Plymouth State Sustainability

The buzzword around campus these days is sustainability. Sustainability means meeting our present needs while allowing for future generations to meet their own needs. The University Environmental Committee, or UEC, was formed three years ago in response to the growing need for Plymouth State University to increase its sustainability as an institution. As sustainability involves both academics and operations, the UEC is composed of people representing diverse groups including administration, faculty, students, Physical Plant, and Residence Life. Recently, campus wide efforts have addressed several needs at Plymouth State University. For instance, there are an increased number of bins for recyclable materials around campus; an initiative coordinated by Chris Johnson, Manager of Services and Grounds at Physical Plant. Additionally, the University initiated an energy conservation campaign in response to news that higher energy costs would translate into a $900,000 spike in energy expenditures if consumption rates remained stable. Various emails were sent to faculty, students, and staff outlining simple strategies for energy conservation. The results of this effort have been striking: last month’s energy usage throughout the campus was down 14% from September 2004, illustrating the cumulative impact of hundreds of individuals turning off lights, air conditioners, computers, and other appliances when not in use. Also, the new Langdon Woods dorm is expected to receive a silver LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) certification, meaning that extra design steps were taken to ensure that the building consumes less energy and water, while producing fewer pollutants. The UEC realizes that these changes in campus infrastructure are accompanied by a critical need for everyone in the Plymouth State University community to rethink their own consumption habits, as well as to make the connection between actions and environmental impacts. To this end, a series of panel discussions is in the planning stages; these will cover topics such as alternative energy and energy conservation, efficient transportation, and local food production. Students are encouraged to help out around campus be sustainable. Some ways of lending a hand include: turning off the lights, recycling as much as possible, carpooling, using the stairs instead of the elevator, and so on.