Know what it means to “Go Green?” Want to know more about it? What you can do to help the earth continue to go round?
“Reduce, reuse, recycle” say most elementary school teachers.
Pain and simple.
Many people have probably heard it growing up but possibly didn’t practice.
Something that can be dived more into, here are some ways that campus sustainability can be practiced.
According to an article at CNN.com, “What College Students Can Do to Be More Sustainable” by Gina Park,
Step 1 is to use a reusable water bottle.
Most college have a station where students can refill their water bottle. That may not be building to building but it is an available resource on most campuses.
“It is a good way to eliminate single-use plastic and is a really smart conservation measure,” said Ciannat Howett, a source mentioned in the article.
“By offering hydration that boosts cognitive function and reduces bottled water waste, campus water fountains embody both student health and sustainability,” said Logan Custer a sophomore here.
Step 2 is stick to a Green dorm theme.
This can be simple, whether students just conserve energy by turning off lights or watching plug use or using things that are Energy Star Certified. What does that mean? These are appliances that are certified for energy saving.
Students buying Star Certified appliances for their dorm rooms, they reduce environment impact, which is good for cost and savings as well as being durable. Students can find these at appliance stores, including Lowes.
Step 3 is plan the commute.
“That could mean bringing a bike from home or renting a bike while you’re on campus, getting familiar with the campus shuttle schedule and the local public transportation schedule,” Howett said.
This could also mean not driving to one side of campus to another for class but walking, as it is at least no more than an 11 minute walk. Driving from dorm to class plus the walk may take up more time than planning to leave a few minutes earlier to get to needed destination on time.
Step 4 is get steps in.
To go along with step three, students can take a stroll around campus from your door to classes or to the cafe.
Another thing Howett said is to watch the amount of waste produced.
“Students collectively make a big impact in terms of the amount of waste they generate,” Howett said, so these smaller acts of sustainability add up.
On campus, students can find water stations in pretty much every building or even get it filled at Panther Grounds. For dorm buildings try to turn off lights when they aren’t needed. For commuting, Ferrum is a small campus unless you have an injury or health-related issue that may make easier options unattainable.
