The Importance of Campus Sustainability: What Can YOU Do?

A college campus never truly sleeps. With classes running from dawn until dusk, student organizations holding meetings at random and sometimes odd hours of the day, staff and faculty members keeping the college running smoothly across multiple offices and buildings, and thousands of students calling dormitories home, it’s a lot like a beehive. It’s no wonder that making the most of campus resources while maintaining the highest degree of efficiency is an issue that plagues many college and university campuses across the country and world. Many higher education institutions, like St. Edward’s, have had to ask the question, “How do we keep the hive buzzing with as little impact on the planet as possible?”

Students, who are normally on campus 24/7, have the greatest opportunity to act. Something as simple as making sure you turn your bedroom light off before you leave for class or using old reports as pieces of scrap paper for note-taking can go a long way in creating a more sustainable student body. Most dormitories, like the ones at St. Edward’s, are equipped with recycling bins that make it quick and easy to dispose of paper and plastics in a more earth-friendly manner. Make use of compost bins in your cafeterias by placing leftover fruits and veggies in the proper receptacle instead of throwing them in with your napkins. If you live off-campus and your class isn’t within walking distance of your home or apartment, consider taking the bus or even riding your bike instead of driving. If you must drive, how about carpooling with a classmate or two?

Faculty and staff members play just as important a role as students in maintaining the sustainability of a campus. Professors should consider using recycled materials in the classroom, while energy efficient light bulbs could be installed across campus. Gardens or even greenhouses are excellent sources of nourishment as well as learning tools for staff and faculty members to make use of. Regular lessons can be taught to explain where food actually comes from and what the energy and economic costs of its production entail.

Keeping a campus sustainable may seem like a daunting task at first, but by breaking it down into smaller bits and pieces, it becomes a much more manageable endeavor. Think about what you as an individual can accomplish in your daily life and consider what it would be like if everyone took similar actions. We can all keep that hive buzzing and feel very good about how we do so.

Post authored by Eliza Worrick, Administrative Coordinator in the President’s Office at St. Edward’s University.