Ithaca College took a step toward helping the environment by instituting a new policy of purchasing partially-recycled paper.

The policy went into effect Nov. 29 after a recommendation from the Ithaca College Resource and Environmental Management Program, which aims to decrease any negative environmental impact by conserving trees and other components that go into making paper.

The new letter-sized, which is used for copying and printing needs on campus, will contain 30 percent recycled paper.

Thomas Salm, vice president of business and administrative affairs, said the prices associated with the new policy are worth it.

“The new policy will cost the college approximately $7,500 per year in higher paper costs — a small price to pay for the anticipated benefits,” Salm said.

Salm said the benefits include the preservation of 1,500 trees, a million gallons of water, 8,500 gallons of gasoline, and 440 cubic yards of landfill material.

The Ithaca College Resource and Environmental Management Program, a division of Physical Plant, recommended the policy to the college.

One of REMP’s stated goals is to “develop a plan for incorporating the use of more materials, supplies and equipment made with post-consumer recycled content.”

Mark Darling, Recycling Coordinator and REMP steering committee member, said REMP and the college are looking into ways to reduce overall paper use to offset the increased cost of buying recycled paper.

Senior Sarah DiNicola, ICES secretary , said that while the new policy is currently in draft form, includes eight goals and is being reviewed by college administrators.

ICES members, who are the policy’s chief supporters, hope to have it implemented by Earth Day, April 22, 2001.

“[ICES and REMP] imply that there is a waste of paper on campus.”

Laser printing accounts in the campus computer labs account for much of the paper used. Students may purchase a laser account from ACCS for a semester or a year, and receive unlimited printing privileges.

Darling believes there should be a policy that limits the amount of paper a student can use.

REMP supports a policy of further charging students with laser accounts after a certain amount of paper has been used, which has been successful at other institutions. “Sometimes the only way to get people to pay attention is through money,” Darling said.

But ACCS Director Michael Taves said he does not believe the college needlessly wastes paper.

“One of the privileges associated with purchasing a laser account is access to supplies, such as paper,” Taves said.

ACCS enforces a one-copy policy, which allows students to print one copy of a document each time they are logged into the system.

“The printing privileges are good for students, but some sort of responsibility has to be taken,” DiNicola said.

She agrees that charging students after a certain amount of paper has been used is a good idea.

Taves said, however, the technology to implement this problem is not available.

“Technology wise, in terms of being able to assign a quota to people, serious technological hurdles arise,” Taves said.

Salm said the college has expressed interest in further reducing paper use, as well as looking into energy efficiency and water conservation.