FEASIBILITY STUDY
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Some examples of changes or actions your group might propose

Energy conservation (electricity)

• Electricity use could be cost-effectively reduced by replacing the incandescent bulbs in the desk lamps at Wilson Library with more efficient fluorescent lights.
• Electricity could be cost-effectively produced on campus by installing solar panels in certain locations (Arts & Communications Bldg)

Increasing paper recycling

• Significant amounts of recyclable waste paper is not reaching recycling bins. Identifying the sources of this paper could improve the recycling program.

Recycling/composting food waste

• Significant amounts of food being discarded from the Dining Hall could be directed away from landfills and back to the soil through composting.

Contracted services (housekeeping)

• A significant reduction in the amount of non-biodegradable and/or toxic cleaning, waxing, polishing solutions, being used on campus, could be achieved by substituting more environment-friendly products or practices.

Contracted services (landscape maintenance)

• If herbicides and/or pesticides are being used on campus, a reduction in toxic effects and environmental persistence could be achieved by changing products or practices.

Purchasing

• The amount of virgin paper used on campus could be reduced by purchasing recycled paper.

Water conservation

• Water use could be cost-effectively reduced by replacing the shower heads currently in the men's or women's locker rooms with low-flow shower heads.

Transportation

• Encouraging and facilitating carpooling or use of alternative transportation by students would be effective in reducing the number of students driving their cars to campus.

Landscaping

• Replacement of some existing landscaping with native and drought-tolerant plants would save water, serve the educational goals of ULV, promote ecosystem integrity, and enhance the aesthetic quality of the campus.

Educating for sustainability

• Changes in ULV's curriculum or in existing extracurricular opportunities would enable the school more effectively to achieve its mission.

Guidelines for assessing the feasibility of a proposed change in resource management or curriculum policy at ULV
 

These guidelines will assist you in designing, conducting, and presenting your feasibility study.

To answer the question, "Would the proposed change in ULV resource management practices be beneficial educationally, environmentally, and/or economically?", you will assess the feasibility of your proposed change. Your group will do this through a systematic, objective, and quantitative analysis. Based on your feasibility study and other relevant information, you will then make your recommendation of action or further study.

Your feasibility study will include the following elements:

Hypothesis and Prediction

• Hypothesis:
  State your hypothesis in clear, testable terms. This is your "educated guess" which you will be accepting or rejecting, depending on the outcome of your close examination.
• Prediction:
  State this in terms of, "If such and such a change were made, then so and so would happen."

Testing the Hypothesis and Prediction

• Procedures Followed
  Describe what you did to test your prediction. Explain it clearly enough to enable someone else to repeat your study.
• Results and Discussion
  Provide rationale for any assumptions you made, but did not test.
  Show all data and calculations (Use clearly labeled graphs and tables where appropriate.) Refer to the graphs in your discussion.
  Would the change or action you proposed be of educational, environmental and/or economic benefit? Explain why or why not.
  Identify non-quantifiable benefits or losses that might occur if the change were made or if it were not made.
  Identify any shortcomings in your study.
• Conclusions
  Briefly restate your hypothesis and indicate whether it is valid or invalid, according to the results of your study.
   

Recommendations

• Recommendations for action or further study
  Based on your results, what action do you suggest be taken next. Is further study warranted? Any suggestions about further studies?

Sources of Information

• Reference and personnel cited in the feasibility study

   

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An example of a proposed change stated as a hypothesis and as a prediction

• Hypothesis and Prediction
  Hypothesis: It would be economically and environmentally advantageous for the Wilson Library's incandescent desk lamp bulbs to be replaced with fluorescent bulbs.
• Prediction: If most of the Wilson Library's incandescent desk lamp bulbs were replaced with fluorescent bulbs then, energy use would be immediately reduced and the electricity cost savings would equal the cost of the fluorescent bulbs within 3-5 years.