First, I hope you are all so excited to start this coming
fall at Penn State. I may be a little biased… but I really think you made one
of the best choices! There are dozens of helpful things on this blog that you
will be able to reference at any point leading up to, and during your freshmen
year. Since it is such a wonderful resource, I wanted to be able to contribute
some advice/guidance on something that I find super cool and important at Penn State,
and that is sustainability!
I know that starting and maintaining a green mind during
your transition into college may not be on the top of your list, but I just
wanted to share how easy it is to participate in Penn State sustainability!
Let’s start with 5 steps to living green. And remember that
any little good habit that you start will help!
1.
LIGHTS & HEAT!
If you live in the dorms, remembering to
turn off lights will be easy, as there are stickers by each switch with a quick
reminder. Turning off lights as you leave the room/bathroom will save
electricity and money. Most dorms have overhead florescent lights, but using
desk lamps with energy-saving bulbs will also help you reduce your carbon
footprint. You can apply the same habits to classrooms on campus.
Let it not be a surprise to you, Penn State
can get really cold in the winter, and that makes us want to crank up the heat,
but that isn’t a very green solution. Be sure to dress appropriately and in layers
as the weather gets colder; this can help you adjust comfortably in your dorm
on campus. If your room is too hot (or cold), report it to your RA; they can
fix the problem for you, so you don’t have to keep windows open.
2.
TRANSPORTATION!
Penn State has their own bus
systems, also known as the CATA bus. There are multiple bus loops that run
through campus as well as to shopping centers. I suggest downloading the app on
your phone before the start of school. The “CATA” app will tell you where buses
are on their loops so that it is convenient for you. I am sure you already know
about the affect of carbon dioxide emissions on climate change, so cutting down
on using cars is a huge green step! Not to mention all the Cata buses run on
natural gas. Personally, after living in State College for three years, I have
yet to have a car and can depend primarily on the buses to get me to where I
need to go. If you are looking to go out of town, we also have Mega Buses and
the Fullington Buses that get you to any major city that you may need to go.
Other then buses, you can register
a bike to have on campus, or invest in a good pair of walking shoes!
3.
TRASH!
Or rather, no trash! Penn State has
an awesome reduce, reuse and recycle program. You will find in all buildings a
multitude of bins for your use to recycle almost any product. Each bin has a
picture that tells you what exactly should go into it and you can use that as
an easy guide. You will find that there are a limited amount of actual
trashcans around campus, so Penn State really encourages you to recycle! When
you do have waste, try to be conscious of the amount you create. This can be
done through reducing. Take only food you will eat at the dinning commons or
make sure you print double sided. As for reusing, Penn State has an awesome
resource that few people know about and it is called Lion Surplus. It is a
store right on campus that resells a variety of items for reuse. Go check it
out on a rainy day!
4.
WATER!
Bring a refillable water bottle!
Penn State has set up an abundance of refill stations for your use. By
refilling water bottles, you will cut down on the amount of plastic that needs
to be manufactured to fill the bottled water you may buy at stores. As a fun
fact, you may be paying close to 10,000 times more per
gallon for bottled water than tap water! Think of how much money you could
save. Of course, if you do buy bottled water, be sure to recycle it!
Another
aspect of water to consider is grey water use. This includes showers, teeth
brushing, and laundry. All that I ask is that you are water conscious and that
you may want to think about taking shorter showers, turning the water off
between cleaning your teeth, and always making sure you are doing a full load
of wash.
5.
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES!
There are so many great things to get
involved with that can help you go above and beyond in your sustainable habits.
As the school year begins, go to votunteer.psu.edu to check out cool events
that are occurring on campus. Be sure to ask your mentor about the involvement
fair that will occur in the fall, so that join sustainability related clubs! I
was able to get involved with STATERS recycling, which allowed me to promote
recycling during football tailgating during the fall semester, and participate
in “Lights Out” during the spring semester.
All my information, and more can be further referenced on
Penn States sustainability website! They have so much more information that you
should definitely check out if you have a couple of free summer minutes! http://sustainability.psu.edu/
Kara Slocum is a senior in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and she is the Design Lead for WEPO '14!
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