At the Royal BC Museum we consider ourselves a leader in our sustainability initiatives. But this isn’t new thinking: around here we’ve been practicing good environmental stewardship for decades. As the keeper of BC’s environmental history, it’s our business. We:
- take the stairs as often as we can, to support an elevator modernization project, but also to practice healthy living.
- have implemented a comprehensive recycling and composting program; installed solar-powered trash compactors, low-flush toilets and motion-sensor lighting; and switched to high-efficiency LED and CFL lighting and use partially recycled paper in copiers and printers.
- are a bottled- water-free zone.
- are installing a state-of the-art, energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that creates an optimum environment for the artifacts in our care.
- completed a comprehensive water audit and energy management assessment and devised and implemented a carbon management strategy.
- created a sustainability committee to keep us moving forward. Our people are passionate about continued greening of our practices.
- consider, with every undertaking, how our actions will impact (and be judged by) future generations of British Columbians.
- look for ways to get people thinking about living sustainably, and
- as much as possible, turn off our power at night.
- 2012 Carbon Neutral Action Report has been filed on the BC Government’s (Ministry of Environment) website along with all other Ministries and Crown Corporations (Agencies). The report was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the 2007 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act (Act) and as prescribed by the Climate Action Secretariat.
Recycling Program
The Royal BC Museum’s recycling program, which all our staff and on-site partners participate in, is helping build a healthier environment. In addition to bins for glass bottles, aluminum cans, plastic, metals and cardboard, the recycling program also collects organic and wood waste. Royal BC Museum’s estimated annual landfill diversion from our recycling program:
Glass/Tin = 2683 cu ft per year
Organics = 2012 cu ft per year
Cardboard = 11232 cu ft per year
Paper = 2683 cu ft per year
Shredded Paper = 1980 lbs per year
This means an estimated nine – 40 foot trailer loads a year are being kept out of the landfill!
33 metric tonnes a year is being diverted from the landfill from our wood recycling bin – this is equal to the weight of 5.5 Mammoths!
Join us – do your part & recycle!
Pulse Energy
We consider ourselves a leader in sustainability initiatives and we have been practicing good environmental stewardship for decades. In conjunction with our long term vision and strategic plan to save energy in our buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this innovative software tool provides feedback on our building performance to visitors.