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| Get green, save green |
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| Written by By Caitlin Rice — Argonaut | ||||||
| Friday, 21 July 2006 | ||||||
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Every dollar counts. This phrase is one often linked to the stereotypical “starving college student.” But now it might be showing up in some university administration’s vocabulary as well. Currently, 5 million dollars are spent every year on University of Idaho utilities, according to the UI energy conservation Web site. Some people think this is too much. But with a grant UI’s new Sustainability Center received this summer, the center will be ready by the fall semester to spread the word on campus about how to be green to save green. Though the center is still in the process of becoming established, plans are underway to save money and make UI a more economically friendly campus. “Our goal is basically to promote environmental, social and fiscal responsibility on campus,” said Justin Saydell, a UI student and developer of the center. “Those are the three pillars of sustainability.” People often mistakenly credit Saydell’s interest in sustainability to the fact that he is a conservation biology major, he said. “Sustainability should be multi-disciplinary, whether you are in math, engineering, social sciences or liberal arts. This should be part of your life.” “It all comes back to attitudes,” Saydell said. “Our personal behaviors and attitudes toward things like global warming all contribute to it. We can all decrease fossil fuels, and material things we don’t need. … If everyone did this it would make an impact.” He said the Sustainability Center will introduce students to smart and practical ways to make a difference both on campus and in the community. “We want to enlighten or educate people about everyday actions. Those could be big proposals like constructing energy-saving buildings or something small like bringing a canvas sack to the grocery store instead of using plastic bags.” Saydell and fellow student Mark Moroge, a senior in natural resources, recently took it upon themselves to become more educated about sustainability by applying for a place at the United Nation’s Sustainability Conference in New York. Both were accepted and attended the conference in May. “Obviously, I was thrilled to have the chance to participate in the Commission on Sustainable Development,” said Moroge in an e-mail interview from Ecuador. “I left New York with a much more comprehensive understanding of the issues, achievements and challenges of sustainable development that face our generation.” Saydell and Moroge said they anticipate their experience and the knowledge gained at the conference will aid them with their work in the Sustainability Center. “The experience was to network with peers and get the U of I established in a national setting,” Saydell said. It was mostly a learning experience, he said. Although he and Moroge went to present some of their own ideas, they found plenty more knowledge to bring back. The four topics discussed at the conference were climate change, air pollution and atmosphere, industrial development and energy, said Moroge. Various sub-points were presented by youth at the conference, including renewable energy, ending preserve subsidies for fossil fuels and relying on multi-stakeholder processes to design and support renewable energy resources instead of relying solely on the private sector. With the launch of the Sustainability Center this semester, students will be given the chance to make a difference in their campus and community, Saydell said. And after attending the conference and learning what a difference he can make as well, Saydell said he too is putting his knowledge into action.  Add as favorites (62) | Views: 1169
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