2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Editorial - It's not easy being green
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Forum
- Page 1 of 1
From the solar panels on the roof of Shore Hall to the waterless urinals in various bathrooms, you may have noticed that Guilford is looking more "green" these days. In the past few years, Guilford has made substantial advancements in becoming more environmentally friendly. However, it seems that most of the campus community is unaware some of these efforts.
Many of the sustainability movements on campus can be attributed to the arrival of Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Kim Yarbray in 2006. While she may go undetected in her office in the basement of Bauman, she has made noticeable changes in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability on campus.
The establishment of the Sustainability Council in 2006 has also increased the "greenness" of Guilford. Consisting of students, faculty, and staff, the council works to plan initiatives to promote environmental sustainability on campus, which included the installation of the Shore Hall solar panels last year.
President Kent Chabotar has also exemplified Guilford's increased commitment to environmental stewardship. This year, he allotted the Sustainability Council $50,000 in funding. Also, Chabotar signed a nationwide climate commitment that has pledged Guilford to increase efforts to reduce its climate impact.
The Forest Steward Council certification of the recent edition of Guilford Magazine shows that Guilford is integrating sustainability into many different areas of the college. These are just a few examples of some major changes Guilford has made to lessen its impact on the environment. There have also been many other smaller environmental projects on campus that have been inspired by students, including switching to 100 percent recycled paper towels and increasing the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products in campus bathrooms.
While these few instances illustrate Guilford's commitment to the environment, these efforts are not receiving the attention and praise that they should. Many of the student-run projects often go unheard of by the majority of the campus. Environmental movements should not be exclusively the concern of students and faculty in the environmental studies department but of every member of the Guilford community because it is an issue that affects all of our wellbeing.
The administration plays an important role in promoting sustainability at Guilford but it is the students, faculty, and staff that should continue to drive efforts to lessen our environmental impact as a campus. We should commend the efforts made thus far and take responsibility to ensure that Guilford continues this environmental stewardship in the future.
Many of the sustainability movements on campus can be attributed to the arrival of Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Kim Yarbray in 2006. While she may go undetected in her office in the basement of Bauman, she has made noticeable changes in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability on campus.
The establishment of the Sustainability Council in 2006 has also increased the "greenness" of Guilford. Consisting of students, faculty, and staff, the council works to plan initiatives to promote environmental sustainability on campus, which included the installation of the Shore Hall solar panels last year.
President Kent Chabotar has also exemplified Guilford's increased commitment to environmental stewardship. This year, he allotted the Sustainability Council $50,000 in funding. Also, Chabotar signed a nationwide climate commitment that has pledged Guilford to increase efforts to reduce its climate impact.
The Forest Steward Council certification of the recent edition of Guilford Magazine shows that Guilford is integrating sustainability into many different areas of the college. These are just a few examples of some major changes Guilford has made to lessen its impact on the environment. There have also been many other smaller environmental projects on campus that have been inspired by students, including switching to 100 percent recycled paper towels and increasing the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products in campus bathrooms.
While these few instances illustrate Guilford's commitment to the environment, these efforts are not receiving the attention and praise that they should. Many of the student-run projects often go unheard of by the majority of the campus. Environmental movements should not be exclusively the concern of students and faculty in the environmental studies department but of every member of the Guilford community because it is an issue that affects all of our wellbeing.
The administration plays an important role in promoting sustainability at Guilford but it is the students, faculty, and staff that should continue to drive efforts to lessen our environmental impact as a campus. We should commend the efforts made thus far and take responsibility to ensure that Guilford continues this environmental stewardship in the future.
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