Going Green

University Recognized as Eco-Friendly Institution

For the second year in a row, Georgia Southern University has been named one of the most eco-friendly campuses by the Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges. It recognizes the top eco-friendly institutions in the U.S. including colleges and universities based on their proven commitment to environmental and sustainability issues and the guide is produced in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council. “This designation means a great deal to our students, faculty and staff who are working very hard to preserve our environment for the future,” said Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel, Ph.D.

Georgia Southern is one of the institutions that signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, and partners with the city of Statesboro to use recycled water to irrigate some athletic fields. In addition, all new construction at the University must be LEED certified, and 30 percent of the buildings on campus have undergone retrofits to make them more energy efficient. Practicing responsible stewardship has also made its way into the classroom. In January 2011, the University launched the new Interdisciplinary Concentration in Environmental Sustainability, which requires all students to complete a four-credit environmental course before graduation.

The University Center for Sustainability, founded in 2008, works in partnership with students, faculty, staff and the administration to strengthen campus sustainability efforts. This year, the smallest changes on campus made a big impact, and Georgia Southern proved that going green is a good thing.

“Protecting the environment is becoming increasingly important to our students,” said Center Director Lissa Leege, Ph.D. “They are interested and actively involved in conserving our natural resources, and are eager for hands-on opportunities to learn more about sustainability.” The Center works in partnership with students, faculty and administrators to strengthen campus sustainability efforts.

The Center and the University Wellness Program sponsored “No Impact Week” on the campus this spring, an event focused on reducing our carbon footprint to enhance the quality of life and to educate the University community on ways to make a positive impact on the environment.

Each day of “No Impact Week” was dedicated to a specific issue, including water, transportation and recycling. Numerous events were held that demonstrated easy, effortless things each person could do to help the environment. Some examples included checking vehicle air pressure to improve gas mileage, a tap water vs. bottled water taste testing and a clothing swap. The week’s events also included a Farmers Market, Earth Day celebration, cleaning campus watersheds and a guest lecture from environmentalist Jeffrey Hollender.

Other campus-wide initiatives included the University’s first year of participation in Recyclemania, an eight-week recycling competition across the United States and Canada that involved more than 600 colleges and universities. Georgia Southern ranked number two in the state in the categories of paper, cardboard, bottles and cans, recycling the equivalent of removing 35 cars off the road and 66 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Eagle Dining Services teamed up with Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) to help students save money and promote the green movement with the creation of the Eagle Green Cup, a 24-ounce Turvis Tumbler that students can refill in 11 on-campus locations. Available to dining plan holders for $12 and non-dining plan holders for $15, the tumblers are refillable for $1 with proceeds benefiting the Hearts and Hands Clinic, a area health care clinic for the underserved that was founded by alumnus Andres Montes.

“Georgia Southern is doing more than conserving water and energy today. We are also teaching our students the importance of environmental awareness and that is a lesson we believe many of them will carry beyond our University as they become the next generation of leaders,” said Keel.

—Rebekah Faulk