GREEN Program still a little green

A newly established student program will create a fresh opportunity for students to become more environmentally aware.

The Offices of Energy Management and Waste Reduction and Recycling teamed up with University Housing and the InterResidence Council to develop Generating Residential Environment Education Now (GREEN). The group is the first environmental student group on campus formed by a collaboration of multiple offices on campus.

Christine Maurer, Energy Conservation coordinator, commented on the current environmental awareness of students and the improvement GREEN hopes to provide.

"A majority of students will recycle if it is convenient. A smaller percentage will go a step further to purchase recycled products or vigilantly turn off appliances when not in use," she said. "One goal of this program is to help students recognize the actions they can take individually that have an impact on the environment and to integrate sustainability into the culture of residential life."

The GREEN program plans to create educational programs throughout residence halls about environmental issues such as recycling, waste reduction, water conservation, energy, water and air quality and sustainable food.

Members of the GREEN program will also distribute information about campus events focused on environmentalism to students throughout the year.

Heidi Bunn, a senior in biological engineering with an environmental concentration, says that having passionate students in the program will help promote conservation on campus.

"We plan on doing large events on campus which will demonstrate sustainability, but these are still in the planning phase," Bunn said.

Although most dormitories have recycling bins set up in close proximity, the GREEN program plans to improve upon the current environmental attempts.

"We hope that the students will help identify opportunities for improvements in this area from a resident perspective as a part of the GREEN program," Maurer said.

The program has one committee, entitled the steering committee, which is made up of three representatives from University Housing, two from the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling and one from the Office of Energy Management.

Once the program is populated by members, each residence hall will have a coordinator who will be guided by the steering committee and focus on educating his or her hall about the GREEN program efforts.