Ways to stay 'green' on or off campus

By Lindsay Eanet

Published Feb. 5, 2008

Students living off campus will likely be ready to deal with the many responsibilities that come with maintaining off-campus housing. The task they might not be as ready for is the task of making their new living spaces more eco-friendly. Sustain Mizzou President Ben Datema and his roommates have found a number of ways to make their East Campus home more energy-efficient. "We've done several things at our house," Datema said. "We have rope caulk around all the window-frames to seal the cracks. We also have all our storm windows closed. We have an insulation blanket that we've wrapped around our water-heater. We put foam inserts to put into outlets and light switches on external walls to block all the air that might be moving through from outside." Datema also suggested baking soda as an alternative to chemical household cleansers and keeping the thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer and layering clothing instead of adjusting the climate controls to save energy. Datema said the effects that the weatherization projects have had on his home have been positive in other ways, including cost-effectiveness. "I think it's very important," Datema said. "For one thing it saves money. Everything we've done has saved energy and has lowered our utility bill. We have great landlords and they've agreed to reimburse us a certain amount for weatherization materials because they realize they'll be the ones that save the money on that." Environmental Studies Department director Jan Weaver said a commitment to sustainable living begins before one moves into an apartment. "First thing to consider would be location," Weaver said. "Either trying to get within walking or biking distance of campus. Living along a bus line or in a housing unit or complex that provides bus service. Transportation is a major generator of greenhouse gases major and an expense of students." Weaver also suggested "buddying up" when renting and share common rooms to reduce the amount of space, installing fluorescent light bulbs and getting flow restrictors for the showers and sinks to minimize water use. "They can conserve resources, they can reduce waste, they can save money and depending how they choose to get to school, they can preserve their health," Weaver said. Datema said he believes making changes with respect to housing is one of the most effective ways to positively affect the environment. "Making changes to buildings and physical infrastructure is a great way to make a big impact," Datema said.

Going 'green' in the Residence Halls

Residential Life Director Frankie Minor offered suggestions for students who move into the residence halls next year, including participating in the recycling programs in the halls and the ink-recycling program started as a partnership between MU General Stores and Sustain Mizzou. "We always encourage students to conserve energy," Minor said. "After personnel, energy is the largest portion of the budget for what students pay to live here. They can reduce their own rates over time by doing what they can to reduce their energy usage and in turn, costs." Minor also suggested students look at the way they furnish their rooms and consider renewable materials like bamboo for wall hangings and floor coverings. Mark Twain Green Team member Tanya Behrens has been working with students in her residence hall to encourage them to save energy and money. "We've got a grant to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs for the hall and sell them for a dollar each because they are four times more efficient and last ten times as long as a regular light bulb," Behrens said. "They cost a little more, but if we sell them for a dollar and take away the old light bulbs, we'd end up saving the university a lot of money and a lot of energy." Behrens said the group is emphasizing small gestures to save energy, such as turning off computers and unplugging microwaves when they aren't in use. "We have signs everywhere to turn off the lights when you leave the lounge," Behrens said. Behrens said the Green Team is working to get recycling on every floor or every residence hall. "We're trying to encourage people to become mindful and think about what they're doing," Behrens said. "We're trying to get separate bins for paper and plastic, aluminum and glass in every lounge, but not every hall has them so conveniently placed." For those still living on campus, Residential Life is also working toward making campus facilities greener. Minor said the university is looking at incorporating the benchmarks and guidelines for the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification that it can feasibly achieve in all the construction and renovation building projects on campus. "One of the ideas that we're trying to do is look at putting more information in the hands of students about their own utility usage on a daily or monthly basis," Minor said. "There are some systems out there, if you can set them up right, then students can monitor their usage of some utilites on a day-to-day basis." Minor said some green building practices were being discussed for the current renovation project on the Rollins Residence Hall Group, including a small section of landscaping on the roof and the use of water runoff for irrigation. "We're trying to do what we can, but students are the ones who are going to determine whether or not we are successful in these practices," Minor said.