With some green projects already underway, the South Campus Gateway is preparing to release a new series of "Green It" initiatives that will promote environmental awareness, recycling and energy efficiency.
The Gateway already offers recycling sites. As part of this project, the Gateway will continue to collect and recycle all sustainable waste from its retailers, offices and apartments daily.
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The Gateway in South Campus.It was rough for the first few months after the Gateway started recycling, Heinen said, as much more maintenance was involved. Still, he said, the work has paid off.
"Our tenants have been fantastic and we've had great feedback," he said. "Recycling has been received very well."
Thanks to another initiative, the Gateway parking garage now features more than 100 bicycle, scooter and motorcycle parking spaces on its first level.
Heinen said the Gateway initially did not have enough bike racks, but when Mayor Michael B. Coleman's office began its green initiatives, the city provided 15 complimentary bike racks to the Gateway. The Gateway added an additional 100 bike racks in the parking garage by taking out six parking spaces.
"It allows our residents to tag bikes, and then they're in an area with security so that helps them from keeping bikes in apartments," Heinen said. "It's very visible also, so people can get the 'I can bike to work' thing, and that helps."
Other initiatives will begin in June. The parking garage will designate "premier" parking spaces on each level for motor vehicles that are categorized as "low emission/fuel efficient." The Gateway will also install messages on interior garage walls and exterior building spaces that offer "green" information and resources, and that permit Gateway retailers and community organizations to promote "green" products, services and programs.
An initiative in the works proposes an extension of the Gateway's "Green It" education initiatives, adding a Web page and an electronic information kiosk.
"A big part of this is education so that people understand what this is," Heinen said. "A kiosk would be very visible and helpful."
Another idea being explored by the Gateway is the development of a composting program for all food waste from restaurants and residents.
"You know people always hear 'compost' and think backyard and bad smells," Heinen said. "Actually, what would happen in a perfect world is nothing would go back into the earth. It's just recycled or composted and goes back out, and it has a major impact."
A major project still being explored is developing and installing several "plug-in" parking stations for hybrid and electric vehicles on the Gateway garage roof. The "plug-in" stations would be powered by solar panels.
"We want to reach out to Ohio State University to get those folks to set up solar stations on top of the garage," Heinen said. "We've got so much talent at this university, and we want to use that, so that's the goal."
The Gateway also recycles florescent lights and batteries at recycling stations.
"Wherever you are, we encourage you to bring those items in," Heinen said. "We'd rather have it go here than in a landfill."
In light of Earth Day, which was Wednesday, Heinen said the Gateway hopes the Ohio State campus will become a leader in applying "green" ideas in a business setting.
Caitlin O'Neil can be reached at oneil.97@osu.edu.
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