED BY Clemson University Sustainability Commission Acknowledgements Thanks to the following Clemson University staff, faculty, and students who completed this 2019 Environmental Audit Update. • Mike Pulley and Katalin Beck, Senior Lecturers with the Pearce Center for Professional Communication’s Client-Based Program • Thomas Jones and Leslie Armstrong, liaisons between the Commission on Sustainability and faculty and students. Thanks also to the dozens of other Clemson University staff and faculty who devoted generous amounts of time to help students during the research process. Most importantly, thanks to the 198 students in English 3140 and 3150 advanced writing classes listed below who researched and wrote this report during the period from 2015 to 2019. Greggory Adams Matthew Burke Evan Edmunds Silas Adams Brian Burger Ryan Enloe Sydney Adams Nicole Campbell Robby Ennis Matthew Allison Kori Camper Kenora Entzminger Nicholas Altstatt Grayson Carter Austin Faille Erin Altvater Nick Castro Catherine Farshidmehr Eric Andreozzi Dylan Catterton Brooke Feder Nick Andryusky Logan Childs Katie Ferguson Andrew Augugliaro Richard Coffey Grant Fisher Chloe Babcock Ashley Cole Adam Forbes Michelle Baldassare Korey Collom Marleigh Fouts Parker Barnes CJ Connelly Jamie Garrett Keith Bartleson Zaven Cook Wil Gates Tom Beadie Mary Copeland Alex Gerand Joseph Beale Anna Foster Crowe Scot Gilbert Alexander Beddard Connor Crutchfield Gabrielle Godfrey Micheala Bennekin Luis Cuartas Darius Grady Annabelle Bennett Audrey Cutlip Benjamin Green Matthew Birkley Jordan Deeb Destiny Green Caroline Bitter David DePasquale DJ Greenlee Alexandria Blake Nick D’Orsi Bryan Grumbach Carlie Blankenship Kyle Dougherty Brylie Guest Logan Bodiford Katherine Dunleavy Margaret Guy Ashley Brannon Danielle Dupuis Caroline Hall Spencer Brennalt Jacob Dutcher Danika Halvorsen Harrison Browder Caitlyn Ecock Kevin Han Paige Brown Dante Hartman Eva McLaurin Gregory Sun Joseph Hawk Matthew Meismer Jeremiah Tesch Tyler Hayward Natalie Merrithew Peter Tilton Liam Healy Eric Miller Kaitlyn Tompkins Darius Hemphill Gracie Miller Emma Transou Zane Hernandez Ella Moore Caroline Travan Daniel Higginbotham Rhyan Morgan Juliana-Marie Troyan Jennifer Hill Alex Murtha Hannah Turner Bradlee Hirt Avery Nelson Mandy Turner Patrick Holler Hanna Niebuhr Jacob Vaughn Sydney Hook Ryan Nielson Hannah Watkins Nolan Hoolachan Brad Nurnberg Katie Weathersbee Jonah Huggins Emily Olack Spencer Whitehurst Morgan Hunter Cristina Oropesa Miranda Whitfield Myra Hutto Anna Osteen Bethany Williams Andrew Hyman Chandler Potts Anthony Wilson Brandon Jackson Radha Patel Liza Wilson Thane Jacobsen Lauren Phillips Abigail Woisard Claire Jefferson Abby Pierce Michael Wolfersberger Patrick Kane William Pierce Alexis Woodbury Morgan Kelly Andrew Pitman Andrew Wortham Marshall Kirksey Ashley Popovich Stephen Wright Seth Kiser Andrea Quintana Cole Young Mackenzie Koewler Nia Rhoney Grayson Yount Hannah Korzen Savannah Rhyne Megan Zeaser Kate Lawson Austin Rodgers Tianyi Zhang Shelby Lawson Brittney Rodgers Zijun (Jerry) Zhou Mattison Lechner Derek Rodriguez Adam Zwilling Connor Lee Hannah Rollins Douglas Leslie Jennifer Root Matthew Lewis Henry Ross Juchen Dan Liang Ben Sanderson Ryan Litzinger Eric Schulte Zach Long Holly Sedory Jacob Lyons Elizabeth Shafer Madi Marasco Randi Sims Sam Marioni Shakiyl Smiley Adan Martinez Greg Smith Cole McCollum Sarah Smith Tyron Mcelveen William Sparks Alex McGee Landon Stevenson Imani McGowan Chris Stuart Jackson McGregor Maxwell Sturdivant Amanda McIntosh Will Sullivan Chapter List Sustainable Agriculture and Farming .............................................................................................. 4 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Athletics ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Biohazardous Waste Disposal ........................................................................................................ 36 Energy Usage ................................................................................................................................. 47 Hazardous Waste ........................................................................................................................... 61 Parking and Transportation ........................................................................................................... 70 Pesticides and Grounds Management ............................................................................................ 84 Procurement .................................................................................................................................. 96 Radioactive Waste ....................................................................................................................... 106 Recycling...................................................................................................................................... 117 Solid Waste.................................................................................................................................. 128 Stormwater .................................................................................................................................. 142 Wastewater Treatment ................................................................................................................. 156 Water Usage ................................................................................................................................ 171 Workplace Safety ......................................................................................................................... 185 Clemson University Environmental Audit 2019 3 Sustainable Agriculture and Farming CJ Connelly Savannah Rhyne Eric Schulte Elizabeth Shafer Maxwell Sturdivant Gregory Sun Hannah Watkins Bethany Williams Zijun (Jerry) Zhou Clemson University Environmental Audit 2019 4 Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 7 General Overview of the Student Organic Farm ............................................................................. 7 Sustainable Agriculture .................................................................................................................... 8 Clemson Organic Farm Sustainable Practices .................................................................................. 9 Drip Irrigation ............................................................................................................................. 9 Cover Cropping ........................................................................................................................... 9 Non-Chemical Pest Management ................................................................................................. 9 Diversified Crop Landscape ....................................................................................................... 10 Other Agricultural Programs at Clemson ...................................................................................... 10 Students’ Perspective ..................................................................................................................... 11 Sources .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Primary Sources ......................................................................................................................... 12 Secondary Sources...................................................................................................................... 12 List of Figures Figure SA 1: Student Organic Farm (Photo courtesy of Bethany Williams)........................................... 8 Clemson University Environmental Audit 2019 5 Executive Summary A showcase of Clemson agricultural programs is the Clemson University Student Organic Farm (SOF), a 14-acre, USDA certified organic farm located in Calhoun Fields, also known as the Clemson Bottoms. While the farm has never collected quantitative data on its operations, in recent years it began supporting various research projects. The farm utilizes the sustainable practices of drip irrigation, cover cropping, non-chemical pest management, and crop diversity. A variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers grown on the farm are sold through the farm’s market program and other farmers markets in the Clemson area. This market service is a recent replacement for the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture program, which served as an outlet for selling the farm’s goods through the summer of 2018. These market revenues help fund the farm, in addition to grants from the USDA and most recently by funding obtained from the Simpson Research and Education Center. The farm is staffed by 8-12 part-time students each year, and it also provides opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students to carry out research. In addition to Clemson’s Student Organic Farm, there are many other agricultural programs connected to and promoted