USU goes green
Becoming green has been the goal for many organizations and companies at USU. Different campaigns on campus invite USU students to be involved in making the school, as well as individual lives healthier.
USU was one of the first universities to sign the nationwide college president’s Climate Commitment more than a year ago. President Stan Albrecht signed the document as one of many ideas presented to make USU a more green university, putting the school ahead of the curve becoming more economically and environmentally friendly.
Nat Frazer, chair of the sustainability counsel and dean of the College of Natural Resources said the document, which was signed in early 2007, promoted the formation of the USU sustainability counsel. The counsel focuses on decreasing USU’s carbon footprint which hovers around 127,000 metric tons a year. This figure includes all energy sources used by and for the university including energy used in campus facilities, air travel used by faculty and athletics and car travel used by faculty and students in commuting. The goal of the counsel is to decrease that large number to zero.
Frazer said he thinks reducing the numbers is a attainable goal.
“I suspect it is realistic,” he said. “Over the next 20 to 30 years, better technology will be available; options and purchasing power will increase. Utah State has made progress, we’ve come a long way. Utah State has been really lucky to have some amazing, forward thinking people even before the counsel was formed, people who were planning and preparing.”
Aside from the sustainability counsel, many committees and organizations are striving for the same objective. The Environmental Coalition of students is a USU approved club which promotes involvement in awareness in local and national issues. The club promotes students on campus to use local transportation and to recycle. They also support USU recycling and declare “if you are looking to make a difference in the world you will enter after you graduate, you’ve found the right place.”
According to the USU Recycling Club’s Web site, www.sustainability.usu.edu/htm/challenge/resources, USU annually produces approximately 2,500 tons of waste, 65 percent of which could be recycled. Danela Davalos, junior in landscape architecture, said she is striving to make a difference in the world.
“I have stopped using cups,” she said. “I choose to carry my coffee cup and water jug around in order to be more environmentally friendly. I recycle as much as possible.”
USU students can be involved in different opportunities offered in becoming environmentally friendly. Students can support the USU Organic Farm, Gardener’s Market, participate in the Be-Well program and Aggie Blue Bikes.
The USU Organic Farm sells organic produce. Students can support them every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.on the TSC patio.
The Cache Valley Gardener’s Market is held every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Merlin Olsen Park. Marissa Slater, senior in liberal arts, said she enjoys the Gardener’s Market because it is a great getaway.
“It gives me a chance to ride (my bike) somewhere,” Slater said. “It’s fantastic.”
The market has crafts and sells locally grown produce. Slater said it is different than she expected.
“Coming from a girl who has camp-outs in her living room,” she said, “it gives me a chance to experience a lifestyle that I wouldn’t otherwise.”
The Be-Well Program, organized by Caroline Shugart, encourages students and faculty to live a healthy lifestyle. Students will be able to see posters promoting a new campaign called “Car-Free Fridays.”
Be-Well options can also be found in the HUB. These promote healthier weight and cholestoral by choosing foods that meet specific health standards. Rachael Rawlins, senior in social work said, it is helpful if students are trying to keep a healthy lifestyle.
“It helps students to choose healthier choices and motivates them to do so because their choices are laid out,” she said. “It helps students on the run.”
Aggie Blue Bikes is another opportunity offered on campus. The organization was founded by Adam Christensen to counteract the problem of air polutants in the valley. Ryan Keepers, senior majoring in english and an employee at Aggie Blue Bikes, said all they want is to get people riding their bikes.
“The very motto of this shop is to get more people on more bikes more often,” he said.
Aggie Blue Bikes offers free services to students and employees of USU by offering free bike rentals and repairs.
USU is not just stopping there but is taking a variety of other actions to help preserve the environment and promote healthier lifestyles. These actions include a water conserving sprinkler system and using natural gas to fuel Aggie Suttle Buses.
Overall, Frazer said making environmentally-friendly options accessible for people will make the biggest difference.
“If you want people to do things that are easy on the environment, you have to make it easy for them to do,” he said.
–beck.turner@aggiemail.usu.edu