PHEAA Goes Green
Adopts policies to benefit the environment and its bottom line
Harrisburg, PA (October 22, 2008) - PHEAA announced today that it has adopted numerous “green” measures to benefit the environment, as well as its own financial bottom line.
“Going green” is an environmental conservation movement advocating the sustainable management of natural resources and the protection and restoration, when necessary, of the environment. PHEAA's green measures have provided additional incentives to move interactions with students, borrowers, and schools to more efficient online processes.
PHEAA's “Go Green. Get Direct Debit.” campaign was launched in June, encouraging borrowers to enroll in PHEAA's Direct Debit program. The program allows borrowers to authorize an electronic monthly deduction from their checking or savings account, ensuring that payment is always on time, keeping the account in good standing, and eliminating paper bills and checks. 12,869 borrowers have enrolled since the campaign's launch. Borrowers who aren't ready for Direct Debit can still eliminate their paper check by making their payment electronically through secure online Account Access.
This January, as allowed by federal law, PHEAA will not provide a paper tax form to any borrower who paid less than $600 in interest in 2008 since they are able to access their tax information online. This will affect 897,000 borrowers, saving 301,392 pounds of paper, 2,874,556 gallons of waste water, 62,529 10-year-old trees, and 740,926 square feet of forest. For the first time, Pennsylvania's students and families can complete and submit their State Grant form online, further reducing PHEAA's impact on the environment.
“We’ve eliminated paper wherever possible and plausible,” said Representative William Adolph, Chairman of the PHEAA Board of Directors. “In addition to promoting Direct Debit to our borrowers, we're also encouraging borrowers to use Account Access when they have questions or need forms. Borrowers can check their loan application status, review their payment history, and even sign up for e-billing, allowing them to receive their monthly bill via email. Basically, interacting with PHEAA is becoming a paperless process.”
Because paper can’t be completely eliminated from the Agency's operations, PHEAA has converted to using environmentally friendly paper for correspondence and bills. The paper is chlorine-free and uses 50 percent less wood fiber; its manufacturing process uses hydroelectricity which reduces the use of fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent. The paper weighs less, resulting in cheaper postage, and the lower cost to purchase saves PHEAA about $9,000 every eight weeks.
In addition to recycling cardboard, toners, batteries, and white paper and envelopes, PHEAA employees are now recycling plastics, glass, and all types of paper. Shredded material is also recycled.
“I’m pleased to announce that PHEAA's conservation efforts go beyond the reduction of paper use and an increase in recycling,” said Senator Sean Logan, Vice Chairman of the PHEAA Board of Directors. “We've also made substantial reductions in PHEAA's energy consumption, which saves additional money. Motion sensors turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, exit signs and lighting use more energy efficient bulbs, photocells on exterior lights turn on at dusk and off at daylight, interior lighting has been reduced, and heating and air conditioning controls have been improved to consume less energy.”
PHEAA also uses a furniture system for its offices and cubicles, made from the highest levels of recycled content in the industry.
But PHEAA's green efforts won't stop there. Janitorial staff will be converting to green chemicals by the end of December, promising to be kinder to our food and water supply.
To learn more about PHEAA's “Go Green. Get Direct Debit.” program, visit aesSuccess.org/directdebit.