» Patrick Pierce
You may have heard the term ‘going green’ and seen signs around campus pointing out that our campus is going green, however, you may not be sure what that means.
When people refer to going green, they are usually talking about using Earth’s limited resources more efficiently, to reduce waste and save money.
Going green is not just participating in a yearly awareness activity like Earth Day. It does not have to be as extreme as buying a new hybrid vehicle to use less gas.
The littlest of things like recycling, turning off unused electronics or riding a bike to class can make all the difference.
For the last few years, APSU has expanded its interest in going green and has focused on becoming more sustainable and efficient.
But are these efforts worth the time and money? Some critics do not agree and others are not even aware our campus is even going green.
There have already been some green initiatives implemented on campus, including motion sensor lights in several buildings which reduce electricity waste, and efficient automatic toilets in all campus bathrooms help reduce the amount of water per flush.
If you have walked into a bathroom anywhere on campus, you may have seen these changes.
However, there are other green initiatives that are not as well known, including a biodiesel program at the APSU farm which uses recycled cooking grease to make a reuseable fuel.
Many of these projects were introduced by Students Organized to Advance Renewable Energy, a campus organization promoting awareness and the use of renewable energy resources in the community and region.
A year after it was founded, SOARE helped with the creation of the Sustainable Campus Fee Committee. The committee is composed of students, faculty and staff as the voice of APSU’s green commitment.
You may be wondering how these green initiatives may be affecting you as a student on campus. APSU students pay $10 a semester, a fraction of the tuition cost, to the Sustainability Fee fund.
The funds from the fee are used for the advancement of APSU’s green commitment.
To read the rest of the article, please pick up the print edition available on campus.
